Judgement and Mercy: OR, The Plague of Frogs inflicted, removed.  
Delivered in Nine SERMONS, By that late Reverend and Learned Divine, Mr. JOSIAS SHUTE,  of Colchester, and Preacher at St. Mary Woolnoth, in London: With his usual Prayers before and after Sermon.  
Whereunto is added A Sermon Preached at his Funeral, By Mr. EPHRAIM UDALL.  Eccles. 12. 10. 
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.  

Imprimatur.  
Ja. Cranford. Octob. 29. 1644.   
London, Printed for Charles Greene, and are to be sold at his Shop in Ivy Lane at the sign of the Gun. 1645.   

To the Christian Reader.  
TO commend persons, or things of worth in a perfunctory, slight manner, is little better than to dispraise them; therefore I shall forbear Encomiums of this worthy Author, or his Labours, lest I run that hazard; Let his own Works praise him in the gates: 
Prov. 31.31.  only lengthen thy patience to the thorough perusal of these ensuing Sermons, and thou shalt find that that may heighten thy esteem both of him and them,  
I am confident that those who were his usual Auditors will herein find his own vestigia, both for matter, and phrase. And my hope is, that by the blessing of God, many honest hearts may reap benefit by these his Labours, 
Heb. 11.4.  (whereby he being dead yet speaketh) that had not opportunity in his life time to partake of his indefatigable Ministry. As for others, as this worthy man once said of the chief in Magistracy, (upon occasion of the death of King james, that when the body turns traitor, it is just with God to behead it) so may I say for the Ministry, when God in Mercy shall set up such burning and shining lights, and men in stead of walking by them spit at them, God is justly provoked to extinguish those lights, 
Jer. 13.6.  and leave men to stumble upon the dark mountains. But I shall no longer detain thee from the work itself, but commit it and thee to the blessing of God.  
H. W.   

Morning Prayer before the SERMON.  
MOst glorious Lord God, and merciful Father in Jesus Christ; we poor wretched and miserable sinners do here prostrate ourselves before thee, humbly acknowledging that to thee belongs all honour and glory, whose pure eyes can behold no iniquity; and to us nothing but shame and confusion of face, for our manifold transgressions committted against thee.  
If we look upon ourselves as we lie in the loins of our first parents, we are a part of that tainted seed that might justly inherit thy wrath: our understandings are darkened; and our wills instead of conformity to thine, are grown rebellious; in as much as that by nature, there is not one good thought in us; but a proneness to all evil whatsoever.  
And if we consider ourselves in our actual transgressions by our sins of ignorance, our sins of infirmity, and of doubting, our sins against our own knowledge, and against our vows and purposes, and promises of better obedience; We have greatly dishonoured thy glorious name, and grieved thy good Spirit, and weakened thy graces more and more within us, and have justly exposed ourselves to thy eternal curse.  
Even at this time, Holy Father, in the midst of thy Temple, we come before thee clogged with so many imperfections; that if thou shouldest be extreme to mark what is done amiss, the best of us were never able to abide it. It is thine infinite mercy that we are not consumed; and therefore do we live to put up this poor imperfect prayer to thee, because thy compassions fail not.  
But, O God, though in ourselves we be miserable, and weak, and forlorn; suffer us to cast up our eyes to the hills from whence cometh our help, to importune thee by the Gracious Name of Father, and to entreat thee for the merits of the Son of thy love, to be merciful to us. Remember thine own promise, that if we confess our sins, and leave them, and come to thee in the Son of thy love, we shall find mercy. Lord we renounce our former sins; it grieves us that we can be no more sorry for the same. By the blessed assistance of thy holy Spirit, we intent to live more conscionably for the time to come.  
And we come to thee for Christ's sake, desiring thee to speak peace to our souls through his blood, bury all our sins in his grave, that they may never rise up in this world (to shame us, and to be a reproach unto us, to terrify our consciences to desperation, to intercept thy blessings, or our prayers) or in the world to come everlastingly to condemn us.  
And because the foundation of all our comfort stands in the assurance of this. Lord multiply to every one of our souls the blessed evidences of this thy reconciliation. Send the holy Spirit of thy Son into every of our hearts to renew us to that glorious Image of thine from whence we are fallen, and that may work every saving grace in us; True faith in thy promises, that though thou kill us we may trust in thee, resolution in all good causes, fear and reverence of thy glorious Majesty; a groaning and daily mourning under our own imperfections that ever we offended so good a God, and so gracious a Father: a good use making of all the afflictions, and chastisements upon others. And teach every one of us, upon whom these days of our peace and prosperity, and health are renewed (who know not how soon we may be drawn to a reckoning) to prepare ourselves, that whensoever thou shalt come near us, either by that general, or more particular judgements, we may be able to stand in the day of our visitation.  
And because thou of thine infinite wisdom hast set apart the Ministry of thy Word to fit us for that time. Lord bless it at all times, and at this time; enable me that am to speak it, the most unworthy of all the sons of Levi: Lord cover all my sins and manifold imperfections, in that mercy of thine that hath no measure; and be pleased so to assist me by thy more particular help, that I may deliver thy word boldly, truly, feelingly, and sincerely. Circumcise the hearts and ears of this people, that they may hear attentively, treasure it up in their hearts carefully, and bring forth the fruit in their lives and conversations conscionably, to thy glory, and the assurance of their own salvation in the day of Jesus Christ. To whom with thee, O Father, and thy Blessed Spirit, be ascribed, as due is, all honour, and glory, both now, and for evermore.  
Amen.   

Evening Prayer before the Sermon.  
O Lord our God, great in Majesty, and infinite in Power; and in Jesus Christ our most merciful and loving Father: we poor, and wretched sinners are here again by thy providence assembled in thy Sanctuary, to be made partakers of the good of thy house. But Lord what are we that we should tender any petition to thee? unworthy we are to behold this blessed light that shines to us much more unworthy to enjoy these conveniences, and opportunities of meeting in thy house to know the way and means to a better life: But most worthy of all thy plagues to be poured down upon us, both in this life, and that which is to come.  
For besides that original corruption, wherein we were borne and conceived and which like a leprosy hath over spread all the powers & faculties both of soul and body;) we have heaped up a numberless number of actual transgressions. There is not any of thy holy Commandments, but in thought, word and deed, most grievously, and frequently we have violated. And which advanceth our iniquity, and heightens our rebellion, these evils have not only escaped us in the times of ignorance, but even since it hath pleased thee to enlighten us with the knowledge of thy truth: so that notwithstanding thy mercies, thy judgements, the motions of thy good Spirit; the blessed light of thy Gospel afforded to us, we have continued the course of our rebellion against thee: yea that we may be yet more vile in thy presence, even at this time when we come before thee, we are clogged with so many imperfections, that if thou shouldest be extreme to mark what is done amiss, how mightest thou plague us in our bodies, in our goods, in our good names? how mightest thou fill us with the fury of an unpacified conscience, and write bitter things against us, and a wounded spirit who can bear? How mightest thou give us up to a reprobate sense to commit sin with greediness, and punish one evil with another; and after all this cast us into that place of torment, to suck out the dregs of thy vials? O God, in all this thou shouldest be justified, and clear when thou are judged, and we deservedly punished.  
Our sins, our sins, O Lord, call to heaven for vengeance; the pit is ready to shut her mouth upon us, if thou wert not the Lord of mercies. But thou hast opened a way for poor distressed sinners to come to thee through thy Son. We fly to the horns of the Altar, and entreat thee for Jesus Christ sake to be merciful to us.  
And thou sweet Saviour of the world, whose name imports mercy, and whose work brought salvation for the sons of men; thou knowest that we are but flesh, and remember'st that we are but dust. Thou that art a High Priest touched with our infirmities, that knowest the power, & strength of old Adam how it leads us captive to sin and wickedness; stand between us, & the wrath of thy offended Father, mediate our cause with thy Father, that all our iniquities may be done away by thy sufferings, that we may ever find to our comfort, that though we have done ill, we have an advocate with the Father, jesus Christ the righteous. And do thou, dear Father, every day more and more assure and persuade our souls that thou art reconciled to us in thy Son, by sending his Spirit into our hearts to renew us to that glorious Image of thine from whence we are fallen; and which may enable us to perform every good duty: that as heretofore we have given our bodies and souls to be weapons of unrighteousness; so in every part and power of them we may glorify thee our God and Saviour, and as much time as remains in the flesh, work out our salvation with fear and trembling.  
And be cause thou of thine infinite wisdom hast set apart the Ministry of thy Word for this purpose; good Lord bless it to us at all times, and at this time. Enable me that am to speak, the most unworthy of all the sons of Levi: Lord cover all my sins and manifold imperfections in that mercy of thine that hath no measure; and be pleased so to assist me by thy more particular help, that I may deliver thy word, boldly, truly, feelingly, and sincerely. Circumcise the hearts and ears of this thy people, that they may hear attentively, treasure it up in their hearts carefully, and bring it forth in their lives and conversations conscionably, to thy glory, and assurance of their own salvation in the day of Jesus Christ; to whom with thee, O Father, and thy blessed Spirit, be ascribed, as is most due, all honour and glory, both now, and for evermore.   

Prayer after Sermon.  
WE return unto thy Majesty, O Lord our God, most humble and hearty thanks for all thy mercies most plentifully bestowed upon us, as election creation, redemption, preservation, vocation; for the time and means thou hast given us of repentance, whereas thou mightest have took us away in the midst of our sins. O God, what are we, or what is our father's house, that thou shouldest be thus merciful to us, to prevent and to follow us with thy kindness? we are less than the least of thy mercies; yet suffer us to take the cup of salvation, and to praise thy Name: accept of our poor acknowledgement; add one mercy more, dear God, to the common heap; grant that we may express our thankfulness in a godly care of all holy obedience.  
Bless that part of thy word that we have heard delivered at this time; Good Lord, make it effectual to our souls to salvation, grant that it may bring forth fruit, in some twenty, in some thirty, in some sixty, in some a hundred fold; though in some more, and in some less yet in all some, to the henour of thy Name.  
Bless with us thy whole Church, wheresoever dispersed, or howsoever distressed on the face of the earth; and prosper O God, the cause of the same where ever it is maintained in all the world, as may be for the confounding of the Kingdom of Sin and antichrist, and for the encouragement of all such as profess thy Gospel in sincerity.  
Bless us in these Kingdoms; continue to us our liberty, forgive our crying sins, turn away thy judgements, open our eyes at last to see the day of our visitation. Bless thy servant our Sovereign, Charles, by thy Grace, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, in all causes, and over all persons, as well Ecclesiastical as Civil, next and immediately under thy Son supreme governor. Bless the Queens most excellent Majesty, Prince Charles, the Princess Palatine, and her issue. The Lords of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council. The whole Nobility. Bless thine own inheritance, the Tribe of Levi, by what names or titles soever they be called. And for a supply of David's Towers with Worthies, bless all Schools of Learning, the two Universities of this Land, Cambridge and Oxford. Bless all Congregations, this committed to my charge.  
Remember all that are in affliction in mercy, whether outwardly in body, or inwardly in mind, or for the testimony of a good conscience. Lord draw near to every of them according to their desires. Receive us, Dear God, and all ours, and all thine into thy love and favour, and protection, therest of this day, and for ever. Let thy holy hand protect us, let thy blessed Spirit direct us; vouchsafe, good God to go in and out before us. Keep in us a purpose never to sin; confirm it more and more: and upon every suggestion to sin, let us call to mind our vows, and promises of better obedience; and though we have dealt falsely before, now make them more powerful to restrain us. If we fall by infirmity, let our hearts smite us speedily; restore us by repentance immediately; evermore keep us from impenitency, hardness of heart, and presumption, the power of Satan, and a downfall into sin.  
Grant us all other things that thou in thy wisdom knowest better that we want, than we to ask; not for any merits of ours, we disclaim them; nothing belongs to us but shame and confusion: but even for thy Names sake, for thy promise sake, for jesus Christ's sake the Son of thy love, and our Saviour, in whose Name, we further call upon thee, as he hath taught us, saying, Our Father which art, etc.   

THE FIRST SERMON Upon EXOD. CHAP. 8.  VERS. 1.2. 
And the Lord spoke unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go that they may serve me.  
And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs.  
THis Chapter hath three parts according to the three judgements here remembered.  

The first judgement was the frogs from verse 1. to verse 16.  
The second was of louse from verse 16. to verse 20.  
The third of flies, noisome flies, to the end of the Chapter.   
In this first judgement which is of frogs, we are to observe these three things. 

First, the denunciation of it.  
Secondly, the execution of it.  
Thirdly, the event of it.    
The denunciation of it in the first 4 verses.  
The execution, in verse 5.6.  
The event of it is threefold.  


First, the Magicians do the like verse 7.  
Secondly, thence there is a remoovall of this judgement, and the means of the same, from the beginning of verse 8. to the end of verse 15.  
The third event is the obduration, and further hardening of the heart of Pharaoh, verse 16.    
Come again to the denunciation, there are two things in it. 

First, Moses from God makes a motion to Pharaoh, to dismiss his people, verse 1.  
Secondly, he tells him upon his refusal of a judgement, and there is,    
First laid down what the judgement should be, frogs.  
Then the amplification of it, from the generality, in all his borders, in his bedchamber, in their troughs, their baking-troughs, and their ovens, they shall be a vexation to them night and day.  
And then for the noisomeness of them, that they should crawl about in all these places.  
Now for the motion, which is laid down in verse 1. that I may not reciprocari serram, as Tertullian speaks, I will not draw my saw the same way again; I willingly omit many things that might be observed in this verse.  

First, God's manner of speaking to Moses.  
Secondly, Moses going in to Pharaoh.  
Thirdly, his manner of speaking to Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord: Whereby he would persuade him that he was sent by God; therefore he that sent him would not brook a refusal.   
Likewise in the fourth place, how equal the motion of God was, Let my people go: he requires his own of Pharaoh: And how they were said to be God's people above all other people in the world.  
To the end that they may go and serve me. The relation that is between God and his people, it ties the people of God to serve him, to observe him.  
Again, how God would have them go out of Egypt to serve him; that is, to offer sacrifice. For he would not have them serve him there, where the Egyptians (instead of joining with them) would deride them, nay not only so, but mischief them: for such was the zeal of the Egyptians against sacrifice. All these I willingly, and purposely omit.  
Now, (my beloved) in this verse as it is a transition to that that follows, I will only remember you of three things.  

The first is the obstinacy of Pharaoh.  
The second is the longanimity, and long-suffering of God.  
The third is the piety, and obedience of Moses: all which are implied in this first verse.   
First, the obstinacy of Pharaoh, he had seen signs already: the Rod turned into a Serpent; and the rod of Moses devouring the Serpents of the Egyptians. He had likewise seen that fearful judgement, the water turned into blood. In which judgement both he, and the prime of the land, it may be might escape more easily. It is likely they might quench their thirst, by wine, or by some juice, or liquors: but we must needs conceive that it went hard with the generality of the people, that either must die for thirst, or drink blood: if they forbear they die; if they drink, in probability they perish; blood being so incongruous drink for the body of man.  
Besides this, though he had seen the Magicians do the like, yet they could not remove the judgement: the Lord in his mere mercy, without any suit of Pharaoh or of his people put an end after seven days to that great affliction: yet notwithstanding this, see the obduration of the wicked man's heart, he had need of a new judgement to rouse him. My observation is this, How many blows a hard heart will endure, before it break, or be mollified. See it in Balaam, he was not warned by the Asses turning out of the way; nor yet by the Asses rushing against the wall to the bruising of his foot; nor yet by the Asses lying down under him, and opening his mouth against him, his heart was set, he loved the wages of unrighteousness, on he goes. So with Balack the King of Moab whom he served. The first time he builds seven Altars, and sacrificeth on them, and the second time seven, and the third time seven with more opportunity: and though he saw that every time it was like a piece charged against another, that recoiled upon himself; though he saw how frustranious, and empty all his intendments, and purposes were, yet for all that he goes on in the hardness of his heart. God sought means to reclaim him, he defeated his purposes, but he would not yield; as if he had held it an honour to be tenacious of his resolution against God.  
Thus it was with Saul, what a number of blows did God give that hard heart of his, before it would melt? Every time he disappointed him in his pursuit of David, it was a blow given to mollify his heart (if it might have been) yet he goes on to a greater degree of iniquity, and impiety, and he reinforceth, and reneweth his cursed endeavours against an innocent man.  
If the heart of man be but of a mettle, that is hard enough God knows; yet it may be melted though it be iron, as Gregory Nazianzen saith, it will melt in the fire: but if the heart of man be that heart of stone, Ezek. 11.19. well may it be broken, but melt it will not. And it is not easily broken neither, many blows will go to the breaking of it. If the heart of man were only as wine, or water, it were easily poured out: but if the heart of man come to be as lees, and those settled, nay frozen, there is no way to empty them but to break the vessel, jerem. 48.11.  
The Use of it in a word shall be to us all, to fear this fearful judgement of obduration and hardness of heart. It is found in a degree in the best of God's children; therefore I say let us all fear it. Peter in this was Petra, a piece of a rock; for it was not the first time that the cock crowed, nor the second time, that could rouse him; he was feign to crow the third time; and then he did not listen neither, but that Christ looked bacl: Christ looked back, and then Peter wept, the cold heart of Peter was thawed by the eyes of Christ, that are indeed as a flaming fire, Rev. 1.14. And how many dear Saints of God complain often of the stupidity and hardness of their hearts? This I confess, there is some softness that makes them feel that hardness, yet they complain of some hardness and obduration.  
Let us ever pray to God that he would give us tender hearts, that our hearts may smite us as David's did upon the very cutting off of the lap of saul's garment, and upon his numbering of the people, as appears in those books of Samuel. And that when God smites we may yield; that we do not lead ourselves so in our own ways to stand out with God. O let our sins ever find us, as Austin speaks, judges, but not patrons of them, accusers, but no defenders of mischief. And upon the first summons let us yield, be sure of that; for standing out will but increase our sorrow. A senselessness, and astonishment of heart, Deut. 28.28. A reprobate mind, Rom. 1.28. To be past feeling, Ephes. 4.19. To have a seared conscience, 1 Tim. 4.2. O God if it be thy blessed will keep us from. For, Beloved, such a conscience is that that Bernard calls Malum & tranquillam, an evil conscience, but a quiet one; and where such a peace is, the Gospel tells you who holds possession. Therefore I say again, and again, whom God loveth he chasteneth, and whom he chasteneth, he makes him feel his blow, and indeed by their present yielding in his mercy prevents their future suffering. That is the first thing, the obstinacy of Pharaoh.  
Secondly, the longanimity of God. Surely if we wonder at Pharaohs obstinacy, we have need as much to wonder at God's long-suffering: for he having provoked God as he had done, by his itterated acts of cruelty and blood, and oppression upon the poor Israelites, having twice or thrice rejected God's warnings, he having stood out not only a sign, but a judgement; that God should admit him to a parley, that God should vouchsafe him yet another admonition, and not cut him off that he should be no more a burden to the earth, certainly it was an argument of  The long-suffering of God. 
And thus patiented is God, and long-suffering towards the vessels of wrath, Rom. 9.22. We find it in Cain, and in the old world, and in the Amorites, and in Sodom. We find it in Gods own Israel, he bore with their customs in the wilderness, Act. 13.18. and not only in the wilderness, but elsewhere; and so long till he was as a cart pressed under sheaves, as Amos speaks: yea, till there was no remedy; for so himself saith, 2 Chron. ult. God bears so long with wicked men ofttimes, that as Tertullian saith, men are apt to question his providence, and his justice.  
And the Use of it (being a common point) let it be this: Let not the sons of Belial be encouraged to go on in evil; for though God defer, and suspend the execution of wrath, according to their merit, yet certainly though God be long, yet he is not eternally patiented. Justice must have a turn: surely the further the blow is fetched, the heavier it will light. God was not more frequent in warnings to the old world, than he was full in his judgements when he came.  
Take but one instance upon Israel; he waited long for them; he patiently expected, he stood still looking when they would return, and if his feet had been feet of brass, as he described, Revel. 1. surely he would have been weary of standing.  
Well, when it would not be, than he buckles himself; and for their Metropolis that was the glory of the whole earth, not one stone was left upon another; for the rivers that ran with milk, and honey, they were turned into blood: And for the surviving people and posterity, they were vagabonds upon the face of the earth, and to this day for 1600. years are under a miserable dispertion. So will God do with other sons of wickedness, that shall provoke him, though judgement be not presently executed, and that Pharaoh do not smart yet in his own person; afterwards God made him to know his long-suffering, and patience to the full. At last he will punish: there will be bitterness in the conclusion.  
This same cruel Tyrant Pharaoh, when he saw the former judgement removed he began to be bolder to sin. And as Philo the Jew saith in his first book of the life of Moses; he carried himself as if justice had left the earth; as if it had been impossible (saith he) that he should be punished the second time.  
So it fares with many agag's in the world, when either judgement is deferred, or hath been inflicted, and he is rid of it; O saith he, The bitterness of death is past: but the next news that we hear is, that the sword of Samuel thrust him through, 1 Sam. 5. So God deals with those that abuse his lenity and long-suffering, that abused patience turns to fury.  
Secondly, here is an item to God's people, they may be comforted hence; if God be so long-suffering to the vessels of wrath, surely, he will not be hasty, and inexorable toward his own children. If he be so good to those that regard not his works, that grieve not for their sins; what will He be to those that mourn for their iniquities, that tremble at his word, and seek his face? I appeal to your consciences, you that hear me, if you have not found God thus long-suffering, and gracious, hath he taken the advantage of every slip? nay hath he took the advantage of every grosser sin of yours that you have run into through frailty? hath he not spared you as a father spares his son? As I would not encourage you upon the long-suffering of God, to make a probate, and trial of his patience, and so to sin: So on the other side, I would not too much deject you, and cast you down: for surely God will yet call, and God will yet speak admonitions, and speak louder, to recall those that have a mind to know him; and will spare yet a little longer, as David speaks, before they go hence, and be no more seen. That is the second thing, the longanimity of God.  
The third thing is the piety of Moses; Beloved, I gather it hence. Moses is now to go in to Pharaoh. It is like enough, God knew well enough his temper, or else he would not have put him upon this service. Moses obeyed, and his obedience is the more remarkable in that he was so averse from this employment in the beginning. For when God would send him, O by no means, he must send by whom he would send, and he makes many excuses only to subterfuge this employment: when God had taken away all his objections, than he comes to him, and when he comes there, he soon drooped, because the people would not believe him for the anguish of their souls, and they were more afflicted: then he comes, and saith to God, How shall Pharaoh hear me, I am of uncircumcised lips? And yet this man that was so averse and fearful to take the employment upon him: Now God no sooner speaks, but he goes in to Pharaoh. My observation shall be this,  What difference there is between men when they enter into a calling, and after when they have made some progress in it. 
What a difference there is between a man when he enters into good ways, and after they have made a progress in it. Noah was commanded of God to build an Ark, to condemn the world, and to save himself: you must think he had many thoughts in his mind, and cast a thousand difficulties; yet he set on it, and by that time he was well entered into it, he goes on amain, and neglects all the reproaches of the unjust world. So it was with Gedeon in the beginning of his employment, he was a man wondrous fearful, but afterward being commanded to ruinated the Altar of Baal, he doth it readily, judg. 6. and after puts himself upon employment; he grew to that resolution that when his Army did fall from 32000, to three hundred, he dares meet the Madianites hand to hand, though they were spread upon the ground as Grasshoppers. See how courage increaseth in the imploymen:  
I knew a man that had good gifts that was afraid to enter into the Ministry, and he forecasted the trouble and the labour, but after he was entered, and had accustomed himself that way, he found much comfort and cheerfulness, and was wondrously enabled to do above all that he conceived. And so in the course of Magistracy.  
I will use no more instances but that of regeneration; the entering into the spiritual state, as a man doth in conversion. The new birth is not without many pangs, and throws, and convulsions, and the door to it is wondrous strait; for you must know that our nature is so fare from being disposed to good, that it is infinitely prone to ill. And then a man hath much ado to take his leave, and to bid adieu to the delights and pleasures that he enured and accustomed himself to.  
And then the Devil opposeth the entering of a man here as Pharaoh did the Israelites when they were to go out of Egypt: he multiplies all his forces against him. So he did with the man in the Gospel when he was to be cast out, he tore him, and rend him, and laid him for dead.  
Again, he will raise storms against a man from the world, disgraces, and reproaches, and trouble, which are as untimely frosts to nip the buds of goodness. All these make the entrance into the ways of God wondrous difficult; but when a man hath entered, and spent some time in goodness and godliness, and the exercises of piety, how sweet and comfortable doth that way appear? how joyful, what enlargement doth a man find in it? Indeed such that he reputes himself that he was no sooner there. We find it in Austen when the scales were fallen from his eyes, and so in Paul. And take the example of Nichodemus for all, he was fearful at the beginning, he comes to Christ by night, some say out of shame; because he that was a teacher would not be thought to learn; some say out of wisdom, because the night is the fittest time to learn. But the truth is, as Eusebius hath it, it was out of fear, fearing the Jews lest he should be cast out of the Synagogue: well, he that came so fearfully by night, he was after so bold that he durst appear in public to speak for Christ. So joseph of Arimathea he went boldly to ask the body of Christ, and took it down when it was contemned of all the world, and prepared costly odour for his burial.  
The way of Religion is called a yoke, Mat. 11.29. and Gregory saith well of it, Grave cum tollis etc. It is grievous when ye take it up, but after it is borne a while it is sweet: My yoke is easy, and my burden is light, saith Christ. Saith the Poet, A heifer that is not used to the yoke, struggles, the yoke pincheth the neck, but after a while she carries it more gently. Even a new suit of  though they be made never so fit for a man's body, it is not so easy the first day as after it is worn a while. Two millstones, though they be made fit, do not grind so well at the first as afterward. The Heathen man could say, Ever choose the best course, and what by custom, and use, it will be made pleasant. What saith Solomon by way of encouragement to men that enter into the waves of God, Prov. 4.12. When thou art entered thy feet shall not be straitened, that is, thou shalt find more and more enlargement. And it is the speech of Austen, Entertain the service of the Spirit of God, and thou shalt not be straitened, but more enlarged: and he spoke out of experience: for saith he, Before thou didst come, O God, I complained of straightness; but when thou didst fill my soul, thou didst exclude not me, but that anxiety, and perplexity that I was in.  
The Use of it is this, That seeing men are apt to be discouraged in the beginning, and yet find a great deal of latitude after, and the way more broad; It should teach us in the fear of God, not to be troubled too too much with the difficulties that we meet with in the entrance of good works and business, digest the difficulty in the threshold of the business; for after it will be more easy.  
Saith some man, when he is to be converted, and is told what will be requited of him. What! pray so constantly: What! hear the word of God so exactly: What! mortify a man's lusts, and bid adieu to his old pleasures: What! fast, and abstain from the use of the creatures, and other things that are required; this is a hard speech, who can endure it? O, in the name of God, try it, put in to the way, my soul for thine after thou art entered into it thou shalt find it every day more comfortable. Moses, that was fearful at the first, takes after any business without reluctation; so shalt thou.  
In the way of sin there is ofttimes a great deal of pleasure in the entrance, and it may be there may be a seeming sweetness in the progress; but the further a man goeth, the more perplexities offer themselves, and then he apprehends the trouble and danger, and what will the reckoning be? It is otherwise in goodness, though a man be straitened in the entrance, after he is accustomed to good ways, he gins to be free, and empty and vacant of fears, and still there is more light grows till the perfect day; and that that was burdensome becomes lightsome, That it is his meat and drink to do the will of his Father: he longs after the hearing of the word, and after the time of prayer, and he is never so well as when he is so employed, that he is as nimble in the performance as a man is in carrying one of the jounts' of his body, and there is no man doth that with difficulty.  
O let us labour to have the habit of good, enter into the ways of God, and make it a custom, let it once be so natural, and we shall have joy enough.  
I will not say, but that clouds may sometimes come between us and our Sun. What of all that; as they said concerning julian, It is a cloud that will soon pass away, and there will be joy and consolation, and comfort afterward. As we see it is with a man when he goes into the water in a hot season, there is a trembling of his body when he first puts in; but after he hath drenched himself he is not sensible of the cold; so the way of piety is irksome at the first, but after it gives great comfort and contentment.  
In the second place, Moses may here be an example to all those that God employs to great persons, though they be wicked, and profane, and hard hearted, they should not refuse to go: If Samuel be employed to Saul, if Elias to Ahab; and if Ezekiel go among briers, and thorns, and scorpions, as God tells him in the beginning of that Prophecy. If we be sent to sow seed among stones, we must be contented with the work: For God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Though their hearts be as Adamant, Zach. 7.12. it may be broken, Adamant is said to be so hard that it cannot be broken: But Pliny in his Natural History saith, that as stiff as it is to endure the fire, and all the blows, yet it may be broken with goat's milk. Beloved, it is possible for the hardest heart in the world to be broken, even by the blood of him that was set out by the Scape-Goat: if he sprinkle it by our Ministry upon any, he can break them. If otherwise, if men block up their own way, yet a man that is obedient to the message of God, he hath freed his own soul; he is a savour, and a good savour to God in those that perish. So I have done with those three things; The obstinacy of Pharaoh; The longanimity of God; And the piety and obedience of Moses, who though he were refractory at the first, now at the last goes on with a great deal of courage.  
I come to the commination laid down in the second verse.  But if thou refuse to let them go, I will smite all thy borders with frogs. 
God speaks not to Pharaoh immediately, but he will have Moses commend this message to him. And indeed this hath been God's manner of dealing, to acquaint his messengers with his mind, and they to deliver it to the people he sends them to. Thus he acquainted Noah with what he purposed against the old world, that he meant to bring a flood, Gen. 6. Thus he acquainted Abraham with what he would do with Sodom. Thus he acquainted Samuel what he would do with Saul, and the house of Elimine Thus he told Elias what he would do with Ahab and jezebel, and their family, and thus he hath dealt in all times. Nay, as it is Amos 3.7. The Lord will do nothing but he will acquaint his servants the Prophets with it. Non quod faciat in Coelo etc. saith Jerome, not with every thing that he doth in heaven, but with what he doth upon the face of the earth, God is pleased to reveal it to his Prophets, and they must make it known to the sons of men.  
And this God doth out of respect to his servants; for they being his favourites, and dear to him, he communicates his purpose to them. Shall I hid from Abraham the thing that I do? Gen. 18. Why? he was the friend of God; he knew that he would instruct his family.  
And then he commends them to others therein, he shows his great prudence and providence that he fits men with messengers like themselves, job 33.6. saith Elihu, I am a man like thee, fit for thee, God hath appointed me to speak etc. We are not able to endure God speaking to us; we see it in the Israelites, Exod. 19 We are not able to endure not an Angel to appear; for it was a cause of trouble to them that they appeared to; as we see in the father of Samson, and the father of john the Baptist. Therefore God hath fitted us by condiscending to our weakness to speak to us by men.  
Again, God will make trial of men whether they will receive messengers like themselves, and so receive their message; whether they will reject the treasure because it is brought in a leather purse; whether we will receive it as the word of man, or as the word of God that is able to save our souls, as Peter saith.  
Hence it is (for the use of it) that we denounce to you the judgements of God upon occasion. The Ministers now are full of judgements ofttimes. How come we by this? You must not say to us, as they did to Moses and Aaron, You take too much upon you ye sons of Levi: And who hath known God's mind, or hath been his counsellor? Isay 45. We arrogate not to ourselves to know the mind of God; we say not as the Prophets that God communicates himself to us as he did to them; we abhor the enthusias of the Anabaptists. But we say this, That revealed things belong to us, and to our children. God hath punished such sins with such judgements, and still he threatneth the same judgements to such iniquities, and we denounce in the name of God such judgements to such sins.  
We that are Ministers observe the sins of this land to grow to a fearful height, as for quality, for nature, and proportion; they are of the first magnitude, and so are grown up to heaven. We have observed a long time the pride of the land, not only in diet, but in apparel excessive. We have observed the Idolatry that is creeping in among us. We have observed the uncharitableness in people; the ignorance as dark as hell; the foul lusts, the gross excess in men, as if the Devil were entered into a company of swine; we have observed these, and other sins that provoke God's wrath. And these, and the like we have seen impenitently committed; and we have spit in the face of these abominations, not only seven times, but seventy times seven times. And now we see no reformation, we are bold, in the name of our God, to denounce judgements, and we have told you that plague and famine would come for the sins of the land; and hath the Lord suffered one jot of the words of his servants to fall? I, and yet we must tell you that continuing in your iniquities, will provoke God to further wrath; and we may boldly say, If we be deceived, God hath deceived us, and though heaven and earth perish, there is not one word of God shall perish.  If thou refuse to let them go. 
Saith Tostatus upon this place; The common way of men that are suppliants to others is to entreat a thing, but never to seem to distrust them that they ask of, and to question it: for though they be persuaded that they shall be denied, yet they will not intimate so much for fear they should be thought to distrust the goodness of the giver. And indeed if a man find himself disinherited, though he had a prompt mind to satisfy the request, he is ready to fall bacl again.  
But if a man go so fare as to manifest his distrust of the performance, yet it is not the fashion of suitors to threaten: therefore saith my Author; See in what manner Moses comes, not in his own name, but in the name of God, and though he spoke to one that was above him, yet he saith, Let them go, for God will not brook a refusal.  
Thus we that are Ministers, as we call to men for obedience, and threaten them for their disobedience; and we speak it out of the dominion, and authority, and power that God hath invested us with, we speak it home.  
For the business doth not lie between God and his people, as between man and man that are reciprocal, that may be equal; but it is between God and his People, as between a King and his Subjects, where there is a wondrous disproportion. Therefore Moses might speak, and speak imparatively, and with a commination, If thou refuse, etc. But I will not stand upon that:  If thou refuse to let them go. 
He doth wisely premise this, before he speak of the judgement, that Pharaoh, and all the world may take knowledge, that God never punisheth without a cause.  If thou refuse to let them go, I will smite thy Country with frogs. 
God forbidden that the judge of all the world should deal unjustly, saith Abraham, Gen. 18. Ezek. 14. ult. And saith the Lord, When these things are done, you shall know that I have done justly, that what I have done was not without a cause.  Never did God punish any man without a cause. 
Was there not cause for our first parent's punishment, even that we have heard? they refused to hear the command of God, and to obey it. Was there not cause of the punishing of Cain? Yes, he refused to hear God when he spoke to him fairly to prevent a wickedness. Was there not cause of punishing the old World? Yes, they were full of lusts, and of cruelty, and refused to hear the Preacher of righteousness, so Noah is called. Was there not cause of punishing God's people, and of the destruction of jerusalem? God, saith he, sent his Prophets early, and late, and they refused to hear them. We have not harkened to the voice of thy servants the Prophet's acknowlodging the sins of the people, Dan. 10. And Christ himself when he gives the reason of the destruction of jerusalem, He would have gathered them as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wing, but they would not. Certainly as St. Austen saith, Judgement never knew the way into the world without Sin; Sin ushered it in: therefore God must be justified in all things. For the very child that is new borne, that never committed actual iniquity; nay that was prevented in the birth, must justify God if it be sent to hell; for in the rigour of God's justice it is condemned before it be borne.  
Therefore let no man say when he is afflicted, as Rebecah said, Why am I thus? upon the struggling of the twins in her womb: reflect on thyself, and thou shalt find cause enough of the judgement of God, and greater than thou canst conceive. It cannot possibly be but thou shalt find a cause, yet this is a certain rule, God's judgements may be secret, but they cannot be unjust.  I will smite thy land, and all thy borders with frogs. 
Much might be said concerning that party smiting; that all the world might know, that none but he hath done it.  
Much might be said concerning that word, I will smite, as if he should say, It shall not be a sign, it shall now be a plague, a stroke on thee, thou shalt be sensible of it: I will not now deal with signs, but will come nearer than before: but these I pass, and come to speak of the judgement.  I will smite thy land with frogs. 
Though it be true that God hath all creatures to serve him; He being the Lord of Hosts, they are at his beck. The fire comes down to burn Sodom. The water drowns the Egyptians. The earth swallows Corah, Dathan and Abyram. The Lion consumes the disobedient Prophet. The Bears destroy 42 children that mocked Elisha. The Serpent's sting the disobedient in the wilderness. Which by the way, will be a shame to man at the last day, that all creatures are dutiful to God, and man only rebels. As one said, That beasts shall give evidence at the last day against man, that they serve him, but he doth not serve God; to show that they are dutiful to their maker: but man is refractory, and a rebel.  
But now though God have all creatures at his beck, to command them, and that he can send one disease, and one judgement as well as another; yet here he sends frogs. And why frogs?  
Reverend Calvin gives two reasons, why frogs rather than any other judgement.  
First, saith he, Ignominio causa, etc. He would shame Pharaoh that proud monster, that cried out, Who is the Lord that I should obey him. The Lord takes down the pride of him by base contemptible creatures. Certainly you must needs think, that it troubled Pharaoh much, and he would say with himself, when he saw the abundance of frogs (that after, God willing, we shall speak of) What! if we had been overcome by power: If a for rain Prince had invaded my land, and thrust me out, it had been some honour; but to have my land overrun with frogs, that I cannot eat my meat, or lie in my bed with comfort for these contemptible creatures, what a vexation is it? It must needs vex the heart of that proud King. God would take him down in his insolency, by this poor, base, contemptible creature.  
Thus God hath done ofttimes; he punished the Egyptians afterwards by lice, the poorest, and basest creature of all. So, he punished Herod by worms; he that was so proud that he entertained the applause of the paraziticall people, The voice of God and not of man. And we read of a Bishop in the Ecclesiastical story that was punished by rats, after he had called the poor people rats and mice. So, that insolent Pope Adrian the fourth, our Countryman: God used no other thing to take him away, but a fly to choke him. Poor things God hath to humble great men of the world, and to take down their pride. This the Apostle hath, 1 Cor. 1.27. God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty, and foolish things to confound the wise, and base and mean things, and things that are not, to bring to nought things that are. Things that are of no name nor number among the sons of men, God hath chosen to control the great men of the world, that think it an honour to them to fight against God.  
You see how contemptuously and scornfully Goliath looks on David, Come, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the field. Yet God ordained that poor stripling to strike down that great monster; and so he did to the honour of God, and to the rescuing of the glory and Israel of God.  
Therefore whensoever God lays shame and disgrace on us, and punisheth us by creatures that we contemn and scorn: reflect on the pride of thy heart, that is the reason that God hath inflicted it to abate thy pride; the more base the punishment is, the more is thy pride that God useth that to bring thee down. The more lofty a man's thoughts be, the more base shall the means of his humiliation be.  
Secondly, Calvin gives another reason, why God sent frogs, that Pharaoh, and his people might understand that all this while they led their lives, and enjoyed the latitude of their health and livelihood by God's mere favour. That though they contemned him, or at least did not think of him; yet they should know that he was the God of all the world, and that it was he that preserved them all the while: for Egypt being a place of a puddle and a standing pool, and Nilus but a lake, it was apt to breed frogs. And there being so much water and inundations, and such slime left, it might breed frogs in abundance; there might be abundance before: But God restrained that fertile Country of frogs, so that all this while they were not chastised by this judgement; they might acknowledge that from God they received this immunity. And certainly,  It is a great mercy for men to be free from the calamity of brute creatures. 
It is a great mercy of God, we must acknowledge it his work and blessing, that we are kept free from them. For when man was fallen he did not only make God his enemy, but every creature; that every creature is ready to take the part of God against man for sin, and would fall upon man to revenge the wrath of God, but only God restrains them.  
Therefore you shall finde among the judgements that God threatneth against wicked men, Ezek. 14.21. He threatneth them with be ests, wild and noisome, that they should come and do mischief to the people, as well as the plague, and famine, and sword. So we find it promised as a blessing, job 5.23. The man that feareth God shall be at peace with the beasts of the field. And Hos. 2.18. I will make for them a covenant with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of the heaven, and with the very creeping things of the earth. As if he should say, they will not be at peace with those that are sinful, except I restrain them, and keep them in, or else they will be sure to show their wrath against man for his disobedience against God. It is Gods restraining that keeps them in, that else would fly upon man for sin. The Lion devoured not the Ass that devoured the Prophet; God would have him go no further but restrained him from killing him, that he was as apt to fall on as the man.  
Therefore, in the dangers that we escape from beasts, and brute creatures, let us give praise to God. For as St. Austen said, He thanked God not only for the sins that he had remitted, but those sins that he had kept him from. So I tell thee we are bound to thank God for privative favours, I mean not only for those afflictions that we are delivered out of; but those crosses and calamities that we are kept from that come not into the conceit of a great number of you, when you have armed all the creatures against you by your sins; and yet you go on free, and they do not that that they would, but God restrains them. You think it is no mercy.  
But we must acknowledge God's goodness and favour that he keeps in the creature that else would revenge him, give the glory to God. How oft have you known people, some gored with Oxen, some killed with Horses, some stung with Serpents, some torn by Dogs. Why hath not all this fallen upon you or me? Is it not God's mercy?  
That the frogs did not do this to Egypt before, was it not God's mercy? And that these creatures are kept from us, is it not God's favour? Therefore, if others be slain, and touched, and smitten, let us keep a Passeover; let us give glory to God, in whom we live, move, and have our being: and let us live to his glory, and according to his commandments, without whom we cannot live one moment.   

