respect of God man and her selfe For God shee is commended for her faith for the Author to the Hebrewes telleth us That by faith shee received strength to conceive seede and was delivered of a sonne when shee was past age because shee was perswaded that hee was faithfull which had promised where you see the nature of faith it is an acknowledging of Gods faithfullnesse a giving him the honour of his faith and setting to ones seale that God is true Faith causeth the minde of a man to submit it selfe to the Word of God and to be assured that hee can and will keepe promise for to the promise of God it looketh principally and this faith will cause a man to receive power from God to doe those things which otherwise of himselfe he wanted all power to doe This faith will make a weake man strong it will put fruitfullnesse into a barren wombe and life and strength into a dead body it will make a barren soule fruitfull in good workes and make the heart to conceive the Word so as to bring forth the fruit of good living whereto of it selfe it is as unable as a body past age is unapt to bring forth a childe Consider therefore whether you have gotten such a faith into your hearts as makes you fruitfull of good workes If we beleeve Gods promises faithfully it will sub-minister strength to produce all sorts of good workes which otherwise the heart of it selfe would never produce For he that beleeveth Gods promises shall obtaine strength from God to obey his holy Commandement and according to the strength of it to abound in good workes of all sorts Faith is a strong grace and puts a new power into the soule by which it shall be fit to doe good workes We have more largely discoursed of the nature of faith in the Example of Abraham who is also commended for faith Then Sarah in respect of Abraham her husband had two worthy vertues First shee obeyed Abraham her husband Secondly shee reverenced him and that in her heart and tongue too for shee called him Sir when shee thought of him in heart Her obedience shewed it selfe in a cheerefull forwardnesse to prepare things necessary to entertaine Angels that came unto her in the likenesse of men for it is said Abraham hasted into the Tent to Sarah and bad her quickly make ready three measures of fine flower and make cakes upon the hearth which shee did accordingly without grumbling or deferring Shee did not oppose her husband and demand husband you know not what these men be nor whence they come why should you make such care to prepare for them but without any more adoe at her husbands commandement shee gate all things ready according to his desire This is a commendable thing in a wife and is to be followed by all you godly women who would be counted daughters of Sarah if your husbands wish you to doe things honest and lawfull you must addresse your selves not to make your objections but to yeeld your cheerefull obedience according to S. Pauls commandement that saith Wives bee subject to your husbands in all things If any say that this was but a small matter I answer true but it is reported as it were a taste of her good disposition in this matter and a signe of her dutifull obedience the glory whereof the Holy Ghost giveth her more generally saying that shee obeyed her husband meaning constantly and generally shee submitted her selfe and was obedient Secondly it is noted of her that shee reverenced her husband which is also commanded to wives by S. Paul saying Let the wife see that shee feare her husband Loe it is earnestly charged upon women they must looke to it that they yeeld it Let the wife that is every wife see that is carefully looke to it and not make shifts or pretend excuses but see that shee doe it even feare her husband There is a double feare one which maketh one tremble and flie from the thing feared as hurtfull and mischievous so as men doe feare a Lyon or Beare to runne from him as fast as they can that hee may not teare us in pieces such a feare as this is not required Another feare is feare of offending wronging or grieving the person feared flying and shunning all such things as would displease him and make him conceive with dislike an irrespectivenesse of him This is the feare of the wife not to dare to displease her husband or anger him not so much least he should flie upon her with reproofes and blowes as least shee should be an instrument of griefe to one whom shee loveth and honoureth by her undutifullnesse and rudenesse And it must be noted that shee did so reverence him as to call him Lord. And how did shee call him Lord not in speaking to him or in speaking of him before others by whom it might be told him againe what shee had said but when shee thought of him or spake of him with the inward speech of her heart which none could relate againe but God who hath related this to her praise For that title shee gave him even in her inward cogitations when she said in her selfe at the hearing of the Angels promise that she should have a son Shall I have pleasure after I have waxed old my Lord being old also So the reverence of a good wife should be hearty and cause her when shee doth but thinke of her husband even then to give a title of due respect Wherefore to give rude and undecent termes to an husband such as would but become a Mistresse speaking to her bondman Ned Iacke Dick Tom Robbin is even a little too much familiarity in a wife favouring of some degree of contempt The ground of these two duties reverence and obedience is the image of God in the husband For he doth stand in Gods roome over her because as Christ is the Head of his Church so is the husband the wives head and the woman is the glory of the man meaning one that is made to bring some glory and honour to him Now by this fruit of Sarahs obedience which the Holy Ghost hath noted it is prooved that Sarah was huswifely in her house even as a woman that could stirre about in her family and looke to the dispatching of necessary affaires by her servants and them in her family For had shee beene a coy and nice or idle and sloathfull dame shee would neither have dressed meale nor kneaded it nor made cakes of it nor seene to the baking of them nor yet have followed her maid-servants and looked that they should have beene diligent in this businesse Further in respect of her sonne Isaac shee was a very loving Mother and nursed him with her owne breasts and thought it a duty for her so to doe for so it is noted of her that shee said by way of thankefull wondering at the benefit who would have said
it if you have it not yet get it if you have it labour to increase and nourish it by considering his great excellencie and great terriblenesse A third vertue Abraham had obedience that is his will was thoroughly subject to Gods will in all things so that he held this resolution within himselfe that whatsoever God bad him doe that he would doe for which God praised him saying because thou hast obeyed my voice and the Apostle saying he obeyed and went out Obedience is a resolution and indeavour to doe all that God bids because he bids Let us take some speciall acts of obedience wherein Abraham did crosse his reason and his affection and his credit and his profit and all to performe the will of God even therefore onely because God bad him whom he durst not out of feare and would not but out of love follow in all things First God gave him Commandement to leave his Countrey and Fathers house to goe out into a land which he should shew him A strong Commandement leave all thy kindred and goe into a Countrey thou knowest not whither but goe from place to place as I shall shew thee Here seemed no reason in this Commandement but Abraham obeyed it Gen. 12.1 Secondly when he came into the land of Canaan he did not build a Citie nor an house there but dwelt in tents as the Apostle noteth as a pilgrim and a stranger not having possession in it at all so much as a foot God gave him no place of abode but caused him to wander as himselfe telleth Gen. 20.13 This seemed an unhappy and unsetled life and flesh and bloud could not take content in such a kinde of living but because God injoyned Abraham so to live He submitted himselfe and did live so save that onely he bought a place to burie in as being still mindfull of his death A third heavie Commandement he received from God Gen. 17. 10. and 26. God made him to circumcise himselfe and all the males of his family and all that should after be borne when they were eight daies old and he made no question of it To circumcise was to cut off the top of the uppermost skinne of the secret part This seemed the foolishest thing in the world a matter of great reproach which would make him as it made his posterity after to seeme ridiculous to all the world It carried an appearance of much undecencie and shamefullnesse to cause all his servants to discover themselves unto him Much more might have beene alledged against this ordinance what good could it doe what was any man the better because he had wounded himselfe and put his body to that torment yet for all this Abraham disputed not objected not made no contrary allegations but presently the selfe same day tooke himselfe and his sonne Ishmael and all his servants in his house and circumcised them according to the commandement of Almighty God Yet a fourth commandement more tedious and contrary to reason and affection then all these which was of it selfe exceeding grievous in his sight as the Holy Ghost witnesseth that is the expulsion or excommunicating of his sonne Ishmael and of his mother Hagar yet when God commanded him to doe it Gen. 21.12 hee rose up the next morning betimes v. 14. and sent away both the mother and the sonne But last of all he obeyed a commandement that seemed to contradict nature and religion and Gods promise and his owne salvation and the salvation of all men and the truth and honour of God himselfe so that God was said to try him to the utmost in that commandement It was in sacrificing Isaac as the Spirit of God notâ—th Heb. 11. and Gen. 23. God bad him take Isaac and not instantly kill him in the place but goe three dayes journey and not knocke him on the head and there an end but offer him for sacrifice But what was this sonne the sonne of his old-age the sonne of his love which was so deare unto him yea the promised seede in whom it was said In Isaac shall thy seede be called and this sonne he offered after a most melting conference betwixt himselfe and Isaac his sonne all alone Here was an obedience incomparable and unparalable no man ever did the like except our Lord Jesus Christ who offered up himselfe which must needes be dearer to himselfe then Isaac was to Abraham So now marke the excellency of Abrahams obedience hee was obedient for the matter in hard and difficult