for vnfalliable read vnfallible Page 19. for vnsoundly read vnsonnely Page 49. for deseased read deceased Page 68 for bended read bruised Page 90. for was read were Page 100. for opens read open Page 133. for blesseth read kisseth The golden legend of ABRAHAM and SARA ABraham as he was the father of the faithfull Gen. 17.4 5 6. Rom. 4.16 17 18. so was he more particularly of all religious and godly rich men He feared God deuoutly obeyed his voyce readily called vpon his name dilligently liued among men vprightly and followed his calling carefully Gen. 12.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 15.1.2.3.4.12.13.18 2.17.8 His obediēce to the Lords voyce was such that he left his natiue country forsook his kindred and his fathers house and trauailed towards the land of Canaan Act. 7 2.3 4.5 which the Lord promised to giue him his seed he left a certaine possession for an vncertaine only relying reposing himselfe vpon the certainty of Gods gratious promise Yea more when as God had giuen him a son one onely sonne of his wife Sara in their olde age contrary to the cōmon course ordinary ability of nature Gen. 22.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. and 26. 5. Iames 2.21 he was willing at the Lords voyce to offer him for a burnt offering So that not without great cause is the holy Patriarks obedience so highly commended by the Lords owne mouth By my selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely sonne therfore will I surely blesse thee and will greatly multiply thy seed as the stars of the heauē the sand which is vpon the sea-shore thy seed shal possesse the gate of his enemies And as Abraham at the commaundement of the most high would haue sacrificed his sonne yea his young sonne and his onely sonne and the sonne of his delight and that with his owne hands without protracting of time for he rose vp early in the morning to offer vp his son so the Lord in consideration of his obedience yea his admirable memorable obedience rewarded him most amply and blessed exceedingly not onely himselfe but likewise his seed for his sake Instruction 1 Hence we may learne this lesson that whosoeuer he be that serueth the Lord hee shall finde that hee serueth not a thankeles but a most thankefull maister according to that which he said vnto Abraham Gen. 1. Feare not Abraham I am thy Buckler and thine exceeding great Instruction 2 reward In Abrahams obedience in preferring the Lords voyce and will before the loue of his Country kindred yea before the loue of his onely son Isack al his children according to the promise but chiefely rich men are taught to yeeld obedience vnto the Lords voyce and euen if the cause require it to abandon and forsake their dearest and most beloued things for the cause of God to preferre his will before al earthly and corruptible treasure Mat. 10.37 19 29. He that loueth father or mother more then me saith our Sauiour is not worthy of me and he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of me And whosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake he shal receaue an hundreth fold more and shall inherit euerlasting life Well knew holy Abraham this who as he reioyced to see Christ in the flesh Iohn 8.56 so he loued him farre aboue all fleshly and corruptible things he knew well what it was to be worthy of Christ would haue rather forsaken all then to haue proued vnworthy of him that made all This great obedience in Abraham did flowe from his exceeding great faith as the Apostle to the Hebrewes lets vs to vnderstand By faith Abraham when he was called Hebr. 11 8 9 10 17 18 19. obeyed God to go out into a place which he should afterward receaue for inheritance and he went out not knowing whether he went By faith he abode in the land of promise as in strange countrie as one that dwelt in Tents with Isack and Iacob heires with him of the same promise for he looked for a Citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God By faith he offered vp Isack when he was tried and he that had receiued the promises offered his onely begotten sonne To whome it was said in Isack shall thy seede be called for he considered that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead from whence he receiued him also after a sort Gen. 15.6 and 17.11 23 24 25 26 27 Rom. 4.3.11.16 17 18 19 20 21 22. Gala. 3.6 Iam. 2.23 Abraham beleeued God saith the scripture and it was counted to him for righteousnes who aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations Neither did he doubt of the promise of God thorough vnbelief but was strēgthened in the faith gaue glory to God being fully assured