and our wonder at him but such was our pride he gained our envy of him His Father whether because he was not resolved what calling to breed him to or for what other cause I know not after that hee had with credit proceeded Bachelour of Arts hee took him home where he abode some good time yet applying himselfe unto his studies While hee remained at home with his Father hee married the Daughter of one Master George Hunt the sonne of that tryed and prepared Martyr Iohn Hunt mentioned in the Book of Martyrs who was condemned to be burnt for Religion but was saved from the execution thereof by the death of Queene Mary This Master George Hunt was bred up in the Famous fâ—ee Schoole of the Marchant-Taylers in London and afterward by the incouragement of Master D. Humfry by occasion of a visit of that Schoole and by the furtherance of M George and Mr. Iohn Kingsmells and by the exhibitions of Bishop Pilkinton all which for their honour sake I name he was called unto and mainetained in that worthy Foundation of good Learning Magdalen Colledge in Oxford till hee was Fellow of that House where hee continued till hee had borne the offices of Deane of Arts and Deane of Divinity Afterwards by the meanes of those worthy Master Kingsmells hee was preferred to the Church of Collingborn-ducis in the County of Wiles where for the space of fifty and one yeares and five moneths he lived a sound and constant Preacher of the Word and was of an unblameable and holy life even untill the oyle of his radicall moysture was spent and the candle of his life of it selfe went out in a full and good old-age after a long and joyous expectation and longing for his blessed change which was in the eighty and third yeare and fift moneth of his age This Master George Hunt after that by importunity hee had got this his sonne in law to make tryall of his ability to preach he overperswaded him to intend the ministery And thereupon he entred himselfe into Edmund Hall in the famous Vniversity of Oxford and tooke his Degree of Master of Arts. Not long after hee entred into the Ministery and hee was presently called to be a Lecturer at Banbury which he commendably performed above the space of foure yeares and then was called to be Vicar of the same Church which office hee faithfully discharged neare thirty years till he died The abilities wherewith God had indued him for his work of the Ministery were more then ordinary For hee was of a quicke understanding of a cleare and deepe Iudgement of a most firme memory and of a lively spirit Hee was naturally eloquent a master of his words having words at will Hee had a most able body and sound lunges and till some yeares before his death he had a most strong and audible voice And according as his matter in hand and his auditory needed he was both a terrible Boanerges a sonne of Thunder and also a Barnabas a sonne of sweet consolation And which was the crowne of all God gave him an heart to seek him and to aime at the saving of the soules of all that heard him His speech and preaching was not with entising words of mans wisedome but in demonstration of the spirit and of power He was an Apollos not onely eloquent but withall mighty in the Scriptures He like some of the Ancient Fathers was as occasions fell out sometimes an every dayes Preacher He preached ordinarily in his owne Church twise each Lords-Day and catechized for above halfe an houre before evening Prayer examining and instructing the youth and once a weeke he preached the ordinary Lecture Hee was much against all such preaching as was light vaine scenicall impertinent raw and indigested His preaching was plaine but as much according to the Scripture and also to the rules of Art and of right Reason as any that ever I heard or have heard of In conference he hath told me what hee aimed at and what use he made of the Arts and what rules hee set to himselfe in the studying of his Sermons which was as followeth That he might better understand his Text hee made use of his Grammer learning in Greeke and Hebrew in which tongues the Scripture is written Also hee would use the helpe of Rhetoricke to discover to him what formes of speech in his Text was to be taken in their primary and proper signification and what was elegantly cloathed and wrapped up in tropes and figures that hee might unfold them and see their naked meaning Then well weighing and considering the context hee would by the helpe of Logicke finde out the scope of the Holy Ghost in that Scripture Hee would endeavour when he began to enter upon the preaching of any Chapter to Analise and take the Chapter into its severall branches and parts Then he would if it were a doctrinall Text note the Doctrine as it lay in the Text and so prosecute it Or if the Text consisted of illustrations or circumstances of some principall truth there prosecuted hee would then gather from some notable part or branch of his Text an apt Doctrine or Divine Truth which should so immediately follow that the Truth observed in the Text should be the argument or middle terme wherby in a simple Sillogisme he could conclude his Doctrine Next hee would seeke for apt proofes out of Scripture to confirme it Fewer or more as hee thought best which done because other arguments according to Scripture and right Reason are forcible to convince and confirme reasonable men in any truth hee would find out Reasons of his Doctrine but he aimed that they should bee strong Arguments or middle termes by which hee might likewise Sillogistially conclude his said Doctrine Then according to the nature of the Doctrine and the need and aptnesse of his Auditory hee would as from an infallible consequent of his Doctrine by way of Application confirme some profitable Truth which yet by some might happily bee questioned or else convince men of some errour or reproove some vice or exhort to some Dutie or resolve some doubt or case of conscience or comfort such as needed Consolation In all which sorts of Applications hee did make use of more or fewer of them as there might bee cause and hee would bee carefull that his Doctrine should bee the Argument or middle terme whereby hee might sillogistically conclude the maine Proposition of any of his said uses And if the reproofe or exhortation did need pressing home upon the conscience then hee would study to enlarge his Speech shewing motives to induce to such a duty and allso disswasives from such a vice taking his Arguments from dutie to God decency or shamefullnesse pleasure or paine gaine or losse And here again he would use the help of Rhetorick but all for the most part in a concealed way without all affectation And sometimes he would shew the effectuall meanes of attaining of the Grace and
fell upon her The benefits shee received were two first shee was redeemed from the Captivity of the Kings that had taken her selfe Husband Daughter and whole Family prisoners in the Conquest of Sodome where they dwelt at that time and upon their deliveance neither shee nor her husband had the grace to consider of it and to remoove from Sodome and dwell againe in some better place neerer Abraham Secondly shee was delivered out of the burning of Sodome together with her Husband and Daughters saving that shee made the benefit unprofitable to her selfe by her sinning And her sinne though it seemed little in respect yet indeed was very great The matter was small the transgression was great as in great poyson fullnesse may be found in a small quantity of liquor even in a drop or lesse then a drop Shee was forbidden by the Angell that sent her forth to looke backe to Sodome and yet expressely against that charge shee did looke backe the cause of that prohibition may seeme to have beene this the Lord knowing her too eager affection to the goods shee left behinde her would have her now cast off that inordinate passion and accepting the goodnesse of God in giving her her life for a prey not so much as to turne and looke towards Sodome but trust God for goods who had now vouchsafed them life but shee belike thinking as many of us would have thought as good die as be sent away a beggar and destitute of all things could not keepe her heart constant in taking notice of the great benefit of escaping the fire but out of griefe to leave house and all after her turned backe to salute them once againe with her eye This sinne was compounded of disobedience to God speaking in the Angell and dis-esteeme of the present mercy and over-grieving the losse of her wealth Take heed you give not your selves leave to commit a thing expressely forbidden for usually much naughtinesse concurreth to produce such an act so the Lord that searcheth the heart accounteth that great which your blindnesse maketh you to esteeme nothing and so to punish it many times with some heavie punishment As it befell this woman her punishment was to be turned into a Pillar of salt The Lord instantly smote her with death and taking her soule from her body changed the body into a pillar which whether it be called a pillar of salt because it was of that matter or because of the everlasting continuance of it as an everlasting Covenant is called a covenant of salt I cannot determine The latter seemeth to mee the more probable howsoever shee is set forth to us for an example by which wee may informe our selves thus much that when God hath chastened us and by our chastisements taken pittie upon us and granted us deliverances and yet wee profit so little by both as to continue faulty in the same faults wee shall then finde his hand more heavie upon us by some exemplary blow as it is noted by David that though the Lord brought the people out of Egypt yet hee did after destroy them in the wildernesse that did not beleeve Let us feare least the Lord set us up also as Monuments of his just severity when hee findes us not reformed by former goodnesse and gentlenesse * ⎠* THE TVVELFTH EXAMPLE OF LOTS Daughters and others of that time WEE have finished the things that are recorded of Lots selfe and his Wife Next let us tell you what is recorded of his two Daughters Their names their birth their death the Lord vouchsafeth not to mention and of their life not much is written and that which is tends all to their reproach First good deeds we have none for which to commend them or in which to follow them but bad deeds too many considering how great they were Their first sinne was that they consulted together and agreed about a most abhominable sinne nay a paire of grievous crimes at once In which the first-borne did make the motion and the younger gave her consent In the consultation about it see what reason induced and what it is to which they were induced by that reason The reason is 1. Their Fathers age who being now shortly to leave the world they would not have his off-spring perish in themselves 2. The want of other men to company with them there is not a man in all the earth to come in unto us after the earth They wanted other husbands to beget children of them in lawfull matrimonie Surely their late abode in Zoar might cause them to know that the whole world was not destroyed if they meant that there was never another man left with whom they might joyne themselves they did beguile themselves too too palpably for onely Sodome and Gomorrha and Admah and Zeboim foure Cities of the plaine were consumed with fire from Heaven the rest stood in their former estate Zoar they had seene standing and left it with their Father and seeing they dwelt upon a Mountaine they could not but discerne other Cities round about for that Countrey was full of Townes and people It is like therefore that they meant none neere unto us none of our blood and kindred But why should they make doubt of marrying any other besides their owne kindred They had beene betrothed to husbands in Sodome might they not as well marrie any other Cananite as a Citizen of Sodome It is apparant that their reasons were frivolous and vaine yet upon them they build a full resolution of committing two fearefull offences for they agree together saying Come let us make our Father drinke Wine and then let us lie with him to preserve seed of him They would seeme each to other to be carried with libidinous fancies as if lust led them but that a desire of preserving seed was the motive to the villanous designe Wee see how mans nature is easily drawne by weake and poore grounds to runne into very loathsome and foule crimes Better the world should have wanted continuance and ended in their persons then have it stored with an incestuous off-spring No other meeting together of man and woman if it had beene in the way of Matrimony is simply and of it selfe unlawfull but onely that of Parents and children for there was a time when the Brother married the sister without fault as in the beginning when the world had no other persons in it but brethren and sisters but never at any time was it lawfull for the daughters to have the Father or the Mother the sonne This therefore was the most unlawfull mixture in the same kinde and of different Sexe that possibly could be Yet upon a slender pretext that they knew not how to come by any other man and so their Fathers posterity should perish they consent to accomplish it Had they not beene made more then ordinarily immodest with the conversation of impure Sodomites they would have beene restrained with shame and
in the yeare 2168. and after the flood as some thinke 512. and as others 562. for there is 60. yeares difference in chronologie because of the doubt about Abrahams birth Now the manner of his birth was this as the Scriptures relate Gen. 25.25 He came out first in colour red and all over rough as an hairy garment for which cause his name was called Esau which signe made as one that was stronger than ordinary children be and all over covered with haire In him the Lord shewed the freedome of his election as the Apostle notes Rom. 9. For Before the children were borne or had done good or evill it was said The elder shall serve the younger God chose not him but Iacob though they were borne both of the same Parents and at the same burden Now concerning his life we must consider 1. That which was good therein 2. That which was evill 3. His prosperity 4. His crosses and miseries For the first some things he did that for matter were good and commendable as even a bad man may have some good things found in him The first good thing was that he did shew good respect unto Isaac his Father For he was glad to gratifie him in his diet bringing home the Venison that he caught of which was made dainty meat which the old man loved to feed upon and when he came to him to present his Venison according to his Fathers appointment that he might receive the blessing from his Father he spake reverently unto him For when he brought the meate ready prepared for his eating he said thus to him Let my Father arise and eat of his sons Venison that thy soule may blesse mee Chap. 27.31 and after ver 34. Blesse me even me also ô my Father and ver 38. Hast thou but one blessing my Father blesse me even me also ô my Father Though his Father had given the blessing to Iacob his brother yet he doth not rage and grow into passionate expostulations but with gentle and reverent termes and with teares and with prayers seekes to get some blessing from him This proveth evidently that he carried a reverent esteeme of his Father in his heart and honoured him duly The same love and respect he shewed to Isaac after for when his wrath was kindled against his brother Iacob and that he minded to revenge himselfe by killing Iacob Yet he resolved to forbeare till Isaac was dead that he might not procure too much griefe and sorrow to him in his old age and therefore it is recorded that he said The dayes of mourning for my Father are at hand then will I kill my brother Iacob ver 41. He would not have deferred the murder of his brother for Isaacs sake till after his death but that he bare some respect and good will unto his Father And hee shewed the same respect unto him after Chap. 28.6 For when hee perceived his Father had blessed Iacob and sent him to fetch a wife from Padan Aram and not to take any Canaanitish woman and that the daughters of Canaan which he had married displeased his Father he went to his Vncle Ishmael and tooke his daughter Mahalath to wife seeking as well as his wit could serve to please his Father in that latter match although indeed he went not rightly to work in that marriage neither Some care you see he shewed to give his Father content though he had not wisdome enough to order himselfe rightly for that end Thus this Esau though he wanted grace and feared not God yet he bare love and reverence in some degree as a carnall man could unto his Father Isaac who loved him dearely and so he requited his love againe with such a kinde of love as might be found in an unsanctified person Now all you sons and daughters that have Parents living with you or have had come and lay your selves in the ballance with Esau and consider if you have so much as equalled him in this kinde of imperfect dutifulnesse towards your Parents He out of a kinde of naturall inclination or out of hope of being still kindly used and blessed of his Father shewed much respect unto him divers wayes Hath nature have carnall ends prevailed so much with you to encline your hearts to your parents as they prevailed with Esau If so yet boast not of this thinke not much the better of your selves these kinde of shadows of vertues cannot prove you to be godly children nor afford you sound comfort because themselves be not sound and perfect You have no great reason to please your selves because you are as good as Esau an unsanctified man and one of whom we can give little hope but that he was a casta-way I say therefore satisfie not your selves be not good in your own eyes because of this painted and counterfeit goodnesse But if otherwise it be and that it is evident you come far short of Esau and have not declared so much regard of your parents as he hath done then how bad must you account your selves that are much more sinfull even than an Esau might have been And it is cleare that divers children be far worse than this bad son of Isaac for they shew no reverence no submission to their aged Parents but apparently sleight them in word and deed grumble at them chafe against them carry themselves cuttedly and currishly towards them if at any time they be crossed by them will not be held from following their own evill desires as Esau was from killing his Brother by a desire not to grieve them but wilfully run on in their wicked courses even though they see and know that their wicked carriage doth greatly afflict and torment their Parents but purposely some do things to torment them O sin hath a greater sway and dominion in such childrens hearts than it had in Esaus and they are far more wicked than he was Yea when they see their Parents displeased with their wayes yet they have not so much desire to give them content as Esau had nor do not so much as labour in any manner though never so poorely to give them any satisfaction at all Woe woe unto such children what can he expect from God that is a viler son than Esau was Let such shame themselves by his example and now receive reproofe with meekness and greatly repent of their undutifulnesse if ever they purpose to attain pardon And now let all children that desire to enjoy in themselves the comfort of being the children and chosen of God strive to outstrip Esau in filiall obedience and duty Let them for conscience sake to God put on a largor measure of love and a greater reverence to their Parents labouring to please them in all things in the Lord out of conscience to submit themselves unto them honor them because God hath required it at their hands and to labour to forbeare all sin as in an holy regard to God so in part also out of a
the riches of the whole world If Abraham had enjoyed this whole world and not this sweete entercourse with God his life would not have beene halfe so comfortable and happy but if his estate had bin never so poore and meane in outward things yet would this sweete fellowship with his Maker have made him happy and blessed enough Spirittuall good things are the chiefe and principall blessed is the man whom God pleaseth to take for his owne to call to himselfe to strengthen in faith to make more and more certaine of his salvation This is the blessing of Abraham that comes unto the Gentiles by faith in Jesus Christ This poore and afflicted Saints enjoy as well as rich This seeke this labour for by indeavouring to walke with God and by being upright If any say But alas I want this I find not God shewing himselfe to me in his ordinances I find him not setling my heart I Answer If hee have called thee out of sinne to a good life and that thou indeavourest to follow him he will in due time shew himselfe unto thee feare it not and the longer he seemes to deferre the revealing of himselfe the more abundant and exceeding great shall the comfort be at last God will not faile to blesse his people with spirituall blessings and comfort them with spirituall comforts if they walke before him in sincerity I proceed to tell you of good Abrahams crosses which if you compare them with Isaacs were much greater then his if with Iacobs they seeme in some respects much lesse But if you consider them simply they were some of them exceeding heavy to beare Wee will ranke them into a certaine order First God put him to suffer an heavy crosse at his first call as many times also he doth many of his servants His kindred and his Fathers house were all Idolaters and God saw that he should have had much adoe to have maintained himselfe and the truth of his religion if he should have continued amongst them Wherefore hee caused him to leave that place and those persons and to goe into another land which he should shew him according as in the Psalme the Prophet speakes to Pharaohs daughter forsake thy kindred and thy fathers house and this affliction often assaileth the Saints of God at their looking towards true piety when they begin to forsake sinnefull courses and to looke towards Heaven though they change not their countrie for a new habitation nor leave their fathers house to goe into a region farre distant yet their fathers house falleth out with them they cease to be friends to them and they feele that which sometimes our Lord hath foretold a mans enemies shall be those of his owne house yea father hates the sonne and the sonne the Father For a mans inward and neerest friends are more weary of him then then any other because having occasion of conversing with him they more see his piety else as Owles are more offended with the light and because wanting that commerce in evill and vanity which once they had they are more displeased at the change We must learne therefore whosoever mindeth to follow Christ and be his Disciple learne to love him above all persons yea as himselfe teacheth us to hate Father and Mother even to hate them I say that is to be willing to part with them as if we hated them for Christs sake And as here the Lord so provided for Abraham that he wanted no friend in any place where ever he came a forreine countrey afforded him as much welfare as his native soile could have done so whosoever shall loose any such thing for Christs sake shall be sure to receive in this life an 100. fold that is an hundred times more good and comfort then those things or persons could have afforded yea many times also a larger measure and greater number of outward things and outward friends This was the first crosse of Abraham leaving his countrey see next what he met with in Canaan another countrey in respect of his estate and the persons that were dearest to him First for his estate God gave him no possession no not the bredth of a foote but made him travaile up and downe in tents without either certaine house or any inheritance This is a crosse too and a thing little pleasing to flesh and bloud to be of a fleeting condition not knowing where he shall dwell next month or next yeare to be without house or home that he can call his owne by which God taught Abraham to use the world as though he used it not and to set his heart more upon the things above because he had so little setlednesse in the things below The people of God must be content to be rowled as it were up and downe from place to place to be in the Earth as in a Sea in which they shall be tossed now hither now thither and have no fixed dwelling almost and our Lord Christ after he was a Preacher was accustomed to such a kind of Pilgrims life now in Iudea now in Galilee now in Caesarea now in Cana now in Decapolis hee had not an house to lay his head in S. Paul was likewise accustomed amongst other miseries to beare this of having no certaine dwelling place If God call any of us to such a condition it must not seeme much to us to eate the bread of such worthy men nor to pledge them in the same cup. Hee whose soule is not glewed to the world can well endure this kind of tumbling none other will unlesse hee be a man that loves to wander Now for the persons neere to him first his Kinsman then those of his family One and onely one Kinsman he had with him that wee reade of Lot In him he suffered two troublesome crosses First upon occasion of a trouble that fell out betwixt the servants of Lot and of Abraham they were faine to part habitations Their riches were so great that the land affoorded not roome for both their herds and flockes hence the herdsmen and shepheards on both sides had occasion of jarring about places of pasture One would have his cattle here another would have his and so variance grew Abraham saw that this variance would proceed farther and farther and to prevent mischiefe gives Lot his choice where hee would dwell so saith the Scripture they were separated a man from his brother This no doubt was tedious to Abraham that Lot and he might not be neere neighbours at once for the event after made it appeare how deare Lot was unto him and therefore after Lots departure the Lord appeared unto Abraham to comfort him as taking notice what a trouble it was unto him And this kinde of crosse doth fall out to men either increase of riches or want of it or some thing falleth out that causeth they must be separated from their speciall friends or some unkindnesse and jarres grow betwixt them that their
grieved Abraham he tooke her alone for desire of of-spring not to satisfie lustfull desires and now when she promised seede and his heart was raised up with expectation of a sonne to have all his hopes dashed by the quarrels that Sarah had with her she being gone away and hee knowing not where to have her nor how to procure her returne nor what was become of her nor of his child wherewith she went and which was deare unto him even now before he saw it in the world This surely put him to much griefe and sorrow This crosse is not very usuall to have a great bellied wife runne from a man but if such a kind of desertion shall befall any either hee must be very respectlesse of his wife or else it would be a corrasive unto him But a worse crosse or as bad befell him after for at last the Lord made him to divorce Hagar and to send her quite away never againe to live with him This was as bad and worse then to burie her If God do even separate a mans wife from him either his affection to her is little or else his griefe for her will be much but hee had Sarah his first wife and that served to mitigate the putting away of his superadded woeman So you see his domesticall afflictions in his wife now consider what hee suffered in his childeren 1. In Ishmael whom hee had first hee was faine to banish him or excommunicate him whether you will or both this was an hard thing to him hee had but two sonnes and now hee must thrust one out of his family for ought that hee knew never to see him againe Hee must adventure him to the wide world and send him abroad with his mother in all probability of reason to starve or begge hee knew not whether Would it not grieve and trouble any of you to send a pretty youth about a douzen or ten yeares old out of his house without any thing but a bag and a bottle not knowing what hee would doe or whether hee must goe yet God tried Abraham thus hee must learne to trust Gods word without meanes and above hope The promise was that God would make him a great man and now God began to performe promise by seeming to make him a begger If God seeme to threaten us with beggerie in our posterity wee must consider that such a crosse seemed to bee rushing upon Abraham but God found meanes to make that sonne great to whom hee was not suffered to give any thing that it might be made evident that it is easie with God to inrich a man cast out and destitute of all friends But Abraham had another sonne see the crosses that befell him in Isaac First hee waited long for him before hee had him To be long deferred from enjoying a thing promised and hoped for is a burden somewhat tedious if a man have not faith and patience in some good measure and quantity Thus God tried Abraham hee lived twenty five yeares after the promise of a large ofspring before he imbraced the same which the promise pointed to How could wee brooke the deferring of a promise twenty five yeares But when hee had him was the last triall and worst of all hee must take him and ride with him a long journey of three dayes to a certaine mountaine and there hee must offer him up to God for a burnt offering here God tried Abraham to the quicke Hee must denie naturall affection in killing a sonne so deare unto him and that at this age If God see fit to have him why did hee not call for him when hee was a young childe before hee had filled his heart with so intense love and earnest expectation If hee will have him now why cannot hee send some disease to fetch him but the Father must murder the sonne so nature must give place to Gods commandement Hee must also denie his credit in the world and expose himselfe to most harsh and in shew just censure of all men yea of his familie and of his wife Sarah too whose griefe for her slaughtered sonne must needes cause her to lade her husband with grievous complaints and in appearance also righteous Yea hee must in some sence contradict and crosse even faith it selfe by slaying him in whom the Lord had said unto him In Isaac shall thy seede be called Thus faith must conquer nature conquer credit and conquer it selfe which also it did in Abraham For hee considered that God was able to raise him up againe from the dead from whence in a figure hee had received him So it seemeth good to God to put his servanrs hard to it and to require such things at their hands as cannot but bee very difficult unto them Thus you have heard of Abrahams life now at last hee died in peace and in a good old-age after he had lived 175. yeares not so long as his Fathers and fore-fathers God still shortening the age of man usually that he might put them and us in minde of our latter end and make us carefull to prepare for it continually * ⎠* THE NINTH EXAMPLE OF SARAH HAGAR AS Abraham is called the Father of the faithfull so it is also said to Godly woemen concerning Sarah whose daughters yee are as long as yee doe well c. So that shee is honoured with this title of being the mother of beleevers as hee was the Father Having therefore set before you the example of Abraham wee proceede to consider the example of Sarah his wife Let us see 1. Her birth 2. Her life 3. Her death Concerning her birth her Father is knowne her Mother is not knowne Shee had the same Father with Abraham not the same Mother for so he telleth Abimelech saying Gen. 20.12 Shee is indeed my sister the daughter of my Father not the daughter of my mother and shee became my wife For as yet God had not forbidden to marry with any of the kindered of ones flesh as after hee did so that as yet hee might lawfully take his sister by the one side to be his wife the consort of his bed and shee was borne 10. yeares after Abraham for it is noted that when Isaac was borne shee was 90. yeares of age and he a 100. So was she 10. yeares younger then himselfe and he exceeded her in age 10. yeares as it is meete though not necessary that the husband be somewhat elder then his wife Gen. 21.5 Abraham was a hundred yeares old when his sonne Isaac was borne to him Gen. 17.17 Shall Sarah that is ninety yeares old beare so it is manifest that there was the difference of ten yeares betwixt Abraham and Sarah And this is all we have to say of her Birth Now concerning her life wee will looke into her carriage good and bad and then to the things that befell her good and bad First then for that which was good in her in
and such When in these things hee doth not as S. Paul biddeth equall himselfe with them of the lower sort but of the higher When though God have humbled his estate yet he maust still keepe up his port and by hooke or crooke make a shift to be as gallant as ever This prooves a proud heart for noe man would bestow so much garnishing upon himselfe if he did not count himselfe some body and did not desire to be so accounted of others Therefore Isaiah among other fruites of proude vanity speaketh of the many gewgawes of the women of his time by which they sought immoderately to set out themselves A number of you thinke your selves farre the better when you have set up your selves with a deale of gaudinesse such lace such ruffes so in the fashion If it be sutable to your place and meanes it is no great discredit but if above surely it is as great a discredit as can be for it is as if you should weare a paper upon your heads or backes in which were written in great letters as in some other crimes hath beene done Bee it knowne unto all men that here goes a proud man and a proud woman It is even a Proclamation of your pride and folly and a telling tales against your selves which I am sure you would not doe if you did well thinke of it yea it is more then that for it brings your names into question about your truth and if you be females about your honesty there is such a mans servant she is exceedingly sleeked up see what a wase-coate what a gowne what a ruffe what a dresse shee hath it might well beseeme a mans daughter that would give her a large portion what hath this wench to maintaine it Is her father able to doe much for her no well then I wish she get it by honest meanes I wish that either a false finger or an over-curteous lip do not helpe her to it I am afraid all is not well that she is so fine This is all the good this haughtinesse doth you and will you not leave it The Sodomites punishments First they were taken captives blesse God that you have not felt this misery Secondly God sent fire and brimstone and destroyed them all at once Ezek. 16.49 They were set forth for an example Iude. v. 7. Sodome was turned into ashes 2 Pet. 2.6 The ground is now turned into a salt sea called the Dead Sea no fish will live in it the bird that flee over fall downe dead Thirdly they were cast into the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Let us feare the sinnes of Sodome God is able to punish us in the same manner * ⎠* THE FIFTEENTH EXAMPLE OF ISAAC HItherto of Abraham and those that lived with him now we come to Isaac the sonne of Abraham not of his body so much as of his Faith for hee was the sonne of the promise the sonne of the free woman not of the bond-woman which was borne as S Paul saith not by the flesh nor by a meere naturall power but by promise by vertue of that gratious promise which God had made with him for this was a word of promise at that time I will come and Sarah shall have a sonne and in Isaac shall thy seede bee called and wee bretheren saith the Apostle as Isaac are sonnes of promise Now Isaac signifieth laughter or hee hath laughed or shall laugh a name given to him by God himselfe upon occasion of his Fathers laughter when he heard the promise not out of unbeleefe as Sarah once laughed but out of the joy which he conceived from the assured hope which hee had of the performance of the promise and because God filled both Abraham and Sarah with gladnesse and laughter at his birth when they were both olde and in course of nature were now past all possibility of having children Concerning Isaac we must shew his birth life and death For his birth he was borne in the hundreth yeere of his Father and the 90. of his mother His Father was Abraham his Mother Sarah both as good as dead but by faith they received strength to have a Sonne at that age For Faith will make a barren body fruitfull and also a barren heart In in his life consider First his Virtues and goodnesse Secondly his faults and weakenesses Thirdly his prosperity and benefits Lastly his afflictions and crosses For his Virtues in generall he was a true godly man and was endued with Faith without which no man can please God This Faith the Author to the Hebrewes taketh notice of in him saying By Faith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau as concerning things to come This vertue of Faith is that by which a man beleeveth God in all that he speaketh barely by vertue of his truth and indeceiveable authority And as it apprehendeth the truth of all Gods word so particularly the truth of his promises and by name that great promise of remission of sinnes and salvation for the sake of Jesus Christ the true Messiah and promised seede in whom all spirituall blessings are conferred upon the sonnes of men for it is said in him shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Consider your selves therefore Bretheren whether you also have this same vertue of Faith in your hearts beleeving all that God speaketh to you because he speaketh it and specially all his promises and by name that principall promise of grace and salvation by Christ for without this Faith you cannot be the children of God If you have it not you are strangers from God and from the covenant of grace If you have it you are his sonnes and daughters justified before him and accepted in his sight through him the Beloved in whom the Father is well pleased And therefore labour to get it and to grow in it more and more that it may exceedingly abound in you as S. Paul saith it did in the Thessalonians But beware you deceive not your selves in a bare conceite of Faith saying you beleeve when indeed you doe not so but let your Faith be a working Faith approoving it selfe by love and by obedience that so you may indeed be the children of Abraham and children of promise as Isaac was and If you can thus approove your Faith then rejoyce in it above all things knowing that you are rich in Faith though you want all outward things for he that hath Faith hath God to bee his and that is sufficient to make him happy in the absence of all other things More particularly Isaacs Faith shewed it selfe by many excellent effects in regard of God For first he submitted himselfe to God to be offered on the Altar by his Father according to Gods commandement not making any resistance because his Father made it manifest unto him that God had given him a commandement so to offer him Hard it is to say whether the obedience of Abraham in being willing