things for the manner promptly and readily without gaine-saying speedily and presently without deferring and universally without excepting without picking and choosing If you be able to produce such obedience to justifie your faith that it may appeare your faith is a working faith then have you faith indeed and not in word alone but if your faith be not accompanied with an obedience of the same kind though not in the same degree whereby you are able to yeeld your selves to God resolving in all things readily and without delay or murmuring to yeeld unto him how are you obedient how have you faith such a faith as was Abrahams All therefore that say they beleeve as Abraham did but yet obey not as Abraham did yea are wilfull against Gods Commandements refusing to doe knowne duties and to leave knowne sinnes that will not circumcise the foreskin of their hearts nor leave their countrey and Fathers house nor cast out their Ishmaels nor offer up their Isaacs all such are beleevers alone in shew and not in deed Compare your selves with Abraham and if your obedience be not like his I say as before having the same ground extent and properties it is but a counterfeit faith whereof you boast and no true faith Therefore now be earnest with the living God to worke in you true subjection to him and to make you like Abraham his servant for God that wrought his heart to such flexiblenesse will and can performe the same for you Pray him to incline your hearts to his statutes beseech him to write his law in your hearts and to cause you to keepe his Commandements and judgements and doe them And if you find such an obedience though not so great yet that which hath the same ground and strives to attaine the same extent and properties then take comfort and be not afraid to call your selves sonnes and daughters of Abraham for Zacheus was the sonne of Abraham when leaving his greedinesse hee could make restitution and give to the poore Now a fourth vertue in Abraham was religiousnesse for it is said of him that hee built an Altar to God and that hee worshiped God and that he called on the name of God and that he payed tithe of all he had to Melchisedech and this is for our learning We must call upon God we must professe and practise true religion we must offer reall sacrifices on Christ the Altar we must also
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
it not to mee When the rich man refused to sell all and give to the poore upon an extraordinary command from him he lets him goe and admits him not to follow him nay by his words spoken immediately after it is as possible he excludeth him from Heaven for he must needs be understood of that rich man and such as he was Now if not giving of all upon an extraordinary occasion will shut a man out of the Kingdome then the not giving of some convenient quantity upon an ordinary occasion must needs procure the like punishment because the disobedience is equall in both cases The reason is first this is a flat disobedience to most expresse plaine and frequent Commandements There is scarce a duty of the second Table which God hath more plainely laid downe more often repeated more earnestly pressed then this of giving to the poore He therefore that liveth in perpetuall negligence of this dutie and either will not acknowledge it or will not practise it lives in a wilfull and constant rebellion against God Thinke not my Brethren that it sufficeth to proove a man upright if hee doe not live in a sinne of commission that is in the continuance and allowed doing of something forbidden by God Nay if he live in a sinne of omission i. e. in the continuall and allowed neglect of a duty commanded this is not to obey God in all things this shewes ones heart is not universally subject to God This prooveth that some vice hath dominion in him and that he loveth and respecteth something more then God which cannot stand with uprightnesse yea beloved this hypocrisie which is so much over-awed as it were by cleerenesse of knowledge that it scarce dares discover it selfe by taking boldnesse to commit sinnes of commission but knowes how to hold in with sinnes of omission and to give them allowance enough is so much the more dangerous by how much it is lesse discernable For hee seemeth to himselfe to have much to say for himselfe why this duty should not at this and this time binde him because no affirmative precept bindes to all times and so hee will shift it from himselfe in such manner as not to take notice that hee offendeth whence groweth the greatest perill of all Therefore know you that this unmercifullnesse to the poore as prooving that obedience is but partiall and so that the heart is not upright is sure a very great sinne But secondly it declareth that a man beleeveth not the promises of God and so that his faith is not unfained It is sure that as hee which obeyeth not all Gods Commandements obeyeth none so he that beleeveth not all his promises beleeveth none For if we submit to his truth because it is a perfect truth wee must grant that hee cannot lie nor be deceived in any thing and if wee build not our consenting to his words upon his truth that cannot be called faith at all Now God hath made so many so evident so full promises to those that are mercifull to the poore as no other duty almost can alledge for it selfe A promise throughly beleeved must needs produce obedience to the Commandement whereto it is annexed because every man is so truly desirous of his owne welfare that what hee doth stedfastly perswade himselfe will procure good unto him with the paines and cost for that hee will surely put himselfe to the paines and to the cost Hee theerefore that is not mercifull doth not beleeve these promises because hee doth not obey the Commandements to which they be joyned How then doth hee beleeve any other promise So we have prooved him by this argument to be voide of faith and is not that a great sinne which convinceth him to be void of faith in whom it is Further no man hath true charity that hath not a heart to confirme the hand of the poore for S. Iohn makes the conclusion thus Hee that loveth not his Brother whom hee hath seene how doth hee love God whom he hath not seene And hee doth but lie that saith hee loves a man unlesse he be ready to releeve him for S. Paul saith that love is bountifull wherefore S. Iohn is peremptory in this conconclusion saying He that hath this worlds goods and seeth his Brother hath neede and shutteth up his compassion against him how dwelleth the love God That therefore is a great offence which prooveth that a man hath either none or none but counterfeit charity I have shewed you what a grievous offence this is of the Sodomites afore I passe from it let mee shew unto you a necessary distinction of poore men Some are Gods poore as I may terme them some the Divels Gods poore are they whom his hand crossing them or some naturall meere indiscretion of their owne or abundance of charge want of worke or the like hath brought into and doth keepe in poverty The Divels poore are those whom idlenesse wastfullnesse and unthriftinesse doth make poore because either their hands refuse to labour or else they consume it all up superfluously when they have gotten it The former kinde of poore you ought to strengthen and the not strengthening of them is a sinne To strengthen the hands of the latter is to strengthen their sinne and therefore their hands must not be strengthened for S. Pauls Canon is against it He that will not labour shall not eate Now consider every man of himselfe may it not be justly said of you that you doe not strengthen the hands of the poore Are not a number of you in your owne consciences convinced or if you would not winke might bee convinced that you doe not strengthen the poore mans hands When have you with any willingnesse given to any poore man any reasonable quantity Yea how backward are a number of you to give any thing at all Here is such complaining amongst you of your being seised too much one and too much another that it is more then evident you have little will to part with your money to his purpose I know not what skill to use for the fastening of a reproofe upon a niggard I will not so much as strive to doe it therefore But I call upon each of your consciences to become a just and true Judge against you and to finde one your guiltinesse and to give you no quiet till it have made you confesse the fault and blame you for it But I call upon conscience in vaine I feare for the conscience of a niggard is alwaies a bad conscience so inthralled to the love of money that he will not want excuses to make himselfe thinke he need not do that duty by which he should lessen his heape But these excuses shall one day aggravate the sinne therefore whosoever is an offendor in neglecting this duty of strengthening the hands of the poore I pray you give your consciences leave to passe a right sentence upon you viz. that your faith love obedience
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
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
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
that concerne him in his life If godlinesse and religion be not of force to command us in this thing it cannot be conceived that we have any sound knowledge of it and if outward things sway us most here they have the soveraignty and dominion of our hearts Shew your selves spirituall in choice of yoke-fellowes if you will enjoy the comfort of being so in good earnest and in sincerity And if any have done otherwise O let them be much humbled it is a great fault an hazarding of ones selfe to destruction or of his children a signe that one doth not rightly know neither sinne or goodnesse if in this matter wickednesse cannot disgrace all other things and vertue over-ballance all other and therefore if God have made such a match very dismall and unhappie to any one and that they have found these things unable to give content and with these they have beene turned aside from the right way let them acknowledge the justice of God and turne the punishments into a meanes of unfained repentance for the sinne It is just with God to crosse mens false opinions of things and make them meete with wretchednesse where they did falsely and unwarrantably promise to themselves contentment as they doe most times in such kinde of ill made marriages If any good man have so transgressed he is now called to repentance for it by Gods hand crossing and Gods Word warning him Againe beware I pray you of the next sinne viz. unjustice and violence that is taking away the goods of others by strong hand whether by manifest violence or by violent wresting and abusing of law through strength of wit or purse or both To take away that from another