and companion in tribulation and in the Kingdome and patience of IESVS CHRIST herein wee may obserue how hee placeth this word Kingdome betweene Tribulation and Patience to teach vs that there is no obtaining of eternall rest without the patient bearing of the Crosse No man saies Augustine can reioyce with the world and raigne with CHRIST and Saint Hierom saith It is impossible that any man should enioye both preseent and future delights as then the Isacharites did willingly bowe their Shoulders to beare the burthen of Tribute because they sawe that Rest was good so must all true Christians bee contented to vndergoe the Crosse in this life if they hope after death to rest from their labours Secondly Tillage is the other burthen of a Christian God is a Husbandman and hee sowe◠good wheate and the Diuell also is a Husbandman but his graine is Tares these two haue their seuerall bailiues of husbandrie Gods Bailiues be zealous and industrious ministers that labour in his haruest at his plough and in his vineyard the Diuels Bailiues bee Heretickes and Schismatickes which by their corrupt doctrine poison the soules of men both of these Bailiues haue their Burthens but herein there is a difference the Diuels burthen is light and is borne with ease and pleasure but Gods burthen is heauie and the carriage of it painefull and troublesome for when the Diuell entertaines any Bailiue into his seruice hee makes the same promise that Syrus did saying h) Plut. in apoth prisc regum Whosoeuer will come and bee my seruant if hee bee a footeman I will make him a horseman if hee bee a horseman I will make him ride with Coaches if hee bee a farmour I will make him a Gentleman if hee possesse a cottage I will giue him a village if hee haue a village I will giue him a Citie if hee bee Lord of a Citie I will make him a Prince of a Region or Countrie and as for gold I will powre it forth vnto them by heapes and waight and not by number these are the wages of Sathans hirelings wondrous glorious in pompe of wordes and ostentation of stile but of the contrarie part Gods proclamation to his husbandmen is Repent for except you sowe in teares you shall neuer reape in ioy i) Ioh. 16.2 in this world you shall receiue affliction they shall whippe and murther you and you shall bee hatefull in the sight of all men for my name sake this is the entertainement proposed by God to such as will come and serue at his plough and beare his burthen hence it is that Sathan hath so many God so few husbandmen because the Burthen of the one is so light and the others so heauie but this ought not to discourage a true Christian from Tillage remember Isachar he sawe that the land was pleasant and yeelded him for his paines and labour Corne wine and oile and therefore with alacritie hee bowed his shoulder to beare the Burthen of tillage so let vs looke vpon the pleasantnesse of Gods Land which we till and then wee shall finde that the fruites thereof doe ouerballance all our Labours for in stead of corne we reape Christ himselfe who is The bread of life in stead of wine we enioy the Grace of God and in stead of oyle we shall be partakers of euerlasting ioy and gladnesse ô then who would not like an asse couch vnder Gods burthen in this life by holding his plough labouring in his vineyard and sweating in his haruest considering that his Penie is eternall life and his wages ioyes euerlasting THE SEVENTH SERMON OF DAN GEN. 49.16.17.18 Dan shall iudge his people as one of the Tribes of Israel Dan shall bee a Serpent by the way an Adder by the path byting the Horse-heeles so that his Rider shall fall back-ward O Lord I haue waited for thy Saluation DAN was the Sonne of Iacob by Bilhah the Hand-maide of Rahel for when shee saw that shee bare Iacob no children shee enuied her sister and saide vnto Iacob Giue mee children or else I die Then Iacobs anger was kindled against Rahel and hee saide Am I in Gods stead which hath with-holden from the fruite of the wombe and shee said Behold my maide Bilhah Go in to her she shall beare vpon my knees and I shall haue children also by her then she gaue him Bilhah her maide and Iacob went in to her So Bilhah conceiued and bare Iacob a sonne then saide Rahel God hath giuen sentence on my side and hath also heard my voyce hath giuen me a sonne therefore she called his name Dan which is by interpretation Iudgment This name of Dan being giuen by Rahel discouereth in her three infirmities the first is Enuie because her sister Leah was fruitfull shee barren August con◠Faust lib. 2. cap. 54. therefore she enuied her S. Augustine excuseth Rahe saying non inuidit sed zelauit sororem shee did not enuie her sister because she beare children but shee had an earnest desire to be like vnto her in fruitfulnesse but the Word Dan which signifieth a Sentence or a Iudgement is an euidēt demonstration of her malice and enuie the second is foolishnesse for she said vnto her husband giue me children shee saith not so as though Iacob of purpose had restrained his naturall force as Rabbi Leui thinketh neither is it her meaning that Iacob should by his prayers obtaine children for her as Isaac had done for Rebeccah for then Iacob would not haue beene angrie with her but her womanly heate had in such sort dampt reason that she had forgotten that God was the onely giuer of children for there be fower (b) Paraph. Hierosol in cap. 30. Gen. keies in Gods hand which he hath not committed to any other the first is the Keye of raine as it is in Deuteronomie (c) Deut. 28.12 The Lord shall open his good treasure the heauen to giue raine the second is the Keye of foode of which Dauid saith (d) Psal 104.28 Thou openest thine hand and they are filled the third is the Keye of the Wombe of this there is mention made in the historie of Iosephs conception where it is said (e) Gen. 30.22 that God remembred Rahel and God heard her and opened her wombe the fourth is the Keye of the Graue as it is in Ezechiel (f) Ezech. 37.13 Behold my people saith the Lord I will open your graues and cause you to come vp out of your Sepulchers now Rahel sheweth her foolishnesse herein that shee would take the Keie of the Wombe from God and put it into Iacobs hand the third is her Impatience couched in these words or I die her meaning is not that if shee die without children her name should perish but that if shee remaine barren still shee can liue no longer for inward griefe and discontent will macerate and consume her three things moued This enuie foolishnes and impatience in her namely an
for feare that spirituall Sanballat the Diuell surprize him at vnawares Wee must not thinke to conquere Sathan by delaying and prolonging the fight from day to day as Quixtus Fabius did Hannibal the Carthaginian Of whome Ennius thus writes (t) Vnus homo nobis â—unctando restituit rem Ennius One man by delay our ruines hath repaird No the case is not alike Hanniball was farre from his owne countrey and therefore could not bee speedilie supplyed with victuals men and munition the want of which was the cause of his ouerthrowe but the Diuell is in his owne Dominion (u] Eph. 2.2 for hee is the Prince of this worlde that ruleth in the Aire and worketh in the children of disobedience wherefore in vs rest or delaye breedes daunger because it weakens our owne forces and strengthens him Therefore we must euer stand vpon our guard as the Apostle counsels vs saying x] Eph. 6.14 Stand therâ—fore and your loynes gird about with veritie We must neuer lay aside the Hâ—lmet of Saluation nor the Brest-plate of Righteousnes nor the Shielde of Faith nor the Sworde of the Spirite but y) Pet. â— 8 Watch and bee sober continuallie least our Aduersaries finde vs either disarmed or sleeping z) 2. Sam. â— 7 Remember Ishboseth the sonne of Saul hee was slaine by two captaines Baanah and Rechab while he slept on a bed at noone and Sampson was spoiled of his long haire wherein lay his strength while hee slept on (a) Iudg. 16. â—9 Delilahs knee euen so shall wee be serued if wee sleepe at noonetide or be bewitched by this harlot our owne flesh to continue in sinne securely therefore it behooueth vs while we haue light to walke in the light for feare the rebellious spirits of darkenesse murder vs sleeping and to beware of the diuels stumbling blocke our owne Carnall desire least it clippe our lockes and depriue vs of all spirituall strength thereby disabling vs to withstand the furious assaults of our enemies Thirdly there be two causes of our fighting the first is the Glorie of our God the second is our owne saluation for the diuell is an aduersarie both to God and man and his chiefest studie is to rob God of his honour and to depriue man of aeternall life this his attempt appeareth in his first conflict with our Grand-parents in paradice where perswading Heuah to eate of the forbidden fruite hee first beginneth to condemne God of (b) Gen. 3.4 falshood for whereas God hath said (c) Gen. 2.16.17 Thou shalt eate freely of euery tree of the garden but of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt not eate of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death he tels her a contrarie tale saying yee shall not die at all but God doth knowe that when ye shall eate thereof your eies shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and euil in this practise with Heuah wee may see his malice bent euen against his creatour in that hee contradicteth his commandement and therein like a Rebel striueth to spoile him of his honour and secondly with the glorious and goldeÌ„ promise of a dietie included in these words yee shal be as Gods he traineth them to disobedience knowing assuredly that if they did eate the fruite though pleasant to the eie and good for meate would be their bane thus with one blowe he strikes both God and man God in regard of his glorie and man in respect of his life and therfore our Sauiour calles him (d) Ioh. 8.44 a Lyar and a murderer froÌ„ the beginning a Lyar because hee euer oppugneth the Truth of God a Murderer because he is delighted with the ruine and destruction of man if then wee haue care of Gods glorie and our owne saluation we must euer be at open dâ—fiance with Sathan as Iehu answered the King of â—â—reel who said vnto him Is it peace Iehu so must we answere the diuel who oftentimes offereth vs faire conditions of peace that by securitie he may betray vs Iehu his answere was this (e) 2. Reg. 9.22 what peace whiles the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel and her witchcrafts are yet in great number so ought we to say to the diuell whiles by spirituall whoredome and fornication which is Idolatrie thou robbest God of his honour by innumerable witchcrafts or temptations makest hauocke of the soules of men we will haue no peace with thee this ought to be the resolution of a Christian Souldier for as there is no fellowship betwixt light darkenesse God Mammon Christ and Belial so there must be no amitie or truce betwixt the champions of God and the spirits of darkenesse Gad an hoast of men shall ouercome him c though the Gadites were a warlike and stout people yet they were ouercome and this as I said before fell out by the ordinance of God first to teach them and vs that a man hath no strength in himselfe to defend himselfe secondly to humble them and make them knowe themselues and thirdly to moue them to craue by praier Gods assistance and aide as it was with the Gadites so is it with euery Christian Souldier there is not any so strong (f) Gen. 9.21 be it Noah a preacher of righteousnesse (g) Exod. 37.4 or Aaron the annointed of the Lord (h) 2. Sam. 11 â— or Dauid a man after Gods owne hart or (i) Luc. 22.57 Peter the Apostle of Christ Iesus but a mote may be found in his eie either the mote of drunkennesse or of Idolatrie or adulterie murder or apostacie none then when as euen the most righteous adorned with epithetons of grace are fraile can presume of his owne strength wherefore as the Prophet Hieremiah said of the noblemen of Zion (k) Lam. 4.2 The noblemen of Zion comparable vnto fine gold how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers So may I say of the children of men in our creation wee were golden vessels and vessels of honour for we were made after the (l) Gen. 1.27 image of God himselfe but by the transgression of our first parents and the infection of originall sinne wee are become earthen Pitchers brittle and dishonourable vessels soone crackt and broken in peeces by Sathan euen like the worke of the hands of the potter the spirit of God exhorts vs to stand to it and sight manfully saying (m) Eph. 6.14 stand therefore but who is so strong that can say I will stand oh no that freedome of will which was in Adam before his fall is quite extinct and buried in vs before we be regenerate for as the Apostle saith (n) 1. Cor. 2 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned in these words the Apostle by a Naturall man vnderstandeth him that is estranged from Christ beeing
be a Tower of defence vnto his children against the face of all their enemies Then Iacob called his Sonnes c. in the two first verses of this chapter is contained the Prologue or preamble to the ensuing Propheticall Benediction and in this preamble there is a Summons and a Charge The first branch is the summons Iacob citeth his sonnes to appeare and calls them before him that he may speake vnto them before he dies This was a custome amongst the holie Patriarches when they felt death approaching to call their children and their friends before them First to acquiante them with the knowledge of things to come and secondlie to instruct them in sacred Aphorismes and rules of good life So did f Deuter. 33. Moses g Iosu 24. Iosuah h 1. Reg. 2. Dauid and many others making their death-bed their Pulpit to Prophecie and preach in But why should they choose such a time a time of paine and anguish and a time of mourning lamentation because it is the fittest time i Xenoph. lib. 8 Plat. in apel Some Philosophers haue thoght that the soule of man vpon the approach of death growes more diuine and by a supernaturall inspiration is made euen then most able to discourse of future euents but this Assertion is repugnant to reason For the soule though in its owne nature it bee impassible yet doth it sympathize with the bodie and therefore when the bodie is ill affected and afflicted with sicknes then also the faculties of the soule begin to languish to growe fainte and dull Let then Xenophon bring in his Cyrus and Plato his Socrates to auouch that at the time of death a mans soule is inspired with the power of diuination yet will this position proue to bee but like a house founded vpon the sand and one of Sathans fallacies and illusions The cause then why Iacob prophecies vpon his death-bed is not because his soule was then more diuine but that the remarkeable circumstance of the time might procure in the memorie of his sonnes a deeper and more permanent impression of his Prophecie The second branch of the Preamble is the Charge in these words Gather your selues together that I may tell you what shall come to you in the last dayes gather your selues together and heare you sonnes of Iacob and hearken vnto Israel your Father This Charge is very emphaticall as appeareth by this threefold doubling of the words Gather your selues together gather your selues together Heare Hearken vnto Iacob and Israel your Father k Tharg Hieros in hunc locum This shewes that the holie Patriarch will speake of some great and important matters concerning his sonnes that hee will instruct them both as a naturall and spirituall Father and therefore because he will not haue them stand like idle spectators and carelesse auditors First hee chargeth them to gather and gather themselues together wherein hee requireth not onely the presence of their bodies but also of their cogitations Secondly hee commands them to heare and hearken vnto Iacob and Israel their Father which is as if hee should haue said let mee haue both the l Rup in Gen. lib. 9. Com. cap. 25. attention of your eares and the intention of your minds that I may tell you what shall come to you in the last dayes in this speech Iacob alledgeth the cause both why he summoned them to appeare also why hee giueth them so strict a charge This cause is the seale of his commission and a testimonie that he is one of Gods Prophets because the grouÌ„d of his speech must be a Reuealing of things to come which is onely proper peculiar to God them whom hee vouchsafeth to employ as his instruments It is not registred by the pen of Gods spirit how the Patriarch Iacob attained vnto this foreknowledge whether by Oracle dreame or vision which are the m Num. 12.6.7.8 three ordinary meanes of Reuelation yet it is very likely that God was knowne vnto him by vision which is three manner of wares either when true things are discerned by an infused light and the mere vnderstanding or else when besides that light Imâ—ges are also described that either in the minde as when Zachariah saw the n Zach. 18. Hornes and the o 4.2 candlesticke p Hier. 1.13 Hieremiah the Pot or else in the eyes and outward sense as was that q Dan. 5.5 hand spokeÌ„ of by Daniel which appeared on the wall and as Angels were seene to talke with men in a bodily shape now it is most probable that by the first of these three meanes Iacob prophecied telling his sonnes what should come to them in the last dayes Touching the boundes or limites of Iacobs Prophecie there is some question made amongst expositors both Iewish and Christian r Rab. Kimhi in 2. cap. Esa Rabbi Kimhi s Hieron in Michaeam cap. 4. S. Hierome and Lyranus affirme that as often as dies nouissimi the last dayes are mentioned in the Scriptures the Time or comming of the Messiah is signified and that his time is therfore called the last daies because he should be the period or ende of the Iewish state both in regard of the Lawe the Priest-hood the Kingdome and the figures or types of the Old Testament and that after the preaching of the Gospell no other priest-hood law nor Sacraments were to be