married any without the liking and privity of his Father but took the right and due course gave up himselfe to his Fathers authority and direction and therefore God gave him a good Rebekah indeed a comfortable wife and vertuous woman In this therefore all children are bound also to imitate him Children must take their Parents counsell and direction in matter of marriage and not bestow themselves without their good liking and consent that they may have Gods blessing attending them in their marriage when they honour at once both God and their Parents in obeying Gods Commandement and shewing due respect unto their Parents So did even Ishmael though otherwise a wilde man for it is said of him that his Mother tooke him a wife So did Iacob afterwards His Father blessed him and sent him to Padan Aram to take him a wife of the daughters of Laban his Mothers brother And when Sampson saw a woman of Timnah that pleased him well he spake to his Father and Mother to take the Maide for him who went downe thither and made the match for him Indeed the Parents have more discretion and understanding then the children by reason of their age and experience and therefore it is for the childes good to follow their advice And to whom must the children goe for comfort and helpe in case that any crosse befall them in marriage but onely to their Parents of which comfort and helpe they deprive themselves if they venture upon marriage without them wee know that those God hath not joyned in marriage whom he doth not unite in that estate Now God hath made the Parents his Deputies in this behalfe saying unto them give your daughters in marriage and take sonnes for your daughters and againe you shall not give your daughters to them in marriage nor take their sonnes to your daughters Now how can it be said that God joyned them if their Parents whom hee hath made rulers over them in his steed do not joyne them seeing immediately hee doth joyne none in these our daies Also the children are the goods of the Parents as a part of their possession insomuch that they were also to be sold to pay their debts Wherefore as no bargaine is firme in other kindes of goods without the consent of those that have right unto those goods so neither can this covenant be good without the consent of Parents which have as much right from God in their children as in any other of their goods Wherefore those sonnes and daughters are much to be blamed who have neglected this part of their duty to their Parents and have suffered their blinde and strong passions so farre to transport them that against their Parents consent and counsell they have bestowed themselves in Matrimony and so have transgressed against the plaine commandement of God Such must heartily repent of their sinne and humble themselves before God with much sorrow for their great and wilfull disobedience Parents would not have their children thus to slight and dishonour them yea they take it grievously and are much perplexed with sorrow for their children in this case therefore children should bee much grieved themselves if they have given this occasion of griefe unto their Parents To satisfie mens owne desires and affections without regard to Gods ordinances is a notorious disobedience and bringeth the guilt of a great offence upon the soules of them that have so offended All you that have married in this disorderly manner see that you doe unfaignedly repent of the sinne before God and confessing the fault before him seeke to prevent the curse that must else fall upon you and your children after you for so dishonouring your Parents And you young men and women that be not yet married see that you binde your consciences and resolve your wills to obey this commandement Follow God in your Parents and be not so rash and selfe-willed as to crosse them and follow your owne heads and passions This duty will be easie if you looke carefully to your passions at first and suffer them not to be undiscreetely fixed upon any person untill you have acquainted your Parents with your desires and crav'd their allowance and consent But if a man or maide doe inthrall themselves and intangle others by a disorderly placing of their affections then shall they make this otherwise easie duty hard and impossible to themselves Keepe your selves therefore Masters of your owne hearts and sell not away your liberty through an over-hasty yeelding of your selves to your unruly passions Suffer not your mindes to be drawne away by any meanes but pray God to keepe your hearts in order It is a sinfull love as well as a sinfull passion in any other kinde which troubles an house and makes the children contrary to their Parents and to proove the greatest crosse that may be to them to whom they ought to have beene the greatest comfort Lastly Isaac shewes his due respect unto his Father by joyning with Ishmael his brother in burying his Father for so it is said his sonnes Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machphelah This is the last office that childeren can performe and they must shew their love and duty to them in the honourable performance of this last act as to testifie their love to their Parents so to declare their faithfull hope of the resurrection from the dead For therefore are men with due solemnities committed to the bosome of the earth because they expect their glorious rising againe and they shall not utterly perish and fall as doe the bruite and unreasonable creatures Now see Isaacs carriage towards his mother There was no love lost betwixt them but as Sarah did tenderly love Isaac so did he requite her love with love againe as is manifested in his sorrowfull taking of her death though she lived with him to a great age For so it is written that after Rebekkah was brought unto him and he was married unto her Gen. 24 ult Isaac was comforted after his mothers death intimating that even untill then he was grieved for the losse of her It is a fault therefore in childeren oversoone to forget their dead mothers and to let their remembrance quickly to slip out of their mindes how much more to be weary of their over-long lives and to be glad when the time comes that they must put them into the dust in respect of some paultrey gaine of money of land that they shall possesse when the Father and mother is dead All that desire their parents death for their goods sake which they shall enjoy after them and are glad when they shall change their parents for their goods must needes be called wicked and ungratefull childeren See therefore that you children love even your mothers heartily moderately lamenting their death that you may make it appeare their life was not a burden unto you And so have we seene Isaacs goodnesse towards his parents Looke into his carriage
sanctified because they were imperfect in patience Why should we make such untrue and uncharitable and indiscreet conclusions either against our selves or others with whom we live As an extenuating of faults to make them seeme nothing and make our hearts hard under them is to be condemned so an over-aggravating of them to make our selves seem no children making our case worse then ever any mans before is likewise to be condemned Satan is author of both these follies and the effect of the latter is to drive us from God as well as of the former and all things are ill used when they tend to keepe us from comming to God and trusting in him So much of Rebekkahs good and bad now of the good and evill occurrents that befell her Her prosperity first was great for God called her from her Fathers house in which Idolatry did raigne and false worship prevailed to be a member of Abrahams house and a mother of the Messiah and a professor and practiser of Gods true religion and not alone so but gave her grace to be a godly woman an heire of the promise made to Abraham together with her husband This is the greatest of mercies here below to be called from darknesse to light from serving the devill and Idols to serve the true and living God If God have granted to any this mercy even to call them effectually to himselfe out of the darknesse of a false worship and religion to the light of a godly life How much cause hath he to blesse God and to rejoyce in this mercy above all mercies and bee freequently and heartily thankfull But if you have not yet attained it for many live in the Church that be not of it take notice of your wretched condition and now cry earnestly to God to bring you to the effectuall and saving knowledge of his truth that you also may be indeed and â—ot in bare profession of the houshold of Abraham the true Church But Rebekkah had other benefits beauty health and strength for ought we reade after marriage as before A rich and godly husband in whom she was doubly happy for her soule and state and one godly childe too whom she dearely loved and who shewed himselfe a man worthy to be loved A good husband a good state a good childe good health bee they not benefits indebting us to God in many praises and thankes and much carefull obedience Let not these mercies be strangers to your thoughts but ponder upon them to stir up your selves to thanksgiving and obedience Now for her crosses some shee suffered in her dayes as well as others First her husband fell blinde and weake and almost bedridden No doubt but she did participate with him in this affliction and it was a griefe to her to see him so imprisoned in darknesse and some trouble it must needs be though her love made it easie to give attendance upon him in that estate Likewise she could not but grieve to see her husbands affections to be so much more than they should have been for a long time upon her elder but worser son It was also a great griefe unto her to see the rudenesse and bloodinesse of her son Esau who comforted himselfe against his brother with an intention so soon as his Fathers funerals were over to dispatch him and rob him of the blessing though he could not get it to himselfe Would it not cut the heart of one of you Parents to heare that one of your sons you having but a couple in all the world should resolve to become a murderer of the other and so you stood in danger of being deprived of them both at once would not both these things grieve you Againe it was a griefe to her to have her good son as it were banished from her house and compelled to fly away in secret for his life For had he not been compelled to steale into Padan Aram in respect of Esau as to steale thence again in respect of Laban his Fathers estate was not so low that he must needs have travailed over that Iordan with a staffe and come to Labans house all alone and there have served an hard service for a wife Sure Isaac was not a prodigall he had not consumed his estate so that Abrahams grandchilde must be sent out so poorely appointed whose steward when he fetched a wife for Isaac had ten Camels well laden with rich things and many servants to attend him and so with speed returned home with his errand But feare of Esau caused him to goe speedily and secretly that no man might know it lest so he might have fallen into mischiefe by his meanes and to tarry so long till he might heare his brother was pacified Now did not this think you wound Rebekkahs heart Did she not part with a great part of her comfort when she parted with her beloved son Iacob so far so long and in such a manner But worst of all so long as she lived with her daughters shee was miserably vexed with their frowardnesse and ill conditions Indeed at length Esau tooke his journey to mount Seir where her friends dwelled and made this crosse more easie by removing his habitation with his wives and all he had but in the mean it was an anguish to her and that viz. losse of Esau too when Iacob was gone could not but minister matter of some affliction to her in minde Now let all of us be perswaded to looke for these and the like crosses that by fortifying our selves against them we may be made more patient and so beare them with lesse discontent for what are we that God should handle us with more indulgence than this so good a woman And those that lie under any such crosse in husband sons daughters daughters in law let them frame themselves to a more contented suffering because they finde that they bee no other kind of evils than those wherewith their Father hath exercised their betters in former times as he doth also for the present Hee must be an unruly childe that will roare and take on when he beareth no more than his other brethren and sisters beare before him yea and if we have escaped these particular crosses let us be thankfull to God for our freedome even from them and make the bearing of the rest more easie because we have not as we have deserved and might have had the same we have and these also for an overplus of misery THE SEVENTENTH EXAMPLE OF ESAV WEE are now to handle the example of Esau Hee was a twin Iacob being the other twin We must treate of his birth life and death First for his birth we are informed that hee was the son of Isaac and of Rebekkah the wife of Isaac daughter of Bethuel by his wife Milcah Which Bethuel was son of Nachor the brother of Abraham He was borne in the yeare of the world 2108 as some thinke and as others
know whose daughter she was viz. Labans the brother of Rebekkah here Cousin-germans married without scruple but no marvell for they made no question of nearer matches A man might marry his Fathers daughter his sister as Abraham did Sarah A man might marry with two sisters as Iacob did Rachel and Leah The Lord had not yet abridged the liberty of contracting mariage as with any more remote so with them that were nearest in blood and alliance Therefore their examples must be no president for us in this matter But of Rachel let us consider after her Parentage her life and death and in her life 1. Her faults 2. Her vertues 3. Her crosses 4. Her benefits and so to her death First then her faults She was a woman of great imperfections these are plainly noted in her First she was envious towards her sister as you see Gen. 30.1 It vexed her not alone that she had no children but that her sister had Envy is a sin much to be blamed you may see in this Example what it is such a vexing at anothers having what I have not as doth estrange my minde and work a degree of hatred towards the person that hath it The first and most remarkable example of this vice is found in Cain it shewes it selfe here againe in Rachel Let us consider what a loathsome vice it is that we may the better shun it The Word of God hath given us frequent warning of it in blaming it so often it shewes how apt we are to it and how diligently we should oppose it and preserve our selves from it our Saviour is pleased to reckon it among the evill things that come out of the heart and doe defile the man and giveth it the name of an evill eye because it shewes it selfe presently in the eye and countenance and causeth a dejected countenance and a vile looke towards the party envied as it is seen in Cain and Saul It is a passion that will not be kept in but will bewray it selfe in odde lookes and casts of the eye S. Paul reckons it up among those sins wherewith the Gentiles were full viz. of Envy murder c. and you see with what companions he joynes it murder debate for these indeed be the fruits that follow from it as in Saul Cain and the Pharisees is evident S. Paul also reckons it amongst the number of the things which are fruits of the flesh and which he that doth shall not inherite the kingdome of heaven envyings murders where you see likewise how he fellows it with murders as he had done before In the same Epistle he forbids it saying Let us not bee covetous of vain-glory provoking one another envying one another Saint Iames saith that Where envying and strife is there is confusion and all manner of evill workes It is thought to have been one of the first sins of the devill For what could move him to seeke the overthrow of our first Parents Adam and Eve but together with an hatred of God from whom himselfe had fallen an evill affection towards them that stood entire in that good estate which himselfe had lost viz. the favour of God and true happinesse Now this vice is injurious to God to the party envyed to the enviers selfe and to the societies of mankinde First to God to whom it will not grant the freedome of disposing his owne gifts according to his owne good pleasure Envy against him that excels us carries with it by way of implication at least and sometimes expresly blaming condemning muttering against him that hath granted to another what he hath denied unto me They murmured against the housholder in the parable that were troubled to see those of the eleventh houre to have equall wages with them at the first Now what an audaciousnesse is this in the creatures to set rules to the Creator and to binde him that he shall not shew himselfe more bountifull to another than to ones selfe Are not we discontented if one childe grudge because another hath a bigger or better thing than himselfe We cannot endure that our inferiours should set lawes to us and appoint us what to give to others what to them We must know our selves to forget our selves much if we will prescribe to God and it is nothing else but a very prescribing to God when we take occasion from his bounty to repine For if it be well done why are we vexed If not upon whom is the blame laid Further it is a wrong to the party envyed for it is to measure such measure to him as we would not have measured to our selves by another Who doth not blame another for vexing at his prosperity and for having a grudge against him because God hath done him good Would we not that all should rather love us respect us more and rejoyce with us Therefore we doe injury to our neighbour in doing what we would not have done to our selves The envious wrongeth himselfe both because he doth vexe and eate out his owne heart to no purpose for neither shall another prosper lesse nor he more because of such his inordinate distempers as also because he makes himselfe lie open to most grievous sins of detracting slandering and practising all injuries yea and murder at the last He is in the high way that will lead him to many sins yea to the shedding of innocent blood that entertaineth this diabolicall humour of envy And he wrongeth the whole society because he is distempered at that which maketh for the common good even the distribution of Gods gifts differently as himselfe sees fit and in that he is broody of quarrels which all hinder the common welfare of the places where they be Besides this is a fruit of pride and uncharitablenesse and must needs be hatefull to God who loves only the humble and charitable Envy is a vice unto the making of which many vices concurre Ignorance folly pride uncharitablenesse self-love and the like It is a vice which bringeth forth many other vices contention strife swellings tumults whisperings back-bitings murders and all evill deeds Therefore let us finde it out and chase it away You shall easily perceive that it is a weed which growes in our corrupt nature How soon doe children begin to shew it how doth it grow stronger by continuance increasing in strength as the body increaseth yea how doth it live in old men too and vexe them also that should have more understanding as experience sheweth Indeed the elder can use more craft to hide it but many times they have no more wisdome to subdue it than the younger I pray you finde it out each one in himselfe and fight against it as one of the most loathsome fruits of the flesh And strive you to get such a measure of humility and charity as may not alone preserve you from this vice but make you rejoyce with them that rejoyce and turne the prosperity of others into matter
that hee was forcibly driven out of Gods Inheritance and wished nothing more then that he might have liberty to dwell in Gods Tabernacles Let us if we have banished our selves from such habitations be carefull to returne with speed from our voluntary wandring Secondly Iudah shewes himselfe somewhat humbled for his sinne with Tamar for seeing the tokens he had left with her and knowing his fault hee confesseth his fault and saith shee is more righteous then I. For Shelah was growne up and was not given unto her So must wee doe if wee have sinned and beene an occasion of others sinnes let us justifie them above our selves and condemne our selves more then them and not bee possessed so with the partiality of selfe-love as still to stand in our owne light denying the fault or laying the blame upon another True repentance will be ready to blame it selfe but an impenitent heart is witty to cast the blame still from it selfe upon another Againe it is said hee knew Tamar no more afterwards and wee reade not of any other wife or childe he had afterwards so that he forbare her because shee was his daughter in Law and forbare to take another wife voluntarily it is like in humiliation for this unbridled fact he had committed If any have sinned in unlawfull deeds of this kinde his care must be with Iudah to offend so no more and to be so humbled with his former offence that the consideration of it may make him temper himselfe for the future Further Iudah carried himselfe well towards his Father for hee was earnest to get him send Benjamin with them to the Governour in Egypt and at last prevailed by interposing his faithfull promise to bring him backe againe as you reade in the Story It is a good thing in an Inferiour to turne away his Superiour from stiffenesse in an indiscreet purpose and he hath performed a worthy office that hath so farre prevailed with his superiour for the good of himselfe and of others wherefore doe this good deed with humblenesse and discretion as occasion serveth The last good deed of Iudah and most commendable was his faithfull keeping of his promise with Iacob in offering himselfe to be a bondslave in Benjamins roome whose absence he knew would even kill his old Father so that hee was content to take the punishment of anothers fault upon himselfe rather then falsify his word of presenting the Lad againe unto his Father How was love and faithfullnesse joyned both in one act We must learne to practise even so to love a Parent so as if it be possible to prevent his griefe with our owne so great a misery as perpetuall bondage during life How much are they to blame that occasion their Parents misery by their wilfull sinnes and can well enough be content to see their Parents goe mourning to the grave even for their incorrigible naughtinesse Sure the affection of good children is farre otherwise And now children have a loving pittie to your Parents and frame your selves rather to suffer any misery then the sight of your Parents pining away in griefe especially then the procuring of it by your owne misdemeanours Againe he shewed here great fidelity for having given his Word to his Father that he would bring Benjamin againe to him he preferres the performing of his promise before his owne liberty and would rather keepe his promise with his Father then live at home with him in freedome Let us learne to shew the like care in keeping our promises even to doe what wee have said chiefely in matters of weight though wee cannot doe it without great inconveniences to our selves let us keepe promise though it be to our hurt Againe Iudah makes a most pithy and rhetoricall speech to Ioseph for affection will make a reasonable wit to doe the office of a good Orator This was a commendable thing in Iudah to beare so sudden and terrible an accident with so much strength of minde that he could apply himselfe to take that course which was fit and behoofefull notwithstanding his griefes Let us labour to be of so well compact a spirit that extremity of sudden blowes may not disable us from carrying our selves discreetely even in such unexpected accidents This is a gift that we must beg at Gods hands and the best way to get it is as Iudah did to see God in it and be humbled before him for our sins that procured it And so much for Iudahs particular good deeds Now his crosses were first that he had two sonnes so wicked that God himselfe could not brooke them but even slew them for their extreame wickednesse It is a crosse that hath befallen many a Father to have very lewd children Labour what you can to prevent it by being good your selves and carry not your selves so wickedly as to pull this crosse upon your selves as Iudah did in running to Hiram and marrying a Canaanitish woman for what could he looke for but that the sonnes of such a woman and brought up in such a place should proove wicked And if it doe befall any of you or have befalne you be indeed humbled by it but not put quite out of heart Let it helpe to make your selves better if your children be wicked Another crosse was that his daughter in Lawes discontent drew her to prostitute her selfe to him in the disguize of an Harlot and so drew him to incest when he thought but to have committed fornication It is a misery to be drawne into a more grievous sinne then one intended to commit Let us resolve to commit none at all that such an addition of faultinesse may not be put upon our sinnes beyond our owne knowledge and if it have befalne us let us learne to be humbled very much It is just with God to give a man over to a worse sinne then he thought of that is bold to take liberty to commit some sin which he ought not to have done Lastly God did cause the sinne of Iudah to breake forth to his shame as you know though hee feared the shame more then the sinne And this is surely a great punishment to make ones evills knowne which he hoped should have beene kept still in secrecy And a just thing it is with God to dishonour a man before men when hee will dishonour God by sinning boldly in secret And if God have buried any mans faults in darkenesse let him bury them by repentance else they shall breake out more reproachfully at last day to his utter confusion But if God have cast the dirt of any mans sin upon his face and layd his grosse crimes open to all the world he must make this use of it to be more humbled before God and improve the griefe that shame and reproach will stirre in him to the more hearty bewailing of the sin that deserved it otherwise to be greatly grieved for the shame is nothing else but a carnall and unsanctified
cause to speake and that it bee the certaine truth they speake before they speake to any Thirdly while Joseph was young hee shew'd himselfe obedient to his Father for when he called him to send him to visit his Brethren hee was ready to obey him and did the office of a dutifull Sonne addressing himselfe to the appointed businesse although it was to take a journey of two or 3 dayes on foot Come young men and young women and learne of this good youth how to carry your selves to your Parents if they call you come and give them dutifull and mannerly answers if they send you goe and preferre the doing of their will in lawfull things before your owne ease and pleasure You know how precisely the Lord hath imposed this duty upon the consciences of children Children obey your Parents in all things You must make no restriction of the largenesse of this Commandement but by adding that word Lawfull which out of other Scriptures must needes bee understood and hee gives a reason saying this is the first Commandement meaning of the second Table with promise and with promise of welfare saying that it may bee well with thee As ever you desire to finde prosperity from God so you must bee dutifull to your Fathers and Mothers the instruments of your beeing and bringing up and the most immediate Deputies of God and you which hee hath set in his stead to take care of you and to rule you Now you that are sinfull and disobedient Sonnes and Daughters whose carriage doth farre differ from that of Josephs see the foulenesse of your Vice by opposing unto it the fairenesse of his Vertue Doe not your hearts within you say that it was very well done in Joseph to say to his Father here am I when hee called him to goe on his errand and when his father had told him his work by and by to set about it doe you not thinke that Joseph did the office of a godly childe and that which his duty bound him to and wherwith God was well pleased If he did as your selves must needes affirm he did be you grieved ashamed within your selves of your quite contrary carriage whose consciences can tell that instead of answering here I am have retained some surly answer and instead of going on the businesse have gone a quite contrary way Let your hearts smite you to Repentance that you may comfort your Parents with obedience hereafter whose hearts you have formerly vexed by your gracelesse stubbornesse Fourthly when Iosephs Brethren used him exceeding injuriously and hardly viz. selling him to forrainers for a Bond-man what did he but even intreat and beseech them to deale better with him as themselves tell of his carriage when they were touched with some remorce for their cruelty Gen. 42.21 He besought us and we would not heare Loe how it behoves a good body to behave himselfe to his equals or betters or any that being too strong for him when they doe offer hard measure unto him even intreat pray beseech use all submissive gentle quiet and milde words and carriage Learne that of S. Paul who saith being defamed we intreat You know Abigals carriage toward David when she found him in a great chafe against her husband and ready to doe violence to her family she intreated him and caused his passion to stoppe it selfe by her faire words Solomon hath told us that gentle words pacifie wrath and if any thing in the world will asswage the fury and mollifie the hardnesse and remove the cruelty of an enemy it is this kinde of language and behaviour If therfore any of us be guilty of betaking our selves in such case to railing bitternesse and violence giving all the vile tearmes that wrath would put into our mouthes against our Superiours when they wronged us and dawbing them with most foule names let us take notice of our folly in being wrathfull This was not the course that naturall discretion much lesse that Christian Religion would prescribe to a wronged man this shews him to be as proud and bitter that suffers as they that offer the wrong S. Peter saith we should not render reviling for reviling if we must not raile on him that abuseth us in words neither then on them that abuse as in actions Now then learne meekenesse of Ioseph learne to frame your tongues to this kinde of humble speech when you be wronged Perhaps you may say that Joseph did this because he durst doe no otherwise I answer if he feared his Brethren are not you to feare God if hee durst not speake wrathfully to them that hee might not the more provoke and move them should not you take heed of provoking GOD with the licentious use of your evill tongue But secondly I answer that it is very probable Ioseph did not this out of bare feare for then when he saw that the matter grew desperate and hee could not prevaile by intreaty he would have fallen to bitternesse at last wherefore follow his mildnesse beseech when you are wronged but doe not rayle and revile This is all I have noted of Iosephs private life in his Fathers house now we will follow him into Egypt and see how he carryed himselfe there 1. in private in the house 1. of Putiphaer 2. in prison 2. more publikely Iosephs carriage in Putiphars house deserveth praise 1. because he was a diligent and faithfull servant unto him Ioseph had beene bred up tenderly as the free sonne of a noble and great man Iacob of a sodaine God by his providence made him a bondman he frames himselfe to such dutifulnesse and fidelity that he winnes his Master and gaineth greater favour with him then any other servant as you may reade Gen. 39. ad 7. For had not he beene faithfull and painefull God had not beene with him nor prospered him as he did Let me commend his example to you that be servants to imitate it labour you to be good servants faithfull diligent in your Masters businesse and respective towards their persons that so God may be with you too and prosper you and you also may draw the loves and good wils of your Masters Your service is not bond service but free service at the worst it is but a service of eight or nine yeares likely See the commandement of God lying upon you as much as it did upon Ioseph and doe that which you see in him is possible to doe this is the way to make your service most easie and comfortable to your selves and most acceptable and pleasing to God you are servants now you may be Masters or Governours hereafter so frame your selves in the function of servants that God may blesse you with good servants Carry your selves towards your Masters as you would wish your servants to carry themselves to you and for the most part you shall find that in this as well as in other things the Lord will returne a mans owne measure into
incest Laban The Scripture saith nothing of his birth or death His Parentage His life His civill vertues 1. He vouchsafe curteous entertainment unto Eliezer 2. He gave him an honest and good answer Neither by faire meanes nor by soule 3. He speedily dismissed him 4. Was loving to his sister made a feast to his neighbours and friends Gen. 29.21 22. 5. He lovingly entertained Iacob when he came unto him 6. Of his own accord he offered Iacob wages for his worke 7. He was willing to bestow his daughters upon him 8 He quickly laid downe his anger and made a covenant with him 9. He sheweth himselfe loving and kind to his daughters and grandchildren 10. He made a feast at the marriage of his daughter 11. He tooke notice of Gods blessing as the cause of his prosperity 12. He forbore what God forbad His faults 1. He was an Idolater 2. He loved Iacob in a worldly manner 3. He cousened Iacob 4. He looked doggedly upon him because he hindred his wealth though without any wrong 5. He pursued Iacob with an hostile minde 6. He falsely chargeth Iacob with stealing his Idols 3. His benefits 1. He had a good son in law 2. He was rich 4. His crosses 1. His daughters and grand children went far from him 2. He was troubled at Iacobs prosperity His death Iacobs children Reuben what it signifies Gen. 29.3 Simeon what it signifies Levi what it signifies Iudah what it signifies Gen. 30.18 Issachar what it signifies Zebulun what it signifies Dan what it signifies Nephthali what it signifies Gad what it signifies Asher what it signifies Ioseph what it signifies Benjamin what it signifies Dinah what it signifies Who she was No good thing is spoken of her Her faults 1. She went into the City to see the daughters of the countrey 2. A young man saw her and lay with her The sonnes Their common faults 1. All of them were bad except Ioseph and Benjamin Gen. 37.2 2. They all beguiled Hamor â—he Sichemite Gen. 35. Deceit is a great sin Prov. 6.10 18. 26.26 Rom. 3. 3. They all consented to the murder of the Sichemites 4. They hated their brother Ioseph 5. They lied cousened their old Father The use of all Their common goodnes 1. They all strove to comfort their Father in his great sadnesse 2. They were dutifull to him in going down to Egypt and not taking Benjamin with them 3. Their benefits 1. They had a godly Father and themselves were pillers of the true Church 2 God saved them all from a great danger 3. They had store of riches 4. Ioseph nourished them in the famine Their crosses 1. In danger from Esau when children 2. In danger at Shechem 3. Felt a famine and were roughly handled by Ioseph Reuben 1. His faults Gen. 35.22 1. He committed incest with his Fathers Concubine Incest is a great sin 1 Cor. 5. 2. His vertues 1. He wisely disswaded his Brethren from killing of Ioseph 2. He was fully minded to restore Ioseph to his Father againe 3 He grieved to see his hopes disappointed and Ioseph taken out of the pit 4 He sought to remove his Father from his stiffenes in refusing to send Benjamin into Aegypt His crosses His Father minded him of his incest on his death-bed 3. His benefits hee had divers sons Simeon and Levi their sinne double 1. The murder of the Sichemites Murder is a great sinne 2. They shewed no repentance when their Father told them of their fault Their punishment They lost part of the birth-right Levies death Iudah His faults 1. He left his Fathers house 2. He was led by his eye in marriage 3. He committed incest with his daughter in law Heb 13 4. 1 Cor. 6.9 4. He dissembled with his daughter in Law 5. He forgat his owne naughtinesse would have had Tamar burnt 6. Repented not of his whoredome but sought to redeeme his pledge His vertues 1. He returned at last to his Fathers house 2. He was somewhat humbled for his sinne 3. He carried himselfe well to his Father Gen. 43. 4. He faithfully kept promise with his Father 5. He did couragiously beare an evill accident His crosses 1. He had two very wicked sonnes His daughter in Law drew him to incest when he intended fornication onely 3. His sinne brake forth to his shame His benefits 1. He had very good naturall parts 2. Hee had a part of the birth-right setled upon him Potipher and his wife Shechem His faults 1. Hee looked lustfully on Dinah Gen. 34. Job 31.1 Mat. 5 29. 2. He enticed or forced her to naughtines or both 1 Cor. 6.18 2. What was good in him 1. He continued to affect her when hee had defloured her Deut. 22.28 29. 2. He acquaints his Father with his love to her and in treates him to speake to her Father for him 3. He stood not over-much upon matter of portion 4. He would have all things agreed upon before marriage 5. He was constant in his love to the end What betrothing is 3. His benefits He was his Fathers heire who was a great man His crosses 1 He prooved an occasion of the overthrow of his Father and his whole family and the Citie Hamor His faults 1. He was willing to be circumcized for a by end 2. He did not reproove nor correct his son for the wrong done to Dinah His vertues 1. He is willing to satisfie his sonne in point of marriage so farre as was fit 2. He deales well with his Subiects perswading them to be circumcised 3. Hee dealt well with Iacob plainely seeking his daughter and yeelding to equall conditions 3 His prosperity 1 His sonne was indifferently good 2. His Subiects were good 4. His crosse Himselfe and all his Family and City were murthered Hiram Hee was a good morall friend His friendship was 1. Lasting 2. Serviceable 3. Secret Yet he was a bad man Er and Onan the first was so wicked that God cut him off Onan was also wicked and cut off by God in his youth Tamar a very bad woman The Midianitish Merchants Gen. 37.25 Merchandize is commendable Pro. 23.4 Buying and selling of men the originall of it The iustice of it Potiphar Potiphar a great man His faults Chap. 39.6 1. Hee gave himselfe wholy over to his ease having a good steward James 5.1 2. He beleeved his wives cunning slander against his servant His good deeds 1. He observed his servants faithfulnesse and good successe nd loved and rewarded him for it Deut. 15.1 14. Prov. 27.18 Col. 4.1 Gal. 3.28 2. He did not take away Iosephs life in a rage His benefits Hee had an honourable office His crosses He had a lewd woman to his wife Potiphars wife No good in her Her faults 1. Shee was an adulterous woman 2. Impudent and earnest in her filthinesse 3. Most malicious Pharaohs Butler and Baker 1. Their good deeds 1. They bare their imprisonment patiently and cheerefully Gen. 40.7 2. They despised not Iosephs youth or meane
his good Example and wholesome Instructions provoke you to all holinesse that you allso may partake with him in that happinesse of which hee is now fully possessed Your true Christian Friend Edward Leigh TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Reader AMidst the numberlesse number of Bookes wherwith in this scribling age the presses are oppressed there is scarcity enough of such as are usefull and profitable As therefore the Art of Printing was a happy invention for the propagating of learning so surely wee are beholding to those who write such things as are worthy to be published Since as one saith Hee that speaketh profiteth for an houre but he that writeth profiteth for ever This subject thus handled by this worthy deceased Authour is an unbeaten tract few if any having gone over the Exsamples of Scripture in such a doctrinall and practicall way both It seemed to me in the preaching both pleasant and profitable pleasant in regard of the explaining of divers stories profitable in respect of the particular application of all Hee being according to his manner large and lively therein Had it pleased God to have continued him in life untill hee had finished all the Examples of either Testament such a worke from so able a Divine would have beene of singular use But he was Frumentum Dei as Ignatius said by Mortification and Selfe-denyall Hee was made cleane bread for Christ who was the bread of life for him God therefore hath gathered this wheate into his garner and he now rests from this and all other labours We thinke fitting also to give others to understand which be M. Wheatelyes owne workes done by himselfe and such as they may account genuine viz. those onely which come forth either in our names viz. EDWARD LEIGH HENRY SCUDDER or with an Epistle at least from one of us You may observe in the beginning of this Treatise what was M. Wheatlies constant method in handling the Examples In each person hee considered three things His Birth Life and Death In his Life he observed his carriage and behaviour in respect both of the deeds hee did good bad indifferent and doubtfull and the things which befell him either prosperously or adversly in benefits or afflictions This shall suffice in briefe to premise concerning this Worke and so wishing thee much benefit by the same I rest Thy hearty Well-wisher EDWARD LEIGH THE LIFE AND DEATH OF Mr. WILLIAM WHATELY LATE Minister of the Word at Banbury in the County of Oxford written by Henry Scudder Minister of the Word at Collingborne-ducis in the County of Wilts IT hath beene a commendable use in the Church of God from the Primitive times downe to us that the lives of some or other especially of the more famous Ministers and lights therein have beene written by men who best knew and had learned what their lives and conversation was This they did not onely to vindicate their names from the slanders of the wicked who will speake evill of all that oppose their evill wayes and also that the dead might bee duely honoured but chiefly that the living by their good Examples might glorifie God for them and be edified This writing and printing the lives of worthy men is like the engravings with the point of a diamond raising up for them an everlasting monument upon which the light of their Faith and good workes is made to shine before men that seeing their Faith and holinesse they may follow them and may also praise God for his graces in them and for the good which hath bin done by them and so glorifie their Father which is in Heaven I have beene earnestly intreated to write the Life and Death of M. William Whately late Pastour of the Church of Banbury I was made choice of the rather because of that intimatenesse of Friendship which was betweeene us and because of our long acquaintance being of the same time in the famous Vniversity of Cambridge and of the same Colledge and Chamber and having the same Tutor and afterward when wee were both placed in the Ministery wee lived sometime together in one house and a great while neare one another and were also nearly allyed I know none that had like meanes to know him more thoroughly then I. I have therefore not unwillingly set pen to paper and doe here in all plainenesse and sobriety of truth reckon up and report his life and death in a short summe that those who will may read and make their use of it For in many things hee may bee a lively patterne to us his Bretheren in the Ministery of the Gospell of Christ and the like in many things for the imitation of all that desire to live godly in Christ Iesus This M William Whately was borne at Banbury a burrough Town very well known in Oxfordsbure His Parents were both of them forward professours of the Gospell of Christ and of the power of Godlinesse and Religion according as it is now mainetained in the Church of England They were both of chiefe note and place in the Towne his Father being oft Major and a long time a standing Iustice of Peace in that Burrough His Mother was a rare woman for naturall parts but chiefly for Piety Diligence in her Calling Frugality and Mercifullnesse to the poore She was a right Lois or Eunice in breeding up this her Son as shee did her other Children in the Knowledge of the holy Scriptures from a child His Parents trained him up in his yonger daies to learning settiâ—g him to the best Schooles that were in those parts where he profited in learning as also hee did in the Vniversitie above most of his equalls in yeares This hee did by reason of the Excellency of the naturall parts which God had given him namely a quicke apprehension a cleare judgement and a most happy memory His ripenesse in Grammer learning in Latine Greeke and Hebrew was so earely that about the fourteenth yeare of his age he was sent to Christs Colledge in Cambridge where God provided him and me a Tutor one of a thousand for Pietie Learning Diligence in reading unto and in a most loving and wise care of governing and godly instructing of his pupils In the Vniversity he was an hard Student and quickely became a good Logician and Philosopher a strong disputant and an excellent Orator He delighted much in the study of Poetry and the Mathematiks Hee was a constant hearer of M. Doctor Chaderton and of Mr. Perkins who at that time were famous Preachers in Cambridge And it was our Tutors manner to cause all his Pupills to come to Prayers into his Chamber every evening and hee called all the under graduates to give account of what they had heard upon the Lords day and when any of us were at a stand and non-plus hee would say Whately what say you then hee would seldome faile but repeate as readily as if he had preached the Sermon himself By this he did win our Tutors love