by any manner of strength which is his in right that is violence God hath often in his Word spoken against this for the waters of the floud have not yet washed it out but it hath place in the world still Those that are stronger then others will wrench and pull and make a shift to tug all they can unto themselves though they have no right unto such things covetousnesse and greedy desires beget oppression to satisfie such an unsatisfiable desire David complaines Psal 55.9 that hee hath seene violence in the citie and Psal 11.5 Him that loves violence his soule hateth By violence men tread underfoot the light of nature and bury their reason in passion and under it It is the property of beasts to be lead by will and passion what they desire to have if they can possibly get it by any device or power they will have it rules of right they acknowledge none nor can acknowledge because they want reason which is the sole distinguisher betwixt right and wrong But man that hath reason which can set downe limits and bounds to every mans possessions and benefits should follow his reason and not take so much as his hand can reach and pull unto it selfe but alone that which he findes the rules of equity to give him He that doth otherwise doth infinitely trespasse upon Gods Royalty over the whole world for he doth not carrie himselfe in this great family according to the will of him that is the sole maker and master of it and so lives as if himselfe were Master and chiefe Lord and not bound to any rules but those of his owne will Violence therefore is a grievous sinne It will bring Gods curse and anger and hatred upon the committer A violent man is odious in the world and in Heaven too his love of himselfe makes him iâ—jurious to all and therefore also loathsome Flie violence therefore either of hand or head and take nothing but what in true right you can prove to be your owne and if you have gotten any thing by violence repent of it and rid your hands of it else the hand of God shall be heavie upon you for it he will bring your violence upon your owne pates And know I beseech you that as there be two sorts of violent beasts so of men You know there be Lions and Beares and Tigers and great creatures that prey upon the weaker as upon the Sheepe the Cowe c. and then there be little beasts too that prey upon the lesser as the Weezle on the Mouse and on Chickens and such like that be lesser then themselves So there be two sorts of violent men too the great and wealthie man and the poore and meaner man The one can beare out his violence openly and doth it in greater things The other doth it more closely and in lesser things but both will have what equity doth not give them by one or other shift or wile or act of his hand And truly as great wickednesse is found in poore men this way as in the wealthier He that is as bad as his place will suffer is as wicked a man as another that in higher place is more apparantly wicked Give the Weezle the fangs and limmes of a Lion hee will doe as much mischiefe as a Lion Therefore the poore robbing the poore is compared to a sweeping raine that leaveth no food and none more violent then these little violent ones when they can tell how to make way and beare out their violence will not you see it evidently in the boldnesse of the poorer sort to steale corne at this time of the yeare He that will pull a piece of ones sheafe from him if hee were a great Prince of name and power would pull his whole living from him Beware therefore of those unjust waies of getting which are under your hands and in your powers incident to your places repent of them shun them and forbeare them for conscience sake that you may not provoke Gods wrath against you Further the men of this time were extreamely worldly as our Lord Jesus noteth they sold over themselves to the world and cared not for Noahs preaching nor for any thing that might concerne their soules but sold over themselves to earthly dealing as you reade in Luke 17.26 27. O be not many of you such are not your hearts fully possessed with all earthlinesse Doe not you set your selves altogether to the things of this life with the meere neglect of that which concernes a better Surely those that doe so are in heart Atheists they doe not thoroughly beleeve that immortality of the soule nor the being of another world For were every mans heart fully perswaded that his soule should continue for ever in another world either in eternall weale or woe it were not possible for him not to consider of the estate to come as well as of the state present if we did as well know and beleeve that there is an Hell and Heaven as that there is an earth and in it misery and welfare we could not but be as studious to get the future happinesse and escape the future misery as the present I pray you therefore strive against that sinne of the old World viz. giving up your selves
The most probable opinion is as I thinke that because he was a Preacher of righteousnesse and did more largely and plainely denounce Gods wrath against sinners and his blessing to the godly for a Preacher of righteousnesse must needs doe both these things therefore he gave much refreshing to the soules of the godly and made all their labours easie Even as now if Gods people have a painefull Minister amongst them that ceaseth not to acquaint them with Gods mercy and justice and to revive the remembrance of Heaven and all the Promises in their hearts they live much more comfortably then any outward thing without this helpe could make them to live So it was in those times also with those godly Patriarkes Againe as it would be a great comfort to good men now if any man were sent by God to assure them of the last day of judgement for they would even lift up their heads and rejoyce so Noah in telling of the floud which to that world was a kinde of judgement-day did greatly solace the spirits of the good against all their sorrowes Now this Noah was the sonne of Lamech the sonne of Methuselah in the 1056. yeare of the world He was the tenth after Adam inclusively borne after Adams and Seths death and Henochs translation and lived to see the death of Enos Kainan Mahalaleel Iared Methuselah and Lamech This is all we have to say of his Birth or entrance into the world Now concerning his life I pray you consider foure things 1. His goodnesse 2. His bad deeds 3. The sorrowes and miseries he met with 4. The benefits God gave him And let us make use of all as we goe along and so come to his death last of all First for his goodnesse it is set forth in the Scripture generally and particularly In generall these three things are affirmed of him Gen. 6.9 He was a just man and upright or perfect and walked with God Before it is affirmed of Henoch that hee walked with God and the Scripture told us also of Abel that hee obtained a divine testimony that hee also was just and Iob is said to have beene a perfect man yea it is added by way of amplification to his goodnesse that hee was a just man and perfect in his generations that is in his owne time in those most sinfull daies when all were naught Noah was good when all had corrupted their waies he was sincere and upright in his waies For this is the truest commendation of vertue when it keepes a man unspotted of those evils which are every where practised in the world Let us now request you to consider of your selves every man whether he be a Noah Surely none but Noahs shall be admitted into the Arke and escape the waves of destruction none but Noahs shall finde favour with God and be delivered from eternall death Whosoever cannot approve himselfe to be such a one as this good man let him never dreame of comming to Heaven But who is a just man who a perfect who walketh with God I answer A just man is first he that renounceth his owne justice which is of the Law and imbraceth the righteousnesse of faith even the righteousnesse which is of God by faith relying wholy upon the merits of Christ and Gods mercy in Christ for pardon of his offences and acceptation of himselfe and his indeavours to salvation The Scripture witnesseth that Noah was an heire of this righteousnesse Heb. 11.7 And this is that that must be first found in every man He must see and confesse his owne unrighteousnesse and utterly disclaime his owne righteousnesse as knowing that it is no better then a menstruous rag in respect of his justification Doe you this my Brethren Are you made to see your selves grievous sinners such as in your selves must needs be damned and cannot possibly bee saved by the worth and merit of your owne goodnesse Secondly a righteous man must stay rest depend on beleeve in the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ labouring to build up in his own heart a particular perswasion and assurance that the Lord of Heaven will accept him as perfectly righteous in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ his Sonne and that alone for so was Abraham made partaker of that blessednesse which stood in the imputing unto him of righteousnesse without workes and Abraham is the Father of the faithfull as he was justified so must all we be justified and no otherwise See into your selves doe you rely upon our blessed Saviour the Lord Jesus for pardon of your sinnes or doe you waver from him or stay upon any other besides him Lastly a righteous man must himselfe also worke righteousnesse and give himselfe to be a servant of righteousnesse that is to say he must resolve and indeavour to leave every sinne by Gods Word condemned and to doe every duty by Gods Word commanded and that also for Gods sake with reference to him and out of a desire to please him that is to keepe his favour This is a righteous man He strives in all things to please God according to his Word but finding his defects bewailes them and resteth alone on Gods goodnesse in Christ for pardon and salvation If you be such then are you Noahs indeed and shall surely bee saved if not you bee but dissemblers and no shew of religion shall save you from destruction Therefore all of you that are not such I pray you feele your unhappinesse you are not good enough to goe to Heaven yet whatsoever you have imagined of your selves Therefore also now seeke to be such begin with lamenting your unrighteousnesse before God and craving pardon and helpe and so proceed to pray for and indeavour after all the things before prescribed Be the better for Noahs example Let not this story be preached unto you in vaine you know Noah was one whom God loved whom God hath saved study to be such as Noah What riches he had the Scripture takes no notice of but righteous he was studie you to be such and be happier then all riches can make you And especially I pray you labour to follow Noah in this onething to be good in your generations in those things I meane wherein your present times take generall liberty to be nought that so you as Noah may at once glorifie God and condemne the world What evill things all doe commit those doe you forbeare what good things all doe neglect those be you more carefull to performe Many things are growne into common fashion swearing pride in apparell formality in religion covetousnesse monstrous fashions mishapen long haire O be yee in these things carefull to avoid the corruption which is in the world Many good things are growne quite out of all fashion almost constant reading Gods Word holy conference keeping a treasure or purse for God in your houses meditation of Gods Word and carefull sanctifying of the Lords day O strive to performe these duties He