expected though I doe not gainsay but that the Time of the Messiah may be called the last daies yet in these wordes that Time is not principally implyed for Iacob in this prophecie fore-telleth diuerse things which were fulfilled long before the comming of CHRIST therefore in this Text by the Last-daies is signified the Succeeding ages and Times from the departure of the Israelites out of Aegipt till the comming of Christ In this prologue of Iacob wee may for our instruction obserue two things First The patterne of dying Secondly the Art of hearing the first is couched in the Summons the second in the Charge of Iacob For the first it is vpon record that the holie men in former times vsed to assemble their friends kins-folke and children to blesse and instruct them before they died t Gen. 27. so Isaac blessed his two sonnes Iacob and Esau v Deut. 33. Moses the Tribes of Israel so x 1. Chro. 29. Dauid blessed Salomon and our blessed y Iohn 17. Sauiour prayed for his disciples immediately before his death these actions of them ought to be presidents for vs to followe and imitate and herein by their example are wee taught to haue a speciall care of the spirituall welfare of our children bequeathing them golden legacies wholsome counsell and good instructions how to serue God to walke in his wayes and obserue his statutes z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death is common to all as well to the rich glutton cloathed in purple and fine linneÌ„ as to the famisht Lazar
whose bodie is embroydered with sores but to die well and make a good end like Isaac Iacob Dauid and Iosuah is a peculiar blessing and therefore all men doe not attaine vnto it The worldling when sicknes the harbinger of death arresteth him a 2. Sam. 17. like Achitophel putteth his house in order dieth euen when he is to make a surrender of his soule his mind like b Luc. 10.41 Martha is altogether intangled in temporall obiects and cumbred about worldlie affaires scarce reseruing one minute to dispose of his spirituall estate and in the calling of his friendes hee does as c 1. Sam. 16. Ishai did in the calling forth of his sonnes first comes Eliab then Abinadab then Shammah but Dauid the anointed of the Lord comes last of all So when his bodie begins to decay First hee sendeth for his Physition his Iupiter Menecrates who must if Art be powerfull restore him to health preserue him from the â—awes of death and from the vnsatiable graue next if the Physition faile in his practise like d 2. Reg. 1. Ahaziah hee will enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron some Wizard Witch or Sorcerer whether hee shall and by what meanes hee may recouer of his disease If this course proue disastrous and insuccesfull then the Lawyer or Scribe must take his case in hand to entaile and perpetuate his Lands and possessions And lastly when his sicknesse growes desperate in comes the Minister whose presence but for fashion-sake is as yrkesome as was the sight of e 1. Reg. 22.8 Micheah to Achab this is the worldlings ende who thinketh hee hath done God good seruice if he can but crie Lord Lord at the last gaspe and presumeth that thereupon our Sauiour will say vnto him as hee did to the Thiefe f Luc. 23.43 To day shalt thou be with mee in Paradice Oh no g Mat 7.21 not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that dith the will of my Father which is in heauen saith Christ Now Gods will is that vpon our death-bed wee should doe as Iacob and the other Patriarches did to wit Sanctifie his Name by praying vnto him by praising him for his goodnesse and by blessing and instructing our children how to clense their wayes by framing themselues according to the word of the Lord. If we hope then to take a ioyfull farewell of the world and to die the death of the righteous we must in the flowre of our age in the dayes of our youth h Eccl 12. remember our Creator before the keepers of the house tremble the strong men bowe theÌ„selues before the grinders cease and they waxe darke that looke out by the windowes before the golden Ewer be broken and the Almond tree begin to flourish while our legges be strong as Marble pillars let vs be glad with Dauid to goe into the house of the Lord and while our armes are fresh and able let vs like Daniel seuen times a day lift vp pure hands without wrath or doubting while wee haue the organs of speech and eyes to beholde the heauens and the firmament which declare and shewe the glorious handy worke of our GOD let vs with them both magnifie and praise his holy Name and while our memorie is vnbruised and our vnderstanding vnblunted let vs Dedicate Deuote and Consecrate to heauenly meditation these two beeing the best members that wee haue i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato The true professours of Philosophie euer thinke of death saith Plato because the thought thereof is the bridle of vice and like the water of Iordan washeth away the leprosie of the soule If amongst the Pagans no otherwise directed but by the glimmering light of Nature the remembrance of death was prescribed as a soueraigne Antidote against the poyson of vice ought not Christians to whose feete the Word is a Light and a lanterne vnto their pathes to be farre more carefull how to liue and how to die then they If wee then haue a desire to patterne Iacob in the manner of his dying wee must imitate him also in the fashion of his marrying Iacob could not enioy his best beloued Rachel till he had married Leah because as k Genes 29.26 Laban answered him It is not the manner of this place to giue the younger before the elder Euen so like Leah and Rachel liuing well and dying well are two Sisters the Twinnes of Grace all men long for the younger of these For shee is beautifull and faire but the elder is neglected because shee is bleare-eyed and of harder fauour The very reprobate wisheth to partake with the righteous in his well-dying but renounceth his fellowship in well-liuing but the followers of Iacob contract themselues to both These two are like the two l August de ciuit Dei lib. 5. Temples of Honour and Vertue in Rome which were so contiguouslie built that no man could goe into the Temple of Honour vnlesse hee went first through the Temple of Vertue Euen so is the coniunction of well-liuing and well-dying For none can attaine to the happinesse of well-dying vnlesse first hee accommodate and applie himselfe to well-liuing Secondly in the charge of Iacob to his sonnes is infolded the Arte of hearing Gods oracles an Arte so necessarie and requisite that without the Theorike and practise of it it is as hard for a man to enter into the kingdom of heauen as for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle For Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and without Faith it is impossible to please God therefore it is expedient for all men to be studious in this Arte. In hearing then the Prophecies of God and the preaching of his Word foure things are required The presence of the bodie the assembling of the cogitations the attention of the eares and the intention of the minde for as Iacob saide to his sonnes so God sayes to vs all Gather your selues together gather your selues together Heare ô yee people and hearken vnto the word of the Lorde these foure like the foure m Ezek. 1.9 beasts which Ezechiel saw in Vision must all goe one way together for if they be separated all Preaching is effectlesse if the bodie bee onely present and the cogitations absent then the words of the Preacher will be to lesse purpose then the Prophets speaking to the n Ezek. 37.4 drie bones if the eare bee onely open and the minde shut and sealed vp then though the ministers lips preserue neuer so much knowledge and like lillies drop downe pure mirrhe yet is his doctrine but like seed sowen in a sandie ground some are like vnto the o 1 SaÌ„ 5.5 Priests of Dagon who because their God falling before the Arke broke off his head and the two palmes of his hands vpon a Threshold would neuer tread on the Threshold of Dagon in Oshâ—od these are Recusants who haue made a vow to