other and so persists impenitently For that is the last of all his sinnes he goes away quite from God and his Father ceaseth to continue a member of that family and of that Church gives over all outward shewes of religion turnes meere worldly and earthly and seekes to ease the smart of his conscience by building and busling in the world declaring a piece of vaine glory too by calling his City after the name of his first-borne as it were boasting of it that hee should have his sonne the Lord of a City of his owne name Henoch of Henoch A fearefull offence to persist still in impenitencie to cast of all shew of religion to excommunicate himselfe out of the Church and burie himselfe in vanity and worldlinesse so to stifle his owne conscience and deaden his owne heart more and more Now I have done with Caines carriage good and bad I come to the things that befell him good and bad First good you see God gave him a sonne and sonnes sonne and continued his life along time to give him space of repentance and set a mark upon him to save him from the violence of all men threatening to punish him seven-fold that is seven times as much as he had hurt Caine if any should kill him Seeing it pleased not God to tell us what this marke was with which hee noted this prime murtherer it is fondnesse in us to weary our selves with conjectures some think it was visible to all men but what I know not nor I am sure can any man else tell but it was the goodnesse of God to secure him of life who had deserved death for the Law of putting the murderer to death was not yet and God would not put Adam to so hard a taske as killing his owne sonne but would shew himselfe to be above Law in forbearing to doe that which he will not suffer a Magistrate to forbeare even putting to death of a wilfull murderer yea it was the great goodnesse of God to give him health and many children and childrens children and to grant him riches and prosperity in the world abundantly if it had beene possible to have drawne him to repentance yea it was a great benefit that God came gently to admonish him of his inward malice if it might have beene to have hindred the breaking of it out into murder and after it was done to come againe with this gentle second admonition if it had beene possible to have melted him and have drawne him to submissive humiliation So God vouchsafed him meanes to keepe him from sinne and to draw him out of sinne and time long enough to make use of those meanes and many benefits to allure him to make use of them thus good is God even to sinners and impenitent sinners to offer them meanes of repentance and acceptation upon their repentance and vouchsafe them store of good things for a long time notwithstanding their obstinatenesse in refusing to repent Now lastly let us consider Gods punishments viz. the evill things he met withall The first is sentencing him for his fault and laying open the greatnesse of it in saying What hast thou done thy Brothers blood cryeth to mee from the earth which hath drunk it in at thine hand Secondly hee curseth him from the earth that is in respect of the earth which shall not be halfe so fruitfull to him as before nor yeeld its increase as it had done for he doth not meane simply it shall yeeld no fruit but nothing so much nor so easily Lastly thou shalt be a fugitive a runnagate that is a man full of unquietnesse and terrours that canst have no rest nor peace in thine heart nor any content any where yea it signifieth a giving him over to cast off all goodnesse and leave him to himselfe to forsake his Fathers house and so a selling him over to profanenesse and utter impenitency Thus we have done with Caines life and for his death the Scripture vouchsafes not to mention it nor how long he lived but he lived a long time even to see the sonnes of Lamech who was the sixt generation from him and vaunted that if God would so avenge Caine he would be avenged more by which speech it is very probable that Caine was then alive So we have spoken all we have to speake of Caine. Now I will make some use of all First from that that was good in Caine I pray you learne at least to be as good as so bad a man was and therefore may sure be attained by naturall indeavours You see Caine did not give himselfe to runne idling about the world but submitted to his Fathers government so farre as to give himselfe to Husbandry O let no man turne himselfe into a cipher nay into an excrement that lives in the world to no purpose yea to bad purpose for hee shall not but doe naughtily that will doe nothing set your selves therefore to have and to follow some calling and employment Live not like those playfull creatures imperfect pictures of men but of such men the fitrest emblemes like apes and monkeys onely to skip up and downe and to make sport but live to bestow your selves in some profitable vocation for your owne and the common good If any say Caine was necessitated to it because there were no other to till the ground for them he being Adams first-borne I answer first I desire you should live somewhat better then Caine and doe good out of choice which perhaps he might doe out of necessity Secondly I answer that though you be not necessitated to any calling by want yet wisdome and a good conscience binde you for must you not submit to that of God In the sweate of thy browes shalt thou eate and to that of the Psalmist he shall eate the labour of his hands and to that of Paul which condemnes the inordinate walkers which wrought not at all and is it not wisdome to forbeare walking on a thorne hedge which Salomon saith the idle man doth and to prevent many occasions as the having no calling and being carelesse of it will surely bring I say againe then be as good as Caine have and follow some calling Againe looke that there be some at least outside of religion in you worship God and be not so much lovers of money as not to give him something even to be at cost for his worship in such kind as cost is now needfull as they were to performe a worship then required the cost notwithstanding Be not profane to neglect Gods Worship out of sleighting it be not niggards to put of God with as little as you can but give him of the fruits of your ground and now know that that is given to God which is given to the maintenance of his Ministers which performe his Worship and other instruments necessary to the performance of it as a fit place and the like O be as good as a
seeketh to be justified before God by doing this and by his owne working Now of a man that is thus righteous there are three sure plaine and evident signes 1. Hee desireth to know and doe all that God revealeth to him out of his Word I have lifted up mine hands unto thy testimonies which I have loved and O that my heart were directed to keepe thy righteous judgements then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commandements 2. Hee confesseth and bewaileth before God his failings and errours that breake forth in him quite contrary to his purpose and desire Against thee have I sinned and He that confesseth his sinnes c. And if you turne to mee I will turne to you for If wee say we have no sinne wee deceive our selves But if wee confesse our sinnes hee is faithfull c. 3. He resteth wholy upon the mercy of God in Christ for pardon of his failings and acceptation of his indeavours So saith Iohn If any man sinne wee have an Advocate with God Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the Propitiation for sinne and Abraham beleeved in God that justifieth the ungodly S. Paul would have the righteousnesse which is by the faith of Jesus Christ I beseech you looke that you be so righteous men as Abel was else you shall never be saved For even Balaam saw that only the righteous should be saved and therefore he wisheth Let mee die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Now we have the good of Abel we should speake of his evill but wee have none to speake of For the Holy Ghost hath not told us of any evill that hee committed not because he had none but because his life was so short and withall so good that the Lord saw it not fit to make mention of any and surely though the Scripture doe report the faults of other godly men yet it seemes here to set forth Caine and Abel as the two seeds the one of the Woman the other of the Serpent and therefore of the good seed mentions no faults because in him God saw none that is would not impute any Now let us consider the things that befell him 1. Good 2. Bad. The good are two first God had respect unto his gifts Secondly God gave witnesse and testimony of his gifts He had respect unto them for the present he gave testimony to them both at that time and also after by the pen of Moses and by the tongue of our Lord Jesus calling him righteous Abel We cannot affirme any thing concerning the meanes by which the Lord did expresse the liking of Abel and his Sacrifice but that it was by some sensible and evident signe discoverable by Caine as well as by himselfe Caines doggednesse stirred up by it doth clearely evince The Lord hath respect unto his true hearted servants that worship him in truth and in faith and are truely righteous he hath respect unto them and to their Services he likes their persons loves their workes The prayer of the upright is his delight saith Salomon The righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse God doth to his faithfull children sooner or later evidently discover his approbation and liking of them and their workes as David prayeth Accept the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart yea he doth make knowne this his favourable acceptation by which as it is in the Psalme he accepts their burnt Sacrifices that is all their holy services he makes it knowne by the comfortable testimony of the Holy Ghost as Paul saith This is my glorying the testimony of my conscience that in simplicity c. When Gods people walke in Gods waies he causeth his Spirit to witnesse with their spirits and their spirits to witnesse to them that themselves and their waies please God by which their spirits are refreshed and comforted against all the taunts and opprobries of sinners and scoffers And this is a sufficient recompence to all our labours and for all our sufferings that God accepteth us If hee accept us what need wee care though the world deride and scorne and hate us O let those that have seene God thus vouchsafing to respect them comfort themselves in that yea I shall not need to give them such advice this apprehension of Gods gratious accepting us is a thing so sweete and delightfull that the people of God which have enjoyed it will preferre it before the approbation of all men For whom he thus respecteth them will hee likewise approve in the face of all the world and therefore beare testimonie to their workes even at the last day yea the light to which he that doth well delighteth to come that will make it knowne that his workes be wrought of God Iohn 3.11 If Gods Spirit within if Gods Word without doe testifie of your deeds that they bee wrought in God how easie a thing is it to sleight and despise the false and foolish censures of the world But now come we to the evills that he suffered for Gods people must suffer evill for well-doing his Brother hated him laied a traine for him slew him Abel was the first Martyr the first man that died for goodnesse hee was Gods first Witnesse as Steven was Christs Those that will live godly in Christ must suffer persecution and of whom even of the dearest friends they have in the flesh and how farre even to the lying in waite for their lives and taking the same away The Lord would have the first bloud that was spilt spilt in his quarrell in his holy quarrell in standing for righteousnesse sake that we which follow after might learne to stick close to this cause and not to feare to lay downe our lives for it S. Iohn tells us no wonder if the world hate us The world is the number of unsanctified men in the world these will hate such as Abel the righteous yea if Father be unrighteous and Sonne righteous Brother righteous and Brother unrighteous Husband righteous and Wife unrighteous the Father Brother Wife will hate and maligne the childe the Brother and the Husband God hath put enmity betwixt the seed of the Woman and of the Serpent good and bad are of two contrary natures what the one loveth the other hateth and contrarily this contrariety in disposition will breed contrariety in affection Hee that is Caine a formall Hypocrite and satisfieth himselfe with a bare outside service will hate him that worshippeth in spirit and in truth They that are after the flesh will persecute them that are after the spirit and all that will live godly must suffer for it Prepare your selves to meete with the same measure that Abel met withall you had need of patience saith our Saviour Be not discouraged at the hatred and ill usage of wicked men but have respect to the recompence of reward looke to the end of your faith set
appointment his lust in all likelihood it was his lust for what other cause should move him I cannot conjecture would not be contained within the bounds of lawfull matrimonie He dares adde a second wife and so bring into the world a painted whoredome a guilded adultery a pretended marriage but indeed a very breach of wedlock For our Saviour Christ telleth us that he which putteth away his wife and marrieth another commits adultery and if that be true as we must confesse for his authority sake that spake it then without all question hee that keepeth his former wife still and will needs take another to her is guilty too of committing adultery The reason is cleare and cannot be denied For if it were not adultery to have more women then one at one time then the taking of another wife upon a causelesse divorce should not deserve that odious title and if it be so poligamy must needs take the same title to it selfe This was therefore a grievous audaciousnesse in this wicked man that hee would leape over the poles as it were which God had fixed The thing was naught and his doing it first before others made it worse in him and made him guilty of their faults that after followed it upon his example For indeed it was quickly taken up and practised in the world insomuch that it continued to the time of Abraham and was practised also by him as a thing not reputed sinfull For when sinne hath gotten yeeres and examples upon its backe it doth many times cease to be counted what it is and goes under the repute of a lawfull thing though it be in it selfe even somewhat evidently unlawfull because partly the minde of man corrupted by the pleasing or profitable effects of it is willing not to thinke it sinne and the judgement is easily sweyed by the will and partly because the example of men doth worke too much to draw unto evill as an heavie thing is easily cast downeward Now to polygamie he addeth a notorious revengefullnesse Having married a couple of women it seemes he found some distempers in them and therefore to calme and over-awe them a little hee falls to breath out revenge with violent threats saying that he would kill a man in his wound or for his wound hee meanes because of wound received and a young man for his hurt or bruise he meanes because of a bruise or stripe given him yea he goes farther and adds that if Caine should be avenged seven-fold then hee seventy times seven fold If any man whosoever he were should hurt him hee should die for it yea were he never so young and lusty a fellow that should offer to smite him it should cost him his life and he would proceede to an higher degree of revenge then that which God himselfe had appointed to Caines murderer viz. hee would be revenged seventy times seven times more that maketh in all almost five hundred times as much more here is passion and pride in all extremity To revenge is to render evill for evill to revenge a thing seven times is to inflict a thing seven times more grievous upon a wrong doer then that which he did to another to revenge seventie times and seven is to lay an evill 490 times more heavie then that received The Lord of Heaven hath cause because hee hath authority to inlarge his punishing justice and to execute a threat of seven times revenge because after such a threat to commit the fault makes it seven degree more faulty as being an audacious despising of his anger and a very setting his threats at naught but for any man to exceede measure so farre in punishing though he were a lawfull Magistrate punishing the malefactor at the complaint and instance of the wronged person it were a great offence How much more then for a private man so farre to exceede all degrees in respect of a wrong done to himselfe Sure he that threatens to be revenged 400 times more then Caine conceived himselfe to be more excellent than Caine 400 times for according to the measure of the parties worth that was wronged must the revenge be increased O how proud a man was hee that durst so farre preferre himselfe above his great grand-fathers Father for so was Caine who being then alive and departed from under the governement of Adam was now the King of all the sonnes that descended from him during his life and the Priest too for Kingdomes and Priest-hoods in those first times went to the eldest of the family by succession These were chiefe Rulers in matters civill and religious He was therefore a very haughty minded man and a very passionate angry man and so a very revengefull man which springeth from pride and and passion These be his faults yet see how good and patient the Lord shewes himselfe unto such a wretch for hee had two sonnes by one wife and a sonne and daughter by the other God gave him the fruit of marriage though he were the first that so shamefully abused marriage for God doth not instantly stretch forth a punishing arme against an offender and these sonnes of his too were very active and profitable men of good parts and account as appeares by their inventions mentioned in the Text. But yet he is not left quite unpunished for his life was unquiet as appeareth by his threatning and bragging what he would doe for such kinde of threats be but boastings of the future time It is not to be doubted of but that his two wives what by the brawles which would fall out betwixt them and their children and what by the stirres that they would make with him each to have him take her part against the other made his life uncomfortable so that hee was faine to see if hee could make the matter a little better by big and violent words to keepe them in awe by feare whom duty could not order Now this is Lamech Let us make some use of his Example even to blame our selves for having committed if wee have committed the like sinnes to his that we may be drawne to repentance which he was never so happy as to performe Secondly to arme ourselves against those sinnes and to abound in the contrary vertues for so it is our duty as Bees doe honey out of weeds to gather good out of bad Examples Come hither then and let mee examine you in Gods name Is there not any amongst you that hath violated marriage worse then Lamech He did sinne by taking two wives The Lawes would punish you for following him in that and would not suffer you to keepe two women under the name of wives have not you therefore falne to flat and downe-right adultery If so repent of this enormity The Lord will not suffer the transgressors of his Covenant to beare it free if repentance doe not stay his hand Yea have not some of you beene Lamechs in making the first breach into a sinne
causing us never to see the second death though we must not be freed from the first for that was the speciall priviledge of Enoch and Eliah and was never granted to any other that we read Labour therfore to hold fast in your soules a firme perswasion of Gods love to you in Christ and withall a firme purpose of pleasing him in all things Let sincere truth of obedience be joyned with a firme perswasion of Gods love and the firme perswasion of Gods love be joyned with a sincere indeavour of obedience then death shall never come amisse then you are alwaies ready for it So David faith I have hoped in thy salvation and done thy Commandements So then if we would be ready for God we must doe two things Turne to him and walke with him To turne is to begin to walke with God to walke with God is to continue to turne to him O ye that have not begun to turne doe it to day turne now call to mind your former evill waies to judge your selves for them to lament them to seeke of God in Christ forgivenesse of them and power against them and labour to rest your selves upon his goodnesse in Christ for pardon and helpe and so have you made your peace then keepe your peace by a constant indeavour to please God in holinesse of life and a constant renewing of your assured perswasion of his love O happy man he that can so fit himselfe for his latter end Brethren let the mention of the deaths of so many aged persons make you carefull to prepare for death you that be young doe it because death takes away young men as well as old and you that be old doe it because you may meete with it very suddenly and must needs meete with it afore it be long Againe you see these long-liv'd men here wrestling with the corruptions of the world and their owne some a longer time and some a shorter but all in comparison of our selves a great while The longest lived man for number of dayes was Methuselah who lived nine hundred sixty nine yeares but for perfection of life Adam who lived a perfect man nine hundred and thirty yeares The shortest lived of all the Patriarkes was Noahs Father Methuselahs Sonne Lamech for he lived seven hundred seventy and seven yeares and died the yeere before the floud a little before his Father Methuselah who lived till that very yeare that the floud came and drowned all and was taken away that he might not see the floud Now why did God lengthen out the daies of the Patriarkes I answer chiefely to maintaine the knowledge of God and true religion in the world that by the long life of one godly man the truth which then was not put in writing but by word of mouth delivered from man to man might be kept more pure and undefiled Adam lived till Methuselah was two hundred forty and three yeares old Methuselah lived till Sem the Sonne of Noah was one hundred yeares lacking two so that Sem talked with him that had talked with Adam who could acquaint him with all things concerning the creatures the fall and the promised seed out of his certaine knowledge and experience he had beene made of nothing he had seene all perfections and Methuselah could tell it to Sem and Sem lived to see Isaac borne and a Father So that Isaac might speake mouth to mouth with him that had spoken with him that had spoken with Adam the first man that ever was Was not this a notable confirmation of his Faith THE FIFTH EXAMPLE OF The Old World WEe have propounded particular Examples unto you hitherto as also the Scriptures have done Now following them wee must set before your eyes the Examples of an whole multitude even of an whole World full of men and women that gave themselves to worke wickednesse before the Lord. It is called in Scripture the old World and the world of ungodly In the space of a 1656. yeares the generation of mankind was growne to that height and exorbitancie of wickednesse that the patience of God could no longer endure them Now concerning this Old World we will shew you three things 1. Their sinnes 2. The goodnesse of God to them notwithstanding their sinnes 3. The severe punishment that fell upon them at the last and so will make use of all First for their sinnes the Holy Ghost sets them out in generall and more particularly In generall the sinne of man is said to be great and that every imagination of the thought of his heart was evill and onely evill and that continually Secondly it is said that all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth So their naughtinesse was remarkeable in these two respects it was exceeding hainous and grievous in that they committed great and fowle sinnes in great abundance with great wilfullnesse and gave themselves to add sinne to sinne doing nothing but plodding and contriving wickednesse and then all men gave themselves over to the same bad course you could not finde a man that made scarce a shew of goodnesse out of Noahs house When all consent together to sell over themselves to worke iniquity and grow past shame or feare running into most grievous and notorious sinnes with greedinesse and wilfullnesse this is very offensive to Almighty God and will certainely provoke his wrath to bring upon them some fearefull and heavie punishments Divers reasons may be thought of that caused this exceeding great growth of sinne in those times 1. The long life of men for let an unsanctified man continue long and he will grow more and more sinfull the longer he continues Sinne by frequent exercise growes more and more violent and head-strong So living a great space of time they grew above measure naught 2. They had strong and able bodies together with health and ability to enjoy the things of this life 3. They had great peace in regard they all lived under a paternall governement the agedst in the family still being acknowledged the governour of the family and they had all one language and so no great cause of controversie and one religion too it is like seeing the Patriarkes lived so long that they were immediately taught of God save that they degenerated to prophanenesse and the most became of no religion and so did not warre with the contrary little partie unlesse it were with jests scoffes and contumelies Long life great strength great peace begat great wickednesse But more particularly the Lord takes notice here of their 1. Unlawfull and carnall marriages 2. Of their violence and oppression And our Saviour telleth of their great worldlinesse that did sell over themselves to temporall dealings and cared nothing for better things and S. Peter tells of their obstinacy in sinning and their not beleeving nor regarding they were disobedient whilest the long suffering of God waited in the daies of Noah Yea our Saviour
our selves and scorne and contempt against them to gaze upon the faults and ill carriages of the godly men with whom wee live which is also so much the more aggravated if the reverence which we owe them in regard of their places and love in regard of their neerenesse to our selves have not beene able to withdraw us from such injuriousnesse This is one sinne of Ham cursed Ham the Father of Canaan come and examine yourselves if none of you have acted Hams part against your Parents against the Magistrate against the Minister against any Christian or neighbour Have you not beheld the faults of any such with content and gladnesse in it have you not beene willing to stand thinking of that fault and to make your hearts thereby bold to despise and sleight them to laugh at them and to censure them If this have beene to a person neere and eminent the fault receives great aggravation by that circumstance but if it have beene done to any Christian man though not of such worth or neerenesse or to any man at all it was a wickednesse to be abhorred shewing a most uncharitable disposition for charity rejoyceth not in iniquity that is is not glad to see another commit sinne and withall an heart that is willing to hide its owne sinnes and make them seeme little or nothing and make it selfe bold to commit them still by beholding other like sinnes in other men chiefely such as are bound in duty to be and in reason should be expected to be better then ones selfe hee alwaies sees the faults of others to some mischievous intention and with some evill affection that lookes upon them with an open and earnest eye as taking king some content in this that such and such also be bad as well as himselfe Now if you have runne into such a fault call it to minde and repent of it and know that how great soever the crime was your crime was as great or greater in so beholding Hams thus beholding his Fathers nakednesse was worse then his Fathers discovering himselfe And now I require you to make Ham your warning doe not as he did but as your owne consciences tell you that he should have done Aske thy selfe if thou beest a reasonable man of any judgement what should this sonne have done in such a case should he not have turned away his eyes from looking on such a spectacle should he not have sighed and mourned and said alas alas how hath this befalne my poore aged and godly Father O how was he overtaken with wine that was never wont to exceed himselfe in foode or the like Should he not have prayed God to forgive him and have told himselfe in this wise ah doe thou learne O Cham how weake a thing a man is and how apt to fall into sinne that thy selfe maist learne to be more watchfull and so have cast some garment over the old man to have saved him from further disgrace if any other person might have had occasion to approach him Sure you cannot but yeeld that Chams duty had beene to have carried himselfe thus respectively and pitifully towards his Father doe you as duty bound him to doe not as leudnesse and naughtinesse prompted him to doe Mend his faults and imitate them not be reformers and not followers of what was amisse in him Commiserate the sinnes and falls of other men chiefely Parents Magistrates Ministers Aged men and men of former godly conversation and of vertuous and religious carriage in other things I say commiserate them pray for them lament their weakenesse and their slips take notice of your owne dangers and so wake your selves by their offences But whosoever will contemplate such dolefull sights with gladnesse and insultations saying Aha aha as David speaketh of his Adversaries that man will collect boldnesse to sinne and impenitencie in sinne and a sleighting of righteousnesse and righteous men from such offences and so will stumble and fall and destroy himselfe against those blockes as they may be termed But I come to another fault of Chams He contented not himselfe to see but must also blab abroad what he had seene and tells it not alone to one but to his two Brethren that were without and did not see it He left his Father still uncovered and gets him out of doores to finde Sem and Iaphet and so soone as he met with them reports no doubt laughingly and fleeringly what he had seene like enough adding also words to this purpose to draw them to the like and bid them goe in and they should see such a thing as they would little have thought ever to have seene But let us satisfie our selves to take the fault as it is set downe He told the fault and told it to his two Brethren that were without and needed not to have beene acquainted with their Fathers nakednesse if hee wretched whisperer could have commanded himselfe silence So you have in him that foule sinne of whispering of another mans faults behind his backe aggravated with the consideration of the persons against whom he sinned his Father and towards whom his Bretheren both of them and where even without It is a sinne and wickednesse to scatter abroad the faults of others and to divulge those matters of disgrace against them which a man might easily keepe close if he were master of his mouth and is not bound by any duty to reveale and especially to blab them to such as else would not know them and such as might be most grieved and hurt by hearing them This J say is a sinne it proceedeth either from a twatling laxative humour causing that a man must vent all he knowes and be talking of many things or else from an uncharitable disposition to the party whose name one tenders not his person one loveth not It is hurtfull to the speaker feeding his hypocrisie making him ready to commit the same or the like sinnes and hurtfull to the hearer to infect him or to grieve him and to him of whom report is made to reproach and discredit him and withdraw the heart of the hearers from him It is much aggravated when the thing reported is false and uncertaine taken up upon meere hearesay and the person of whom J speake either my Parent Brother Friend or Superior my Magistrate Master or of note in the Church as a Minister or eminent in goodnesse as this just Noah This was the fault of Cham. I call upon your consciences to find out your sinnes in the like kind if not degree have you not spoken of the faults of your governours or of others to others meerely to disgrace or else meerely to hold up talke when other matter failed Bretheren do not count this a small offence a talebearer a whisperer a revealer of secrets is no small offender Hee doth not walke according to the plaine rule of our Christian Religion doe as you would be done to he doth not bridle his tongue he doth not
walke according to charity He is injurious to the name of another and a wrong doer to the whole world by scattering abroad examples of evill hee shewes himselfe no hater of sinne that loves as it were the smell and favour of it He is a manifest transgressor of Gods Commandement and at last makes himselfe odious to those that heare him and to those that are ill spoken of by him For the hearer cannot choose but discourse thus if hee spare not anothers name whether will he spare mine in another place and therefore I have no reason to trust him or be familiar with him and he whom he hath misreported will heare of it at last and then hee will hate him as a person treacherous and false-hearted and cannot but reason thus with himselfe so long I have lived by him and so neare so often have I beene in his company hee never opened his mouth to admonish me but in mine absence to do me disgrace hee hath not beene sparing It cannot be that he wisheth my good in his heart that useth not his tongue to do me the greatest good that is to reforme but doth imploy it to doe me the greatest hurt he can that is to disgrace me Therefore if you have beene whisperers see the fault and be sorry It is a Cham like trespasse And now charme your tongues I pray you as from all evill language so specially from telling other mens secret sinnes abroad and making that open which might have beene well kept close Whosoever hath made his Brothers faults especially a Parents or the like open to any man if he himselfe might have kept them from that one without sinne hath committed a sinne in so doing Further then wee are moved by the necessity of our duty to reveale other mens offences we are bound in duty to conceale them farther then it would have beene a sinne not to have spoken of them it cannot but be a sinne to talke of them You must not thinke that it is at your liberty to declare your neighbours secret faults when you will your selves you would not have others deale so with you As wee may not lawfully hurt our neighbours body till some necessity of duty bind us so neither his name for the ninth Commandement at least the fift requireth to be as chary of that as the sixt doth to be chary of his body Cease cease to be whisperers above all take heed you bee not worse then Chams for hee spake nothing but what he saw with his owne eyes O do not you dare to speake what you never saw but either conjecture alone of your owne head or have onely heard of others Thus wee have done with Chams fault now let us consider his punishments God cursed him in his sonne Canaan not that himselfe in person was exempted but that the curse should shew it selfe most apparently upon Canaan and that Israel might be more encouraged to goe up against the Cananites a nation antiently cursed of God and his curse standeth in this that he should be a servant of servants not so much to men although that also in that was understood and fulfilled but to Idols to sinne to Satan So Cham by discovering his Fathers fault gets a grievous curse upon himselfe and his posterity O learne to terrifie your selves from this sinne by threatning your selves with this curse Shall J provoke God to curse me and my children after me shall I sow the seed of misery for my selfe and those that are to come of my body hereafter Let Gods severity upon those whereof himselfe hath given us knowledge in the word make us carefull to preserve our selves from their offences and to that let us both acknowledge our owne aptnesse to the same crimes and inability to deliver our selves from them as also crave at the hands of God the gracious helpe of his Spirt to preserve us If any demand But why should the curse fall on Canaan for Chams fault I Answer The Lord hath all the children of all wicked men so farre obnoxious to his justice that it cannot be a wrong in him to punish the Father in the sonnes or the sonnes in the Parents So have we done with Cham. The next bad man of whose badnesse the Holy Ghost takes notice is Nimrod Hee was the fourth from Noah and thus his geneologie riseth Noah Cham Cush Nimrod His name signifieth wee will rebell or a rebell whitherby chance or otherwise given to him of him this one thing alone is noted that hee began to be mighty in the earth Gen. 10.8 hee was a mighty hunter before the Lord insomuch that his name gave occasion to a proverbiall speech if any man would describe a violent tyrannicall fellow he would say as Nimrod the mighty hunter By hunter here is not meant an hunter of beasts but an hunter of men the word translated hunting may well be englished foode or prey and hee may be called a man of prey that is of spoile and booty Hee was the first that affected to erect a Monarchie and to make himselfe a commander over men by force and strength of armes so that his sinne was ambition usurpation tyrannising that is a violent inforcing men to yeeld to his dominion whether they would or not though he had no right or title to command over them for hee was the sonne of Cham who was the youngest of Noahs sonnes and withall accursed of God to be a servant of servants and yet he would make himselfe a commander over others and we have it noted what City he began first to erect his tyrannie in viz. Babel whence it may seeme the plague spoken of afterwards did drive him and yet he left not but went to other Cities and made his dominion still larger and larger Learne of him to take heed of ambition and tyranny J need not to pray you to forbeare a tyrannicall usurpation over Cities and nations but take you heed of that degree of tyranny which is incident to men of your ranke even of carrying out your owne will against equity and right A tyrant is an odious name this mighty hunting made Nimrod infamous he did openly professe and practise it which seemeth to be meant by calling him mighty hunter in the sight of God He cared not for God nor man but openly and in the sight of God and man attempted to subdue the nations and people round about him and to make himselfe a great commander Put away from you ambition vaine glory covetousnesse violence and all those sinnes which are together wrapped up in this one word tyranny so I have done with these two particular sinners I goe on to set before you a troupe of sinners all at once whereof I conceive that Nimrod was the ringleader for it was done at Babylon his City which he built and which he had constituted the head and Metrapolitan City of his dominion The fault you have set downe Gen. 11.2 3 4.