that he which had promised was also able to do it Though Abraham had not by inheritance so much as one foote breadth in the land of Canaan yet he beleeued that the Lord was both able and willing to performe his promise made to him and his seede touching the possession thereof Though he knew that Sara his wife being both barren and olde could not by the course of nature conceiue yet he was assured that God was able to giue him a Sonne euen of her Finally though he was commanded to offer vp his Sonne Isack for a burnt offering vnto the Lord yet being strengthned in the faith he considered how that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead and was fully perswaded that Gods promise made to him touching Isack and his seede should not nor could not fall to the ground and want the owne performance in the own due time Heauen and earth shall passe away but Gods promise is as vnfaileable and vnfalliable as God himselfe Abraham if he had beene feeble in the faith would haue said what a kinde of a Commandement is this for a father to be the slayer of his owne Sonne Haue I receiued a Sonne and but one Sonne onely after so long prayer and expectation and must I and none other but I be the butcher of his body the spiller of his blood and the burner of his bones Good Lord what an hard and heauy commandement is this Is it possible O heauens that God should be the author thereof How much more like is this son-offering voice vnto the voyce of some monstrous Milcom or Molech Leuit. 18 21. the blood-sucking Idol of Ammon rather then vnto the voyce of the most gracious God of Abraham chiefly he hauing promised in Isacks seede to call and blesse all the nations of the earth and must I and none but I who was the instrument of his life now be the mortall and vnnaturall instrument
feare saith Siracides is a gift of the Lord Eccles 26.1.14 and there is nothing so much worth as a woman that is well instructed and blessed is the man that hath a vertuous wife saith the same wise man The golden Legend of IACOB and RAHEL IACOB whome the Lord loued eueÌ„ before he was borne Malach. 1.2 Rom 9.13 Gen. 25.21 22.23.28 and of whome he had foretolde that his elder brother should serue him was borne of Rebekah after that God at the request of her husband Isack had taken away her barrennesse As God loued him before he was borne so his mother loued him more then her elder sonne Esau wheÌ„ he was borne So that by Gods prouidence who loued him and the counsaile of his mother who tendred him he obteyned of his father the blessing which by the law of birth was due vnto Esau as being the elder God giue thee of the dewe of Heauen and the fatnes of the earth and plentie of wheate and wine Gen. 27 6.7.8.9.23.28.29.3â—.37 said Isack in blessing of his sonne let people be thy seruants and nations bow vnto thee cursed be he that curseth thee and blessed be he that blesseth thee So that when as Esau did complainningly expostulate in the presence of his father against his brother Isacks answere was I haue blessed thy brother therfore he shall be blessed behold I haue made him thy Lord and Instruction 39 all his brethren haue I made his seruants Wherein we may learne first whosoeuer is beloued and blessed of God as Iacob was shall also be beloued and blessed of all godly men and women such as Isack and Rebekah were And next that such as honour the Lord and serue him as Iacob did the Lord will honour them with Iacob Instruction 40 and euen make others to serue them as he made Esau to serue his younger brother Iaccob according to that saying vttered by the Lords owne mouth 1. Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me will I honour and them that despise me shall be despised Iacob got his fathers blessing in his elder brothers clothes Gen. 27.15 16. and we christians which be Iacobs children Instruction 41 according to the promise must get our heauenly fathers blessing in our elder brothers coate that is to say being cloathed with the wedding garment of Christs righteousnes Mat. 22.11 Gen. 25.27 Iacob was a plaine man that is he was harmles Instruction 42 and innocent And christians are enioyned to be harmeles as Lambes Mat. 10.16 and innocent as Doues Iacob to shunne and eshew the furie and fiercenesse of his brother Esau fled from his fathers house in Beersheba Gen. 27.43.44.45 28.10 to Haran to his Vncle Laban the brother of Rebecca Instruction 43 And our Sauiour Christ enioyneth his Apostles and in their persons all christians to flee from the furie of their persecuters When they persecute you in this Citie Mat. 10.16.23 saith he then flee into another Christians must carrie