God forbid that I should consent to so foule a sinne But it may bee obiected against Iacob that hee seemeth to be a partaker with his soÌ„nes in their crueltie howsoeuer hee doth now at the last inueigh against it Because when that horrible fact was fresh and new he passed it ouer with so slight and easie a reprehension for hee onely said vnto them (a) Gen. 34.3 Yee haue troubled mee and made me stinke among the inhabitants of the land wherein he seemeth onely to be grieued at his own imminent danger not directly to censure them for their bloudie riot and misdemeanour But his obiection may thus be refelled and Iacob excused Hee partlie considered the iustice of God vpon the Shechemites for the outrage committed against Dinah partly he was moued with her complaint and moane for the losse of her virginitie and partly he gaue place to the rage of his sonnes which were in their furie and this is the cause why they were rebuk't so slenderly But now vpon his deaths-bed hee maketh himselfe trans-parent by disclosing and opening his detestation of their bloudie acte saying Into their secret let not my soule come That which Iacob abhorreth is of all men to bee eschewed namely Consent in sinning it is the guise and fashion of the wicked as the Psalmist obserueth WheÌ„ they see a Thiefe to consent vnto him and to bee partakers with the adulterers but such as be like blessed Iacob will not walke in the counsell of the vngodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull There is small difference saith S. Augustine betwixt the Actor and Consenter in sinning As for example it was (b) 2. Sam. 11.17 Dauids sinne to murder Vriah but Ioab consented because he put the Kings letter in execution and it was the sinne of the Iewes to stone Steuen but Paul kept their clothes stood by and consented vnto his death and therefore in the course and rule of Iustice Ioab may be saide to haue contriued the death of Vriah as well as Dauid and Paul to haue stoned Steuen as well as the Iewes It is not enough when we see any sinne committed to goe aside and call for water and wash our hands as (c) Matt. 27.24 Pilate did when the high Priests and the rest cryed out against IESVS Crucifie him Crucifie him and to say as hee did I am innocent of the bloud of this Iust man looke you to it No Pilate herein did imitate the Pharisies washing the outside of his cuppe but not cleansing it within So then euery one is a right Pilate that doth not to his power hinder sinne and thwart Sathan It is the dutie then of a true Christian if he see anie proud Herode (d) Act. 12.22 houen and puffed vp with the acclamations of his practises to crie out against his sinne as the Prophet Isaiah did saying (e) Isa 28.1 Woe to the Crowne of Pride if a couetous extortioner to say with Iames (f) Iam. 5.1 Goe to yee rich men weepe howle for your miserie that shall come vpon you and if a deceitfull and cruell person to say with Iacob Into thy secret let not my soule come My glorie bee not thou ioyned with their assemblie Rabbi Salomon is of opinion that in this and the former branch of this speech Iacob aymeth at (g) Num. 25. Zimri his vncleane act with Cosbi and at (h) Num. 16. Corah with his rebellious assemblies The one being of the tribe of Simeon the other of Leui No doubt Iacob being endewed with the spirit of prophesie did foresee both Zimri his incontinencie and Corahs schisme and obstinacie but here his words are to be vnderstoode of the cruell exploite of Simeon and Leui against the Sichemites and haue onely relation to the Time past Iacob by his Glorie meaneth two things First (i) Ps 30.12 his Fame or good Name Secondlie his Tongue which is the instrument of praise and glorie as it is vsed in the Psalme Therfore shall my toÌ„gue praise thee not cease c. There the Hebrue word Chebodh is traÌ„slated Tongue yet it signifieth Glorie because the Tongue is the organ whereby Gods Name is glorified So then the meaning of this place is this First hee prayeth that his good and glorious name may not be blemished by his sonnes conspiracie And secondlie hee protesteth that as he gaue no consent vnto them in his heart so neither would he afford their action any approbation with his tongue The first Doctrine that like fruite groweth vpon the stemme of Iacobs speech is this It is good and requisite for euery man to be iealous of his name credit fame (k) Pro 22 1â— A good name saith Salomon is to be chosen aboue great riches and louing fauour is aboue golde aboue siluer The consideration whereof grieued and troubled Iacob for he feared that the infamie of his sonnes would blurre his glorie that their misdemeanour would be imputed vnto him laid to his charge yet if the inhabitants of the land haue fastened any tooth vpon his credite to backbite it he might iustly say as Dauid did They lay to my charge things that I knâ—w not as theÌ„ Iacob is jealous of his glorie so should we all be cautelous and warie of our credit A good name is like an Oyntment powred out which leaueth behind it a sweet perfume such a name haue all we for our Sauiour who is the Messiah and CHRIST which signifieth anointed hath writteÌ„ vpon vs his own Name thereupon we are called (l) Hier. in Esay 62.7 ChristiaÌ„s it behoueth vs theÌ„ to take heed that we blemish not this glorious name by our leaud life for (m) Eccles 10.1 as dead flies cause to stinke putrifie the oyntmeÌ„t of the apothecary so doth a little folly him that is in estimation for wisdome for glory Now what name is more esteemed then the Name of IESVS CHRIST at the hearing whereof all knees ought to bowe and what title so Honourable as a Christian Who then that is a Christian will bee so carelesse of this blessed Name as to tainte it with ill-liuing Sinnes are those Dead-flies that putrifie and cause to stinke this excellent oyntment therefore saith the sonne of Syrach (n) Eccl. 7.2 Depart from the thing that is wicked sinne or the reproach of sinne shall turne from thee Iudas was a Christian so was Ananias Saphyra Simon Magus and Demas but the dead flie of Treason caused this name to stinke in Iudas the dead flie of hypocrisie corrupted it in Ananias Saphyra the dead flie of vaine-glorie putrified it in Simon and the dead flie of Apostasie did rot it in Demas If then wee haue a desire to preserue our name sweete we that are Christians must take heed like Iacob that no dead-flie come into our Boxe of Oyntment wee must keepe it shut with two Couers the
couer of Faith the couer of Loue First the couer of Faith will (o) Eph. 6.16 shield thee from all the fierie dartes and tēptations of Sathan whereby hee striueth to pierce and wound thy Christian Name and secondlie the couer of Loue will hinder and put backe sinne (p) Gen. 4.7 which euer lyeth at the doore of the wicked (q) Pindar They are Christians saith Iustine Martyr that obserue the Commaundements of CHRIST If then wee beare this worthie Name wee must not disgrace it by our impietie Hee is happie saith Pindarus who is followed with a good name and this happinesse no doubt did attend Iacob and shall accompanie euery true Israelite after his death that can but truely say as Iacob did vpon his death-bed against the wicked My glorie be not thou ioyned with their assemblie Secondly as I said before by Glorie is signified the Tongue and therefore Iacob saith my glorie or my tongue be not thou ioyned with their assemblie that is to say God forbid that I should by my silence giue countenance to your crueltie or by my tongue approue of your actions Hence ariseth this doctrine The tongues of Gods children must euer be at open defiance with sinne wordes are tokens of those passions and affections which be in the minde saith Aristotle out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh saith the spirit of God Democ. and Democritus taught that Speech was a certaine flowing of reason if then our hearts be vpright and wholly giuen to God then also will our tongues be his instrumēts but if our hearts be like Cakes bakte on the one side as Ephraim was halfe soft halfe hard halfe hot and halfe cold then are our tongues likewise slacke in Gods cause it proceeded from a good heart that Iacob with his tongue did so sharpely reproue his sonnes the abundance of zeale in the heart made Eliah stand vp as the wiseman saith like fire and tell Ahab (t) 1. Reg. 18.18 That it was he and his fathers house that troubled Israel it came from a hart that loathed vncleannesse (u) Luc. 3.19 that Iohn Baptist so boldly checkt Herod saying it is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brother Phillips wife such Iacobs such Eliahs and such Iohns are all the true children of God they be euer like Iohn and Iames Boanerges sons of Thunder with boldnesse confidence crying out against sinne though it weare a crowne swaie a scepter and be clothed in purple and gold and so indeed should it be for it is far better to please God then men with our tongues Oh then let the Tongues of all that loue God and regard his honour be like those (x) Act. 2.3 that sate vpon the Apostles fierie tongues to consume and burne vp sinne what though Sathan frowne and the worldlings furiously rage together when they heare their shame and condemnation what though in requitall for preaching the truth thou be like (y) Epiphanius Isaiah sawen in peeces with a woodden sawe like Ieremie stoned to death like Ezechiel slaine with the sword and like Amos haue thy braines dasht out yet let this comfort thee He that looseth his life for Christs sake shall finde it againe whereas of the contrarie part such as flatter sinne with their tongues and bowe downe to the golden Calues of mount Horeb our licentious worldlings though they preach in Christs name yet because it is not in sinceritie our Sauiour will say vnto them at the last day Verily I knowe you not For in their wrath they slew a man and in their selfe-will they digged downe a wall in these words the holy patriarch deliuereth the cause why hee so bitterly inueyeth against Simeon and