their appointed offices were done the meate and drinke vanished away togyther with the Bodies And they sayde vnto him where is Sarah thy wife he answereth c. In the former Chapiter we reade that Abraham had receyued a manifest declaration of the promise of a Sonne by Sarah his wyfe This promise vndoubtedlye Abraham beleeued but Sarah did not as may appeare by this place And therefore the Angell of God asketh for Sarah thereby to haue an occasion to renewe and confirme that promise and also to reproue Sarahs in credulitie who measured the promises of God by the * likelyhoodes of natur all power When the Angell said that at his returne Sarah shuld haue a Chylde it may be thought that Sarah listened behinde the Tente doore what talke the Strangers had with hir husbande Wherein she by example declareth how hard a matter it is to haue euē the honestest and most chast Matrones to leaue al maner of womanly Curiositie Although as a modest and sober wife she stayed within the Tent and came not foorth to shew hir selfe vnto the strangers yet could she not ouercome this tentation of curious desire to knowe what was spoken When Sarah he arde the Angel say she shold haue a childe she laughed at it as a vaine and vnlikely thing and therin vndoubtedly did greatly offēd For she might well knowe that promise came from God being so well agreeing with that which was spoken to hir husband not long before And therefore by vnlikelyhode of nature to deride it as false was in hir much rashnes But that which followeth was of womanly Bashfulnesse when she beeing charged for hir laughing beeing some what astonied doth denie it Sarah laughed not aloude as the maner of dissolute women is but softly within hir selfe When it is saide It ceased to bee vvith Sarah after the Maner as it is with VVomen The meaning is she had not those superfluities that all women naturally haue so long as they by age may haue children As hir Chastitie is to be reuerenced so was it a great blame and fault in hir not only to * Mistrust the promise of god but also to Laugh it to scorne bycause it seemed vnlikely to naturall Reason And the men rising vp from thence looked toward Sodome c. Abraham perfourmeth that whiche is the third parte of Hospitalitie that is Courtesie in dismissing his gests He taketh not his leaue of them at his Tent but perceiuing their iourney toward Sodom went part of the way with thē which his paines God well requited opening to him by his Angell the purpose to destroy Sodom for the horrible sinne and wickednesse thereof Shall I saith the Lord Hide from Abraham that thing whiche I doe seeyng that Abraham shall surely be c. It may be that one of the Angells to whome Abraham in all this storie had directed his speech vttered these words in the hearing of Abraham Wherin he noteth two causes why he wold reueale this thīg vnto him The one is the great preheminence of that promise that he had made to him before time of the Increase and multiplying of his seede Seing saith he that Abraham shall surely be a mighty Nation The other is For that he knewe him to be so godly a man as woulde not only himselfe liue in Iustice and iudgemente but also woulde Instruct his children and Houshold To keepe the way of the Lord. By thys Godly Parentes maye learne that it is theyr Office and duetie to see theyr families * instructed and taughte and that in the Way of the Lorde and to be Carefull for them that they may not onely liue vertuously and godly while they be children and seruants vnder them but after their life too But Fathers now a dayes are farre from this care They deuise howe to * leaue theyr chyldren Ryche and Wealthye but of the Instruction and teachyng how to keepe the way of the Lorde they haue God knoweth so small regard as thoughe it did Nothyng appertayne vnto them And the Lord saide because the crie of Sodome and Gomorha is greate c. There is a double Crie that soundeth in the eares of the Lorde The one is the crie of Wickednesse and Sinne and that is it the Angell here speaketh of The wickednesse of Sodome Cried vnto God that is was so great that it required ▪ Wrath and vengeance from God. Sometyme the Bloud of the oppressed and afflicted Sainctes of GOD dothe in lyke manner Crye vnto hym For so dydde the bloud of Abel crie vnto the Lorde When the Scripture sayth that God commeth Down to see or know any thing we may not thinke that there is eyther Mouing of place or want of Knowledge in god But then God is sayde to come Downe when he doth applye himselfe to worke somewhat to oure behoofe And then he is sayd to come to Knowe or See when hee so Worketh that eyther Men or his Angels may know God right well knew that the Sinne of Sodome after his long Pacience Suffring was come to full ripenesse but hee sent downe his Angels that not only Abraham and Loth but the Whole world also by their punishment should vnderstande how greeuous and detestable their synne was in the sighte of God. And Abraham drewe neere and sayde wilt thou also destroy the righteous c. The Saintes of God are alway Louers of mankynde and are greeued to vnderstande of the Plague and Punishmente euen of the wicked whome wyth all their heartes they would wishe rather to Liue and Repente than to dye in their sinnes Therfore Abraham here vnderstanding by the