of them bethought himselfe of making an Arke but this fellow hath gotten some new revelation and hee is a building a huge thing like a Chest almost so long c. So you think the man is not in his right wittes Bretheren you easily perswade your selves that this good man was laden with these scoffes and the like behind his backe and like also before his face and to his very teeth For wicked wittes will never cease gybing at those good things that crosse their sence and reason Yet Noah obeyed went on built the Arke that is was obedient to God in a thing that made him ridiculous to the world So will true Faith do it will make a man obey the Lord in those actions by which hee shall make himselfe a derision to all men almost and more then a derision a prey and spoile too The Obedience of Faith is such an Obedience as will make all men to be at Gods becke in acts of that nature as will cause him to be blamed and despised of all the world as we see in Abraham in Moses and in all those almost that are reckoned up in the 11. of the Heb. Because it makes a man firmely and stedfastly to apprehend greater good things and greater evill then those that are seene and so those visible ones do not sway him and rule on him for hee that sees a greater danger or evill will easily cast himselfe upon a farre lesse to shun the greater so contrarily a good thing And so much for Noahs goodnesse before the floud Now see in and after the floud how he carried himselfe Hee entred into the Arke as God bad him and committed himselfe to Gods protection trusting on him for safety Here was no mast oare rudder canvasse or marriners to steere and guide this vessell a wonder it was that the billowes did not cast it over and over that they did not breake the barres by their continued rage and that it had not perished with all its burden But in went Noah taking all the Beasts with him assuring himselfe to be safe for so God had told Here is an excellent act of faith even to use Gods meanes of attaining the good things promised and there rest himselfe without any further carking and perplexity of mind This was the act of Noahs faith all the floud time hee heard it raine as if Heaven and Earth would come together he perceived the cloudes to be in a fury with the sonnes of men the waters raged and roared and through the windowes hee might see how all was changed into a Sea yet there he kept himselfe quiet and made account that himselfe and his houshold should do well enough in all this confusion of nature Hee had Beares Lions Tigers Wolves and all manner of devouring beasts within the Arke hee was never a whit afraid of such neighbours but rested himselfe peaceably upon Gods promises O Beloved that we could do so for our soules for our estates for every thing use Gods meanes and then promise our selves the wished effect and trouble our selves with no further feare and dismayednesse as S. Peter saith doing well and not being dismayed with any feare O how happy would our lives be in the midst of a deluge of dangers if we could thus enter into our closets as it were and shut the doore I meane use Gods meanes and rest on him Againe Noah continued in the Arke till God bad him come out hee perceived the waters to cease raging hee discovered the tops of the mountaines hee sends out the discoverers the Raven and the Dove and learnes by them great abatement and he sees with his eyes all day when he had removed the top of the Arke yet hee stirres not out till God bad him goe out who had bidden him goe in So must you do my Bretheren you must tarry in the Arke as it were so long as God sees fit and not make hast out of it of your owne heads Be so long in affliction as God will have you goe not out till hee leade you out you may wish the time of deliverance and send out the Raven and the Dove use the best meanes you can to helpe your selves especially by prayers to God and you may remove the covering of the Arke you may looke round about by faith and with joy see your deliverance comming forward but keepe this as a certaine conclusion not to stirre out of any estate though never so troublesome till you have good warrant from God going before and guiding you Now at last see what good Noah did after the floud hee built an Altar to God and offered sacrifice in thankes for his deliverance and in a desire to frame his houshold to true piety and to establish the worship of God amongst them O let each of us learne carefully to acknowledge Gods goodnesse in great deliverances and to offer him the sacrifice of praise if hee have safe guarded us from the raging flouds of adversity and calamity And let us be carefull to establish and set up the worship of God in our families and amongst our people publikely and privately every way Build Gods altar offer Gods sacrifices I meane exercise Gods religious worship pray heare read meditate come to the Sacraments set not Gods ordinances at variance Doe not picke quarrells with anyone of them exalt not one to depresse another let them all goe together in their times and especially performe the true meaning of these sacrifices Offer up the sacrifice of Christ in a perpetuall renewing of the memoriall thereof in your soules to God and renewing of your faith in it offer up the sacrifice of a contrite spirit and broken heart sighing daily for daily sinnes and infirmities offer the sacrifice of earnest prayers for all good things and of hearty praises for what wee have received already and offer up your selves to God by him to be sanctified to doe him faithfull service in all holy obedience to all his holy lawes Be truely heartily uprightly religious and devoute in your whole lives But next Noah planted a vineyard hee fell to husbandry for my part J doubt not but that God had made vines from the first and that though wee heare of no vineyard yet there might have beene store of them But howsoever Noah set himselfe to his calling to husbandry O let us every man follow him and give himselfe to his husbandry and his vineyard the tradesmans trade is his vineyard every mans calling is his vineyard be like Noah fall to planting and dressing this vine Abhorre idlenesse have some vineyard O how miserable is hee that hath nothing to do O how unhappy a thing is it to be in the world as a cipher in Arithmeticke But lastly Noah is a faithfull Prophet and pronounceth Gods curse even against his owne sonnes herein he becomes to us a patterne of fidelity in the calling of a Minister even to denounce all things that God puts into our mouthes against all
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
told Abraham in her hearing that he should have a sonne by her at the time of life shee laughed at the promise of God as at a thing ridiculous and impossible saying After I am old shall I have pleasure and my Lord being old also for the Scripture saith Shee was old and it ceased to be with her after the manner of women See how when God promised a thing in nature and reason utterly impossible shee so farre forgat the Omnipotent power of God as to think sure it could never come to passe though God had promised it and the Angell reprooved her saying Shall any thing be impossible with God Thus the people of God doe sometimes stagger at the promise of God through unbeleefe when God saith one thing and reason saith the contrary they consult with flesh and bloud and credit their owne reason above the authority of God which speaketh to them This is a great fault and tendeth much to the dishonour of God as if his power were limited by the rules of reason or by the course of nature and did not exceede our reason and stand quite above the power of nature Wee must see this sinne in our selves labouring to be humbled at it but not discouraged for this weakenesse of faith may well stand with the truth of faith not he hath no faith at all who is many times troubled with doubting but he which yeelds to it and is overcome by it Wee must also strive to waxe strong in faith by putting our selves in minde of Gods Omnipotency and faithfullnesse as Sarah did at length for the Apostle witnesseth that shee judged him faithfull which had promised and those promises which we must labour stedfastly to beleeve are the promises of God to pardon our sinnes and write his Law in our hearts and to make us able to walke in his waies and crowne us at last with life and glory nonwithstanding our sinnes and imperfections Though the performance of these promises seeme to us as impossible as that a dry woman should be a mother yet we must labour to rest upon them because of the fidelity of him that hath promised to perfect his power in our weakenesse Another fault of Sarahs was this that once shee forgat her selfe to her husband and was full of anger and discontent wrongfully charging him to take her maides part against her saying My wrong he on thee for I have given my maide into thy bosome and now I am despised in her sight It was true that Hagar did sleight her too much but that Abraham was guilty of this fault by bearing out Hagar in it that was altogether false as his answer prooveth plainely for hee saith thy maide is in thine hand doe with her what thou wilt So Sarahs anger made her use false accusations against her husband Be humbled yee wives if you have chafed with your husbands and carried your selves injuriously towards them in words Sarah did this but she did it not oft it was this one time alone so farre as we read in other things shee behaved her selfe meekely and reverently O looke to your selves that you offend not continually in that thing wherein this good woman offended once alone and no more for this once was even too much keepe downe anger therefore and let it not breake out against your husbands And you husbands learne though your wives doe transgresse sometimes not to be harsh with them againe but heale their errours with the spirit of meekenesse as Abraham also did Shee must blame her selfe but shee may bee indued with grace for all this But