Leui and also why hee is so carefull to wind himselfe out of Infamie and free or cleere his name from all imputation of crueltie namely because In their wrath they had slaine a man and in their self-wil digged downe a wall concerning the meaning of these words there is some difference amongst expositours because the hebrewe word Shor which is here interpreted a wall signifieth both a Wall and a Bull therefore some reade this text thus In their wrath they slew a man and in their selfe will they haugh-stringed a Bull they then which follow this interpretation referre the former part of the words to Shechem and the latter part to (z) In ira sua occiderunt virum in voluntate sua vendiderunt Ioseph qui assimilatus est boui Tharg Hieros Ioseph whom Simeon and Leui would haue slaine indeed Moses when before his death he blessed the Tribes of Israel compareth the familie of Ioseph to a (a) Deut. 33.17 Bullocke and there the hebrewe word Shor is vsed yet in this place it cannot be meant of Ioseph because he was not murthered and therefore I thinke that by these words they digged downe a wall Iacob onely expresseth the Violence of their passion by the streame whereof they were carried headlong vnto this cruel and bloodie act making their entrance not by the Gates but by digging downe or through the wall of the Citie though this be not directlie expressed yet these wordes intimate as much mentioned in the foure and thirtie chapter of Genesis They went into the Citie boldly that is breaking into it violently and ouerthrowing the Wall before them Wrath is the Rage of the minde and the eclipse of Reason and self-will the issue of a foolish proude heart Wrath is like the water of the riuer Lyncestis of which whosoeuer drinketh becommeth presentlie madde for it robs a man of himselfe and Selfe-will bewrayeth the nakednes of the soule and diuideth Follie So then these two sonnes of Iacob because of their wrath and selfe-will may iustly be tearmed Fooles and Madde-men and so are such as paralell them in these humours according to the saying of Salomon He that is slowe to Anger or wrath is of great wisedome but hee that is of an hastie minde exalteth Follie. For in their wrath they slewe a man c. Iacob before declared how much hee abhorred the cruell murthering of Hamor and Shechem when he called Simeon and Leui Cruell instruments in their Compacts And now hee inueyeth against the two Wings that caried them to this bloudie rage namely Wrath and selfe-will Passions are the wings of the soule A righteous soules wings are like the siluer wings of a white Doue Swift for flight and faire to looke on these are Knowledge and Zeale and by them the children of GOD like winged-Cherubins are caried with speed to euery good Action but the wings of a wicked-soule are like the wings of the Locustes spoken of in the Reuelation (b) Apo. 9.9 The sound whereof were like vnto the sound of Charrets when many horses run vnto battell and these are Wrath and Selfewill whereby the vngodly are caried violently to the executing of euery euill enterprise Wrath made Caine (c) Gen. 4.8 kill Abell and
Fatherlie disposition This may teach all men but especially the Prophets of GOD and the Ministers of the Word to looke vpon sinne with impartiall eyes They must not spie a mote in the eye of pouertie and ouer-looke a beame in the eye of greatnes They must not be bolde in the mountaines of Iudah and bee Tongue-tyed when they come to Bethel the Kings-chappell but in euery place and to euery person of what degree soeuer he bee if he be guiltie of sinne speake boldly and powre vpon his head the viall of Gods vengeance and proclaime his Execrations and Curses that thereby he may be terrified from sinning drawne to Reformation newnesse of life Partialitie is like to the euill and lying (p) 1. Reg. 22.2 spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets it corrupteth both Pulpits and Tribunals it maketh Iudges which should punish sinnes blinde and Preachers that should crie out against sinne Dumb-dogges Partialitie maketh great personages presume and assume a Libertie and priuiledge in sinning but would Iudges and Ministers doe as Iacob did lay aside all Respects the Tribunall and the Pulpit would bee more regarded and sinne better restrained I will diuide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israell In these wordes is contained the punishment of Simeon and Leui their Vnton is requited and recompenced with a Diuision They were brethren in euill and Confederates in mischiefe and therefore they must be Separated and Diuided in Israell Heerein the speech of the Prophet is proued true (q) Ezech. 18.2 The Fathers haue eaten sower Grapes and the Childrens teeth are set on edge For for the sinnes of Simeon and Leui these two tribes or families are punished and this accordingly came to passe for Simeon had no possession or inheritance by himselfe but was (r) Iosu 19. intermingled with Iudah (s) 1. Chron. 4. and was constrained afterward by force of Arms to enlarge his bounds And some are of opinion that the poore (t) Tharg Hieros Scribes which were dispersed in Israel came of Simeon howsoeuer certain it is that the tribe of SimeoÌ„ was ignoble base and contemptible in comparison of the rest insomuch as (u) Deut. 33. Moses omitteth it in his blessing whether it was for this act against the Sichemites or for that Simeon was ringleader in the conspiracie against Ioseph for which cause afterwards (x) Gen. 42.25 Ioseph of all the rest pickt him out to be his pledge and prisoner Or for that Zimri a prince of the tribe of Simeon had lately committed vncleannes with the Madianitish Cosbi or else for because Iudas Iscariot that betraide our SAVIOVR was foreseene by Moses to be of the tribe of Simeon I knowe not neither can it certainely be resolued only thus much may suffise to manifest their basenesse Moses neglected them in his blessing Leui also was diuided in Israel for the (y) Iosh 21. Leuites had no certaine inheritance but only some cities allotted vnto them among the rest of the Tribes to the number of 48. they went also waÌ„dring vp down to gather the Tythes of their inheritaÌ„ce I will diuide them in Iacob c. Simeon and Leui onely offended and yet they are not onely punished but euen all their posteritie this seemeth to be extreame rigour in Iacob and iniustice in God to make the children beare their fathers iniquitie and yet so it often coÌ„meth to passe For God saith that he will visite the wickednes of the Fathers vpon the children to the third fourth generation Instance hereof we haue in the dispersed Leuites scattered Simeonites for this speech other instaÌ„ces diuerse heretikes as the Marcionites the Valentinians and the Carpocratians reiected the olde Testament and affirmed God the Author thereof to be an euill God because hee would spare the parents that were sinners and punish the children that were innocents Besides God in doing thus is at contradiction with himselfe For thus he answereth the prophet Ezechiel (z) Ezech. 18.4 All soules be mine like as the soule of the father is mine so is the soule of the sonne mine also the soule that sinneth the same shall dye and the Sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the Father For clearing of this difficult point First I will shew that God is not contrary to himselfe and secondly though he punish one for the fault of another yet he is not vniust For the first (a) Deu. 5.9 God in Deuteronomie saith that he will visite the wickednes of the Fathers vpon the children to the third fourth generation And in Ezechiel hee saith That the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the Father these speeches seeme to be as contrarie one to the other as light and darknes Christ and Belial God and Mammon and yet if we obserue this distinction we shall easilie reconcile them Punishments are twofold temporall aeternall teÌ„porall punishmeÌ„ts haue their end in this life aeternall are such as appertain to euerlasting damnation Now then in Deuteronomie God speaketh of teÌ„porall punishments in Ezechiel of aeternall in this world both childreÌ„ are punished for the sinne of their pareÌ„ts as (b) Gen. 9.25 Chanaan was curst by Noah for Chams sake and subiects for the faults of their princes 2. Sam. 24.15 as the Israelites that died of the plague for Dauids sake many meÌ„ for one priuate maÌ„s offence as in the host of the Lord many perished by the sword for (d) Iosh 7.5 Achans sake but in the world to come euery one shall beare his owne burden the soule that sinneth the same shall die And thus it appeareth that God is not contrarie to himselfe For the second Though God punish one for the fault of another yet is hee not vniust Iustice giueth euery one his due therefore coÌ„cerning the punishments of this life as sicknes pouertie banishment death such like no man can be said to suffer theÌ„ vniustly because there is none perfect no not the child which is yet but one day old wherefore seeing the case so standeth and that we be all guiltie of sin we must not complaine that God dealeth too sharply with vs if being children we be punished for the sin of our pareÌ„ts for God can so direct those troubles as they may belong not onely to his owne glorie but also to the saluation of the pareÌ„ts (e) Chrysost hom 29. in Gen. ofteÌ„times he punisheth the fathers in the children the prince in the people for the punishment of childreÌ„ no lesse grieueth their 〈◊〉 then if theÌ„selues were afflicted but if so be the childreÌ„â—e dispersed scattered for their sake as the Simeoniâ—â—â— Leuites were or if they suffer death for their sake as Dauids child borne in adultery did yet haue they no iniurie done vnto them for death is due vnto them also otherwise it is certain that they must die Now then if God will vse their death in that sort to be the punishmeÌ„t of