THE SECOND SERMON Upon EXOD. CHAP. 8.  VERS. 2.3. 
I will smite all thy borders with frogs. And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall come up into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed etc.  
NOw we come to the amplification of this judgement.  
First, from the generality of it, in regard both of the persons, and the place: the King and the Subjects: The bedchamber, as well as the common rooms; the pastry and kneading trough, as well as other utensils.  
Secondly, from the place from which this mischief should come, from the River.  
Thirdly, from the manner, the noisomeness and irksomeness of it; they should crawl and creep upon them in that manner as was fearful to behold.  
These things being woven one within another, I will not tie myself to this strict method I have laid down; but I will gather observations as I go along, and as the clauses present themselves; and I will begin where I left. It is said here,  I will smite all thy borders with frogs. 
It is well known that Egypt is a large place, and full of inhabitants. All places and persons that were in Egypt God threatened to smite with this judgement, yet you shall find that Pharaoh was the main offender; it was he that used his power to mischief, to plague God's people, so as he provoked God to plague all Egypt: And my observation shall be this,  Multitudes are punished ofttimes for one man's sin. 
The borders of Egypt all of them, all the places and inhabitants were plagued for Pharaohs offence. Examples in Scripture are frequent to prove this. Abimelech was the falter, the party that faulted, and behold all the wombs in Abimeleches family were shut up, Gen. 20. So in Ios. 7. Ay was besieged, and some were to go up against it: but some of the men come out of Ay and slay 36 of the Isralites: It troubled joshua, and the Elders, and they fall down before the Lord, and he satisfies them presently, There is an accursed thing among you, seek it out or else you shall not prevail: So there was one Athan that had stolen a Babylonish garment, and a wedge of gold. Saith Salvianus, One man's sin, was many men's misery. Saul was the man that sinned against the poor Gibionites, you see how all Israel was plagued with three year's famine, 2 Sam. 21. So we find David, whether out of curiosity, or vainglory, he would needs number the people, yet seventy thousand were slain by the pestilence, 2 Sam. 24. jonah was the man that faulted, and all the ship, and the people in the ship were in danger; and he himself ingeniously confessed that it was for his sake that the storm came, and that they should prosper and do well, if they were disburdened of him. Therefore the heathen could say, the whole City must suffer for one man's ill. And another of them observed of the Greeks unius obnoxa & furia etc. one man's wickedness, is all men's trouble.  
Now will some man say (if it may be lawful to ask the question) what justice is there in this, that one man should sinne, and other folk be punished? will not this justify the cavil of the old Atheists, That one man was sick, and another took the physic? Doth not God say in Ezekiel, The soul that sinneth shall die? and would he not have that cursed proverb suppressed, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? And doth not St. Paul say, Gal. 6, Every man shall bear his own burden. Why then if Pharaoh sin, let Pharaoh alone be punished; why should God smite all the borders of Egypt? David said, when he saw the Angel forage the whole Army, and the people, What have these sheep done, 2 Sam. 24.  
Now for the answer to this, there must be one ground necessarily laid in the first place, and that is this, That however things appear to us, God neither is, nor can be unjust, as in nothing else, so not in punishing: God forbidden, that the judge of all the world should be unjust, Gen 18.25. Is God unrighteous, Rom. 3.5. when he executes vengeance? It is true the ways of God are far beyond out apprehension, beyond the possibility of our attaining, we may as well empty the Ocean into a cockle shell. The righteousness of God is a high mountain; the judgements of God is a great deep, Psal. 36. The well is deep, and we have not wherewith to draw, joh. 4. But this is ever certain, though we do not always see the reason, there is a reason that we cannot see, That God is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works, Psal. 145.17. That is the ground that I lay in general.  
More particularly now for the answer; some will say, That a King and his People make but one person, or one body; therefore it is free for God since Pharaoh sinned, to plague all Egypt, since they were his dominion and people; it was free for him for a pain in the head to open a vein in the arm. As men take liberty when the hand is faulty, to put the feet in the stocks. But this comes not home sufficiently; though it may hold in regard of Pharaoh, and his people making one body, or in regard of a Master and his family that make but one body, or of a Father and his child; because as Aquinas saith, The child is part of the parent.  
But how doth it hold when men are in the same rank and condition, and multitudes of them are punished for one man's sin?  
Therefore to salve it fully; know that there is a double impulsive cause of punishment.  

First, that that is called pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Secondly, pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
Not to perplex you with the nycities of the Schools, thesetwo causes differ thus, as the cause and the occasion. To put an instance. A man that hath fed full a long time, comes to have a pletory fullness of crude, and raw humours in his stomach. It falls out that this party riding after in the wet, taking cold, he gins to shiver and shake; and after he falls into a durable lasting Fever. If the Physician be a wise and understanding man, ask him what was the proper cause of this sickness? and he will tell you the inward ill humours of the body, and the abounding of them: yet it is like enough, that it had not turned to a Fever so soon, if he had not taken cold of his feet, or been some way troubled in his journey. So when God brings punishment upon people, the proper cause is in every man's self. There are personal sins inevery man to make him obnoxious to the curse of God; yet may the sins of the father, or parent, or neighbour be the occasion that God will punish sin.  
So that we say, the personal sins of men, are the primary, internal, antecedent dispositive cause of God's judgements; but the sins of other men, they may be the external irritating, exitating cause of God's judgements; for these are the terms of the Schoolmen.  
And this helps to salve that great question, Why the children are punished for the father's sins? For God in just judgement ofttimes gives up the chile to follow the steps of the father. There is something in nature: for especially those sins that are sensual, that symbolise with the predominant humour in the body, may prove oft as diseases in the body, hereditary.  
Secondly, sometimes example, that works much vitius corrumpunt vitia etc. examples that are so near us often corrupt sooner, and taint deeper.  
Sometime education may help; the father may instruct his child in Idolatry, in the rudiments of covetousness, and the like. So, many beggars bring up their children to idleness, and thieving.  
But suppose the child be free from the father's iniquity which he hath committed; yet he hath sins enough of his own that may justly cause the wrath of God towards him; yet it may be when he shall be punished in such a time, in such a measure, and manner, and other circumstances, the sins of the father may be the occasion of the child's punishment; the remembrance of that may cause God to punish him at that time, and with those circumstances.  
Now for the use of this to ourselves; it lets us see, Beloved, (if a multitude may be punished for one man's sin) what a mischief a wicked man is to the place he lives in. For as it is with the child of God, he is a great blessing wheresoever he comes, as God said of Abraham, Thou shalt be a blessing, Gen. 12. So was Lot, he was the party that bore the Sodomites all the time that he was among them, Gen. 19 So you shall find that had there been ten good persons in all those Cities they had been spared. The innocent man delivers the Island, job 22.30. and reprieves it from the sentence that is gone out against it. Abab hath so much sense that he thinks he shall be the better by jeboshaphats' accompanying him to the battle. And all the people fared the better for St. Paul's going in the ship, Act. 27. Saith St. Ambrose, Good men are the wall of the Country, and St. chrysostom saith, They are the marrow of the Country.  
On the other side, a wicked man is a plague, and a curse to the place he lives in; let him be never so noble, never so honourable, or potent, or wealthy; if he be a prophase man he labours to hasten God's judgements on the place he is in. We read of one Bias the Philosopher that travelling in a ship in a tempest, with a great number of odd fellows; some of them very rakeshames and naught; they began in the tempest, in that extremity (as men will do) to call upon the gods: he comes to them, and saith unto them with some jest, not in earnest, saith he, Hold your peace, lest the Gods take knowledge that you are here, and not only you, but we suffer for your sakes. And the History saith, That john the Evangelist when he came into the Bath where Cerinthus was, he got out presently; his reason was lest the Bath should fall for that man's sake.  
Many a wicked man, being challenged for his impiety, and not able to excuse or justify it any way; yet he hath thus much to say; What need you trouble yourself about me, I hurt none but myself?  
Alas, God knows, if it were no more, it were too much that a man with Saul, should fall upon his own sword. utinam vel sic etc. as St. Austen saith, I would to God it were no more; but if thou be a wicked man, thou hurtest not only thyself, but more; (I speak not of thy example so much) thou ingagest the place thou livest in to the wrath of God, thou pullest it down.  
The City of Abel entertained Sheba, 2 Sam. 20. It had like to cost them all their blood: for if the head of that Traitor had not been thrown over the wall, the edge of joabs' sword had fallen upon the whole City. And if the people had not separated themselves from the Tents of Corah, Dathan and Abiram, they had been involved in the same judgement, Num. 16.  
Therefore it behoves the children of God nearly to take heed what company they consort with; not only in regard of suspicion, that they may not be suspected to be such as they converse with; but in regard of infection: for sin is as taking as the plague. Thirdly, in regard of the malediction. Therefore in Revel. 18. God saith, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.  
There is a humour in some people in the world; if the seat be pleasant, or extraordinary commodious and profitable, they will cast themselves into the place though the inhabitants be as full of sin as may be. It was the humour of Lot, he liked the plain of jordan well, and thought Sodom as the garden of Eden; thought he, My lot is fallen in a good ground, he looked not to the inhabitants: but he rued it after. So, all those that for pleasure, or profit cast themselves among the wicked, certainly they shall be scorched with those flames that the wicked are apt to kindle where they dwell.  
The second Use, since God takes occasion by one man's sin to punish many, and yet those not without fault; It should teach us to acknowledge when God punisheth us that it is just, and that we ourselves deserve it what ever the occasion be. Seneca tells a story of Pison a Roman General, he commanded a Soldier to be put to death; because he returned without his fellow that went out with him to the Camp, and said he killed him because he missed him. The Captain that had order to put the fellow to death, espying the man coming that was missing stayed the execution: Therefore Pison put all three to death. What was his reason? Saith he to the first, I have condemned you already, I will nor reverse my judgement. Saith he to the second man you shall die, because of your going away, and exposing your fellow to death. And to the Centurion, you shall die, because you know not what it is to obey a General. So saith Seneca, he busied his head to find some cause, because there was none. But it need not be so with God, he need not busy his brain to find cause to punish any of us that can pretend the greatest innocency: for our own thoughts, words, and deeds (God knows) minister hourly occasion and knowledge.  
Therefore I say, whensoever it pleaseth God to lay his hand on us, though another may be the occasion, yet justify God in his say, and clear him when he is judged. All the difference is but this, as you see it is with a company of felons, that have committed robberies in several places of the County, they are all brought to the same Gaol; they are all arraigned at the same bar, they all perish at the same tree: so God gathers the sins of men, it may be upon some occasion, and punisheth them all together; but they have sins enough of their own in particular that expose them to wrath; therefore let us ever acknowledge that God is just.  
I have heard and read of that saying of Prince Henry in the time of his sickness, that same delitiae humanae, as it is said of Titus (whose death was to this Kingdom as so much of the best blood let out of the veins of Israel) when it was told him that the sins of the people caused that affliction on him. O no, saith he, I have sins enough of mine own. So should we all confess, though God take occasion by another man's sin, and by the neglect of another person to fire my house, yet God hath just cause to bring it on me. God had cause against the seventy thousand that died of the plague, though David's sin were the occasion; yet there was a meritorious cause in them. So, though Pharaoh sinned, yet all these Egyptians were not without faust; for they hated the Isralites, and without doubt were glad of the hard measure of the people of God; therefore they justly suffered. Though the hardnese of Pharaohs heart were the occasion, yet there was cause in the people. All the borders and confines of Egypt were smitten. So much for that.  
The next clause is, The river shall bring forth frogs.  
Mark it well: The river, why must this abundance of noisome creatures come out of the river rather than other places? God by his word, could have brought infinite thousands more than here were; yet God will make the river the instrument of the vengeance; for two causes, saith Theodoret upon my Text.  

First, for the confidence that the Egyptians had in their river.  
Secondly, for the cruelty that they exercised in the river. I will touch both these briefly.   
First, for the confidence they had in the river: for my Author saith, That Nylum pro Deo etc. they accounted the river Nilus as a God. And indeed Solynus in Pliny, and others say, they afforded divine honour to this River, and worshipped the Crocodiles that were found in it. Certainly they were very proud of it: for in Ezek. 29.3. the Prophet brings Pharaoh in thus; he compares him to a Dragon lying in the midst of the river; and saying, The river is mine, I have made it for myself: proudly and insolently. So Lucan speaks of it, Egypt, saith he, non indigam, mercis etc. Egypt needs no commerce with other Nations; it needs not the heavens, they have such confidence in Nilus that river. I, in the time of the Romans, they were so proud of their river, and the benefit by the same, that they stood not to say that the plenty and famine of the world, depended on them. And Herodotus saith of one of the Kings of Egypt, that he said he thought that neither God nor man could take away his Kingdom. Therefore it was just with God to punish them in the staff of their confidence. My observation is this; That In that that a man is most troud of, and bears himself most on, and is confident in, in that usually, God sends his judgement.  
I will prove it to you. What confidence had the Philistines in Dagon, especially after they had surprised the Ark? they attributed the conquest to that Idol: what said they, Shall any Nation stand out now the God of Israel is conquered? No: God let them sleep in their confidence, but the next morning they may read their folly in the floor. How confident were the Philistines of Goliath; they outbraved all the host of Israel for that monster? you see what became of them; how God punished them in him. How proud and confident was Sennacherib of his Army, as we see in the Kings and in Isaiah; see how God met with him, and debased and disabled him, he ruined 185000. in one night, that in the morning he found he reckoned without his host.  
In experience is it not found that many a man hath been proud of his wealth? David speaks of the scornful of their wealth, and the spite of the proud; so hard it is for a man to digest his felicity. God hath plagued him in that he hath been proud of; either he hath taken his wealth from him, or him from his wealth. Nay, it may be his eyes have seen thiefs and robbers take them by violence.  
Another hath been proud of his dwelling as the Philistines were of their rock, God punished them in that, and made their palace, and habitation a flame over their ears.  
Many men have been proud of their honour, and outbraved the world for their greatness, as we have seen of late: God hath made that to sink them, God hath so caused the people to envy them that their honour hath been laid in the dust, and they have not had common pity. Many have been proud of their wit: God hath made it as Vriahs' letter the instrument of their destruction; and their plots have been their ruin. Many have been proud of their memory, God hath smitten them in that. Many have been proud of their legs, God hath made them bedrid. Many have been proud of their eyesight, God hath punished them in that with blindness.  
Many have been proud of their beauty; see how God hath dealt with them: it may be he hath made them exposed to spiritual temptations; and they have confessed, if they had been less fair, they had been more safe. It may be he hath brought some foul disease on them that hath taken away their feature. Some people have been proud of their children, and doted on them in an extraordinary manner; and that child that they have most loved hath proved the greatest cross. There was the sootsteps of this in jacob (no doubt but he rued it after.) No man can deny, but that it is lawful to love him in whom he seethe, as Ambrose saith, the greatest tokens of virtue; yet the expression of it to excite emulation in the other brethren was not justifiable. So David doted upon Adoniah, he was the child that rebelled in his old age.  
There is great reason for this: for when the Lord sees men pour out themselves upon these things of the world; it cannot be without diminution of the respect that we own to him; and he being jealous of his honour, who can wonder if he smite them in that thing that riseth as a rival 〈◊〉 him? If a man be smitten as Absolom was in his hair, who will wonder if he were proud of it? If a poor bird come to a bough, and hope for rest, and find itself limed to its undoing; who will wonder at it when things prised, and loved, and over-loved, and God neglected, if they prove our ruin?  
Therefore take heed of setting your heart and confidence on the things of the world; and being proud of them: for God will make them so fare unserviceable; he will make them as the reed of Egypt, not only to fail, but to run into your hands and hearts. Whatsoever in the world if thou pride thyself in it, and prise it too high, look for a cross in it.  
Nay, let me go further, if it be grace itself, I would not have thee proud of it, and presume on it: for certainly, God can bring a cloud quickly between thee and thy sun, and bring thee to those distractions, and dissertions, that thou shalt be punished for thy pride. On the other side; if a man love God first, and trust things in, and for him. First, he will be pleased with it. Secondly, it will be a means to keep these things to us. Thirdly, if God take them we shall digest the miss of them easily: For when God removes them, we are infinitely distracted: Why? because we were fond in the use of them; nay, we make Idols of them. If we would afford God the first place, and not pride ourselves in these things, we might have had more comfort, I am sure less sorrow.  
The second reason why this river must bring forth these frogs, because of the cruelty they exercised in it: So saith Theodoret: Ebulierunt etc. It abounded with frogs even for the poor children that were cast into it. And the same Author saith, There was some suitableness between the sin and the punishment: for saith he, The poor children that were cast into it, they were like frogs; for the children were not able to stand alone, therefore they were feign to go upon all four. I follow him not upon that. My observation shall be this; That In that way, and in these things, wherein men have showed cruelty, God punisheth them usually.  
Adonibezek cut off the thumbs both of the hands and feet of seventy Kings, himself was so punished (and he confesseth) justly, for he had served others so, judg. 1. Agags' sword had made many a mother childless, and he was punished by the sword, 1 Sam. 5. you may think that Goliahs' sword had been bathed in blood, his own sword cut off his own head, 1 Sam. 17. In the same place where Naboth was stoned to death, the dogs licked the blood of Ahab. So you find that Haman upon the same Gibbet was executed that was intended for Mordecai. The same Lions that Daniel was thrown unto, consumed his accusers. Eusebius tells us, That the river, and that false bridge that Maxentius thought to have trapped Constantine by, was that upon which his Army sunk to the bottom. And the Tripartite history tells us of one Eutropius, under Arcadia the Emperor, that because he had a mind to punish those people that did fly to the Temples; he desired the King to make a law that none might be privileged by flying to the Sanctuary; and he being obnoxious to the King's displeasure was slain, though he did fly to the Temple. Optatut saith of the Donatists, they gave the Eucharist to dogs, and they tore them. Plutarch saith of Cassius, he stabbed himself with the dagger with which he had stabbed another. And St. Austen observes, that in jerusalem, and and at the Passeover, was the destruction of the Jews by Titus the same time and place, where they crucified Christ.  
The Use therefore is thus much:  
First, that we abstain by this means from sin; let but a man think beforehand, would I be served in such a manner? let me not do it to another, lest I look for the same sauce. Would I have another man to violate my bed? why should I be injurious to him? would I be content to have my children disobedient hereafter? why should I being a child, be disobedient to my parents? would I be content to have thieving servants, when I am for myself? why then should I for the present be unfaithful to my Master? would I be content to have dead flies thrown into my ointment? why should I slander other men in their reputation? would I be content to have my possession took from me, or my children by violence? why should I do so to others? we love ourselves so well that we will not suffer these things: let us take heed of doing them: for God's word, and experience makes it good, that God usually pays men in their own coin.  
In the second place; let it be as an antidote against private revenge: doth God punish the same way? then whensoever we suffer injuries, let us reflect upon ourselves, whether we have been wrong doers in the like kind or no. And if it be so that God doth not only lay judgements on us, but makes them so fit, and so pat for our old offences; be content and submit to the will of God. Solomon saith, Thou shouldest not hear every word they servant speaks against thee; It may be thou also hast slandered others. As if he should say, Be satisfied if it be so. But if a man reflect on his former course and be not guilty, that he have not done that to others, that he would not have others do to him; yet revenge not, usurp not Gods right: for what saith the Spirit of God in Revel. 13. They that lead into captivity, shall be led into captivity: this is the patience of the Saints. That is, herein the patience of the Saints is exercised, that they wait on God till he right their quarrel, that he will do in his time to his glory, and the confusion of their adversaries. These poor Israelites, all the time that their children were cast into the river, they resisted not, they freely remitted their cause to God; and you see now, though it were long after, God comes, and that very river that choked these children, was made the matter of so many frogs to infest Egypt; not only to putrify the river, but to annoy the Country, and all their borders. So much of that clause.  
The next clause is, The river shall bring forth frogs abundantly that shall go up or ascend.  
Pliny, in his Natural history tells us of two sorts of frogs. There were those that were called Rubedi, that have their name, because they live in bushes, and briers among the brambles. The other sort were called Calamits, because they live among reeds and such things, that usually have a watery foundation, that grow in the waters. These kind of frogs here, were those that came out of Nilus, and such as had the water for their proper element. Yet it is said here, They shall come up: They shall leave their place before that was proper, and natural to them, and against their kind and nature, come out to dry land to annoy God's enemies. Whence observe The overruling power that God hath over all creatures, to make them obey his will contrary to their own natural inclination, and common course.  
It is the property of the fire to ascend; yet the fire descended upon Sodom to consume them. It is the property of the fire to burn, yet in obedience to God, he commanded the fire not to burn; but to the three children it was as a cool arbour to walk in, saith Basile. The water itself is so liquid a nature, that it was strange to see it contrary to nature to run upon heaps, to make way for the Israelites to pass, Exod. 14 josephus may talk of the Pampillians sea dividing; he injures the work of God to compare it with a fabulous discourse. It is contrary to the nature of the waters to run on heaps, and to be a wall as it was then to them. And so jordan when the people of God were to pass it ran upon heaps; What ailed thee, O jordan, that thou runnest bacl? The waters saw thee, O God, and fled. It was the overruling power of God.  
So in Elias, what a thing above nature, and against it was it, that a Raven must feed Eliah? The Raven is such a creature, as is not indulgent to its own: nay if God should not provide for them, Psal. 145. He feeds the young ravens, she would not regard them. Aristotle and Pliny both, say of her, that she casts her young out of her nest, let them shift for themselves if they will; yet this creature must bring Eliah meat. That whereas it is so ravenous, that it would rather snatch from men their meat, then bring them any; yet they must do it, and so obey God.  
So, that Elias should be carried to heaven in a whirlwind. They that know the nature of a whirlwind know that it moves not regularly, much less upward; it runs round in a tumultuous manner. But against the nature of it, God makes it carry him up to heaven. So the viper that lighted upon Paul's hand, against the nature of it, it hurt him not. What is more natural for a viper then to by't and sting? yet it did not hurt him, but he shakes it off free, Act. 28. So wicked men, what is more natural then for them to play the beasts with the children of God? for those are the beasts that St. Paul fought with; yet sometimes God, contrary to their corrupt nature, makes them do good offices to God's children. Nay, the Devil himself, that roaring Lion; all the world knows that he desires to do nothing but mischief; for when he is doing good he finds no rest, Mat. 12. yet God overrules him, and makes him contrary to his nature to departed and dispossesseth him.  
For the Use of it: Let us first tremble at the great power of God, and stand in awe, and not sin. God hath a wonderful power, he can command all creatures; and whatsoever their natural inclination be, and we think them harmless, God can make them hurtful, contrary to their common course. God is able to bring creatures from the place where their proper element is, to those places where they never were before, to plague his enemies.  
Secondly, I would we could learn obedience from the creatures: they contrary to their natures obey God. It is not so with men: for if things run not in their own strain, but are contrary to their inclinations, by no means they will do it; let God say what he will.  
Hence it is that the yoke of God is so heavy: hence it is that the Commandments of God, because they are against corrupt nature, are grievous. Hence it is that mortification is so severe a task. Hence it is that suffering of affliction in a good cause is so troublesome, that the flesh saith as Peter, Master be good to thyself: but we should remember who hath said, If you will be my disciples, you must deny yourselves. Nature must be subdued, and suppressed, and all the fond reasons of the same, and a man must captivate himself in obedience to God Almighty.  
This blind obedience is lawful, as Abraham followed God, not knowing whither be went. Shall I leave my fatness, saith the Olive? Shall I leave my sweetness, saith the Figtree? Shall I leave all to obey God? Shall I leave my Country as Abraham did; and sacrifice my Isaak? Shall I cut off my hand, and sacrifice my life, so I may be obedient to God? I know nature is strong, it is hard for a man to conquer it: but let me tell you the truth, Flesh and blood cannot enter into heaven: Therefore all private respects must be neglected that God may be obeyed. I hasten to an end. And they shall come up into thine house,  
In the former Chapter it is said, that when Pharaoh saw the waters turned into blood, he returned to his house. Mark, how God follows him; God saith, The frogs shall come into his house. It is like enough for the judgement that was before inflicted, though it were seven days together; he might have wine and other juices to quench his thirst, and he was not so sensible of the calamity as the common sort: but God comes close, he follows him to his house, that would not be warned abroad.  How hard is it for a man to fly from the judgements of God. 
It is so impossible for a man to fly from the judgements of God, that the Lord saith to Elia, 1 King. 17.19. He that flieth from the sword of Hazael, shall jehu slay, and he that flieth from the sword of jehu, shall Elisha slay. So a man cannot fly from judgement, if God have marked him for vengeance. In Isay 24.16, 17. saith the Lord, There shall be a fear, and a pit, and a snare unto you, O ye inhabitants of the earth. He that escapes the noise of the fear, shall fall into the pit; and when he is come out of the pit from the bottom, he shall fall into the snare. So here is a succession of judgements; a man can never get out if God have marked him for vengeance. So in Amos 5.19. The Prophet describes a man hunted out by God's vengeance thus, He shall be as if he did fly from a Lion, and a Bear met him; and as if he escaped the Bear, and were got to his own house, he should lean upon the wall, and a Serpent should by't him. So there is no freedom wheresoever. If he get into his own house, and shut the door, a Serpent in the wall shall by't him. So he that flies shall not escape, if he fly to the top of Carmel, and hid him there. No, though a man go to the bottom of the Sea and hid him, there is an eye of providence, a Serpent to by't him: there is no flying from the judgements of God. Adrm may fly among the bushes, but God will pull him out to his deserved punishment. Cain may fly from place to place, and build Cities, and think to keep himself from being a vagabond, but he must be a runagate. So jonah may fly from the presence of God, but God hath a messenger to dispatch after him, that was a tempest, with a shrewd message in its mouth. And mark what the Barbarians said of Paul, Act. 28. See, though God hath suffered him to escape the sea, vengeance hath followed him to the land. Though a man may escape this, and that judgement; he shall one time or other be caught: God will follow him to his own home.  
God hath many hands, therefore a man cannot escape him; it is not distance that can save him; he hath a long hand, and a heavy hand, there is no escaping from God; God can dispatch a message wheresoever a man goes. If Pharaoh be in the field there is blood; if in the house there are frogs. I told you of a Bishop that flouted the poor Christians, and called them rats; the rats followed him, and at last got into his Castle in the midst of the Sea, and there they smote and consumed him. God will not suffer a man to be free, let him use all the means of safety he can.  
Let us make our peace with God; there is no security but in being reconciled to God Almighty, let us ever seek to him. We have known those that have lived out of the favour of God, and in defiance to him in profane courses; that have prospered in nothing, vengeance hath hunted them, they could be quiet no where. They say there is one of the furies called Ichma that follows men step by step, and makes every thing unprosperous. Other men have escaped from time to time, but God hath found them out at the last. As Moses saith, There is no flight from God Almighty.  
David took a good course, I would we could do so, Psal. 143.9. I fly to thee, O God, to hid me. Fly to God, not from God, make him thy protection, under his wings thou shalt be safe; live in the fear, and obedience of his holy Name; and then the field, and the house, and the chamber, and the desert shall be all one; thou shalt not fear though thou walk in the shadow of death. But if thou live in a contemptuous course against God, it will be just with God that thou shouldest fear where no fear is. And if the Lord suspend the execution of judgement for a time; at last all thy fears shall be put together, when thou shalt be summoned to judgement, and then it will be in vain to say, O let the hills and mountains fall upon me. Saith the Father, It is impossible to hid, and intolerable to appear; For every man must be brought forth to give an account for what he hath done in the flesh whether it be good or evil.   