another weakenesse of Sarah is that shee was somewhat too rough with Hagar insomuch that Hagar could not indure it for if shee was so violent in words with Abraham what doe you thinke her carriage was to the maide yea shee was something too earnest against Ishmael and her too when nothing would serve her but that she must have them both together cast out of doores For though God bad Abraham doe according to her words it followeth not thence that she was not overpassionate in it God for a misterie would have it done and yet Sarah might offend in doing it So good people are apt to be overharsh to them that wrong them and exercise too much bitternesse against them Another fault of Sarahs was that shee dissembled at her husbands request and that two severall times saying shee was his sister and so saying it that those to whom shee spake might thinke shee was none of his wife for that was the intention both of Abraham and Sarah It is a weakenesse in wives sometimes to be led by their husbands to doe that that is evill and to joyne with them in sinne Here Sarah hazarded her chastitie to content her husband to satisfie his feares she was like to have brought her selfe and others into a fearefull sinne This fault must be reformed by good wives amongst others and they must resolve not to sinne against God for their husbands sakes fearing his displeasure more then the danger of their husbands or their anger Indeede in laying nay to such motions of their husbands they must use reverence and do it in a calme and quiet manner but refuse they must being warned by the example of Sarah Sarahs last fault was that shee denied her laughter to the Angell when shee had sinned in laughing To lye in a passion for feare of blame denying that one hath done a thing which indeed one hath done that so one may escape reprehension or correction is a sinne to which mans nature is very subject springing from the want of the feare of God and from an excessive carnall love to ones selfe and desire of his owne temporall safety This fault you may reade Gen. 18.15 Reade it not to doe the like but to amend it and to be moved to repent of it if you have committed it Now then let us reflect upon our selves and consider of our owne carriage both to condemne the like faults in our selves and to beare with them in others without bitter censuring and so we shall profit by the knowledge of their evill deedes Now let us consider the benefits that Sarah enjoyed Shee had all those common benefits of health and strength and the like which God doth usually bestow upon all men but besides she enjoyed excellent benefits The first that God gave her faith and saving grace pardoned and passed by her offences and sanctified her and hath saved her soule notwithstanding her faults This is the mercy of mercies that God pleaseth to sanctifie and pardon and save a man for if he be sanctified he is pardoned and shall be saved what profit hath any one of other things if he want this and so be damned for ever after a little content enjoyed here Let us therefore labour to finde this goodnesse of God to us let us humbly pray him that made Sarah godly to make us so
doth send them upon men in favour to prevent divers sinnes which else hee knowes they would have committed in that time if health had continued Let us not murmure against GOD because of such crosses but rather take notice of his goodnesse in the same especially in point of sicknesse if it linger upon us and thinke thus with our selves how many sinnes might I have runne into if this bodily feeblenesse had not kept mee within dores And when wee bee sicke or otherwise affected let us turne our thoughts round about us to finde out if any such thing be some sinne that wee should have runne into but for such prevention See if thine heart have not harboured some unconsidered fault and further the health of your bodies by turning sicknesse into purging physicke for your soules So have we finished the example of this King Somewhat about that time there lived foure Kings whose names are recorded in holy Writ but nothing at all for their praise Their names were 1. Amraphel King of Shinar that is as it is thought of Chaldea or Babilon where it may seeme that Nimrod erected a Monarchie and it may bee that this man was some successor of his or one of his Posterity and would needes inlarge his Monarchie so farre as the land of Canaan with whom was joyned Amoch King of Elkasar Chedarlomer King of Elam and one Tydall King of Nations What these Kings were or whether mentioned in Heathen Stories or not it matters not to enquire But here they are patternes of unjust violence in Warre They had the keener swords and therefore would make themselves Lords over other Kings and compell them by brunt of Warre to receive their yoke and acknowledge some Homage Nothing more usuall then for potent Kings to make at least unnecessary Warres for their growth in greatnesse many times they doe not so much as alleadge a shew of title but their owne ambition is the ground of their plea and sometimes they pretend most frivolous titles So doe they disquiet themselves and others and cause much innocent bloud to bee shed almost inforcing their Subjects to become wilfull murderers Wee must blesse God that hath caused us to live now a good time under peaceable Princes and must inforce our prayers to God begging the like mercy still The Conquering side is often more miserable by sinning then the conquered by slaughter or captivity But God doth use these great Cockes of the game as instruments of his Justice to punish the naughtinesse of those that abuse peace and become more wicked by so great a benefit Let us learne to take heede of wickednesse that the God of Heaven may not also make us a prey to violence and ambition And though you bee not Kings to whom I speake yet I pray you take heed that you runne not into the same fault that these Kings though not in so high a degree use not injustice and injuriousnesse and violence so much as your lower places will suffer a Weesell is a ravenous beast as well as a Lion But the maine sinne that these committed and which brought upon them their ruine was this that they would needs take Lot among the Sodomites Suppose the Sodomites did owe them Homage and gave just cause of quarrell yet was Lot no Sodomite nor Patron of their rebellion They should have spared him that never had beene their subject nor done them any wrong at all Indeed if Lot had gone to Warre against them and involved himselfe in the Sodomites evill cause if their cause were evill hee was justly taken captive with them but the briefe narration seemeth rather to intimate otherwise Chap. 14. verse 11 12. They tooke the substance of Sodome and their victuals and went their way and they tooke Lot also and his substance for hee dwelt in Sodome intimating as I said that hee was taken not in the battell but in the spoiling of the City afterward but you see what is the manner of insulting conquerours they sweepe away all they meete and every thing and person shall bee good bootie that lies within their reach but they smart for this spoile for hence was Abraham justly occasioned to put forth his courage for the reskue of his Kinsman and so were they deprived of the whole victory because they spared not a man whom they should have spared It often falleth out that one act of injustice looseth much that otherwise was justly gotten Beware of swallowing ill gotten wealth it hath a poysonfull operation and like some such evill simple in the stomacke will bring up the good foode together with ill humours It is said the King of Sodome had rebelled so intimating a kinde of justification of the Warre with him but it is not said that Lot had rebelled and therefore they should not have seized on him for the Sodomites sake Use justice and take nothing from any man that is due unto him neither punish any without right chiefely touch not a good man that feareth GOD unlesse his faults require that hee bee made to smart for them GOD can beare the carrying away Captive of many Sodomites rather then of one Lot Now consider how God humbleth these great and insolent Conquerours that carried all before them hee armes Abraham against them with so much wisedome and valour that hee sets upon them by night and discomfits them afore they could well tell who it was that fought with them So it falleth out often that God doth beate farre greater armies by the farre fewer Hee that feareth God and hath a just cause neede never bee discouraged from battell because his companies are but few The God of Warre whom the Scripture cals a man of Warre carries victory to that side where hee pleaseth to joyne and tell mee if hee have not most times given the greatest victories to his servants when their enemies power was such as farre surpassed theirs Some trust in bow and speare but hee that maketh mention of the name of God he is in best possibility to become a victor Take heed of making God your enemy that maketh one man to chase ten and ten to flie before one * ⎠* THE FOVRTEENTH EXAMPLE OF The Sodomites WEE are come along in Abrahams time to the Sodomites Concerning whom the Holy Ghost found nothing so much as like to any vertue which might be commended or imitated in them unlesse perhaps it may have a little relish of vertue that the King of Sodome after Abrahams victory over the foure Kings Gen 14.17 21. went out to meete Abraham and willed him to give unto him the persons and take the goods for a booty to his owne use There may seeme to be a small shadow of gratitude in that hee was willing that Abraham should enjoy the spoile but if wee consider the matter better this will shew it selfe to be rather a vice for first hee doth not so much as thanke Abraham for his hazard and paines in fighting with those