viz. that passing through the countrey Eastward from the place where Noah lived and meeting with a very fruitfull plaine in the land of Shinar that is of Chaldea they consulted to make brickes for that the countrey afforded not hewne stone and to use a kind of naturall mortar or slime that abounded in that place in steed of artificiall mortar and so to build a City and a Towne that should reach up to Heaven mooved thereto partly out of an ambitious desire of a great name and credit to continue long afterwards and to spread farre and neere for the present to prevent dispersion which their guilty consciences caused them to feare though no such thing was yet begun to be executed upon them Here we must informe you of their sinne which was not simply the building of a City nor building of it of such matter but ambition and vaine glory and carnall confidence and then the punishment of their sinne in the dividing of their tongues and scattering them abroad First then their sin is a vaine-glorious erecting of a strong City and an exceeding high tower joyned with a confident perswasion that they should save themselves from any mischiefe and calamity by meanes of their City The occasion that did further them to this worke is that they were all of one language and so would easily agree upon a bad thing and that they met with a fit place and had fit matter bricke and slime and that they were so fully bent upon it to finish this their tower that no meanes was left to stop them but Gods comming downe upon them with some heavy chastisement I conceive that they had finished or neere finished their City and were now setting apace and eagerly about the tower afore the Lord did crosse them by that punishment For seeing Babel was the beginning of Nimrods Kingdome and that he could not have finished it after the division of tongues if he had not done it wholly or for the most part before it will follow in likelihood that they were permitted to settle therealong while and to finish their City But when they grew so mad that with a City they would have a Tower as it were to outface God and save them from dispersion in despight of him then it was high time for the Lord himselfe to oppose them Here there are 3. sinnes 1. Vaine-glory 2. Carnall confidence 3. Wilfulnesse and obstinacy Vaine-glory for they sought a name by an exceeding strong City and high Tower 2. Carnall confidence for they imagined to make themselves safe from dispersion and misery by meanes of that City and Tower 3. Obstinacy because that God himselfe witnesseth they were so fully bent upon their projects that except by violence there was no way to stop them in their attempts Here be 3. sinnes in the Babel builders Tower They gave themselves to earthly mindednesse in hunting after a name and this they would get forsooth by such a building as the world had never seene the like for greatnesse and height and never should see Be not you vaine-glorious studying to doe some earthly vaine thing for which you may be talked of farre and neere and for a long time This is vaine-glory the vice by which men affect to be famous and much talked of and magnified in the world for some great earthly matter that they have gotten for getting a great deale of riches together for raising their family for a fine house for being the first that did such or such a thing or the like Be not I say vaine-glorious let not your hearts affect this foaming froth of mens tongues Care not for such kinde of praises and commendations but set your hearts upon better things to get you a name in Heaven and in earth to be good holy just Praise is a thing which the Apostle commandeth us to follow but by praise he meaneth praise worthy things not praise it selfe further then it is a necessary effect and companion of things praise-worthy Be good for conscience sake to God that so you may have though you seeke not after it good esteeme of men and their good reports This vaine-glory will so choake all true desire of goodnesse and all true goodnesse that at last it will make you to fall into that high degree of Hypocrisie as with the Pharisees you shall doe all your deeds to be seene of men and if you doe any good thing shall even loose your reward in Heaven But againe take heede also of carnall confidence that is promising your selves safety from any affliction in respect of any outward thing That is carnall confidence to make ones selfe beleeve that he shall continue secure from all earthly dangers in respect of a Citie a Tower a friend a great estate or the like Alas all these things be vanity and lies they are the arme of flesh Trust not in Princes trust not in Horses or in Chariots trust not in wisedome trust not in man The Holy Ghost doth every where disswade men from this vaine confidence and pronounceth a curse against them that trust in flesh and tells them that they withdraw their hearts from God He that conceiveth so well of any earthly thing as to promise himselfe safety from that is made carelesse by that of seeking Gods favour and is so earnest after that as hee will not have leasure to thinke of pleasing and obeying God and seeking to him and trusting on him It is a fearefull sinne and yet a common one hardly can men keepe their hearts from committing this idolatry you must humbly pray to God to discover to you the vanity of all earthly and terrene things and to shew his Omnipotency and All-sufficiency that so he may be your confidence and your dread Lastly beware of that sinne of wilfullnesse and obstinacie that are so bent upon an evill course as no words nor other like meanes will turne you from your ill courses this was the sinne of Elies sonnes of Pharaoh of Israel of Amaziah This is a fore-runner of mischiefe Hee that hardens his heart against a reproofe shall surely come to mischiefe let no man stay him When the Lord sees that words will not serve the turne he comes with rods and if the rod will not divert men from their evill paths then swords must Wherefore put you on a flexible and tractable disposition and an heart that will easily be disswaded from an evill way Pray to God pray to him to give you a minde full of light that may quickly discerne evill and an heart full of softnesse that may quickly be withdrawne from it Now consider the punishments God comes downe to see that is takes notice of their sinne and wilfullnesse in it and therefore consults with himselfe the Father with the Sonne and Holy Ghost to goe downe by the powerfull worke of his hand and to confound their languages and by that meanes to stop their worke and scatter them thence from which
effect the world did call that Citie Babel or confusion so instead of great honour and a great name they gate shame and confusion and were thence dispersed from whence they expected safety from dispersion Thus God catcheth the wicked in their owne devices brings mischiefe on them from that wherein they trusted for safety and shame from that from which they expected glory Yea see here that God hath strange and unwonted punishments to lay upon sinners for who would have ever had a dreame of such a thing as this viz. to have them made unable to speake their mother languages and all of a sodaine to speake gibrish one to another So powerfull is God over man that he can take from him his tongue his wit his soule all things in a moment It was an heavie chastisement making way to much ignorance and barbarisme and to much warre and bloudshed and to a great estrangement among mankinde and to great toile and labour for the getting of all learning and causing much errour and mistaking in all Arts and Sciences chiefely in Religion so that next to our casting out of Paradise and to the floud it deserveth the name of the heaviest punishment that the world hath felt yea in respect of the succession of men it was worse then the floud that onely drowned the men who lived in the present time this hath drowned in ignorance and errour all succeeding times Let us feare the Lord our God who onely doth wonderfull things and can tell how to plague his enemies with heavie scourges We have now finished the Examples of these bad men Looke to the good Sem and Iaphet and Sems posterity to Abram Of Sem note his good deed his reward and his death for his good deed it was common with him and Iaphet they went backward and so covered their Fathers nakednesse that they might not see it partly out of modesty and partly out of filiall reverence and respect which they bare unto him Thus thus should all good children doe even refuse to see their Parents nakednesse or any thing that might withdraw a due regard and feare of them any sinnes or weakenesses of theirs notwithstanding yea all men should be so truly loving one towards another as to use the mantle and veile of love to cover a multitude of sinnes so as to goe backward as it were and not see them Wee should what in us lies and so farre as duty will suffer conceale the faults of all men further then the necessity of healing them and of preventing the mischiefe that may else follow of them will permit us Every man would be so dealt withall himselfe Who doth not praise the vertuous carriage of these two Brethren Imitate it I beseech you chiefely towards Parents Magistrates Ministers keepe secret if you can their secret faults and hide their shame from breaking forth Nothing is more fit to be covered then sinne It is like a carkasse which doth least hurt when it is buried under ground so farre therefore as duty will suffer you bury bury it under ground with it and let it lie hid under the garment of silence See it not if you can choose say nothing of it more then you must needs Now consider the blessing with which their goodnesse was rewarded Sem had God for his God and the dominion of Canaan given him that is the true Religion was to continue in his posterity the Messiah to come of him and his seede to have the possession of the land of Canaan and Iaphet at last was to be brought to the participation of the same Religion with him by the perswasion of the Gospell So it is a great mercy to have the true Religion continued in a mans posterity and to be brought from errour unto the truth Whether Iaphets selfe were a godly man it is not certaine but in doubtfull things it is good to incline to the best side and to take things in the best part therefore we will hope that he was so and with Sem did inherit the blessing in his person as well as after his seed was admitted unto it And let us now blesse God that hath performed this Prophesie for it is likely that we of these Countries are of Iaphets posterity and now we see the Lord of Heaven be blessed that God hath perswaded us to accept and imbrace Christ and so to dwell indeed in the tents of Sem. But now for the seede of Sem they were these Arphaxad who lived 438 yeares almost 200 fewer then his Father Sem as Sem did 350 fewer then Noah Selah who lived 433 yeares the halfe alone of the lives of men before the floud for at the floud God did shorten mens lives by halfe to keepe them from so great a height of wickednesse as in that long lived age they came unto and to shorten the toile of the godly upon earth Heber lived 464 the longest of all but Sem after the floud it is likely he was a very worthy man from him the name Hebrewes came to his posterity and endured for many yeares after Peleg lived 239 yeares about the building of the Tower of Babel so you see then God shortened mans life one halfe seeing them againe to grow so exorbitantly wicked Reu lived also 239 yeares just as long as his Father which is not found in any other that I remember Serug lived 230 yeares Nahor lived 148 yeares it may seeme that he was the first of the Patriarkes that fell to Idolatry for Laban sware by the gods of Nahor therefore his life is almost by halfe as short as any of his predecessors Then Terah lived 205 yeares he fell to Idolatry but repented afterwards and went with his sonne Abraham towards the land of Canaan dying in the way and buried his eldest sonne before himselfe which had not befalne any Patriarke before that we reade of * ⎠* THE EIGHT EXAMPLE OF ABRAHAM IT is agreed upon by all that from Adam to the floud there passed 1656 yeares inclusively I meane from the beginning of Adams Creation Noah was the tenth from Adam inclusively Abraham the tenth from Noah exclusively I meane not reckoning Noah as one How many yeares passed betwixt the floud and Abrahams birth it is uncertaine because the relation of Abrahams birth Gen. 11.26 is set downe in such words as have ministred occasion of difference to the Reader Terah begat Abraham Nahar and Haran but at what age he begat each of them it is not manifested Some thinke that Abraham was the first-borne begotten at his fathers 70 yeare some thinke that hee was the youngest begotten at his 130 yeere so there is difference of yeeres in the account by this meanes 60 yeares but I rather incline to them that thinke Abraham was the eldest sonne at his Fathers 70 yeare for surely if Abrahams Father had beene able to become a Father at 130 yeares it would not have beene said of Abrahams selfe that he was as
good as dead at a 100 yeares old It is improbable that there should have beene so great difference of bodily strength betwixt the Father and the Sonne Now from Abraham forward the Holy Ghost maketh his story more large then that of former times We shall follow Gods pen and propound unto you this Father of the faithfull that by doing his workes you may shew your selves his children In him looke to his 1. Birth 2. Life 3. Death For his Birth he was the sonne of Terah borne as some thinke about the 200th yeere of the world some 352 yeeres after the floud but as some thinke 60 yeeres sooner about 1948 of the world and after the floud 298. For his life we will consider his carriage good and bad and the things that befell him good and bad Let us begin with his vertues and good deeds and observe him as an excellent patterne of all vertues and goodnesse that we may profit the better by considering his life more particularly Let us see what vertues and good deeds he practised towards God first and then towards man First for God hee is commended for faith Abraham saith the Author of the Hebrewes by faith called of God c. and Abraham by faith offered up so that faith he had and was called the friend of God as the Apostle S. Iames witnesseth now without faith no man can possibly please God or be his friend So had Abel as we shewed you before so had Noah so had Henoch so had all the godly at all times This grace is the cardinall grace the radicall grace that upon which all other graces grow as on their roote and on which they move as the doore upon its hinges Therefore you that would be called the children of Abram heires of the blessing of Abram come and compare your selves with him and see whether you be faithfull as he was to that end know that faith is the grace by which we beleeve things invisible and supernaturall concerning another life hereafter So the Apostle distinguisheth walking by faith from walking by sence or sight and Faith is said to be the Evidence of things not seene and ground of things hoped for Reason and naturall discourse will informe of things sensible and naturall concerning the present life but the things that are above sence and reason concerning a future life hoped for hereafter nothing doth informe us but faith and faith is that grace by which the soule beleeveth such things It hath three sorts of acts in regard of which it is stiled by three titles Faith of God Faith to God Faith in God Faith of God is that by which we beleeve that there is such a God as indeed he is All conceits of God are not of faith but those apprehensions of him which agree to his being and conceive him to be such as himselfe doth set forth himselfe to be and you shall see what Abraham beleeved concerning him 1. He beleeved that this God was one and but one as the Scripture witnesseth of him He worshipped God he called on the name of God he builded an Altar to God not to gods or more gods but to one God JEHOVAH 2. He beleeved that this one God was True Omnipotent able and willing to doe any thing that he should speake viz. that he was All-sufficient and faithfull as S. Paul witnesseth being fully perswaded that what he had spoken he was able also to performe and Heb. 11. that he was able to raise him from the dead 3. He beleeved that this one God was possessor and judge and therefore also Maker of Heaven and Earth And 4. That he was righteous and would doe righteousnesse in punishing the wicked that lived in sinne and in sparing and being favourable to the righteous man that did study to walke before him in a good conversation Now these be the principall things to be assented unto concerning God Secondly Abraham had faith to God that is he gave consent to all those things that God said because he said them which necessarily followeth from his acknowledgement of the truth power and All-sufficiency of God So doth the Author to the Hebrewes note that it was a land which after he should receive for an inheritance He beleeved that God would give him that land according to his promise and he beleeved above hope in hope that he should be Father of many Nations and it is said that God preached the Gospell unto him saying in thy seed which is Christ shall all Nations be blessed He beleeved that of his seed should come the Messiah which should free mankinde from the curse and make them partakers of the blessing So he beleeved Gods threats against Sodome that God would destroy it with fire Thirdly he believed in God 1. He trusted upon his mercy in the promised seede that for his sake not for the worth of his owne righteousnesse God would be mercifull to him and save him He beleeved in God and this faith was counted unto him for righteousnesse He was justified by this faith as the instrument he did not worke meaning in respect of justification he did not thinke to be pardoned and accepted for the workes sake but beleeved in him that justified those which in themselves be ungodly by justifying he meanes pardoneth their sinnes as it is said Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne for the promise was not made to him by the workes of the Law but the righteousnesse of faith that is the righteousnesse without workes as he described it before Now if you have this faith and all these acts of faith then you are Abrahams sonnes if not in vaine doe you lay title to his inheritance Therefore trie your selves and if you have this faith then know your selves happy if not you are farre from blessednesse you are still under the curse But secondly Abraham feared God True faith will bring forth the feare of God not the passion of feare nor slavish feare nor feare of flight but the feare of caution and warinesse a not daring to offend God as the Lord himselfe witnessed of him saying Now I know that thou fearest mee when thou hast not spared thine onely sonne Loe the feare of God is such a disposition of heart to God-ward out of the apprehension of his excellency and greatnesse and justice that will cause a man not to be bold to dare to omit any worke that Gods Commandement injoyneth him unto and so not to commit any thing that God condemneth I pray you consider have have you this vertuous feare of God Doe your hearts stand in awe of him so that you flie from the offending and displeasing of him as from the greatest of all evils those that have Gods feare before their eyes they are godly like Abraham those that have it not they are wicked as Abram thought the men of Gerar and Egypt to be O labour for
he conceived at first to be men though indeed they proved to be Angels for so you have his hospitality recorded by the Holy Ghost Gen. 18. 1. ad 17. When he saw certaine men which he tooke to be travellers he ranne to them and with importunity brought them on their way A courteous free and honourable intertaining of strangers is a vertue commended to our imitation by the example of Abraham for so saith the Author to the Hebrewes Be not forgetfull to intertaine strangers for by that meanes some have received Angels unawares and we are bidden to be given to hospitality Let us therefore be farre from niggardlinesse in this case and yet farre from profusenesse too And if to strangers much more to our friends and acquaintance must we shew our selves humane and liberall in this kinde and most of all to our poore and needy neighbours that cannot reward us for our Saviour prefers mercy before curtesie and tells us that such cost shall be reckoned for So have we done with Abrahams vertues which if we can take out in our practise happy shall we be for to this end are good mens good deeds registred in the Booke of God that we which reade them by following them in the waies of goodnesse might be sure to over-take them in the end of our journey and to dwell in the place of happinesse whether they have safely gone before us Now I proceede to tell of his sinnes and offences for such is the state of mortall men in this life that it shall be found true of every man which S. Iames tells us in many things we offend all Doubtlesse he arrogateth greater perfection to himselfe then ever the word of God hath attributed to any meere man since Adam that conceiveth himselfe to be quite free from all evill corruptions and from the breaking out of corruptions The first fault of Abraham was that in which he lived before his calling by God out of Vr of the Chaldees for it is manifest in the 24. of Iosh v. 2. that the Fathers in old time even Terah the Father of Abraham and of Nahor and consequently the sonnes themselves being so brought up of their Fathers served other gods Here then is a sinne in Abraham that he tooke up the religion of his Fathers without making any diligent inquiry into the matter whether the religion and gods were true or not And this is a fault common to all mankind they take their religion on trust serving those gods which they find in the places where they dwell to be worshipped and served and labour not to find out and serve the true God alone who is onely worthy to be served yea if it fall out that the true God be served amongst them they cleave not to him out of judgement and well grounded knowledge that he is the onely true God but alone out of common custome because all men do so and this their religon becommeth but a vaine religion and is of no force to their salvation Indeed it was not so strange a thing that Abraham should be thus carried away after false gods according as he was led by the common example seeing at that time they had not the word of God written by Prophets and Apostles to direct and guide them in this matter But for us whom God hath so farre favoured as to give us the cleare light of his holy word it is a most grievous sinne to be led wholy by custome and example and not to build and ground our selves upon that light which God hath ministred unto us And the true cause why men do follow such false guides in matter of Gods worship is the blindnesse of their mindes and carnallnesse of their hearts and the secret atheisme which is in them by which they are not thoroughly and certainely perswaded that there is a God at all and therefore care not to finde out and serve the living God as if it made no great matter so they served one which they served Let us therefore beware of false gods and false religions and let us beware of walking after a false rule even in following the true God that is of serving him not because wee have any true and certaine knowledge of him in our owne mindes but onely because we have beene so taught of our Fathers and see the whole world where we live to take the same course for he that is thus blindly led worships God but by chance as it were and is as ready for a false god as for a true and this was Abrahams fault before his calling Now after his calling he fell into some sinnes though not wilfully nor presumptuously but of weakenesse and of infirmity The first fault was weakenesse of faith Though he was the Father of the faithfull and is commended in Scripture for the strength of his faith and that he wavered not nor staggered at the promise of God through unbeleefe yet at the first his faith was mixed with unbeleefe and shewed it selfe to have some feeblenesse in it For first when he went downe into Egypt because of the famine and saw that the men were wicked and feared not God he was in doubt least the men of the place would kill him for his wives sake God had promised him before that time to give the land of Canaan to him and to his seede after him and yet he had no seed therefore as yet hee could not be put to death unlesse the promise of God should faile him and come to nothing Notwithstanding the promise which should have beene frustrated if himselfe had died without issue he doubted least he might be slaine by them as being distempered and diverted by feare from considering and taking diligent notice of the promise This was a manifest imperfection of faith you see Wherefore let us take notice that in the faithfullest of Gods people there will be defects of faith as also there was want of it in David when he said I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul and in Moses when he said How will Pharaoh heare mee seeing the Israelites did not and againe Why hast thou sent mee to deliver the people seeing Pharaoh oppresseth them the more since I spake to him And therefore let us not be discouraged though we finde weakenesse in our faith though faith I say doe shew it selfe feeble and be much troubled and sometimes foiled by doubting especially in great and sore temptations yet we must not be heartlesse nor conclude that we are utterly destitute of faith or that our faith is not true and sincere and unfained True faith you see in Abraham may be weake yea cannot but be weake so long as we be cloathed with tabernacles of flesh He that truly beleeves may yet be carried away with doubting sometimes when occasions of perill and danger incounter his faith and therefore also let us be carefull to confirme and strengthen our faith more and more and to grow in
his Father as a sonne in the family and house-hold of his Father and bids him leave kindred and Fathers house and goe into a Countrey which God should shew him promising him large off-spring great blessings and that the promised and blessed seed should come of him for S. Paul saith that God preached the Gospell before to Abraham when he said in thee shall all Nations be blessed so that he was more largely instructed by God of remission of sinnes and salvation everlasting by one that was to be borne of him Now God caused him also to beleeve these promises so that he left his Fathers worship and obeyed God If any of us have had the Word of God preached in our eares and by name the promises of the Gospell and hath found his heart so affected with those promises and the true beliefe of them that it hath made him follow God in a holy conversation of life and leave his former sinnes travell towards the land of life that land which God had shewed him in the paths of righteousnesse and true holinesse this is effectuall calling happy and blessed is this man Rejoyce in this calling and blesse God for it more then for all earthly things whatsoever And if any of you be not as yet so called let him see his misery and now call upon God so to call him till he finde his prayers granted for if we turne to God he will turne to us and if we seeke to him for the performance of his gratious Covenant in putting his Spirit of Sanctification in our hearts he will not faile to doe it But a second spirituall blessing was 1. He gave him most gratious promises 2. He appeared to him many times to renew those promises 3. He entered into a Covenant with him and his seede after him 4. He gratiously accepted his prayers and after this life he saved his soule First he made him gracious promises Gen. 12.2 I will blesse thee and make thee a great Nation and thou shalt be a blessing and I will blesse them that blesse thee and will curse them that curse thee Againe he appeares to him to renew this blessing and these promises Gen. 13.4 promising him a large off-spring againe and the possession of the land of Canaan understood by Abraham to be a figure of an heavenly inheritance for he sought a Citie to come saith the Author to the Hebrewes Againe Chap. 15.1 and in the whole Chapter hee confirmeth the promise againe by another vision I am thy shield and thine exceeding great reward so to comfort him against the doubts which hee might have that the vanquished Kings might prepare an army and returne upon him and there also againe he renues the promise of giving him a sonne yea giving him a multitude of children after him and by a signe confirmes it to him Looke up to Heaven saith hee and count the Starres c. yea gave him faith to beleeve it and assures him that hee was justified and that hee accepted that faith of him for righteousnesse accounting him by meanes of that faith for the sake of him in whom hee beleeved as perfectly just as if hee had perfectly fulfilled the Law And yet more fully assuring him of his goodnesse by entring into a covenant with him in a vision and by sacrifice And in Chap. 17. hee renewes the same covenant with him againe and confirmeth it by the seale of circumcision and by changing his name assuring him also that he should have the sonne of the promise by his most beloved wife Sarah and telling him also what name hee should be called by Isaac from his laughing at the promise not by way of distrust and unbeleefe but of faithfull joy and gladnesse in it And in Chap. 18. hee appeareth unto him againe in forme of a man and tells him the particular time of the childs birth and acquaints him with his purpose concerning the overthrow of Sodom And last of all after he had offered Isaac hee appeares unto him againe and by an oath confirmes to him the former blessings Gen. 22.16 which hee had never done before This is a singular mercy to Abraham to give him so many promises to renew them so often to him and confirme them so strongly to him And you must looke whether God vouchsafe to shew himselfe thus to you even to bring home to your soules in the reading and hearing of his word and exercises of religion the gracious promises of his word giving you by his Spirit assurance that hee admittteth you into the covenant is your God pardons you blesseth you and will give you all needfull things for soule and body and make you partakers of eternall felicity All Gods servants that are the seed of Abraham have this holy communion with God in his word in prayer in his ordinances which Abraham had in these dreames and visions for to the Fathers God shewed himselfe by those meanes to us by these and Christ saith that his Father and hee will come and shew themselves unto those that love him and keepe his commandements and suppe with them O if you find this spirituall familiarity with God how happy are you If not truly earthly blessings are of no great valew they be common to good and bad And now seeke you seeke you these spirituall blessings Gods assuring you of pardon of sinne and appearing unto you more and more to confirme your faith in the promises of the Gospell and to make you assured of your eternall happinesse and that he is your God untill at length he do even as it were sweare it unto you and make you certaine of it And Bretheren be you incouraged to answer Gods call to repent to live holily to cast of your sinnes and become obedient as was Abraham for though perhaps you may not be so rich as he nor have so many childeren nor have so great outward favours yet will God be your God he will be your shield he will be your reward hee will blesse you in all things he will give you the inheritance of life eternall as sure as he did to Abraham he will heare and accept your prayers and he will bring you safe to the land of rest to Heaven that true rest where you shall have no more unquietnesse inward nor outward Into Abrahams bosome will he receive all those that be the true sonnes of Abraham Learne to esteeme of these spirituall blessings though perhaps they may be separated from the temporall God therefore alone divideth them because he sees you be not fit for both but would be hindered from injoying the one and growing in the one by the overfull enjoyment of the other But the better I say you shall surely have as well as Abraham God will more and more assure you of his favour and of his kingdome and shew himselfe more and more graciously unto you in confirming to you his comfortable promises more and more This is better then all
according to S. Pauls phrase Rom. 4. So Gods blessing is able to make our soules fruitfull in all good workes though of our selves wee be utterly barren and unfruitfull And thus we have done with Abrahams wives Now let us speake something of his contemporaries beginning with his sonne Ishmael Ishmael was sonne of Abraham and Hagar his maide servant borne unto him at his 86. yeeres as saith the Holy Ghost Gen. 16. ult He was the sonne of a godly Father but whether himselfe were godly or not it is uncertaine But in his life we must note First his Vertues Secondly his Faults Thirdly his Benefits Fourthly his Crosses and then shall we come to his death His vertues First he lived in his fathers house in outward conformity and obedience for he submitted to his father at 13. yeares to be circumcised Gen. 17.25 and so had the outward seale of the covenant but yet he was not the promised seede nor had the covenant made with him nor had the Church and true religion continuing in his family So we must learne not to satisfie our selves with being in the Church outwardly but must labour to become true members of it and to enter into the covenant indeed It will not profit us to have the Sacraments outwardly administered to us for he is not a Jew which is one without neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but wee must indeavour after the inward circumcision even to get the righteousnesse which is by faith that that faith may purifie our hearts and purge away from us all filthinesse of flesh and spirit And if we make use of the outward seale thereby to be made to see and feele our uncircumcisednesse of heart and heartily acknowledge Gods will and power to make us partakers of the inward circumcision so putting forth our selves to beg for and labour after that inward circumcision the Lord will surely bestow it upon us Againe all children must learne to submit themselves to their parents at least to an outward performance of such holy duties as by their parents they shall be instructed in else they are worse then Ishmael and will become matter of anguish and vexation to their godly parents Would Ishmael accept circumcison and wilt not thou accept instruction learne the principles of Christian religion and settle thy selfe to some shew of goodnesse then shall Ishmaels example rise up in judgement against thee and condemne thee And parents must observe Gods goodnesse in their childeren if they find them even in such a degree tractable and ruly for this is farre better then to be wilde and furious and to cast of all semblance of goodnesse and yet such would the best mans childeren prove if the hand of God did not restraine them But another good thing in Ishmael was that he submitted himselfe to his Father to be banished out of his house no question but Abraham that loved him would informe him of the necessity which lay upon himselfe so to expell his sonne and would furnish him with all good counsell who then being some 16. yeares old was capable of good advice and so did he without murmuring or wilfull refusing to go yeeld himselfe to that punishment It is a good thing in childeren to take quietly their parents chastisement even though they should be somewhat severe But to oppose them or to rebell against them or fall to clamorousnesse and impatiency is a great sinne even though the correction should be causelesse and unjust how much more if they be righteous and deserved Learne of Ishmael this submission how will you hope that you be Gods childeren if you do not equall such a one as Ishmael in goodnesse Againe Ishmael did another good office in the conclusion of his Fathers life for it is noted of him that he came to Isaac and joyned with him in his Fathers funerall Gen. 25.9 by which it is manifest that he bare no grudge against his Father for casting him out of his house but bore that respect towards him which was due to a Father and therefore did him the best honour he could at his latter end yea that hee did not harbour in his minde any envious and malicious thought against Isaac and therefore would come unto him and unite his paines to burie his Father Learne so much good of him I pray you as to forget that severity which perhaps Parents may have shewed to any of you and not put off the dutifulnesse of childeren because you have met with something that flesh and bloud would call hard measure The lesse inducement any man hath from a parents kindnesse to love and honour him the more commendable it is if hee performe all honour to him but he that will be so transported with discontentment against a parent for some sharpenesse as even to hate and contemne him most of all if his owne folly have inforced his parent to such proceedings is without all doubt a gracelesse and a wretched childe I pray you learne also by Ishmael not to suffer envy to rise against your Bretheren if in any thing they be preferred before you to your detriment Love not them lesse then the name of a Brother or Sister doth require because you may thinke that they have stood betwixt your parents love and bounty and your selves and so as it were overshadowed you and kept the sun-shine from you but behold the hand of God in so disposing of things and resolve to love still as Bretheren Further Ishmael did one good act of honour and duty toward his mother Hagar For it is said Gen. 21.21 that his mother tooke him a wife out of the land of Egypt so he was ruled by his mother in marriage having her liking and consent yea giving himselfe to be guided by her as did also Isaac to Abraham and Iacob to Isaac It is a needefull thing for childeren to take the consent and assent of their parents yea if it be but of the mother supposing the father to be dead or absent and not to rush into this estate against their willes and privity No comfort can come to the conscience in such a match for whosoever is joyned together otherwise then Gods Word alloweth can have no ground of comfort as those are that are joyned without the good will of those whom God hoth made his deputies in this businesse The Lord saith to Parents take wives for your sonnes and give your daughters plainely putting them into his roome in that behalfe wherefore having not consent from them they live in an unlawfull matrimony untill such time as by humble repentance before God and submissive intreaties to their parents they have attained that good leave of their parents which they ought to have gotten before If therefore any amongst you have so offended they must see the fault and be humbled and seeke pardon Most times the Lord doth sensibly crosse such matches make use of those crosses to increase your godly
that tie their horses to the rack-staves and fill themselves with drink or victuals Then his last good deed is he makes hast about his businesse to tell it and set it a foot for he would not eate till he had done his errand and then he effects his businesse fully for he rose up betimes in the morning and would not stay one day but with all speed returnes to let his Master see his good successe O that you servants would all be such servants faithfull diligent in your Masters affaires religious devout prayerfull thankfull on all occasions and carefull of the beasts and other goods committed to your charge and returne home when your businesse is dispatched Now faults in him the Lord shewes none as I said before for the cause then mentioned Benefits he had foure very great 1. That God gave him a godly Master 2. That God gave him favour in his eyes so that he trusted him with all he had 3. That God made him a true Christian for bond and free are all one to God And lastly that he prospered him and brought him safe and with good successe to his Masters house You that be servants pray for these blessings Beseech God to make you his free men and if God grant you favour and good successe in your journeys learne to be very thankfull for it And for his crosse it was this he was a servant to be a bond-man is a lesse desireable condition as Paul intreateth saying if thou maist be free use it rather but it is an easie crosse if a man can meete with so godly a Master and be accepted with him hence S. Paul saith care not for it you that must live by service grumble not at this crosse For your service is not a bondage for life but alone as apprentices for a certaine time or as hired servants from yeere to yeere murmure not at the meanenesse of your estate but frame as this man to be faithfull and godly and you may live as happily here and get as much glory in Heaven hereafter as your Masters * ⎠* THE ELVENTH EXAMPLE OF LOT his VVife and Daughters AFter the Example of Abraham and his Family wee come to those that lived in the same Age with him particular persons and whole Cities and peoples Among particular persons I will begin with Lot and then speake a word of his wife and daughters For himselfe when and of what Mother he was borne it is not recorded but wee have notice of his Father who was Haran the brother of Abraham who died before his Father in the Countrey of Mesopotamia The death of Lot is also concealed in Scripture so that we cannot acquaint you when he ended his daies nor where But in his life we must observe what good is found in him and what evill and secondly what things he met withall in his life both good and bad First for his goodnesse in generall he hath the testimony of the Holy Ghost by the pen of S. Peter that he was a righteous man It is said there that God delivered just Lot as also that righteous man dwelling amongst them vexed his righteous soule This is proofe enough of his goodnesse and it was necessary for the cleering of his name that the New Testament should testifie of his righteousnesse because the narration of his life in the old leaves him in such a case as would make the Reader afraid least hee had quite falne away from all goodnesse but Peters testimony is proofe enough that the committing of that great sinne did not take him of from the number of the righteous No sinne is so great but repentance wipeth it so cleane away that the offender is righteous and must be so esteemed notwithstanding the grievousnesse of his crime Now let each of us labour to get true righteousnesse that though this title be not bestowed upon him by the undeceivable pen of some Author of holy Writ yet hee may heare it pronounced by our blessed Saviour at the last day when standing on the right hand he may be blessed with the blessing of the righteous And let me be bold to turne my speech unto you that have beene and are the grievousest sinners If you lament your unrighteousnesse rest on Christs righteousnesse and hereafter studie righteousnesse in your lives you shall enjoy the happinesse of righteous men at last There is a seeming righteousnesse a meere Pharisaicall paint when a man carries himselfe blamelesly to men ward at least in respect of the grosser acts of evill This will save no man at the last nor comfort him in time of temptation there is a true and reall righteousnesse which will undoubtedly save them which can be so happie as to get it and of this true righteousnesse there are two sorts one of the Law it standeth in a perfect conformity of heart and life unto the exact rule of Gods Law And if there had beene a Law given which could have given life doubtlesse righteousnesse should have beene by the Law but now the Scripture hath concluded all under sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ may be given to them that beleeve So now we must have a righteousnesse by promise that is by the Gospell for that of the Law is too high for us And the righteousnesse of the Gospell is twofold one without us performed by our blessed Saviour for us as a surety paies the debt for the debters use and benefit by which we stand just before God and have our sinnes pardoned and are accepted to salvation When we have so seene our own misery as to goe quite out of our selves and rest alone upon Christ for all good things according to the promise The other is within us it is a gift bestowed upon and wrought in us by the Spirit of God alwaies and inseparably joyned with the former by which we are manifested to our selves and to others to be just and it standeth in a true desire and indeavour to know and leave every sinne forbidden by God and to know and doe all good workes required so that we still continue to humble our selves for our failings and to seeke unto God for pardon and helpe in and by Christ and his Spirit This righteousnesse of faith which denominates him in whom it is righteous you must all get else you shall never attaine eternall life It is a thing appointed of God in such perfection of goodnesse and wisdome that it cannot be found in any Hypocrite seeme he never so good and will surely be found in any upright hearted man be he never so weake never leave striving till you have gotten it and gotten certaine knowledge that you have it Dost thou in thy heart see and acknowledge thy selfe to be a cursed sinner by reason of thy corrupt nature that is derived to thee from Adams loynes and thy wicked life whereby thou thy selfe hast actually