THE THIRD SERMON Upon EXOD. CHAP. 8.  VERS. 3. 
And they shall come up into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people; and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading-troughs.  
WE go on now in the further amplification of the judgement. It is said here, They shall come into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed. They shall not only come out of the river, and come into a strange soil; but they shall come to annoy thee, not only into thy house, the lower parts of it, but into thy bedchamber; and they shall not content themselves with the floor, but they shall climb up to thy bed; that even then when thou shouldest rest, thou shalt be annoyed with these base creatures. How ever some translate the word here bed, for such beds as they used to eat their meat upon; yet this word signifies such beds as men rest on: and being joined here with bed chamber; bed, and bed chamber I make no question, but it was such a bed as Pharaoh used take his rest on in the night.  
And this aggravates the judgement extremely: If he might have been quiet in the night, which is the time that nature hath allotted to rest; and the time where in a man hopes by rest, and sleep to forget the cares and sorrows of the day, and to be refreshed and comforted; yet God tells him, that these creatures shall come in this place where he means to repose himself, and shall disturb him where he would take rest.  
Do you but judge what a kind of judgement this was; if the chamber you lie in should be full of toads and frogs, that you were scarce able to step besides them; that they should continually leap upon your bodies, and upon your beds, as if they would enter into your bodies; for so the Jews think that the frogs entered into the mouths of many of them as they slept: but I stand not upon that. I note and observe that God threatneth this disturbance in the night to Pharaoh when he should rest. It may be observed not only that, ge is able to punish in the night as well as in the day: But that God makes his judgements so much the more terrible by bringing them in the night. For this circumstance of time adds wondrously to the weight of this judgement. When God would bring that fearful judgement upon Egypt, the last and greatest, that decimus fluctus, the tenth wave that was the mightiest of all other, The slaughter of the first bourn; God did it in the night, in the dead of the night. The text saith Exod. 12.31. Pharaoh, and all his servants arost, and there was acry through the land of Egypt: for there was not a house where there was not one slain. O fearful! a man to be awaked out of his dead sleep with such a cry, and such a general cry; and such a cry for which there was such a cause, a general lamentation of the land of Egypt; and Pharaoh himself was not free: this made the wound deep. In 2 King. 7. the Assyrians were slain in the night, for by break of the day they were all gone; they heard noises in the night.  
You know if a man be awaked out of his sleep with a noise of fire, and hear a general cry in the street, it amazeth him, and sends his blood bacl to his heart to nourish that, it makes his hair stand an end. So it was with them to hear a noise of chariots. So when God would aggravate his judgement against Sennacherib, though all his people went well to their rest; yet before morning there was so many slain: They were all dead corpses in the morning. David in Psal. 91.5. speaks of the terrors of the night. I will not tell you what they are, they are different and various, as one reckons up a great many of them. Terrors of the night there be, and fearful affrightings, and therefore the greater, because they are in the night.  
It hath been the opinion of no mean men of the Church that Christ shall come at the last judgement in the night. Lactantius saith so, more than once; that he shall come in the dark night; and he citys a verse of the sibils to that purpose, Amids the dark night. Jerome inclines to this opinion. And Casidor upon the 118. Psa. saith, That it was commonly received among the Christians that it should be so. They build upon the time, because the firstborn in Egypt were slain in the night. And (it may be) because our Blessed Saviour was apprehended in the night to be brought to judgement, therefore his last judgement shall seize upon men in the night, and they build it upon the Parable in the Gospel: Christ shall come as a thief in the night. And two being in a bed, one shall be taken, and the other left. And so of the Bridegroom's coming, There shall be a cry at midnight, Mat. 25. But this is no firm ground, and therefore I dare not stand upon it. Certainly Christ hath made that uncertain, whether it shall be at evening or at midnight, or at Cock crowing, or at the dawning of the day, as himself saith.  
Again, it is against the principles of Nature; for it is not midnight to all the world at one time: for when it is midnight to us, the Sun to other people is in the verticle point, at noon day. Therefore except the judgement shall be at several times, this will not hold.  
And if we go by probability, as Scotus saith, why should we not think it shall be at that time when Christ risen, that is, in the morning? or when he ascended; or when he expired and gave out his last breath on the cross?  
But it may well be that Christ would show us the uncertainty of his coming. And I may add withal (to come to the point I observed) to show the terror of his coming to judgement in the night; it is more terrible.  
I appeal to any of you that have had an acute Fever, if the night hath not more troubled you? The day is comfortable, the night is unpleasing; and there are variety of objects, and intercourse of friends, and talking one with another, that mitigate the pain that a man is deprived of in the night. I will not draw the thread of this loop further, but come to make use of it.  
God makes his judgements fearful to Pharaoh in his bed chamber, in the night. Let us night and day fear God. Let us ever know that he is able to afflict us, not only (as he did them) in our bodies: but as in Dear. 28.67. They shall fear (saith the Holy Ghost) and in the evening shall say, would God it were morning, for the fear that shall be upon them. God is able to bring frogs into a man's bed as he did to Pharaohs to disturb him, faith job: When I said my bed shall comfort not, than thou didst terrify me, job 7.13. And in verse 3. he speaks of wearisome nights. And what saith David, Psal. 77. In the night season my sore ran and ceased not. The night was a trouble to him as well as the day, and more too, Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof, saith Christ, Mat. 6. I would God the day were sufficient for the evil, but even in the night season griefs are continued and improved. The safe mantle of the night, that covers much wickedness. Those sons of flarknesse rush upon Christ at midnight. Thiefs rise in the night and do mischief: Aulus Gellius, saith, They do their wickedness in the dark. Licentiousness marcheth in the night. Solomon saw the young man go to the whore in the dark. job saith, The drunkards watch for the twilight. Paul saith, They that are drunk are drunk in the night. I confess the times were more modest than they are now; for now that fin is become Daemon meridianus, a noon day Devil; for men can make indentures in the streets, by the third hour of the day.  
But now if men would consider that as they take liberty to sin in the night, so God is able to punish them in the night as well as in the day, it would be a means to restrain them. God is able to make the night more uncomfortable by fare then the day. He can take thy rest from thee that thou shalt tumble, and toss upon thy bed, and that many nights together till thou grow wild, and speak as frantically, and as distempered as a man in Bedlam. God can make thy bed thy rack; he is able to send thee such a disease as is able to be improved in the night, and thy torment shall increase. When other men take their repose thy pain shall keep thee waking.  
Therefore in the name of God, be fearful of offending him: think upon God in the night; think thyself always in his presence, and in his eye; not only in the day, when civil honesty may keep thee good; but in the night when none but the eye of God looks on thee.  
And that I may not make another point of it because it falls in with this; As thou must think of God in the night, and stand in awe of him; let thy bedchamber be privy to it at all times.  
God plagued Pharaoh in his bed chamber: It may be because he would show that his judgements can penetrate the greatest privacy; for the field, and the hall, and the bed chamber, and the closet, are all one to God.  
It may be also in some proportion to the sin of Pharaoh. I will not speak of his lust in his bedchamber, because I have no ground for it; but it is more than probable that in his bedchamber he hammered those cruelties against the Israelites; therefore God might make this place uncomfortable to him.  
The bedchamber hath been noted to have been guilty of foul fins. It was guilty of evil counsel in the King of Assyria against Israel, 2 King. 6.12. Elisha discovered it. And in Mica 2.1. There are those that imagine mischief upon their beds.  
It hath been guilty of licentiousness, Reuben clymbed up to his father's bed, and so alienated his affection. And you know the trick of Amnon, that counterfeited sickness, 2 Sam. 13. and persuaded his father to send his sister to make him cakes, and she coming to his bed side, he drew her and forced her. Solomon Prov. 7. speaks of the harlot that had decked her bed, and saith to the wild young man, Let us take our fill of love till the morning. And St. Paul puts chambering and wantonness together, Rom. 13. Chambering: The Syriack translate it, unclean sleeping places.  
Nay, let me go further, in the state of matrimony and fair wedlock, the bed chamber may be made a place of sin. I may not, I dare not tell you how, lest when I reprove sin I teach it. As we challenge the Popish Casuists, that have brought sin to an Art; by discovering iniquity, they teach men that that they never minded. This I may be bold to say, That it is a shame to speak of the things that are done by some men in secret, Eph. 5. It is possible for a man to be drunk with the wine of his own Cellar.  
The bedchamber is guilty of much uncharitableness: for though they have so much civility as to draw themselves fare enough from the hearing of their family, yet man and wife abuse one another upon their beds, by disgraceful speeches, and so sleep in uncharitableness ofttimes. So also it hath been full of slandering of others; there is the place of censure. Therefore Solomon was cautious and wise, Eccles. 10.20. when God said, Curse not the King in thy bedchamber.  
Well, let me renew my Exhortation. The bedchamber as private as it is, let it be a sanctified holy place; and let a man think, God may smite him there as he did Pharaoh. Ishbosheth was wounded and slain upon his bed, 2 Sam. 4. And God saith, The sword shall enter into the chamber, jerem. 21.14. Let a man think, the bed he goes up to, may be the altar he shall be offered on. When he lies down to sleep, he commends himself to his elder brother death; and he may sleep and sleep his last: let him recommend himself too God. If he have vacancy from sleep that he cannot rest, let him reflect on his own ways, and examine his heart, and be still; spend the time in prayer to God, that that is his dormitory, may be his or atorie.  
Surely David considered these good thoughts when he made his chamber his chapel, and so should every man; God's judgements seize on him there, as we see it befell Pharaoh, he visited him in his bedchamber.  
It is like enough that it would not move Pharaoh much that his borders were filled with frogs; but they must come into his house, and into his bedchamber. My observation is, The greatest Princes in the world if they offend God, are not exempted from judgements. Thy bed chamber. It is not the greatest honour, nor potency, nor power that can privilege them from judgement, Psal. 76.12. Saith David there, God will be terrible to the Princes of the earth. And Psal. 82. Te shall die as men, and fall as one of the Princes. We have instances enough of this in Scripture. Abimelech sinned, and was punished, a great Prince. So Adonnibezeck. So likewise another Abimelech was slain by a piece of a millstone, judg. 9 So we read of Ahab, and Saul, and jezebel, great Princes, mighty in their times. We find it in Sennacherib that came against jerusalem with such as host, a great Commander. And Nabuchadnezzar that walked upon his Babel, he had a great and large command; a great latitude of dominions. So in the third Herod, and all those persecuters of the Church, that as wild Boars of the Wood, laboured to root out the Vineyard of God.  
Beloved, if there were no more that we did meet with of God making them the objects of his judgements then that they sicken and die, it were no great thing. For surely they consist of the same principles that other inferior persons do. When Daniel said to Nabuchadnezzar, Live for ever, he meant another life; for in regard of his temporal life, he knew he was like his Image; though the head were of gold, the feet were of clay. Surely as they consist of soul and body, as well as others; they have no stronger ties and ligaments to keep soul and body together then meaner men; they have no more power over their breath then other men; they are subject to sickness and casualties. But we speak of them as they are the objects of God's displeasure. What may be the ground of this, that those who are so great in the world, that the Lord should get the conquest over them, and make them instances of his wrath?  
There may be divers reasons given of it.  
First, their sin, and not simply their sin; but as their persons are advanced, so usually their sins are of the first magnitude. Those that are great sin with a high hand, they think they may sinne with privilege: And they are apt to hear parasitical flatterers as Alexander had, that what likes them they may do. As julia told Bashiana, It was for them to give laws, and not to take them. Therefore the Lord meets with them to humble the proud, to pull down these arrogant ones, as in job 40. He pulls down the mighty from their seat: As it was with Pharaoh here, that was in his ruff before, Who is the Lord? But now he finds a God higher than he.  
Secondly, Princes, and great persons, are usually exempted from the reproof of men. As for the Laws, ofttimes they are as cobwebs, the great flies break through them: who dares say to a Prince, Thou art wicked? Nay, one saith concerning the Pope, it is not lawful to say, Why doth he so? Now when they are not within the compass of humane reproof, God strikes them. In Levit. 20. when the people wink at such offences, Then will I set my face against him, and cut him off, saith the Lord; he will take the matter into his own hands.  
Thirdly, the punishment of great persons makes more for the glory of God: for the greater the instances of God's judgements be, the more remarkable is his justice, the more legible characters are read in the world of his impartiality. Therefore in Rom. 9.17. it is said concerning Pharaoh, I have set thee up that I might magnify my power, and that my name might be known to the ends of the earth. He set him up; as he would sin, so he made him an instance remarkable of his displeasure, that all the world might fear and tremble. And indeed it went fare and near; for the Priests of the Philistines when they consulted about the Ark, saith, 1 Samuel 6. Harden not your hearts as Pharaoh, and the Egyptians did.  
For the Use of it, it should teach all great ones in the world to be wise, to kiss the Son last he be angry, and so they perish from the right way. I know they are apt to know their eminency: Herod can easily entertain the voice of the people, The voice of a God, and not of a man. And the stomach of the Pope is not so squeamish; but he can digest that speech, Thou art another God on earth. But they shall know that if they use their power to injustice, and do that that is dishonourable to the Prince of Princes, the Lord of Lords; the hand of God will be upon them, as well as upon the meanest subject. Nay, the more mighty they are, the more grievously they shall be afflicted; and though they be Gods before men, yet they are but men before God.  
Let the Lord put them in the balance, and finde them too light, He will blow them away with the breath of his displeasure. Certainly, he will get him honour by the confusion of those that stand up in contumacy against him. To the greatest of them all, it may be said, as it is Hest. 4.13. Thinkest thou to escape, though thou be in the King's house, more than the rest of the jews? So may I say, If thou be a Monarch of the whole earth, if thou irritate Gods displeasure, thinkest thou to escape? I will build my nest in the mountains, saith the Edomite, who shall pull me down? He that sits in heaven shall laugh thee to scorn. He bindeth Kings in chains, and Robles in fetters of Iron. He that threw down Lucifer from being a Prince of light, so he shall serve thee.  
In the second place, it should teach men of inferior condition, and yet have something to bear themselves out with in the world. Be not proud, though thou have wealth, it may be honour above thy brethren; and art as Saul, higher by the head then thy fellows, presume not too much; think not to be free from judgements if thou offend: For if thou wouldst give ten thousand rams, and a thousand rivers of oil; the fruit of thy body, for the sin of thy soul, it will not do. Riches avail not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death, Prov. 11.14. Here an under officer, or Sheriff may be feed to forbear the execution of his office; but it is not so with the arrest of God. If God say to the rich fool, This night shall they take away thy soul: the Subpaena will not be answered but with his appearance, if he would give all his full barns to be released.  
Thirdly, it is an item to all to admire God's justice, and impartiality, and equity; that sinites the tall Cedars, as well as the low shrubs and thistles. Should God avenge himself upon the common people that are called, Cursed, and connive at the sins of Princes, there might be some cause of wonder: but when God shall punish one as well as another, who shall dare to say, but his ways are equal?  
Fourthly, stand in awe to please him, if he punish Princes, he will peasants; if he smite the high Towers, he will the inferior. Zeph. 1.8. I will visit the Princes, and in the same day, I will visit all that leap upon the threshold. If I begin with the Princes, I will go lower, I am no excepter of persons, I am impartial; if they sinne they shall be punished. All before me are as the stubble from him that sitteth on the Throne, to her that grindeth in the mill; they shall taste of my wrath, they shall be sure to drink of the cup of my displeasure according to their sins, that do not repent. So Samuel tells the people, If ye do wickedly, ye and your King shall die, 1 Sam. 13.25. So much if that.  
And into the houses, and on the beds of thy servants. What were these servants? They were either such as attended upon the body of Pharaoh, that were near to him; or such as were officers of State, to whom the administration of public business was committed. Whether the one or the other, it is more than probable they were such as applauded Pharaoh in his ill courses against the Hebrews, out of an inbred hatred against the Hebrews; for every Hebrew was an abomination to the Egyptians. And likewise they were subservient to the King in the execution of his wicked designs. And now, beloved, you may justify God in his proceed; that as he punisheth the Master, so he punisheth the servants.  It is just with God when men serve others in wickedness, to punish the instruments as well as the principal. The servants as well as Pharaoh. 
In Gen. 12. Abraham comes to Pharaohs Court, (another Pharaoh of Egypt) and it seems his wife being beautiful, he was afraid that injury should be offered him for her, and you know what he put into her mouth; and after it fell out that Pharaoh and all his house were plagued. chrysostom makes the question, Pharaoh took the woman into his house, Why should his household be plagued? why should his servants suffer? The Father, as he makes, so he answers the question: let men consider what went before; how the Princes of Pharaoh commended the woman to him; they looked and surveyed her excellency, and commended her to the King. He that considers this, saith chrysostom, shall find them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that they played the trick and part of Panders and procurers, base people that were servile and officious to the lust of their Prince. So he saith, they did further and give their hand to help forward the wickedness to be committed; therefore saith he, they justly and deservedly suffered for that fact: so being agents and instruments of satisfying the King's lasciviousness, it was just with God to wrap and involve them in the same judgement.  
There is a lively instance in judg. 9 the men of Sechem did further the wicked design of Abimelech, and lent him money to strengthen him in his usurpation. Now because they were so officious in that wicked way that he was in, it was just with God that afterward they were punished, and a fire did break out of the house of Abimelech against Sechem, he slew them, and razed their City, and sowed it with sait. As himself afterward was punished, so were they that were instruments.  
Those Captains with their fifty that attempted to apprehend Elija, 2 King. 1. A man would think they came upon a fair message; when the King sent for them they must come. But saith Tostatus (for the justifying of God) they were Idolatrous; and it is likely they were such people as were at the beck of the King, to serve him in base services, therefore it was just that they were consumed.  
So joab, you know he served the turn of David in setting Vriah in the front, the time came that his own blood was shed; and though the cause be made by David for the slaughter of Abner, yet without doubt God put in the murder of Vriah; for therein he served the King's lust: for when the deed was done, and he was to give an account, saith he, If the King be angry, tell him that Vriah is slain; as if he had said, that will salve up all; he thought the King will think he is true in the great matter, therefore I will pass by the lesser; that the King might see he was officious to him in that.  
So in Zedechiah, that he might show his officiousness to him that he knew hated Micaiah, he strikes him upon the face. Was it not just with God according to the Prophecy of Micaiah, that he should run into a chamber to hid himself, and find no security?  
So those that were so officious to Nabuchadnezzar to throw the three children into the fire, it was just with God that the flame should lick them in, and consume them. St. Austen in one of his Sermons de tempore, hath a conceit that those children that called Elisha Baldpate, were set on by their parents; and if it were so, it was just with God that those that were set on by their parents should be punished. So if Nicephorus say true, it was just that Herodias daughter should die as she did; he saith that she slipped into the Ice, and the Ice closed and cut off her head: Being an instrument of so foul an act, it was just with God that she should suffer. It is just indeed that the instruments should suffer as well as the principal upon this ground: For many a wickedness would find its own grave, if there were not some instruments officious for fear, or favour, or gain, to execute those purposes. The lust of David might have easily been suaged perhaps if his servants had not been so ready to fetch Bathsheba. And those high Priests had not so soon wreaked their malice upon Christ, if judas had not been so ready to betray Christ. So that because instruments are so ready to being forth wickedness, that else would perish, and come to nothing; it is just with God that the instruments should suffer.  
For the Use of it. In the name of God let us all fear to serve any other whosoever that hath power over us in regard of sin, let them be what they will; if conscience tell us it is unlawful, take heed we serve them not in it: For it will not serve another day for Doeg to say, Saul bid me fall upon those that wore linen Ephods. It will not serve the Task masters of Pharaoh to say, He enjoined us to lay great burdens upon the Israelites. It will not serve Absaloms' servants to say, Our master commanded us to kill Amnon. It will not serve Herodias daughter to say, My mother bid me ask john Baptists head in a platter. O no, Beloved, father and mother, and master, and Prince, and all, must be obeyed in the Lord, as the Apostle saith, and no further. If therefore we shall wave God, and his Commandments to serve them in ill, we draw upon us judgements in this world, and in the world to come. And how many can you remember, perhaps in your experience, that have cursed the time that ever they were instruments to others sins? Some that have been base Panders and procurers in furthering others lusts. Some that have made a trade of wicked ways, but many times have been ingenious, in whom there have been some seeds of good left, that have cursed the time that ever they officiated for other people in wickedness.  
Not only out of sense of neglect of those that have employed them (though that have been just with God, and it hath often fallen out that they have been shaken off that have been instruments to others; and when they have been troubled in conscience, they have been shaken off as judas was by the Pharisees, not only thus) but in the apprehension of the judgements of God, before whom all must appear; they know that every man must stand upon his own bottom; and the master shall not then answer for the servant, or the servant for the master. The servant shall then look on his master, and behold him that is engaged in the same wickedness; saith Austen not as a patron for his cause, but as a companion in his punishment: for it is the speech of old Ely, that is truth itself, If a man sin against his brother the judge shall judge it: but if he sin against God who shall plead for him? Master, and father, and mother, and all to whom thou art tied by strict relation, that have used their power to command thee to sin, they cannot keep thee from judgement then; thou must answer for thyself, and receive according to that thou hast done, whether it be good or evil. Therefore I commend to you the resolution of joseph, that when his mistress solicited him to evil, he said, How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God? As if he had said, I may content thee, and thou mayest think that I do the part of a good servant to give thee satisfaction in this; but how shall I answer God, and my conscience? I may not do that that I may not do with the preservation of my peace, and the salvation of my soul. So much for that, Pharaohs servants were punished. I go on.  And they shall come into thine ovens, and into thy kneading troughs; or into thy lump of dough: 
For so the word signifieth, and so it is used, Exod. 12. The Septuagint hath it, into thy pastry. And here there is another aggravation of the judgement, a fearful one. Before God disabled this people in regard of their drink, for he turned their water into blood, that they could not drink of the river without noy someness and danger too; for blood is no congruous drink for man's body. Before he deprived them of their rest: for how could they rest when the frogs skipped upon them in their beds, and filled their chambers, and crept there? So now he disables them in regard of their diet; that though they had provided food, and made it into dough, yet there should be frogs in it, and in their pastry, and in their troughs; nay they should go into their ovens, to consume, at least to defile. As josephus saith, every thing, bread and meat had frogs. Nay in their drink too, they did not only eat, but drink frogs. Nothing but filth, and noisomeness, there was nothing to invite them to eating but defilement. So now see here a fearful aggravation. Thirst before had like to have killed them, and want of rest, and now want of food; as if God meant to starve them. Observe, I beseech you, How able God is for the sins of men to disable those Pulchra natura, those common supports, and stays of humane nature. He can prevent us in taking food, though it be ready; he can send such judgements in it that we shall not be able to take it: if we provoke God there shall be frogs in our dough, and in our dish, that that shall make us justly distaste it, that we shall be afraid to eat it. That the Lord threatneth in Deut. 28. You shall be plagued in your basket, and in your store, in your dough. In those things that are serviceable for sustentation. Sometimes God makes things that they are not eatable, though of themselves they be provided for nourishment. Sometimes, though of themselves they be eatable, yet there shall come a loathing and fastidiousness upon the sight of it. And when it is taken into the body, God sometimes restrains the work, and operation of it that it shall not nourish. For as in the creation God infused a quality and faculty into the creature; so in the exercise of it, God is able to dispend them. If God enlarge not himself, and give a word of blessing, those creatures will not do that that we would have them. It is admirable to think how many ways the Lord can prevent the use of the creature that that should sustain us in the way of food.  
Sometimes he prevents men from having food by unseasonable weather that they cannot sow their seed.  
Sometimes if they sow their seed, God suffers it to rot under the clods that it comes not up.  
If it come up, and be in the blade, God smites it with mildew, and nips it with untimely frosts. If it be in the ear, God hath other judgements for it. If the time of reaping come, the weather may be so unseasonable that it cannot be got in. If it be carried into the barn, God can make it mould in the mow. If it be threshed in the floor, God hath judgements for it there. If it be ground in the Mill, and brought to be bread (as it was here) the frogs shall be in the trough, that they cannot eat their bread unless they will eat frogs with their dough. Nay further, if it be baked, and taken into the bodies of men, yet God reserves the power of making it nourishable to himself, It is he that gives the staff of bread; bread is the staff of our strength: but bread it hath a staff, that is the word of God's blessing; as Christ saith to Satan, Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. That is it that gives it soul, and life, and makes it nourishable. If God restrain this, Pharaohs seven lean kine may eat up the seven fat ones, and not be the fatter. As a man that hath the Boulemia, a doglike appetite, he may eat, and eat, and is not the fatter. As one in the Poet, that the more he eat, the more he might. God's blessing upon food, that must be taken in to make it beneficial.  
To make use of this: you see God prevented them, though they had dough, and provision they cannot eat it. God hath this power over the creatures to prevent us altogether, or else in making use of it.  
What is the reason that we first ask leave for the use of God's creatures, and beg a blessing? There is great reason that when we come to take the creatures of God we should call upon him, and invocate his name for a blessing, that he would sanctify them: for if it be the provision of the King, such as was for the captive children, it will not nourish without God's blessing.  
This hath been the practice of holy people in all times. Samuel blessed for the people; they did not eat till he had blessed, 1 Sam. 9.13. So it was with our Blessed Lord himself, he never eat before he gave thanks; and Paul in a great tempest at sea, Act. 27. he brings them together, and desires them to take meat, but they did not touch it before he gave thanks. Plutarch saith, that the Heathen did it. And the Turks now are observant of giving thanks. Tertullian in his Apology for the Christians, showing the course that Christians used in their feasts, and ●●ting of their meat; they never sat down to the table before prayer was made to God that he would sanctify the creatures.  
Secondly, as it is meet that we should ask God's blessing; so when we have found that they nourish us, and our spirits are refreshed and enlivened, and quickened by them, and we are made more nimble, and agile for employments; then we have reason to give God thanks, to return thanks. When thou hast eaten, and art full, remember (saith Moses) the Lord thy God; thou shalt bless him, Deut. 8.12. And as it is said of Christ, after they had eaten their supper, they sang a Psalm before they went out of the room, Mat. 26. And Athanasius speaks of some people that were wont as soon as ever they had done supper or dinner, to turn themselves upon their knees to give God thanks. The Pharisees were so strict this way, when a Pharisee had forgot to give God thanks at table, though he were in the field, he must return to the place where he had eaten to do it.  
And he is no less than an Atheist that habitually omits the giving of thanks to God. I will not say, but a man may forget it, and against his purpose; but if it be habitual to sit down, and rise without giving thanks, he is a brute beast; and let him look, and he may expect the next time he eats to have a frog in his dish, that is, to have some judgement. For the Lord will not endure such wretches.  
Lastly, since sin lets the judgements of God lose, especially in this particular of restraining a blessing upon the creatures. Take heed of gross sins; those that the Father calls fearful pressures, such as waste conscience, and so provoke God not only to cut us short in that which is superfluous, but to maim us, and lame us in necessaries; in food that is the support of this tabernacle, without which it cannot stand, more than the lamp can continue without the supply of oil.  
And because it may be the wickedness of this people in gluttony of meat caused this judgement upon them; for they were given to that; and because in experience God restrains men of their meat for that; take heed of gluttony. I confess at this day intemperance in drunkenness is now more than that of eating, and the more general sin; but intemperance of eating is of too great a breadth, and as great a sin as the other. And judge you now how many thousands there be in the world, that eat above their means and ability. Though they pinch their backs their dainty tooth must be satisfied. I read of old that they were wont to feast openly in the streets. If it were so with us, there would be many observed to spend that that they had reason to spare.  
Again, how many thousands are there, that though they eat not above their ability, yet above their condition and calling? for nothing will please them but rarities, such as are congruous for Kings, mean men must have. All their pretence is, they are able to do it, what of that? I tell thee, and I tell thee as a Minister of God, that the rule of our apparel, and our meat, it is not our ability, but next to God's word; it must be thy calling, and estate thou art in: That is not lawful for a mean man, that is for a noble man; this would bring attaxie and confusion into the world, and blend those things that God hath digested so sweetly.  
Again, for the manner, how many thousands eat unjustly? I mean are content to eat well, and to lie soft, and in the mean time never pay their debts? They are so far from that that the Apostle speaks of eating their own bread, that other men's goods must furnish their tables.  
How many eat unseasonably? That is, when the Church is under persecution, and judgements are upon them, and the places they are in, they are most prone to feast; a fearful sin, God said it should not be purged from some till they died, Isay 22.  
How many eat uncharitably? without respect to the poor; That stretch themselves upon their beds of Ivory, and are not touched with the afflictions of joseph. So the rich man in the Gospel, he fared deliciously every day, and did not respect the poor man at his gate, though he asked but a crumb.  
How many eat immoderately? I may say as Austen saith of them, They eat not daily bread; but as much at one time as is fit for them for three or four meals, what a fearful thing is this?  
Nay, Beloved, how many are there in the world that eat impiously? that not only disable themselves from the works of their ordinary calling; but from the performance of any act of Religion towards God; as if there were no God to serve but their bellies. They are fare from the practice of the Primitive Christians, as Tertullian saith in the former place, that did always eat so as that they remembered that God was to be worshipped. They would not for all the world indispose themselves in regard of those holy performances.  
Is there any of you that hear me, that can deny this to be a truth? I know you confess it is a truth; I know your righteous souls grieve that there is such just cause of complaint; and I know you fear the harvest that this seed will bring out. What was the sin of the old world? was not this one among the rest? Mat. 24. they eaten and drank as brute beasts; and did not God bring a deluge upon them? What was the sin of Sodom? was not one of them fullness of bread? and did not God bring a fiery shower from heaven and burn them? What was the sin of Esau? was it not gluttony, when for a morsel of meat he sold his birthright; and so after was deprived of the blessing? he was profane, as it is Heb. 12. And what was the sin of the Israelites? among others this, they lusted, and were gluttons, therefore when the meat was in their month, wrath fell on them. And doth not wise Solomon threaten men that are gluttons in their diet, as well as those that are drunkards, that they shall come to rags and poverty? All this is true.  
And what, do we think to gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? or are we conceited as some that Austen speaks of in his time, that God punished the murders of Troy, but loved those of Rome? That God punished the distempers of former times, but will not now? That there shall be no fregs in our dishes, though Pharaoh had them? Is not he the same God? and our sins as foul as theirs? and do they not provoke God to wrath? We have found it by some experience, if we go bacl a little way. What spewed out those Abbey-lubbers, but gluttony? What hath been the ruin of many great families, but this? What was the cause that God punished us the last year with famine? Many sins we have, but I cannot ascribe it to any more properly, then to gluttony; God punisheth such licentiousness with penury, and scarcity. And if we go on, and provoke God as we have hitherto; God will plague us in our basket, and in our store, and that that before was but a rod, he can whip us with scorpions.  
God be thanked, though we had it dear, we had it for money; but God will cause the earth to deny her strength that it shall not be to be had; & then we may eat our flesh for bread, and our bowels shall sound as a shawm. And this may be the cause of the plague, for famine and the plague go together.  
Thus the Lord can curse us in our basket and in our store, and send frogs into our kneading troughs, and into our chambers. Therefore in the fear of God, let us be ashamed of our former intemperance, and let us now labour to honour God. I bridle not men up to necessity only; Religion gives a fair way as any reasonable man in the world can desire: but take heed that we dishonour not God, abuse them not; if we do, penury will be the reward of abused plenty.   