themselues towards their persecuters as sheep in the midst of Wolues their surest defence standeth in flight for nothing becommeth christians better then patience and suffrance of wronges And it is the most essentiall propertie of a true christian not to offer but to suffer iniuries Iacob being in his iourney came vnto a certaine place Gen 28.11.12 and taried there all night and tooke of the stones of the place and layed vnder his head and slept Young Iacob had but a verie vneasie lying when as he layed his head vpon the hard stones Gen. 28.20.21.22 32.10 He went out onely with a poore staffe in his hand and begged of God but bread to eate and cloathes to put on together with preseruation and safetie in his iourney going and returning home againe Whereby christians are taught Instruction 44 to commend their voyages and wayes vnto Gods prouidence to be content with such things as are necessarie for the conseruation of life as also to avoid luxurie voluptuousnes and superfluitie and to inure themselues to endure indigence scarcitie and penurie till at what time God opens his hand in a more liberall manner for our reliefe Iacobs greatest desire vnto the Lord was that he would be with him and so he was according to his wish And euen the same night that he did lye so lowe and so hard the Lord with his holy Angells came as it were to see his seruant lying on the ground Gen. 28.12.13.14 15. with his head vpon the hard stones Iacob saw in his sleepe a ladder standing vpon the earth and the top of it reaching vp to heauen And loe the Angels of God went vp downe by it the Lord stood aboue it and promised to giue him the land vpon the which he then lay euen to him and to his seede the which should be as the dust of the ground and be spread abroade euen to the foure corners of the earth Moreouer that he would be with him and keepe him whether soeuer he should goe yea bring him againe into that land and neuer forsake him vntill his whole promises were performed Whereby we are taught that Instruction 45 alwayes at the greatest pinch of Gods childreÌ„ God is most present And when they are as it were forsaken and abandoned of all that euen then the Lord is most neere vnto them to minister vnto them comfort assistance and aide Gen 21.16 Iacob being awake out of his dreame said Surely the Lord is in this place and I was not aware And so the godly man may say when as in his greatest exigents and extremities he findeth and feeleth Gods prouidence for his good surely the Lord hath beene with me though not in a visible manner Iacob had vnder his head hard stones but aboue his head was God standing and the Angels walking vp and downe by a Ladder Whereby we are let to vnderstand Instruction 46 that if with Iacob we ouercome aduersitie and the hardnes harshnes of affliction heere below by the meanes of a christian courage that in end we shall be rewarded with the societie of God his Angels aboue Take my brethren saith S. Iames the Prophets for an ensmple of suffering aduersitie Iam. 5.10.11 and of long patience which haue spoken in the name of the Lord Beholde we count them blessed which endure It is thankes worthie saith S. Peter if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe 1. Pet. 2.19 â—0 21 4.13 suffering wrongfully for Christ also suffered for vs leaning vs an ensample that we should follow his steps wherefore reioyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs suffrings that when his glorie shall appeare ye may be glad and reioyce Heb. 12.1.2 Let vs run with patience saith S. Paul the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse and despised the shame and is
wife is the ornament of her house but the bountie and wisdome of a wife buildeth the house Prou. 14.1 for a wise woman saith the wise man buildeth the house but the foolish destroyeth it with her owne hands Prou. 31.10.16.26 And king Lemuels vertuous woman as she openeth her mouth with wisdome hath the law of grace in her tongue so she considereth a field and getteth it and with the fruite of her hands she planteth a vinyard Likewise it is recorded of Rahel and Leah that they twaine builded the house of Israel Ruth 4.11 Rahel then did not eate the bread of idlenes neither when she was maried nor yet when she was a maide she was not like those careles women described by the Prophet Isay Isai 32.9.10.11.12 13.14 Pro. 31.10 to 31. but rather like the vertuous woman described by Salomon Being maried she did take paines in ouerseeing the worke of her seruants and disdained not to worke cheerfully with her hands and being a maid she was employed in keeping of her fathers sheepe