LIB. IIII. Of the plagues of/Eypt. A 1 dolefull,ond afioni!hing.How foone hat~l God c.honged the note of this tyrannicall people ! lEgypt was never fo ftubborne mdenymg potfage to Ifrael, as now Importunate to entreat it: Ph.,ADh did not more force them to ftay before, then now to ' depm:whom lately they would not permit,now they hire to go. Their rich Jewels offilver and gold were not too deure for them,whom they hated;howmuch rather had they to fend themaway w~althy,rhen to have themftay tohe their Ex_eclltors: Their love to themfdves obtamed of them the ennchmg of their enemies 1 and now they areglad to pay them well for their old work, and their prefent journey: Goas people had ftayed likeSlaves,rhey goeaway like Conquerors,with the fpoile ofthoferhat bored them; am1ed for fecurity,and wealthy for maintenance. Oldlacobs feventy foules which hebrought down into lEgypr, in fpight oftheir B bonda"e,ondbloud-!hed,go forth fix hundred thoufand men,befidi:s chlldren.The world is well mended with Ifrael, fince he went with his ftaffe ond his fcfiP. over Jordan. Tyranny is too weak,where God bids,increafe and multiply. I knmv not where elfethe-goodheibover-growes theweeds;the Churchout-fttips theWorld. I feare ifthey had lived ineafe and delicacy, they had nor beene fo ftrong; fo numerous.Never any true Ifraelire loft by his affiittlon. Not ondy fot the :ttlion,but the time, Pharaohs choice meets with Gods: That very night, when ihe hundred and thirty yeares wereexpired, Ifrael is gone, Pha,.oh neither can, nor con will to keepe them any longer; yet in this, not fulfilling Geds will, but his owne. How fweetlydoth God difpofeofall fecond caufes,rhat whiles they doe their own will, they doe his ! C The Ifraditcs are equall glad ofthis ha!le. Who i.Jould nor be ready to goe,yea to 1\ie out of bond::i;e~ They have what they wilhed; it was noftaying fo'r :i fecolld invitation. The lofie ofan opportunity is mariy times unrecoverable : the love of their liberty made the burden oftheir dough light : ·,vho knew whether the variable rriind of Ph.r.oh mightreturne to a denial!, and •(-after all his ftubbornnetfe) repent ofhil obedience ~ It is fooli!h to hazard where there is certainty of good offers, and uncertainty ofcontinuance. They goe therefore ; and the fame Godthat fctcht themout,is both their guide and protec1or.Howcarefully doth he chufe'their woy! notthe nearer ,bu• thefafer.He would not have his people fo fuddenly change from bondoge to warre. It is the \vondrous mercy ofpod,th~t he hdth refpe6't,as to his owne glory,lo to ' b our infirmltks.Heintends them ;varres hereafter, but after fome longerbreathinll, and morepreparation; his goodndfefo orders oll, thar<vils ore norready for us, nll we be readyforthem. Andas he chuf•s<. fo he guides their way. That they might not erre in that fandy :trid<~ntl·aeied wildernetfe, hitnfelfe goes before them : \vho could but follow chearfully,when hefe~~ God legd hini ~He that led die wife men by oStar,leads Ifrael bya Cloud:That \vas all higher6bjett,rherefore he gives them an higher,nnd mor<!.heavenlycondutt;This wasmorce:irrhly;therefore he contents himfelfwith a lower reprefentationofhis prefence;A pillar of ~loud and fire:A pillor.for firmn,eslofcloud and fire forvifibi!iry~nd uft.•The greater light exri,nguifl1es the lelfe;theretoremtheday he fl1ewes them n6t fi r<;but a cloud: In the mght nothin~ Is ~eene without light;•therefore ,he fl1ewe~ the11:1 n0t the cloud;butfire : The · ,E cloua !hdret~them from !rea< byday ;~he· firedigeflstli<Nawnelfe ofthe mght.The fame God. i~ bothacloudand.a fire tO histhildren. eve~ ·puttin" himfclk lnrothofe formes ofgracious refpefu; that may befi'flt iheimeteffiti&s. 0 ' 8 . .. ~7 ' As good motions are long ere thoy dn'~nter iritd hard lieom, fo they feldome contmue long.No fooner were the backs ofifrael turned to depart, then Pharaohs heart and faceis turned afterthem, to fetch them hackagaine. It vexes himto fee fogreat a command,fomuchwealrh,caft away in one night;which now he refolves to redeeme,thoughwith more plagues. The fame ambirion and coveroufnetfe that madehimweoreout fo many judgements,will nor ieave him rill it havewroughr out his full deftruttion. All Gods veageances have their end; the final! perdition ofhis enemies,which they cannot refitill they have attained: Phdraoh thereforearid his 1£- gypuans will needsgoe fcr.cb thei• bane. Theywell k~ew that Ifrad was firrr:.·~~ , J
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