for hitherto we have looked alone into certaine aggravations of them First to make a man drunke this is a grievous sinne a purposed lying in waite to overcome another with wine or strong drinke is a foule fault it hath its originall ever in some further evill intention either to laugh at the offenders or otherwise to wrong them as here and draw them to some wickednesse or inconvenience which else they would not be drawne unto He seekes mischiefe to his neighbour that seekes to spoile him of his understanding and makes him a beast that he may draw him to beastly deeds Come now and consider your selves if none of you have thus sinned against your bretheren He is worse then a drunkard that is a maker of drunkards a man may be drunke of meere weakenesse but it is wilfulnesse that causeth another to be drunken He loves this sinne more that causeth it in another then hee that commits the same himselfe If any of you have so sinned against his brother he is a very lewd man and must answer for that sinne before God with more severity then the person that hath beene drawne into it by his meanes Much repentance therefore is required of such an offender In keeping himselfe sober for an evill end hee is worse then if himselfe had beene drunken for company These two sisters did keepe themselves free from excesse that they might better abuse their owne reason to worke upon their Fathers unreasonablenesse Had they beene all overcome of wine incest had not so easily followed from drunkennesse but now that the man is swallowed up of wine and the woeman not so they prevailed more easily to make their Father lewd It is a drunken sobriety that is directed to uncleanesse they would not be drunken because they desired to be filthy Some men boast that themselves have borne their cups wherewith another hath beene overcome but that sobernesse makes them greater offenders then if they exceeded measure in drinking Wherfore you must blame your selves with exceeding detestation of your selves if you have abused a thing otherwise vertuous to make another man more vitious Thou mad'st another to take cup after cup that when he had lost his wits and thou kepst thine thou mightest better prevaile to draw him unto further wickednesse thy sobernesse was as bad and much worse then his drunkennesse O that you would see and lament your extreame ungraciousnesse in this abusing both wit in yourselves and want of wit in others But now Lot is drunken and fitted for any wickednesse the two Sisters in their turnes goe to bed to him and solicite him to abuse their bodies and prevaile with him because he had not reason to know what hee did Incest is a most unnaturall crime yet the wicked nature of man is apt to runne into it and that wilfully O what a filthy heart hath a man and woman that can transgresse all the dictates of reason to satisfie impure desires No person comes amisse to lust the Father will serve as well as another man when the lewde desire hath prevailed they care not with whom the fault be committed so that it be committed Have none of you given way so farre to libidinous desires as to mixe your selves unlawfully and without marriage with those to whom you might not have drawne neere no not in the warrantable imbraces of Matrimony Is there not some incestuous man or woman amongst you yea some that hath not out of weakenesse but purposely run into incest The crime is not so often committed in so high a degree but yet sometimes it falleth out in the world that men may learne there is more evill in their nature then they would have beleeved but that experience teacheth it we have not another example of it in Scripture but here are two at once that wee might learne to know how bad a nature we have And so much for their sinnes common to both making their Father drunke and then going to bed to him for matter and for manner purposely and without remorse and without any sorrow after for when they had borne children they give them such names as prooved that they rather boasted of the crime then bewailed it Ammon the sonne of my people Moah of my Father as if they had rejoyced at their happinesse in being with childe by their owne Father It is a cursed thing to sinne more to be so hardned as not to lament it afterwards most to make a mans selfe glad of it Their speciall sinnes are the elder perswades to the sinne then gives a bad example and after againe incourageth her Sister and the younger yeelds and followes O see this naughtinesse and take heede Hitherto of Abrahams sonnes servants and wives and one of his children and of his Kinsman Lot his Wife and daughters Now of some others that lived with him first his confederates Aner Eshcol and Mamre secondly Ephron the Hittite thirdly King Pharaoh of Egypt fourthly King Abimelech Then of the Kings that did take Lot and so of the Sodomites Now for Aner Eshcol and Mamre they were three Brethren Hittites of whose birth and death nothing is revealed but in their lives two things are recorded deserving our observation and imitation First they were friends and confederates with Abraham appeares Gen. 14.13 Secondly they did faithfully performe the office of friends and confederates For the first these three Brethren were in league with Abraham joyned in a Covenant with him for mutuall helpe of each other against any that should wrong any of them Their league it may seeme was offensive and defensive It is a wise and good part to live in friendship with godly men and to be knit to such in covenants of amity peace and mutuall helpe as Hiram King of Tyre was in covenant with David and with Salomon his sonne after him and it is recorded to his praise that hee was alwaies a lover of David For by this meanes great benefits are brought unto a man First he shall see their good conversation and heare their wise words and enjoy their good counsell and their godly prayers and so be in possibility to be wonne to goodnesse by them at least to a vertuous and civill conversation through their meanes for hee that walketh with the wise shall be made wise as he that walketh with sinners shall be made worse by them He that commeth where sweete spices and ointments are stirring doth carry away some of their sweet savour even though hee thinke not of it so shall a man receive some savour and taste of goodnesse from good men if hee live friendly and familiarly with them Againe the Lord had undertaken with Abraham to be a friend to his friends and an enemie to his enemies and to blesse them that blessed him as well as to curse them that cursed him Wherefore in entertaining friendship with them a man doth interest himselfe into some degree of Gods favour and blessing according
to offer his soone or of Isaac in yeelding up himselfe to be offered were greater for a man doth likely love his life as well as he loveth his childe Now Abraham subdued his love of his sonne unto God and Isaac subdued the love of his life to God both notable patternes of sincere obedience This example you reade in Gen. 22.9 when Abraham and Isaac came to the place which God had appointed Abraham built an Altar laid on the woode and stretched forth his hand and tooke the knife to slay his sonne Isaac at that time was of such an age that he might have resisted his Father being old or have got himselfe free by flight from him but he gave up himselfe into his Fathers hands or rather into God hand and yeelded his throate to the stroake of the sacrificing knife Hereby it is apparent that he began to feare God betime in that he would not withhold himselfe from God as his Father did not withhold his sonne O that we could approve our Faith by the like effects of it even by a willing yeelding of our lives to him when he doth call for them and not refuse to die if he should call us unto it for his commandements sake God is the author and Lord of our lives and nothing is more agreeable to reason then that we should be content to give up life and all into his hands from whom we have received life and all things And surely in this case it shall be proved true which our Lord Jesus telleth in the Gospell whosoever will loose his life shall save it As Isaac was partaker of that great blessing wherewith the Lord rewarded Abraham for his obedience in offering of his sonne saying in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thee Neither Father nor sonne you see were loosers by yeelding up the one his sonne the other his life into the hands of God But contrarily hee that will save his life shall undoubtedly loose his life for he must necessarily die at some other time as all other men and then his soule shall be lost together with his life because he loved not God better then his life and he that hateth not his owne life in comparison of God shall not be counted worthy of him Let us therefore see that our soules be so thoroughly subjected unto God if ever we desire to be counted the seede of Abraham and the brothers of Isaac But oh how farre short do very many of us come of this obedience for how should any man beleeve that we would readily part without lives for God which will not part with honour or goods or pleasure yea any of our sinnes at his commandement You be not Isaacs if you cannot be content to give up your lives to God how much lesse if you stand with him for other matters farre lesse then life This is the first part of Isaacs goodnesse to God-ward he became obedient to death Secondly he was devoute and religious given to all holy exercises by name to meditation and prayer principall exercises of piety and religious services of God for so it is noted Gen. 26.25 Hee builded an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. Loe here he worshipped God publikely by sacrifices and prayers and though it be not mentioned that he offered or prayed before an Altar at any other time as I remember yet this once naming of his piety is set downe to signifie his constant care in this duty his Father brought him up in it therefore he could say Where is the lambe Indeed the Lord hath abolished such kinde of Altars and such kinde of sacrifices now since the comming of Jesus Christ into the world and offering himselfe once for all as a propitiatory sacrifice to take away the sinnes of the world but yet now also we have an Altar whereof they have no right to eate that partake of those sacrifices Christ Jesus is our Altar who sacrifieth all those services which we offer up unto God by him and our sacrifices are spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ The offering of a contrite and broken heart God doth much esteeme the offering of praises and prayers the calves of our lips done unto God in the name of Christ are very pleasing unto him the presenting of our selves soules and bodies to him is exceeding delightfull yea with doing of good and distributing as with sacrifices God is greatly contented as S. Paul saith these are an odour of sweete savour a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God If a man retire himselfe and considering the death of Christ for sinne doe humbly present himselfe before God confessing his sinnes and judging himselfe for them and labour to lament them with hearty griefe before God as causes of the death of his sonne this is a gratefull sacrifice If hee praise God in the Name of Christ as for all other benefits so for the great blessing of redemption wrought by Christ this also doth give a sweete odour unto God if he even consecrate himselfe to God resolving to walke before him in all upright obedience praying for the Spirit of God to sanctify him that in all things he may please God no Bullocke or Ram can please the Lord so well If he set apart some portion of his wealth to God and give it to releeve the necessities of the Saints this is very sweete incense so that hee trust not in the merit of the worke as if it could deserve any thing for the worthinesse of it but trust alone in Christ for the acceptation of himselfe and it and all his services Would you confirme to your owne consciences that you be true Isaacs Aske your selves then doe you offer these burnt offerings if not you be not as Isaac childeren of the promise if yea you may assure your soules that you be O then study to abound in these services Againe it is noted that he called on the Name of God there and so it is noted Gen. 25.21 that Isaac intreated the Lord for Rebeccah his wife because shee was barren Hee prayed constantly to God for a childe in this also testifying his religiousnesse and his Faith So wee must be carefull to pray to God for all good things we neede for childeren if we want them for good successe in our callings and whatsoever else we neede or desire For God is the giver of all good things and hath commanded us in all things to make our requests knowne unto him and biddenus to pray continually and in all things give thankes so we are bound to pray as much as Isaac Therefore those that are carelesse of worshipping God in this duty according to that description of a wicked man written by David in the fourteenth Psalme they call not on the name of God are not surely the children of God as was Isaac but the children of Satan rather for the Spirit of God
have in any kinde offended him our hearts should even quake to thinke of his displeasure till it have made us fall downe before him and renew our repentance and seek out for a pardon But he that hath a bold audatious fearelesse heart that when he hath done evill feeleth no stirring of feare no awe no dread sees no danger or perill in the sinne perhaps abusing the promise to make himselfe bold surely cannot say that he sanctifieth God in his heart and maketh him his dread and his feare Strive therefore to get and strive to nourish and exercise this feare in you The last thing to be noted in Isaac was his obedience to the Commandement of God given him by vision spoken of Gen. 26.6 the story runneth thus there was in his daies a great famine in Canaan Abraham had gone downe to Egypt to sojourne therein a time of dearth for it seemes to have beene a place of more constant plenty then Canaan Isaac had in his minde some thoughts of imitating his Father God saw it not fit for him to travell thither and therefore God appeared to him in some vision and bad him not to descend into Egypt but to dwell or sojourne in that land and promiseth him a blessing accordingly Isaac stoppeth his journey continues in Gerar and goeth not downe to Egypt This was an act of true obedience hee would not goe to the place which God forbad him to go too though it might seeme to have beene fitter for his profit and advantage at that time We also Brethren must learne to dwell where God would have us and not to make worldly profit pleasure ease or the like the choosers of our habitation yea we must learne universall obedience for if in point of habitation I must follow God then in all other things besides See what God saith in his Word unto us and that is now insteede of all visions therein now he maketh himselfe to appeare unto us doe such or such a thing doe not such or such a thing promising a blessing as alwaies he doth unto the obedient We must not consult with flesh and bloud nor aske counsell of profit and pleasure but must resigne our selves to his Commandement and instantly set about the one and relinquish the other He that is so disposed he is an Isaac let him take comfort he is a true beleever and a godly man but he that in such case refuseth to obey and will rather condescend to his carnall reason arguing from losse or commodity danger or safety or the like how can hee call himselfe an obedient childe He that refuseth the plaine directions of Gods Word for earthly respects is not one of the race of Isaac He that causeth all such respect to stand bare unto Gods Commandement and to give way unto it his heart is upright with God and he is a holy man as was Isaac And so much for this good mans carriage toward God Looke now in what sort he behaved himselfe in regard of men and in regard of his estate and the things of this life For men he had Parents a Wife Children Neighbours See his manner of living with them all For his Father he was to him a most dutifull sonne as is manifest in two things 1. He yeelded himselfe to him to be bound and killed Indeed here was more obedience to God then to Abraham and yet a great measure of obedience to Abraham also He bare great respect to his Father Abraham in that hee would be perswaded by him that God had commanded him so strange a thing he shewed himselfe dutifull to God and his Father both in being content to be killed by his Father at Gods appointment You see how children should yeeld to their Parents in all things in the Lord. It was extraordinary that Isaac must yeeld to be slaine when God would have it so and had extraordinarily required it And in this particular without the like warrant which will never be againe in all the world no childe should yeeld to let his Father kill him but should flie away and oppose himselfe so farre as he might without hurting and striking his Father yea or so much as rayling at him for these being things forbidden a man should rather choose to die even by the rage of his Father then make bold to doe them But if in an extraordinary Commandement obedience must be given to Parents in such an extraordinary thing then without doubt in every ordinary thing a Parent must be obeyed in all things in the Lord even though the commandement should be so heavie as death it selfe would not be heavier The Apostle hath said Obey your Parents in all things in the Lord and this is well pleasing to God and this is just Where are you rebellious children Where are you stubborne and disobedient daughters Come lay your selves in the ballance with Isaac see how unlike him you be he would yeeld to death you will not yeeld to leave those things which are forbidden you onely because they will procure you death undoing destruction O you rebels and wretches you are farre enough from being Isaacs You set light by Father and Mother and therefore against you ought all to take up a curse and ratifie the same with Amen Woe woe unto you undutifull children who deale with your Parents as Israel dealt with God they have brought up and nourished children which have rebelled against them God shall cut you off from the land of the living his hand shall be against you to destroy you and the Eagles of the valley shall picke out your beastly eyes that are bold to despise sleight and disobey your Parents and wilfully refuse to obey their lawfull commandements But I beseech you repent of this sinne and prevent this judgement and now let all children be followers of Isaac acknowledge your Parents authority submit to their lawfull commandements and crosse your selves rather to death then be found undutifull Doe it I say the great benefits you have received of them requireth it you have your very being from them in your hild-hoods education and the Law of God requireth the same of you which requireth all reasonable things and you cannot else be saved at last for he that obeyes not that Parent whom he sees daily how shall he obey him whom hee never saw And all you dutifull children be encouraged praise God that hath bound your hearts to respect your Parents and intreate him to continue the same affection in you still and know that the Lord will blesse you as he blessed Isaac and will raise you good Iacobs to require your submissivenesse to your Abrahams But Isaac submitted himselfe to his Father in another thing even when he was now growne to be about forty yeares of age he gave himselfe over to his Father to be ruled by him in marriage he did not set his affections upon any woman without his consent nor draw away any womans affections nor
towards his wife Rebeccah and that also in two things mentioned in Scripture First it is said that hee loved her Gen. 24. ult This is a thing required of all husbands they must account themselves and their yoake-fellowes but one flesh one body as S. Paul commands yea they must love them not with an idle and meere verball love but with such a love as they beare unto themselves that causeth them to love and cherish themselves so as above all things they must not be bitter against them as S. Paul informeth the Collossians Indeed because the Lord hath knit man and wife together in the neerest bond causing them to be but one flesh therefore should their loves be most fervent and abundant A man must therefore love his wife above all other persons hee must forsake father and mother and cleave unto his wife as Adam said at first yea in respect of matrimoniall love he must love her alone and none other but her You therefore that are husbands and have wives come and answer before God how doe you love your wives how doe you cherish them with all comfortable maintenance and kindnesses how are you carefull to shun all tartnesse and bitternesse all froward peevish words and gestures all discurteous quarrellings with them and rating revelling and upbraiding tearmes If your consciences accuse you of unlovingnesse and bitternesse you are great sinners before God and must apply to your selves that of S. Iohn hee that loveth not his wise whom hee seeth daily how shall he love God whom hee never saw Lay not the blame of your want of love upon your wives in respect of their ill qualities and carriage men love their childrens persons above all other mens children though they be neither so personable nor well conditioned and should they not know how to doe the same also to their wives No man is dispensed withall from doing his owne duty because of another persons failing in his duty for we must doe our duty every one out of conscience to Gods Commandements not alone because of other inducements It is therefore a great offence in an husband not to beare a tender and constant love unto his wife And now all you husbands profit by Isaacs example and humbly pray to God to frame your hearts to the unfaigned love of your wives This is the way to make you like comfortably and chastly a man shall be happy if he enjoy what he loveth and love what he must enjoy They live with great peace in themselves that for conscience sake to God have their soules knit unto their wives but hee whose affections are disjoyned and divorced from his wife doth live in perpetuall vexation because he hath not subjected his affections to the commandement of God and fixed his heart on her to whom God would have it united And he that loveth not his wife honestly is in perpetuall danger to bee caught with the unchast love of another woman therfore Salomon bids one wander in the love of his owne wife for why saith hee shouldst thou be taken with a strange woman This duty therefore is very requisite and every good man must heartily crie to God to worke in his heart this vertuous affection towards his wife that love may make him able to performe all other duties without which he must needs be defective in all other matrimoniall offices Another thing very commendable in Isaac towards his wife was this that hee contented himselfe with Rebekah alone and did not take that unlawfull liberty which yet the common custome of those times did make to seeme lawfull to many otherwise godly men of having more wives then one as had Abraham the Father of Isaac and Iacob his sonne A man should keepe himselfe wholly to the wife of his youth and not divide himselfe betwixt two remembring that God at first made them male and female and created but one for one as Malachie 2.15 noteth though hee had abundance of spirit because hee sought a godly seede yea hee said a man shall cleave to his wife not wives and they two as our Saviour interprets it shall bee one flesh The custome of our times inforceth men to this duty but it is a fault when they doe it not heartily but rather for custome then for conscience yea many that shame will not suffer to keepe more wives then one yet secretly give themselves to other women and so violate their covenant of marriage and defile themselves with great pollutions Lastly Isaac was ready to hearken to his wife Rebekahs counsell and when she complained of Esaus wives evill and froward behaviour telling how bitter her life would prove if Iacob also should bring in such ill nurtured wives he sends him away according to her desire to take a wife in Padan-aram So should every good man be ready to hearken to his wives advice and counsell and to gratifie her in those things that are fit not to crosse and contradict her This is a part of due kindnesse to your wives see that you neglect it not to the procuring of mutuall and continuall discord betwixt you So have we considered Isaacs good carriage towards God and his parents Father and mother and towards his wife hee was a parent and had children even two sonnes Esau and Iacob Now he blessed both of them and that out of Faith for his blessing was not a bare wishing and praying for a blessing upon them but a propheticall prediction of a blessing in Godsname whereof if he had not received a promise from God and also beleeved that promise neither he nor his children would have made so great account of it All of us cannot blesse our children in this manner for the gift of prophecie is wanting unto us but all of us must in Faith blesse our children that is pray for a blessing at Gods hand upon our seede as well as our selves Yea wee must all apply our selves to the sincere obedience which hath an ample promise of blessing annexed and cannot faile to procure a blessing since God will not faile to fulfill his word Why is a propheticall blessing of some valew surely because it is a certaine thing as having its originall in Gods fidelity who having said it shall be so must either accomplish it with his hand or else falsifie his word which is impossible Now it is as impossible that God should neglect to keepe his promise as to fulfill his predictions wherefore seeing all blessings are plentifully promised to him that walketh before God uprightly and constantly doe this O yee Fathers this is to blesse your childeren in faith but if you follow your owne hearts and leave the wayes of God and goe forward in pathes of impiety and unrighteousnesse then doe you curse your selves and your children and worse then pronounce a curse even pull downe a curse upon your selves and them Further Isaac did conferre the principall blessing upon Iacob to whom God had
and must come to prayer and crave direction and help of him We must run to his word and seek to informe our selves from thence what may be the cause of our present estate and consult with his faithfull servants that have a larger measure of knowledge then our selves that by their advice we may learne what is fit for us to doe and upon what ground it is that matters be so with us and God by these means will settle and quiet our mindes as surely and firmly as of old he accustomed to doe by meanes of his holy Prophets So you have Rebekkahs piety to God now see her carriage to her husband and we finde in the Story of her life testimonies of her being a dutifull wife unto him For first when she found him inclined to go against the will of God in giving away that solemne blessing which she inherited from his Father Abraham unto the Son to whom it was not due because God had preferred the younger before the elder she was carefull to prevent that sin and to procure the blessing unto Iacob to whom it was due and how Not by brawling and falling out with him but by a gentle and a quiet meanes I commend not the using of guile and falshood but in that she fell not to it by violence of speech but by a gentle and milde way in that I cannot but commend her Herein she did the part of a loving discreete and dutifull wife who reverenced her husband and desires to keep him from sin She came not chaffing to Isaac as once Sarah did to Abraham but by a gentle course she caused him to escape the fault before he could commit it and beyond his purpose So must you good wives carry your selves if your husbands be about to swerve out of the way and you perceive it you must endeavour by sweet and dutifull courses to prevent or recall them from sin not to use fierce passion brawling as sometimes women of a fierce spirit doe who many times are punished for their indiscreet frowardnesse by failing of their desires and making things worse rather then changing them for the better The same disposition to her husband she shewed in another passage too for that she might procure the sending of Iacob into Padan Aram she did not openly declare the matter to her husband but came and related the trouble she had with Esaus wives and told how bitter a thing it would prove unto her if she were as bad yoked with another wife that Iacob should bring and so won him to dispatch Iacob for a wife into Padan Aram. A woman should alwaies deale by loving meanes with her husband to get the good she would at his hands and not by violence and clamour You that would have the repute of good wives in your own hearts see that you follow Rebekkah prevaile by discreet wise and curteous courses not by strong hand and violence But these eager sharp and passionate women that will wrest the things the desire out of their husbands hands perhaps also inconvenient things by chiding and big and loud words as once I told you Sarah sought to do or else by puling and whining and charging their husbands not to love them else as the wife of Sampson did are to be blamed as undiscreet and disobedient wives and if they repent not of their folly and unrulinesse the Lord will one day call them to account for their misdemeanours Gentlenesse and dutifulnesse must adorn your conversation and your husbands must see your conversation coupled with feare to displease so shall you make your selve and husbands happy both at once and have a kinde of lawfull power with them over whom you have not any authority But now of Rebekkahs carriage to her Sons she was in the right she loved the good son whom God loved most Iacob was a plain man but a good man beloved of God therefore she did love him too and herein she did much excell her husband Isaac and was more to be commended and did better please God Indeed herein she shewed her obedience to God as well as her affection to Iacob whom she desired to have attain the blessing because she knew that God had appointed it unto him It is a necessary thing that men should submit themselves unto God in every thing and become furtherers the best they can of fulfilling his good pleasure when once he hath vouchsafed to manifest it unto them O let us learn to submit our wills thus to Gods will and to make it our care to have those things done by our selves and others which he would have done And learne Parents and all men of Rebekkah to love them best in whom the Lord hath printed his Image most clearely and abundantly Let godlinesse be the loadstone of our affections rather then any other thing yea let us all learn of her too to strive to procure a blessing upon our children though not by such a course as she took for herein she was manifestly blame worthy yet by all good and honest courses that we can even by our prayers for them and good instructions to them and the like You have heard Rebekkahs goodnesse so much as I remember that the Scriptures have left upon record saving it is noted of her that she made savoury meate for her husband such as he loved she could not have done it so well then if she had not taken notice of it and done it often before So it is the part of a good woman to cherish her husband in his diet so far as her meanes and ability will permit and having informed himself what is pleasing to him accordingly to provide it for him So shall she shew good will to her husband which alwaies makes one carefull to please and gratifie the party beloved Here is a patterne for you to live after all you good women seek to give your husbands due content in their food prepare things acceptable to them as you be able especially if they be weak blinde or otherwise afflicted that your kinde usage this way may even countervaile the want of other benefits and cause their lives to be as comfortable to them as in such crosses they may be but without doubt she is a bad and unloving wife who neglecteth to give her husband satisfaction in this point who sets him short and cares not to fit him with pleasing food if they be not destitute of meanes yea who feeds her self deliciously in his absence and must have some choice provision for her self when she pleaseth that shall be hidden from his eye and withdrawne from his mouth A great fault it is in a wife to forget that her husband and she do make but one body and to divide him from her in eating and drinking to whom she is so nearly linked in other society Be no more offenders in this kinde if you have been such but now be good nurses to your husbands and let them at least
and in fit case to continue dutifull observers of the fifth Commandement But we have another Superiour with whom Iacob had occasion at last to deale viz. Laban First An Vncle. Secondly A Master Thirdly A Father in Law See how well Iacob carried himselfe to Laban in all these respects 1. As he was an Vncle before he entred into the other relations he lived so lovingly and painfully with him in his house for the space of a moneth together that Labans selfe was both willing to give him some due wages and allowance for his service which of his owne accord he offered himselfe to doe and also when motion was made of giving him Rachel did willingly accept the motion yea put the other upon him too against his will whereby it is evident that he behaved not himselfe so as to be a cumber and burden to the family but was helpfull to it This was very commendable in him that he carried himselfe temperately and vertuously and profitably in his Vncles house where he came to sojourne for a time O that all those whose occasions invite them to visit their kindred and to abide some time with them would shew themselves so vertuous and wise and orderly in their whole behaviour that their friends might not have occasion to account them burdens but rather benefits unto themselves and their families so long as they shall have cause to continue and not so rudely wastfully idly that the house is discharged as it were of some ill humour when the time comes that they shall be gone away Further Laban had two daughters and Iacob loved one intirely yet we see that he craved the Fathers good will afore he made any suit at all to the maiden He went not to Rachel to get her good will and to win a promise from her but takes the fittest occasion that offered it selfe to let the Father understand his minde and to make agreement with him Here also young men have an excellent patterne to imitate and a sweet direction for their proceedings in marriage First to make sure with the Parents and Governours and after to deale with the young persons themselves as also Sampson did and the servant of Abraham and as nature it selfe teacheth it should be done for why should not he that hath right into any thing bee consulted withall about parting with it afore we seek to drive away the thing it selfe which appertaineth to him O those of you that have done or are now in doing otherwise bee you blamed as men that proceed not vertuously in this course and therefore are either through lucre of portion or else inordinate affection which men call love thrust aside from a right to a wrong path Now at last Iacob becomes a servant to his Father in Law and agrees to performe seven yeares service for one daughter and as many for the other For my part I cannot commend Iacobs prudence in this matter he bound himself to a very long apprentiship He might have taken order to have sent messengers betwixt Isaac and Laban that his portion might have procured this match rather than his service But herein yet he deales well with Laban whom he was willing to advantage so much for his daughters sake So far was he from being desirous to steale away Rachel that he chose rather to sue for her every young man must learne hence not that particular thing which Iacob did to serve for a wife but that common rule of equity which he followed to give a man all reasonable and good content in marrying his daughter in affording such convenient allowance to her as is fit neither will he be unwilling to this duty that is not moved more with base ends than love of her whom he marrieth But Iacob shewes a singular gentlenesse and respect to him in that when he had beguiled him and put Leah upon him instead of Rachel yet he did not put her away and refuse to have her but was rather contented to serve another seven yeres for Rachael than he would make any stir As for the matter of Polygamy and marrying two sisters the last was not then a sin the former was not esteemed to be one but surely Iacob received very hard measure of Laban in obtruding another upon him than was agreed upon to be his wife yet you see hee devoures the injurie without any great outcry onely hee tels him of the wrong in words nothing savouring of bitternesse O that wee also could learne to reprove a wrong-doer specially a superiour doing us wrong with milde and good language without railing without clamorousnesse and disgracefull speeches It were a sweet thing to have so much government over our passions and tongues that they might not carry us to set out wrongs with too many and large aggravations and with invective and contumelious speeches against him that hath done us the wrong It is never tryed to the purpose what humility what true discretion the soule is endowed withall untill it receive the triall of injuries He that in such case can keepe himselfe within compasse that his words be neither many nor violent shewes that he hath some command of himselfe and some feeling acknowledgement of Gods provident government and his own worthinesse of far greater evils But he that hath never done amplifying such a wrong and is furious and bitter against the offendor shewes that hee hath a great heart that can make the wrong so great and doth not looke to the hand but to the rod against which hee gives himselfe to shew so much distemper Againe you see that Iacob is even ready patiently to sit downe by the wrong and is content now to make himselfe an Apprentice for another seven yeares rather than he will make a great stir and contend with Laban We cannot thinke so hardly of any times that there were no Lawes or Governours that would and should have righted this wrong if Iacob would have made his complaints but Iacob was from his Fathers house and a stranger and friendlesse and therefore thought it more wisdome to sit downe and be content with somewhat hard conditions than to make a greater quarrell and contention O that we could get our hearts stored with a proportion of wisdome and meeknesse sutable to that of Iacob even to make us able to devoure wrongs with somewhat ill and harsh consequences rather than to make a great brawle specially if we be inferiours also and finde our selves likely to mend our selves little by contending such a submissive and peaceable disposition will make us capable of a larger blessing from God than any wee could get by striving and brawling and not onely so but would give us more quietnesse and content in our selves than the either revenging or redressing of a wrong another way Follow Iacob therefore in this his carriage towards his Father in Law And now we finde Iacob a servant and that for fourteen yeares hee married the two daughters within a few
unprofitably brought up to the knowledge of himselfe such a one shall be much more to seeke how to live religiously than another that hath some imployment for in not knowing what course to take he is made to stand distracted and doubtfull of his course and so full of vexation and unquietnesse Now all you Parents that have neglected your children very much and suffered them to trifle out all that golden season of youth in which they should have fitted themselves for a profitable and comfortable life in elder dayes be ashamed you have been so foolish as not alone to transgresse the duty of Christians but even that which the heathens have done You have been causes of your childrens misery and the Common-wealth too and if it proceed not from some other cause then from wisdome your children must be but burdens and diseases to themselves and the world Rich Parents are sometimes guilty of this fault for they thinke they shall leave them sufficient to maintaine them though they doe nothing and therefore intend them not to any vocation not considering how soon the Lord can empty a full Vessell and make the River Iordan yea the red Sea dry as dry ground and then what will become of their children Yea as not considering that to leave children much wealth and not some sufficiency for good imployment of themselves is to leave them furnished to doe themselves hurt and others and to bring all to nought quickly But many of the poorer ranke are guilty of this fault too who give themselves so to unthriftinesse that they cannot bestow so much as reading and writing on them much lesse some higher calling to which these should fit them If any mans unpreventable poverty disable him we blame him not for that to which necessity compels him only so that he pull not that necessity on himselfe but he that in a poore estate hath not some care to bring up his children to worke and if he cannot effect it himselfe doth not herein seeke help of the publique and able persons is not so good a Parent as nature will teach him that he should therefore now I commend Iacobs patterne to your eyes and pray you to cut out your lives according to his scantling Be not wanting to your childrens welfare the common prosperity and your owne comfort Let not others have cause to bestow upon you the reproofe of Solomon A childe left to himselfe maketh his Mother ashamed and what is hee but left to himselfe and the devill that is not acquainted with any profitable employment in a calling And let me speake something to children in this behalfe If Parents take never so due care and children will cast off the yoake what can the Parents doe Therefore you must learne you selves to practise subjection to your Parents as in all other things so in this Be carefull in the callings wherein your Parents have thought fit to place you that you may get ability in them to doe good to your selves and others The inconveniences that else will presse you hereafter shall prove more burden some unto your consciences when you shall be upbraided with these thoughts ah I might have done well but for mine owne wilfulnesse had I answered my Parents care and cost it would not have been thus evill with me But now to a second duty performed to them all Hee blessed them all according to their severall blessings as is noted of him that is he pronounced in Gods name and by way of promise from him what good things God would doe for each of them in his posterity that was to come after him For a mans selfe is blessed when hee is assured that benefits shall be granted to his childrens children in future generations Now in this way of blessing we cannot imitate him because wee want the Spirit of prophesie to foretell future events but there is a way of blessing which lyeth upon each of us we must pray for a blessing to our children and to our posterity after us and must carry our selves so religiously and righteously that we may procure a blessing to them by vertue of Gods promise to the seed of the righteous A good man walketh in his integrity and his children shall be blessed after him and Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord his children shall be like Olive plants Loe how you must blesse your children feare God walke uprightly and then shall you conveigh a blessing to them And so it is said He is ever mercifull and lendeth and his seed is blessed There cannot be a better Counsellor than Gods Spirit see the way of blessing your children and you that have cursed your children as many a Father hath done both with bitter curses in word and also by walking in a way of cursednesse abhorre your selves that have walked into a way quite contrary to that wherein Iacob did walk The Lord hath appointed that the Son which curseth the Father should die the death Although the Parent owe not so much respect reverence and gratitude to the childe as on the other side yet sure hee doth owe as much love and this cursing contradicteth love because to love is to wish well and to curse is to wish ill therefore God will punish him severely also that curseth his children I doe not meane him that in Gods name doth pronounce a curse against them but him that in his fury doth make some ill wish against them O how unnaturall is that man who doth worse than ever it was heard that any bruit beast hath done yet that is in a rage teareth his owne children in pieces If it be a proofe of an unsanctified man that His mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse then sure he is extreamely unsanctified that curseth his owne children for that mouth is full of cursing to the very brim that will dash over against the fruit of ones owne body But you that have not yet cast off all so much as likenesse to Christianity I pray you learne of so holy a man Blesse your children in your kinde as he did in his live not in so wicked courses as may curse your seed and root them out to destruction If you desire that God should grant prosperity to your off-spring walke in the wayes of his Commandements Interest your selves into his promises by being upright and mercifull and following every good way But I proceed to let you see what Iacob did to some of his children in particular First Simeon and Levi that had committed a great murder hee reproved them although indeed I thinke with too much lenity sayin Ye have troubled me c. In which words he aggravates the fault from the mischiefe it was like to bring upon himselfe not mentioning the sinfulnesse against God perhaps because he saw their temper to be such that they would little regard the sin but would be somewhat moved with the danger but on his death-bed he is justly severe