Angell that the Visitation of Sodome and those other Cities was at hande sheweth himself very careful for them and as it were by the remembrance of those good and iust mē that might be in it doth moue God to haue pitie on them and to spare their plague Good men doe not quickely dispaire of any seeme they neuer so euill And therfore Abraham thought in so great a Multitude that there must needes haue ben some mean number of good men for whose cause God wold extend his mercie also vpō the other If there had ben iust men in Sodome they must haue ben persons vncircumcised and no partakers of the couenāt of god And yet this Reuerend Patriarke being himselfe a iust man circumcised of the assured couenant with God and the Father of the Faithful did not in respect of himself contemne suche but made that accompte of them that if there had bene suche he would haue God to haue spared the wicked for their sakes In Abraham talking with God we see a certain strife between the Charitie and Loue that was in him toward the Sodomires and the consideration of his own humblenesse and vnworthynesse in the sight of god His Charitie moued him to intreate for them But the consideration of his owne vnworthinesse beeing but duste and ashes did on the other parte abashe hym and therefore doth
Iacob answered to Sichem Hemor his father talking amongest themselues deceptfully because he had defyled Dina their sister 14 And they saide vnto them We can not doe this thing that we should geue our sister to one that is vncircumcised for that were an abhomination vnto vs. 15 But in this will we consent vnto you if ye will be as we be and all the males amongst you be circumcised 16 Then will we geue our daughters vnto you and take your daughters to vs and will dwell with you and be one people 17 But and if ye will not hearken vnto vs to be circumcised then will we take our Daughter and go our waies 18 Their wordes pleased Hemor and Sichem hys sonne 19 And the yong man differde not to doe the thing because he had a lust to Iacobs daughter he was also most set by of all that was in his fathers house 20 Then Hemor and Stâ—â—em his sonne went vnto the gate of their citie and coÌ„muned with the men of their citie saying 21 These men liue peaceably among vs and dwell in the lande and doe their occupation therein and beholde the land is large ynough for them we will take their daughters to wiues and giue them our daughters 22 Onely herein will they consent vnto vs for to dwell with vs and to be one people If all the males that are among vs be circumcised as they are circumcised 23 Shall not their goodes and their substance and all their cattell be oures let vs onely consent vnto them and they will dwell with vs. 24 And vnto Hemor and Sichem hys sonne hearkened all that went out of the gate of the citie and all the males were circumcised whatsoeuer went out at the gate of his citie 25 And the thirde day whyles they were sore two of the sonnes of Iacob Simeon and Leui Dinas brethren tooke eyther of them his sworde and went into the citie boldly and slue all the males 26 And slue also Hemor and Sichem his sonne with the edge of the sworde and tooke Dina out of Sichems house and went their way 27 And the sonnes of Iacob comming vpon the dead spoyled the citie bicause they had defiled their sister 28 And tooke their shéepe oxen and their asses and whatsoeuer was in the citie and also in the fields 29 And all their goodes and all their children and their wiues tooke they captiue and made hauok of all that was in the house 30 But Iacob saide to Simeon and Leui Ye haue troubled me and made me to be abhorred of the inhabitours of the land of the Chanaanite and the Pherezite and I being fewe in number they shall gather themselues together against me and slay me and so shall I and my house he destroyed 31 And they answered Should he deale wyth our sister as with an harlot The Exposition vpon the .xxxiiij Chapter of Genesis Dina the daughter of Lea which shee bare vnto Iacob went out to see c. MOses in this Chapter setteth forth a great tentation that happened vnto Iacob far more troublesome and daungerous then that was of the feare of his brother Esaus displeasure He was nowe at some quietnesse in the companie of his wife children and familie and so had remayned a good time doing vndoubtedly the dutie of a good and godly Gouernour of his housholde But sodainely falleth out this trouble and reproch of the Rauishing of his daughter Dina much surelye to the griefe of his minde that did so deerely esteeme the Chastitie of his daughter By which we may vnderstande both what daunger maye come to yong womeÌ„ by Idle gadding and Gasing abroad without the company of some graue Persons to Ouersee them and also that euen good men sometime haue so waiwarde and ouerthwart Wantons to their children as wil not well be brideled within order when their Parents haue done all that they can And yet maye there seeme some negligence in Lea hir mother that she did suffer hir so Loosely to go abroade And Sichem spake vnto his father Hemor saying get me this maiden c. The heart of this yong Gentleman was so set vpon this Maiden in vntemperate heate of loue that he coulde not satisfie himselfe by hir defyling and rauishment but nowe seeketh to haue her to wife and that in