to be a fearefull offence the hatred of which must needs arise from the feare of God It is blamed in an Heathen Nation Ier. 48.29 Wee have heard of the pride of Moab he is exceeding proud his loftinesse arrogancie and pride and the haughtinesse of his heart The Prophet saith of the Iewes too Chap. 13.13 that hee will weepe in secret places for their pride And our Saviour reckoning up that abhominable litter and broode of sinnes which have their originall in mans heart that is his corrupt inward disposition amongst the rest nameth pride Marke 7.22 And how much God hateth this vice is evident by the threats which in his Word he hath thundred against it S. Peter saith â— Epist Chap. 5.5 God resisteth the proud hee sets himselfe against him as in an armie ordered for the battell he is alwaies in the field as it were with his troopes ranked and ready to give the onset and take every advantage of doing him mischiefe Salomon saith Prov. 11.2 When pride commeth then commeth a fall a man is apt to runne into most shamefull faults and so to bring upon himselfe the greatest of all reproaches when once hee giveth pride the possession of his heart and after Prov. 16.28 Pride goes before destruction This sinne is a necessary forerunner of ruine it is an Harbenger to note our a lodging place for misery and calamity and Chap. 29.23 A mans pride shall bring him low truly low enough even as low as hell it selfe for must it not needes cast him low and low that maketh God his utter enemy It must be a loathsome vice if wee consider the causes whence it comes and the fruits which it produceth The roote of it is nothing but ignorance or follie or both Ignorance is the not knowing of what one should know Folly the not usefull considering of what one doth know and were not the heart made starke blinde with one or both of these vices it could never rush into pride For so meane is a man in his very Creation that he comes of dust and nothing and in his sinfull corruption now much more meane when he is of his Father the Divell as the Scripture saith nothing but the spawne of Hell and a very bastard mis-begotten by the Prince of darkenesse and subject to so many miseries here and to such a weight of eternall misery hereafter that if he were duely informed of this basenesse and did rightly beleeve it and consider of it hee could not possibly be puffed up with a good conceit of himselfe But his high fancies are ever strong and working in him when his heart is so filled up with darkenesse and blindnesse that either he doth not at all or not certainely know these things A drunken beggar will carry himselfe like some Emperour and he cares for no man because he hath not the wit to take notice of his owne basenesse So it is with the proud man so very a foole hee is that hee cannot instruct himselfe of his owne contemptiblenesse and therefore he is apt to be lifted up in himselfe now folly and ignorance be so vile things themselves that no naturall issue of them can choose but be like themselves even sinfull and wicked Againe the effects of it are exceeding hurtfull the punishments it causeth the Lord to lay upon men are great as you heard before he is a professed enemy to him hee hath threatned to pull him downe Hee that exalteth himselfe shall be abased God will marre the pride of men and staine their excellencie and he plagues them often in their bodies and states by giving them up to such absurd carriages as doe pull ruine upon themselves and alwaies in their soules by giving them up to the hardnesse of their hearts so that they be of all the most impenitent and irreformable and therefore it is said that when God will convert a man he covers his pride by chastisements and when Ieremy chargeth the people to amend and give glory to God before his judgements come upon them hee saith if you will not heare my soule shall weepe in secret for your pride noting that this filthy pride doth even stop up the eares against all wholesome advertisements O how fearefull a vice is that which cuts off the way to all amendment by turning away the eare from receiving instruction the principall instrument of working amendment But it produceth many sinfull carriages in all respects First in respect of all persons Secondly of all states Thirdly of all qualities For persons it makes him in whom it ruleth and so farre as it ruleth rebellious against Gods precepts carelesse of his promises and regardlesse of his threats so that hee despiseth and contemneth all the authority of God and will not be guided by his counsell Caine was a proud man you all know hee would never else have killed his Brother on that quarrell whereof you heard Now when God himselfe came to admonish him and disswade him from that murder it was all in vaine hee would not hearken to God but continued to harbour malice till it brake forth into bloudshed In respect of men for ones selfe it makes him selfe-ish all for himselfe not regarding who be hurt so himselfe be pleased selfe-willed and heady so that no counsell will rule but hee will head strongly like a madded beast runne on in his owne race as the Captaines that came to Ieremy for counsell because they were proud men and as the Scripture notes would not accept of his counsell And it fills him full alwaies of discontent fretting and vexation nothing no person can please him he is still finding faults just like one that hath a swelling upon his hand something or other toucheth it still and drives him to out-cries And for others towards his superiours he is undutifull and will not heed their words nor be ruled by them He thinkes himselfe too good to receive their correction or reproofes or chastisements and growes worse rather then better For his inferiours he is likely tyrannicall and Lionlike and cares not how he disgraceth and wrongeth and over-punisheth them rating and striking and laying about him even for nothing or as good as nothing For those that are more prosperous then himselfe and excell him in any thing he is ever envious and spitefull and malignes them for it For those that are below him he is scornefull and disdainefull and insolent in deriding and sleighting them for his equals hee is arrogant and insolent too still lifting himselfe above them and preferring himselfe before them If he meete with men in a good estate he grudgeth at them if with miserable men he scornes them and passeth by them pittilesly if not scoffingly And towards all in generall he is contentious and froward ready to picke and prosecute quarrells to make the worst of every thing and to take all with the left hand ready to work in proud wrath quickly angry and apt to vent his anger in lofty and
is a Spirit of prayer and a man carelesse of praying to God doth not trust in God but in himselfe doth not acknowledge his providence nor live by faith in him Let mee quicken you to this duty follow Isaac call on the name of God intreate God for your selves your wives your children the Church the Common-weale all Saints I say recommend all persons and all things to God by servent prayer that he may give you his blessing and all things may be sanctified to you doe this duty daily and constantly We must attaine sprituall strength every day from the workes of the day by daily prayer as we attaine naturall strength daily by the foode of the day Pray well and live well pray ill and live ill By this we have fellowship with God by this we become acquainted with him and make him as it were acquainted with us by this we are made like unto him and draw grace from him and are more and more translated into his image O resolve to be constant in this service and let no temptation of Satan drive you from it or interrupt you in it let no backwardnesse of the flesh cause you to omit it but doe it so well as you be able and whatsoever objections arise breake thorough the same and tell your selves I will doe it heard or not heard accepted or not accepted whatsoever I be what sins soever I shall have I will continue to call on the name of the Lord I will doe my duty let me speede as pleaseth the Lord. Againe it is noted of Isaac Gen. 24.63 that he went out into the field to meditate in the evening This also is an excellent service of God wee are commanded to meditate on Gods Law continually and to meditate on all his wondrous workes For the circumstances of time place manner every man is left to his owne choice but the substance of the duty must be done We must meditate we must exercise our selves in the serious considerations of Gods Word and workes that wee may raise our selves to a fuller knowledge of them and cause our wills and affections to be more subject unto our knowledge Meditation is that which maketh all truths profitable to us without this our knowledge will be but speculative and talking 't will not be practicall and effectuall without this we shall finde no more benefit by our knowledge then by meate undigested that cannot yeeld good nourishment to the body This must increase our knowledge and improove it this must bring it downe from the head unto the heart and so into the life Consider what I say saith S. Paul to Timothy and in other places hee that will a little withdraw himselfe from all other businesses and give himselfe to muse of holy things and take notice of the truth and certainety of them and so confirme his faith in them and then labour with himselfe to be affected with them and draw from them firme and stable resolutions for the well ordering of his life shall finde more progresse in one moneth in the life of godlinesse then he that without meditating doth barely reade and heare for many yeares together you must cover the spiritual seede with earth you must binde the Word to the tables of your hearts you must hide the Word in your hearts If you be slacke and carelesse of this duty your growth in grace will proove exceeding slender Imitate Isaac in this service I know not how a man should come to any stedfast knowledge of his sincerity if he be not one that meditateth on Gods Law So many as are guilty of utter omitting this duty let them bewaile and confesse this sinne of omission and now learne all that would build up themselves in godlinesse to be constant in it Be not discouraged at your imperfections and manifold distractions and great aversenesse All things of this nature are most difficult at the first who reades well at the first going to schoole who writes well at the first setting of pen to paper It is exercise that must perfect our abilities in all such things begin and continue and be not out of heart for failings which the Lord will easily and gratiously passe by and you shall finde the thing more and more easie and more and more comfortable Another particular thing in Isaac was that he was one which feared God his heart stood in awe of God he durst not offend nor crosse him nor oppose himselfe unto his good pleasure So it is noted Gen. 27.33 that when he had unwittingly blessed Iacob and Esau came in after him he feared exceedingly and would not reverse that blessing but said I have blessed him and he shall be blessed and therefore Gen. 31.53 Iacob sweareth by the feare of his Father Isaac that is that God whom his Father feared as in his whole life so especially at that time when he had newly blessed him Isaac calling to minde that God had given the blessing to Iacob saying the elder shall serve the younger and that he had carelesly and fondly gone about to transferre the blessing to Esau out of his carnall indulgence unto him because he was the elder was much afraid to think what a sin he had committed against God and so was restrained from being bold to persist in that carnall purpose but submitting his will to Gods he ratifies that blessing which he had ignorantly pronounced therefore it is said Heb. 11.20 that by faith he blessed Esau and Jacob as concerning things to come It was faith that wrought this feare in him and made him resolute in the blessing given to Iacob the story of this feare you see Gen. 27.33 he trembled exceedingly So it is a good thing to have such an high and reverent esteeme of Gods greatnesse as to make us even tremble very much when we perceive wee have offended him in going about to doe things contrary to his will as Isaac had in attempting to blesse Esau which now hee bethought himselfe of when God had unwittingly directed the blessing to Iacob which himselfe intended to misplace This is a proofe of a soft and tender heart and of an heart uprightly disposed to serve God It is a fruit of a good conscience to check us for sin and stirre up feare in us when we have done amisse so as to stop us from proceeding in our sinnes Demand of your selves have you this feare in your hearts if you have not where is any other grace for it is the beginning of wisdome and without it no grace can grow no corruption can be truly subdued If you have it be thankfull for it and labour to grow in it and to set it on worke more and more particularly as just occasion is ministred If you have sinned if you be about to sinne labour to feare and so to fulfill and worke out your salvation in feare and trembling The Lord our God is a great God and a consuming fire and if we finde our selves to