saying Cursed be their rage for it was fierce and their fury for it was cruell as in the former verse he had said O my soule come not thou into their secret therefore also doth he disinherite them saying I will divide them c. They shall be but a poore and despised Tribe and not inherite an intire portion So likewise for Reuben who had defiled his bed we reade of nothing he said to him before yet on his deathbed he deprives and disinherites him for it Thou shalt not excell meaning shall not have the double portion and preheminence that belongeth to the first-borne because thou wentest up to thy Fathers bed Doe you not thinke that it did put Simeon Levi and Reuben the three eldest sons unto sorrow and shame when they heard these words from their now dying Fathers mouth you have been incestuously lewd Reuben therefore you shall not be mine heire and you Simeon and Levi were furiously revengefull therefore neither shall the blessing bee yours All Parents must learne to admonish and reprove their children for their faults and to chastise them also and shew their dislike of their faults though for some necessary circumstances wee bee not bound to follow Iacob yet for the matter of the duty wee must follow him If our children give themselves to sinfull courses wee must call them to us chide them shew our displeasure against them diminish the testimonies of our love which else wee should shew and by that meanes helpe forward their repentance so much as may be Especially when a man lies on his death-bed hee should not forget then to leave some such words sticking in his childrens mindes as may cause them more seriously to bee humbled that if they have not yet been duly sorrowfull they may then begin to be humbled at the consideration of a Parents dying words if they have yet they may make their humiliation more deep and piercing But for Ioseph and Benjamin he loved them both exceedingly more than any of their brethren Partly because they were the sons of his best beloved wife partly because they were his youngest children dillings as we call them and chiefly because they were the best of his children at least Ioseph was and for Benjamin he was the least evill if he did not shew any great vertue What affection grew towards these in those two former respects is but a thing naturall It is naturall to love the youngest because when they bee young no expectation of more is left and because the elder being growne up have not so much present occasion of being still in hand and of receiving of those kinde of testimonies of love and because the youngest being least able to helpe themselves doe call the Parents heart more towards them It is also naturall to love the children of them very well whose owne selves one hath so loved If therefore one doe follow nature in these particulars he is not to bee blamed Onely this you must observe that Iacobs love to Rachels children made him not neglect Leahs quite or be carelesse of doing for them what became him to doe Take heed you Parents that have had or may have more wives successively though not together that the present wife who if her ill carriage hinder not must needs be best beloved because she is present to receive love and to requite it I say that the present wife make you not neglect or wrong the dead wives children If it doe God may crosse you in the children of the living God hath expresly taken order for this case and given this Commandement in the Law If a man have two wives one beloved the other hated that is comparatively hated lesse loved and children by them both he shall not give the birth right from the sonne of the lesse loved if he be first borne to the sonne of the more loved but shall acknowledge him for the heire which is so though his mother finde lesse favour in his eyes It is a great fault and shewes a man is led by passion not by reason when he suffers his affections to be misguided by such respects as in true judgement should not over-rule them But to love the childe the better for the mothers sake is no way unwarrantable so that it be not with such an excessive love as produceth injury or neglect against the rest Only one thing common now amongst us I must not let passe without a kinde of wondring how it should come to passe that many with us hate the Mother yet dote of the childe or hate the Father yet be fond of the Son Surely either the bad carriage of the Parent quencheth affection or else to loath the roote and love the fruit is a thing no way conformable to right reason But Iacob is much to bee commended for that be loved Ioseph most for his goodnesse Hee was his best sonne and hee amongst all that were come to any growth did shew forth the feare of God early That should rule the love of Parents to their children most of all where they see most holinesse and feare of God there should they beare most affection For as any thing is most lovely so with due reservation of other respects most love should bee shewed as if I have five children all being children and one having most grace should be most loved because grace makes most lovely seeing it proves a man to bee loved of God therefore must that childe be loved more than any of the rest and so in other like respects The most gracious kinsman the most gracious neighbour the most gracious poore man They therefore are even rotten in naughtinesse that love the most godly children least yea that hate such and they are but weake in goodnesse sure whose loves are drawne more by base attractives than by grace Surely the liker we be to God in our love and hatred the better we be and the more unlike the worse Therefore Iacob gave the double portion of Land to Iosephs stock which was one of the dignities attending the first borne and the preheminence of government he gave to Iudah because he knew that Christ the Ruler of the Church was to come of him and so was led by due reason in both his bequests And of Iacobs vertues to his Domesticks you have heard now how he is to strangers We have but two passages of his carriage that way which come to my minde First those that he met withall at Padan Aram when he came thither They were Shepheards men of his owne profession and he curteously saluteth them and carrieth himselfe with a kinde of familiarnesse towards them for he calleth them brethren demands where they dwell enquires of them about his Vncles welfare and gives them husbandly counsell about their cattell and so should every man stand disposed to men as they be men though dwelling many miles distant from him he should shew himselfe amiable meeke loving ready to salute them
blessing was this that he made him a godly man giving him true faith so that he did unfainedly beleeve in God and was a right godly and religious man For it is noted of him that he beleeved in God and was an heire with Abraham of the same promises both concerning the land of Canaan as a Type and heaven it selfe the thing figured by the land of Canaan So Iacob was a true servant of God and member of Christ and inheritour of heaven and from him the Church is many times called by the name of Iacob and Israel And this is the greatest good that can be found in this life in comparison of which all other benefits are of no value and without which other things are not sufficient to make a man happy though he should possesse them in never so great abundance for what will it advantage a man to win the whole world and lose his owne soule Now therefore we must learne most earnestly to seeke this benefit which God is ready to give to us as well as to him For Iacob was not godly by nature nor by any power of his owne but by the free grace of God and the mighty and saving worke of his owne blessed Spirit which Spirit he hath promised to all that aske even as undoubtedly as any tender hearted Father will give food unto his hungry childe that shall crave it at his hands Let no man be discouraged because of the corruption and naughtinesse of his nature for the same bad and depraved nature was found in Iacob that in himselfe seeing Iacob also was a son of Adam by corrupt nature a childe of wrath and heire of death as well as any other but God did circumcise his heart as well as his flesh and made him partaker of the divine nature by which he prevailed against the corruptions that are in the world through lust Wherefore let each of us take notice of his owne wickednesse and inability to make himselfe good and of his manifold sins and inability to procure pardon of them to himselfe and let him earnestly call upon God to worke true repentance and unfained faith in him and the Lord will graciously worke these things in him as well as in Iacob and will pardon his sins and sanctifie his soule and make him an inheritour of his heavenly Kingdome I beseech you therefore bury not your selves in the world and in the study of earthly things but Seeke first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and labour to come into the state of grace by meditating on the Gospell seeing your misery in your selves and endeavouring to turne unto the Lord. For in the Church no man is left destitute of grace but through his own default in neglecting the great salvation that is there offered unto him Againe those to whom the Lord hath pleased to shew the same goodnesse working in them true faith inabling them to beleeve in his mercy through Christ and to walke in his wayes with truth and uprightnesse of heart must learne to shew themselves exceeding thankfull to God for this mercy and strive to take comfort in it and to walke worthy of it Blesse God with constant and daily blessings that hath blessed thee with spirituall blessings in Christ and rejoyce in the riches of that inheritance to which thou are interessed and shalt possesse whatsoever wants afflictions crosses thou maist bee exercised withall yet be glad in the Lord and count thy selfe an happy man because the Lord hath granted thee that which may abundantly satisfie thy soule in the want of all outward things and support thee in all afflictions and miseries and countervaile and more then overweigh all manner of calamities Let not the rich man rejoyce in his riches nor the wise man in his wisdome nor the strong man in his strength nor any man in any terrene thing he hath but Let him that rejoyceth rejoyce in this that he knoweth me saith the Lord. It is our duty to raise up our hearts so that no earthly adversity may coole or damp our prayers and dismay our hearts and fill us with anguish and grief and that no outward benefits may glut and satt our hearts and turne us away from taking comfort in this true and everlasting mercy God hath made us his owne given us faith sanctified us by his Spirit united us to his Son and caused us to see beleeve and embrace his promises What though we want wealth honour pleasure and these sensuall benefits He hath given us Wheate What though he feed us not with huskes He hath given us Gold What though he lade us not with dirt Hee hath given us himselfe and his Son What though he give us not the vanities of this life It is a sin for a godly man to be out of heart and comfortlesse because of any other want and any other crosse If God have granted you this chiefe benefit glory in it and thinke that you have gotten a good portion though your estate in the world be never so low and poore only be sure that your faith bee true by causing you to abound in those fruits of it which we shewed you before that it brought forth in Iacob Now I come to some lesse principall mercies flowing from this First he gave him the priviledge of the first-borne that Christ should come of him and that the visible Church should continue in his posterity That part of the dignity of the primogeniture to have Christ the blessed seed come of him cannot be bestowed upon any of us neither that to have a great Nation flow from our loines that shall be also the Church of God and a Nation in which true religion and piety shall be continued But to have our children godly and become members of the Church that we must earnestly desire and seeke for and that we may hope for and attaine if we pray earnestly for it and make our children as good as we can by bringing them up in the true knowledge and worshipping of God Further Iacob had the blessing given him First by his Fathers mistake when he tooke him for his eldest son Esau to whom he intended the blessing then after by his Fathers witting and deliberate pronouncing it upon him by the direction of Gods Spirit The former you may see pronounced upon him in Genesis where he saith God give thee of the dew of heaven and after God Almighty blesse thee and give thee the blessing of Abraham This blessing is the bestowing upon him all temporall benefits so far as they are subordinate to his spirituall and then spirituall benefits viz. all sorts of graces by which he may be happily guided to the possession of life eternall This is an excellent mercy to be freed from the curse of the Law and to be made partaker of the blessing of Abraham even that God shall love one take care of him and prosper him in all things hee takes in hand and conduct him
safe to heaven at the length Seeke this blessing of God If you feare God and walke in his wayes hee will blesse you if you faithfully beleeve in Christ and rest upon him alone you shall be blessed for Christ hath freed us from the curse and prepared the blessing for us if we be under the workes of the Law we are under the curse but if we be of the faith of Abraham we shall be blessed with faithfull Abraham as S. Paul tels us Labour to beleeve labour to goe out of your selves and to stay alone upon the righteousnesse of Christ by faith made yours and then you shall inherite the blessing and then you shall inherite the blessing and then you shall receive the promise of the Spirit through faith then God will keep his Covenant of grace with you pardon your sins give you his Spirit and make all worke together for good Through faith and patience you must inherite the promises and the blessing which Esau was excluded from though he would have inherited it because he sought it not of God but of Isaac his Father And you that have right unto Gods blessing because you are faithfull take comfort in it and be thankfull for it Gods blessing is a rich thing it is more than all honours it is fruitfull of all comforts he that is blessed of God shall want no good thing shall have earth and heaven and all things that his heart can desire If any say but we see that such men meete with evill enough in the world The answer is that if we looke with the eye of flesh alone wee thinke that we see it so but we thinke falsly for if wee would look with the eye of faith we should see it otherwise for the blessing of God causeth crosses to worke for our spirituall good for our increase of holinesse and happinesse and it is the efficacy of Gods blessing that it turneth evill things unto good for them to whom it is granted as it is the efficacy of Gods curse that it turneth all good things to hurt in them that lie under it You may therefore be assured you are under the blessing whereof you may be assured if by a firme faith you cleave unto God But further the Lord did often appeare to Iacob to confirme and establish his faith and to comfort his soule and fill him full of spirituall joy and peace First he appeared unto him when he was benighted in a desolate and solitary place when hee fled from his brother and gave him large and comfortable promises that he would be his God give that land to him and his seed multiply his seed as the dust and in his seed blesse all Nations and would keep him and bring him againe and never leave till he had fulfilled his good word Doe but thinke what a cheating this was to Iacobs heart in this exigent that God himselfe tooke care of him and came to him in such an excellent vision to comfort him Secondly God appeared to him againe when he lived in Labans house and received very hard measure from Laban about his wages and gave him gracious promises to sustaine his drooping spirit bidding him looke on the Rammes leaping on the cattel ring streaked and bade him returne home to his Fathers house promising him that he would be with him no doubt but though the grumbling of Laban and the discurteous carriage of his sonnes as well as himselfe did make the soule of Iacob sad and pensive yet the visions of God cleared up his sad countenance and enlivened his drooping spirit againe and made him able to take comfort notwithstanding all those injuries Thirdly God appeared againe unto him after Laban was departed from him causing an whole host and army of Angels to attend him making him know that he should be safe enough in his Church how weakly soever he seemed to goe provided for these two hosts of immortall spirits would serve him against any rage of man And againe God himselfe appeared to him a little before his brother Esau met him after he was informed of his comming and though he wrastled with him to try his faith yet at last he blessed him and called him Israel and told him that He had power with God as a Prince and with man too and should prevaile How did this chase away all his feares and fill his soule with confidence and joy A fifth time God appeared unto him and blessed him and renewed the name of Israel to him and promised to multiply him and give the land of Canaan to his seed after him This also was a great consolation to him and confirmed him against the feares he conceived lest the men of the Countrey might be insenced against him for the wickednesse of his sons Yet a sixth time God appeared unto him when he was about to goe downe to Aegypt at his son Iosephs sending for him and told him he was his God bid him not feare told him he would make him a great Nation c. as you may there reade which was a most joyfull and comfortable thing unto the old mans soule Here now is a great favour which God affoorded to this good man he appeared to him oftner than ever he had done to any of his Forefathers that ever we reade of If any say what is that to us to whom God useth not now to appeare in dreames and visions and like kindes of apparitions I answer It is much to us and we must consider whether God vouchsafe to appeare to us also For now he appeareth more spiritually but not lesse comfortably to his servants when we come to his Word and finde him there in his Ordinances confirming our faith strengthening our soules now he appeareth to us So when we come to his Sacrament and by it feele an increase of faith and in ward joyes now we see God So in meditations and soliloquies O labour to carry your selves so that you may see God in his Sanctuary as David saith in the Psalme and that your hearts may be filled with spirituall joy These spirituall visions are the comfortablest things in the world when we labour to walke humbly with God then will hee come to us and shew himselfe to us as our Lord promiseth and suppe with us even make us to feele his favour in sensible manner And if God doe appeare to us so you are to esteeme highly of his favour and to study to requite his mercy by a more carefull endeavour to walke holily before and with him Lastly a great spirituall blessing it was that God heard his prayers when he prayed to him in his severall necessities and that hee was able to prevaile with God as you have heard before that he did That a poore meane worme should have accesse unto the Throne of grace with confidence and should no sooner aske any thing of God but that the Lord opens his eare and grants it what a singular
him in his affections and afforded him no great signes of love but this was somewhat mitigaed because God inclined his mothers heart to him who at least in this matter was better than her husband Now if it be the lot of any childe to be neglected of his Parents and to have irreligious brethren preferred before him let him beare it patiently it was Iacobs lot and let him not be discouraged from good wayes for at last God may change his Parents hearts unto him It could not but grieve Iacob that his Father should so disaffect him as to give away the blessing from him But let children to whom it befalleth beare the crosse quietly for it is easie with God to make all end well Another crosse that befell him in his Fathers house was this his brother Esau was bitter against him and resolved to kill him A miserable calamity to be hated of his owne brother and to have his own brother yea a twin borne at the same time to hate him so sharply as to intend his death You must looke for such a crosse and beare it if it come and blesse God if he have pleased to keep you from suffering it so that your brothers and kindred agree well with you and rather shew you kindnesse A third crosse was his flight into Padan Aram and being benighted in the way in a solitary and desert place all alone which yet was mitigated by the goodnesse of God appearing to him in a dreame To be driven out of one Countrey and forced to hard and solitary travell and to meet with such kinde of accidents as benighting and the like be calamities we must even prepare for them that we may beare them without discouragement as seeing God in them and considering that he is with us when we want other company Now in Labans house he met with great crosses 1. His Father deceived him in his wife substituting Leah in Rachels stead then which how could a man more beguile another for by that meanes hee was compelled to adde seven yeares service more Againe he sought to deceive him in his wages and changed it many times being angry that God gave him so large and plentifull a recompence then he grumbled at him and looked discurteously upon him as also did his sons And last of all he pursued him with an intention to take all from him and there falsly accuseth him of stealing his gods See here from his Father in Law and Vncle most unjust and discurteous usage you that have found at least with your nearest friends just and kinde dealing acknowledge Gods goodnesse in it The contrary would tast very sowre let this drive you to most hearty and humble thanksgiving It should be confessed a very great mercy to escape very great crosses and if you pehaps meet with the same crosses be quiet for did not Iacob beare them and why not you Wee must not thinke never man was so used as I am and by that counterfeit aggravation flatter our selves in our impatiency and make our selves beleeve wee have cause to be disturbed but rather informe our selues of that which fell to other of Gods Saints and so bring our passions to a reasonable calmnesse But in his journey he was like to fall into a great danger for his brother Esau came against him with foure hundred souldiers intending to kill him and that affrighted him exceeding much but you see what end God made Learne to stand alwaies ready for death and yet alwaies confident in God though you see not how to escape the same but now see his crosses in his children First Reuben deflowred his Concubine Dinah his daughter was deflowred His sonnes used fraud and deceit to couzen the Sichemites and then most barbarous cruelty in killing all the men and spoiling the women children and goods and when he reproved them for it they made him a surly answer Shall they abuse our sister as a Whore Then Rachel dyed in childbed or travell then Ioseph was sold into Aegypt but as he thought slaine even Ioseph his most beloved and towardly son After Iudah went from him and his two sons were naught and himselfe defiled his daughter in Law and had two sons by her A great griefe and disgrace to Iacob Then Simeon was detained in Aegypt and Benjamin must needs travell downe to the great feare and doubt of the old man and this was the last of his crosses save that he lived in a grievous famine for two yeares till he came downe to Aegypt So have I briefly run over Iacobs miseries but they lay hard and heavy upon him Of all which you must make these uses First be thankfull for escaping the like prepare for them hereafter beare those that doe come patiently And take heed of provoking God for he is not a fond Father but Will scourge every son whom he receiveth For the first you have heard how many miseries this godly man was exercised withall Let me propound one question unto you Thinke you that your selves have more wit than he had or more goodnesse or more of both I presume I may make answer for you that you will not be so over conceited of your selves as to affirme either of these things Now if you be neither wiser nor godlier than he how commeth it that you have so long lived in the world and yet have not met with divers of those crosses that followed him No nor any in all your lives so pinching or grievous Sure if it be not to be attributed to your understanding and piety as it is not if you doe indeed acknowledge your selves to be not superiour or rather not equall unto Iacob therein who yet did meete with them then must you ascribe the same to the wisdome and goodnesse of God that hath disposed of things so by his wakefull providence as that such miseries have not way-laid you and seized upon you Therefore you must learne to be humbly thankfull to him and praise his holy name acknowledge his bountifulnesse graciousnesse and tendernesse that hath spared you from such smarting stroakes as these that fetched blood and teares as it were from good Iacob so holy a man If we be preserved from crosses that other men feele wee begin to lift up our selves to commend and prefer our selves above them that are heavier laden and to flatter our selves as if we were more loved of God than they then our ease is our bane and it shewes that we have not grace to make a good use of ease but if we confesse that we have deserved as much and more and had as little ability to shun them only God tendering our weaknesse hath used us with more clemency and so make this clemency an argument of praising him and of being more carefull to please him who would not strike us though he had both provocation from us and ability in himselfe this is an holy use of the absence of the
was that she would feed her selfe with a fancy that they should be her children which Bilhah should beare and not that Leah had borne Nature made Leah deare to her the bondwoman was of no such kindred but she forgets nature and le ts fancy over-rule shee had taken such a conceit against her sister that she was desirous any woman should have children by their common husband rather than she Let us see such follies in our selves that fancy rules us against all reason and that we sometimes take such a stitch and spleene against those whom nature hath tyed to us that of all other we are lesse pleased with their prosperity and most estranged from them And let us beware that we doe not discover such sencelesse and absurd impressions of minde And see her folly yet further when Bilhah had Dan then shee will needs make God an approver of their folly God hath judged as if she had great wrong before and now God had righted it in giving her a son Why she might have accounted that God had given her a son when Reuben or Iudah was borne as well as Dan But shee will needs make God partner with her fond passions Wee are apt to wrong God in misinterpreting the acts of his providence as if hee shewed his love unto us in that wherein his Majesty intended no such matter What is it to judge that she should say God had judged her For my part I can see no sence in her words why this should bee counted an act of Gods judging No man had wronged her before she was never a whit better now than before no whit lesse barren But such is our foolish self-love that wee will needs threape kindnesse upon God sometimes beyond his liking take heed of this fault it is a fruit of an overmeane conceit of God when we will cause him to be a servant to our lusts and unreasonable fancies But after the second childe she is more foolish and then she triumphs With wrastlings of God have I wrastled with my sister and I have prevailed And so the boyes name must needs be Nephthali She insults over her sister as for a notable victory because she had won her husband so far as to beget children of her handmaide Why saith she that she had wrastled with her sister Did Leah hinder her from children Was it because of Iacobs doting on Leah that Rachel conceived not Sure the Holy Ghost tels us that his over-loving of her and despising of her sister caused God to humble her with barrennesse So foolish is a man that he often triumphs in a thing as a great matter which is nothing at all and thinkes he hath gotten a victory when he hath rather gotten a blot as we see here in Rachel Let us moderate our joyes and take heed of insulting in a thing that hath shewed our folly and else nothing advantaged us Now another weaknesse is that she was so earnestly desirous of Reubens Mandrakes I consent to them that thinke these Mandrakes to have been nothing else but goodly flowers which Reuben who was now some six or seven yeares old had gathered in the fields or whether they were some pleasant fruit or nor I cannot tell the word signifies Lovelinesses such things as were lovely But that Rachel had such an appetite to them as she must needs have some of them it shews that she was a woman given too much to her fancy and appetite If in case of breeding children and weaknesse of body some distempers follow it is a misery but it wants not a spice of sinne too when by yeelding overmuch to the eye a man is so enslaved to his eye that he must have every fine thing he sees Rachel is the copy of a fond woman all you good women see her follies to avoid them But the worst and last fault is she stole her Fathers Idols and concealed them with dissembling and false excuses Shee had beene wife to Iacob for twenty yeares space she had called upon God for a childe and he had given her a son she had shewed some faith in him by calling the son Ioseph professing her hope of having yet another son Either we must throw an imputation of great carelesnesse upon Iacob if hee taught her not the true God and his true worship or else upon her that after so long time of teaching had not gotten her out of those Idolatrous fancies but must even steale away with her her Fathers Idols it was not done out of detestation of Idolatry to free her Fathers house from them that she might have done without the trouble of carrying them so far she might have burnt them or otherwise destroyed them sure enough but I conceive she did it out of a superstitious conceit of some goodnesse in the gods or in those pictures of gods The word signifies Images of men and they were belike little Images else shee could not have conveighed them so quickly and so secretly but that they would have been knowne It is much adoe to weare superstition out of the heart of one that hath been superstitiously brought up This is the first place that I remember in which these Idols are mentioned but Rachel had so drunke in the opinion of their being sacred that she could not lay it aside It is no easie matter to leave such falshoods in points of religion as have prevailed in the places and among the persons with whom ones selfe was trained up Wee should blesse God that hath granted us education in the true religion And secondly we must even pitty them that have been superstitiously educated They may have some good thing in them though they cannot shake off those misconceits but hanker too much after their Images I would be loath to say and I thinke so would any of you that Rachel had no true piety in her because she stood so affected to the Idols of her Father But let us rather thinke that Iacob had brought her to some knowledge of the true God though the old smell of that falshood wherewith she was first seasoned would not forsake the vessell and let us strive to bring our children rather into a detestation of such graven Images for sure the Lord can speake of nothing more contemptibly And Images made now to represent the true God must needs be as loathsome as Aarons and Ieroboams Calves which were intended to represent the true God and not a false But she used dissembling and cosenage to cover her fact as the Story tells hiding them in the Camels litter and then sitting upon them and craving pardon of her Father for not rising up to him pretending that the custome of women was upon her whether this were true or not yet she dissembled for that was not the cause of her not rising but alone the care she had to keepe the Idols secret else she would have risen well enough You see that committing of evill drawes men on to
acknowledgement If you would learne that all things are pure unto the pure you would not bee hindred from so good a service by any scruple or abuse But I am afraid niggardlinesse hath as great a hand in breaking of such feasts as any thing else Whether you feast or not be it at your choise but mee thinks againe I repeat it safe escaping the danger that tooke away Rachel may well call for even a publicke and thankfull acknowledgement So much of Rachel whom we leave by her husband solemnly interred unner a monument erected upon her grave which kept her name up long and occasioned the calling of all the mothers dwelling thereabouts by her name When it is said Rachel weeping for her children because they were not Now of Leah she was a wife of Iacobs the first he had given though not promised Of her vertues we have not much noted but she shewed her selfe patient and loving to her husband somewhat quiet to her envious sister and thankfull to God for her children though her husband loved her lesse than was meet yet we read of no brawles either with him or her sister She entertained him very lovingly when he came home from field and she had hired him of her sister She consented also to goe with him into Canaan she was desirous of children and had many but a fault or two she slipped in First she went to bed to her sisters husband at her fathers persuasion which she ought not to have done In him that thought she was Rachel there was no sinne in her that knew she was not Rachel it was a great fault but excused by the fathers authority but she wronged Iacob much and made her owne life full of affliction Another little fault she had shee seemed a little too unkind to her sister in not being willing to impart some of her sonnes mandrakes but often unkindnesses and wrongs breed such an estrangement betwixt them who are otherwise neerly joyned as that they sticke at small curtesies We must take heed it doe not so with us but Leah had a little anger with her she could upbraid her sister with an injury when she came for a curtesie O that she had not too many followers in this weaknesse Her benefits were these she had a good husband and many children and was matcht into the Church and we hope went to Heaven for her carriage in respect of her children shews some goodnesse Indeed she was faulty in imitating her sister and giving Zilpah to Iacob much more faulty in thinking that God gave her the next sonne for a reward of that fault But so weake we are and ignorant of sin somtimes that we verily thinke God is pleased with our sins and recompenceth them with benefits And for her crosses they were want of her husbands love and comfortable cohabitation and all the miseries shee underwent with her husband besides her Father was something unkinde as it may seeme for she saith He counted them strangers and she also had an imperfection in her visage for she was bleare-eyed I hope you will all learne to imitate her vertues flie her sins be thankfull for the like mercies and patient under the like crosses and then you shall not be losers of time by hearing her story Now the two handmaidens Zilpah and Bilhah Zilpah hath nothing said of her but that Shee bare Iacob two children Gad and Asher So called of Leah that would needs imitate her sisters weaknesse and call them hers Bilhah is taxed of a grievous sin she suffered her selfe to be polluted with incest by Iacobs first borne If he offered her violence or surprized her by any device it was his fault not hers but it is not likely to have been so because God doth not report it so For God would not wrong any in reporting their acts to the worst but if there had been any excuse of her fault the Lord would have done her right in rehearsing it he should not else doe the office of a good writer of a Story O let all women take heed of adultery and chiefly of incestuous adulteries with their husbands son in law or brothers or a like neare of blood where the offence is made much more heinous by that aggravation and if any have committed any such crime let the mentioning of it in this woman bring it to their remembrance and provoke them to repentance that they may not have so fearefull a crime to answer for upon their sick-bed in the houre of death Likely such grosse crimes will cry out then if they have been smothered before but a conscience purged from them by sincere repentance performed in health may enjoy quiet and peace in death notwithstanding the remembrance of them For a sin repented of shall be pardoned and a pardoned debt cannot hurt at all not so much as terrifie if the pardon of it be knowne But something there was in it that God saw it fit to have his Church stored with the seed of bond-women for two of Iacobs wives were such because he would have us know that hee doth not much stand upon nobility and being free borne and the like One third part of his people Israel were seed of bond-women Though he would not let Hagars seed inherite yet that was not because he did looke to her condition but that he might figuratively set forth his aversnesse from them that will needs be in bondage under the Law when the Gospell brings them liberty and therefore now he doth equally take into the Church Dan and Nephthali Gad and Asher as well as Reuben and Levi Simeon and Iudah These earthly considerations vary nothing with God nor is the one any more acceptable with him than the other Let not those which enjoy the priviledges of this world in these matters sleight or despise such as want them and let not those that are meanlier borne trouble themselves at that depression Spirituall priviledges may belong to those that are of no reckoning in the world and those that are of high esteeme in it may be deprived of them The Tribes that came of the bond-woman were admitted into the possession of Canaan and to the fellowship of the Tabernacle as well as the rest It were a misery indeed to be outwardly mean if that would impeach our spirituall estate but seeing no such thing will follow let us shew our high esteeme of the soul above the body by not regarding the things of the body so that the soul be wel * ⎠* THE ONE AND TWENTIETH EXAMPLE OF LABAN WE have spoken of Iacobs selfe and of his Wives now I will goe on to speake of his Vncle and so of his Children His Vncle and Father in law was one Laban of Padan Aram of whose birth and death the Scripture takes no notice at all and indeed it is scarce worth the while to mention the birth and death of wicked men It is no great matter when they
if they have just cause to contend with them Brethren should wish all prosperity and welfare to their sisters and brethren and to their children after them even that they may grow strong and mighty in the world for carnall men having but a carnall minde and affection can wish no better but carnall benefits unto their friends and kindred and these they ought to wish heartily and to procure also so far as opportunity shall be offered But now it is time that we shew Labans good carriage to Iacob the son of this his sister a long time after First hee doth lovingly entertaine him also when hee came unto him but even in a poore and naked fashion nothing so richly provided nor attended as the forenamed servant was in the former narration Iacob came all alone and with nothing almost but his staffe in his hand but yet when hee had faithfully reported to him both who hee was and what occasion drove him in such manner out of his Fathers house hee receiveth him with all curtesie For it is noted Gen. 29.12 13 14. That when Rachel had heard of Iacobs mouth who he was and had acquainted her Father with his comming hee hearing this tidings of his sisters sonne ranne to meete him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house and when Iacob had certified him of his matters hee answered him lovingly saying Surely thou art my bone and my flesh that is bee not troubled for these things I acknowledge thee to bee my kinsman and I will carry my selfe towards thee accordingly Loe how a man voide of true religion may yet have good naturall affection to his kinsman and that though he finde him in somewhat a poore case and destitute of things needfull And doubtlesse it is a vertue and deserveth praise to stand so disposed unto ones kinsmen or kinswomen that are as Laban could say Our bone and flesh Nearenesse of blood requires some speciall love and respect to those to whom nature hath so nearely united to us Every man promiseth himselfe kindnesse from such persons and therefore the common phrase of the world hath entitled them friends by a kinde of excellency because they should be forward to performe all loving and friendly offices Another vertue in Laban is that of his owne accord hee doth offer wages or recompence unto him for his worke for perceiving him to be of an industrious disposition that knew not how to passe his time idlely though in a strange place and withall skilfull and understanding in matters of such nature as Labans calling stood upon viz. in Cattell hee sayes thus unto him ver 15. Because thou art my brother that is kinsman Shouldest thou serve mee for nought that is that were an unreasonable thing indeed and therefore tell me what shall thy wages be Loe he would not deale so unjustly with his kinsman as to take his labour and service for nothing but is willing to give him such convenient satisfaction as he should demand This is such a point of righteousnesse and equity as even nature it selfe doth teach and a meere naturall man not too much over run with worldlinesse of minde may practise towards others For seeing every man must make himselfe the measure of his dealing with his neighbour and that it cannot but seeme unrighteous to any man if he bee driven to worke for nothing surely he cannot but conclude that himselfe also is bound to recompence the labour and service of another And this justice was so well knowne to Laban and hee had so much goodnesse remaining in him afterwards too that hee continues to exercise it after Iacob had finished his fourteene yeares service and was now to make a new bargaine as you shall reade Chap. 30. ver 25. and 35. For when Iacob requested his good will to returne home because hee knew how faithfully hee had served hee acknowledges his painfulnesse and trustinesse and his good successe too and therefore requests him to tarry with him and makes him this offer saying Appoint mee thy wages and I will give it and when Iacob made a reasonable motion that for the clearing of his innocency and preventing of all mistakings hee might have for his wages the speckled and spotted amongst the Goates and the browne amongst the Sheepe that should after bee yeaned hee meaneth he agrees to the condition and so Iacob was willing to serve him on these termes Here you see justice in Laban hee is willing to give his servant due wages for his worke This point of equity is written in nature and little goodnesse is left in him that doth not know and follow it So you have Labans just dealing with Iacob Now looke into a third thing commendable in him and that is when Iacob offers to serve him seven yeares for his younger daughter Rachel Chap. 29. ver 18 19. He consents to the motion saying It is better that I give her to thee than to another man and so bids him abide with him that is I will give her thee on this condition and not only so but hee puts upon him the elder daughter and so makes him his son in Law in both of them That which was faulty in this passage we shall speake of anon when we come to mention his faults but this was a good thing in him that he liked so well of Iacobs carriage that he was willing to bestow his daughters upon him It is a matter both of prudence and honesty too to like so well of the vertue and good qualities of an honest and good man as to be willing for these things sake other matters not too too much gain-saying to make choice of him for a son in Law The qualities of a man are principally to bee regarded in the choice of a sonne in Law and yet hee is not truly discreete and wise that doth not looke unto this thing in the choice of an husband for his daughter A person painfull diligent thrifty and of good carriage and sufficiencies is rather to bee taken than one destitute of these qualities though hee bee farre more high and rich It is the husbands selfe that will make the Wives life either most miserable or most happy and Laban did well in making such a choice and never shall he repent the match that findeth these things in him with whom hee matcheth but without these things in the person the state and quality of the man in other respects cannot hinder but that a little time will make both Father and daughter too unwish the bargaine they have made How let us see what was good in Laban in the very cloze of all with Iacob as you have it Chap. 31.44 ad finem He layes by all anger and discontent and considering the nearenesse that was betwixt them hee made the motion of entring into covenant with Iacob and so they solemnly ratifie the covenant by setting up an heape of stones and feasting upon the heape and eating