vntill the open and plaine reuelation of his pride was publikely professed in the papacie this truth is confirmed by the writings of the Fathers for Tertullian calleth Antichrist (k) Tertulide resur carn cap. 25. A Citie prostitute to spirituall fornication S. Ambrose (l) Ambros in Apoc. 17. The Citie of the diuel S. Augustine (m) August homil 10. in Apoc. The bodie of the vngodly fighting against the Lambe and A people contrarie to the people of God which ioyntlie with their head are called Antichrist Aquinas (n) Aquinas in Apoc. â—â— a bodie not a man Hugo Cardinalis an assemblie or a companie And lastlie the Glosse saith The head the bodie togither make vp the whole Antichrist Here is a cloud of witnesses prouing that Antichrist is not one man then consequently how is it likely that one woman of the tribe of Dan should be his mother (o) Rhem. 2. 2. Thess 2. and the diuell his father But let vs proceed to examine the reasons why the Papists affirme that Antichrist should be of the familie of Dan begotten by the Diuell and therefore a Diuell incarnate the sandie grounds of this dreame are these First because Iacob saith (p) Gen. 49 1â— â—an shall bee a Serpent by the way an Adder by the path bytinâ—â—he horse-heâ—â—â—s So that his rider shall fall backward Secondly because Hieremie saith (q) Hier. 8 1â— The neighing of his Horses was hearâ— from Dan the whole Land trembled at the Neighing of his strong Horses The third foundation of this coÌ„ceit is in the Apocalipse where twâ—lue thousand of euery tribe are reckoned only (r) Apoc. 7. Dan is left out These are pithie reasons if well examined let vs appeale to Bellarmines ceÌ„sure the speech of Iacob to Dan saith he was fulfilled in Samson and herein he iumpeth with Saint Hierom the same father euen according to the Prophets intention applieth the second speech to Nabuchadnezzars comming to destroy Hierusalem as for the omission of the tribe of Dan in the catalogue of the Elect that is no forcible argument for might not then Antichrist bee as well an Ephramite as a Danite considering that Ephraim as wel as Dan is left out Ephraim is omitted because Ioseph supplieth his place to fill vp the number of the twelue tribes Leui is put for Dan of all the Rest Dan is secluded not that all of his tribe are condemned or for that Antichrist should be of his stocke but because it was more accursed theÌ„ the rest for their great (s) Amos. 8.14 Idolatry in worshipping the golden calues of the contrary part we are taught by the Apostles wordes that the mother of Antichrist must not be any womaÌ„ of the tribe of Dan but the Carcasse of the Romane empire for S. Paul saith (t) 2. Thes 2.7.8 The misterie of iniquitie doth alreadie worke onely hee which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the way in these words is contained the history of Antichrists natiuitie his Conception lasted 3. hundreth 16. yeares or there about al which time Rome was gouerned by Ethnick Emperours and the Bishops thereof euen to the losse of their liues laboured in Gods haruest But when Constantine raigned who was the first Christian Emperour who translated the Seate of the empire to BizantiuÌ„ which he called Constantinople leauing the citie of Rome to Pope Siluester the first and his successours who was the first Bishop that liued in Rome vnmartired the first that euer possessed patrimony rents or dignitie then was Antichrist borne his regiment sprâ—ng vp out of the ashes of the Romane Empire if then the time of his birth or reuealing falleth about the yeare of our Lord 3. hundreth and 16. for then (v) Deret distinet 96. did CoÌ„stantin the Great giue to Siluester the Citie of Rome and bestowed vpon him a triple Crowne for his coronation in token that hee had made him Supreme head ouer all the Churches in Asia Affrica and Europe and at that time saith Platina there was a voyce heard from heauen saying Now is poison sowen in the Church of God doth not this historie accord with Pauls prophecie whom then shall we iudge to be the mother of Antichrist a woman of the Tribe of Dan no that is but a fable whom then euen the Carcasse or Ruine of the Romane Empire which seeing it is most apparant if we will looke for Antichrist we must goe to Rome and there we shall find the Purple whore sitting vpon the Beast with seuen heads and ten hornes I could if I would make a larger digression from my text with pregnant arguments proue Rome as it now stands to be that Babylon spoken of in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn and the Succession of Popes there raigning to be That man of sinne and that child of perdition but this shal suffice to shew that Antichrist is not one man but a Multitude and that hee shall not be as the Papists imagine of the Tribe of Dan. O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation hauing deliuered the varietie of opinions coÌ„cerning this praier I will now in the close shew what was Iacobs intention and why he thus praied being a Prophet he did foresee the double Danger which the Tribe of Dan should fall into the first Temporall in being oppressed of their enemies as they were of the Amorites the second Spirituall in being corrupted with Idolatrie and therfore he maketh this praier therein imploring (x) Iud. 18.30 first Gods gracious assistance deliuerance and secondly the illumination of his spirit that thereby they might be taught that there is but One God to be worshipped namely the Creatour of heaueÌ„ earth and that the Idols of the Gentiles are but the workes of mens hands In this praier wee are taught what is the most Soueraigne Remedie both against temporall and spirituall afflictions namely like Iacob to call vpon God for his aid and helpe Penurie oppression sicknesse and such like be Temporall afflictions whereby God vsually trieth the patience of the Elect if then like Lazarus we be poore like Ioseph fettered till the yron enter into our soules or like Hezechiah sicke vnto death yet let vs not say The Lord hath forgotten vs he hideth away his face and will no more see but lifting vp our hearts our hands make our supplication saying O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation God is the Lord of hostes and in his hand are three arrowes The sword famine and pestilence these he shooteth sometimes amongst the thickest troupes of his children as well as amongst the wicked to chastice the one sort for their sinnes and vtterly to destroy the other against these then the best armour of proofe is the Shield of prayer it quencheth the fire of Gods wrath and kindleth his loue what is the cause that the Bloodie sword of God hath pierced the very entralles of so many Christian Nations
huÌ„ter but this is not all if onely this Generall and Prince of Diuels did lie in waite to intrappe our soules the danger were not so great because wee should haue some truce and intermission of pursuite for the diuell caÌ„not assault euery man at one time for being a Spirit hee is definitiuely in a place wherfore that maÌ„like (e) Gen. 8. Noahs doue may find no rest for the sole of his foote the diuell hath his Lieutenants who like their maister are Roaring Lyons onely they goe not vp and downe from man to man too and fro as he doth but they haunt one man and him they seeke to deuoure these are the Mali-Genij Euill spirites that follow vs continually and attend vs from the Cradle to the graue euermore enticing and alluring vs to sinne as euery man that is Elect hath ordinarily One good Angell and extraordinarily manie by the assignement of GOD to guard and accompanie him from his natiuitie to his death So of the contrarie part as manie of the Fathers held for triall sake he hath one euill-spirite ordinâ—rily extraordinarilie many by the permission of God The two branches of this position growe from these rootes In the Gospell by Saint Matthewe Our Sauiour saith concerning children (f) Math. 18.10 See that you despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in Heauen their Angels alwayes beholde the face of my Father which is in heauen Hereby our Sauiour meaneth nothing else but that young children and also when they be growen men haue their spirituall Tutours to teach them to defend them and to implore vengeaÌ„ce from God against him that offereth them anie iniurie So doth Chrysostome Hierome and Augustine expound this place Likewise in the Actes of the Apostles when Peter being by an Angell deliuered out of prison came to the house of Marie the mother of Iohn (g] Acts. 12. whose surname was Marke and knocked a maide came forth named Rhode to hearken who it was that knocked and when she knewe Peters voice it is written that shee opened not the entrie dore for gladnesse but ranne in and told how Peter stood before the entrie but they saide vnto her Thou art madde yet shee affirmed it constantly that it was so Then said they It is his Angell Here the women spake according to the opinion of the Hebrewes at that time which was that Euery man hath his good Angell assigned vnto him for Direction and Protection And from the Hebrews as Iustine and Eusebius affirme the Gentiles learned the same Doctrine as it appeareth in h) Menand Menander saying A spirite standâ—th by euery one as soone as he is borne being the good guide of his life (i) Chriso in Matth. 