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
sinned surely in forgetting himselfe so farre as to resolve in his minde to blesse his sonne Esau whereas God had said the elder shall serve the younger He should have beene mindfull of that propheticall answer which was given concerning those two sonnes even when they strove in their Mothers wombes unlesse wee shall say that the whole passage was so carried as it was concealed from Isaac but that is nothing probable it can hardly be conceived that Rebekah would not acquaint her husband both that shee felt so strange a striving in her wombe which made her seeke to God to know the matter as also what answer shee received from God Taking that for granted which is so probable that there is no reason to doubt of it I say wee may note a fault in good Isaac yea good old Isaac hee forgate the Word of God which had beene spoken some yeares before and that so utterly as hee determined to have crossed it and gone directly against it It is a fault from which the bed men alive are not exempted even so to forget Gods Word as to be ready out of forgetfullnesse to transgresse it This forgetfullnesse ariseth many times from heedelesnesse and many times from continuance and length of time and sometimes from very strength of passion and distemper which doth cast out the remembrance of good things from the minde David and all the Priests had forgotten that which at least some of them had read concerning the not carting of Gods Arke but carrying it upon the Priests shoulders Iacob after had little lesse then forgate the vow hee made unto God in his affliction I pray you take heed of such forgetfullnesse meditate often that you may remember seasonably pray God to write his Lawes in your hearts and to make his holy Spirit to become your remembrancer that your knowledge be not made unprofitable through forgetfullnesse for that which is not fitly called to minde is in a manner as if it were not And if you meete with such a weakenesse as this in your selves looke that you be duely abased in the sight of it but be not out of heart as if you were destitute of all grace because you are imperfect in it but take comfort to seeke and hope for pardon upon your humble confession when the Lord pleaseth to put you in remembrance againe If Peter had remembred Christs words before hee might perhaps have escaped his great sinne of denying his Master but hee remembred it after to make him weepe bitterly It were a comfortable thing to call to minde those things that should preserve us from sinne so timely that we might be so preserved by them But if wee have done otherwise it behooveth us to put our selves in minde of them after to worke godly sorrow and then turning to God wee must not suffer our selves to doubt but that hee will vouchsafe to accept us Now Isaac offended something against men In respect of his two sonnes at first he loved Esau better then Iacob and that for carnall respects because Esau by his hunting supplied him with such kinde of meate as was contentfull to him It was without doubt a weakenesse in him and deserveth taxing Should Isaac beare favour to a gracelesse sonne for venisons sake rather then to a godly sonne for vertue sake Should our passions fancies appetites carrie us away and over-rule our affections Surely as David wished those that feared God to come unto him and he would choose them for his companions so should every man make godlinesse the rule of his affections so as when other things be even to give piety the preheminence and cause godlinesse to cast the scale as it were It is a fault in any man to love a worse childe above a better for any sinister respect Abraham loved not Ishmael above Isaac to prevent that it may be thought that God commanded Ishmael to be cast out that hee might not be thought a meete person at least to partake with Isaac in his inheritance And as to be carried away in our affections to children by affecting them most that deserve it least in carnall respects is a sinne so likewise towards other persons also servants neighbours or any other Therefore hee that hath done so or findes himselfe so inclined must be humbled in his folly and labour at last to rectifie his love as wee shew'd you before that Isaac did when God discovered his weakenesse to him Now in respect of Abimelech Isaac offended by lying out of feare when the men of Gerar began to question with him about his wife he began to suspect that they meant no good in such inquirie and fearing some ill usage from them if hee should have professed himselfe her husband helped the matter with a sudden lie and said shee was his Sister Gen. 26.7 you see hee inheriteth here his Fathers carnall feare and carnall shift of lying to prevent the evill feared Here wee have two plaine faults his immoderate feare and his lying to helpe himselfe at a pinch to be afraid of death so that there appeare some likelihood that it will come upon us suddenly and violently we suffer our selves to be drawne into sinne for the escaping of it is a sin and such a sin it is as hath often discovered it selfe in good men Wee noted it in Abraham twice upon the same occasion that is here mentioned So it befell David when hee came first to Achish King of Gath so to Peter and others The inordinatenesse of the feare of death ariseth from weakenesse of faith both in that a man doth not so stedfastly rely upon God for defence and safeguard of life as also for salvation of his soule after death or because hee is not so well versed in the meditations of death and Heaven as to become sufficiently heavenly-minded For if wee did fully perswade our selves that God would stand by us in perill that hee would be our shield and buckler then it would befall us according to that of David The Lord is on my side I will not feare what man can doe unto mee but in the best this confidence is often weakened and they are taken unprovided through the suddennesse of the danger or the like occasion or it is likely that the soule which so feareth death as by sinne to shun the same doth not so thoroughly assure it selfe of salvation or hath not so clearely and fully apprehended the excellency of salvation for doubtlesse death would be welcome to him rather then terrible that did apprehend it as a darke entrie leading to the glorious palace of glory and had well considered of the greatnesse of that glory I beseech you take paines to helpe your selves against the feare of death and to worke in your hearts so truly couragious a temper that though it should present it selfe to you naked and without disguise and that suddenly and that in shew unpreventably yet you might be so constant and so setled as not to
and undefiled and forbearing to mixe ones selfe with any person not allowed by God according to his Ordinance especially when strong temptations are offered to inflame libidinous fancies deserveth great praise for it shewes that the heart is fully resolved not to doe evill Indeed if the not entertaining of such motions arise from inability of body and unfitnesse to satisfie them this cannot be called castity but debility Wee must consider how much the Apostle disgraceth uncleannesse and fornication he saith it is injurious to Christ to the holy-Ghost to a mans owne body to Christ if he be a professour of Christianity that doth it for it takes one that is joyned to him and to his mysticall body as a member thereof and makes it the member of an harlot which is a great indignity to the holy-Ghost for it takes a Temple dedicated to him such is the body and soule of every Christian and makes it a hog-sty to lodge filthy lusts in to a mans owne body for he that doth it sinnes against his owne body in making-that the very instrument of committing that soule sinne Now as much as may be said in the reproach of the sinne so much on the contrary maybe said in prayse of continency by it a man keeps Christs members and the holy-Ghosts Temples and his owne body free from so great basenesse of being made subject to an harlot The way is first to plant in ones owne heart a reverend feare of Gods all-seeing eye yea to pray much to God to bestow a good measure of this grace upon him The second is to count the sin a great wickednesse for so hee saith this great wickednesse The holding fast in ones mind an apprehension of the grievousnesse of a fault is a great preservative against it but if one once yeeld to fancy that it is no great matter then will it prove no great matter to draw us to it And indeed this sinne of Adultery must needs be a great wickednesse because it sinnes against a cleare light and is contrary to a solemne vow and Covenant made betwixt the marryed 3. A man must often ponder on the threats of God made against this sinne and presse them upon his owne soule and pray to God to make him beleeve and feare Fourthly he must prevent the occasions and fly from them even that occasion of being present especially in solitary places and alone with those to whom his heart is inclined or indeed with any with whom such a sinne may be committed but upon just grounds and causes And lastly a man must not trust upon his owne strength but constantly supplicate to God keep downe his inordinate passions or else he shall find them too unruly for him Labour you that