a maner by force For although both his father and he vsed Faire wordes and great promises yet he keepeth her at home in his house and would not suffer her to retourne to her father If he had sought to haue maried her before the Villanie offered there had bene no great euill but first to worke so great reproche to the People of God and his Chosen Patriarke and then to seeke vnder a faire colour a forcible Mariage made the offence the greater And Hemor the father of Sichem went out vnto Iacob c. A godly Father and a good Prince or gouernour would first haue sharpely corrected his Son and then afterwarde haue done that might haue seemed agreeable to reason and godlinesse But it may appeare this Hemor was a cockering father and a Loose gouernour and that the like examples of wantonnesse had bene common there without punishment And therfore the same prouoked God of his iust iudgement to suffer so great a Plague to come vpon them although the Sonnes of Iacob which were the instruments thereof can not be excused of outragious Furie that for the offence of Oue personne destroyed and spoyled the Whole Citie And Hemor communed with them saying The soule of my sonne c. In that Hemor so earnestly labourethe to Iacob and his Sonnes for the mariage of Dina and made so great offers it may appeare that euen among the Heathens and Infidels it was thought necessarie to haue the Consent of Parents to the Mariage of their Children Much more shoulde that reuerence be vsed among Christians and them that professe the Feare of God. But the sonnes of Iacob answered to Sichem and Hemor talking among c. It is not to be merueiled if the sonnes of Iacob were much grieued to haue so great a reproch and villanie wrought to their fathers House neyther are they in that any thing to be blamed yea if there had bene any ordinarie Magistrate to haue punished so great an outrage they might and ought with safe conscience to haue complayned to him But I see not by what authoritie they coulde take the sworde of Reuengement in their * owne hands and so farre exceede the Measure of Iustice as to destroy an whole Citie for the offence of one Well might they be the Instruments of Gods Iustice for causes to them vnknowne but that doth not excuse them who followed their owne affection and desire of Reuengement In that they doe dissemble here and pretende consent of Mariage if the Sichemites would be circumcised it doth increase their fault and they make the ordinance of God a colour to worke their affection For their consciences did tell them
the colour and maintenaunce of their Doings and deale Fiercely in wordes and countenaunce with them that Teache the contrarie as the Papistes and other Aduersaries doe at this daye agaynst the true Ministers of god But they must Comfort them selues and as he willeth his Prophete Ezechiell in this place not be afrayde nor abashed thereof It is the ordinarie meanes of them that bee Enimies to GOD and to his Truth If in the heate of their Spirite they call vs Schismatikes Heretikes vnlearned vile contemptible yea dogges and dounghilles of the Earth yet must wee not bee so Ouerthrowne therwith as for it to leaue our office and duetie of Teaching vndone but rather with great Constancie set our selues agaynst their waywarde Wickednesse and By the Povver of God and armour of Righteousnesse passe through honour and dishonour good reporte and euill and neuer yelde or giue place to the Stubburne Enimies Though they bee as Thornes vnto vs and euery way Moleste and greeue vs though they bee as Scorpions and wyth the venim of their sclaunderous tongues poysonously stinge vs yea oftentymes vnto verie death yet muste wee remember that in this place God speaketh to Ezechiel Feare not their vvords but speake my truth vnto them vvhether they vvil heare it or refuse it Therefore thou sonne of man obey thou all things that I saye vnto thee c. There is none meete to be the Messenger of God and the teacher of his people but suche a one as hath bene firste Taught of him and at His hande learned his holie Will and the mysteries of his Truth Therefore the Prophete is here willed To open his mouthe and to eare all that the Lorde doth giue him that is That hee shoulde Faythfully receyue at his Hande and diligently Imprinte in his Memorie and in his Hearte digeste all the woordes that the Lorde shoulde speake vnto him For so God sayth to him in the 3. cap. verse 10. This booke is described to bee written vvithin and vvithoute that is to Conteyne muche and Plenteous matter touchyng the Children of Israell and all bytter and vnpleasaunt shewyng the Signes and tokens of Gods wrathe agaynst them so that they coulde Conceiue nothyng thereof but matter of Sorrovv Mourning Lamentation and VVoe For seing the Sweetenesse of his Promises coulde not allure them he endeuoreth to breake their Stubborn heartes wyth the terrible Threatnings of his displeasure In the .8 Verse God armeth his Prophet agaynst an other Temptation wherwith the myndes of many are caryed awaye and enclined eyther not to Receyue the woorde of God or when they haue receyued it to Reuolte from it againe and that is the Consent of the Multitude thinking the contrarie Wherfore hee sayeth vnto Ezechiell Obey thou all things that I shall saye vnto thee and bee not lyke