18. hom 60. Saint Chrysostome saith that All the Saintes haue their Angels and (k) Basil in Psalm 33. Concien 9. Saint Basile Euery one that beleeueth in the Lord hath his good Angell euer about him if wee driue him not away with our euill works Of the same opinion is l) Hiero. tom 9. in Mat. ca. 18. Saint Hierome whose words are these Great is the dignitie of our soules when as euery one of them from the natiuitie hath an Angell appointed vnto it for the preseruation and custodie thereof and of the same minde is S. Augustine who thus speaketh vnto God in his meditations m] Aug. libr. med cap. 12. I esteeme it a great benefit that from my Natiuitie thou hast assigned vnto mee an Angell of peace to kâ—epe mee euen vnto my ende I might alledge many other testimonies out of the Fathers but these are sufficient to shewe that euery one that is Elect hath his good Angell But the maiâ—e doubt is of the contrarie part whether euery one hath his euill spirit Concerning this point I finde no vniuersalitie in opinion among the Fathers Yet it is affirmed not onely by the Gentiles but also by the Christians The Platonists say that euery man hath his Euill spirite assigned vnto him and so likewise doth (n) Orig. peri. archon lib. 3. in Luc. tom 2. hom 2. Origen in two seuâ—rall places of his workes Euery man saith he hath two Angels The one is an Angell of Iustice the other of iniquitie If there bee good cogitations in our heart without doubt the Angell of the Lord speaketh vnto vs but if euill thoughtes arise in our mind then one of the diuels angels speaketh vnto vs. Of this opinion was o) Chry. hom 2. in Mat. ca. 4. hom 5. Mag. senten lib. 2. dist 11. Chrysostome and S. Gregorie as hee is quoted by the Maister of the sentences The Scripture telleth vs that King (p) 1. Sam. 16.14 Saul had an Euill spirit sent of the Lord to vexe him and S. Paul confesseth that he was buffeted by the spirit of Belial but it caÌ„not be proued directly that these did follow them from their birth Certaine it is that euery man is beset coÌ„tinually with legions of euill spirits And it is probable (q) 2. Cor. 12 7. that as God appointeth extraordinarilie many good Angels who are his ministring spirites and ordinarily one to attend and guard vs so hee permitteth ordinarily one extraordinarily manie euill spirites daily to assault vs. So that a Man hath no time wheren hee can be free from the Tempter For his life is a daily warfare As (r) Zach. 3.1 with Iehoshua so it is with euery one of Gods children euen when we stand before the Angel of the Lord either preaching or praying Sathan or some of his angels stands at our right hand to resist vs. Secondly the Fight that euery spirituall Gad or Souldier hath with the diuell and his angels is not for a Day a moneth or a yeare but all the dayes moneths and yeares of our life we must combat skirmish with them without any truce or intermission That speech in Iob mentioned before where it is saide according to the Latine translation Vita hominis est miliâ—ia super Terram The life of man is a warfare vpon earth is by the Septuagint Translated Peiratérion which is A Place of Pyracies and Temptations the Greeke word doth aptlie expresse the danger to which the life of man lieth opeÌ„ For Sathan being both a Pyrate or a Thiefe a TeÌ„pter by his subtle temptations seeketh continually to robbe vs of eternall life therefore it concernes our freeholde to resist him couragiouslie When the Iewes vnder Nehemiah repaired the walles of Ierusalem it is saide that (Å¿) Nehem. 4.17 They which builded on the wall and they that bare burdens and they that laded did the worke with one hand and with the other helde the sworde And this they did for feare of Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite who were their enemies being euer readie both to worke and to fight So must the Christian Souldier do whatsoeuer his temporall emploiments be let him euer haue the Sword of Gods Worde in his hand
the Diuell Hell and Death are fallen into the same pitte that they digged for vs and fettered in the same chaines wherein wee by them were bound First by the Passion of Christ the Tyrannicall dominion of Sathan ouer man was dissolued For the Apostle saith that by his Death hee did not onely ouercome death but him also which had the power of death the diuel And therefore S. Origen saith that there were two crucified vpon the crosse of Christ Namely CHRIST himselfe visibly and with his will The Diuell inuisibly and against his will (o) Iudg. 16. As the Philistims thought themselues sure of Triumph when Samsons eyes were out Nay they called him out of prison to make a laughing stock of him set him betweene the Pillars but yet he was auenged on them by pulling downe the house vpon their heads So the Diuell thought himselfe a glorious conquerour when the Eyes of Christ being nayled to the Crosse were closed vp with dim death Nay the Iewes being the Diuels iesters made mowes at him and ceased not saying (p) Matth. 27.42 If hee be the King of Israel let him nowe come downe from the Crosse But yet euen at that very time all the spirituall Powers Principalities receiued their Bane and were stript of that vsurped Empire which they helde ouer mankinde and by the Preaching of the Gospell which is (q) Apo. 20 1â— the keye of the bottomles pitte whereby Hell is shut vp to the Faithfull and opened to Infidels the Dragon that olde Serpent which is the Diuell and Sathan was vtterly put to silence and bound as it were in a Chaine for a thousand yeares And thus was he that led man into captiuitie made a captiue and a bond-slaue himselfe Secondly his Death was Deaths destruction and therein hee was as good as his word For before hee was incarnate by the mouth of his Heralde the prophet Hoseah hee challenged Death saying (r) Hos 13.14 O Death I will bee thy Death O Graue I will bee thy destruction And in his Death hee subdued Death by taking his sting from him And therefore the Apostle in the person of Christ insulteth ouer Death and derideth him saying (Å¿) 1. Cor. 15 55. O Death where is thy sting Sinne was the cause that (t) Gen. 2.17 man was made captiue to Death (u] Rom. 6.23 For the wages of Sinne is Death but Christ being Righteousnes it selfe by laying downe his Life and taking it vp againe (x] Acts. 2.24 loosed the bondes and the sorrowes of it So that to all true Belieuers Death is no longer bitter but sweete (y) And. Casar in Apoc. cap. Not a thiefe that surprizeth suddenly but the Harbenger of Ioye Thereupon in the olde Testament the Death of the righteous which belieued in Christ to come is called Geuigah that is to say without pain or griefe because that though (z) Numb 21.6 like the Israelites that spake against God they were stung with this fierie Serpent yet by looking vnto the Brasen SerpeÌ„t their Mâ—ssiâ—h the wound of death was healed in them Though like (a) Dan 6.16 Daniell they were cast into the greedy Lyons denne which is the Graue and like (b) Ionah 1.12 Ionah into this Whales bellie which is vnsatiable yet for all that neither had this Lyon power to deuoure them nor this Whale abilitie to digest them The reason is because Christ the head hath tasted Death for all his members to set them free and loose them from their bondes Thirdly as by his Passion vpon the Crosse he hath Redeemed vs from the tyrannie of Sathan and by his Death freed vs from the bondage of the Graue So likewise by his descension into Hell hee hath deliuered vs from the Thraldome of the bottomlesse Pitte Had not hee broken the Serpentes Head by the droppes of his Blood the Serpent would continually haue bruised our heeles Had he not takeÌ„ away the sting of death death would neuer haue ceased from stinging vs and had hee not descended into hell there to manifest his glorie by leading Captiuitie Captiue Hell would neuer haue beene satisfied nor euer haue saide It is enough but the Teeth of the Mouth thereof would haue beene as swordes and the Chawes as kniues to eate vp mankinde out