be young and you that be elder and all to attaine this power over ill desires God that wrought it in Ioseph can worke it in any other as well you shall doe well to produce Iosephs Example unto God and beseech him to shew his Spirit and his feare in you as he did in him Why are godly mens worthy deedes set up before our eyes in Scriptures but that we may strive and pray and hope to be made like unto them But as all must bee exhorted to get Chastity so chiefly those which have beene overtaken already with the contrary crime of Adultery or fornication or both It is more easie to forbeare a sinne the first time then the second the second then the third and so forth unlesse great care be used to get the heart throughly healed If Joseph had lived in Fornication with any other he could never have resisted his mistresses inticements They that have yeelded to this sinne shall more hardly save themselves from it then those that have never yeelded but if a man doe frequently and unfainedly repent of this as well as of other sinnes it will bee made so loathsome to him that by Gods assistance he shall prevaile against it yea even though it be his darling corruption I goe on to shew how Joseph behaved himselfe in the house of his Prison and that to his Master there the Jaylor and also to the Kings Officers that were committed thither First he fell to his old trade of diligence and faithfulnesse carrying himselfe in so vertuous a manner that the Jaylor did affect him and liked him more and more till at last he intrusted him with all the charge of the prison This was a great trust for you know what extreame danger a Jaylor chiefely of such prisoners doth put himselfe in if his prisoners escape there againe therefore let all inferiours be perswaded to seeke to winne their Superiours by good and vertuous carriage especially meekenesse submissivenesse painefulnesse and trustinesse This will worke a man into favour even with an hard master but I spake of that matter a little before I will shew you his carriage to the prisoners to whom he was an Attendant it is commendable in these three respects First he shew'd himselfe desirous to comfort them when they were sad and dejected asking them why they were sad had hee not bin of a kinde and tender disposition he would not have heeded how a person to whom himselfe had no more relation had fared whether sorrowfully or merrily but so kinde was hee that hee seekes to comfort them by asking them the cause of their sadnesse and seeking to remove it We should all learne to practice this courteousnesse to all men chiefly to such as are in affliction otherwise even helpe to raise up their hearts with good words and so much as we can to become instruments of cheering them as you see Joseph intreating to know their Dreames and diligent to interpret the same It is an excellent vertue to be ready to comfort the afflicted and to revive the spirits of them that bee cast downe so farre as we be able but a churlish carelesse temper whereby a man cares not whether men cry or laugh be merry or sad is a proofe of much pride and stupidity of spirit and must be abhorred Againe you see him faithfull in interpreting their dreames not seeking to flatter the Baker in regard of the likenes of the dreames You must learne to deale truely with men telling them as the thing is not falsifying your words to please them and to prevent their sorrowes Most of all must men deale truly in interpreting and applying Gods Word and you must learne to be so wise as to accept such true and plaine dealing Lastly Ioseph was so wise and so prudently carefull of redeeming himselfe out of prison that he would not let slip the opportunity of speaking to the Butler to remember him It is very lawfull for any man to use good meanes of getting out of a crosse and to take all such advantages as God shall afford of suing and supplicating unto such as may be helpefull to him in that behalfe as Ioseph doth but still wee must take heed that
we be not overapt to accuse and disgrace others whilest wee seeke to gaine friends to our selves Ioseph spake nothing sharply against his brethren no nor yet against his Mistresse the more to prevaile in his request to the Butler that might speed him Hitherto of Iosephs private life now of his more publike carriage 1. To strangers 2. Towards his owne kindred and Fathers house First towards the Egyptians both to Pharaoh and then to the Communalty of Egypt First in his carryage to Pharaoh 1. Before his preferment then after Before his preferment 1. he deales plainely faithfully with him as before in interpreting his two dreams After he had shaved himselfe changed his garments he came in speedily to the King and told him the meaning of his dreams fully shewing what was signified by the seven fatte and leane Kine and what by the seven full and leane Eares of corne and then what by the seven leane Kine and leane Eares which devoured the fat ones viz. By the former seven most plentifull yeares in which the earth should bring forth corne and all fruits in great abundance and by the latter seven most scant and penurious yeares of great famine in which the earth should yeeld none increase at all so that the plenty should be utterly forgotten and the Land should be consumed with scarcity and the doubling of the dreame he saith did shew that the thing was certaine to be accomplished without all faile and also the speednesse of the thing which should begin presently to be accomplished Thus Ioseph tells the things to come with all plainenesse and most fully Dreames were one of Gods ordinances by which hee did in those times reveale those things to men which he intended they should know and the interpreter of Dreames was to shew the true meaning of God plainely without adding or diminishing and without any doubting or ambiguity Hence all those to whom the interpretation of Gods will revealed unto men shall be committed must learne to deale plainely fully and truly They must with all evidence and perspicuity shew the things which God hath told them and must not not hide or alter any thing at all what God declareth they must declare making manifest also the certainty and speedinesse of the things both that they shall surely come to passe and presently in the due time appointed Oh that the Lord would thrust out into his Church able faithfull and painfull men that might search diligently into the meaning of his Oracles and fully declare his will unto his people carefully stirring them to believe the things and to expect them and make use of them now you see his faithfulnesse Secondly marke his wisedome and prudence joyned with love and good will for he perswades Pharoah to appoint fit persons to gather up the abundance of the plentifull yeares and keepe the same in store against the penurious and scant yeares that so he may prevent the misery which else would have fallen on the land So those that are to interpret Gods Word to his people must adde counsell advice perswasions and exhortations to provide them to make good use of their knowledge even to provide against the danger to come and to make use of all those good helpes which God shall affoord them for that purpose We have now plentifull times of spirituall provision by which wee may get knowledge how to prevent the danger of eternall death who can tell what scant and thinne times may come hereafter in which we may feele a sore famine of the Word and not be able to get instruction and exhortation which now wee have in abundance Let us store our heart with knowledge now in these times of plenty that our soules may not perish for want of true knowledge then when the means of knowledge shall be diminished make use of Gods goodnesse that you perish not for want of true knowledg Yea the Lord in his Word hath plainely revealed his minde concerning the damnation of impenitent sinners and salvation of the penitent O now labour to get repentance in these happy seasons of Repentance wherein God offers grace unto you and put not off these great workes till after uncertaine times when no more meanes of repentance shall be granted then the Aegyptians had of getting corn in the seven yeeres of deadly famine use the opportunity of getting grace as Pharaoh did of getting Corne. Now it is the day time now the light shineth now the Lord continueth to stretch out his hand oh turne to him feed of the Word of life heare the Word reade it and ponder upon it obey it and turne to God and believe and obey whilst it is called to day that you may not hereafter labour in vaine about so necessary a businesse Thirdly you shall see in Josephs carriage great humility lowlinesse of heart hee brags not of himselfe and his owne skill and ability hee doth not lift up himselfe because this rare gift of interpreting of Dreames was given unto him from God but saith it is not in me God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace Wee see the same humility in Daniel when he did likewise interpret the dreames of Nebuchadnezzar for he saith expressely as for mee this secret is not revealed unto me for any wisedome that I have more then any living Loe he depresseth himselfe and gives the glory to God wee must learne to bestow Gods gifts humbly not vaine-gloriously and with ostentation setting up our selves but humbly acknowledging our owne meanenesse must give God the honour and labour our selves to be made instruments of good to men by those indowments wherewith the Lord shall enrich us Humility adorneth and beautifieth all graces it is this Vertue that addeth lustre to all graces and commendeth him in whom it is more then all his abilities besides but vaine glory and ostentation and selfe conceitednesse and vaunting ones selfe and being pussed up doth as it were soyle and sullie and defile and dawb all gifts and maketh him in whom they worke this effect as loathsome and contemptible as if he wanted all of them learne not to exalt your selves that God may exalt you Another thing to be noted in Joseph hee shew'd all reverence and due respect to the King as Daniel also did giving him dutifull words and carrying himselfe submissively so must we doe whensoever we approach before Rulers and Kings our words and gestures must bee decent and respective tending to expresse an honourable esteeme of them because of the Image of Gods Majesty and greatnesse which shineth in them Joseph would not come before Pharaoh in the sordid garments of his prison house nor with the haire of the dungeon but polleth himselfe and getteth on better attire and sets himselfe in all his carriage to honour the King saying God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to doe and God will answer for Pharaohs peace Oh that we could learne mannerly and dutifull and respective