THE FOURTH SERMON Upon EXOD. CHAP. 8.  VERS. 4. 
And the frogs shall come up, both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants. And the Lord spoke unto Moses, say unto Aaron, stretch forth thine hand, etc.  
IN this fourth Verse, there is yet a further amplification of the judgement. These frogs should not only be in the high ways, but in the houses; not only in the common rooms, but in the bedchambers. And they should not stay here neither, but should crawl upon the bodies of men, they should get up upon them, and there should be no possibility to brush them off. Galerius upon this place, observes, That the Egyptians were punished in this plague upon all the five senses. The sight was punished, that was offended with the multitude, with the greatness, with the hideous form and colour of these frogs. Their hearing was offended with the croaking of them; for it was but harsh music to dainty ears. Their smell was offended with the stench of them. Their taste was offended that they came into their troughs, the places of their dough; and so hindered them of the food that was provided for their nourishment.  
And for their feeling, that certainly was exercised, for not only he, but Tostatus upon the place, saith, That many of these frogs were poisonful, such as we call toads, and they afflicted, and oppressed the Egyptians when they lighted on them. But I stand not upon this, but content myself with the words of the Text: They shall come up, and crawl upon thee, and upon thy servants. So that thou shalt not rid thyself of this annoyance, What! in their meat, and drink, and upon their bodies! Then observe with me, Beloved: God can lay judgements upon people, that shall not be more painful, and troublesome, then odious, loathsome, and noisome. This you shall see in sundry respects: That of job, job 7.5. he complains that his skin was broken, and he was become loathsome. I will not follow Pineds the Jesuit, that reckons up scores of diseases that this poor man was afflicted with, and all of them as the Physician speaks, of the worst kind and quality. The Scripture saith enough, and tells us, that he was stricken with boils from the top of the head, to the sole of the foot; and was feign to retire himself from the company of men, and to sit upon a heap of ashes, that they might receive the corruption from his wounds, and to get a piece of a potsherd to scrape himself with, job 2.7.8. Such a noisome disease had David whatsoever it was as he complains, Psal. 38.7. Thou hast filled my loins with a loathsome disease. The Septuagint and the Latin translation read it, Thou hast filled my loins with delusion, and mocking; but the Chalde paraphrase renders it better, Thou hast filled me with burning pain, and noisome: So the Hebrew word there used will bear it out, which comes from a word to roast a thing, and it signifies to be made vile. So that it seems it was a burning furious disease, and that also that made him odious, and loathsome to the people, and to himself a burden.  
What a loathsome judgement did the Lord send upon jehoram, 2 Chron. 21. ult. by which he rotten as it were piecemeal! he was wondrously afflicted, and troubled, and tormented; and the Text saith there, Ragelat bele Kemdar, he departed without being desired. Some understand it, he was so wicked that every body desired his death, he went away, and was not miss, every one was glad: But it may be understood also, he was so loathsome by his disease, that people were-glad he was gone, he was so troublesome, and he took no pleasure in himself by the noisomeness of his disease. In 2 Macab. 9.9. we read of Antiochus, a great persecuter of God's people; God smote him with a loathsome, noisome judgement, having received a bruise by a fall from his chariot; for very torment and pain (saith the Text) his flesh fell piece meal from him; and the stench of him was grievous to the whole Army; every one wished him gone, he was such a trouble to them.  
And was it not a noisome, loathsome judgement that was sent upon Herod, to be eaten up of worms? Act. 12.23. josephus saith, That the Great Herod the Askalonite, was eaten up of worms also. But after him it is certain that Maximinus, as Eusebius tells us, had a fearful, loathsome disease upon him, and he sent out a filthy smell; he saith he was a fearful spectacle to look upon. Nay, the very Physicians, saith the Story, that came near him, were killed with the stench of his infirmity.  
So we read of Scylla, that he had a loathsome fearful judgement sent upon him. And Pliny in his Natural history saith, that he died a more grievous death then ever he inflicted upon any other. And was it not an odious, loathsome judgement that was sent upon Arrius that scoured out his bowels upon the stool. So Evagrius speaks of Montanus, that he had his tongue rotten in his mouth, and he died miserably. I could reckon more examples, but these are sufficient in the proof of this.  
I would not be mistaken, because I gathered this from God's judgement upon Pharaoh in sending the loathsome frogs. I would not have it thought that every one that hath a loathsome disease is like Pharach, that he must of necessity be profane and wicked: For in the examples before recited, we may find David had a loathsome disease, yet he was a man after Gods own heart. job had a fearful disease, he was full of blains, and sores, and boyles, yet God gave him a great testimony for his piety and justice, above all the men of the East. I could add Lazarus that was highly in the favour of God, yet he was full of sores. And certainly Solomen saith, Eccl. 9 All these shall fall alike to good, and badmen, we cannot determine of affection, or disaffection; I mean of the special love or hatred of God by these outward things. Though the Church of Rome, and Bellarmine go too fare; for he makes the end and calamities that light upon opposers of the truth, to be a necessary argument of the Church; a true note of it. To that purpose, he reckons strange judgements to fall on Calvin and Luther, fearful loathsome diseases. So upon Zuinglius and Oecolampadius; that he hath from Balsicke and others, that have not more lines than lies, railing Pharaoh like. We could answer them in their own weapons if we were disposed, and tell them of some Popes. One saith of Boniface the seventh, that he ended his life very filthily. And john Stella saith of Boniface the eight, he entered as a Fox, he reigned like a Lion, and died as a Dog. We could tell them of john thirteenth, and some say the fourteenth, that was slain in the act of adultery by the immediate hand of God. And of Alexius that died by the same potion of poison he had provided for another. Of Dresentius, Leotomus, Nehotman, and other persecuters that had fearful ends. We stand not upon this, because there is no argument convincing to be drawn from the calamity of a man to show his goodness or badness. But that that I intent is, that God ofttimes sends not only troublesome, but noisome judgements; as we see here upon Pharaoh.  
The use of it, as David saith, Psal. 4. Standin awe and sin not. God is the same God, His hand is not shortened. He can inflict a judgement upon thee whosoever thou art, that besides the pain of it, shall make thee abhor thy sustenance. The very smell, nay the sight of it; nay the hearing and sound of it: And not only so, but he can make thee so loathsome, that even people that should tender their attendance shall be afraid to come near thee. How loathsome a disease is that, even that is ordinary, the small pox in the extremity? And for that other disease that carries the name, that a man should not mention without horror and loathing, what a loathsome disease it is, and how odious it makes people! those that are of honest and fair condition are afraid to eat or drink with them. So, I have known some that have been afflicted with sores, and boyles, and ruptures, that they have been a grief to others, and a burden to themselves. Therefore I say, Stand in awe and fear; for the Lord can do what he hath done: he can set ravenous beasts on us to tear us; he can make frogs and toads crawl on us; he can make fiery diseases possess us; he can bring it home to us in a fearful way if we rebel. Therefore let us labour to serve him, and to do him honour, and evermore to praise him, not only in word but in work for fear of an uncomfortable blow: For it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God. So much for that.  They shall come upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon all thy people. 
Now this judgement was denounced; Pharaoh might have conceived a thought, the frogs shall come upon me, but I have somewhat to help myself by; my people, and my servants about me, I hope will keep my person free. The Lord takes away that poor hold, and disableth him in that he thought of; they shall not only be upon himself, but upon his servants; that they should be so far from from helping him, that they should not help themselves. The observation is; that When God smites to some purpose he can make a man helpless that all succour in the world shall fail. Let him cast upon what hope he will, and nourish expectation of this, and that help; when adversity comes, the judgement of God shall have a full blow.  
We have read of some famines wherein one neighbour hath not been able to help another, all of them have been so generally troubled by that fearful calamity, and vexed by it, that a man could not give his neighbour bread without being unnatural to himself, and unmerciful to his family. When the Sword hath forradged a place, the party that should secure his wife and children hath been wounded, and not able to help them. And so in regard of the plague, when it hath entered into some families, and allowed no quarter at all, but hath stricken all down that not one hath been able to help another: God hath stricken some men with such diseases that the whole College of Physicians were never able to give them a minute of ease. Nay, it may be the Physician himself hath been so smitten that he needed as much help as his patient. This is ordinary: I will not stand further upon the proof.  
The Use concerns us a little; that is, that we never cast ourselves upon any earthly helps without God, let them seem as firm as they will, and able to sustain us; let us never cast ourselves on them without God; they will prove as clouds without rain, as wells without water; they will prove miserable comforters. They will be to us as the King of Israel was to the woman in the siege of Samaria, when she complained of the fearfulness of the famine: O (saith he) if God do not help, how shall I help? Let the Philistines trust in Goliath, when the time comes he shall not be able to save himself. Let them delight in Dagon, he shall be so far from securing them, that he shall be broken in pieces by a fall before the Ark. The high Priests tell the Soldiers, if they will tell a lie for them, and officiate in that kind for them, they will bear them harmless; the day of affliction will come, that they shall not be able to help themselves. Nay, David disableth the very trust in Princes, Psal. 146. Trust not in Princes, or any son of man, for vain is their help. Isay 20. the three last verses. It seems the people of Israel were confident, when they had an adversay came, and threatened them with the Babylonian forces, they sent to the Ethiopians for help; they did not greatly care what that great man could do. Saith the Lord, Go and tell them the King of Caldea shall take Egypt prisoner, and the Ethiopian captive; so they shall be ashamed of Ethiopia their rejoicing, and Egypt their glory. And then they shall say, Lo this was our expectation, and how shall we escape? As if they had said, these people are not able to help themselves; they are made a prey to the devourer, and how shall they be able to secure us.  
Therefore I say again, Take heed of trusting in the arm of flesh. We are but too apt to do it. We think if such an adversary should come, we would do this; and that this friend, and that money, and policy shall do us good; and when the time of calamity comes, we are as men that put into a Bay in a tempest; we think we are safe, and before we are ware, we are upon a rock; and they find not a haven, and a fair station; but matter of woe and lamentation.  
There be certain helps in the world, saith a Father, by which we are more weakened then confirmed; that prove as the reed of Egypt. And to press it on; then we must not cast ourselves upon vain hopes of another world. If in judgements temporal, God can disable a man's friends and acquaintance; and his own thoughts perhaps shall not relieve him, but he shall have a disturbed conscience; what shall he do when he appears before the tribunal of God? Let him then call to father, or mother, or friends, he shall stand naked before that judgement; and whatsoever plea he hath before thought of to subterfuge the judgement, they shall be as fig leaves, they shall not cure or cover him.  
Therefore get God's protection by well-doing, and get into his favour by a godly life; and than though father, and friends forsake thee, he will take thee up, and be a sure protection to his people in the time of adversity. So much for that.  
There is a further aggravation of this judgement; that is, from the newness and the strangeness of it. Though I find in stories that this judgement of frogs was after inflicted upon the world. As Pliny tells us of a Town that was unpeopled in France formerly by frogs: And Paulus Orosius saith, that the people of the City Abdera were so molested by frogs, that they were feign to entreat Cassander the King of Maceden to get them another place to inhabit. And Athenius tells us a strange story like this: he saith, in Onia, in Barbania, there fell a rain of frogs, and filled the high ways so abundantly, that people could not step besides them; and for a time they shut their doors that they might be quiet, but it would not do, the frogs came into their baking troughs, into their meat and drink, and molested and infested every part. And not only so; but they crawled upon their bodies, and were so noxious to them, that they determined to leave their Country. Now I say though afterward God sent his judgement, yet for aught I know, this judgement of frogs was the first that ever was laid upon the world in that kind. And this added to the terror of it: For to suffer new terrors is a great aggravation of any judgement.  
Isay 64.4. When thou didst terrible things that we looked not for, than thou camest down. They were terrible things indeed, that they never looked for, or dreamt of, or heard of in former times, those terrible things. So in Micah 5.15. The Lord saith, he will execute judgement upon the heathen in such a manner as was never heard of. Dan. 12.1. He speaks of troubles, and such as there never was since there was a Nation to that time. These strange unheard of judgements, uncouth punishments, add much to the terror of the plague. Do you think it was not fearful to those of the old world, to see it rain forty days together, and not to cease till the very Ark mounted? And to those of Sodom to see it rain fire, who had ever heard of it before? And mark that in Num. 16. when Moses would aggravate the judgement that God meant to send upon Corah, saith he, If these men die the common death, or if they be visited with the common visitation of all men, think as you will; but if God make a new thing, and cause the earth to open, and swallow them quick in the pit, then say they have provoked God to some purpose. A new, strange, and not a common visitation, and death; for that was never heard of before, that the earth should cleave and swallow them into hell. These judgements that were laid upon Egypt, were made patterns for after times, I will punish you after the way of Egypt. So that it seems that the Egyptians were the first instances of those great calamities; God begun with them in this way, they were the first.  
So, in this case it falls out, as in examples of good, so in the punishment of evil. We say the way to heaven is short by example, though it be long by precept. The reason is this; because when a man is commanded to do a thing, and is told that another doth it before him, he is comforted, he persuades himself it is in his factivity, because another hath done it: so in the punishment of sin, if it be somewhat that another hath suffered before, it is some comfort. If it be such a thing that never any suffered, that a man can say that truly that job spoke passionately, that God had made him a Butt, for such remarkable judgements as never were before: This is a great aggravation.  
Now you must know, that these strange, extraordinary judgements are for foul and extraordinary sins; for when men will exceed their scantling, and transcend in iniquity; the Lord will make his plagues wonderful. In Deut. 28. And there are strange punishments to the workers of iniquity, job 31. Wondrous strange plagues to those that have new sins.  
For the Use of it; it may satisfy us to the full, for those judgements that God brings upon the world in these last times. We still say that there are diseases grown among us that we have not heard of before; sure I am they put the Physicians past their books many times: let us not wonder at this; for Africa is not more fertile of monsters, than these our times are fruitful in iniquity; I, and in new sins.  
I dare appeal to your own observation what new strange oaths have been minted of later times that our forefathers never heard of? the foulest blasphemies against heaven not to be mentioned. What new strange ways of epicurianisme and gluttony? how witty is that sin in this age, as if the spirit of Sardanapalus were in men; who when he was satiated with all that was in use, gave encouragement to any man by a crier to invent new? I dare be bold to say, that god, the belly, was never served with such uncouth service as now. What strange ways of drinking, that were never heard of in the time of our forefathers? the days than were more modest, and free from that foul, abominable corruption. What strange unknown fashions in apparel! how prodigious is this last age grown in that? A man can as soon make the Moon a coat, as find people a month in one dressing. It is fearful to consider the abominable luxury. And for fraud, and cheating, and tricks of legerdemain, they are fresh and new, and frequent every day; that the vigilancy of all authority, and the wariness of all laws are not able to prevent them. He is accounted but a fool and a sot that hath not a trick more than ever yet was practised.  
O, Beloved! hath not God than a just controversy with his people? If the Lord draw out judgements that were never heard of before, and make us signs and wonders to the world, and an astonishment to all adjacent Nations, may we not justify his proceed? If we exceed our forefather's sins, what wonder is it, if we feel judgements that they were never sensible of? If we be inventors of the evil of sin, Rom. 1. what wonder is it, if the Lord deal with us as he did with the Gentiles, to give us up to a reprobate sense, to desperate hardness, that after we have committed sin with greediness, we may be made a by word to all Nations?  
But before I leave this denunciation of the judgement, I cannot but acquaint you with the mystical signification that divers of the Fathers have of this judgement of frogs.  
Origen saith, The frogs here, signify lascivious vain Poets: saith he, a frog is of no profit, he gives offence with his croaking, and with his filth: so saith he, It is with the Poets, they are as frogs, they have no goodness: the lascivious Poets in their libidinous discourses, and their fables, that tend to nothing but to corrupt unstable men: Yet to see how many people are taken with them (saith he) how they suck this poison, and drink these puddles with the neglect of those living waters.  
And Rupertus goes further: They be frogs that croak dishonour to God when they attribute a deity and divinity to jupiter and Venus, and those that were mortal men, and make as many as their own fancy thinks fit, using the fecundity of their understandings this way: Yet these people (saith he) as frogs, creep into the favour of great persons, as appears in the story, they are made much of by the great Emperors of the world: but saith he, though they delight in them for the present, they infuse a great deal of poison, more than ever they could be cured of.  
St. Austen, and with him Prosper; they understand mystically by these frogs, Philosophers, that were wedded only to natural knowledge. These are they, saith Austen, that have a sound of words, but not true wisdom: saith he, sometimes they croak out filthy blasphemy against God. He is not utterly against Philosophy, nor no wise man ever would: for as it may be as Hagar against Sara; if it grow petulant and saucy as she did, out goes the handmaid. So this Heathen, having her nails pared, and her hair cut, she may be a wife for an Israelite. He is against vain Philosophy (as Paul speaks) those things that are contrary to truth; when they would make it impossible for any thing to be made of nothing, against the creation of the world: when they deny that several species can be united in one subject, against the incarnation of Christ: when they deny that there can be any return from a privation to a habit, against the resurrection: These are crokings and distasteful to Christian ears.  
The same Father saith further: These croaking frogs set forth Heretics; and in Rev. 16.13. the Spirit of God calls them frogs that creep out of the mouth of the Beast, the false Prophet, and the Dragon. And these run up and down, and crawl upon people, and do a great deal of prejudice. And he might well put them after Philosophers: for Tertullian saith, Philosophers are the Patriarches of Heretics. And he saith elsewhere, when they cannot fly of themselves, than they take shelter among the bushes of Aristotle. These Heretics are as frogs, filthy, creeping up and down, and creeping over places, even into the chambers of Princes: as may appear to you in the Arrians that made themselves so firm in the Emperor Constantius. That is the trick of them to make themselves great with great persons. It is said of Constantius sister Constantine, she commended one of them to him. They get into the chambers of Princes. We need not have these croaking frogs in these days, with their Jesuitical spirits: If Princes would be more cautelous of them, it would be more for their peace.  
Gregory Nycene, in the life of Moses, saith, That the frogs are voluptuous persons, that are given up to all wanton luxury that is carnal: For, saith he, think of a libidinous licentious life, and then think of the frogs of Egypt; for that same licentiousness grows from a filthy heart; so these frogs from the slime of Egypt. And as it was with those frogs, so it is with these; they possess all places. In the street take a voluptuous man, and you shall discover him by his public carriage. Fellow him to his house, he is voluptuous in his meat; as these frogs came into the baking-troughs. Fellow him into his bedchamber, he is wicked there. Fellow him to his closet, the greatest privacy, still there are signs of voluptuousness. And he gins to complain, how full that time was of these frogs.  
His complaint fits our times: It is a fearful thing; the filthy frogs of covetousness, base, sordid covetousness; of excess, and of distemper, of lust, and licentiousness, that may be followed by their slime from the places they pass. These are fearful, and those that expose the land to the curse of God. Take heed of these; separate yourselves from this uncleanness: in such impure hearts God will not dwell. They may taste of his vengeance, but shall never taste of his favour till they have purged out this filthy corruption. So I have done wholly with the denunciation of the judgement.  
Now I come to the execution of it, and in the transition to it (because I cannot enter on it at this time.) It will be demanded what effect the denunciation of this judgement had with Pharaoh? There is nothing said, the judgement is denounced, and is presently executed; what effect had it?  
The speedy execution of it, tells us what effect it had: For surely Pharaoh was not a whit wounded, his wicked heart continued obdurate, and impenitent. It is like enough, he conceived that this was but a scarecrow; and he thought it a poor spirit, and a base disposition, to yield to words; he would not appear to be pusillanimous to be frighted with words, therefore he stands it out. Observe: The wicked disposition of profane persons; they will never fear, till they feel. Pharaoh, all the words would do no good, he was fearless till he feels. Thus it was with the old world, Mat. 24. Christ saith, They did eat and drink, and were merry, and knew nothing till the flood came. Blessed Lord, did they know nothing? Had not Noah, that preacher of righteousness, told them by word of mouth? Had he not preached in making the Ark? For, saith Basile of Selucia, it was a preaching, and every knock was an urging of that point; did they not know? without doubt they did. How is it said, They knew not? chrysostom saith, he showeth their insensibleness, and security, when he saith, They knew not: and he saith, They were taken with a kind of drunkenness in their sins: As a man that sleeps upon a Mast, knows not that he is in danger. So it was with them: judgement was at the door, yet they knew nothing till Noah entered into the Ark.  
So those of Sodom, were in the same predicament; Lot told them, and bid them fear: It would not be; and as judgement drew nearer, he was more fervent in his exhortation; all would not do, he seemed to his own sons as if he had mocked, Gen. 19 for they thought with themselves, what news is this? Fire from heaven! Why shall not to morrow be as to day? Who ever saw it rain fire? or if it do, must this valley burn alone, and none else? What ground is there for this?  
Thus God lays out the humour of wicked men, Deut. 29.19. He that hears the curses of this book, and saith I shall have peace, though I continue stiffnecked, etc. This is the very conceit that a wicked man hath, he may go on in his sins; he needs not fear the judgement to come, he shall have peace, though he continue stiffnecked. Was not this the humour of Achab? did not Micaiah tell him of the dissipation of his Army? Nay did he not plainly say, If he returned in peace, the Lord had not spoken by him? yet he pursued his resolution, and went on in his way; he would not fear till he felt, 1 King. 22. Mark, in Isay 5.19. The Lord brings wicked men, saying, Make haste, let him hasten his work that we may see it. A wicked, profane speech as ever came from the mouth of man. They mocked the judgement that God had told them of. Doth God say he will bring judgements, let him make haste, we would feign see it: these are but words, we would feign see deeds. Thus wicked men hasten to their ruin. So, in jeremy, they tell the Prophet flatly he lies, when he said, The King of Chalde shall come and take jerusalem; they would not be persuaded till they felt it. So in Ezek. 12.22. There was a Proverb grown in Israel, Every vision faileth. As if they had said, Shall we give heed to the dreams of the Prophets? They say they have had visions, but all fail, there are none come to pass; they would not believe them. And what better were those mockers in Peter; they mocked, and said, Where is the promise of his coming? As if they should say; We will not give over our pleasures, and the prosecuting of our sinful lusts; we will take time while we may, and crown our heads with rose buds, and make as much of ourselves as we can; for, for aught we see all things are in a stay, there is nothing to come.  
For the Use of this: I desire from my soul, that all of us, you, and I, and every one, would take heed above all, of security, of fearlessenesse of God. Our Blessed Saviour said long ago, that it should be the sin of the last times. As it was in the days of Noah, and of Lot, so shall it be in the day of the son of man. And they shall nourish their hearts as in the day of slaughter. And they shall have a conceit that judgement is far off, and that it shall not come at all; and so be given up to voluptuousness, to commit sin with greediness.  
I dare appeal, and let your consciences answer, and echo the truth; have not we a thousand times told you of plague, and famine, and judgement great and small? Have we not rung in the ears of the blasphemer that the flying book with curses would come into his house? Have we not rung in the ears of the bloody man, that he should not live out half his days, and that he should not die a dry death? Have we not spoken loud enough over and over, to the licentious person, that that sin would eat out his posterity, and consume his increase? Have we not told you, that the oppressor should have his goods invaded by violence, and taken out of the mouths of his children? Have we not told the curser that it should come into his bowels as water? Have we not told him that is excessive, that he should reap nothing but shame, and dishonour, and beggary, the judgement of God, and untimely death? Have we not said all this? But with what success? People persist in the same ways, in the same impieties every day. Witness the renewing, and the improving of these sins. Some are as deaf Adders; or if they hear, they give us the hearing, and that is all; they are still in the same course of impiety. What is the ground of all? Security, fearlessenesse of judgements; they think these things are bugbears to fray children, those things that shall never take effect. These are the things that the Devil puts into the hearts of people to cousin them of their salvation.  
O let us take heed: Let me tell you, and out of the truth of God's Word, that men are never nearer judgement than when they are most secure, 1 Thess. 5.4. When they shall say, peace, peace, sudden destruction shall come. Chrysostom's observation is, when they shall say, peace, peace; he saith not that there is peace to them: For what peace as long as the whoredoms of jezebel remain? As jehu said: But when they shall say peace, and all is in tranquillity. Those of Sodom, they had a fair morning that day they were consumed; but how soon were the heavens clouded with fire and brimstone! So likewise Belteshazer was in all his jollity, and his ruff, with his concubines, and Princes quaffing in the vessels of the Temple; in the height of that security, the hand-writing on the wall makes his knees knock together, and the joints of his body loosed. So Nebuchadnezar his grandfather, when he was strutting upon his Babel, and bragged of his power, than God turns him among the beasts. The people of Laish, when they were buried in security, the children of Dan fall upon them to destroy them. Amnon when his heart was merry with wine, little thought he of any mischief; all on the sudden he was slain. So Agag, O, saith he, the bitterness of death is passed now; there was no fear then of judgement as he thought: the next news that he heard, the sword of Samuel was thrust into his bowels, 1 Sam. 7.  
I might show many instances that when men are most secure, God comes with his judgements, and hath taken them away. Therefore take heed of being fearless of the judgements of God. Believe what God hath said to us; and as we believe, so let it urge us to prepare, and if we be prepared, either we shall be hid in the evil day, or the affliction shall be so sanctified, that we shall find honey in that Lion.  
Another thing I would commend to your consideration, something of kin to this point in hand. Pharaoh holds out, God sends a message, it will not be, God now executes.  Where words will not serve, blows must. 
I shall not need to give instances of this, there are enough in Scripture. And there is great reason that God should do it.  
For if he should only content himself with words, his truth would be called in question, as if he had said that that he meant not to perform, if that word that he hath spoken shall not take effect.  
Secondly, his Justice would be questioned that he hates not sin with that hatred that the world is persuaded of.  
Thirdly, his Power would be questioned, that though he hate sin, and threaten it; yet he were not able to punish it.  
Lastly, his Wisdom and Providence would be questioned; for it is not the part of a wise man, where there is desert for blows, to content himself only with words; for this makes reproof contemptible, and all speeches ridiculous, and turn again upon him with disgrace.  
For the Use of it, it should teach us to justify God in all his proceed, ever give glory to God, whatsoever falls: for certainly God for the contempt of ordinary proceed is feign to go to a more severe reckoning with men: they justly deserve it: therefore God is to be justified.  
Secondly, since God is so leisurely, and treatable in his pace to vengeance; Let us all make use of the deliberate proceed of God: fear God's word, and we shall never fear his blows, that is true. It is a speech of chrysostom, to good purpose; Let a man fear God's word, and he shall never need to fear those acts of vengeance. Let them fear in Egypt, and Rome: let him fear and stand in awe that offends. If a man be careful to lead a holy life, he need not be afraid, though the hills tumble into the sea, and the foundations of the earth be razed, he shall stand unappaled in the midst of all dangers. So that speech of Gregory, and it is good counsel that he gives, Let us fear when we hear, lest we come to fear when we feel, which is worst of all. For, beloved, it is hard to be put to the tutorage of that School-mistris, experience. If a man fear not till he feel, than wrath will fall the heavier. The Wise man takes another course, Solomon saith, A wise man seethe the plague, and hideth himself; but a fool goeth on, and is punished, he will not be warned and admonished.  
God comes to many men; nay to all by the dispensation of his word, he tells us what is due to sin; what he will inflict: he sometimes by less chastisements, as his lesser ordnance plays upon us: doth not God expect profit by this? If we do not he will enlarge punishments upon people, and so much more the blows shall be, because of the contempt of his gracious proceed; and then men shall have no body to complain of but themselves, and curse the time a thousand fold that they did not obey the word of God, but would needs stand it out till it came to blows, now the fearful hand of God is fallen upon them. It was the complaint of Daniel, Dan. 9 We harkened not to the voice of thy Prophets, now therefore thy wrath is stretched upon us to the full: As he saith there.  
Therefore my counsel shall be, to fear the word of God, and we shall not need to fear his judgements, tremble at his threaten: Get the heart of josiah to melt when he read the Law of God, he had respect to the Word, that he trembled at his word, and was contrite in that manner, that he was deeply cast down with the consideration of his menacies and threaten. God will be merciful to such a one, and he shall escape in the day of vengeance; whereas those that are refractory and contumacious, that care not for words till it come to blows, they shall be sure to suck the dregs of God's vials.   

THE FIFTH SERMON Upon EXOD. CHAP. 8.  VERS. 5. 
And the Lord spoke unto Moses, say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod, over the streams, over the rivers, over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt, etc.  
HAving spoken of the denunciation of this judgement, I come now to the second thing, The execution of it, which is laid down in vers. 5.6. where there is,  
First, the injunction.  
And then the performance of that injunction.  
The injunction verse 5. God said to Moses, say to Aaron, stretch forth thine hand with thy rod, etc.  
The performance of this, verse 6. Aaron did so.  
In the former of these, the injunction, God spoke to Moses, say unto Aaron.  
A man might say; Why did not Moses take the rod as well as Aaron?  
There are divers reasons given why Moses did not do it, but Aaron rather.  
The Hebrews, they, (according to their fabulous manner) say, it was not fit for Moses to smite the river; because he was preserved in the water when time was, as we read in the story, Exod. 2. when he floated in an ark of bulrushes, Pharaohs daughter took him up. He should have been ungrateful to those streams to have smitten them with a plague that were the means of his preservation.  
It is true, beloved, that gratitude works not only towards men, but toward the brute creatures, even to the place where, and instruments by which a man is benefited; but this is no solid reason. Suppose Moses received never so much good there; thankfulness to the creature would not bear him out in disobedience to the Creator.  
Another saith, that Moses was not to do it, because the Egyptians then would have been persuaded that he had done it by sorcery, and so they would have been less moved, and persuaded by it: They were so unjust that they conceived of Moses that he was a sorcerer. The truth is, that he had all the learning of the Egyptians, and it is likely that many of them used that Art; yet we know nothing of Moses, but that he was exercised in those sciences that were justifiable.  
Again, if this were the reason, Aaron might have been suspected; for he lived among them a great age, and without doubt Pharaoh would have brought it out.  
Calvin gives a third reason, God would not have Moses strike the streams, and bring the frogs, but Aaron; that Pharaoh, in regard of his pride and insolency, might be handled more contemptibly. As if Moses would let him see that be would not trouble himself, but his servant that was to officiate for him, he should do it.  
There is a fourth reason; God hath set down an order; he gives Moses direction what to do, and from him Moses directs Aaron, and he executes it. Therefore God having appointed and ordained it, he looks that every one should perform his office; and that shall be our observation: When God hath distinguished men in several places, and given them several spheres to move in, he requires that they should walk in their places. It is said of the Tree, he shall bring forth his own fruit. It is said of the Sun Psal. 19 he rejoiceth like a Giant to run his own course. And you shall find Rom. 12.7. the Apostle chargeth the man that hath an office to attend it, to look to his own employment without interloping in another man's affairs. So in 1 Cor. 2.24. every man is charged to abide in the place that God hath set him in. That intimates, not only faithfulness and diligence, but wisdom and conscience, in a man to do that that belongs to his place. So the Apostle, 1 Thess. 3.11. wisheth every man to do his own business.  
In the body, as there are several parts, so every part hath a several employment that it is to attend. See in a Family, the Master hath a several place from the servant. It is not fit for another man to step into the place of a Steward; nor for the groom of the stable, to come into the place of the Gentleman of the chamber. So in the Church of God, it is an army with banners: the Apostle would have it without scandal. It is a well ordered Army. Now in an Army when men are digested into several ranks; it is not for a Pike man to thrust himself into a file of Musqueteers, every man must keep his own place, or else he is disordered, and that may prove mortal. So, in the Church of God all the company must be ordered, there must be discipline, and every man must know what belongs to his place. If a man go out of his rank, and do that that belongs to another man, though with never so good intention; it may be said to him, as Christ said to Peter when he solicited him about john, What is that to thee? Vzzah had better have adventured the falling of the Ark, though it tottered, 2 Sam. 6. when he knew that no hand must meddle with it but that which was holy. You see how God was avenged on Vzziah that would do the work of another man's calling, and neglect his own, when he usurped the Priest's office, God smote him with leprosy, he made him live a retired man all his life.  
In the Ancient Council, the 60 Canon, it was provided, that those people that were Christians, that suffered death for pulling down the Images of the Heathens, they should not be enroled for martyrs. The ground was good.  