and drinking lovingly and chearefully together and by a solemne oath each to other It is a good thing to swallow downe all jarres and differences that fall out betwixt ones selfe and his friends and neighbours and to part lovingly and curteously each from other in peace and concord not in discontents and heart-burnings Surely quarrels would not bee held up long betwixt kinsmen and allyes specially but though they have met in a kinde of heate and anger and jealousie one of another yet they should cause all these things to depart from them and bee friends before they depart one from another Peace is a comfortable thing and it is a praise-worthy thing to speake the first word of agreement And so much for Labans carriage to Iacob Now to his daughters and grandchildren hee shewes himselfe also loving and kinde both taking care for them and even binding Iacob by covenant to use them well ver 49. Chap. 31. and also kissing them and blessing them at the time of parting A Father should bee carefull of his childrens welfare even when hee hath placed them forth into other families and should shew all curtesie and love unto them when hee parts with them hee should get good husbands for his daughters so farre as hee can and use all good meanes to make them live lovingly together Laban did both these offices to his daughters and every Parent should attaine at least so much goodnesse as a Laban But one thing more wee note in Laban and that is hee invited the neighbours and made a feast at the marriage of his daughters Chap. 29. ver 22. A wedding feast is not indeed absolutely necessary but it is of commendable use so that excesse and disorders bee avoided and unlesse just cause bee to the contrary it hath a smacke of niggardlinesse to neglect it A man should doe well to shew love to his neighbours and to be willing to embrace fit opportunities of inviting and feasting them only still so that immoderatenesse of all sorts be avoided and that a man keepe himselfe within the compare of his place and meanes and affect not vaine-glorious superfluity in feasting And so much for Labans goodnesse to man-ward now to God-ward something is good in him First that hee tooke notice of Gods blessing to bee the cause of his prosperity by Iacobs labours as you reade Gen. 30.27 I have learned by experience that God hath blessed mee for thy sake Surely it is a good thing to put ones selfe in minde that Gods blessing makes rich yea and to observe how his blessing attends his faithfull people too in the labours of their hands Laban ascribes his riches to the blessing of God following Iacob It is a good thing to have ones eyes so farre opened towards God and to marke by experience his favourable proceeding towards his faithfull servants as it seemes also Iosephs master did and it is sure Pharaoh did when he was his servant and Nebuchadnezar towards Daniel and the three children as also Darius in his time Againe when God met Laban by the way and commanded him to speake to Iacob neither good nor bad that is not to hinder his journey either by faire meanes or soule hee both acknowledgeth it ver 29. and accordingly obeyes it for hee dismisseth him peaceably and stops him not in his course homewards though as hee saith it was in his power to have done otherwise This is to bee praised in him that what God forbad him hee forbeares though hee saw otherwise no danger in it Certainly the duty of a man is to abstaine from what God prohibiteth though hee have never so much both power provocation and opportunity to doe it Wee ought so to feare God as not to provoke him so to love God as not to offend him and so to acknowledge our absolute dependance upon him as not to crosse him Hee knowes not neither how much hee owes to God nor yet how obnoxious hee stands unto him that doth not so farre submit himselfe unto him Wee noted the like yeelding to God in Abimelech before what though he doth not now appeare to us in dreames and visions Yet have wee a more sure word of Prophecy to whom wee should doe well to take heed as S. Peter adviseth us And this is all the good I have noted in Laban Let us make some use of this to our selves First what shall a man thinke of himselfe if hee bee not found equall to Laban in goodnesse Nay if the quite contrary vices bee apparent in him to those vertues which were in so meane a man I meane in goodnesse And yet so it is that many who terme themselves brethren and Christians are farre short of Laban in these shewes of vertues Laban was curteous they are churlish Laban entertained Abrahams servant well niggardlinesse will scarce suffer them to entertaine any well Hee found Laban ready to gratifie him and dismisse him they doe neither many care not for kindred or any the like bonds many care not how they serve themselves of others labours specially servants and every way are farre worse matters than Laban No bounty no justice no shew of seeing God in things No shew of peaceablenesse no regard of Gods prohibiting them any thing but what they will doe they will doe though the God of heaven himselfe forbid them and though they know as much Hee is very unlikely to bee of the seed of Iacob that hath not come so farre as Laban Againe there is little cause that a man should applaud himselfe in so short and defective a goodnesse as this of Labans yet this is all that some have to please themselves and to glory in They deale curteously with their kindred they bee willing to shew kindnesse to their neighbours They love well their children and can give good hospitality to such friends as come about them And they desire to live peaceably with their neighbours and are ready to compose quarrels and some things they are willing to leave or forbeare that God forbids Alas these be poore evidences for heaven these are poore proofes of their being good men and in Gods favour A man must not thinke that such a measure of goodnesse will prove him a good Christian that may shew well enough a tolerable Heathen I pray you therefore that all these things may bee found in you in a better manner and a larger measure upon better grounds for better ends more constantly and more sincerely Bee curteous bountifull and peaceable and so in the rest with reference to God in obedience to his commandement in love to him and with a desire to please him and abstaine from all that hee forbids and let your peaceablenesse and curtesie extend it selfe even to enemies That vertue is but a seeming vertue which doth not spring from a roote of piety and is not watered with an heavenly dew and made to grow up with godly considerations taken from the divine Majesty Wee must
walke with God live to him seeke him please him or else some bare naked good deeds will not suffice to prove us his children and his heires So much for the good of Laban now his evill must be observed too First to God-ward though hee had Iacob living in his house and had observed by experience that God did blesse him for his sake yet hee would not leave his false gods his Idols his Teraphim but keepe them still and made such store of them that hee tooke it very ill that Iacob should steale them away as hee conceived hee had done though falsly and therefore also hee sware by the gods of Nahor and the gods of their Fathers Hee was brought up an Idolater and continued an Idolater living and dying in the worship of false and imaginary gods which they that doe shall not inherite the kingdome of God hee had Images of these false gods Images of men it may seeme they were by their name O how naturall it is to man to erre in the conceit of a multiplicity of gods and in setting up pictures and representations of God to himselfe Great darknesse possesseth the mindes of men in the matter of Gods nature hee will take upon trust any fable in this kinde and will scarce use his own reason to examine religion but for the worshipping God in an Image though it bee a point of the greatest foppery in the world hee will count it singular wisdome and count himselfe so much devouter by how much hee is liker the blocke or picture before which hee doth his false devotions Let us blesse God that hath delivered us from conceit of fantasticall gods and from the love and liking of Images and pictures which the Lord may seeme to have in detestation because in likelihood they were occasions of inducing the damnable opinion of multitude of gods into the world And let us pray to God to bring the poore ignorant persons that run after other gods or else dote upon pictures out of such their miserable condition and to set up the truth in so great power that men may no longer cast themselves headlong by that which themselves account religion and the right way to please God But Laban dealt very ill with Iacob First the love hee bare him was a meere worldly self-respecting love hee found hee gate well by him therefore hee desired his company But for Iacobs piety and true religion he regarded him not a jot the better So most times yea evermore the love of worldlings doth grow from the roote of worldlinesse If by some good Iacob they have attained or hope to attaine profit and advantage they are loath to part with him but unlesse such things doe commend a man to them hee may sit without doores long enough and his goodnesse with him before they will take him into house Such a carnall love to good men is none other thing than may bee seene in as bad a man as hee of whom wee entreate You must therefore learne to love a Iacob as a Iacob and in the name of a Iacob that love will demonstrate some piety to your selves And when wee perceive the kindnesse of any man to have its originall in such base ends wee must esteeme it a point of discretion not to trust at all in their loves they will soone turne enemies for gaine whom gaine maketh friends Further Laban did palpably deceive and cousin Iacob in a matter wherein deceit should least of all bee used even in point of Matrimony Iacob intended to live contentedly with his owne wife as his Father Isaac had done before him and therefore setting his affections on the younger daughter Rachel agrees to serve Laban for her seven yeares instead of dowrie which hee had not to give Laban agrees to it as I shewed you before and assembling his neighbours celebrates the marriage with a feast It must not bee doubted but that they were all made to understand which of the maides was the Bride as well as which young man was the Bridegroome But at night it may seeme the Bride was brought into the Bridegroomes Chamber vailed for modesty sake Laban perswades his eldest daughter Leah to possesse the place of her younger sister whether with or without her consent it is not expressed but most likely without and so is Iacob in the morning greatly discontented to see a stranger bedded with him instead of his owne Spouse Wherefore complaining of the wrong to his Father in Law hee is answered with a shift that the custome of that place is not to bestow the younger before the elder but if hee would serve seven yeares more for Rachel hee should have her too for Polygamy was not then reputed a sinne Iacob must needes bee content with that which hee could not helpe and is compelled to make his apprentiship longer by halfe than hee intended here was flat cousenage To winde in Iacob for seven yeares more than hee meant at first and to bestow both his daughters upon so thriving a man and so advantage himselfe more wayes than one at once this fellow feares not to breake Covenant and to beguile and defraud a man in his wife And when hee was told of it hee pretends a contrary custome If there were no such custome hee playes the lying fellow in saying wittingly that which was not for the excusing of his fault If there were such a custome hee playes the cousening companion in concealing it before and not acquainting Iacob with it when hee made the motion He should have said I would willingly give her thee but that the custome of the countrey hinders but if thou wilt have them both first the elder then the younger I am content This had beene plaine dealing but to leade Iacob on with words and then at last pull him on in this fashion to seven yeares bondage more was flat dishonesty And such is the disposition of a worldling for advantage sake that hee cares not with trickes to out-reach and beguile any with whom hee deales but wee have a better direction from Gods Word saying Let none of you defraud or over-reach another in any matter for God is an avenger of all that doe such things Hee used the like guilefull dealing after in changing his wages so many times and all proceeded from the same evill humour of covetousnesse But now see another sinne whereof Iacob makes mention to his Wives in way of perswading them to depart with him Iacob beheld Labans countenance that it was not to him at before Loe hee lookes doggedly upon him and hath a kinde of envious grudge against him not for any fault of his but alone because hee hindered his wealth in that God gave his riches to Iacob by causing most of the Ewes and shee Goates to bring forth still young of such colour as was agreed upon for Iacobs wages ver 8. If hee said the speckled shall bee thy wages all the cattell bare speckled and now
to be made as Laban was worldly minded Now for crosses Wee reade little of Labans affliction it may bee it was a griefe to him that his daughters and grand-children went so farre from him but such a crosse even a naturall wise man may make easie to himselfe by considerations of reason that the good of their children so requires and that their comfort in their children stands not so much in seeing them as in their well-doing Onely Laban did make Iacobs prosperity a crosse to himselfe in suffering his minde to bee alienated from Iacob because Iacob did thrive a great deale faster than himselfe and to his hinderance which cannot bee done without a great deale of vexation It is an ill disease to bee sicke of another mans prosperity take heed you suffer not covetousnesse or other distempers to bring such sicknesse upon you With farre lesse vexation may a man lose halfe hee hath than beare the torment which such estrangement of heart will bring with it And now for Labans death we heare nothing of it onely hee lived and dyed so farre as wee see like a carnall man and he had no grace in him but after a little time here spent in earth prosperously enough at last so far as we can see he perished eternally for no footsteps of faith and true piety appeare in him O my brethren take heed that you doe not carry your selves so foolishly as to live in a meere worldly fashion scraping together a great heap of muck and dung on which the much deceived world doth falsely bestow the name of goods and then with the rich glutton and him that said Soule eate and drinke and be merry for thou hast much riches laid up in store for many yeares have your soule taken away and carried into the place and state of eternall death for our Saviour hath said that So is every one which is rich in the world and is not in GOD. * ⎠* THE TWO AND TWENTIETH EXAMPLE OF IACOBS Children AFter Iacobs Wives and Father in Law wee will proceed to his children which were twelve sons and one daughter Concerning his sons they were sixe of Leah Reuben Simeon Levi Iudah Issachar Zebulun two of Bilhah Dan and Nephthali two of Zilpah Gad and Asher two of Rachel Ioseph borne in Padan Aram and Benjamin borne in the Land of Canaan The daughter was Dinah of Leah of the birth and names of each of these the Scripture takes speciall notice Reuben signifies Behold a son for his mother tooke it as a great favour of God whereby he would mitigate her sorrow yea and help to remove it too by winning her husbands love to her the want whereof was her greatest trouble as you shall finde Simeon signifies the hearing of God because she said God heard that she was hated and hath given me this son too It was a good thing in Leah to give her sons such names as might minde her of Gods goodnesse in considering her affliction and when shee saith that God saw first and then heard her affliction the last speech is a proofe that she made her moane and complaint to God and so this mercy came to her as a fruit of her prayers The next son is called Levi for said she Now my husband will be united to me or cleave to me for the word Levi signifieth as much as cleaving She was earnestly desirous of her husbands love and would as it were minde him of her hopes and desires that he would recompence her paines of bringing him three sons with the increase of his affection A wife is not good if she be not very covetous of her husbands love some probably say that he meaning Iacob hearing Leahs word to comfort her called him Levi and the originall seemes to leade us to that opinion for the former word translated called is of the feminine gender and is plainly referred to the woman spoken of before but the latter is of the masculine and so may very likely note the husband of whom she had immediatly spoken And if so it was well done of Iacob at last to speak some word of comfort to his drooping wife and to let her see that the riches of three sons had made him forget that great wrong she did him of obtruding her selfe upon him against his will and without his knowledge which shee ought not to have done though at her Fathers command The fourth son is Iehudah in short Iudah as much as praise of the Lord or the Lord be or is praised to expresse her thankefulnesse for she said Now I will praise the Lord which hath caused mine husbands affections somewhat more to incline unto me by making me a mother of foure sons For so it may seeme they did and that also maybe justly accounted one cause of her sisters envy because shee saw Iacob begin to love her more heartily than before These foure were borne one after another yeare by yeare without long intermission then she ceased bearing till Iacob had foure children by the two handmaids then she had two more sons Issachar the fifth sonne signifying there is a reward for giving her maide to her husband but in this she was much mistaken God is not wont to give rewards for our bad deeds and though it was of ignorance yet it was a sin in her to give her maid to her husband therefore we must take heed of imitating her in conceiting that God is well pleased with our faults Such is the blindnesse of our mindes that we are apt to run into such errours The last son was Zebulun signifying dwelling because God had given her so goodly a dowry as six sons she now begins to hope not alone that her husband will love her more but so much now as to affoord her more of his company and dwell with her which it seemes before he accustomed not to doe but with Rachel For love is never satisfied unlesse it enjoy the presence and company of the person loved these are Leahs sins envy at her maide Rachel so far plaid the foolish woman that she gave her handmaiden Bilhah to be her husbands Concubine and she had two sons which Rachel would needes take as her owne rather than those that her owne sister brought forth and the first she called Dan which signifies He hath judged for saith she God hath judged me and hath heard my cause and hath given me a son She bewrayes a distempered passion and would needes interest God into her folly as if now God in great favour seeing how shee was wronged had come to right her Fond Rachel no body wronged her but her selfe by entertaining the bone-rotting vice of envy into her bosome and yet she will needes take this as a righting of her wrong from above for so the word judging signifies so foolish we be that we will count our selves either to be wronged by men when we have received none at
them offer violence to them and take heed much more that they be not allured to such an evill as nothing but the violence of the doer can free them from the imputation of a grievous sin if they suffer Let their care be to keepe themselves out of places inconvenient what did Dinah with this young man in so secret a place as might encourage him to offer force Sure he would not have forced her in the midst of the streetes he was not so debausht and brutish as to compell her in an house before many Nay scarce any man so lewd that hee will attempt such a thing but when no person is present If she were ravished yet she was somewhat guilty of her owne rape because shee would be enticed to goe into an house with a stranger Had shee beene of his long acquaintance had hee beene a suitor to her before with the good consent and allowance of both Parents had she beene allowed to set her minde upon him so as to intend to become his wife then it had not beene so blame-worthy to have so farre trusted her selfe with him But when her businesse was nothing but to see and be seene to suffer her selfe to be led by a stranger into such a place as might give him opportunity to do her violence was a signe that her carriage was scarce modest not at all discreet For to excuse her by her age seemeth no just excuse seeing it appeareth by the young mans suit for her afterwards that shee was now marriageable Now therefore let her example make you maidens civill and sober and modest in your carriage and so prudent discreet and bashfull as not to venture your selves into the company of young men at such places and times as may produce as bad inconveniences to you as this that befell Dinah And so much for this daughter for after this we heare no more of her but that her brethren tooke her out of Hamors house after they had committed the execrable murder whereof we shall have cause to speake after Now come we to the sonnes and first I will handle the things that were common to them all viz. their sinnes their good deeds their miseries their benefits First it is common to them all save Ioseph and Benjamin that they were men of no goodnesse nor conscience They had a good Father and Grandfather and they professed a good religion but their conversation was naught and scandalous so that Ioseph being young could not in his conscience choose but acquaint his Father with their evill deeds O this is a grievous thing that children which have godly education by godly Parents and have knowledge of the true God and are members of the true Church should be yet of manifest ill behaviour should runne into palpable and grosse naughtinesse openly to the torment of their Parents hearts and disgrace of true religion Be not some of you youthes whose Parents though they must not be compared to Iacob yet are such as have feared God and affoorded you the best helpes they could to vertue and piety as lewd and sinfull in your carriage as Iacobs sonnes Yes yes some of you are as guilty of evill demeanour as these youthes though you have the same furtherances to goodnesse Now for the living Gods sake whose name you take upon you for your owne soules sake which else will one day rue this naughtinesse and rudenesse and for your Parents and friends sake that are ashamed and vexed with your ill report be intreated at length to consider how great a wickednesse it is to live naughtily when God hath vouchsafed you so many meanes to make you good and turne you from your evill wayes and frame you to such a conversation as will beseeme and comfort your selves and your Parents O let not a Iacobs sonne be a drunkard a gamester a wanton a night-walker and ill company keeper a quarreller let not such nettles grow upon a garden learne to shunne what was loathsome in the sons of Iacob But secondly they were all guilty of beguiling Hamor and the Sichemites with purposed fraud and guile yea and with pretending conscience and respect of religion You know the story it selfe Shechem after he had defloured Iacobs daughter continued yet to bee strongly enamoured of her and sued for her to her Father and Brethren offering any dowry They would seeme to be hindered from granting the suit by religion They were circumcised of the true religion a religion sleighted and neglected in Canaan and it was not a safe thing in conscience and would be a reproach to them to make marriages with persons uncircumcised but if they would embrace their religion and testifie it by being circumcised then they would willingly condescend Now all this talke of circumcision tended but to bring the Sichemites to such a case that they might the better accomplish revenge O miserable fault to cover hatred with deceitfull words A Potsheard covered with silver drosse To speake one thing and meane the contrary to pretend a good purpose to cover a bad and the more easily to effect it by covering Here was a mixture of impiety in making religion a cloake to revenge and of fraud in harbouring and intending and yet disguizing revenge So dealt Absalom with his Father David and the shame of such shall breake forth in the Congregation hee is a foole though hee thinkes himselfe wise Now I beseech you take heed of deceit and guile the deceitfull shall not live out halfe his dayes To hate and yet dissemble with his lips laying up deceit within him is a loathsome thing It is a part of the description of an unsanctified man With their tongues they have used deceit Nature teacheth men to blame this sin in others therefore nature gives light enough to discover it in ones selfe Shame it therefore and hate it It is bad to have used this fraud for covetousnesse or ambition sake to get wealth or honour by over-reaching others but it is worst of all when it is joyned with revenge and with bloodinesse that a man make himselfe a bloody and deceitfull man It is naught when only good will is pretended but when religion is made the cloake of cruelty and villany this is to abuse the noblest thing in the world by making it a drudge to the basest Now if any of your consciences be guilty of abusing pretences of religion for the compassing of revenge of goods of lust of any other villanous end he hath sinned the sin of Iacobs sons Let him be induced to repent and let us all be induced to abhor so great a wickednesse he that doth compasse any unlawfull end by deceit makes the sin twice as grievous as else it would be He shews that he commits it with almost a full consent of will he makes his reason a slave to his appetite and serves sin willingly most willingly and deliberately Let us love true plaine and just dealing and abhorre cousenage and
falshood Another fault of Iacobs sonnes was this they all so farre ingaged themselves into the murder of the Sichemites that they consented to it for they all joyned to spoile the goods of the Sichemites they all played the robbers in revenge it was not so much covetousnesse as revenge that made them spoile the City O how vile a sinne is this revenge one had done them wrong they revenge it upon a whole City one had injuried them in one sister they wrong a number in many sisters and goods besides here is injustice and malice both in a very high degree They are said to have beene grieved but with a carnall griefe and to have beene wroth but with a carnall wrath for the folly committed by Shechem and that it was a carnall wrath is manifest for loe it makes them seeke to revenge themselves by a most excessive and a most unjust course I call upon you to crucifie this humour of revenge it is evidently blamed Avenge not your selves but give place unto wrath Recompence not evill for evill Be not overcome of evill Returne not evill to him that hath done thee evill if any thing may disgrace private revenge this example may for you see when men thinke good to take upon them to revenge their owne quarrels they know not how to observe any equality or moderation And now I require you all as you will prove your selves true Christians and ever have the comfort of being Christs sheepe follow him in not revenging wrongs for hee gave you an example S. Peter saith of this vertue when hee did not render reviling for reviling nor threatening words neither for evill deedes If you harbour revenge you forgive not and if you will not forgive you shall not be forgiven Morall Philosophy teacheth us not to wrong or hurt another unprovoked but it tolerates it when wee are provoked by wrongs but the perfection of Christian religion is this that it teacheth and where it is in truth enableth not alone not to recompence wrong to a wrong doer but also to doe good against evill Shunne you this wickednesse and follow not the wickednesse of Iacobs sonnes but take heed of wronging any in their goods for revenge sake Another fault of these young men they hated their brother Ioseph out of envie and could not speake peaceably to him and when God by dreames foretold his preferment above them they envyed him and hated him yet worse yea all but Reuben resolved to kill him and to see what would become of his dreames and mocked him with the name of This dreamer and all but Reuben too consent to sell him for a bondslave and accordingly doe it and when in that anguish of his soule hee besought them as themselves after confesse they would not heare him Ah beware you of these sinnes of envying for that will bring forth a desire to murder or as bad as to murder and harden one to all cruelty that no intreaty shall soften Take heed take heede of these vices Envy murderousnesse deriding hard-heartednesse cruelty They bee fearefull vices transforming a man into a Divell If any of you have beene over-ruled by them let him nor deferre to bewaile and confesse them before God and let us all oppose these vices if they assault us by holy meditations and prayers betray not your selves into the hands of so horrible vices for want of resisting them earnestly constantly and by spirituall meanes Especially suffer not your selves to bee transported thus against a brother to hate a brother or neare kinsman to thinke on murthering a brother to neglect the cryes of a brother and bee inexorable against a brother intreating not to be murdered to cast him into a pit and sell him for a slave or to doe such kinde of injury to a person so neare by bonds of Nature O what an unnaturalnesse is it and what a great height and dominion of Vice doth it proove Religion may bee absent from an heart in which yet some reliques of good nature doe remaine but hee hath quenched all sparkes of all goodnesse in him that can behave himselfe so mischievously to one to whom nearenesse of bloud obligeth him None of these were bretheren to Ioseph by the mothers side but alone by the Fathers but an halfe brother is soe nearely joyned that that name should have beene sufficient to have kept them backe from such wickednesse Pray to God to preserve you from unnaturallnesse and if any of you have trampled these naturall bonds under feet let him addresse himselfe to most hearty lamentation or else the God of nature will sharpely punish the sleighting of naturall bonds It is a diabolicall fury of sinne that causeth a man to breake asunder these bonds of brasse and iron But yet as bad or worse then this they lyed and cousened their old Father to make him beleeve that Ioseph was killed by a wild beast as the Story shewes Gen. 37.31 Indeed Reuben was not consenting to the selling of Ioseph but it may seeme that he was willing to hold his peace and to conceale their fact which hee thought could neither bee prevented nor redressed by revealing and it may well be that they did not acquaint him with their selling of Ioseph But loe they all agree to colour their sinne to their Father and bring him into such a conceit as filled his heart with extreamity of anguish Evill children they were that would cover their fault by telling such a lie unto their Father as they needed not to have told for their sinne would not have been the more revealed if they had said nothing then to counterfit such a thing and Iacobs greifes perhaps would not have beene so great if there had remained any hope of his sonnes life But it is like that they were desirous to put him into a conceit of Ioseph death for feare least hope of his life might put him upon such an enquiry as might finde him out againe and so discover their lewdnesse for an ill conscience is alwaies full of feare and suspition and will conjecture such waies of discovery as no man else can dreame of Hath any of you lied to a Parent and sought to conceale their naughtinesse by falsehood See this wickednesse with remorse and now take heed of abusing your Parents with tales yea I beseech you beware of running into grosse sinnes which will alwaies hazard you to lying and falsehood for the covering of them See here how one sinne begets another in these men envy doth breede an intention of murder and a wrongfull act as bad as murther to sell a Brother for a slave This wickednesse brings on lying to hide it and that in such a sort as had well nigh killed their owne Father with griefe Feare to sinne for it will so intangle you being once in that you shall not know how to get out But one use we must make of all this discourse to see how bad our owne natures be and to
exasperated them and hastened the execution of their evill plot but by a kinde of artificiall discreet and gentle way disswading from the unnaturallnesse seeing hee was their Brother and propounding a way lesse unnaturall in it selfe to seeme too and yet not lesse fit for their purpose kill him not with your hands but cast him into a pit and let him starve there His meaning was not to let him perish but he knew that hee could not by force take him out of their hands now yet he had good hope secretly and in their absence to pull him out of the pit and deliver him safe to his Father You see here respect to his Brother mixed with tender love to his Father also whose affection to Ioseph hee well knew and could not but foresee that which fell out after how most heavily and indeed over-heavily he would take the losse of Ioseph So a good Brother should pittie his Brother being a man fit to be pittied and save him from wrong A good sonne should pitty his Father and Parents and strive to prevent the things that will be grievous to them Especially the more any man hath once sinned against his Parent as Reuben had the more carefull hee should be as it were to make amends for his former wickednesse by seeking to doe them good the more afterwards And in opposing our selves to evill counsell and deeds we should learne of Reuben to use wisedome and prudence and when wee want power to doe a good thing openly directly and by strong hand then to doe it artificially and indirectly and under hand propounding to the contrivers of such counsell some other way lesse evill which wee may be able to crosse more easily It is not a fault to seeme to yeeld to some smaller fault with a purpose and resolution of preventing the whole matter by making a shew of yeeldance to some degree or part of it and here you see some appearance of evill is not to be disliked as Salomon also seemed to intend the dividing of the living childe for the finding out of the true Mother When for a little space a man onely seemes to allow a fault that shortly after hee may the better manifest his dislike by effecting some good this is not to doe evill that good may come of it but to doe good in a prudent manner Let us take care to hinder other mens faults and to doe it wisely that over-earnestnesse may not hinder our successe Secondly as he sought to prevent his death and hurt so was he fully minded to restore him to his Father againe So we must intend and seeke out fit meanes of bringing our intentions about to do good unto those men whom we so causelesly pursued by ill men and to set them in safety and prosperity especially to those that are neere unto us and when wee may bring comfort also to others by procuring the safety of such as are deare to them as Iudah after would have beene a bond-man to Ioseph in Benjamins stead that he might send him home in safety which would have beene lesse to his Fathers griefe because he was more able to loose Iudah then Benjamin When such cases fall out we must take fit opportunities of doing good Lastly it grieved Reuben exceedingly when he found his hopes disappointed and saw Ioseph taken out of the pit for then though he did not know what they had done with him yet he conjectured that it was not for good that they had remooved him and therfore he rends his cloathes saying in a dolefull complaint the Lad is not yonder and I whither shall I goe He could not thinke I suppose of incurring his Fathers anger for not preserving Ioseph for he might well enough conceive that the matter should never come to his Fathers knowledge but sorrow for his former fault by which he had grieved him very much made him exceedingly heavie that now a new crosse should fall out to poore Iacob which he knew would crush him much more then his fault had done So that consciousnesse and penitent sorrow for his former evill made him much more loving now to his Father much more desirous to prevent his griefe and much more discontented and troubled when he found himselfe prevented of the thing he desired All men must learne to be grieved if any occasion fall out against their wills and knowledge by which they be hindred from doing such good as they intended Indeed it can hardly be thought that one did seriously purpose to crosse an evill plot if the thing being of weight he be not seriously troubled that he is disabled from crossing it But the matter which I would most commend to the imitation of children is this The more they have by their offences grieved their Parents already the more carefull they must bee to shew their love and respect unto them afterwards by all meanes and to take heavily those things which they know will grieve them But most wicked and impenitent and gracelesse must they be counted that still adde wrong to wrong and persist in a continuall course of vexing and tormenting their Parents hearts by their misdemeanours breaking forth still more and more Further Reuben did a good worke when hee sought to remoove his Father from his stiffenesse in resolving not to send Benjamin to Aegypt and if it were possible to winne him to that which was so behoovefull for them all yea and doing it with much earnestnesse too saying Slay my Sonnes if I bring him not to thee againe hee did not meane to expose his Sonnes to the danger of death by his Fathers and their Grand-fathers hand for hee knew him to bee a farre more loving Grand-father then that hee could finde in his heart to take such a fruitlesse and bootlesse revenge but his meaning is to deale most effectually with his Father to perswade him to a needefull thing and disswade him from an harmefull peremptorinesse as much as if hee had told him that hee would use as much care and diligence for Benjamins preservation as if the life of his two sons did lye at stake for him It is a good thing even very vehemently to strive to remoove our friends from ill and unreasonable resolutions and this may well bee done even to Parents and Governours so that still wee observe such a manner as may not discover any dis-regarding or sleighting of them Let no man therefore abstaine from doing such a good office to his Governour though it seeme not so pleasing for the time for at the last it shall so commend it selfe to him that finds the benefit of it as that dislike will bee turned into favour onely so that an over-rough manner of doing doe not adde to the bitternesse of the thing as it did in Ioab when he perswaded David to go out and speak unto his servants And let not Governours bee offended with their Inferiours for taking upon them so farre It is no transgression of duty even
the Apostles command flie fornication This sinne must be run away from the onely sure and most safe way of escaping it is to run from it If Shechem finding these desires boyling within his heart by meanes of the fire that lighted in at his eye would have opposed wise and vertuous thoughts and so gotten himselfe out of the company and sight of the Maiden his desires had not drawne him to that which brought him to destruction but he presently fell to plot and contrive how he might get the Maide into some house and lonely place and ceased not till he had so farre gratified his inordinate passion and then loe he was not at his owne command to forbeare the lewd action You have heard Shechems fault next see what is commendable in him Though hee had done the Maiden this wrong to devirginate her yet he continues to affect her whereby it is probable that hee found her so chaste as that shee did not willingly consent unto the fore-mentioned evill act But howsoever hee continues to affect her and desires to repaire the wrong hee had done so much as it might be repaired by making her his wife This is a matter worthy some good commendation that his heart is not estranged from her now when he had given his evill desires some satisfaction but he proceeds to seeke her in the way of Matrimony The Law appointed too that if any had inticed a Maiden hee should marry her and not be divorced from her during her life unlesse her Father would not grant consent and then hee should pay a fine in money Another thing praise-worthy in him is he takes the right way to get her to wife by acquainting his owne Father with his owne affections and imploying him to her Father to mediate and make up the match All you young men and women learne the right due and honest course of proceeding in Matrimony if you like any person and would faine bestow your selves upon them Acquaint your owne Parents first and let their consent be obtained that they may also be your suitors and so you may proceed with free consent on all hands This way of proceeding gives honour to Parents brings comfort to children and yeelds obedience to God and followes the rules of right reason So did Sampson too in his love Heathen men you see here and in Sampson Israelites that were wise and would goe on fairely tooke this course Let them that have beene more preposterous blame themselves repent and learne to follow good examples all you that are yet to marry Furthermore it was well done of the young man and his Father too that they stood not over-much upon matter of portion but bid him aske dowry enough I know that a wise care must be had this way that the married couple may not want convenient meanes of maintenance for to marry without regard of thinking how to live when they be married is so great a folly as doth shew him to be quite bereft of all good understanding that doth it but yet money must not be the maine matter as if one went to chaffer and buy and sell when they goe to make marriages Another thing was commendable in this young man and his Father they would have all matters agreed upon concerning dowry and other like conditions and themselves having agreed upon conditions are carefull to performe them indeed they were necessitated for they could not have the Maiden upon other termes So it is good for Parents and all to make some plaine and setled agreement of all worldly matters that there may not fall out any interruption afterwards to the tormenting of the young peoples mindes with actuall breaking or feare of breaking Againe this young man was constant in his love to the end and was fully setled and bent to marry the Maiden here No man should enter into termes of marriage in sport or jest but should proceed seriously and setled in that businesse especially they who have once made a serious promise of marriage either to other with mutuall knowledge and consent of Parents I suppose that promises being not limited with any unperformed condition they are bound in conscience to proceed unlesse a great and very just let fall out and I can scarce be made to thinke that they may breake off in such case with mutuall consent My reason is God calleth the betrothed Maide his wife that hath betrothed her and to mee it seemes that betrothing is nothing but a serious promise of future marriage and that nothing is essentiall to it but the fitnesse of persons for age and the freenesse of undeceived consent in respect of the persons and consent of Parents mutually who else may make voide a promise made to man seeing they make voide a vowe made to God If any of you therefore be guilty of inconstancy in such case and of flying from such promises at least let him be humbled and consider well with your selves what you doe before you betake your selves to others Hitherto the young mans vertues now his benefits He was his Fathers sonne and heire and his Father was the Prince of that City he was a rich man and honourable in the place where hee lived even the principall person of the house This is a benefit indeed if he that hath it use it orderly so as to walke worthy of that place and eminency and to get and exercise so much more vertue but if it make him proud bold to doe evill as here it may seeme it did and very often doth then it were better be the meanest of the family and of the towne You that be heires to wealthy Parents and likely by them to be wealthily left O stand not upon these termes so as to lift up your hearts to swell but carry humble hearts and labour to add grace and vertues to your places else they shall proove but as an high gibbet to bring you to more disgrace in this world and torment in the next The misery of this Shechem was hee prooved an occasion of the bane and overthrow of his Father and his whole Family and of the whole City and that by falling into the hands of bloody and deceitfull men O pray to God to keepe you from having occasions with such persons and being faulty of such crimes Beware of grosse sinnes and wrongs for you know nor what sharpe vengeance may lie in waite for you afterwards Sinne is not all paide for in an instant God doth sometimes call sinners to a severe reckoning even in this life besides that which is to come So much for Shechem the sonne Now for Hamor the Father I have one fault to note he is ready to imbrace a religious adjunct not for religion sake but for some by end even that he may get such a wife for his sonne as he desireth He imbraceth the religion for the womans sake not the woman for the religions sake Father