of the earth Therefore as (c] Iud 16.1.2 â— Samson in spight of the Philistims who laid waite to entrap him all night in the gate of the Citie went forth of Gazzah carrying vpon his shoulders along with him the Dores the Postes and the Barres of the Gates of the Citie So CHRIST maugre all the Spirites of darknesse Descended into the neathermost parts of the Earth that is the Depth or Hell And there hauing bound the strong-man of that Infernall house returned with victorie and Triumph And therefore the Apostle mocketh Hell saying (d) 1. Cor. 1â— 55 O Hell where is thy victorie Though all true Christians be Hindes let loose and deliuered from the bondage of Hell Death and Sathan yet are they still Seruants and so ought to be to him that loosed and Redeemed them By the Ciuill law (e) Code de captiuis postliminio reuersis Honorius if any Captiue be deliuered at the costes and charges of another hee when he shall be returned home ought to repay the charges to him that redeemed him and if perhaps hee shall not bee able to repay him then hee should satisfie his redeemer by labour and seruice This is the case of all Christians and this is a plaine Lawe that ought to binde our Consciences Wee were Caâ—tiues and CHRIST hath redeemed vs not with corruptible things as Golde and Siluer but with his owne Blood Now then because wee are otherwayes vnable to repaye him his Charges wee are bounde to satisfie him for his Cost with our Labour and our Seruice (f) Rom. 6.17.18 This Seruice is A Sweete yoke and is to bee esteemed aboue all carnall libertie (g) Euseb tract de prepa euang it was said of Democritus Chrysippus that The one of them made men slaues altogether and The other halfe slaues so it may be said of Christ and the Diuell the Diuell by sinne made man a seruant wholly but Christ hath made him halfe a Seruant for he is both a freeman and a seruant first he is a freeman because he is made free from sinne secondly hee is a seruant because he is made the (h) Rom. 6.18 seruant of Righteousnesse this then is the dutie of euery one of vs which be spirituall Naphtalites seeing that Christ hath bought vs and loosed vs from the bondage of hell death and Sathan first we must be willing to serue him truely and to labour in his vineyard as vnder the lawe of Moses (i) Exod. 21.6 such as were content out of their loue to their maisters to be seruants for euer did willingly lay their Eare to a post and their maisters did bore it through with a
teacheth vs to vse a meane and a moderation in mourning for the dead The name of Ben-oni tels vs that we ought to mourne But the name of Beniamin bids vs not to mourne too much First when any Christian dies we ought to mourne because of our sinnes which haue brought death vpon all men As the Apostle saith (p) Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is death And herevnto we are drawne by diuerse motiues First mourning for the dead is not onely allowed but also commanded by God for the Apostle saith (q) Rom. 12.13 weepe with them that weepe And Dauid when Saul was slaine thus spake vnto the daughters of Israel saying (r) 2. Sam. 1.24 weepe for Saul which cloathed you in scarlet with pleasures and hanged ornaments of gold vpon your apprell Furthermore in the booke of Leuiticus (s) Leu. 21.2.3 wee reade that God made a Canon or constitution concerning lamentation and mourning for the dead by which the Priests the sonnes of Aaron are forbidden to mourne ouer any man except it be their kinsman that is neare vnto them or their mother or their father or their sonne or their daughter or their brother or their sister being a maide for any of these they were not onely permitted but also commanded to lament for in this restraint which is negatiue there is included an affirmatiue iniunction As if God should haue said Let the Priest mourne ouer his kinsman that is neare vnto him as for instance his father mother his sonne daughter his brother and sister that hath had no husband but let him not defile himselfe by any other that is dead among his people either by touching them by being at their buriall or by lamenting ouer them Secondly in this case there be many examples of holy men which haue mourned for the dead who in doing so are not to be condemned either of Ignorance or any other sinne (t) Gen. 23.2 Abraham mourned for Sarah in Hebron and wept for her by his weeping he shewed his affection and by his mournfull voice he bewailed his owne losse (u) Gen. 37. Iacob lamented the death of Ioseph many yeares (x) 2. Sam. 18.33 Dauid wept for Absolon (y) Act. 8.2 The faithfull made great lamentation for Steuen And our Sauiour Christ when he saw Marie weepe for Lazarus (z) Ioh. 11.33 groned in the spirit was troubled in himself The scriptures are ful of such like examples both in the old and in the new testament Seeing then that the faithfull by their vse example do approue of mourning for the dead and seeing that Christ doth not only not rebuke but also by his groning allow it no maÌ„ can iustly denie but that it is a godly dutie one to bewaile the death of another Thirdly the holy Scriptures do count it a great plague or punishmeÌ„t for a man when he is dead not to he lameÌ„ted not to be buried This appeareth out of the words of the Psalmist who making a Catalogue of the plagues that God brought vpon the Israelites for their Idolatrie reckoneth the want of lamentation ouer the dead to be one of theÌ„ His words be these (a) Psal 78.63.64 The fire deuoureth their chosen men their maides were not giuen in marriage their Priests fell by the sword there were no widowes to make lamentation Also b God commanded the Prophet Ezecheel not to 〈…〉 funeral of his owne wife that thereby as a signe he might teach the rebellious Iewes that they should perish be slaine by the sword of their enemies in such sort as none should be left aliue to bewaile them by these reasons it is plaine and apparent that mourning for the dead is lawfull being commaunded by God and approued by the example of our Sauiour himselfe and yet there beÌ„ some that altogether disallowe it The Stoikes did condemne it esteeming such as did lament and weepe for the dead effeminate and weake and we reade of many that when their dearest friends died haue abstained from all appearance of sorrowe Anaxagoras when hee heard newes of the death of his two sonnes made no other answere but this Scio eos mortales esse natos I knowe that they were borne mortall and when it was told Xenophon that his sonne Gryllus was slaine in fight he being at the sacrifice onely for a while laied aside his garland and immediately tooke it vp againe Of this kind there be many examples whereby the Stoikes endeuour to make their opinion plausible but it is not for Christians to haue mindes void of all affections as these impassionate Philosophers would haue men to be for he that cannot or will not weepe for the dead is like an Idol that hath eyes but cannot see that he himselfe is Ben-oni the sonne of sorrowe because of his sinfull coÌ„ception Concerning this matter the son of Syrach giueth vs excellent counsell saying (c) Ecclus. 38.16.17 My sonne powre forth teares ouer the dead and begin to mourne as if thou haddest suffered great harme thy selfe and then couer his body according to his appointment and neglect not his buriall make a grieuous lamentation and be earnest in mourning and vse lamentation as he is worthie and that a day or two least thou be euill spoken of and then comfort thy selfe for thine heauinesse Hence we may learne that wee ought to mourne but our mourning must be mixt with moderation they that mourne not at all offer violence to nature and they that mourne too much breake the rules both of reason and religion (d) Gen. 23.3 When Abraham had wept ouer Sarah he rose vp from the sight of the corps least that hee might haue bene ouerwhelmed with griefe he remoueth the obiect thereof And when Rahel dying had giuen her sonne a sorrowfull name calling him Ben-oni Iacob changeth his name and called him Beniamin least the sounde of Ben-oni in his â—are should haue continuallie raised vp groanes from his heart and herein they behaued themselues as the Apostle wisheth all Christians to doe saying (e) 1. Thess 4 13. I would not Brethren haue you ignorant concerning them which are a sleepe that you sorrow not euen as other which haue no hope GOD by whome Death is inflicted would haue the nature thereof to bee such that it should bring teares and sorrowe not onely vnto them which die but vnto those also of whome they that die are beloued but yet hee hath taken away the sting of Death by promising that there shall bee a Resurrection of the Dead and this promise is an Antidote against the poyson of griefe There is a Law in Deuteronomie concerning the mourning for the Dead whereby the Israelites are forbidden (f) Deut. 14.1 Not to cutte themselus nor make anie Baldnesse between their Eyes for the Dead (g) Homer Iliad in imitation of the Gentiles who hauing no knowledge nor hope of a Resurrection vsed to lament and bewaile their