leauing an example Instruction 53 to all matrons and maides to flie idlenes As her calling was to keepe sheepe so her name signifieth a sheepe so that her verie name serued to put her in remembrance of her calling But chiefly to shew her how that she should endeuour to be like vnto the Instruction 54 sheepe in innocencie and harmles simplicitie and therefore our Sauiour Christ doth compare often his followers to sheepe Vnto his Disciples he saith Mat. 10.16 beholde I send you as Sheepe in the midst of Wolues be ye therefore wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues Ioh 10.1.2.3.4 11 14.15 And of al his elect children he saith that his sheepe heare his voice and that he calleth them by their name and leadeth them out and goeth before them and that they follow him and know his voice and that he himselfe is the good shepheard that giueth his life for his sheep Rahel and Leah Iacobs two wiues were barren for a time but it is said that in end God remembred and heard them God may seeme for a time to forget his children and not to heare them but in end they may be sure to be both remembred and heard Not that God doth at any time forget his Instruction 55 children indeede and not heare their requests but that somtimes he doth carie himselfe to our apprehension and feeling as one that is subiect to forgetfulnes and not willing to heare what we say or sue for at his hands and that he doth euen for our good for so it pleaseth him to exercise vs and to stirre vs vp to greater feruencie and earnestnes in prayer Likewise the delay of a benifite sweetneth the same when it is obtained That good thing which hath beene gotten with great difficultie with much adoe and after long delay is by many degrees more deare vnto vs then if it had beene gotten with ease and at an instant Gen. 29.31.32 30.17.22 The Lord at last remembred heard Rahel Leah which did both of them begge children at his hands For it is the Lord that openeth the windowes of heauen being shut to giue raine 1. King 18 1.41.45 to make the earth fruitfull and it is likewise the Lord that openeth the barren womans wombe to make her the ioyfull mother of many children 1. Sam. 2.5 Psal 113.9 128.3 so that she is made as the fruitfull vine on the house sides and her children stand like Oliue plants round about the Table And as it is said that God remembred Rahel and Leah when he deliuered them from barrennes so is it also said that he remembred Noah Gen. 8.1 when as he made the waters to cease vpon the earth he remembred Abraham when as he deliuered Lot at Abrahams request Gen. 19.29 from the destruction of Sodome and he remembred Ismael Gen. 21.17 when as he deliuered him from extremitie of indigence and nourished him in the wildernes being cast out together with his mother Hagar out of Abrahams house And he remembred Iacob being in tribulation Gen. 35.3 by reason of his brother Esau and deliuered him from his hostilitie and feare Lastly thus he remembred Anna when he deliuered her from barrennes 1. Sam 1 11.19 Iob 14.13 42.10.11.12 and made her to beare So we see that the Lords remembrance is alwayes conioyned with deliuerance from some Instruction 56 euill Yea not only doth God when he remembreth deliuer from some euill but he also bestoweth some good as may appeare by these foresaid examples and by the example of Iob. So that whosoeuer he be that serueth God and sueth vnto him he may assure himselfe at first or last to be heard and not to begotten for euer Princes may sometimes forget their seruants and suiters but God neuer forgeteth his Psalm 22. 25. 27.2.8.9.10.11 28 6.7 30.10 11 31.12.14.16.21.22.23.24 32.6.7.10 11 33.18 19.20 21. 3â— 4.5.6.15.17.18.19 37.6.7.34 40.1.2.16 17. onely it behooueth vs with godly Dauid to waite patiently vpon the Lord and to hope in him though for a time we seeme to be forgotten with Dauid as a dead man out of minde yet we shall finde by experience with Dauid that the eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares open vnto their crye That he is neere vnto them that are of a contrite heart and will saue such as be afflicted in spirite And that though he hide his face from vs for a while so that we say in our hast loe we are cast out of his sight yet ere it be long he will turne our mourning into ioy Loose our sacke and gird vs with gladnes heare the voice of our petition and shew vs his maruailous kindenes deliuer vs from our troubles and compasse vs with his mercie establish our hearts Iob. 8.21 and fill them with his good things Psal 27.10 with gladnes and ioy For though our fathers and our mothers should forsake vs and forget vs yet the