First, there was indiscreet ambition of heart in it.  
Secondly, they did that that belonged not to their place. And those that suffered in the time of Peter, as busy men in other men's matters, they had no comfort in their sufferings.   
In the 26 Oration of Nazianzen, there the holy Father speaks so much concerning order, and every man possessing his own place, that if I could repeat it wholly to you, you need no other Sermon. Saith he, all things are in order; the Heavens above, the Sun, Moon, and Stars; yea when they fought against Sysera, they fought in order. So the things below; the very times and seasons in the year are ordered; the day and night are ordered, saith he. When we read of thunder and lightning in heaven, and those shaking commotions in the bowels of the earth; of shipwrecks by sea, and wars by land, and diseases in men's bodies, and sins in their souls; these are the beams of trouble and confusion, and not of order. Saith he, What shall the dissolution of the world be at the last, but a confusion? Who ever saw the Ox swim over the sea? or the grass grow on trees? doth the eye of man perform the office of the foot? or the foot the office of the eye? The eye walks not but leads, and the foot doth not see, but walk, it doth that that is fit for it. The ear doth not trouble itself to speak, or the tongue to hear. Order is the mother of security to all things. So he goes on a great way, and concludes, Let every man keep his rank, and do his duty in his place, especially in the Church, wherein above all things, men are said to be in order.  
For the Use of it, it meets with the Pope of Rome: If he had learned this, he would have cast away his keys before he had received them; or if he had meddled with it, he would not do two men's works; he would have said, Who made me a judge?  
The doing of two men's works is common in these times, we know not what belongs to ourselves, we meddle with other men's affairs. Lay people will preach the Word, and administer the Sacraments. You shall have a Cobbler above his Last, and take upon him to expound Scriptures, and not stick to inform the Minister how he should preach. Do you not see a great number of people of inferior rank take upon them to reform evils? If a man should say to them, as they did to Moses, Who made thee a judge? They would reply, It is their zeal. I tell them their zeal is not according to knowledge; for if their judgements were rightly informed, they would know that God hath appointed a man the work of his place, and no man should extend himself beyond the latitude of his own calling.  
And whereas they have pretended, they have Samson and Phineas, and many more; they may well add Elias, and james, and john, those sons of thunder that lightened shrewdly when they called for fire from heaven; for such they pretend all these, and well they may. It is ill reasoning from things ill done, to that that should be done; or if they did it immediately we must not bring them to an example.  
Secondly, learn every one to do that that is right in his place; the Master of the family in his, the father in his, and the children in theirs; and all as God hath disposed of them. If they go out of this, it is an unseemly thing. Is it not an unseemly thing to see the streams run over the banks? to see the fire off from the hearth? to see a man out of his place? to see the glove drawn on the wrong hand, how ugly is it? Therefore the former Father Nazianzen, puts disorder, and deformity together; and he might well say it. The Apostle puts order and beauty together; Let all things be done decently, & in order.  
Secondly, a man doth not need to meddle with another's, if he look to his own charge, God will be pleased well enough with that: whereas if a man neglect his own, and meddle with others, he may have that said to him, that he is skilful in other men's affairs, and ignorant of his own.  
In the last place, when a man hath done that that belongs to his place, it may be he sees other people defective, it is not for him to leap out of his calling; he may well mourn for it, and as occasion serves, and his calling will afford, he may advise, and pray to God to incline the hearts of those that have power to redress these things; let him not think he shall suffer for other men's defects; for every man stands or falls to his own master. So much for that. The next thing I note, Say unto Aaron, take thy rod, etc. Some may say, What needs this? when God with a word could have done this, what need he stretch out his rod?  
It is true, there is none that doubts of the power of God, what God could have done: But the point is this; Where God hath appointed means, he will have them used, and not have miracles expected. He stretched out the rod. It was that that God had sanctified for this purpose, God will have the means used. All the world knows, God could have preserved Noah without an Ark: He meant to drown the world beside; and he had fixed this way; Noah must work in this means. Every man will conceive that easily God could have preserved Lot in the midst of Sodom, though all the City were burned about him; but since he had appointed Zear for a refuge, there he must fly, and take the course that he had appointed.  
There is no doubt but God could have recovered Hezechiah to health by a word; but since God said a bunch of figs should be used, that must be applied, or else he could not amend. Do you think that God was impotent, and unable to cure Naaman of his leprosy? with a word he could have done it; but having appointed jordan the place to wash him, and to wash seven times, except he had gone, and performed it, whatsoever he did think of Pharphar, and the rivers of Damascus, unless he had washed there he had not been clean. God could have hid the Virgin Mary in judea, maugre the malice of Herod; but having appointed Egypt to be the place, thither they must fly.  
Musculus upon john, saith, that Christ caused the stone to be taken away; he that could raise his body, why would he not raise the stone? God will not work miracles for ordinary things, where the labour of man will serve.  
For the Use of this, I desire you to remember it for your spiritual, and corporal condition.  
For the bodily condition, it is well known that God hath appointed labour to be the means of sustentation of these tabernacles of ours; yet this means is not used. There are a great number of men that look to be fed as Eliah was by the ravens, by miracle; they think to lie, and have the meat fall into their mouths; no pains will they take. These kind of people that will be idle, and like the door on the hinges that will not use the means; they will not put their souls a foot out, as it is in the fable; they sin against the general order of things. The heavens stand not still, but by miracle. And they sin against pure nature; when man was in his innecency God provided him labour, Thou shalt dress the garden: Surely that God that appointed a Sabbath, intended not man to be idle. They sin against corrupted nature; since the fall, Man is borne to labour as the sparks fly upward. And man must eat his bread with sweat: And the Heathen had this light to call them flow bellies. Lastly, they sin against the store of nature. It lies on Christians mainly, they are so fare from the using the means of labour to effect that that God hath appointed, that they must withdraw themselves from men that live inordinately; He that will not labour must not eat.  
Therefore, let no man love his ease so well, that he refuse labour, that his sides should ache; as that man in Seneca, because he sees another man take pains, this is odious.  
And let not men be carried away with a private spirit, as a great number are that except their employment be generous, they will rather do nothing. If the employment be never so poor, if it be honest, it is better than to be idle ten thousand times. The idle man dishonours God, he transgresseth his commandments; he wrongs many besides himself: his Country, the Church, his family, and the poor; all challenge a part in him. When a man shall ask his conscience, what profit hath the Church, or thy family, or the poor, or the State by thee? If he say nothing; it is a pitiful thing.  
Again, when a man doth nothing, he is exposed to all temptations. The Devil entered when he found none at home. The Iron rusts with lying. The Field unplowed overgrowes with weeds. Standing puddles stink: therefore it was Ieromes counsel to Rusticut, Always to be employed.  
Again, it is a reproach to the world: there is never a generous man, if he see another that labours not, but he accounts him an unprofitable burden to the earth.  
Lastly, it draws upon a man the misery of another world. Shall such a man live? If he do, he hath but his soul to keep him out of hell: and St. Paul saith, such people are dead while they live. How shall they live when they be dead, that are dead while they live? What saith God? Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into utter darkness, to the unprofitable servant.  
Therefore harken to God, take pains in that course that God hath appointed in his word: let us rather eat our own bread then to live at another man's finding.  
If this seem a digression, I desire you to pardon it; for it may be of purpose I turned out of my way to turn some idle ones into it.  
In the second place, for our spiritual estate, God will have means used there: The Kingdom of Heaven comes not with observation, as it is said in the Gospel. Many profane men say; What! cannot God save us without all this preaching? What! nothing without that rod, that Sceptre of God, his Word; the rod of Aaron?  
It is dangerous to dispute what God can do; fare be it from us: But when God hath appointed means ordinary, he shows that he will not save without them. The Eunuch might have said to Philip, and Paul to Ananias, and Lydia to Paul, God can do this without you; but God must be served that way that he hath appointed.  
Therefore if a man think to be saved by a miracle, he shall fall short of salvation. The rich man in hell had a strange desire to save his brethren by one that risen from the dead; but saith Abraham, If they will not hear Moses and the Prophets, they will not hear them. So much for that. Saith he: Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod, and cause the frogs to ascend. What! must Aaron bring frogs out of the river? What man hath power to make one hair of his head, white or black, Who can add one cubite to his stature? Must Aaron bring these frogs? So in the original it is an imparative, Make or command them to ascend. So the Septuagint is, Fetch thou them forth. We must acknowledge the power of God to be infinite: Yet observe, The works that are his own he attributes to men. Aaron is said to bring them. The bringing of Israel out of Egypt, it was the work of God, with a mighty Arm, none but God could do it. He assumes it ofttimes, I am the Lord that brought thee out of the land of Egypt. So, those holy people acknowledged Nehemiah and Daniel; O God that broughtest us out of Egypt: Yet this act is attributed to Moses and Aaron. So God saith to Gedeon, jud. 6. Go and deliver Israel; yet it was God that must do it. So it is said of Samson, and Shamger, and Othoneele, and Samuel, that they delivered Israel. And God saith to Moses, Sanctify to me the people against the third day; yet God must sanctify them. So, we see in the New Testament, that conversion is attributed to Ministers, and remission of sins: Whose sins ye remit are remitted: Nay, and the saving of men, 1 Tim. 4.11.  
This is the honour of God's Saints: God not only useth them, but attributes to them what is done. To arm them against discouragements, though many things obstaculous to them lie in the way, and confront them, and be impediments to them; yet let them be comforted in this, the issue and effect that is wrought, God will please to honour them with it; he will part with some of his own to give them: he will put a splendour on Moses, and make him glorious in the eyes of all the people. God is content to give jehu honour: The sword of the Lord, and of Gedeon.  
Though indeed we must take heed, if we be sensible of the honour that God puts upon men when he employs them, that we do nothing to diminish the glory of God. The Devil is so subtle, and the corruption of man's heart is so great, that he desires praise to himself. So that ofttimes the chief Lord suffers by the unfaithfulness of his Steward. Let us take heed, if God honour us for doing good things by him; assume not so much to ourselves, whereby God's glory may be diminished.  
Let me apply it to those of the Church, God hath honoured them exceedingly, that he hath made them fellow workers with himself, to dispense the great mysteries of the Kingdom. And it is the observation of chrysostom, when the Prodigal returned, the father doth not bid him go to the wardrobe, and take the best robe; but he said to the servants, Go and fetch it. He would have the servants employed for the benefit of the son, that the means might be brought in credit.  
That shows how much the world is beholding to the Ministers of the Word: We are co-workers with God; which as it may comfort us for the present, so it shall add to our crown afterward.  
But let us take heed that we give the glory to God, and not take to ourselves any thing that may diminish God's honour: Let us be of the spirit of Paul, I laboured more than all, yet not I, but the grace of God in me. Saith Austen, Nos mandamus, etc. we do not give the increase, we do but help; and this, that we can help is not of ourselves, but the grace of God: Paul may plant, and Apollo may water, but it is God that must give the increase. Not unto us, not unto us, but to thy Name be the praise given: So should be the speech of every one. We are Stars, but we are Stars in the right hand of our Blessed Lord, and he is the Sun of righteousness. So, we have it by derivation from him; we shine in a borrowed light.  
Secondly, for people, since God hath advanced Ministers, know the necessity of their calling; though God made you without them, he will not save you without them. Know that you must reverence them for their works sake. Show your respect by doing that which is commanded; for therein lies the especial respect to a Minister, when that is practised that he teacheth.  
In the last place; since God reckons things done by his servants as theirs, when he doth it: Let all people that do any thing for God, take heed of stroking their own heads. It is the error of Rome, in doctrine, and in practice, they make men's good works meritorious, and make themselves saviours: When we have done all we can, we are unprofitable; and God works all good things in us, and all our works for us. That as Austen saith, It is certain, O God, he that reckons up his own merits, what doth he reckon but thy gifts?  
We may have comfort and contentment in our consciences, and may glory in those things that God hath given us in the temptations of Satan, but let us not ascribe that to ourselves, that belongs to God; for God gins the work, and perfects it to his own praise. So much for that. Now we come to the execution. Aaron did so, and upon the doing of it there came an innumerable company of frogs that covered Egypt: here observe, The wonderful power of God, how speedily and easily, and at what a distance he can work. Aaron no sooner stretcheth forth his rod, but this was done; he doth it speedily. And he doth but stretch out the rod, and all these creatures come abundantly. And he doth but put forth the rod toward the river. Saith Tostatus, he was now in the Court of Pharaoh, yet all this was done; therefore he works at a great distance.  
Thus is the power of God remarkable in working quickly and easily, and at a great distance. I will not stand long on these things, because in many passages we meet with it. God at the first made the world, and with a word; He spoke the word, and all was made. Therefore those Epicures and Atheists, that ask what ladder and engine he had to raise this goodly frame? they may be answered by that in the Psalm, He made them by his word: For as he speaks in his works; The heavens declare the glory of God; so he works in his speeches. Nay, the very will of God, not only his word, but his will: I will, be thou clean; not only speak the word, and my servant shall be whole; but I will. How soon and how easily, and at what a distance did the Lord destroy the Army of Pharaoh in the red Sea? Exod. 14. So I might tell you of Sodom. Saith Tully the heathen, God can do all things without labour and defatigation. Saith the old Poet, All things are easy to God; he knows how to work when he sits still.  
Therefore for the Use of it in a word: Let us stand in awe of God; if the Lord can so easily, and quickly, and speedily, and at such a distance work, it is in vain to contend and strive against his power. God doth not need to fetch an Army of men to overthrow poor sinners, he can do it by frogs, by the least creatures; by his word he can drown the whole world. Well may we incline his mercy by our repentance; but certainly we can never do ourselves good by resisting.  
Secondly, never measure the work of God by any distance. It was a fault in Naaman the Assyrian when he was to be cured of his leprosy, Elisha said, Go wash in jordan; saith he, I thought he would have come out, and have laid his hand upon the sore; as if it could not be wrought without touching. So, it was some infirmity in the Ruler, Go down before my son die: As if Christ could do nothing without he were present. So joh. 11. saith Martha, Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died: As if God could not have prevented it at a great distance. The Lord is able to show mercy from heaven, and to execute wrath as fare. Why do we speak of distance when the Lord is every where, and fills all places. No man is able to get out of the circumference where God is not. The Lord is present in all places, and doth what he will in heaven and earth; where, and how he will: there is no flying from his presence; if a man go to heaven, or to hell, or to the utmost parts of the sea, there shall the hand of God find him out. We come to another thing.  And the frogs came up, and covered all the land of Egypt. 
Mark how God enlargeth the judgement; not one part of the land, but all the land was covered with these vermin. God sometimes smites a whole family, as we see in the family of Abimelech, Gen. 12. And God threatneth to smite whole families head, and foot, Deut. 28. God smites sometimes whole Cities, as we see Samaria had a famine, a fearful one: and jerusalem was vexed by famine, that as josephus saith, The children were taught a new way into their mother's womb again, they were feign to eat them for hunger. I, God smites divers Cities together, as the sisters of Sodom. Nay, God sometimes proceeds to smite a whole Country. The sin of Saul was punished in the days of Ahab, for three years the heavens were shut up till the bridle of heaven Eliah unloosed them. So God visited the whole world. I will not speak of that great plague, that Evagrius saith, in his time there was a plague that continued in the world fifty years together; though it possessed not all the world at one time, yet successively it went over all. We have examples in Scripture, God overthrew the whole world by water; and will he not when he shall bring a deluge of fire at the last.  
The reason why God makes his judgements so general, is the generality of sin. Look in all the instances I mentioned, Pharaoh and Abimelech. So in the City of Samaria that was punished, it was full of sin; the greatest sins of all Israel were in that Metropolis: The sin of Israel is Samaria. The Prophet makes a sad complaint against jerusalem, being the worst. So that City of Sodom, you may easily see how ill they were that solicited God for vengeance, that there were not ten righteous men found there, if there had, they had secured all. It was an epidemical complaint, a general disease. So we may say of the days of Saul, when there was such a general famine, it was for a foul sin. Nay, all the whole land was tainted. So in the days of Ahab, they were full of Idolatry and wickedness: Eliah complained that there was such a general defection, that he saw none besides himself to serve God; though God told him of seven thousand that bowed not their knees to Baal, yet what were these to all Israel? And in the days of the Prophets; and in the old world, the blood and stain of sin, was so bad, that God knew not else how to wash out that stain. So at the last day, Iniquity shall abound; therefore God will bring fire to consume them.  
For the Use of this: Solomon saith, He went by the field of the sluggard, and received instruction. Let us see how Gods judgements have spread. The destroying Angel hath been in all places, he hath not stricken all places at once; but he goeth further and extends himself. Surely there is a generality of sin. I would God, I had nothing to accuse mine own Nation of, as Paul saith: But why should I hold my peace when the sins of the land proclaim themselves as the sins of Sodom? Who shall censure me or any Minister, for laying down the cause of the plague? Look on some sins; how general is the sin of pride? A common sin that fills the land from Dan to Beersheba, in every corner, even to her that grinds at the mill. Nothing will keep people from vanity this way. How common is the sin of excess? The sin of the Court, of the City, of the Country; and among the base Gadarens this Devil is entered into a herd of swine. It is come into the Country, and every room smells of it. Nay, how doth this sin reign in this City, that the Lords day is divided between the Taverns and the Church? Nay, will you not say, that the Devil goes with the better part. So for swearing, for oaths the land mourns. A common, general sin, that unnecessary vain sin. The oaths of men, are like joabs' sword ever drawn out; men can scarcely speak, but they must swear. A man can come into no company, or place, but his righteous soul will be vexed with this blasphemy against God. Nay, I would to God we could say, that perjury were not grown to a great height, men have no care of oaths, though it were held sacred among the heathen.  
What shall I say of uncharitableness? It is a crying, gross, common sin; and a great number that seem to profess Religion, that are most forward and zealous this way. The truth is, they are brinish salt lights, that spit, and burn, and scald; they care not what dead flies they cast into this ointment. It is far from the power of Religion, and the holy fire of charity.  
I could instance in a great number; but what should I trouble you? By these you may gather that God hath a just controversy with this Nation of ours, and the sin being so general; these frogs creeping in every corner, and croaking in every nook; when God sends his judgements in every coast, we must not but say, He his righteous.  
The last thing which I will conclude with, is this: This judgement, as it was the second, so it seems to be much greater than the former: for in the former judgement there was but the turning of the nature of a thing, the turning the water into blood; but here, there is a creating of an innumerable company of frogs. Again, there some might escape; there is no other likelihood, but the Noblemen, and the King himself, and many of ability might have wine, and other juices, and waters to satisfy their thirst: but here, there was not a man in the Kingdom, but had frogs leaping upon him, and was annoyed by them in bed, and board. And as I told you the last day, the waters turned into blood annoyed but some senses, as the taste, and the sight; but these annoyed all. They were ugly to the eye by their deformity, to the ear by their croaking sound; and to the smell they could not endure them: They spoiled their taste, they came among their victuals; and for their feeling, as I told you, both Tostatus, and others, say, they were such frogs as were poisonful, and would do mischief, such as our toads that we are afraid of. From all this, this being a greater judgement than the former, observe this; that Where God seethe not amendment, he will make the second judgement greater than the former. God doth not so punish, but he can punish a man more, Levit. 26.18. saith God, I will yet punish you seven times more. Vesichius upon the place, saith, It signifies that God would magnify his power in laying the judgement more upon them. In Psal. 78.38. the people of God it is said angered him, but he suffered not his whole displeasure to arise. Psal. 2. If his wrath be kindled but a little, blessed are they that trust in him. But if his whole displeasure arise, and break down in wrath, who shall stand? Rev. 6. He can make his jealousy smoke, and break out in a flame, and burn to the bottom of hell. There are degrees of God's wrath; so in Psal. 9.12. David prays against the enemies of the Church, that God would punish them seven fold more, to lay more upon them.  
There were a great many judgements upon job; first, he heard of his goods taken, and then of his servants, and then of his children, all oppressed by the ruin of a house. And was it not so with Elie? how did the stood rise on him to a great height? First, he hears of the discomsiture of God's people, and then of the death of his children, and then of the taking of the Ark; which I know not whether it broke his heart or his neck soon. Can Nabuchadnezzar heat his oven seven times hotter than before? and Rehoboam make his little finger heavier than his father's loins? Shall those Lions that were so restrained, be the more furious? And cannot God greaten his plagues, and enhance his judgements to the full? he can add still.  
It is said by the Schools, of the damned in hell, nothing can be added in the extension of time; but for intention, God could add more, but that all his ways are in mercy. Therefore if we be afflicted, say not that it is too much that God hath laid upon us, but wonder that it is no more. Do not say with Rebecha, Why am I thus? as if God had dealt unjustly. job, he in a passion said, O that my grief were weighed; but in cool blood, he laid his hand upon his mouth. He knew, that God was just and true in all his ways, and holy in all his works. Doth thy head ache? God could make thy heart ache. Hast thou the tooth ache? God could have afflicted thee with the strangury, or with a violent burning fever, that should have put thee to nothing but frenzy and madness: This God could do: nay, it is God's mercy that we are not consumed, therefore do not wonder why it is so much.  
Secondly, ever beware of continuance in sin. One judgement had passed Pharaoh, and now another is on him. So all wicked sinners if they stand out, and oppose God, and will not bow, God will increase their judgements more and more. There are a great number in the world that think, if they have escaped the stocks once, and have got free from some disease, they have a Supersedeas for a long time. It is a vain persuasion, God deals gently, he first gives a jerk or two, the next time twice as many; and if that will not do, the third time he sets it on to purpose. God gives a sip of the cup, if that will not wean us from sinful pleasures, than God gives us a great draught; and if that will not do, we shall suck out the dregs. Thou canst not conquer him, he will bow thee, or break thee. Thinkest thou that because thou hast escaped one judgement, God cannot bring another? Oh, what treasures of wrath hath God Suppose now thou art freed from a disease, and dost not make good use of that, God can give thee up to spiritual mischief, to add one sin to another. Thou wouldst not think this a judgement (it may be) but it is the worst of all; for when God gives up a man to run further into sin, it is a pit that they fall in that hate God: God is angry with such people out of all question. And David had better have had the sword in his family, then to have been given up from the committing of one sin to another. And the sin that the Israelites run into, it was worse than the sword of Balaak. You see in Rom. 1. when God would punish the heathen to the full, He gave them up to their own hearts lusts.  
Again, if God give thee not up to this, cannot God smite thee with horror of soul, with terror of conscience, those tempests of mind, as Jerome calls them? As one calls Christ's sufferings, those unknown sufferings that none is able to relate but he that knew them. O, if God leave thee to dismayed thoughts, and terrors, and hellish cogitations, that sometimes the soul hath; what will become of thee?  
But suppose God quit thee of this, that thou come not into these brakes when thou offendest, if thou come to eternal torment, and God is able to do that; all the afflictions of this life are nothing in comparison of that, they are shadows, that is the substance of all, for extension of time. The afflictions of this world are but things that pass too and again; and if it be foul now and then, it may be clear again; but that judgement is a standing pool, and a lake that continues firm, and shall for ever, when time shall be no more. Therefore now judge whether it be good to fall into the hands of the living God? He can smite thee with new plagues and diseases, with new torments; or else he can give thee up to a reprobate sense; or else he can visit thee with horror of conscience. And if thou escape all these, he can let thee go on in thy way till thou come to the place of torment; when thou shalt curse the time that ever thou neglectedst the day of thy visitation. Therefore now let me be Peter's Cock to crow, that if thou have forgotten thy salvation, and thy God hitherto: Now forsake thine iniquities, and thy evil ways; or else look for the improvement of judgements upon thee; and the plagues that come after, shall be greater than those that went before. And no wonder if God heighten his plagues, when men advance in their sins.   

THE SIXTH SERMON Upon EXOD. CHAP. 8.  VERS. 7.8. 
And the Magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.  
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Entreat the Lord that he may take away the frogs from me, etc.  
WE come now to the event of this judgement. The event is threefold.  
First, here is the like done by the Magicians, verse 7.  
Secondly, the removal of this judgement, to the end of verse 14.  
Thirdly, the further obduration of Pharaohs heart, verse 15. that determines this judgement.  
In the first of these, the practice of the Magicians; we may observe here,  
The work men; the Magicians:  
And their instrument (as I may so call it) their incantations, and enchantments.  
And then the effect of their work, and operation: They did so; they brought frogs.  
But concerning these Magicians, and their enchantments, I spoke somewhat formerly; therefore I shall say the less now.  
I shown then, how the Devil hath made use of Magicians, and enchanters in all times of the world, and that for his own mischievous respects.  
For first, hereby he hath perverted many noble and worthy Sciences; such as Natural Philosophy, Astronomy, Astrology, Arithmetic, and Music; and turned the edge of them against God, that founded and ordered them for his glory.  
Secondly, the Devil hath wronged hereby, that that is the Queen of Sciences, Theology, while he hath diverted men's minds from necesary truths, and lead them captive to foul errors.  
Thirdly, the Devil, by means of magic, and enchantments, hath fomented heresies in the world. Therefore it is no vain observation, that the great heretics of the primitive times, they were most of them Magicians, upon search it will prove so.  
Simon of Samaria, called Niger; he was held to be the great power of God; he made the people believe, he could fly in the air, and that no army of men could apprehend him; and he could make trees grow on the sudden.  
After him came one Menander, that justin Martyr speaks of, he professed great matters: When he came to Antioch, he gave out that he and his disciples should never die; he had power to preserve himself from mortality.  
Ireneus speaks of a foul heretic that was a Magician, that would show tricks; that would turn the wine in the Eucharist, when it was white, he would make it red, and fill a greater vessel with a lesser; divers of those pranks he played.  
So the History saith concerning Basilidas, and Martion, he was a Magician. Eusebius speaks the like of Montanus, in whose heresy Tertullian (though else a good man) was tardy. The people when they saw such great works as these, they thought the doctrine must needs be of God.  
Fourthly, the Devil hath gained much by this practice in the world; for he not only got admiration, but adoration. When such kind of works as these have been admired in a wondrous and unlimited manner, adoration hath followed to the person. The Devil would give all the world to Christ to fall down and worship him, Mat. 4. And he prevailed so fare with people as to sacrifice their children to Devils, Psal. 106.37. And it is well known by stories of the Indian parts, that most of those people sacrifice to the Devil, and worship him.  
Lastly, the Devil, by magic, and sorcery, and witchcraft, hath not only begotten, but nourished, and perfected many foul sins in the world in practice. As lust hath been perfected through magic spells, enchantments have been used for the abusing of poor people. Revenge hath been perfected through magic. I think you will say by your own experience, that most of the witches that ever have been discovered, have been so by malice. So sometime it hath served as a bawd to covetousness to bring wealth.  
All that I will say (because I will not draw my Saw the same way again) is to advise you in all things to keep moderation; for it is easy for a man to go too fare. Even in natural Philosophy, some people have so pored on the creature that they have turned Atheists. And in Astrology, men have so oversotted themselves, that judiciously, and conclusively, they have turned the courses of men, calculated their nativity, and they will tell what death a man shall die; as if they were of God's privy Council. Nay (Beloved) in Divinity it is possible for a man to transgress his bounds, if he be not wise to sobriety. Therefore it is good advice, let there be humility and sobriety. A man may easily in the great deep of Divinity, pass beyond his depth, his feet being carried away by the stream. It is easy for the fly that flutters about the candle to burn her wings. Saith Nazianzen in his sixteenth Oration, It were better for a man to be sluggish a little, then too curious, to seek into those retired secrets that God hath kept secret. So much for that.  
I will say no more of the persons, and of their enchantments, but only one thing. It seems that Pharaoh soon sent for these people, when the judgement was on him. These were the men that he trusted in, and he thinks to have ease by them; he will see what can be done. A man would have thought, he should go to God, and make his peace with him, to take off the edge of the judgement that way. But will you have it?  Carnal minds in distress when the judgements of God are upon them, their first course is to seek carnal means and comforts. 
That is the first thing: God is sought in the last place. When Cain received his judgement from God, to be a runagate over the face of the earth, to find consistence in no corner, he will see if he can disappoint the judgement by building of Cities; as if he could lenify his inward torment by his outward employment. So we see it was with Saul, when he was troubled with an evil spirit; those that were about him suggested that it was fit for him to seek a man that was excellent in music, that he by his skill that way might help to condole his disturbed thoughts. There was no looking up to God to make his peace with him that sent that judgement on him. So in 1 Sam. 28. when he was in distress he runs to the witch at Endor, and she must tell him the success of the battle. Thus it was with Ahaziah, he sends to Baalzebub the god of Ekron, to consult if he should recover of his sickness. Thus it was with those people in jeremiah, when they were told that the Chaldeans should invade them, they cast themselves upon the hope of Ethiopia, and Egypt, and made account that they should sustain them in their adversity, and raise the siege of the other Army. So we see in the New Testament, when judas was stricken with horror of soul, he comes back to the high Priests, thinking to find some comfort there. Like to Belteshazer, when he saw the hand-writing upon the wall; he sends for his Astrologians, and other people that he put confidence in, and thinks that they could help him out of the brakes. Nay, we find this true by experience; let God's hand be upon a man by a disease that is of an ill kind, and threatneth the life, what doth he do? In the first place saith Austen, the Physician is called for, and many great rewards are promised if he be restored to his former latitude of health again. In the last place, God is sought unto, and it may be the Minister sent for, and it may be that means would not be used, if the other were not despaired of.  
Nay, it falls out so in regard of the terrors on men's souls. Men that are troubled this way, what do they? Not seek to make their peace with God, they seek for humane comforts, worldly means. It may be they will puzzle themselves in a great number of business. In ancient time, when their children passed through the fire to Moloch, they would drowned their cry with loud instruments; so they think to silence the disturbance of conscience by business. Others give themselves up to all recreations when they have disturbance of soul, to reading of stories that are pleasant, and to riding abroad, and whyling away the time with telling of tales, and by putting themselves into company, and going to houses of gaming. All these are thought to be excellent receipts against spiritual qualms. Some would feign lay these cares asleep by drinking, and drown them there. Thus there is no care had of peacemaking with God. Men are not so sensible of the curing of the wound, only they desire to help the aching of it. As a man that is in debt, he takes not care for the discharging of his engagements; but all his study is, how he may keep out of the hands of the officers.  
For these, let them know that this is a very preposterous course, that only becomes such as Pharaoh; For there is no evil in the City, but the Lord hath done is, therefore he must be sought unto; and in the first place, it is well known, without him, all other outward comforts are unavailable. Let Pharaoh send for his Wisemen, and do what he can, all shall not help him till God be entreated. If we have all the comforts in the world, they will prove insufficient, if God put not warmth and life into them; therefore let us seek him.  
Look in all the examples before, and see how unsuccessful all those comforts were to wicked men. Did Cain find rest when he had built his City? he could not rest, he was a vagabond for all that. Did Saul find comfort in his music? The evil spirit had the insulting upon him now and then, and was fiercer. Had he comfort by the witch of Endor? No, he made his wound deeper. And Ahaziah never came from his bed. So we see what poor comfort judas had, he was turned off with a Look thou to it. So, those that neglect to seek God in their sickness, they trust to the Physicians like Asa, and they never recover of their disease. And those horrors of conscience, when men seek to silence their cares with delights and pleasures, and recreations; it falls out as with a man in a hot fever that hath taken a draught of cold water, when he hath drank it, he thinks he hath abated the inward fire; but the cup is scarce from his mouth, but he complains of the improvement of the burning disease. As money that is taken up for the satisfying of an arrest it satisfies for that time, but it bites deeper after. A man that is near drowning will catch at any reed, or straw that floats upon the water, and thinks to help himself by it; but they prove matter of entanglement.  
Therefore the way for a men to escape this, is to go to the Lord; get some of the blood of Christ, that he may speed better; one drop of that is enough to satisfy the soul, and to cover all the heat, and fervour of it. Now let us take it into consideration, and ever seek God in the first place; but wave all comforts and contentments in the world till God be pacified.  
It is an Irony that God bestows upon those, Deut. 32.37. Where are their gods, the rock of their strength? Let them rise up and help them, and be their protection. So the Prophet saith, Call upon your gods now, those that ye worshipped, and see if they will help you in the time of distress. None but God is a sure refuge; and all the things of the world shall say to a man then, as the King of Israel said to the woman in the famine in Samaria, If God do not help, how shall I help thee? So much for that.  
Now we come to the third thing, the work itself, They did so, with the enchantments they wrought. Here some questions must be resolved; every one of which, will yield some observations as we pass along.  
The first is this, made by Austen in his questions upon Exodus, Can they fetch frogs? when fetched they them? for all Egypt before was spread over with frogs, and by the touching of the waters, and the waters crawled abundantly, whence had they these frogs?  
Certainly saith Hugo de sancto, the Magicians must do it in other waters, or else it had been no glory, for that abounded with frogs already.  
Austen for the resolution of it refers us to that he had said before. It is said they were furnished with water out of Goshen, that was not touched, and thence they raised those frogs by smiting of Goshen water.  
But some may say; would God suffer Goshen to he troubled? and the Magicians to have their will upon that place?  
I answer, not that it was any disturbance to the people of Israel; for without doubt their waters were kept sweet, though they were touched by the Magicians. If frogs crawled out of them, it was to Pharaoh, to molest them; but in Goshen it was done. We may observe this; that God sometimes suffers the Devil to play his prizes upon his ground for his further confusion. As we see here. The Church, the assembly of Saints are holy, we know what reaks the Devil plays among them ofttimes. The Altar of God was a holy place, yet Melitius brought his Idol, and set it upon the very Altar itself. As holy as our Lord himself was, yet he was carried by the evil Spirit from the pinnacle to the mountain: But God suffered it so to be for the further confusion of that adversary. God gives the Devil liberty, not only to invade the goods but the person of job, a holy man; that was high in God's affection; yet God gave him power against him, only preserve his life. So we see he suffers sometimes his dearest Saints to be a kind of Theatre for the Devil to play his prizes upon. As we may observe sometimes in blasphemous thoughts cast into the hearts of Gods dear children; not those that are ascending cogitations from the corruption of man's heart; but injected, cast in by the Devil; darted into the soul like lightning, and come as thick as hail: But these are to terrify only, not to persuade, as we may know by the experience of them, for they are against sense and reason. Now all those that suffer them may well be said to sustain them, and not to do them; they are merely passive; whatsoever is done, is rather done upon them then by them: that must be their comfort, though they be exagitated in this kind and troubled: God gives the Devil leave to play his prizes in his own ground; it is for their greater comfort, and for the Devil's confusion: For I have ever observed those people that have felt them in the greatest measure have had tender consciences, and have been more sanctified in their lives and conversations ever after.  
So then (beloved) we must not think strange if God suffer sometimes this wicked one to play his prizes, he doth it for the further confusion of him; as for job, as Austen saith, job was proved, and the Devil confounded.  
The second question will be this, Why Pharaoh was so earnest to have frogs brought? had he not enough of that judgement yet by that that Aaron and Moses had done? All the land crawled, and they came up upon the body of Pharaoh, and into his bedchamber, and molested him to the full: what! would he have more frogs? Know, It is the property of way ward froward minds, not to be so sensible of the smart of the judgement, as they are willing to illude it. If a wicked man could, he would not see God in a judgement, and take knowledge of him. Surely this was the humour of them in the days of Noah; when it reigned abundantly in that manner, they were rather ready to impute it to natural causes, then to see God in it; or else they would have waded to the Ark even to the middle, and have entreated entertainment there, rather than have stood out. So you shall find it was with those Philistines, when Dagon was fallen, and broken in pieces, that they saw apparently, he was not able to help himself; he was fallen in the presence of the same Ark, the victory over which they ascribed to their god; yet they impute it to mischance, and to want of attendance; they would not see God in it. And in the same Chapter, when they were smote with Emerods' for keeping the Ark, they continued seven months before they would see God in it, till there was an outcry among the people, none will acknowledge that God was the cause of that fearful judgement. So we see the Assyrians had a great defeat by the people of Israel, 1 King. 12. yet rather then they would acknowledge God to be the cause of it, they think it was the advantage of the place; if they fought with them in the valley they should overcome them; for they thought God was only the God of the mountains.  
So it was with the very Pharisees, rather than they would acknowledge God's work, in our Blessed Saviour's great Works of casting out of Devils, (because they can do somewhat that way) they blaspheme, and say, He cast out Devils by the Devil. So oft in the world if a man have sickness, and disease, he thinks of the meat he hath eaten, and imputes it to the house, and to the air; but never looks to God. So in distress of conscience, when a man comes to trouble, and horror of soul; he is loath to think other a great while then that it is melancholy; and thus he nourisheth himself in that vain and idle conceit.  
Again, you may observe, how A wayward, froward mind by his own courses, hasteneth his own woe. Pharaoh would have conclusions tried by the Magicians, and behold, they bring more frogs than there were before. So a perverse mind will ever do mischief enough to itself. Sarah will be trying conclusions, because the Lord did not grant her a child in her own time; but she prayed for it; for she was wonderfully troubled by the pettulancie, and insolency of her maid, and by the flearing and jeering of Ishmael: Nay, and all her posterity fared the worse, for the Hagarens were great enemies to Israel. So it was with those Israelites, they were passionate, they must have a King; nothing will serve them but the satisfying of their own desire, they were confident of their own purpose; though they were forewarned of the difficulty and inconvenience, yet they must have it, though they repent at large. So David's heart was set upon numbering of the people, joab modestly, and faithfully dissuades him; it will not be; he reaped to himself a great measure of repentance: so I might show in other particulars. Let a violent mind alone to itself, and it will be torment enough to itself. Saith Austen an inordinate mind is always a sufficient tormenter.  
Let us ever take heed of perverseness and frowardness; these are ill guides, we follow that that will lead us to fearful precipices. A man that is distempered, is ever apt to go out at the wrong door. Pharaoh had more need to have desired the Magicians to remove the judgement then to bring more frogs: But he desired to have his humour satisfied this way, though it tend to his further woe. So much for that question.  
A third question is, What kind of frogs these were.  
Some say that they were true frogs, and that the Devil brought them from other places secretly, and invisibly, and so laid them there before Pharaoh. Beloved, there is no impossibility in this; for it is well known the Devil is of great power, he can transport the body of a man from place to place; then he can bring creatures quickly from one place to another. Many strange things are told: Albertus Magnus, tells us of the raining of many great creatures, that might be by the Devil: The story tells us of Gigas, that was invisible to people: It might not be so much by virtue of the ring as by the Devil. So he made Images to move, and to speak. Arius Maximus tells us of the Image of jonia, that when it was asked whether it would go to Rome or no? answered, I. That Image of Fortune, that when they spoke to it, she answered, You consecrate merightly. Certainly the Devil's power is great, and he is able to do more than we are able to express.  
Therefore (by the way) I would not have people slight his power too much. There are a great many people in the world, that make a tush of the Devil's power. We have heard in former times of Fairies and Hobgoblins, and walking Spirits; and they have learned so to contemn those, that the Devil is no way terrible to them. But let them know what the Scripture saith concerning him, He is the Prince of the air, and is able there to make storms, and fearful noise; he is able to make the sea swell and roar, he is able to demolish the greatest building, to pull down trees, and plants that are fettled; he is able to afflict the bodies of men in a fearful manner; you know how he possessed some in the time of Christ; he made them cut themselves with sharp stones; be made them rend their flesh, and tear and foam in a fearful manner; he cast them into the fire and water, that if you have seen them distracted creatures in Bedlam, the case of those that were possessed in Christ's time was fare worse. This is the power of the Devil. There is no tush to be made of it.  
Let us make better use of it, to bless God for our preservation by his power, that he hath kept his good hand over us, that he could not have his will against us. For know, if the Devil might do as much hurt as he would, it would be woeful for many of us; nay for all of us. This is our comfort saith chrysostom upon Mat. 12. he that tells us he is the strong man, tells us that he is bound, God hath him in a chain, he cannot do more than he permits him, shall I say against job? nay not to the swine he cannot enter into them without our Lords leave, Mat. 8.  
Therefore let us bless God that hath kept his blessed hand of protection over us, and kept us from the violence of this roaring Lion.  
And (Beloved) as God hath graciously kept us from the power of the Devil, at least from feeling the effects of his power; let us take heed of betraying ourselves to him. This is an ordinary fault in regard of the souls of men. There is no sin in the world, that the Devil can ever fasten upon a man, if a man do not give him entertainment. It is a certain truth that the Fathers deliver unanimously. Saith Issidore Peluciota, the Devil may deceive, but he can never compel us. So Austen, The Devil hurts not by compelling, but by persuading; and he makes a resemblance of him there to a fell dog, or a filthy creature that is tied up in a chain; he may bark, but he cannot by't without a man come within his reach. If a mad dog be bound up, if a man be bitten he may thank himself, why did he come so near? Saith the same Father, he cannot extort consent from thee, but request, and entreat it. So Bernard to the same purpose, he doth not overthrow us, he only moves us, and we give way, and so are authors of our own woe.  
Therefore God having so graciously restrained him, we should not cast ourselves into his clutches, to exercise his power and malice against us, and against the hope of a better Kingdom.  
But I tell you in the next place the more common opinion is, that these frogs were but such in appearance. Thus the Father say, many of them. justin Martyr speaking of these things that the Magicians did, saith directly, they were only the work, the tricks of the Devil that abused the sight of men, and deluded them. So Gregory Nycene in his book of the life of Moses, he saith, as their serpents were nothing but very shows, so these other things that were done by the Magicians, were done by legordemaine, by cozenage. Austen speaking of jannes' and jambres, he saith, that all that these Magicians did was a feigned emulation of that that was done by Aaron, and not in truth. So Jerome saith, they imitated those works that Moses and Aaron did, but they were not in truth. Now if we pitch on this, we shall have a good observation, and that is this; you see the great Mountebank of the world; The Devil for the more easy conveyance of wickedness into the minds of men, you see how be imitates God in all his ways.  
God makes a covenant with his people; so the Devil he makes a covenant with Witches, and Sorcerers, and Magicians; there is either an open or a secret contract ever. God hath his Sacraments, so the Devil hath his; he furnisheth them with spells, and incantations, and other ceremonies, at the use whereof he binds himself to appear. Thirdly, God spoke to his servants by dreams; so doth the Devil, and instructs people in strange visions and apparitions.  
Fourthly, God hath his Temples, and Oracles so had the Devil, one at Delphos, and in other places to abuse people by doubtful answers.  
Again, God had service, and sacrifice; so the Devil hath sacrifices, what were all those sacrifices that were tendered to an imaginary godhead by the heathens? there was no solemnity spared. Nay, the Devil knowing, that God had commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son, he caused some to make their children to pass through the fire. Still he continues to imitate.  
In the primitive times, he made the heretics to imitate the orthodox in their teaching, and conversation, and so under a show of holiness soured the world with their leven. Nazianzen saith of julian, that he was an Ape; for as an Ape imitates the man, so did he the Christians in a humour. He would build Schools and Hospitals, places for the receipt of the poor; and places for Nuns and Virgins, and all for the imitation of Christians: whereas he was a Chameleon, one that had no truth, nor sincerity in him. And still the Devil hath done the like.  
The author of that imperfect work of Chrysostom's, saith, that there is never a child of God, that hath that in truth, but there be hypocrites in the world that have it in the counterfeit. If a man had seen Absolom pay his vows in Hebron. If he had seen jezebel proclaim a fast; and Herod talk with the Wisemen, that as soon as they heard where Christ was, they should come and bring him word, to go, and worship him; who would have thought but that these had been themselves? It was the Devil that painted these mud walls.  
So now, there is somewhat that goes for prayer in the world that is lip-labour. There is somewhat that goes for repentance that is not worthy the name of it, but is a sorrow that is to be repent of. There is somewhat goes for zeal that is not a holy earnestness, but a fiery fury. There is somewhat that goes for fasting, that will not pass current in God's Chequer, Is this the fast that I have chosen? There is somewhat that goes for faith, that is presumption, that is counterfeit: Yea there is somewhat goes for charity, and is nothing less; for Paul saith, a man may give all his goods to the poor, and yet have no charity.  
Then for the Use of this, (Beloved) what reason is there to get knowledge, to be able to discern of spirits, to discern of things that differ, to separate between the precious and the vile. We must not receive every spirit; all the spirits that come out are not of God: How shall this be done but by a good measure of knowledge? For the Devil can write upon the boxes, medicine, that have poison indeed in them. The Devil can set a fair gloss upon false wares, no question of that.  
Again secondly, in regard of ourselves, how ought we to labour for sincerity? for if the Devil set men to counterfeit the best things, as he counterfeits the works of God, how should we labour for fincerity?  
And this will difference us from all the hypocrites in the world. The Painter can paint the colour of flame, and the bowing form, but not the heat. So an hypocrite may go as a Saint in outward performances; he may fast, and pray, and communicate, and give alms, and what can he not do? but when it comes to sincerity of soul there is a broad difference; they are wide the whole heavens.  
Therefore let us labour to have our hearts upright, and then God will pass by many infirmities, where he sees sincerity. Far be it from us of being ambitious of so much holiness as may make the world only believe that we are religious. It is the fault of many that resort to the congregations to get an opinion. Let us not desire to please men, but to love God, and to please him; our care being always to please God, and not to deceive the world and cousin them. We may draw a mist before their eyes easily to cousin them, they judge by our words, and works, and cannot go further, but God judgeth the heart. If he see us as the apples of Sodom, as a fair glove on a foul hand, and like the Sepulchers that Christ speaks of, that within are full of rottenness, we shall have the greater judgement.  
There be too many of these bragger's, as Basil calls them, those that make a show of what they are not. The time will come when God will wash off this seeming with rivers of brimstone. An hypocrite, certainly if there be any place lower in hell, he shall have it. So I have done with the third question.  
One observation more (before I leave the verse) that shall be profitable. These Magicians resembled the rod, & brought serpents, and after turned the water into blood; and now the third time they satisfy Pharaoh so fare that he thinks that they were true frogs that they brought; so he seemed to stand out against the judgement of God for the time.  See how fare God suffers wicked practices to prosper, and succeed the first, second, and third time. 
There are many examples of this in Scripture. josephs' brethren, you know what they did to their brother, and how clean they carried it away, after they had dipped his coat in blood, and brought it to their old father; the poor credulous old man, he thought indeed a wild beast had devoured him; and so they stand as upright in his opinion as before. This slept twenty years, they went clear.  
David himself had a mind to Bathsheba, he sends for her, she comes, and becomes pregnant by him; he desires to enjoy her without a rival, her husband stands in the way, he sends a letter, and causeth him to be slain, every thing prospers according to his desire. So Ahab and jezebel she gets letters written, and sends to the Judges, they entertain them, and suborn false witnesses, Naboth is convinced, condemned, and stoned; Ahab comes and takes possession; there is not a rub in all these smooth paths. So the accusers of Daniel, they get the King to make an edict, to trap the good man, every thing succeeds; they have not a rub till he comes, and was cast into the den.  
We see in experience, the lustful man, here he lays a bait, and sees a base fellow to be officious to him; his mind is satisfied as Amnons' was upon his sister. So with the covetous man, he that sets it down with a full resolution, that he will be rich; he takes these, and these unjust courses, they prosper and succeed; his ships come home, his merchandise come in, he attains that he would have. So the ambitious man, he is officious with this courtier, and flatters, and soothes; with that he ascends up by degrees all the rounds of honour, till he come to be the only man. So the avengefull man, he attains his purpose as we see Absolom, he makes no question, all is done, and he himself shall not be detected by any body; they were willing to punish Amnon, and so he continues without repentance.  
Some man may ask the reason, how it comes to pass that these wicked businesses should succeed, and prosper, and go on with encouragement?  
First, God will show mercy to the vessels of wrath, Rom. 9 that wicked men may be inexcusable when he shall rise to judgement, God shall say, I was long before I pulled my hand out of my bosom.  
Secondly, the Lord doth it in just judgement, because wicked men contemn his grace and favour, for the further obduration of them. As in Rom, 1. when they turned the glory of God into the similitude of a beast that eateth hay. God turned them up to their own lusts, to be transported with their own affections, and they received thereby the recompense of their sin.  
Thirdly, God doth this for the trial of his children. To go no further than this instance; Was it not a wondrous probate of Moses and Aarou to see these men prosper? what! the first, second and third time to be successful. Moses comes with this persuasion to the land of Egypt, that he should do those signs in the fight of Pharaoh, that should not only convince them, but incline them to a dismission of the people, and now to be matched with a company of Enchanters. All their glory and authority lay upon these works, and now for these to do these, the first, second and third time, how did this set bacl the work of God? For if Pharaoh were fomented in his obstinacy, how could they expect deliverance? this was a great probate of them, and God intended it for that purpose.  
For the Use of this, remember always, that success is a poor ground to justify an action upon. The heathen-man could say in his time, Felix, etc. If one have success in wickedness it is accounted a virtue. Dionysius after he had rob Esculapius Temple, and had a fair wind, he thought that the Gods loved sacrilege. And it may be jeroboam loved Idolatry the better, because he heard of the Prophet's punishment that was seduced, that spoke against the Altar. And those in jer. 44. thought well of offering cakes to the Queen of heaven, because they had all abundance. Like the argument that one makes for the restitution of the Idolatry of Rome, because it is a flourishing Commonwealth. Among Bellarmine's arguments, one of his notes of the Church is, Externall felicity. The success of things is but a poor ground to go upon; yet many men reason so in these times. As the worldly man will say that the Minister saith oft that God will plague such and such sins as I know myself guilty of; yet I find no check of conscience, no man is able to control me, I prosper in my bames as well as another man, and my come is as thick, and my line holds, my business prospers; I think that God is not so offended with me as some ministers talk of. Many a man nourisheth his heart as in a day of slaughter, because of success.  
Poor deluded soul, that art conscious to thyself that thy ways are naught, and yet justifieth it because of success. God is a patiented and long-suffering God, and suffers people to go on as he did Pharaoh into the middle of the sea, and there cut off his chariots. He suffers them to go a while, not that they shall always prosper, but to make the cup more bitter after long prosperity.  
See it in all the examples before, see if they did not repent themselves of that peace that they enjoyed. josephs' brethren carried it away smoothly; but God comes to a sharp reckoning in the conclusion; they were in a great agony, they knew not how to extricate themselves. So David, he went smoothly for a time; but after it cost him many a tear, he made his bed to swim. So Ahab, he wished a thousand times he had not meddled with the vineyard, the sauce was so sharp with the meat. So daniel's accusers they reaped the judgement they intended against him, the Lions had power over them, they repent that ever they stirred that stone. So many covetous men in the world that have gathered goods by oppression; his line holds for a time, it may be for his own life; but who hath not seen the judgement of God on his posterity, that a man may read the father's sin in the child's punishment?  
So the revengeful, the lustful, the ambitious man, God comes home to them, and so he will to others. Men may laugh, and rejoice, because of success, take heed, when the reckoning is paid; God will rise in judgement, and then woe to those that thrive in wicked ways.  
It is the observation of a Father; all things are said of the rich man, Luke 16. in the time past, There was a rich man, and he fared deliciously every day, and he was clothed in purple, and thou hast received all thy good. So these people, the time will come, when they shall be forced to say they had their profit, and their pleasure here, according to their desire, and so they have had all that good that ever they shall have; they must be content with it, there is no more now, but an expectation of wrath, and mischief, the cup of the Lord is full, it is mingled, the wicked of the earth shall suck the dregs of it.  
In the second place, censure not God's providence, nor justify the wicked because they thrive, and prosper in their ways, and courses, and designs, Fret not thyself for the wicked, Psal. 37. David was much taken with it, Psal. 73. he saith, That his foot had nigh slipped when he saw the prosperity of the wicked. jeremiah desired to dispute with God upon this theme. The broad spreading bay-tree of the wicked moves emulation in the children of God; they think they have cleansed their hands in vain. But go into the Sanctuary, and there you shall see that God hath set them in slippery places. Though their line hold here, yet those lines tie them to judgement; they shall be tied as the vulture to the heart of Titius. Pity them, their woe is to come: Where is the children of God having had hardship in this world, shall have a blessed compensation in the world to come.  
I should come to the second event, the removal of this judgement, I will only touch one thing in the front, and so commit you to God.  
It is like enough that Pharaoh sent to the Magicians to know if they could remove the judgement, he found them unable, or else he would not entreat Moses and Aaron to do it. Here is that that will make Pharaoh unexcusable; for it hath been questioned, whether Pharaoh were not excusable in holding out against the command of God, and the commission of Moses, because he was thus deluded by his Enchanters? For say they, how could he be persuaded that Moses came from God with a special command, when his own Enchanters did the like? so they extenuate his sin.  
But suppose they did it by as great power, and divine virtue as Moses and Aaron, and he had no reason to think that Moses and Aaron were any better; yet this is unexcusable that they could not remove the judgement.  
So let men have never so many pretences, there is somewhat that will hold conscience still that it will never give out of the hands of it: The conscience will be hampered with something; let the wicked man have ten thousand Apologies, there is somewhat that will hold conscience whereby it will be snared to judgement. josephs' brethren can say much for themselves for the slaughter of the Sychemites, that they did it in a way to vindicate the honour of their family; Should he use our sister as a where? but there is one thing that makes it hold sin, the abuse of the ordinance of God, to make it a midwife to deliver them of their sin. So Saul may make a fair gloss that he had spared the goods of the Amalekites for sacrifice; but there is one thing that holds him; what is that? that he had gone expressly against the command of God; for he bade him spare none. So Ahab had much to say for himself, he came upon fair terms to Naboth for his vineyard, he offered him money, besides he knew what Ahab was. But there is one thing that will have power over him; what is that? that his wife should have power over his seal, to frame a letter to undo the man. So the Scribes and Pharisees, they put it off, Did we persecute this man? Wilt thou bring this man's blood upon us? we did it in zeal, he seemed to oppose the law of Moses; but one thing will hold them to judgement, because it was malice in them against Christ, because he reproved them so plainly that they could never claw it off.  
For the Use of it: Never think when you come to Judgement, of Apologies, and fig-leaves, that will be too narrow for your nakedness; away with these subterfuges and starting holes. God never brings a man to judgement, but he hath enough to judge him for, by the testimony of his own conscience, as Pharaoh here, that when he knew it must be of God, yet he was hardened. The conscience as it is a register in man, at the day of Judgement, it will be an accuser of man, and justify Gods most severe proceed against him. So much for this time.   