Fathers death every one would have said he had but dissembled before so we must continue doing good when naturall and carnall motives are gone and not resemble Ioash who served God onely as long as good Iehojadah was alive Now followeth Iosephs good behaviour to his Father He did those 3 things which children are taught in their infancy viz. To love honour and succour their Father 1. He enquired of his health and welfare as soone as he saw his brethren Gen. 43.7 and in 45. 3â— 9. and 46.29 he did gratifie him in his request 47. chap. 29 30.2 Visited him in his sicknesse Gen. 48.1.3 He shewed great love to him after his death Gen. 50.5 If you do thus to your Parents the Lord will prosper you if not curse you all the people were to say Amen When a curse was pronounced against a wicked child 2. He shewed his honouring of him by these effects 1. He sent honourably for him Gen. 45.21 He presented him to Pharaoh Gen. 47.7 and used him respectively when he was with him Gen. 48.12 He bowed downe to the ground to him and afforded him a very honourable buryall Thus he honoured him in private in publike alive and dead The eye of him saith Salomon that despiseth Father or Mother the Eagle of the valley shall picke out Cursed is Cham to the worlds end for slighting his old Father 3. He succoured his Father readily and aboundantly hee promised it Gen. 45.11 And accordingly performed it 47. Gen. 12. Honour is required expressely in the Commandement and love followeth necessarily from this And 1 Tim. 5.4 the other is injoyned If I must either see my Father starve or my sonne I must releeve my Father first His faults are few there is nothing spoken of any thing done amisse by Mordecai Nehemiah Ester little by Iosiah Moses Ioseph 1. He swore Gen. 42.15.16 Undoubtedly it was a sinne 1. The matter did not require an oath 2. He should not however have sworne by the life of Pharaoh yet there were some things to extenuate it 1. He was out of the Church 2. He had not such meanes then to reveale this to be an oath so catching a thing as a rash oath may befall a good man Learne therefore to take heed of committing faults ordinarily practised fashion not your selves according to this world 2. In speciall takeheed of this common fault an oath Secondly he did trench a little too neare upon an untruth you are spies saith he and to see the nakednesse of the Land are you come This was spoken of him meerely by way of probation and not with an intention of accusing them but trying them it was a long ironie Now follow the crosses and benefits which Ioseph had His afflictions were many 1. The hatred of his brethren which proceeded from envy 2. They consulted to take away his life Gen. 35. Saying You comes the Dreamer come let us kill him and then shall wee see what will become of his dreames but God raised up Reuben at that time to shew him favour for his Fathers sake because he knew how deare he was to Iacob and he perswaded them not to be so unnaturally as to imbrue their hands in their brothers blood bur rather to cast him into a pit to deliver him out of their hands for the present intending himselfe after to pull him out in due season 3. They sold him for a bond-slave to Midianitish Merchant 4. Hee served as a slave in the house of Puriphar and toyled and moiled there like some base person though God shewed him some favour by inclining his Mistresses heart towards him but all was over turned againe by meanes of his lewd Mistresse Fiftly he was cast into prison by his Mistresses false accusation and there he lay at least for two yeares Psal 105. till the iron entred into his soule that is he was so laden with chaines that his flesh was eaten with them Sixtly He was forgotten by the chiefe Butler Be ye thankful to God if you have escaped many of these crosses make your crosses easie by laying them by the hard ones of Joseph who was better then you then learne to prepare for crosses forget not what you may be slaves accused of foule crimes prepare for the hatred of your Brethren Secondly his Benefits The Lord bestowed upon him a great number of Benefits First spirituall Secondly Naturall First for spirituall The Lord was exceeding gracious to his soule not only giving him the outward Ordinances which he enjoyed in his Fathers house then the Church of God for then the forme of the Church-Governement was domesticall where hee had sacrifices circumcision and teaching by the Prophets of God viz. His Grand-Father Isaack and his Father Iacob for Isaack lived till he was of yeares fit for teaching but also vouchsafing by these Ordinances to worke Faith and true holinesse in his heart so that he was an heire of the righteousnesse of faith and partaker of the promises made to his Fore-fathers And this is the greatest of benefits that can be granted a man in this life even to cause him so to live in the Church as to become an holy man that is a true member of the same So God dealt with Isaac and with Iacob and at last also with other Patriarchs Iacobs sonnes and Josephs Brethren but he sanctified Ioseph betime and let his Brethren runne on a longer time in the course of unregeneracie Wherefore beloved brethren let each of us so looke upon the goodnesse of God to Ioseph as to consider whether himselfe have attained the same favour even to bee sanctified and to bee made a true believer an holy man a Saint of God wee must bee Saints in this life if eVer we hope to come to these fellowship of Saints hereafter If any of you finde himselfe to bee converted and see that GOD hath dealt very favourably with him as with Ioseph and that perhaps also in his Childe-hood and Youth let him enlarge himselfe in thankes and stirre up his heart to blesse the great and Holy Name of GOD for this benefit and the greatest of all benefits and let him prize and esteeme this goodnesse of God at a high rate Secondly the Lord having made him good did confirme him in his goodnesse for that hee was not turned out of the wayes of Righteousnesse by all the changes and alterations that befell him His fathers indeed excessive and somewhat fond affection did not make him waxe conceited and so decline to evill wayes and waxe worse than before The envy and hatred of his Brethren could not make him forsake the trade of piety and joyn with them in their disordered courses His service in Putiphars idolatrous house nor his preferment there could not alter him His Mistresses love and solicitations did not change him nor the irons eating in his soule did not diminish goodnesse in him nay his high and sudden
her hate him Their hatred made him a slave her hatred made him a prisoner bondage and imprisonment brought him acquainted with the chiefe Butler made himselfe known to Pharaoh and so brought him up to this exceeding height of place Blessed be God for his goodnesse to his people no man shall hazard himselfe to temporall misery for conscience sake but God will requite him with a hundred fold at least more comfort here as well as with life eternall hereafter Let Iosephs wages make you not afraid so farre as you are called to it to doe Iosephs worke that is to say and doe good and forbeare evill though you incurre hatred and danger and much affliction thereby Lastly Ioseph was blessed too in his posterity to make his wellfare up fully he lived to see the sonnes of Manasseth and Ephraim his two sonnes and he lived to see the part of the birth-right even the double portion conferred upon his children and that by the mouth of his Father inspired by God when he made his last will Iacob adopted his two sonnes to himselfe to make two Tribes and God made them both great but especially the younger he made him a principall Tribe for possessions and command afterwards and this also is some satisfaction to a Father if he know that his children after him shall flourish for many generations O that we could feare God and follow true vertue and piety as Ioseph did that he might blesse us also as he did him in our selves and posterity in our state and our name in our bodies and in our soules and in all that pertaineth to us according to his promise And let all that feare God be assured that so farre as is good for them the Lord will give them prosperity in these things for he made the same promises to all his people and will confirme them so farre as they are capable and it may stand with their spirituall good Now you have heard of Iosephs life conclude we with the conclusion of his life his death For neither honours nor favours nor grace nor any thing could keepe death away and it must befall me and you and all that now live and are to live hereafter onely marke that he dyed a godly and comfortable death for in the cloze of his life he made profession of his being an Hebrew not an Egyptian by taking an oath of them for the carrying of his bones into the Land of Canaan gave them a promise of their returne thither which was also an exercise of his faith to demonstrate his comfortable expectation of life eternall whereof the Land of Promise was a figure You are not ignorant Brethren that within the compasse of an hundred yeares a minute being compared to eternity the whole number of you must be as well as Ioseph dying and dead men Be intreated to divorce your hearts from sinne the cause of death from the world which at death you must leave and from men which cannot helpe you neither in nor after death and labour to get righteousnesse which will deliver from death some assurance of heaven that ye may have a place of comfort after death and interest into Christ who can save you from the hurt of death And these things if you attaine you may triumph over death with Pauls question Death where is thy sting else death will triumph over you with the question of Christ Whose then shall be these things of which thou gloriest So much of Ioseph THE TWENTY SEVENTH EXAMPLE OF IOSEPHS STEVVARD ONE person alone remaineth to be spoken of whom wee cannot name to you for the Scripture giveth him no name at all He hath a good name a good report in Scripture for a good man but no name that is no particular surname or proper name by which he was usually knowne and distinguished from other men of his Country or progenitors of his birth or death we have nothing but he is set forth by his relation to Ioseph he was Iosephs Steward for as Ioseph sowed so did he reape what a kind of servant and Steward himselfe was to Putiphar such a kind of Steward in some degree did God provide for him He himselfe was a good servant to his Master and himselfe being a Master enjoyes a good servant to himselfe many times the Lord sees fit to bring a mans good deeds into his owne bosome a good child to his Parents hath good children himselfe a good servant hath good servants and so in the rest Let this incourage you that be in the place of servants to performe your duties diligently unto your domesticall Rulers your Masters for by this meanes you may lay up for your selves a comfortable hope of being served with like care and diligence your selves God no doubt hath a speciall hand in disposing of servants to every Master it is he that ordereth things so as such a man hath good and such a one bad servants men often use great care to choose a servant and meete with a very bad one contrary to all their hopes and care againe sometimes by meere casualty almost men light upon a very good servant More particularly his carriage was good to his Master and to the strangers brethren to his Master but not by him knowne so to be 1. Teachable they learnt some knowledge of the true God from him The God of your Fathers saith he and your God hath given you this treasure How came this man to know a distinction of Gods How came he to know that they had a God of their owne peculiar to them and to their Fathers which was not then acknowledged to be the God of all the world Egypt had many Gods this man acknowledgeth one God and that one God which was acknowledged and worshipped by these men and by their Forefathers It is not likely that Ioseph told his Steward that these were his brethren but it is undoubtedly manifest that they were some such as he knew to be worshippers of the true God which hee knew by some few men to be worshipped in the Land of Canaan Therefore you see how kindly he speakes to them that a man may even perceive by his words that they were so much dearer to him because they pertained to that God This was the more observable because he was an Egyptian servant O that all you which be servants to godly Governours would learne some goodnesse from them even to know and serve God you all have some knowledge of that one God but learne also the feare and love of that God the sincere and carefull worship of that God from your Governours that would fain teach it you and would count themselves happy if you would learne it from them But for a servant to live in the family of a Ioseph that laboureth to teach godlinesse unto him by word and example and yet declares no sense nor feeling of God no knowledge or respect of him how great a sinne is this and how
twinnes 2. Caines bad carriage 1. In generall He was a wicked man Caines faults in particular 1. He was an Hypocrite What an Hypocrite is 2. Was vexed at his punishment The governement of the World domesticall Envie a great evill Gal. 5 26. 3. Did not mend his fault though he was gently admonished by God himselfe 4. Murthered his Brother But with what weapon is uncertaine 5. Did not repent of his murder 6. He muttered and despaired 7. Persists impenitently in his sinnes 3. His prosperity and adversity 1. His benefits had posterity and lived a long life and was preserved from the violence of all men 2. God vouchsafed him meanes to keepe him from sin and to draw him out of sinne 2. His crosses 1. God aggravates his fault and sentenceth him for it 2. Curseth the earth to him 3. He was full of terrour Caines death not mentioned The use of all The signes of an Hypocrite Abel what it signifieth His Birth His vertues 1. Was painefull in his calling It is good to have a calling and be faithfull in it 2. Was religious 3. He offered in faith 4. Was righteous A twofold righteousnesse of the Law and Gospell Gal. 2.16 Rom. 3 10. Job 9 31. Gal. 2.21 Gal. 3.22 Gal. 3.21 Psal 143.2 A double righteousnesse in the Gospell 1. Imputed Rom. 4.3 2. Inherent Rom. 6.11 Verse 13. Verse 19. Via ad regnum non causa regnandi Bernard Gal. 3.21 Rom. 3.23 Phil. 3.9 Gal. 5.4 Three signes of a righteous man Psal 119.48 Psal 119 5 6. Psal 51.4 Prov. 28.13 Zach. 1 3. 1 Joh. 1.8 9. 1 Iohn 2.1 Numb 23.10 No sinnes of Abel mentioned in Scripture and why 3. His prosperity 1. God had respect unto his gifts 2. Gave witnes and testimony of his gifts Pro. 15.8 Psal 11.7 Psal 19.14 2 Cor. 1.12 4. His adversity was hated and killed by his Brother 2 Tim. 3.12 Gal. 4.29 His death 1 Cor. 15.19 Col. 3.3 4. Abels death was violent and sodaine Caines posterity Irad what it signifieth Naamah why so called the first woman named after Eve and why Lamechs faults His Polygamy the first beginner of it Luke 16.18 2. His revengefullnesse What it is to revenge His benefits he had children 2. His crosses hee led an unquiet life by reason of his wives The uses of all Revenge is a great sin Mat. 18.22 Lamechs three sonnes inventers of Arts. Jer. 35. The uses of all Gen. 5.3 Seth little said of him Gen. 4.25 Gen. 4.26 Henoch Heb. 11.5 Psal 119.166 Why the Patriarkes lived so long 2 Pet. 2.5 The sinnes of the old world 1. In generall Gen. 6.5 Verse 11. They all were given over to sinning except some in Noahs house Why sinne was so great then 2. In particular Mat. 24.37 38. 1 Pet. 3.20 Mat. 24.38 Gods mercy to them 2 Pet. 2.5 1 Pet. 3.20 Their punishment The Deluge The uses of all Violence what it is A great sin Prov. 28.3 4 Disobedient 1 Pet. 3.20 The floud came upon them and they knew nothing * 120. 2 Pet. 2.5 Gen. 9.11 2 Pet. 3.6 7. Jude verse 14. 2 Pet. 3.10 Noah what it signifieth His Birth His life In which 1. His vertues 1. In generall Was a perfect man and walked with God Gen. 5 22. Heb. 11.4 Who is a just or righteous man Rom 4. 2. His vertues in particular 1. Was a Preacher of righteousnesse 2 Pet. 2.5 Isa 49 4. 2. Had faith Heb. 11.7 What faith is Heb. 11.7 Gal. 3.10 3. He was moved with feare Heb. 11.7 A double feare 2 Cor. 5.11 Rom. 8.13 1 Cor. 6.9 Col. 3.6 Prov. 8.13 Psal 34.9 4. He built an Arke as God bad him Noahs goodnesse in the floud 1 Pet. 3.6 Noahs goodnesse after the floud Noahs sinnes 1. Hee was drunke Noahs crosses 1 No man regarded his preaching 2 Hee lived to see all mankind destroyed 3 Hee had a wicked son 4. Lived to see his ofspring naught Josh 24 2. His benefits 1 He found favour with God 2. Hee was directed by God to a way of saving himselfe from the floud with his family Psal 46.2 3. 3 The Lord accepted his sacrifice 4. He had two godly sonnes Noahs death Ham. His birth His life In which 1. His benefits he was saved in the Arke from the Deluge 3. Epist of Iohn 11. ◠His sinnes 1. He was a Hypocrite 2. He saw the nakednesse of his Father Gen. 9 22. 1 Cor. 13.6 He acquainted his Brethren with his Fathers nakednesse Whispering is a great sin 3. His punishments 1. God cursed him in his son Canaan Gen. 10. Nimrod What his name signifieth The first that strove to erect a Monarchie Was as a tyrant and ambitions The Babylonians Their faults Vaine-glory Carnall confidence Obstinacie Vaine-glory a sinne 2. Carnall confidence is a sin 3. Obstinacie is a sin Their punishment The punishment of strange languages is a heavie punishment Sem and Iaphet their vertues they covered their Fathers nakednes Gen. 9.23 Their benefits true religion was continued in their posterity The seede of Sem. Gen. 11.10 Abrahams Birth His Life His vertues toward God 1 His faith Heb. 11.8 James 2.23 What faith is Heb. 11.1 Three acts of faith 1. Faith of God which hath foure acts 2. Faith to God Gal. 3.8 3. Faith in God Rom. 4 3. Psal 32.2 2. He feared God Gen. 22.12 3. Was obedient Some speciall acts of Abrahams obedience 1. Left his Countrey at Gods Commandement 2. Lived in tents at Gods Commandement Heb. 11.9 3. Circumcised himselfe and all the males of his family 4. He expelled his wife Hagar and sonne Ishmael 5. Hee would have sacrificed his sonne Isaac at Gods commandement Heb. 11.18 The excellency of Abrahās obedience 4. He was religious 1. His vertuous carriage toward men 1. He was truely humble Phil. 1.7 2 Cor. 12.11 1 Sam. 24.14 Luk. 14.11 2. Trained up his Family in the knowledge and feare of God The Hebrew word is ambiguous Eph. 6.4 3. Was loving and gentle to his wife 1 Pet. 3.7 Posse nolle nobile 4. He loved his two sonnes very well 5. He provided a good wife for Isaac Another grace in Abraham toward God his Patience He mourned moderately for Sarah Abrahams good carriage toward his servants to Eliezer his principall servant Gen. 15.3 A good servant should be respected Deut. 15.12 13 Prov. 27.18 Abrahams carriage to his kinsmen He was peaceable 2. He rescued Lot and redeemed him out of his enemies hands He was loving to Lot He was couragious What courage is Meanes to get courage Abrahams carriage to the Sodomites Hee prayed for them 1 Tim. 2.1 2. He shewed humanity and kindnesse to the Sodomites he had taken His carriage to the King of Sodome hee would receive nothing from him Abrahams good carriage to the Cananites Planting of wood is a commendable thing Hee shewed lowly and respective carriage toward the Hittites Abrahams carriage to Hephron His carriage to Aner Eshcol and Mamre Abrahams carriage to Abimelech 1. Maketh a covenant
wirh him 2. Dealeth plainely with him 3. Hee dealt bountifully with him Abrahams good carriage to strangers Heb. 13.2 Abrahams faults before his calling James 3.2 His first fault idolatry Abrahams faults after his calling 1. Weakenesse of faith 1 Sam. 27.1 Exod. 6.12 2. A carnall feare of death Psal 118.6 Psal 23.4 3. He dissembled 4. He drew Sarah to sinne so farre as to indanger her chastity A double ignorance 5. Abraham had two wives 3. Abrahams benefits 1. Temporall 1. For himself 1. A good wife 1 Pet. 3 6. A good wife a great blessing Prov. 18. â—2 Prov. 9.14 Prov. 31.10 11 2 He had children Psal 127.5 3 He had good servants especially one 4. Abraham had good kinsmen 1. Lot 2. Nahor 5. Abraham had faithfull friends Prov. 18.24 5. Abraham had a good name Eccles 5.13 A great and famous victory Isa 41.2 3. 2. God did doe good to others for Abrahams sake 1. Blessed Lot and delivered him 2. Blessed Isaac giving him goods and goodnesse He gave also abundance of outward things to Ishmael Shewed favour to him after his death Psal 112.6 Abrahams spirituall blessings 1. He was called from a false religion to the true Gal. 3.8 2. Spirituall blessings 1. God made him gratious promises 2. Appeared to him many times to renue those promises 3. He entred into a covenant with him and his seede after him Abrahams crosses 1. He changed his countrey and left his fathers house Psal 45.10 Mat. 10.36 2. Was uncertaine where he should dwell 3. Suffered crosses 1. In Lot his kinsman 4. His wife Sarah was twice taken away from him 5. Sarah was barren 6. There fell out a great jarre betwixt him and Sarah 7. Sarah died before him Gen. 23.3 8. He suffered in Hagars ill carriage to Sarah and in her running away being with-child 9. Hee was made to divorce Hagar and send her quite away 10. Hee was forced to thrust Ishmael out of his family 11. Hee was crossed in Isaac many wayes Heb. 11.19 Abrahams death 1 Pet. 3.6 Sarahs birth Her life 1. Her vertues 1. Her faith Heb 11.11 2. Shee obeyed her husband Gen. 18.6 1 Pet. 3.1 1 Pet. 3.6 3. Shee reverenced her husband A double feare Gen. 18.12 1 Cor. 11.3 7 â— Shee was a loving Mother and nursed Isaac her selfe Gen. 21.7 5. Shee apparelled her selfe modestly 1 Pet. 3.5 1 Pet. 3.3.4 1 Tim. 2.9 10 Sarahs faults 1. Shee was weake in faith Gen. 18 12. Ver. 11. Ver. 14. Heb. 11.11 2. Shee being â—ngry â—alâ—ely accâ—sed her husband Gen. 16.5 Verse 6. 3. Shee was somewhat too rough with Hagar 4. She dissembled at her husbands request 5. She lyed Sarahs benefits 1. Shee vvas a holy vvoeman 2 Shee had a godly and rich husband that was well esteemed 3. Shee had a godly childe 4. God delivered her twice out of a misery into which she had cast herselfe Sarahs crosses 1. She was barren a long time 2. Shee was sleighted by her maide 3. She was taken from her husband into the house of Pharaoh and Abimelech Her death Her age onely of all women is mentioned in Scripture Hagar nothing in Scripture of her birth or death It is probable she feared God and why Her life 1. Her Vertues 1. Shee was obedient to her governours 2. Shee told the truth Gen. 16.8 3. Shee submitted her selfe to her Mistresse aâ— the Angels commandement 4. Shee was thankfull to God for his goodnesse in bringing her home to Abrahams family 5. Shee was patient 6. Shee was carefull to provide her sonne a convenient wife Sarahs faults 1. Shee grew proud 2. Shee ranne away from her Mistresse Her benefits 1. She was one of Abrahams servants 2. Shee had the favour of her Master and Mistresse Ephes 6.3 Tit. 2.9 Pro. 14 35. 27.18 3. She received great mercies from God 4. Shee had Ishmael and a promise concerning him Her crosses 1. Sarah used her hardly 2. Shee and her son were cast out of Abrahams family 3. Shee saw her sonne ready to die with thirst Gal. 4.21 Ver. 22. Ver. 23. Ver. 24. Ver. 25. Ver. 26. Gal. 4.29 Keturah Ishmael His Vertues 1 He was outwardly conformable and obedient to his father 2. He submitted himselfe to his father to be banished out of his house 3 Hee ioyned with Isaac in his Fathers funerall 4. He was ruled by his mother in marriage His faults 1. He mocked his brother Ephes 5.4 2 Was a wilde man 3. Hee was a quarrellsome fellow Gen. 16.12 His Benefits 1. Deliverance from two great dangers 2. God provided water for him when hee was ready to die for thirst 3. God himselfe gave him his name Gen. 21.17 Joh. 9.31 4. He prospered much in the world His death See Ainsworth on Gen. 25.17 Eliezer The Scripture saith nothing of his Birth and Death nor of his faults His vertues 1. He proceeded warily to an oath 2. Carried himselfe well to Abraham 1. Hee used speed in performing his oath The iourney was about 300 miles Mat. 5.33 Psal 15.4 2. He served his Master religiously 3. He praised God for his good successe 4. He was discreete 5. He had a care of his Camels 6 Was diligent and made hast about his businesse Col. 3.22 Ephes 6.5 His benefits 1. God gave him a godly Master 2. He had his favour 3. He was a true Christian 4. God prospered him His crosse Hee was a bond-man Abrahams Contemporaries Lot His death is not mentioned in Scripture His vertues He was a righteous man 2 Pet. 2.8 A twofold righteousnesse Gal. 3.21 22. The righteousnesse of the Gospell is twofold Lots particular vertues 1. He left his owne Countrey and Fathers house 2. Hee was troubled at the evill conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.8 Psal 119.136 So in drunkennesse 3. Hee was hospitall Heb. 13.2 1 Pet. 4.9 Christmas 4. He intreated the Sodomites to desist from their villany 5. He sought to deliver his sons in law 6. For a good while he kept close to his Unkle Abraham His faults 1. He chose to dwell in a fertile place among sinfull men 2. He continued to dwell in Sodome among great sinners 3. He offered his two daughters to the Sodomites Rom. 6.2 4. He lingred in Sodome till the Angels tooke him by the hand Job 2.4 6. Hee was twice drunken His benefits 1. God gave him repentance 2. He and his were delivered out of the burning of Sodome His afflictions were foure Lots wife Her benefits 1. Delivered from Captivity 2. Delivered out of the burning of Sodome Her sin shee looked back to Sodome Her punishment Lots daughters had no vertues their vices 1. They agreed together about two grievous crimes Gen. 19.31 Qui semel verecundiae limites transiluerit graviter impudentem esse oportet Their owne sinne they make their Father drunken Their speciall sinnes Abrahams confederates Their vertues 1. They were friends to Abraham It is a good thing to be a a friend to the godly Prov. 13.20 Mat. 10.22 Acts 28. 2.
They helped Abraham and kept their covenant Ephron His vertues 1. He courteously saluteth Abraham 2. He was liberall and kinde to Abraham 3. He was just and true in his word 1 Cor. 11.14 15. Pharaoh His faults 1 He was lustfull Pro. 6.25 2. He carried himselfe over-churlishly to Abraham His vertues 1. He dismissed Sarah presently when hee knew her to be married 2. He used Abraham kindly for Sarahs sake 3. He lets Abraham depart without offering any inâ—ury to him Psal 119.71 Abimelech nothing is said of his birth and death His fault he was too lustfull Gen. 20.6 His Vertues 1. He speedily and readily obeyed God Rom. 1.18 2. He acquaints his servants with Gods pleasure 3. He admonisheth Abraham and Sarah of their fault 4. He not onely restored Sarah but also satisfied Abraham in some sort 5. He granted Abraham liberty to dwell in his countrey in any place 6. He takes notice of Gods goodnesse to Abraham His benefits 1. God made him a King Pro. 22.29 James 5.3 2. God kept him from committing a sinne which else he would have committed 3. God revealed himselfe unto him in a dreame by night 4. God speedily removed his chastisement Job 11.14 15. His crosses God stroke him with sicknes and weaknesse and his women with barrennesse Foure Kings They were violent Their maine sinne was taking Lot among the Sodomites The Sodomites had no vertues Their faults in generall Their sinnes in particular 1. They rebelled Prov. 24.21 2. They mended not by their chastisement Prov. 29.1 Isa 1.5 Jer. 2 30. 3. They were unnaturally filthy 1. The crime of Sodomitrie it selfe Rom. 1.23 24. 2. The aggravations of this sinne 1. In respect of the persons to whom they would have offered this villany 2. In respect of the persons that committed it 3. From the manner of doing it Isa 3.9 The sinne of Lots sonnes in Law they would not be ruled by their Father Other sinnes of the Sodomites 1. Pride Pride is a great sinne It s nature fully discovered Ignorance what Folly what Luke 18.14 Isa 23.9 Jer. 13.17 Pride what it is Gal. 6.3 The meanes to subdue pride 2. Fulnesse of bread Luk. 16.19 James 5.5 3. Abundance of idlenesse Idlenes a great sin and why 2. Thess 3.10 Verse 11. Prov. 26.26 Prov. 23.21 6.11 28.19 20.4 What Idlenesse is Prov. 31.21 4. They strengthened not the hands of the poore Mat. 25. Mar. 10. 1 Joh. 4.20 1 Joh. 3.17 Two sorts of poore men 1. Gods poore 2. The Divels poore 2 Thess 3.10 5. They committed abhomination 6. They were haughty How pride and haughtinesse differ 1 Joh. 2.16 Psal 13 1.1 Psal 101.5 Foure things discover pride in the outward carriage 1. The lookes 2. The gate 3. Words 1 Sam. 2 3. 4. Cloathes Rom. 12.16 Isa 3. 16 c. The Sodomites punishments 1. They were taken captive 2. They were burned with fire here and in hâ—ll Jude 7. Isaac Rom 9. Gal. 4.28 His Birth His Vertues towards God 1. His Faith Heb. 11.20 Gal. 3.8 Mat. 10 39. Gen. 22.17 2. He was religious Heb. 13.10 Heb. 13.16 Phil. 4.18 3. He prayed to God for all good things Phil. 4.6 Eph 6.18 4. He meditated Gen. 24.63 2 Tim. 2.7 5. He feared God 5. He obeyed the Commandement of God 2. His vertuous carriage in regard of men and his estate He was obedient to his Father 1. In being ready to be killed Ephes 6.1 Pro. 30.7 2. Was ruled by him in marriage Children should not marrie without their Parents consent Gen. 21.21 Gen. 28.1 2. Judg. 14.2 2. He buried his Father Gen. 25.9 3. He loved his mother dearely 4. He loved his wife tenderly Ephes 5.28 29 Col. 3.19 Gen. 2.24 Prov. 5. 5. He contented himselfe with Rebekah 6. He hearkened to Rebekahs wise counsell 7. Hee blessed his children out of faith Heb. 11.20 8. He conferred the principall blessing upon Iacob to whom God had given it He accepted Abimelechs reproofe 10. He made Abimelech and his company a feast 11. He was a good husband 12. He made a spirituall use of earthly commodities His faults 1. He forgat the Word of God 2. Hee loved Esau better then Iacob and that for carnall respects 3. He did lie out of feare Psal 118.6 Ephes 4.25 4. He scandalized Abimelech 5. He loved good fare too much His Benefits 1. Spirituall God made his covenant with him 2. Temporall 1 Had a good Wife 2. One godly childe and a nother that respected him 3. Was very rich Gen. 26.12 4. He lived long Isaacs crosses 1. He was long blinde 2. Met with divers troubles in his state 3. Was long without issue 4. He was crossed in Esau 2. In Iacob His death Rebekkahs neither birth nor death is mentioned in Scripture Her vertues 1. She was chaste while a Virgin 2. She was painfull and curteous My Lord said she Sir as you would say in English 3. She was willing to be ruled by her friends in marriage Her good carriage when married 1. She joyned with her husband in prayer for children 2. She inquired of God when the children strived in her wombe 3. She was dutifull to her husband 4. She loved her best son most 5. She provided such food for her husband as he liked Her faults She used fraud to conveigh the blessing to Iacob 2. She was too much troubled at her evill daughters in law 2 King 19.4 To desire death because of misery is a sin and why 3. Her prosperity She was effectually called Gen. 24.16.20 2. She was beautifull healthy strong had a rich and godly husband and a good childe 4. Her afflictions 1. Her husband was blinde and weake 2. Her husbands affections were set too much on the worser sonne 3. Esaus resolution to kill Iacob 4. Iacob was banished from her as it were 5. She was vexed with the frowardnesse of her daughters Esau his birth 1 His good quality 1. He shewed good respect unto Isaac his Father 2. He was melted with his brothers loving kinde humble carriage 3. He was not greedy of gifts 4. He joyned with his brother in burying his Father His faults 1. In generall he was an hypocrite 2. His particular faults 1. He gave himself wholly to hunting 2. He followed his hunting over-eagerly 3. He made himself great by war 4. He was a prophane man which prophannesse shewed it selfe in 3. acts 1. In selling his birth right 2 In despising it 3. In leaving the land of Canaan 5. He shewed not due respect to his Parents 6. He falsely accused his brother 7. He hated his brother 8. He comforted himselfe in the thought of killing his brother 3. His benefits all temporall His afflictions His death is not mentioned in Scripture Gen. 26 1. Abimelech his vertues 1. He tooke not Rebekkah from Isaac though he affirmed her to be his sister Ver. 8. 2. He construed Isaacs sporting with Rebekkah in the best sence Ver. 9. 3. He told Isaac plainly of his fault Ver. 10. 4.
yea it doth appeare often that riches are laid up for the owners thereof for hurt And these be the benefits temporall which Abraham had for himselfe a good wife good children in their kinde and one religious good servants good friends good name good favour and great wealth to which add one particular benefit a great and famous victory over foure great and conquering Kings as the Holy Ghost telleth us Gen. 14.15 he pursued them he divided himselfe against them he and his servants by night and smote them and pursued them to Hobah and brought backe all the goods and Lot his brother and his goods and the women and his people An absolute victory was obtained by Abrahams wisedome and valour God gave him the wisdome God gave him the valour God gave him the successe The Prophet Esay sets forth Gods goodnesse to Abraham in generall as a sure argument that God will shew the like mercies to his people in after times bidding them looke unto Abraham and Sarah and saying Isa 51.2 I called him I blessed him and increased him and 41.2 3. He setteth forth this very benefit in magnificall phrases saying who raised up the righteous man from the East called him to his foot gave the nations before him and made him rule over Kings gave them as dust to his sword as driven stubble to his bow hee pursued them and passed safely by the way that he had not gone with his feete God would have his people take notice of this mercy in saving Abraham and making him victorious to assure them of his like love in defending them and giving them victory over all their enemies even the whole Church and each particular member thereof He that sheltered Abraham was with him gave Kings before him shall not he declare his love as much in future ages to his people Surely he is the same for ever Let this comfort us against all those that rise up against us But what did God for others for Abrahams sake First he blessed Lot the more for Abrahams sake and as it is noted Lot that went with Abraham had heards and after when God destroyed Sodome he thought of Abraham and delivered Lot also So God for a good mans sake will blesse and helpe even his friends and well-willers and those that belong to him shall be much the better for him according to the promise that he had made saying I will blesse them that blesse thee And for Abrahams children he blessed Isaac and gave him great outward things yea gave him also grace and made him heire of the Covenant and continued the Church in his house giving him a sonne in the life time of Abraham For Abraham had Isaac at a hundred and lived 175 yeares and Isaac married at forty and had Esau and Iacob at sixty so Abraham lived to see those two sonnes about five yeares old and gave outward things to Ishmael and abundance to him that Princes came of him in likelihood during Abrahams life time and he sent away his sonnes by Keturah with great riches and you know that even after Abrahams death God honoured him still by calling him his friend in many places and for his sake did great things for his sonnes after him in many generations Thus you see how worth the while it is to serve feare and obey God what abundant blessings he grants what honour and same even after death though all Gods people have not all these outward things in like manner bestowed upon them yet they have that which is sufficient for them and those that finde their friends and children happy in outward respects must observe Gods hand to be thankfull Yea we must all take notice of Gods like dealing with many of his people whose posterity flourish when they be dead some in goodnesse as well as goods and some at least in earthly respects and leave a good name behinde them so that many yeares after their decease their names are honourably mentioned and all men count them good and faithfull servants of God The name of the righteous is had in everlasting remembrance whilst they live and when they die God shewes himselfe gratious and bountifull to them even in temporall blessings oftentimes as well as spirituall But if any want these outward benefits they must consider of themselves whether their sinnes doe not deprive them thereof For sometimes such mercies are denied to Gods people to chastize and keepe downe and roote up some vices in them David was crossed in his children to correct his fondnesse and to chastize his adultery and murder Salomons posterity was brought low to chastize his Idolatry If in outward things the Lord seeme carelesse of his people they might easily finde by searching that some evill carriage of theirs hath caused him to chastize them in this life that by being brought to repentance they might not be destroyed and perish in another world and so much for these temporall benefits Now for spirituall blessings the first was that God called him out of his Countrey and Fathers house from the Idols of his Fathers house for they served false gods there Iosh 24.2 and acquainted him with himselfe the onely true God No greater blessing can befall a man here then to be called from a false religion to the true religion so that his heart be inclined also to the practise of the true religion and that he be effectually sanctified as was Abraham Wee must looke that wee have this mercy of effectuall calling Indeed from Idols and such kinde of false gods wee are called or rather we have beene kept from following them at all but ah are we called to walke before God in holinesse and righteousnesse not alone turning from darkenesse to light from a false religion to the true but from the power of Satan unto God that is from serving the Divell in a wicked life to serve God in an holy life If we be not so called we are not sonnes of Abraham and outward blessings will doe us little good If we be then wee have cause to rejoyce before the Lord our God with exceeding great joy for he that is so called happie is he This is a mercy of mercies to be a Saint by calling one whom God hath so wrought upon by his Spirit that his outward call hath wonne him from the state of corruption to the state of grace And if any finde not himselfe so called or finde it doubtfull to himselfe whether he have beene so called yea or not let him earnestly seeke to God for it and if wee would know whether we be called yea or not compare our selves with Abrahams Call Gen. 12.1 God had said meaning before his Fathers death before he dwelt in Charran saith Steven for though because Terah was the Father the departure is ascribed to him yet God gave the call first to Abraham and he acquainted his Father with it and so his Father went out and he with
and Sonne concurre in this fault A common fault it is religion is made of the by it serveth some other Mistresse It is a stalking horse for policy on both sides Wickedly doe Iacobs sonnes seeme to stand on religion for their secret ends and it was not well done of them to take a religion up for meere private ends but such is the custome of the men of this world they can embrace any ordinance for their profit and any religion O looke that you bee intire in imbracing Gods Ordinance and Gods Truth take heed that sinister ends doe not marre and destroy your seeming religiousnesse and make that you shall seeme to God not the better men but the worse Hypocrites Againe something was ill done of him we see no sharpe correction nor reproofe of his sonne for his wrong done to Dinah and that provokes the maides friends O how indulgent are Parents to their childrens crimes scarce with a word will they checke them at most but with a word for that which deserveth many blowes yea the stroake of death This indulgence of theirs often makes children bold to sinne as in Adoniah and Absalom is seene and so doth make them at length correctors of their Parents that should have corrected them Let Parents take heed to themselves that they shew not themselves to love God lesse then their children by loving their children so much as to put out or smother the hatred of sinne and let Parents at last learne to make naturall affection give place to justice You have his faults his vertues are 1. To his Sonne he is willing to satisfie him in point of marriage so farre as was fit and so should all wise Parents be If the affections of their children carry them not to matches too inconvenient they should gratifie them for feare of those mischiefes which often come by crossing them and that because nothing is more likely to procure the welfare of children then when they be matched to whom they love Unlesse their folly be such as to make too too foolish choises let Parents learne to shew themselves milde and gentle here if in any other thing Further he deales well with the Shechemites his Subjects whom he seeketh not to force but to perswade to accept circumcision In things of this nature a good Prince must not compell but allure Subjects and let them see reason rather then feele violence but his reason is taken from the profit of the people That is the wisest argument which will most prevaile with him to whom it is used and so it sped accordingly Further he dealt well with Iacob too for in all plainenesse he seekes his daughter for his sonne and is willing to yeeld to any equall conditions Plaine dealing is commendable in an Heathen how much should it be commended to us Christians Now see his prosperity He had a sonne indifferent good that at least sought his consent and shewed himselfe orderly though at the first he had beene rude It is a comfort to have a sonne not altogether rude and misgoverned that if he over-shoote himselfe in some things yet will keepe his order and reforme himselfe Be you such children O ye sonnes and daughters and be thankefull ye Parents that have such children He had also good Subjects that would be perswaded by him and such Subjects let us learne to be so that we use prudence as well as subjection But his crosse was great he was over-reacht by crafty heads and himselfe and all his Family and City butchered by bloudy hands O how could you brooke such a crosse and why will not you stand prepared to loose life goods children friends and all seeing you perceive in the Shechemites how soone all these may be lost even then when you thinke your selves secure and why doe you not thanke God for preserving you from such both craft and outrage hitherto Now I proceed to speake of some others The Adullamite Hiram is a better friend then a man indeed a good friend but a bad man His friendship appeares to be morally good in its kinde because first it was lasting secondly it was serviceable thirdly it was secret Lasting for it continued to Iudah so long till his third sonne was marrigeable and began before his marriage You cannot conceive it under some twenty yeeres standing though you should thinke that Iudah married about sixteene or seventeene yeares of age Friendship is like wine the elder the better the longer it lasteth the more it is to be praised Learne to be durable friends let not a yeare or two see you changed and estranged but be like Christ in that respect whom you love love to the end unlesse they doe even too too unfriendlily cast you off and breake the lawes of friendship And those that have beene fickle friends let them be ashamed for it is too too evident that they were false seeking themselves alone and not their friends Againe his friendship was serviceable stooping to somewhat a base office to helpe Iudah out with his whoredome as secretly and undiscernedly as might be Indeed a true friend must be serviceable to his friend not alone with his cost and labour but sometimes also with a little blemish not by helping him to sinne nor lying or so forth but by doing what may honestly and lawfully be done for the secret carrying of his faults and saving him from blame even carnall friends are forward enough this way take heed that you denie not good offices to your inward acquaintance and take no lesse heed that you gratifie them not with bad For here you see the secrecy of this Adullamite no body knew by him of that fault which he himselfe knew onely by Iudah Nothing becomes a friend better then secrecy of his friends faults and he that hath once played the blab in this kinde hath no wrong if hee be never trusted after Nay verily this may seeme a most just cause of dividing friendship therefore so farre as may be without sinne against God and against the Countrey and Superiours every friend must affect this trustinesse Surely had not Iudah found him faithfull in this kinde hee would never have ingaged himselfe so farre So was Hiram a good friend but yet he was not a good man for we finde not that he did rebuke Iudah for his fault at all which he must have done if he had beene as good a man as a friend And doe you learne to add that to other good fruits of friendship even to reprehend them for their faults though you doe not divulge them that so friendship may not be a mutuall infecting of one another but a mutuall healing So much for the Adullamite Iudahs friend now for Er and Onan Iudahs sonnes The first of them was so wicked a man that God in his justice would not let him live to staine that good family O let him be a a warning to all you children that you