Lord will gather vs vp saith the Psalmist O how much better is it then to trust in the Lord rather then in Princes or yet in our naturall Parents Let eche one say then with Dauid Psal 130.5.6.7.8 I haue waited on the Lord my soule hath waited and I haue trusted in his word my soule waitch on the Lord more then the morning watch watcheth for the morning Let Israel waite on the Lord for with the Lord is mercie and with him is great redemption Psal 118.8 9. As it is better to trust in God then in Princes so is it better to waite on God then on Princes For want who will Gods waiter shall be sure not to want his rewardes Psal 37.34 Waite thou on the Lord and keepe his way and he shall exalt thee and thou shalt inherite the land saith that good waiter on God godly Dauid
manner of hurt was found on him because he beleeued in God Daniels faith made him safe in the mids of the den amongst a company of hugry deuouring beasts wheras they brake all the bones of their accusers which wanted faith in God or euer they came at the ground of the den Whervpon king Darius made a decree that within all his dominions men should tremble and feare before the God of Daniel for he is the liuing God and remaineth for euer said the king and his kingdome shall not perish and his dominion shall be euerlasting He rescueth and deliuereth and he worketh signes and wonders in heauen and in earth who hath deliuered Daniel from the power of the Lyons The Apostle to the Hebrewes painteth out at large the efficacie of the faith of the men of God of olde Heb. 11. Faith opened the heauens to Enoch and freed him from seeing of death Faith preserued Noe and his houshold from the flood Faith made the people of God vnder the conduction of Moses the man of God to passe through the red sea as by drie land which when the Egiptians had assayed to doe they were drowned for they both wanted faith in God themselues and they persecuted such as had faith and beleeued in God Likewise by faith the walles of Iericho fell downe after they were compassed about seuen dayes Thus we see faith is stronger then walled townes for it maketh them to fall stronger then Lyons and Beares for it tieth their pawes and shutteth vp their iawes stronger then the raging Sea and the most ouer-flowing floods for it turneth them into drie land and stronger then the consuming fire for it maketh it colde as water and as refreshing as a faire flowery field The men of God saith the holy Apostle through faith subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obtained the promises stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battell turned to flight the armies of the aliants finally by faith the women receiued their dead children raised to life So that faith is not onely stronger then walled townes then armed men then roaring Lyons then the raging sea then the flaming fire but also stronger then death it selfe Yea 1. Pet. 5.8.9 Ephes 6.16 1. Ioh. 5.4 it is stronger then the diuell for it quencheth all his fierie dartes and maketh him to flie from vs with the winges of the winde though his strength far exceede the strength of millions of roaring and deuouring Lyons And as the Epistle to the Hebrewes setteth before our face the force of faith in the holy men of olde So doth the holy Gospell afford vs diuers notable testimonies of the wonderfull effects thereof in diuers persons Mat 8.2.3.5.6.8.10.13.14.15 The leaper that came to Christ through faith in him beleeuing that he was able to make him cleane was cleansed of his leprosie with one touch of our Sauiours powerfull finger And by the same faith and finger was Peters mother in lawe cured and freed of her feuer And the Centurions seruant was healed of his palsie Speake the word onely said the Centurion to our Sauiour and my seruant shall be healed Our Sauiour marueiled at his faith and said vnto his followers Verily I haue not found so great faith euen in Israell and vnto the Centurion himselfe he said Goe thy way and as thou hast beleeued so be it vnto thee And his seruant was healed the same houre Mat 9.18.20.21.22.25.28.29.30 20.30.31.32.33.34 By faith was the woman that had beene twelue yeares sick of a bloody issue cured of her desease for she said in her selfe if I may touch but his garment onely I shall be whole Then Iesus turned him about and seeing her did say daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole and the woman was made whole at that houre Her faith was great and therefore deliuered her from a great desease and wrought vpon her a great cure her faith was present and therefore was she presently cured without any protracting of time