THE SEVENTH SERMON Upon EXOD. CHAP. 8.  VERS. 8. 
Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, Entreat the Lord that he may take a way the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go that they may do sacrifice to the Lord.  
NOw we come to the second event, that is, the removal of the judgement. We must consider,  
First, how it is motioned, and entreated for in verse 8.  
Then how Moses engageth himself to perform it, verse 9, 10, 11.  
Thirdly, how he acts and performs it in deed, and puts it in execution, in verse 12, 13, 14.  
The first of them is in verse 8. And there are two things in it briefly:  
A petition, and  
A promise.  
Pharaohs request is, That they would entreat God that he might be freed from these noisome, fearful frogs.  
His promise is, That he will let the people go, and sacrifice to the Lord. But first I will speak of that that leads them in; that is, Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron.  
It is like enough that when the Enchanters had to his apprehension brought forth frogs, that he slighted Moses and Aaron, and dismissed them, as if they were not the servants of a greater God than he worshipped; for sure he thought that these people that brought frogs to his appearance, could also remove them. But now he gins to feel the smart of the judgement; it is likely, having consulted with these Sorcerers, they cannot fit him this way. Now he cannot get from under the wrath of God, he calls for them. Our observation shall be this; that The time will come, that godly men shall be in request with those that despised them.  
God will bring it about, that good, and godly people shall be in request with those that formerly despised and slighted them. Thus it was with Abimelech, and his Philistines, Gen. 20.29. they vilified Isaac, they hated him and maligned him, and the wrath of them was so fierce that they drove him out of their Country; yet he was no sooner gone, but the King and his Courtiers, they come after him, and desire to make a league with him, and that he would be pleased to swear to them that he would do them no harm; for they saw that he feared God, and that the hand of God was with him. The like we see in josephs' brethren; how did they contemn and despise joseph, and called him in scorn, The dreamer? as if he had befooled himself in those presages of his advancement; yet God brings it about that this man that they had so scorned, they were feign to sue to him, forgive the trespass of the servants of thy father's God, in that we have done foolishly, Gen. 50.17. The like we see in Moses, Exod. 32. how he was slighted and contemned by the Israelites; As for this Moses, we know not what is become of him. But they spoke of him in a low stile; yet after a while, when the judgement of God was upon them, they were feign to fly to him as their best refuge on earth, and desire him to mediate a peace. So in Exo. 12. Aaron joins with Miriam in emulation against Moses, and speak of their brother in diminution; but after Aaron entreats him not to lay that sin to their charge that they had committed foolishly, and suffered his sister to be a reproach to the world. The like we see in jephtah, he was put out of his father's house, and contemned, because he was the son of an harlot, judg. 11. yet when they were infested by their enemies, they were feign to seek to him, and entreat him to be their Captain. So we see in Saul, you see how he scorned David, he would not so much as call him by his right name: Where is the son of Isha that he doth not come to meat? And will none of you tell me that my son, and the son of Isha have conspired against me? Yet he that he contemned he bowed to when he had him in the cave, and gave pregnant proof of his loyalty, he desired him that he would be good to his posterity, and not cut them off. So it was with jeroboam, 1 King. 13. he stretched forth his hand in contempt and hatred (I join them together) against the Prophet, and that hand that he stretched out, he could not draw in again; and then he was feign to entreat the Prophet that he would entreat the face of God that his arm might be restored.  
So we see in Hester, Haman put her in the same Bark with all the Jews; and it is like enough in that respect and name, because she was a Jew he disesteemed her; after he was feign to sue to her for his life, that she would mediate with the King that the edge of his wrath might be taken off, Hest. 7. And jeremiah that was so much despised by Zedechiah and his Princes; that Zedechiah was feign to sue to him that he would pray for him, jer. 37.3. And not to multiply more, you know how much the rich man scorned the poor beggar; yet the time came that being in hell, in torments, he begged a boon of him, that is, that he might be sent with a little water to cool his tongue, Luke 16.24. And this is that Solomon hath Prov. 14.19. The bad shall how before the good, and the wicked at the door of the righteous. There is a bowing that wicked men make sometimes to the good, that David speaks off, Psal. 10. they crouch and creep, and humble themselves, and all to impose upon the credulity of the righteous, and the sooner to ensnare them. But Solomon his son, speaks of another bowing, when the wicked are forced by God's overruling providence to supplicate and sue to the children of God to desire their friendship, and mediation, and intercession, that they despised and maligned before.  
What may be the ground of this?  
First, God hath planted an awfulness, and majesty in his children that makes them venerable to the wicked sometimes. I speak not of such a splendour as Moses had that the Jews could not look on for the glory of his countenance. I speak not of such a glory as Christ had, that Hierome saith was starlike, that drew the people to see him. Nor such as he speaks of Julian, that had such a splendour that Maximianus was afraid to look on him, lest he should make him turn Christian. Nor such as Steven had, God made that Diamond so sparkle in the dark, that they beheld his face as the face of an Angel.  
But I mean, there is an awful authority that God hath put upon his children, that makes the wickeds eyes dazzle. Solomon saith Eccles. 8.1. Wisdom makes the face of a man to shine: Cajetan understands it of that authority that God hath planted in his Children that makes them awful to those that are wicked. All the people feared Samuel exceedingly, 1 Sam. 12.18. and it is said that wicked Herod feared John, because he was a holy and a just man, Mark. 6.14.  
Again, secondly, God doth this to make his word true: for he hath said, He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, and he that exalteth himself shall be humbled. Now the children of God oft put their mouths in the dust; they are low, and humble, therefore God will take a time to exalt them. As David, he carried himself humbly, and how ever some detractors disfigured him to his Prince, he never spoke of him without reverence: therefore God exalted him, and so exalted him that he did bring the proud spirit of Saul to sue to him. So Mordecat, he was a humble man, he sat in the gate, he was content with his condition: God exalted him, and how did he make that proud spirited Haman to stoop so low as to advance him?  
Thirdly, God thinks fit to make his Children a compensation in the sight of men; They are brought to that strait sometimes that they are feign to sue to the wicked. Jacob was so perplexed for want of bread, that he was feign to send to Egypt for corn, and was feign to pacify his brother and to send present before him, to humble himself, and to fall to the ground so many times before he came at him. And in Lam. 5.6. they gave their hands to Assyria, and Egypt, for bread: those that were their mortal enemies, they were fain to comply with them for bread. As I said of Hester before; she sued for her life. Now than the good God that they serve, to make them compensation, brings the wicked to sue to them. As they are forced to sue to the wicked sometimes for relief in their necessities; so the wicked shall sue to them.  
It may be showed in all the examples before alleged. And likewise in Jobs kinsmen, though they insulted over the miserable poor man, and censured him at their pleasure, yet after they were feign to sue to Job, and God would not be reconciled to them till he had sued for them.  
For the use of this. First, me thinks it might take off the edge of wicked men, in regard of the persecution of those that fear God. For a man hath so much understanding that he will not irritate, and provoke such as he thinks he shall be beholden to after, for fear the suit of his need be repelled with the error of his prosperity; yet such is the madness of the wicked, to be discourteous, and injurious most to those that they are like most to be beholden to. I know their proud spirits scorn the thought of ever being beholden to the children of God. Yet so God brings it about, though it may be they will not sue to them; yet though their blindness will not let them see, or their unthankfulness to acknowledge it, yet they be beholden to them. For Lot bailed Sodom, while he was with them. If Moses stand not in the gap, fierce judgements come among the proud people. If these pillars bear not up the house, it will fall about their ears. If these stakes do not hold the hedge, they are laid open to all misery Augustin in lib. de Civ. Dei. He wonders that a company of people that escaped in the sacking of a City, by professing themselves to be Christians, that they should persecute Christians afterward, when they had been beholden to the name of Christ for their escape. And who would not wonder at the madness of the world, that persecute those that they may be, and are beholden to daily? and those be the people of God, by whose intercession they escape judgements.  
Secondly, it should teach the people of God,  
First, Direction, and  
Then Comfort.  
First, Direction; let them make much of goodness, and love it with the inside of their hearts: for this is that that will not only commend them to God, but make them awful to the wicked. This is that that will make one of the Children of God weigh down a thousand of the sons of belial. This is that that will make them gold, when the wicked shall be accounted dross. It will make them good Come, when the wicked of the earth shall be chaff, it will make them herbs, and flowers when the wicked shall be weeds, fit for nothing but to be burned.  
Secondly, for their comfort, though they be contemned by a great number of profane ones, the time will come that God will exalt them: he will make the wicked to bless their condition, and it may be seek to them. For if ever God bring a wicked man to terrors of soul, he magnifies the estate of a good man, and thinks he is the happiest man in the world; he wisheth a thousand times that he were in his estate: and when the Angel of God meets him as he did Balaam between two walls, that he can go no way from him, (I mean when death comes) he desires to die the death of the righteous, and that his last end may be like his. And then he sues to the righteous man to pray for him, and intercede at the throne of grace.  
If this be not enough for comfort, know that you shall judge these wicked ones, 1 Cor. 6.2. Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world? If that be not enough, the wicked shall see the Children of God exalted, and shall gnash their teeth, and consume away; and shall speak as they in Wisdom, We though ught his life madness, and his end horror, and lo he is preferred before us.  
Lastly, to spread it further, let it be a comfort to all ministers, that are to the people as Moses and Aaron here were messengers to Pharaoh. It is likely they may receive disgrace and disparagement, as if the work were but an unjust work. Who is so forward to persecute the sons of God as the sons of Belial? Let this comfort them, for if they continue in their course, and preach sound doctrine, and live an unblameable life, God will make these stoop one day. The people for all their contempt of Samuel, they were feign to entreat him to pray for them, 1 Sam. 12. And those that flouted them in Act. 2. they were feign to come for direction, Men and Brethren, what shall we do? And the Gaoler that clapped the Apostles in Irons, when there was an earthquake, and the doors of the prison flew open, and every man's bonds did fly from him, he comes trembling, and will do any thing. And as Theodoret reports of Ambrose his passage to Theodotius; though the Courtiers bade him slight that he did, he could not put it off; he was feign to send, he was feign to submit to the penance. So the world, let them slight the Ministers of God as they will, the hour will come, they will be caught in their month, and then it may be they will desire direction, and their prayers. At the last, Pharaoh must call for Moses and Aaron. So much for that.  
Now I come to his Petition, Entreat the Lord that he may take away the Frogs from me, and from my people.  
It seemeth then that Pharaoh was enlightened to know these three things.  
First, that God must remove the judgement.  
Secondly, that he must be entreated for the removing of it.  
Thirdly, that he must be entreated by his servants; these are but ordinary points, therefore I will pass them over the more briefly.  
First, he understood that God must remove this plague, the Lord Jehovah must do it; indeed it is his work. For as no judgement can seize on men without a commission from him, Thou couldst have no power, saith Christ to Pilate, unless it were given thee from above: So it is not in the power of flesh to move the least Fly from a man's body, till God please. It was he that stayed the waters and abated them on the face of the earth when the deluge ceased. It was this God that opened the wombs of Abimeleches family, Gen. 20. It was this God that said to the Angel when he foraged the Camp of Israel, It is sufficient, 2 Sam. 24. It is this God that stays the famine, and causeth the Sword to return into the sheath, that would still eat flesh, if it were not for his command. That God that hath said to the Sea, Hither shalt thou come, and here thou shalt stay thy proud waves, Job. 30.11. it is that God that remits, and restrains, and abates, and takes away, and removeth all judgements whatsoever. The roaring Lion he takes off, and puts an end even to spiritual temptations.  
The Use shall be double:  
First, To teach us to whom to have recourse in the time of trouble; not to run with Saul to the witch of Endor, or with Ahaziah to Baalzebub the God of Ekron, from the living to the dead. This will not help; he that wounded must heal, and he that smites must bind up, and that is the Lord himself: it is he only that must take away the judgement. Rachel may be froward, and chide her husband, and be discontented; it is all one: God must remember her and open her womb. The woman in the Gospel may spend all upon Physicians: but God must stint her infirmity, she must touch the hem of Christ's garment. If God do not help, saith the King of Israel to the woman in the Siege of Samaria, how shall I help?  
Secondly, It should teach us to whom to give thanks for deliverance from trouble, even to the Lord. To this God Noah built an Altar for the ceasing of the deluge. To this God Jacob built an Altar for his preservation from the fury of his brother. To this God David built an Altar in the threshing floor of Araunah, for the cessation of the plague. To this God let us give thanks, and ever glorify his name, that hath ceased the famine; and hath put a period to the plague that formerly did break out in this City. To thee, O God, the praise is due, give us leave to take the cup of Salvation, and glorify thy name.  
Even the heathen have done thus much, they had their gifts, that they offered to these, and these deities, that they imagined were the means of their preservation, and their pillars have this inscription upon them. Freelier must this be acknowledged therefore by Christians, if not, it is the next way to make the judgement the same, or greater, to forage them with greater fierceness, and bitterness. If God's favour be not acknowledged, no wonder if judgements afflict us. If Isaac be spared, it is reason a Ram should be offered.  
Secondly, he supposed that God must be entreated. The Religion of Pharaoh taught him that those deities that he served must be supplicated. And you shall find in profane writers that the Pagans thought there was nothing to be had of their Gods without supplication, and sacrifice. Therefore it must ever be acknowledged by Christians, that God having sanctified prayer, and ordained it to be the bucket of grace to let down to the overflowing fountain of God's favour; to be the key of the treasure that opens to those precious things; to be the dove that fetcheth the Olive leaf of peace, surely spare to speak, spare to speed.  
What though God know our necessities before we utter them? we are not informers of God, but petitioners. Thou dost not speak to God, and tell him thy wants to teach him, saith chrysostom: but that thou mayst incline him to hear thee. Our blessed Lord hath said, ask and it shall be given you. Saint Paul hath said, though he knew God's propensity to give, Let your requests be made known with supplication, and giving of thanks, Phil. 4.16. Therefore, though God know our wants, yet in obedience to God's ordinance, let us tender our prayers.  
What though God determine before we ask to give it? this keeps not us from praying: as God hath ordained the end, so he hath ordained the means, Jer. 29.11.12. God saith, I know the purposes and the thoughts I have for you, the thoughts not of trouble but of peace. But what follows? yet, saith he, they shall pray and cry to me. As if he had said, though I have determined, I will have you to testify your dutifulness in prayer: so in Ezek. 37.36. God saith how he will determine the Captivity of his people, but for this I will be entreated of the house of Israel. He will be called on. See an example in Daniel, that though he knew somewhat out of Jeremiahs' prophecy that the captivity should be determined at 70. years, yet he prays to God, and solicits that he would please to remember it.  
Thirldly, whereas some people say, if we must pray for the removing of judgements, how shall we make good our patience under the cross?  
I answer, patience, and prayer are compatible enough. See in the example of David, who though he were a man full of patience, and said, Here I am, let God do with me what he will: yet for all that, he desired God to take away his stroke. And that great example, and pattern of all patience, our blessed Lord, yet he cried out, Let this cup pass from me.  
For the use of it, if God must be entreated for favours, be sure to take that course, be ever willing to put into that way that God hath chalked out for the obtaining of his favour. Prayer is an admirable thing, and Luther doth not stick in one place to call it omnipotent: it is very acceptable to God, Let me hear thy voice, for thy voice is sweet, saith the Husband to the Spouse, Cant. 2. And the prayers of the Saints are Odours, Rev. 5.8. And to sum up all, it is that that God hath appointed to be the means to convey blessings: therefore he that waves God's direction, undoubtedly, may well fall short of his expectation.  
Thirdly, he understood that God must be entreated by his servants, he desires them to pray for him. God saith to Abimelech, Abraham is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee; So job prayed for his friends, so the man of God for Jeroboam, and Samuel for the people, and Moses must entreat for those that had offended against God, and had been contumacious; God loves the prayers of his own, God heareth not sinners, that is, those that wallow in wickedness, and lie profanely in the same, with resolution, God endures not such that they should take his word into their mouths, because they hate to be reform, their very sacrifice is abominable.  
But how far forth the children of God have interest in him, and sway with their petitions, we shall further show when we come to that passage, where Moses engageth himself that the judgement shall be removed upon his prayer. And so I come to another observation.  Entreat for me, that the judgement may be removed from me, and from my people. 
Why Pharaoh, why dost thou not entreat that the judgement of hardness of heart may be removed? O why dost thou not pray to Moses to entreat God to give thee a supple spirit, that may be apt, and fit, and pliable for the impressions of grace? dost thou not yet confess thine iniquity? dost thou not yet repent that thou hast stood out so long against the Lord of Hosts? If thou wert sensible of this judgement of obduration, it is greater than the turning of the waters into blood, and then these Frogs, or any judgement that was after inflicted. Well, Pharaoh was not troubled with this; Therefore to come to the observation; you see what the humour of wicked people is, they are more affected with the punishment then with the sin. Remove the judgement, O let the Frogs be gone; he saith not, Remove my sin, take away this heart, and give me a new heart.  The wicked are more affected with the punishment then with the sin, and desire more that their bodies should be eased then their souls cured. 
See it in Cain, Gen. 4. he cries out, My punishment is greater than I can bear. The word there used signifies oft in Scripture, sin; yet sometimes also punishment: divers of the Greek, and Latin Fathers took it as if he complained of his sin, that it was greater than could be forgiven, and so make it an evidence of his distrust, and diffidence, and despair; but our translation renders it, My punishment is greater than I can bear.  
Surely, he that observes the words following shall easily conceive that it was not the sin that troubled him: but the sense of this; I shall be a vagabond, and a runagate, and every man that meets me shall kill me. That troubled and disturbed him, not that he had offended God, and exposed, and made himself obnoxious to the curse of God; that was not it, his sin did not trouble him, but that this judgement should fall upon him.  
So the like we see in Esau, he mourns, and weeps, and howls, and keeps a stir, but it was only in the sense of loss; not for the profaneness of his heart, but for the loss he thought he should sustain, in that his brother was preferred before him; it was some disparagement, and disgrace to him. Surely he mourned not for his sin, because at the same time he resolved to kill his brother. If he had mourned for his sins, he would never have resolved on so cruel an act.  
So in Saul, Samuel expostulates with him, he was not so troubled with his fin, as with the renting of the Kingdom from him, and the shrinking of his reputation in the world, Honour me before the people, saith he. So Ahab, he puts on Sackcloth, and makes a humiliation, God knows, for the judgement more than for the sin; for we see after how ready he was to imprison Micaiah: So Simon Magus in Act. 8. after Peter had threatened him severely, O pray for me that none of these things come to me that you have spoken. Saith Oecumenius, a man would think that this were a man that ingenuously confessed his sins: but saith he, it came not from a good resolution. And saith chrysostom, it came not from his heart: for he was still polluted in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity. Therefore the thing he feared was judgement, Pray that these things may not come upon me; meaning the judgement that Peter had threatened.  
And this is that spirit of bondage, that servile spirit that the Apostle speaks of, Rom. 8.15. You have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again. This spirit of bondage is in the wicked the fear of a slave, that is not so much troubled with the offence of his master, as with the whip, and lash that shall light on him. A wicked man is not so much troubled with the displeasing of God, as with burning with the devil in hell.  
I deny not but there may be great use of this servile fear, even in Gods own; for when God converts a man, he makes use of this servile fear to break down those strong holds, those fortifications that the devil hath built in a man to keep out God: by improving the Law that is as Cannon shot, he breaks down this strong building. Therefore Austin saith, this servile fear is good and profitable; like the bristle, or needle, that though it sew not the cloth, it makes way, it keeps the heart supple for the impressions of grace; and out of doubt, God terrifieth before he comforts.  
Nay, in grown Christians, there is great use of these servile fears, (I mean) to fear the judgements of God: for I find it in God's Saints, Josias heart melted at the threaten of the Law, and David was afraid because of God's righteous judgements. Habakkuk saith that his belly trembled, and his lips did shake, and rottenness entered into his bones, when he thought of the judgements of God: And I desire that the remembrance of hell may keep myself and others from sin.  
But I say, that is not only the work in God's children; I know that punishment makes them not good. But there is likewise the love of God, which though it appear not so fully to every body, God discerns it. And out of doubt God's children though they were in hell they would be afraid to offend God out of love. And when judgements are inflicted on the Children of God, their chief care is to make their peace with God: for the putishment they respect it not so much; they are content to have the judgement lie still, so they may receive peace, and assurance of reconciliation. As David, when the hand of God was upon him for numbering the people, 2 Sam. 24. O saith he, forgive the trespass of thy servant. That is the first thing he deals with God for, to forgive his iniquity, his impiety; for the judgement he was indifferent, Let thy hand be on me, and on my father's house.  
For the use, it is a note of trial, and examination. There are divers losses, and crosses fall upon us: sometimes we suffer one way, sometimes another. It may be God visits us with sickness, and lays us on the bed of sorrow, what doth presently, and principally touch us? what do we spend our tears and sighs and prayers on? Is it to make our peace with God? Is it sin that troubleth, and disturbs us? Is that it, or is it only to get from under the flame, and to get, as Jerome saith, from the furnace of tribulation, as chrysostom calls it? Is the trouble of the flesh only a vexation to us? Is it so that when we run ourselves into courses that may make us shameful, that all our chief care is to patch up our credit with the world, with the neglect of our peace with God? If it be thus, it is fearful, for what are all the torments and diseases of the body to the maladies of the soul? What are all the good words, and honours of the world to the peace of a man's own conscience?  
The Prophet speaks of such in Hos. 7.14. that howled on their beds, and cried to God for Corn and Oil, but rebelled against God. So there are a number of people that are very passionate if they want provision, but they care not for their transgressions, if they could get from under the trouble their sins would never afflict them.  
But in the fear of God, let us labour to come to this; to fear to sin, rather than to smart for sin. And if it were possible to come to that height that we might say, if there were sin on the one side, and hell on the other, and torment; we had rather fall into hell then to commit sin; it is a great pitch.  
Let us labour when the hand of God is on us at any time, though it disturb flesh and blood, let us know that the main thing that should trouble us is our sins, and presently make our peace with God: and if we have done that, we shall have the outward affliction removed, or sanctified, we shall find honey in that Lion; we shall have the waters of Marah made sweet to us; and it may be God will bring it about that we shall rejoice in tribulation. So much for that.  Remove this plague from me and my people. 
Though there were many bad things in this wicked Pharaoh; yet here is one Berry, which though it be in the utmost bough, I will not neglect.  From me and my people. 
The care he had that his people should be free as well as himself: Surely, It is that that becomes Princes and Governors, to be sensible of the necessities in which their people are.  
There be many resemblances used that prove to us the truth of this. King's are called sometimes fathers, not only in divine, but in profane writers. The Senators of Rome, and chief Governors were called fathers of their countries. The common names of the Kings of the Philistims was Abimelech, My father the King: And David saith to his Subjects, Come my Children, harken. And Solomon useth that phrase, my son. It is the speech of Philo the Jew, that it is fit for him that rules to carry himself as a father towards his Children. Now you that God hath blessed so fare as to be fathers, you know what the affection of a father is, what bowels he hath, what care he shows, what sense of sorrow, for the least infirmity of his child.  
Again, secondly, Princes are called Shepherds: not only in Homer Agamemnon is called the pastor of the people: but Cyrus my Shepherd, Esay 45. And God led his people as sheep by the hands of Moses and Aaron, Psal. 78. ult. And he took David from the Sheep to feed his people. Now we know in the Shepherd's vocation, there is both diligence and love. The Shepherd considereth the state of his flock; if there be any more infirm than others, he is touched presently with compassion towards them, he binds them up, and he doth well. So it should be with those in authority, they should ever be respective of that flock that is committed to them, and deal gently, and fairly by them: for Rehoboam, if he drive on furiously, will lose 10. parts at one time.  
Again, thirdly, a governor is said to be a head: now what respect there is in a head towards the members, every mere natural man knows.  
Again, a governor is said to be the husband, and the Commonwealth his wife: what respect a true husband carries to his true yoke-fellow, it is easily discerned; now willing he is to keep her from danger, and to be the veil of her eyes, as it is said of Abraham. And you see in good Jacob when danger was towards, he put his wives in the rear, that all others might suffer before them. And Seneca saith that a governor is anima, the Prince is the soul of the Commonwealth, and the Commonwealth is his body. Now as the soul is careful for the body, so the Prince that is pious is careful of those that belong to him. As the Eagle is the King of all Birds, so it is usual to resemble Princes by that bird. And one property of that bird Moses tells us in Exod. 18. she carries her young upon her wings: and mark the care of that bird, saith Lipomen, for she will be sure if there be any danger from below, that her body shall be between her young, and the danger she will be first sensible of it.  
Now if you require instances of this care, and good of the people, you have it in David: when the Angel foraged among the people; O what have these sheep done? he interposeth himself, and desireth that the hand of God might turn upon him, and his father's house, that the people might be spared. And Moses in Exod. 32. God saith, if he will not stop him in his wrath, he will make him a mighty Nation. But Moses though the people could be merry without him, he would not be happy without them: the truth is, if God would not be merciful to them, he would be blotted out of the book of life.  
I need not after these honourable examples add the heathen; of Codrus that threw himself into the Army; and Curtius that cast himself into the gulf of Rome, and Adrianus, called Titus, by name, the delight of mankind, in regard of his gracious comportment. Or tell you of the 12 Tables for the good of the people. All in authority should be careful of those that are under them, should be sensible of their grievances, that every disturbance to them should reflect upon themselves.  
Abominable is that spirit that is in some men. It is said of Tiberius, When I am dead let the world be mingled with fire. And Nero that would correct it, turned it much worse, Nay while I live let it be so. So that Speech of Caligula, Let them hate me, so they fear me. He complained sometime in his time that he was not made famous by some calamity; and wished that all Rome had but one neck that he might cut it off. And Vitellius posy: It is was a good smell from the Carcase of a soldier that was killed, but better from a Citizen. These words befit not the mouth of a Prince, no, not of a man: they do not relish of that clemency that is the chief stone in the Crown of a Prince; but of that brutishness that these men were guilty of. And God met with them in their kind: for there was none of them did die a dry death.  
Secondly, If a Prince must be solicitous of the good of his people, so must they be for him. From me and my people, saith Pharaoh; so the people must say, for my King and me. If the Commonwealth be a wife, she must be obedient, if they be children, they must be dutiful. If it be a body, it must be pliable to the soul. If they be members, they must be guided by the head. If they be sheep, they must submit to the government of the Shepherd. That as Justinian the Emperor saith, there may be a sweet harmony between Prince and people, that no string may be too high or too low; that is the best music in the ears of God. If Pharaoh desire for his people, how should they beg of God in the behalf of their Sovereign? Paul when he wisheth that Prayers. should be made for all men, in the first place he puts Kings. And it was the practice of holy people of God in former time. Cyprian when they were charged with some rebellion, We are far from that, we wish well to the King, saith he: And his Master before him, for so he calls Tertullian, he professeth concerning the Christians, that they begged of God in the behalf of the Emperor, they desired long life, a secure regiment, and reign, a safe house, worthy Counsellors, strong and valiant Soldiers, etc.  
Let not this be forgotten by us, we are too defective in this: many of us pray in private for ourselves, but when do we remember our Governors? O the light of our eyes, and the breath of ournostrills, is deprived of our prayers. If it be a sin to forget a natural father, certainly it is no less to forget our political father.  
The next thing to be observed (which is the second general) is the promise that he makes.  I will let the people go. 
I will but touch one thing and so conclude, you see here that now he cannot get from under the judgement, what evapourates from him: he will let the people go that they may sacrifice. If god reserve us, God willing we shall observe that he did fly off from this. But in the mean time, somewhat he saith, and promiseth; and It is no strange thing, that the worst of men have good motions sometimes.  
This Pharaoh saith another time, I have sinned. And the sorcerers say after, It is the finger of God. And Balaam saith, Let me die the death of the righteous, Num. 23. And Saul may say he hath sinned, and Ahab may humble himself, and Felix may sometimes tremble, and Agrippa will cry out, he is almost made a Christian by Paul. And it was never known, of the most desperate adulterers, the most bloody men, or oppressors, or excessive persons, but some time or other they did think ill of their own courses, and did think that another way was better, and it may be have had motions and resolutions tending to reformation.  
The ground is, the light that God puts into the consciences, and the power that he hath endued it with, that will sometimes put a man in mind of his abberations from the right way, that this is not the course he should take.  
Again, there is a general illumination in the world, that enlightens every man, by this they come to have some notions. But as Bernard saith in another case, they come in frequently, and pass away as speedily. They are like the morning dew, or the morning cloud, soon dissipated, not so good as Ephraim's cake that was half baked, they are soon gone, as Tertullian saith of the flower it is a thing to look on, and breath on, and smell to, and it is gone. So it is with these motions of the wicked, they pass away as smoke.  
Therefore, for the use of it; Let us not be confident of the motions, and flashes of the wicked, unless they persist and continue in them there is little hope.  
Nay, let us not please ourselves for motions that are like flashings of lightning in the soul, they are not worth the talking of. When motions come that are good, cherish them, keep them on foot, that they may be actuated and perfected. Thus God would have us to do, it is a spark of the divine fire, therefore the Lord would have it blown till it come to a flame. If at any time we find it dying, (as like enough the dear Saints of God may do) we must stir it up, and excite the grace of God by the use of the Ordinances of God, as the Apostle speaks. And likewife by reflecting upon our many omissions and neglects (and it may be suppression of motions by the cons●●●●●tion of the fearful account we must give one day for these neglects, stir it up, and keep it fresh, and by the blessing of God there may come great matters. That that is now a spark may be a flame, that that is like a cloud no bigger than a hand, it may after mask the whole heavens. That that is now as a grain of mustard seed, it may be a great tree, wherein the fowls of the air may make their nests.  
Of all take heed of quenching and suppressing this Spirit, of putting it out, and that is done by wilful, gross sins. When God gives good motions, if men would cherish them and keep them alive, there might be much good in them: but when they run into foul sins that waste conscience, the graces of God die, and all good motions are as far to seek as if they never had been. This will add to a man's judgement, when God shall put these things in his heart, and he by untimely frosts nips them in the bud, whereas if he would cherish them, they would come to great perfection and improvement.   