this Rebellious house I knowe it maye seeme an Harde tentation to thee to teache the contrarie of that which they all thinke and defende to bee true and with a verie * few good men to stande against the whole multitude and Consent of them which are called and compted my People But I tell thee what soeuer they Pretende and howesoeuer faire Titles and tokens they haue had of my Fauoure they are a Stiffenecked and rebellious People whiche vnder their faire Pretenses sette them selues agaynste mee and my Holie will. Therefore beeware thou be not like them nor Yelde not to their Consente and Multitude but cleaue faste to my woorde and to that I saye vnto thee * For one man with my Truth is better and more to be credited than the whole World agreeing in the contrarie The lyke Instruction god vsed to Esai cap. 8. warning him That hee should not vvalke in the vvay of that people nor speake vvordes of Conspiracie that is of CoÌ„sent or agreement in one opinion VVhen this people shall say Conspiracie be not afrayde of them but sanctifie the Lorde of hoastes and let him be your feare and dreade S. Peter in his first Epistle cap. 3. verse 14. 15. alludeth to the same place confirming the faithfull against the Conspiracie and agreement of the Ievves in Persecuting the Gospell It behoueth vs also in these latter and perilous dayes in so greate a multitude conspiring against the worde of God and the profession of his Truthe to arme oure selues with the same weapons of Comforte wherwith we see God furnished his Prophetes and Apostles against the countenaunce of the whole worlde This sending foorthe of Ezechiell is more largely declared by the Prophete hymselfe in the thyrde Chapiter The .xvj. Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Ezechiell 14. THere resorted vnto me certain of the â—â—ders of Israel and sat downe by me 2 Then came the word of the Lorde vnto mée saying 3 Thou sonne of man these men haue sette vp their Idols in their heartes and put the stumbling blocke of iniquitie before their face shoulde I then answere them at their request 4 Therfore speak vnto them say vnto theÌ„ thus saith the Lorde God Euery man of the house of Israel that setteth vp his Idols in his hearte and putteth the stumbling blocke of his iniquitie before his face and commeth to the Prophete vnto that man will I the Lord my selfe giue answere when he commeth according to the multitude of his Idols 5 That the house of Israel maye be snared in their owne heartes because they be cleane gone from me all of them thorowe their Idols 6 Wherfore tell the house of Israel thus saith the Lorde God Returne and cause to returne from your Idols and turne your faces from all your abhominations 7 For euery man whether he be of the house of Israel or a stranger that soiourneth in Israel which departeth from me and setteth vp his Idols in his hearte and putteth the stumbling blocke of his wickednesse before his face and commeth to a Prophete for to aske counsell at me through him vnto that man will I the Lord giue answere by mine owne selfe 8 I will set my face against that man and will make him to be an example for other yea and a common by word and will roote him oute of my people that ye maye knowe howe that I am the Lorde 9 And if that Prophete be deceiued when he telleth a thing then I the Lorde my selfe haue deceiued that Prophete and will stretche oute my hande vpon him to destroy him out of my people of Israel 10 And they shal be punished for their wickednesse according to the sinne of him that asketh shall the sinne of the prophete be 11 That the house of Israel may wander no more from me neither be any more defiled in all their transgressions but that they may be my people and I their God saith the Lorde God. 12 And the worde of the Lorde came vnto me saying 13 Thou sonne of man when the land sinneth against me by committing a trespasse I will stretche out my hand vpoÌ„ it and breake
was the sacrificings of their owne children to Idols which God seuerely prohibiteth Leui. 18. 20. Deute 12. In Ieremie cap. 7. We reade that not farre from Hierusalem in the tribe of Beniamin in the valley of Hinnon there was a Chappell and Alter in whiche they offered their children to the Idole Moloch This Idoll as some of the Hebrewes write was of brasse hollowe in which being glowing hote with fire they enclosed their Children to be slayne with a Miserable death and in the meane time that the crying of the childe might not be hearde to moue any pitie they made a noyse with Tabrets and drummes whereof that place was called Tophet Other opinions there are of the maner of this offering of Children which all declare it to be a wicked a diuelish vse and such as is to be wondered howe it should take place among the People of God. But what Idolatrie or erroure is so grosse whereinto mans corruption destitute of the Grace of God will not easily bee caste by example or any other lighte occasion It is not to bee let passe that God calleth the Children whythe they had begotten His Children bycause they were partakers of the promises and signed with the seale of his couenaunte Wee therfore that be Christians must know that our childrē are also the children of God partakers of those blessings that are promised to vs in Christ Iesu our Sauiour therfore