It was a matter of good comfort to her that she was cured of a long and lingring disease It was a matter of greater comfort to her that she was cured by the great Phisition our Sauiour Christ And it was a matter of greatest comfort of all that she being a poore patient sick in body and sinfull in soule became by the meanes of her faith to be so much dignified as to be made and called the daughter of the Sonne of God Daughter said our Sauiour vnto her be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole The like honour and helpe he vouchsafed vpon the sick of the palsie seing his faith Son be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee said our Sauiour vnto the sinfull sick-man whereupon he arose freed from the sicknes of his body and the sinne of his soule both at once Iairus the ruler of the Synagogue beleeued that our Sauiour was able to cure his daughter being deseased yea to quicken her being deseased My daughter is now dead said he to our Sauiour but come and laye thine hand on her and shee shall liue And so did the issue answere vnto his faith for presently she reuiued and arose Two blinde men beleeued that our Sauiour was able to restore them to their sight and their eies were opened as soone as he had touched them and said Mat. 15.22 22. be it vnto you according to your faith And vnto the Cananitish woman whose daughter was vexed with a deuill who did sue at his hands for helpe with great importunitie and feruencie his answere was O woman great is thy faith be it to thee as thou desirest and her daughter was made whole at that houre Mat 17.14 15.18 Mat. 9 17 to 30 Likewise the lunaticke child was healed at the humble petition of his beleeuing father witout any longer delay the Ruler of capernaum his son being sick vnto the death Ioh. 4.47.50.53 was healed because of the faith of his father who beleeued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto him The holy Apostle Peter through faith walked on the water Mat. 14.28 29 as on the drie land And the holy Apostle Paul Act. 14.8 9.10 beholding a certaine impotent man which had beene a creeple from his mothers wombe and had neuer walked and perceiuing that he had faith to be healed said with a loud voice stand vpright on thy feete and he leaped vp and walked Thus we see how that faith is able to make the lame to goe the blind to see the dumbe to speake the deafe to heare the leaper to be cleane the lunaticke and mad to be in their right minde and the dead to arise No maruell then though the same faith was able to make Sara to beare in her barren olde age For as our Sauiour said vnto the man whose son was possessed Mat. 9.23
godly Isack after his prayer in one good wife found a treasure of good things and in one blessing receiued many Instruction 33 blessings To teach vs that prayer is the proper meanes to pull downe vpon vs aboundance of Gods good things and as Rebecca performed the duties of a vertuous wife in her husbands behalfe so did Isack play the part of discreete and louing husband towards her Gen. 24.67 For it is said that he loued Rebecca and was comforted in her and by her after his mothers death for as I said before out of Siracides the grace of a good wife reioyceth her husband Eccles 26.1.2.13 and doubleth the nomber of his dayes And as it is recorded that he loued Rebecca so is it also Gen. 26.8 that he reioyced and sported with her according to that which the wise man inioyneth saying Eccles 9.9 Reioyce with thy wife which thou hast loued all the dayes of the life which God hath giuen thee vnder the Sunne And the holy Apostle as he enioyneth wiues to be of holy behauiour sober temperate discreete Tit. 2.2.3.4.5 Colloss 18 19 Ephes 5.25 28. chast keeping at home subiect louers of their husbands and of their children so likewise he exhorteth husbands to loue their wiues as their owne bodyes and not to be bitter Instruction 34 vnto them for he that loueth his wife saith he loueth himselfe If a mans wife be of a sweet and gracious disposition then ought the husband to ioyne his sweetnes to his wiues except he meane to shew himselfe a beast yea worse then a beast in being bitter and sowre in the behalfe of his vertuous wife And if otherwise she be of a more bitter vnpleasing disposition then behooueth then he must shew himselfe wise in allaying the sowrenesse and bitternes of his wines behauiour with the sweetenesse of his patient and gentle inclination in labouring to reclaime her by all kinde of faire perswasions and enducements of loue Thus the discreete husband may amend that male-pleasing humour of his wife whereas by vsing bitternes in her behalfe