THE EIGHTH SERMON Upon EXOD. CHAP. 8.  VERS. 8.9. 
And I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord.  
And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, etc.  
THere is one thing that remains of the eighth Verse remaining that I will speedily dispatch, and so go on; Pharaoh saith here,  
I will let them go that they may sacrifice to the Lord.  
Ubi potentiae? Ubi superbiae? saith one upon my Text. How now Pharaoh, what is become of thy power? what is become of thy pride? not long since thou wast in thy ruff, and said, Who is the Lord that I should sear him? or let Israel go? Thou wert so fare from dismissing them, that thou eldst more intensively hate them, and multiply their sorrows. Thou didst contemn Moses and Aaron that came with a Commission from God: and now behold thou art under a judgement, and knowest not how to extricate thyself from this perplexity, now thou wilt let the people go, now thou acknowledgest God, now thou suest to Moses and Aaron, now thou art glad to dismiss the people. Even thus it was, and in that it was thus, my observation must be concerning The necessity of afflictions.  
All fair means would do no good with this man; God was feign to take the rod in his hand, and then we see the issue: so great is the necessity of afflictions. And it drives at divers things.  
First, afflictions make a man see his sins, as we see in the brethren of Joseph, Gen. 41.21. In their trouble in Egypt they reflect upon their unnaturalness to their brother: they confess that the cause of this trouble and distress was, because they did not hearken to him, when he cried in the anguish of his soul. You may gather so much from the speech of the widow of Sarepta, when her child was dead, she comes to Eliah, and saith, Art thou come to call my sins to remembrance and to kill my child? Affliction is that that will call a man's sins to remembrance. And out of all doubt, next to the Law of God, there is no glass wherein a man's sins are more impartially represented to him then the glass of afflictions: Therefore Elihu saith, Job 36.8. When the Lord hath a man in the cords of affliction, he shows him his sins, and transressions, than he can talk with him, and tell him from point to point what he hath done, and set his sins in order before him.  
Hence it is that the ancients compare afflictions to the smiting of the Flint that fetcheth out a spark of fire that gives the good man light. They compare them to the wood that Elisha cast into the water, by which he raised the head of the hatchet that was sunk. Those sins that are sunk to the bottom, that lie buried in the mud, and there is no notice taken of them, afflictions will raise them up, and discover them. They have compared it likewise to the clay and spittle that Christ anointed the eyes of the blind man with that he restored to sight, Joh. 9 This is that that Gregory hath oculis culpa, etc. that eye that was shut with sin, is opened by punishment; and he hath it from David, Afflictions give understanding.  
The trouble that was upon the host of God urged them to scrutiny Achan that was the cause of that discomfiture. And the tempest that the mariners were in, caused them to find out Jonah that was the author of the tempest, of whom the ship must be discharged.  
Secondly, afflictions, as they are necessary to bring us to the sight of sin, so to humiliation for it; and the wicked of the world, if the hand of God be on them will confess their sins. So you see in Saul, so in Achab, so in Judas, when terror of soul was on him, he cries out, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. The spirit of a man will be taken down by afflictions, be he never so great; for in the time of prosperity we are apt to be proud, 

In regard of God,  
In regard of Our brethren,  
In regard of The things in ourselves.    
We are apt to be proud in regard of God, as we see in Nabuchadnezzar, in Psal. 10. God is not in a wicked man's thoughts, men think not of God in prosperity, Nabuchadnezzar thought not of heaven: but when the Lords hand was upon him, he saw whom he had provoked, and how vain it was to lift up himself against God.  
Secondly, a man in time of prosperity is apt to be proud in regard of his brethren: David while he was in prosperity, he greatly cared not for that wrong that he did to his servant faithful Uriah: but when the hand of God was upon him, he was afraid to do the least harm to his mortal enemy, as appears in that instance between him and Saul in the Cave. And he would not suffer the railing dog Shimei to be punished when he came barking fearfully, 2 Sam. 16.11. affliction upon him, mortified his spirit, and killed his pride.  
Thirdly, when we are in prosperity we are proud of those things that are in us: people sometimes are proud of beauty, sometimes of strength, sometimes of apparel, sometimes of wealth: Now all these things are laid low; therefore it is very necessary, the woman that was proud of her beauty, if the hand of God seize on her by a sharp acute fever, when her feather is brought to a Kercheife, there is no more talk of the pride of her beauty, that is taken off. So, the strong man that bragged of his strength, when a fever hath grappled with him, and laid him all along, and took him off from his feet, than he acknowledgeth the vanity of this house of clay: this body of humiliation, as the Apostle calls it, Phil. 3.21. So for apparel, when God's hand is upon people, they more desire an easy pillow then gay . And for wealth, it doth but little comfort in a sharp sickness; a man would give all for one night's rest, for one day's ease.  
Thirdly, (beloved) affliction is necessary to work a man to good resolutions and purposes: So Nabuchadnezzar being in affliction and trouble, he will have none acknowledged but the God of heaven. So likewise the prodigal son being in trouble, he resolves to go to his father, and say, Father I have sinned against thee. To go no further, when the hand of God was upon Pharaoh and his people, he cries out, I will let the people go. And I will be so charitable that for the present he might speak uprightly.  
For the use of this; It should teach us: First, to justify God, when he inflicts judgements; for how should God make good his justice to the world, if he should not punish sometimes, if offenders should go always free? How should God make good his power to the world, if he should not show himself able to subdue the contumacious? how should he make good his wisdom to the world, if having used many fair invitations, and plausible means, and those contemned, he should not draw out the sword against rebellious ones? Solomon makes it a part of wisdom to use severity in the right place.  
Secondly, we should justify God in inflicting of judgements, because they are so necessary for us: for we have proud hearts of our own, and God knows they are not easily subdued; before they be brought down, the flesh must smart to some purpose. And this smoke is not only found dwelling in the wicked, but in the habitations of the righteous. Look on Hezekiah: after God had added a lease to his life of 15. years more, the Text saith, his heart was lifted up, 2 Chron. 32. And this sin of pride is so natural to us, that when all other sins decrease, this is improved. Nay the Devil will watch us such a turn to continue the sin of pride, that rather than we shall not be proud, he will make us proud because we are humble. Therefore the Lord lays his hand on us, by spiritual, and temporal, and corporal visitations, that he may bring us to be humble.  
I beseech you observe that place, Jer. 9.7. the Lord saith there, that he will melt, and try the people for saith he, what else should I do to the daughter of my people? As if he had said, I know no better way to cure them then to put them into the melting pot of affliction, there I must purge them from their dross; certainly they must have some sharp medicine for the purging out of the malignant humour.  
Secondly, since afflictions are so necessary, labour in the fear of God that they may be profitable. And then afflictions are profitable, when they bring us to a sight of our sins. There is never an affliction that God sends upon a man, but it saith to him as Ehud said to Eglon, I have a message to thee from God. In Micah 6. we are bid to hear the rod. O that men could hearken to it, it would teach them many good lessons. It would take them from the love of the world, and teach them to repose the confidence in God. It would teach them to search and try their ways, to find out the Achan that troubleth the host.  
Again in the second place, affliction is useful, and profitable to men, when it makes them humble, and low, not only to confess that God is just, as Bernard saith, Lord it is hard in regard of that strength that I have, that poverty of ability that is in me: but it is just in regard of my desert. Not only so, but to mourn for sin. We have put God out of his gracious way of clemency, and mercy into a strange path of justice, Esay 28. It is Gods strange work.  
Thirdly, than affliction is useful, when it makes us fly to God; when like the corn that is winnowed we fall down at the feet of him that winnoweth, and not like the chaff fly in his face. When we make our peace with God, and give him no rest till God be reconciled to us; For, for a man in affliction to do as Absolom, to run three years together from his father, it is a poor use of the rod that God sends.  
Lastly, than affliction is useful, when God works in the heart, a resolution and purpose of doing better than before: as David, Psal. 66.14. He speaks of vows that he made, and words that he uttered with his mouth in his affliction. And you may gather from that of Hezekiah, he desired the Prophet to tell him what sign he should have that he should go up to the house of the Lord, 2 King. 20. As if he desired his recovery upon no other terms but that he might serve the Lord better: felix necessitas. O blessed affliction that makes a man better! when a man comes to this Bethesda, and is cured of his disease, blessed man he that ever the hand of God was on him: that man may say with David, It is good for me that I was afflicted. And God of his exceeding goodness caused me to be troubled; when the Ark thus moves upward by the water, it is well. When the flesh sinks, and the spirit floats, it is a sign that these waters of Marah are made sweet; though the body lose, the spirit gains: so I have done with that.  
Now I come to the entertaining of this motion by Moses, and the course was this.  

First, Moses bids him appoint his own time when this should be done.  
Secondly, Pharaoh appoints it.  
Thirdly, Moses entertains it.   
First, he bids him appoint his time;  
But here in the first place it may be demanded, how it came to pass that Moses was so ready to gratify Pharaoh in his request; that he is so sudden, and quick in it?  
There may be two reasons given.  

First, in regard of Pharaoh.  
Secondly, in regard of the people.   
First, in regard of Pharaoh: this was a spark, and Moses thought fit to nourish it. This resolution was good, and there shall be nothing wanting in Moses to cherish it. The wicked must be followed, and held to it, and plied, for it is but seldom that we get them at advantage of good resolutions. And when they are there, stant in lubrice, they stand in slippery places, they are in danger of recidivation, and relapse. Therefore they must be plied and followed, and fomented, that if it be possible their promises may come to performances. Their Iron must be stricken when it is hot, and softened by the fire, saith Nazianzen, or else after a while it will come to its former hardness, and be less malleable. Do you remember that place, 1 King. 17. when the servants of Benhadad came with ropes about their necks? they watch for every word that falls from the King to catch it. Therefore he had no sooner said my brother Benhadad, but they clap in thy brother Benhadad. So we must with those that are coming to good, get ground on them, to bring them to performances. As Ezra when he had brought the people to mourn for their sins, he leaves not till they had entered into covenant with God. This is the reason in regard of Pharaoh.  
A second reason is in regard of the people. That is given by Tostatus; saith he, Moses was so quick in answering Pharaoh, because he conceived that Pharaoh would be ready to let the people go: and this he rejoiced in. Now thinks he, my labour will be profitable for those people that I love so well, and whose welfare I tender: so now I shall see an end of my tedious employment: now the people of God shall be beholding to me, to be their leader out of captivity. Thus the good man rejoiced when there was but the least hope of the success of his labours.  
So all God's messengers are affected, when they see their endeavours prosper, how do they rejoice? Much pains had this good Moses endured for love to the people, & many injuries had he swallowed and digested, and all out of a desire to do them good, that they might thrive under him. Nay, he pawned his salvation one time for them, that if God would not be merciful to them, he would blot him out. If they thrive, he rejoiceth, if otherwise he mourns, and laments, and betakes himself to God for redress.  
It is the case of all God's messengers that are well affected: do you think it was not a grief of soul to Esay, Esay 49 to say, I have spent my, strength in vain? he complains that he had laboured in vain. Was it not a grief of soul to Jeremiah when he found such ill success of his labours that he resolved to speak no more in the name of the Lord? Jer. 20. And can any wonder that Ezekiel should go in the bitterness of his soul upon his employment, when God tells him before, that he should meet with a contumelious people? The very fear of being unsuccessful made Jonah run to Tarshish, and wave the command of God, and subterfuge the employment.  
Therefore on the other side think what a joy it is to those that see their labours thrive. The gardener hath not so must joy in his plants, and the husbandman in his crop, or the indulgent father to see the welfare of his child, as the husbandman of God hath to see his people thrive in grace. I would this were taken to heart. Shall I speak freely to you? It is not your civil courtesies, it is not your countenance, nor your liberality; if all your gains should flow into our purses, it would not so much rejoice our souls, as to find you profit that our work may prosper, that we may fit some building for the Temple. For when you thrive, we advance God's glory, that is, or should be the end of all our do; we confirm the seal of our ministry. Thirdly, we are instruments of doing the greatest good in the world, of converting of souls. Lastly, we procure to ourselves the hope of eternal glory: for those that turn others shall shine. Therefore give us leave to say as John saith, We have no greater joy then to see our Children walk in the truth; And to say as Paul saith, Ye are our crown, and our glory, and our joy.  
Therefore in the name of God, even for his sake, and for your own soul's sake, and for the comfort of those that are employed among you, and that take pains in the word and doctrine, do not make the hearts of God's messengers sad. Give them not cause with Jeremiah to desire to lodge in a garden of Cucumbers, to wish that they had never seen your faces, because of your improfitablenesse. But commend their labours to God by your fruitfulness; and carry yourselves so, that they may give account with joy, and not with sorrow: so much for that. Now for the words; Glory over me, when shall I pray.  
The words in the original Behoth pergnali, glorify thyself upon me; expositors are very various in laying out the meaning of these words.  Glory over me. 
Shall we take it in this sense, as if it were an ejaculation of Moses, or a kind of exclamation of this man? O the glory that God hath put upon me! here is glory upon me indeed, that this great King, this proud Tyrant, should sue to me, and entreat! he that poured contempt upon me before, and for my sake vexed the people of God the more, that now he should entreat, O what an honour and glory is over me!  
Surely (beloved) Peter speaks of a spirit of glory resting on God's Children, and it shines in this, that the very wicked sometimes petition to the godly. Remember the instances I gave the last day. What an honour was it to Isaac, to be sought unto by the Philistines, that hated him before? What an honour was it to Joseph, that all his brethren's sheaves should bow to his, according to the presage of his dream, and that he must nourish them that maliced him? What an honour was it to David, that Saul should desire his favour when he had him in the cave, and gave a pregnant instance of his loyalty? What an honour was it to the Prophet, that Jeroboam should sue to him to restore his arm? And to Job, that his friends that were so deeply uncharitable in censuring him, must be beholding to him for his intercession? Surely whensoever Gods people take knowledge in it, they are bound to magnify God for this great favour. But the words will not endure this sense: for both the Conjugation, and the Mood wherein they are used, will not admit it. Therefore we must seek another sense. Glory over me.  
Reverend Calvin takes them by way of Antithesis in this manner, as if he should say, Thou hast little reason to glory in the Magicians, they abuse thee with shows, but now it comes to the removal of the plague, they cannot help thee; I make no question, but thou hast found how wain they are, Glory over me, that is, in my help for I am able, if thou wilt hear the motion that I make I will remove this from thee.  The Wicked are no security to a man, the godly must help. 
Well may they be fuel to the fire, but never able to quench the flame. He were a mad man that to secure himself from the Fire, would pile a many Billets between him and the flame; such are the wicked. No; in the day of trouble and vexation, one Moses to stand in the gap is worth a thousand of others. Ten men in Sodom would have saved those Cities from that conflagration: Nay Lot bailed them, all the time he was in it; One man should save a City; One Micaiah is worth four hundred false prophets.  
There is a third sense that is commonly harkened unto, and I listen to it; Glory over me. That is, take thou the glory of appointing the time when I shall pray: Though it be true that I that thou suest to, to remove the plague, should have my own time, yet take thou the glory to appoint the time, and I will do it. That I take to be the full sense and meaning of the phrase.  
Now it will be demanded, why Moses did gratify Pharaoh thus fare, that he should appoint the time when the judgement of God should be removed, why he was so favourable in this particular? divers reasons may be given of it, and each of them will yield an observation.  
First Moses well weighed that Pharaoh might have a conceit, (having heard that Moses was learned in all the learning of the Egyptians) that he might work by constellations, and other Astrological practices: he might take advantage of the position, and aspects of the planets and presently do it, and so gull Pharaoh with natural causes, and make him believe it was a supernatural miracle. Because Moses conceived this might be in Pharaohs imagination, he gives him leave to prescribe his own time.  This hath ever been the care of God's people, and instruments, for the greater glory of God, ever to do their works after that manner that they might be free from exception. 
That it might not be imputed to natural causes; but that the virtue, and power of God supernaturally might ever be acknowledged. Mark it in some instances. When Eliah was to confound the Priests of Baal, he caused the sacrifice to be put upon the Altar, he caused the wood to be laid, and when he had done, he caused four barrels of water to be cast upon the wood and the sacrifice, the first, second, and third time; and when he had done he caused a great trench or ditch about to be filled with water. All these things served to make it improbable that ever fire should come to consume it, unless it were brought by the hand of man: he did it on purpose, that they might see the work of God, and so they acknowledged when the fire came to consume the wood, and the sacrifice, and to lick up all the water in the trench; in so much that the people being absolutely satisfied cried out, The Lord he is God, the Lord he is God. The like we see in the proceeding of Elisha with Naaman the Assyrian, when Naaman came to be cured of his Leprosy; He did not speak with him; he did not come out, and lay his hand on the sore, as Naaman expected; why? This might have lessened the glory of the Miracle; he would have imputed it to connatural causes; to some virtue or skill in him; but when he sends him word, Go and wash in such a place, and never saw him nor spoke to him, he must needs acknowledge it to be a miracle.  
The like we see in the works of Christ in the Gospel, how he freed them from all exception, and just question in the world. When he was to turn the water into wine at the marriage, he did it not presently, he stayed till all the wine was spent, and there was general notice almost taken of the defect of it, than he causeth the water pots to be filled with water, and bids the men draw and carry to the governor; all these seemed to set back the work, but they set it forward, for it caused all men to magnify it, and acknowledge it to be the immediate power of God. So he dealt with the man at Bethesda; all the people took notice of him, he was a man that had been 38. years together, and would feign have been put into the pool, but he had never a friend to help him, you see what Christ did, he did but only speak to him, and so many of them acknowledged the wonderful power of God. So that man that was cured of his blindness, John 9 our blessed Saviour was pleased to pitch upon a person, that all the world took notice of, and none could cure him, he was borne blind. So the man at the Beautiful gate Act. 3. there was a work wrought on him that was free from all exception, therefore the Elders, and the high Priests, they confessed that not only it was a great work, but a miracle, a great miracle, and there was no exception against it. Thus God's people in all times labour to do their works that may be free from all exception, and prejudice.  
I would to God it might be so with us that in all the works that we do, we might be free from all carnality, and self-respects. For the devillalies in the wind, and puts into the hearts of those that are his own, to take exception at any thing that is done well in the world. If they do good works, it is out of hypocrisy (will he say,) or vain glory, or respect to a man's own profit. Thus they slander godly people's practice.  
Therefore let us have a care to do our works so, as they may be free from all just exception. Let us be careful to do them in integrity of heart, to approve our hearts to God Almighty, and that will bear us out against all men's exceptions. Art thou to do a work of charity, and the devil will slander thee for vain glory? shun the applause of the world, spite the devil in that. Again, doth the devil say, thou makest charity a matter of profit from men? Make them the objects of thy charity that are notable to recompense thee, (as Christ saith) that the world may say, it is not a benefit put out to interest, but make it a work of mercy.  
Again, doth the devil slander thee, that in the works of God thou dost them that God may prosper thee in thy basket, and in thy store? Make the devil a liar, serve God in adversity as well as in prosperity. So Job, the devil slandered him so, doth Job serve God for nought? Therefore let us do as that holy man did, when God frowned on him, he served him, and was patiented under that hand of God that lay on him; So much of the first reason.  
A second is this; Moses might think that Pharaoh might hold it for an advantage to prescribe the time. He might think, surely I shall now distress Moses, and put him by that he thinks of; he thinks he shall presently go upon it; no, I will do what I can to hinder his thoughts and purpose; he shall do it in my time. Pharaoh might think this an advantage to himself: Moses is willing to yield, that he might see he was able to do it: And God sometimes gives advantage to the wicked that his own glory might be the greater.  
A man would think there was a great advantage against the people of God, Judg. 7. when the Army of Gedeon was defalked from 32000. to 300. and the other did lie as Grasshoppers upon the earth, yet you see what was the issue, the barley cake that tumbled down, (as the man had it in his dream) overthrew the Tents of Midian: God was willing they should have the advantage in regard of provision, and number, yet you see what became of it. Was it not a great advantage that Saul had against David, when he required an hundred foreskins of the Philistines for a dowry with his daughter? he thought it a great advantage, and would puzzle him exceedingly; thought he, is it not more probable, that one David should die then a 100 Philistines? yet you see for all this advantage David comes off with honour, and in stead of an hundred he gives him two hundred.  
Was there not a great advantage on the part of Goliath against David? I, all Israel thought so: for the very presence of that uncircumcised monster did work terror in their hearts, and paleness in their faces. Was it not a great advantage, he was tall, and as the sons of Anak, and David was a little man, if it be true as he is described? What was a poor sheephook to a spear that was as a Weavers beam? was it not a great advantage to have a glittering sharp Sword; and the other but a few stones out of the brook? That he should be armed Cap a pe, and come against a naked man? all the world gave him for lost: yet you see, though he had all this advantage, and he thought so himself: for he saith in scorn, Come, and I will give thy flesh to the fowls of the air: for all this David laid him along, and cut off his head.  
The like we see in the Army of the Assyrians, 1 King. 20. They thought the children of Israel had advantage by fight on the Mountains; therefore if they did fight in the valleys they thought they should be victorious: God is willing to give them the advantage; into the valleys they come, but have they better success? Nay, though they have the advantage of the place, and of the number too: for it is said the people of God did lie before them as two companies of Kids, and they were an infinite company, yet we see what was the issue.  
So we may say of that great Army that came against Jehosaphat, he saith, We are not able to stand before this company: So in the Army that Senacherib brought against Jerusalem; railing Rabshakeh bid them submit, for all Israel's dust was not enough for every man a handful; yet for all they had that advantage the Lord overthrew them by a few. So God did give the Devil advantage against Job, as much as he desired: he did but desire to touch him; he gives him leave to touch his goods, his children, his body, that he made him the most fearful spectacle that ever the sun beheld: yet when all this was done, for all that Job was proved, and the devil was confounded.  
And our blessed Lord himself gave great advantage to the devil for his greater glory. He suffered him to tempt him in the Wilderness, that wild place, where there was nothing but beasts; the place was enough to have filled his heart with horror; and to tempt him after forty days fast, and when he was an hungry; and to tempt him with that that might soon move a hungry stomach, with provision of bread: all these advantages God gratified the devil with, that his glory might be the greater, and the confusion of the devil more.  
So afterward, he suffered himself to be apprehended, and nailed to the cross, (and then they thought they had advantage enough) nay to give up the ghost, and to die and to grapple with death in his own trenches; yet his glory was greater by giving the devil that great advantage.  
It was a great advantage the Philosopher had against that poor man in the Counsel of Nice; the cunning Sophister came upon him with many arguments. The other man in the plainness of his spirit so answered him, for all his advantage in learning the poor man bunged up his mouth, and converted him to the Christian faith. What an advantage had the Pope against Luther when he risen up? What an unequal combat was between them! The one a poor, Monk, and against him all of the Church, of Rome: Lather had temporal, and spiritual authority, all against him to bury him under, yet the work of God was made more glorious by this, and he lighted a candleithat by God's blessing shall never be put out.  
Well, for the use of this. Let us not be too much dejected when God gives some advantage to the wicked, though they have advantage, of number, and provision. There is not the greatest man in the world but God hath a hook for his nostrils. It may be God gives them these advantages for their greater ruins: he racks them high that they may fall into the greater mischief. God is able to send an Angel that in one night shall kill so many in the Host of Senacherib: God is able to send a Panic fear among the Assyrians that shall make them run away as if they were mad men, and leave their furnished tents to their enemies. God is able to make the Midianites turn their of words into each others sides, God is able by looking our of the pillar to confound the Egyptians in that manner, that there shall not be one man left to earry the news of the oyer throw.  
And give me lewe to tell you, we of the protestant faith have occasion to glorify God: God of late hath abated the pride, and pulled down the insolency and presumption, & met with the mighty in their devises, and left those to loss that were proud of their own number and provision, Blessed be the Lord for his goodness. It is the Lords doing, and it ought to be mervaitous in our eyes: and that heart that is not affected with it, I dare say it, hath not the power of Religion in it. And that is the second Reason.  
A third reason may be this, Moses gives leave to Pharaoh to pitch his time, Why? It may be Pharaoh would have held it some disparagement, and dishonour, if he should not have constituted his own time; therefore Moses doth not stand with him in this, but gratifies him; he could as easily do it in his time, as if he himself had appointed it. Though he were a man of great command, he will not vie with Pharaoh now, but if he think it an honour to appoint the time he shall. Indeed the children of God, so God may be glorified, they do not greatly stand upon pre-eminence. He will not vie with Pharaoh now for matter of appointing a day.  God's Children, so God may be glorified stand not upon terms of dignity or pre-eminence. 
The Lord saith to Cain in the case of Abel, if it be pre-eminence that thou lookest for, his desire shall be subject to thee, he shall not stand with thee for it. Aaron, though he were the elder, he doth not stand upon it, but is willing that Moses should have the pre-eminence. And David, though he were anointed King in reversion after Saul, yet he used Saul with all respect, he would not invade any of his honours, he would not envy him the glory that God had put upon him: he would stay the time, and tarry the opportunity that God was pleased to accommodate for his advancement, and when he was moved with the taking of the daughter of Saul in marriage, he was not greatly moved with that. So our blessed Lord himself did not stand upon titles of the world; when he might have been made a King, he would not, he fled away. Why? The Fathers give divers reasons.  
chrysostom saith that same humour of the people for the making him a King, it grew from their gluttony; they thought he was a fit man to be their King that could fit their Epicurious palate: he goes away rather. Saith the same Father, he would give us an example to despise the dignities of the world and the honours of the same. So Gregory to the same purpose, he fled to give us an example of contemning the honours of the world. Cyrill saith, he did go away, because he would show that his Kingdom was not of this world.  
But Austin in his 25. tract upon John, hits upon this reason, he would not be made a King, that he might give no way to any sedition, or rebellion against the Romans; as if he should have said, I live under authority, I content myself to be as I am, I desire not to invade the privileges of Princes; in the name of God let them enjoy them, you shall not oppose me to their power, to contradict their greatness; I will not do it. So he always carried himself as one that cared not for the dignities of the world, and was willing to leave them to those they belonged to. So he counselled his Disciples, Matth. 23. The Rulers of the Gentiles rule over you: leave those authorities to them, it is not fit for you to exercise them. And Paul was not much moved with the great breadth, and train that the false Apostles carried, though they exalted themselves by great titles. He grieved for the dispersing of their leaven, but for himself he was content to be accounted as nothing, so God might be glorified.  
For the use of it. It should teach us all as Moses here to be indifferent in matters of honour and pre-eminence, so we may always preserve God's glory that that be not impeached, leave them to those that desire them, and hunt after them, as Haman that could endure none at the banquet but himself. As Pompey, and Cesar, the one would not endure an equal, the other not a superior. As the Pharisees that did all to be seen of men; ●●ery creatures of vain glory. And Diotrephes, a man that loved pre-eminence, 3 Joh. 9 Let us in the fear of God approve ourselves to God, to have our consciences upright to him. And if once we know God's favour towards us, we will slight all the dignities of the world, and leave them to those Chameleons that live by that air. And to come to the point intended, they are not commended that men commend, but that God commendeth: One word of approbation from him is worth a thousand Encomiums, and large panegyrics of men: Surely, God will honour those that honour him. And such honour have all his Saints.  When shall I pray for thee? 
Some out of this clause of Moses observe these three things.  