that we do Iniurie to God himselfe whose Children they are if we doe not see them* Carefully brought vp in his feare And muche more if we as before tyme we haue done Bequeath them and in a maner Consecrate and Sacrifice them to the Seruice of men by thrusting them into Abbeyes and Monasteries there to Remayne in perpetuall bondage of Errour and superstition Thou hast committed fornication with the Aegiptians thy neyghbours c. There are two kindes of Spirituall fornication the one consisteth in Superstition and False woorshipping of God contrarye to his woorde or in Sacrificing to False gods In which kind God before hath noted that his People were vnsatiable and Fashioned themselues to the Seruice not onely of one or two but of a number of Idolatrous gods and builded chapels for them in euery corner much like to that maner whiche in many places of Christendome is yet to be sene how they haue done for their peculiar Sainctes The other Fornicatiō is vnlaufull Ioyning in league with Infidels and Idolaters therby to haue their ayde and defence whithe God seuerely in many places* forbiddeth For by that meanes his people are diuers tymes caryed away from his true Seruice to Idolatrie and the Woorshipping of their Gods with whom they are in League and frendeshippe by Consente in Religion thynking to haue their Fauour more assured Thus did the Iewes committe Fornication with the Aegyptians and leauing to putte theyr Truste in the Lorde their God * desired their Helpe againste their enimies And in like maner had they Doone at other tymes with the Assyrians and other People bordring vpon them For whiche they are here sharpely Reproued Our truste and Confidence shoulde bee tyed to GOD* alone in all our Trouble and distresse and if wee doe imparte it to other and seeke Helpe at any other than at God we committe Fornication with them and are as Adulterers in his sighte Therefore heare the worde of the Lord O thou Harlot c. In this thirde parte of the Chapiter God declareth their Punishemente and as it were pronounceth the sentence of his Iustice against them And bicause he is Determined to Iudge that Citie and countreye as an Adulterer and breaker of Wedlocke and of that Couenaunt that was betweene Him and them he noteth them by the name of An Harlot In the .36 Verse he briefly knitteth together the causes of their Condemnation punishmēt Bicause sayeh he thou haste poured oute thy brasse c. that is Bicause thou hast plentifully layd out thy money riches and treasure by presentes to purchase vnto thee and as it were to wowe new Louers frendes of strange Princes in whom thou mightest put thy truste and haue succour at thy neede * contrarie to my cōmaundement and therby Discouerest thy filthynesse and she west plainly that thou haste in thy hearte forsaken me thy Lord and adulterously haste coupled thy selfe with other and in them delightest and puttest thy confidence And bicause thou haste doone this not onely with wicked and Heathen Princes but also with a number of Idolatrous gods and offred the. Innocent bloud of thy Children to them Therefore I say beholde I will Greeuously punishe thee c. The maner of the Punishemente is that God will bring agaynste them bothe their Frendes with whome before tyme they haue ioyned in league as the Assyrians Chaldeis and Aegyptians and also their Auncient enimies the Philistines Idumeans and other al they gathered together shal behold their Nakednesse and filthinesse rewarde them as Louers do their old Strumpets that they Loth be weary of When Harlots be grown in age or touched with some foule disease their customers begin to detest shun them vpon any light occasion wil beate them taking from them al their gay Iewels and gorgious apparel will turne them out of the doores naked that all other may See what they are Euen so God signifieth that the Chaldees and Assirians shall do by the Iewes They shall Waste their countrey Destroy their citie Pull downe their temple and other places of Sacrifice also carie away into Babilon the golde and siluer and costly vessels belonging vnto the same which things were as the apparell ornaments and iewels wherewith Hierusalem was decked and so shall they turne the Iewes out of their Countrey Naked that all men may see theyr Filthinesse and consider howe Vnfaythfully they haue delt towarde their Lorde and God. By this meanes and by extreeme Pouertie God sayth he will make them to leaue their Idolatrie and enterteyning of foreyne Princes because they should not be hable through their Miserie to bestowe any more cost vpon them Then shall his wrath rest and his iealeousie and anger depart from them c. So long as a man hauing an Vnfaythfull woman is in any hope by meaue correction or iealeous carefulnesse to bring hir to amendment his minde cannot well be Quiet But when he is past hope and seeth her vtterly desperate and also hath seuerely punished her for the same he layeth asyde all trouble of minde and iealeous care that before he had for hit and letteth hir go like a Naughtie packe into the wide world And so GOD sayeth he will deale wyth the Nation of the Iewes Beholde all they that vse common Prouerbes shall vse this Prouerbe c. When the Prophets of God did threaten grieuous Plagues to come vpon the Iewes they in their heartes thought