he shall turne his wiues wormwood into gall of aspes and make her ten folde more bitter and sowre then she was at first Thus then in the person of Instruction 35 godly Isack and vertuous Rebecca are all husbands and wiues taught to labour by all meanes to be a comfort and ioy one vnto another Wiues to loue in most entire manner their husbands to reuerence and obey them with all subiection submission of body and minde and to be alwayes a matter of ioy and comfort vnto them and husbands on the other part to make much of their wiues to loue them entierly and to esteeme of them as their greatest ornament their best portion their dearest inheritance their surest helpe their strongest piller their sweetest comfort their richest pearle and in one worde as their most glorious crowne Gen. 25.21 24.63.64 Rebecca was barren for a time but the Lord at the prayer and entreatie of her husband Isack made her to beare Thus Isack as by prayer he had obtained a vertuous wife so by prayer he purchased at Gods hands for his wife the strength and ability to Instruction 36 conceiue and to beare children Wherein we finde that saying of the Apostle verified Iam. 5.16 The prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be feruent Gen. 20 17 18. Abraham was a righteous man and at his prayer Abimelechs wife ceased to be barren and Abimelech himselfe was healed Deut. 9.20 21. Num. 12.10 Moses was a righteous man and at his prayer Aron purchased pardon for his idolatrie and Miriam was cured of her leaprie Num. 16.47.48 Aron was a righteous man and at his prayer the plague ceased from the people Samuel was a righteous man 1. Sam 7.8 9.10.11.12 and at his prayer the Isralites scattred ouercame the Philistims Eliah was a righteous man 1. King 17 17.18.19 20.21.22.23 18.45 and at his prayer he obtained raine after the drought of three yeeres and restored his hostesse sonne to life Likewise at his prayer the two captaines ouer fifty with their fifties sent by Ahaziah to apprehend him 2. King 1.7.8.9.10 11.12.13 were deuoured by fire from heauen and the third captaine with his fiftie at the Prophets desire were preserued Elisha was a righteous man and at his prayer the Shunamite conceiued bare a sonne to her husband being old 2. King 4.12.13.14 15.16.17 31.33.34 35.36 and that after long barrennes whome afterwards he also restored againe to life being dead likewise at his prayer the men that the king of Sirya had sent to apprehend him 2 King 18 2.23.24 was smitten with blindnes And the 42. children that mocked him were torne in peeces by two Beares out of the Forrest The Prophet sent by God to Ieroboam to reproue him was a righteous man and at his prayer Ieroboams hand being first dried vp was restored 1. King 13 6 So great is the force of a righteous mans prayer It openeth the windowes of heauen to giue raine after long drinesse and the wombe of women to beare after long barrennesse As the Apostle saith through God I am able to doe all things So through prayer is the righteous man able to obtaine all things And as Isack had his recourse vnto God by prayer Gen. 25.22.23.28 to make his wife fruitfull so She hauing conceiued and feeling the children in her wombe to striue together it is said that she went to aske the Lord concerning the meaning of Instruction 37 that matter Wherein men and women are taught in euerie difficultie to haue their recourse vnto God by prayer for this hath been alwayes the custome of Gods people both women and men It was reuealed vnto her that the elder should serue the yonger and that Iacob should be more acceptable vnto God then Esau and therefore the holy woman loued Iacob more then Esau Gen. 27.6.10 and by her counsaile and prudence he got the blessing from his brother Esau for whome the Lord blesseth and loueth shall be blessed and loued of the best men likewise And when as Esau in reuenge had intended to slay Iacob Rebecca which by interpretation is asmuch as contention hindered did indeede and in effect answere vnto her name and therefore to Instruction 38 hinder this mortall and bloudy strife betweene her two children she sent Iacob away to Haran to her Brother Laban there to tarrie vntill Esaus fiercenes were asswaged Gen. 27.41 42.43.44.45 In which doing Rebecca as she bewraied both her wisdome and her peaceable disposition So hath she left vnto all women wiues and mothers an example of imitation to preserue peace and to preuent strife and contention amongst her children and seruants Happie then was godly Isack to haue receiued at the Lords hands such a vertuous wife and peaceable wife as was Rebecca for a peaceable woman and of gaod