First, Moses fitness to pray, if he will have it done presently, he is content to do it instantly if he will.  
Secondly, Moses confidence in prayer; any time when he will, he makes no doubt but God will hear him.  
Thirdly, Moses charity, when shall I pray for thee? and thy people, and thy servants? Though he were an enemy to him, and used him discourteously, yet he would pray for him.   
First, when shall I pray? as if he were ready to pray always.  Godly people are always in a good disposition for prayer. 
They keep in themselves a readiness for the performance of that duty. We have a rule in divinity, that affirmative precepts bind semper, but not ad semper, that is, a man is not tied to the continual performance of them, to do nothing else. A man is not tied all day to pray, and continually to give alms, or to hear the word of God. But he is bound semper, that is, to have always a readiness of disposition to holy duties: so here it was in Moses. It is fitly said by our blessed Saviour, pray always, and by the Apostle, pray continually, 1 Thes. 5.17. There were those that grossly understood this: for they thought the strength of that counsel and admonition was, that a man should wave preaching, and receiving of the Sacrament, and all parts of God's worship, merely for that duty of prayer. Nay, they thought a man should intermit the works of his ordinary calling and vocation, merely to be given to prayer: Therefore those Euchites, those men that pervert this place, of whom Austin, and others speak, they employed all the time they could gain from their sleep, and meat, to pray.  
It would but squander away the time, and ravel it out unprofitably to bestow a large confutation of these people. For certainly, God never intended that one of his ordinances should justle out another. There must be a time for hearing, and for praying, and for working in a man's calling. That Apostle that saith, pray continually, saith, be instant in season and out of season to preach, and hear the word, and wisheth them to give to the poor, and to work in their callings. God never intended his ordinances should enterfere, or exclude each other; but they must be sorted out in due time and in fit opportunity.  
But others have not well agreed about these words for praying continually. Some understand that this consists in a man's good life: he that lives a holy life prays continually. Truly as the Greek father saith, good works have a loud voice in the ears of God, and that man prays still that is doing good still. chrysostom sticks not to say that good works have the place of prayer with God, and impetrate. But I think not that that is the meaning of the Apostle. If therefore we understand it, pray continually; that is, at set times, and observe them with a non obstante. So Austin understands it.  
Others understand it, Pray continually, that is, upon all fit occasions lift up your souls to God, though but in short ejaculations.  
Others understand it, pray continually, that is, without fainting, though you have not the return of your petitions presently, yet pray without weariness.  
Lastly, Austin lights upon another for our purpose, Pray continually, that is, ever be disposed, and fit to pray. That we may say as David, O God my heart is ready. Surely that David that could pray seven times a day, and that Daniel that could pray three times a day in a solemn manner, retiring themselves from all occasions to perform that duty to God; we may well think that these people kept themselves in a fit disposition, in a readiness to perform that duty: they were ready upon all occasions that God offered to turn themselves too God.  
I desire for the use of it that according to the example of Moses, and of these people, we would be always ready. There is a great defect, and it is the worse because it is so necessary a practice for us. There be some that are so buried in the cares of the world, and so taken up with worldly occasions, like Martha they are busy about many things, that they have no time with Mary to intent the best things. They are so unsettled by worldly occasions that it is a long time before they can put themselves into a course to pray: their hearts are untuned, they can hardly put them into a way of prayer, and supplication. And when they come to it, as that old father said, their bodies are at Church, and their minds are at home. Others are so taken up with pleasures and recreations, that they have no mind to pray. There are other Epicurious, filthy people that outslip the morning prayer, and before the evening sacrifice comes, they drown their devotion in drink, that they have more need of sleep then mind to pray.  
There are others that put themselves from a preparation and readiness to prayer by malice: they are so sour of that leaven that they know not how to pray. It is not fit they should come to God for peace without peace. They make God bind their sins, because they will not forgive their brethren.  
We should so live, as they that look daily to die, and if so, than we should be always fit to pray. It is the best preparation for death, O there is none like that. A spirit full of supplication, a soul that is still sending holy ejaculations to God Almighty, and that keeps itself in a fitness for holy duties, that soul is fit to be a sacrifice to God, that soul can say, So come Lord Jesus.  
Therefore I beseech you in the name of God, take heed of worldliness, of Epicurianisme, of wantonness, of gluttony, and surfeiting, of malice, and all gross sins: For these gross sins that men accustom themselves to fall into, hurt the foot of prayer, and lame it, that it cannot go to God, keep yourselves from these: be ever careful in holy ways to walk in the presence of God, and then you shall have encouragement to go to the throne of grace, and that with boldness, and confidence, which is the next thing in Moses prayer, he comes to God with confidence, but so much for this time.   

THE NINTH SERMON Upon EXOD. CHAP. 8.  VERS. 10. 
Be it according to thy Word, that thou mayest know that there is none like the Lord our God.  
PHaraoh having pitched on the morrow, saith Moses, according to thy word be it. In the first place he yields, than he gives the reason why he so yields. He yields, Be it according to thy Word, that is, I will observe thine own time. Then he gives the reason why he doth so, that thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord. It shall appear in the removal of this judgement, thou shalt see all the Frogs confined to their proper element of water. For the first, the yielding.  Be it according to thy word. 
Some man may think, it would have been more fit for Moses to expostulate then to yield to Pharaoh, & he might thus have said, Dost thou request a courtesy at my hands, and limit me my time? surely if I do the favour, I will observe my own season, Beggars must be no choosers: if a man give freely, all circumstances are left in his discretion to his own liberty. But to answer these people, surely Moses had much disparaged himself, if having once yielded to Pharaoh, the power of prescribing the time, he should have eaten his word. First, it had been unworthy of Moses to have gone back. Pharaoh might have replied and said, what inconstancy is this? to give with one hand, and to take away with the other? thou either distrustest the cause, or art diffident of the power of thy God that thou wouldst fear me with.  
Secondly, it would have appeared a great neglect in Moses of Pharaoh, he had given liberty to Pharaoh to prescribe the time. Princes are not to be dallied with: if he should have fallen off now, and not have observed the time when Pharaoh had set it, certainly he had provoked Pharaoh, he had done wrong to the cause, the usage of Pharaoh had been course, and unworthy of so great a Majesty. But to come to the observation, it is this.  It hath ever been the manner of God's people in all times, fairly to entreat and easily to deal with, and respectively to use and not to irritate others that have been of place and quality, though they have been strangers to them, both in judgement and affections. 
In Gen. 4.7. saith God to Cain, in the behalf of Abel, his desire shall be to thee, and thou shalt rule over him. As if he should say, if thou think that my acceptation of his sacrifice will puff him up, fear not that, it shall not swell him so as that he shall forget that respect, that is due to thee as the elder brother, and the first borne. God will provide that his desire shall be subject to his brother in all things that are lawful, and he shall rule over him as the Elder. In Gen. 33.3. when Esau met Jacob, he bowed seven times to the ground, and in the course of his speech calls himself his servant: which was not a vain, light compliment, but seriously spoken: yet fare was it from betraying of his birthright (as some have thought,) by giving that away; but he did it showing respect to him as he was a great Prince, for so was Esau at this time. For the promise he knew should be performed to his posterity, the Idumeans served Israel from David to Joash 120. years, but the Israelites served not the Idumeans; he respected him though as a great Prince. The like we see in the carriage of Moses towards Edom in Num. 20. when the Israelites passed through their country, Moses sent a fair ambassage, and desired a peaceable, and free way, and urgeth him by many arguments, and moves it the second time, when he found him so stiff that he would not incline to the motion, they turned another way, so respective was he to that great man, though he were averse in his affections. So in David towards Saul when he hath him at a great advantage as may be, there is not one unrespective word comes from him: if he have occasion to speak to him himself, or to speak of him to others, his words and carriage were ever loyal and faithful, and full of reverence. How ever some people disfigured him to him, certainly there was no passage of his life that had the least touch of disloyalty to him. He knew he was the Lords anointed, and it was not a private injury that could wash off his duty that he ought him as his Prince.  
The like we see in our blessed Lord, how respective he was in all his carriage towards those in authority; how fairly he speaks in regard of Caesar, as unwilling to infringe any right or privilege of that Prince: nay, paying tribute that he need not, because he would not give offence. And how soon did Paul retract that word that he sent out hastily, and sharply against Ananias, God shall smite thee thou whited wall? Act. 23. he ingenuously professed that he did not know him to be the ruler of the people. And Cyprian taking occasion to speak of that place, saith he, they were Sacerdotes, etc. men unworthy of the place that they held, yet Paul was of that mind, that the very shadow of that honour he would not neglect, he would do that that was due to the place they maintained. As our blessed Saviour himself, for all the priesthood was so depraved in his time, he diminished none of the right, and due of it: but when he had healed the man, he bid him go away, and show himself to the Priest.  
The use of it meets with such in these times that spy imperfections in the practices of men to dispense with themselves in the duties due to their places. Moses could have so reasoned here; Pharaoh was a wicked man, and a persecutor of God's people, and Moses had a great commission himself: but he loved not to irritate and provoke him, and use him unbefitting a Magistrate: no more should other men. Let me tell you, Religion and piety, eat not out good manners and Civility. It is not the greatest zeal of a man against sin that will bear him out in rude unmannerliness. Even men that are wicked are to be used according to their place they maintain; if they be never so profane, if they have dignity it must be reverenced and their persons respected, Moses kindly condescends to Pharaoh.  
But some may say, Did not Elisha the prophet forbidden his man to salute any? Therefore there is a time when men may let down these actions of common courtesy.  
Let not that be pretended. The meaning is he should make such expedition that he should not delay, as men in compliments: for that would hinder the work.  
And although Saint John say, that there are some men that we should not bid God speed: It intimates only an intimate familiarity that is forbidden.  
Or else secondly, such salutations as carry approbation of the evil ways that a man is found in. But for common offices of humanity and kindness they are not forbidden. Christ would have his Apostles when they came to any place, to salute the house. If a man be never so flagiciously wicked, nay if he be excommunicated, which is the highest curse that can light on him; for all that civil courtesies must not be denied. Ambrose used Theodosius with all respect, though he were excommunicated. And he that is excommunicated is not more than a heathen, but as a heathen, and if so, the heathen must be used fairly and kindly, and not irritated and provoked, contrary to the dignity they maintain. Therefore whatsoever men except against the persons of men, give the place the honour that is due. So did Moses with Pharaoh, he would not go back from that he had said, lest he should impair the honour of so great a Magistrate. So much for that. Be it according to thy Word.  
A second thing I observe, that is, the cheerfulness of Moses undertaking this business; for mark, in common speech when we yield to a man's motion, what say we? Be it so, I am content, your word shall stand, I will do as you have said: this argueth a cheerful and willing performance. And Moses being about a work of mercy, to remove a judgement, this cheerfulness sets out the work. Paul saith if a man show mercy, he should do it cheerfully, with hilarity, with a kind of pleasantness. The same Apostle, he forbids the contrary: for he would not have men do it out of sorrow or grudgingly, enforcedly, 2 Cor. 9.2. and he gives a very good reason: for God loves a cheerful giver. If it be in that service that God requires for himself; if it be an office of love to our brethren, cheerfulness hath ever a special commendation, 1 Tim. 6. rich men are wished to be ready to distribute. That is the cheerful affection that is spoken of. And works of mercy are compared to sowing in the Scriptures. Every man desires a fair seedtime: so every man should give cheerfully, for the more cheerful the seedtime, the more expectation there is of the harvest. It is said in Psal. 112. The good man is merciful; the old translation reads it, the pleasant, the merry man is merciful. And Austin reads it, the sweet man. And why? he gives a very good reason for it: for saith he, it makes a man sweet in the nostrils of God, when he is cheerful in doing that that is good; Whereas on the other side, if it be necessitated, and extorted from him, saith Austin, God will pour him out of his mouth as a man doth that that is unsavoury and unsweet that troubles his tongue, that is fit for nothing but ejection.  
Now this cheerfulness when a man is to do good, should appear three ways.  
First, a man should find in his heart: Deut. 15.10. saith the Lord, thou shalt give him in his need, and thou shalt not find thine heart grieved, when thou givest. Thou shalt not find thy bowels locked up, so the word signifieth in the Epistle of John, the locking up of a man's bowels. A man must not find his heart straitened, but be so cheerful in his disposition for this purpose, as if he rejoiced in the opportunities that God offers for the exercise of his charity.  
Secondly, there must be cheerfulness in a man's countenance: for if a man do a work of mercy with an austere look, and a clouded brow, he puts gravel into that bread he gives, and sours the favour he would bestow, so as it is unacceptable. Therefore Solomon speaks of a man with an evil eye, and bids eat not his bread, that when he sees a man eat his meat, wisheth him choked, that when he gives a penny he casts an eye after it as if he wished it in his purse again: such a man's charity would not be had, if a man could be without it.  
Thirdly, there must be cheerfulness in a man's words. Thus it is said that Joseph spoke comfortably to his brethren. And so Boaz to Ruth, and David to the poor Egyptian servant; And so our blessed Lord to the woman that came trembling before him, and was afraid of being checked, he did not only comfort her, but perfect the work of mercy on her.  
For the use of it, it meets with many in these days, there be those that their hearts are dead in them, as nabals, like a stone, there is no cheerfulness in their inward man, they will do but so much as the Law compels them, and there is an end. Or it may be when it is racked out with importunity, and extreme solicitation that is done, and nothing else, which as Ambrose saith is to give, not out of judgement, but out of a desire to be free from importunity; there are a number of these sponges in the world that suck a great deal, but you must squeeze them before you can get any thing from them. How do these ever think to have thanks of God? he loves a cheerful giver; or of men? when Seneca saith a man that receives a benefit from him, he doth not receive it, but it is wrung from him: therefore he thinks not himself so obliged to requital, or to be responsary for such a favour.  
Secondly, you have those, that if they enlarge themselves to any matter of bounty, and charity, they brow-beate the poor, those that need them; they look so austerely and sullenly, and superciliously as if they would eat them, as if as the Baziliske they would kill them with their looks.  
Thirdly, you have those, that if they do any thing, they do it with such language and so rate the poor man as if he were a dog rather than a man, and bore God's Image as well as he. The son of Syrack gives better counsel, Blemish not thy good deeds with evil words, for sometimes a good word is better than the gift, and so it is.  
Therefore in the second place, it is a use of instruction to us all to find our hearts cheerful upon the occasions that God ministereth for the exercise of our charity. We are about to commemorate the greatest favour that God ever did, in sending his Son to take our nature, and to die. If our hearts be open, it is well: O let us bless God for the opportunities he ministereth to us; for the ability he hath given to us to refresh the bowels of those that are necessitated. And let us thank God that we are not in a condition of want, but that God hath given us some ability to give. Secondly, let us be cheerful in our countenance. And thirdly, in our words, let us speak Gnaleb, to the hearts of those that are in necessity, as the Hebrew is; give them the comfort that is fit for them, for with such sacrifice God is pleased. So much for the yielding of Moses.  
Now he comes to the reason, That thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord our God.  
And now beloved, while Moses assigneth this reason, let all men be satisfied that thought Moses indiscreet in yielding to the motion; Now you see his aim, he intends the glory of God, he intends to teach Pharaoh such a lesson as he never learned before. If he had done it in his own time, he had not promoted the glory of God so much; therefore now it makes him justifiable, and makes him an example to us, which shall be the observation.  In all our actions to aim at the glory of God. 
It is the Queen of all causes, the end of all things, the glory of God. Joshua persuades Achan to a full and free confession from this way, to give glory 〈◊〉 God, though he knew that he should expose his life to danger, yet let him give glory to God, Jos. 7. It is the counsel of David, Psal. 22.23. O ye of the seed of Israel glorify the Lord. And it is the practice of David if you mark it, Sam. 6. when he brought the Ark, and danced before it, and was reproached by his wife that relished not those good things, saith he, I have done it before the Lord, which Tostatus interpreting saith, I have done it to the honour of God, thou sayest I am vile, I care not if I were more base, so God may be glorified, I will be more vile. It is that that God himself indents with man for, Psal. 50. Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will hear thee, and thou shalt glorify me. There is a supposition of a day of trouble; and an imposition of a duty, we must call upon God: and God's composition, Man must glorify him, and God will hear. So you shall find it is the counsel of our blessed Saviour, Let your light so shine before men that others may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven, Matth. 5.16. It is that that our blessed Saviour sets down in the first petition of the Lords prayer, hallowed be thy name; It is that that our blessed Lord in his practice had respect to, Joh. 17.4. Father (saith he) I have glorified thee on earth. It is that that Paul would have to be remembered in all our actions, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10. The children of God have been so sensible of God's honour that they have not dared to do the least thing whereby they might impair it. The sense of God's honour made Abraham compose that jar between Lot and him. This is that that kept Joseph from satisfying the lascivious desire of his mistress. This kept Mordecai from bowing to Haman: he would not have stood to give that proud Persian reverence but for this. First, it was more than civil that he required. Secondly, he was an Agagite that God had cursed, in both which respects he should have diminished the glory of God. It was respect to this that kept Daniel from eating his portion of meat, and the three children from bowing to the Image. This made Paul and Barnabas so zealous, that they flew in among the people when they would have sacrificed to them, because it entrenched upon the honour of God, Act. 14. This made Peter refuse the honour that Cornelius would have done; and the Angel refuse it from the hands of John, because they knew they should wrong God in his glory. And this was the reason that the fathers of the Church, when there was a motion made for the composing of differences between them, and some Arian heretics that stood up: a little would have done it, the least letter in the Alphabet, jota, in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they would not lend a word, not a syllable, not a letter; why? because they were jealous of giving away the honour of God, and that that belonged to his glory. And what is the reason that we join not with those in the Church of Rome in giving such unlimited honour to the Virgin Mary, and to other Saints, but that we are afraid to take from God, and give to the creature? we must be jealous of his glory. Why do we not pray to Saints as they do? because it is due to God, and it is an impeachment of his honour since invocation is proper to him.  
The children of God are so zealous of his glory, that they regard not their goods, no not their lives to set it forward; Paul saith, Phil, 1.20. I rejoice whether by life or death God shall be glorified, he cared not for his life. So we see in our blessed Lord himself, Joh. 12.27. Father, what shall I say? free me from this hour: but yet I came into the world for this hour, glorify thy name. As man, he desired the cup might pass from him: but when he considered that God intended his glory in his suffiering, Father (saith he) glorify thy name what ever come.  
Nay the Children of God have been so zealous to promote God's glory, that they have not regarded their own salvation. It is a notable instance of Moses, who was conceited that if God should destroy the people now, part of his glory would be impaired, saith he, Lord if thou wilt do this raze me out of the book of life. Rather than God's honour should be impaired among the heathen that were apt to take occasion to blaspheme God, Moses was willing to forfeit his own salvation. So Paul for the same Israel, he was content to be Anathema for them. The glory of God in their salvation was so dear to him. Thus respective the children of God have ever been to bring glory to God in all their actions.  
But one thing will be questioned, what man can give glory to God? As john Baptist said of Christ, I have need to be baptised of thee, and comest thou to me? God had need to give us glory, and honour, and he must give it us if we have any true honour. Are we like to bring glory to him? to set forth his glory? Was not God glorious and happy before ever there were Angels or men to praise him?  
Saith Ambrose, God is not the better if we praise him, or the worse if we dispraise him: what can this worthless film of flesh that tumbles up and down our mouths, add to the glory of God.  
The schoolmen answer, God accepts it to increase his glory ad extra, though ad intra there be no increase, or diminution.  
Therefore for the use of it, it meets with a number in the world of whom the Apostles speech will be verified, they seek their own, but not the glory of God; men build, but as the bvilders of Babel, to get themselves a name. Mark, saith chrysostom, to get themselves a name, not God the glory. So Calvin observes concerning that passage out of the mouth of Nabuchadnezzar. Is not this great Babel that I have built for my honour, etc. Mark, all is for himself, not for the glory of God or the good of the State. So there are a number that do alms, they perform the work, but as the Pharisees, not for the glory of God, but for their own praise, they do their works that they may be seen of men. So there are a number that make profession of Religion; what! for the glory of God? No, to build up themselves in the opinion of the world, that men may conceit of them to be religious. So there are those that do good works sometimes; Is it for the glory of God? No, for their own temporal ends; or it may be as the Papists to merit by them, that they may be said to be their own Saviour's: So God's glory is made the last, man sets his own ends first; Take heed, if God have not his first end in his glory, our glory shall be our shame.  
Therefoae let us take heed ever, that first our intentions be the glory of God, whether we eat or drink, do all to his praise and honour, and whatsoever we can do by any means promote it. Art thou a Magistrate? respect God's glory in that. Art thou a Minister? preach not thyself, but have a care to advance the glory of God, and build up the body of his Son. Art thou a father of children and a master? in the nurturing of them look to the glory of God. Dost thou desire issue? look not so much to have some to perpetuate thy memory, but set ke it as a holy seed, whereby God may be glorified. Art thou a rich man? honour God with thy substance. Art thou honourable? improve thy honour to the glory God. What estate soever thou art in, look principally to promote the glory of God; It is the end of all things. God hath made all things for his own glory, and should it not be the end of our actions? Secondly, In him we live, move, and have our being, should not we live to his glory? He is our Alpha, from him we came; should he not be our Omega, to whom we should tend? Therefore as all the Rivers come from the Sea, and pay all their tribute to that great Lord, so let all our actions tend to him.  
Thirdly, while we glorify God, we honour ourselves, as Austin observes upon that in the Lord's Prayer, hallowed be thy name, saith he, understand it well, and thou prayest for thyself: for when thou prayest that God's name may be hallowed, thou prayest that thyself may be sanctified, when thou honorest-God thou honourest thyself, and those that honour him, he will honour.  
Let us look to it, and seriously intent it, and be fare from doing any thing whereby we may dishonour God. It was the fault of David, he did that, whereby the enemies of God blasphemed. It was the fault of those in the time of Christ, they dishonoured him. It is that that Paul lays to the charge of the Jews, they caused God's name to be evil spoken of among the heathen. It is that that I fear many of us are guilty of, that by our lewd carriage we cause Religion, and the name of God to be evil spoken of in Gath, and in the streets of Askalon.  
Every ingenuous nature is sensible of the house he springs of, and would by no means blemish it: Shall he abuse our sister as a whore? say the sons of Jacob to their father. Every good child is sensible of the honour of his father, and every subject of the honour of his country, and shall not we be of the honour of God? He is jealous of his honour, and if we suffer it to fall in our hands, we shall smart: for God can glorify himself in our confusion. So much of that. Now for the words themselves.  
There is none like the Lord our God.  
A most true saying, you have it every where in Scripture, Deut. 33.26. There is none like the God of Jeshurun, 2 Sam. 22. O Lord thou art great, and there is none like to thee, 1 King. 8.23. saith Solomon. There is none like thee O Lord either in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, Psal. 86.8. There is none like thee O God, neither are the works of others like thine, Esay 46.9. I am God, and there is none like to me, Jer. 10.6, 7. twice over, There is none like the Lord, there is none like the Lord, Micah 7.18. Who is like to thee? So every where the Scripture saith, there is none like to God.  
The Maccabees were called so from Judas Maccabeus, and he was called so from the letters he carried in his Ensign, and they were Man, Caph, Aleph, and Jod; The meaning of it is this, who is like thee O Lord? among the Gods there is none. So he that strove with the Dragon, Rev. 12. Michael, the signification of his name is, who is like as God? There is none like God. I could instance in a number of particulars: take these four.  
There is none like him in verity, and truth: for he is the only true God. So you have it, 1 Thess. 1. The Idols of the heathens were but Idols, and an Idol is nothing, 1 Cor. 8. that is, nothing to that a man conceits him to be. The Hebrews call them Elilim some say, quasi all elohim, because they are not Gods, but it is better from another word Elili, that signifies nothing. God is the only true God.  
Secondly, none is like him in unity; The Gods of the heathens were infinite, every City, every Town, every Hamlet had their Gods. Ambrose calls them, The brood of Gods: and that Polytheisme brought Atheism into the world. It is not so with God, Hear Israel, the Lord thy God is one.  
Thirdly, there is none like him in purity. The Gods of the heathens, were good follows. Who can endure to hear of a God that sometimes would thunder, and sometimes commmit adultery? The Idols are called sometimes in Scriptures, dunghill Gods. So the Idols of the heathen were so obscene, and filthy and abominable, that they might well be so called. It is not so with God, he is the holy one of Israel. Holy and reverend is his name. And the Angels themselves call him Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; and his pure eyes can endure no iniquity. So he is a holy God.  
Lastly, none is like him in power. The Gods of the heathen, and those that worshipped those imaginary deities that men set up, they could not defend those that trusted in them, nor defend themselves. How oft were they carried captive, as we read in stories? Jacob when he was gone from Laban was pursued with a great deal of hostility; and his first cry is, why hast thou stolen my Gods? Proper Gods that might be stolen. So it is a good speech, Judg. 6. Let Baal plead for himself. What! is his Image demolished? is he not able to revenge his own quarrel? Let him plead for himself. So Dagon though the great God of the Philistims, yet he could not keep himself from being broken by a fall. Senacherib found a difference between the Gods of those countries that he had subdued, and the God of Israel: he found he was such a one as could not be stood against.  
Not to multiply more, see the power of God acknowledged in that place, 1 King. 18. where the contestation was between Elias, and the Priests of Baal, whose sacrifice should be accepted first. The Priests of Baal leapt upon the Altar, and as a company of madmen, and bedlams, cut themselves with knives till the blood gushed out, they cried and roared till their throats were dry, and all would not bring a spark of fire. Eliah prays to God, and it was done, and the fire comes, and consumes not the sacrifice only, but licks up all about it; so the people cry out, The Lord he is God, not Baal, but Jehovah, for he exceeds all. But this is not a thing that we need stand on; we must come nearer. For surely Moses intended that Pharaoh must know God to be the only Lord. How could this be? Moses no doubt understood that by this judgement on him, and by the removing of it his eyes would be so in lightened, that he should see there is none like God.  
God is known in afflicting of judgements.  
And that especially, first, when it is a strange judgement, when it is a fearful judgement. As that judgement of Sodom, when there came fire from heaven. Saith Salvianus, when God sent hell out of heaven, fire and brimstone. So when the earth swallowed Corah, and his company, it was a strange and fearful judgement.  
Secondly, sometime a judgement is remarkable, when it is unseasonable in regard of the time; as the eclipse, and darkness at Christ's suffering, for it was not a natural Eclipse: God shown his power, he made the Sun withdraw his light, and left the earth wrapped in obscurity.  
Thirdly, God's power is more remarkable when it is sudden, such as that that Samuel brought upon the people, that in the midst of harvest at his word there came thunder and lightning, and abundance of rain, that spoiled their endeavours. For as Tostatus saith upon the place, he looked not Astronomically; he stayed not till there was a meet time of bringing things about; but presently, and that made it more fearful to the people.  
And as in the inflicting of judgements God's hand may easily be seen, and is remarkable, so in the removing of it, and that I think Moses intends. For when a judgement hath been long upon a people, and they have smarted sound, and have used all means they can devise, and yet it is not removed: in the end turning themselves to God, and he removing it, this makes them know the Lord to be God. This was Pharaohs case, to which Moses had respect when he said this, That thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord. For you know the hand of God was heavy upon him by the Frogs, they were such annoyance to him and his servants, that they could have no meat dressed, or be quiet in their beds, it was a terrible encumbrance, no question he consulted with the Magicians to remove them. They could not do it: God gave them leave to bring them, but they had neither leave, nor power to take them away. God useth the devil sometimes in the execution of justice: but never to do a work of mercy. The bringing of the Frogs was a judgement, the taking of them away was a mercy. It was not for the devil to do that. It is like enough that Pharaoh supplicated God: all will not do, till Pharaoh desire Moses. So that now when all is gone by the prayer of Moses, he must needs know the Lord to be the God, that there is none like him. When Eliah told Ahab that there should be no rain in Israel but according to his word, and that the drought should continue three years, and six months: you may think this, that Ahab sought means for the preservation of the Cattles, and consulted with his great God that he worshipped to remove this judgement, it would not do, it must be the God of Elias that must do it: and that Elias that was the bridle of heaven, as Basill calls him, he must unlock heaven, and pour out rain abundantly. So the obduracy of the Philistims was so great, that having took the Ark of God among them, they endured seven month's vexation of hemeroids, and many people died, yet they held out till at last they saw no time could cure it. They consulted with their Priest, and he said, go, and make such an offering, and saith he, give glory to the God of Israel: as if he had said, it is not your Dagon, nor all the means you can use, that can free you from this judgement, but acknowledge that it is God's judgement, & that there is none like him jonas r●ns away from his commission, and a whirlwind follows him, and seizeth upon the whole ship, they were all in danger through him. They were not wanting to use all means to secure themselves, every man called upon his God; they unladed the ship, and cast away whatsoever might be an encumbrance, and hurt to them, they left nothing unattempted, they rowed with all sedulity to bring it to land. All would not do, it must be the God of Ionas that must do it, all their Gods could not do it. There is none like the God of Israel.  
So it was with Paul, Act. 27. he was in a great storm, for three days they never saw Sun nor Star; at the last, Paul having revealed from God that they should all be safe, he bids them take a good heart to themselves, for none of them should perish: but it was the God that Paul served that must do it, and must help them in this extremity, and so he did. Eusebius in the fifth book of his history, Chap. 5. tells, that under Marcus Aurelius the Emperor, there was a Legion of Christian Soldiers. The army was in great distress: for the enemy came close to them, and they were exceedingly pinched for water. The company of Christians betook themselves to prayer, thereupon the Lord sent such a thunder and lightning as discomfited the enemy, and such abundance of rain, that satisfied their thirst: so that Army was after called the thundering Legion. All that the Pagan Gods cannot do, the God of the Christians must do it: there is none like him.  
Therefore for the use of it. Let this teach us when it pleaseth the Lord to send us deliverance to acknowledge his power; to see God's hand in it. Though there may be some subordinate means used, give God the praise, let him have all the glory. I will but turn any of you back to some extremity you have been in by sickness of body: some desperate case you have been drawn to, was it thy wealth that would abate thy pain? was it thy friends that could keep off thy fit? was it thy former pleasures could give thee comfort? Nay did it not increase thy vexation, thy guiltiness in the misusing of them, and in the distempered abuse of them? did it not increase thy dolour? could the Physicians help thee? did not they give thee for lost? thy case was to be deplored, till it pleased this God to whom none is like to rescue thee from the jaws of death. Hast thou been left to tempests of mind; to terrors of soul? then tell me, and speak true from thy heart, did all those carnal receipts of gaming, drinking, and business, and whatsoever, did all help? were they not miserable comforters, Physicians of no value? till God spoke to thy conscience peace, and said to thy soul, I am thy salvation, thou hadst no comfort nor joy. It is impossible it should be otherwise. There is no God like our God, he alone will do it, all things else are as reeds of Egypt, nothing can help, there is none like him. As that woman was answered by the King, O woman, if God do not help thee, how shall I help thee? There is no help from man unless God strike in. Therefore see God in thy deliverance, acknowledge his power; share it not between the creator, and the creature: for it is the Lords doing that it might be marvelous in our eyes.  
That thou mayest know that there is none like the Lord. Mark here.  
The works of God so enlighten the wicked that though they convert them not, yet they convince them.  
Thou shalt know that the Lord is God, and confess that there is none like him, if it do thee not good, it shall further thy condemnation. So the works of God convince the judgements of wicked men, though they convert them not. And that is enough to make them inexcusable, Rom. 1. Jeroboam, when his hand was restored, he could not but say, there was no God like the God of Israel, and that the Prophet was a true Prophet. So Manasseh when he was humbled by affliction, he knew the Lord, 2 Chron. 33. So Nabuchadnezzar when God gives ability to Daniel to interpret his dream, and to tell him what it was without, being informed of it, he saith, there is no God like thine. So afterward when he saw the deliverance of the three children out of the furnace, he saith, there is no God like him.  
I say not that he became a good man afterward: yet so fare the light beat upon his eyes, that though it enlightened him not, it dazzled him. So Darius acknowledged the God of Daniel to be the great God when he preserved him in the midst of the ravenous Lions. So Antiochus, 2 Maccab. 9 though he stood out a great while in the obstinacy of his heart, at the last he submitted, and acknowledged the great God, that no flesh could stand against him.  
For the use of it, it is this; to labour for more than this; for since this befalls wicked men, to be convinced in their judgements, we should make further use of it then so. It is pity but we should go further than the sons of Belial. Nay Belzebub himself goes thus fare, the devils believe and tremble. And there was a time when the devil confessed our Lord: and it is good for us to go further than they: therefore when the hand of God is against thee, acknowledge not only God's power, but go forward, humble thyself before God, find out that Achan, find out thy fin, protest against it: and when this is done, take thy leave of thy fin, divorce thyself from thine iniquity, and never more renew thy acquaintance with it. This is the fruit that ought to be of God's deliverances, not only to see that God delivereth, but to what end, that thou mightest be more holy afterward.  
O it grieves my soul to think, that many people, though they be not so atheistical but they will acknowledge God's hand in smiting, and in delivering of them: yet God knows they make no good use of it. I will go back but to the great plague, when our waters were turned into blood: did not the destroying Angel that marched furiously as Jehu, make the stoutest heart to tremble? No question. And the retreat was as sudden as the increase. Every man can say, God was to be magnified for that, and it was a very great mercy; but what use do we make of it? God looks for fruit. If we acknowledge it to be God's work, we are convinced of God's power: but what fruit is there? The devil is convinced of God's power: but have we brought forth fruit? Oh, some fruits we supererogate with God in. If it be blasphemy, or lust, or oppression, and uncharitableness, God shall have more than he desires: but these are not the fruits that God looks for. Are not we as ambitious, as proud, as excessive, as fraudulent as ever we were? What one fin in this City (shall I say) is removed? nay I would it were abated. Nay beloved, I fear, and I fear to speak it; we are again ready, and white to another Sickle. O, it is a fearful thing when the coming of God's judgements shall make us humble, and the removing of it shall make us unthankful: for this shows that that humiliation was enforced, and not ingenuous. Therefore let us look that the next cup be more bitter; look to it, there will worse things befall us, because we acknowledge the power of God and have not brought forth fruit worthy of so great a blessing.  
Lastly, to shut up all, there is one thing more, and that is this, Our God.  
There is no God like our God; In what a near relation God stands to his people, I shown before. All that I will do is by way of application, to work upon us to a holy recognition of God's favour that he hath drawn us nearer to him then many thousands in the world. There is a great deal of divinity in Pronouns, saith Luther: I am sure, there is a great deal of comfort. For God to be the God of all the world in a general latitude, it is not so much, but to be our God; to enclose, and impropriate this God to us, that we should say he is our God, and we are his people, this is a wondrous comfort.  
Now than what is required of us? As we draw this God near ourselves, and say as Thomas did, my God, and my Lord, Joh. 20. As we draw near to him: So let our conversation be worthy of so near a relation. For God will be honoured in all that come so near him. He can better endure the wickedness of those that are out of the Church, and the pales of it, than the profaneness of those that are in it. He will have those that he hath taken so especial a charge of it, that they be holy, & ploughs, & that their conversations be as becometh the Gospel.  
Therefore as oft as we reflect upon our relation, let it be ever a motive to a holy conversation. For to say our God, and to be full of gross sine, as we are, it is a foul solecism. It is that that God most abhors, for he is a pure God, and his pure eyes cannot endure iniquity. We must live to his glory, and honour him that hath drawn us so near him; and then we are sure that he will not leave us till he have perfected us in glory; Christ shall be ours, and God through Christ shall be ours; and God through Christ being ours, all things shall be ours.   
FINIS.