Elcanas wiues Thus as the holy woman Anna after long barrennes and much despisement reproch 1. Sam 1.20 3.4 7.15.16 17 Iudg. 13. ◠4.5.7.24 brought forth her Samuel to be a Priest before the Lord a Iudge of his people and Manoahs barren wife her Sampson to be the Lords champion against the Philistims holy Elizabeth her Iohn to be the conuerter of the children of Israel Luk. 1.5.6.7.13.14.15.16.17.57.60.63.76 the Prophet of the most high and the fore-runner of the Messias Iesus the sonne of Marie the blessed Virgine So godly and vertuous Sara after long barrennes and much reproch bare in her olde age with Elizabeth her Isack to be the heire of Abraham the seeds-man of all the blessed nations of the earth and the figure and forefather of the Messiah according to the flesh Thus wee see how that faith Instruction 16 which transcendeth nature Ephes 2.8 and is not of nature but of grace not of man but Gods gift made Sara to beare when as by nature she was barren As without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 so without faith it was impossible for Sara to conceiue and beare a Son in her olde age And God that doth vnto euery man according to his faith Mat 9.29 wrought with vertuous Sara according to her faith As Abraham aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations Rom. 4.18.19.21 being strengthened in the faith and not considering the deadnes of his owne body So his wife Sara being strengthened in the same faith and not considering the deadnes of her wombe aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that she should be the mother of many Nations Both of them beleeued him that had promised to be both faithfull in his promise and powerfull to performe it Hence we may learne of how great vertue efficacie and force faith is By faith a man is counted Instruction 17 righteous before God for Abraham beleeued in the Lord saith the scripture and it was counted vnto him for righteousnes Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.3 9. By faith a man hath peace towards God and pleaseth him Rom. 5.1.10 Heb. 11.6 and so commeth neere vnto him and without faith it is impossible to please God saith the Apostle Act. 26.18 By faith we are raised vp from sin and receiue forgiuenes thereof inheritance among the Saints Act. 15.9 by faith our hearts are purified and clensed and Blessed be the pure in heart Mat. 5.8 saith our Sauiour for they shall see God By faith we are strenthened in Gods grace we resist the deuil 1. Pet. 1.2.5.9 5.9 the world and the flesh yea we ouercome them Ephes 3.12 Galat 3.14 26. Ephes 2.8 9. 2. Tim. 3.15 2. King 6.14.15 16.17 we haue free accesse vnto God we receiue his blessing we are made his sonnes and in end we acquire the saluation of our soules Elisha was so strong in faith that he feared not the troupes of the King of Siria that he sent out to apprehend him Feare not quoth the Prophet to his seruant being affrayed of the mighty host of their enemies for they that be with vs are more then they that be with them The Citie of Dothan was compassed with Horses and charets sent by the King of Syria to offend Elisha and to apprehend him But loe the mountaine was full of horses and Charets of fire round about Elisha sent by the King of Kings to defend his seruant and to confound his foes The Angel of the Lord saith the Prophet pitcheth round about them that feare him Psal 34.7 deliuereth them 1 Sam. 6. to 24. Ionathan accompanied with his armour-bearer discōfited the Philistims through the great faith he had in God For it is not hard for the Lord to saue with many or with few quoth Ionathan to his man 1. Sam. 17.26.32 to 37. 55. Dauid being armed with an inuincible faith in God went out against the mighty Goliah and smote him first in the fore-head with a stone so that he fell groueling to the ground afterwards smote off his head with his owne sword The Lord that deliuered me quoth Dauid to King Saul out of the paw of the Lion and out of the paw of the beare he will deliuer mee out of the hands of this Philistim No the Lord not onely deliuered Dauid out of his hands but also deliuered the vncircumcised Philistim into the hands of his champion Dauid The three children by their faith in God were preserued in the middes of the firie fornace Dan. 3.16.17.27.28 Behold said they to the King our God whome we serue is able to deliuer vs from the hot fierie fornace and he will deliuer vs out of thine hand O King And according to their saith so it fell out for the fire had no power ouer their bodies no not so much as an haire of their head was burnt neither were their coates changed no not so much as any smoakie smell of fire came vpon them They were casten bound into the mids of the hote fierie fornace but loe the king seeth them loose walking in the mids of the fire as if it had beene amids a glorious and a fresh florishing garden together with one in their companie like the Sonne of God Their faith in God made the fierie fornace vnto them as a fresh medow when as the flame thereof consumed the Idolatrous and faithles officers that threw them in a wonderfull worke that the fire should forbeare to burne the smallest haire of the head of such as were cast into the mids of it and in the meane while destroy and slay such as were without it The seruants of God were safe in the fire because of their faith in God but the kings seruants though being without the fire were not yet safe because they were without faith in God whervpon Nebuchadnezzer the king was constrained to praise God saying Blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach and abednago who hath sent his Angell and deliuered his seruants that put their trust in him And not onely did he blesse God for them but also decreed that whosoeuer should speake any blasphemie against him that he should be drawne in peeces and his house made a Iakes And withall as he honored and magnified the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednago acknowledging that there is no God that can deliuer after this sort and commanding all his subiects to doe the same so did he promote these men that thus did honour God to greate honour in the prouince of Babell Wherein we finde that saying of the Lord verified Them that honour me 1. Sam. 2 30. I will honour The like was the efficacie of Daniels faith Dan. 6.11.12.16.22.23.24.26.27 the strength whereof did surmount the strength of the strongest beastes euen of Darius his Lyons He was cast into the Lyons denne for making his supplication vnto God yet no
reede or their violence then a blast of winde Feare ye not them saith our Sauiour which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule Mat. 10.28 But rather feare him which is able to destroy both body and soule And the Lord as he was ready and present to comfort cheere vp Isack in his affliction so was he not onely his friend himselfe But also he framed the heart of king Abimelech to fauour him Gen. 26.26.27.28.29 For the heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord Pro. 21.1 he turneth whether soeuer it pleaseth him saith Salomon Abimelech of a foe was made a friend to Isack before he vexed him but afterwardes he went vnto him to visit him and to make an alliance and couenant with him For we saw quoth the king that certainly the Lord was with thee as if he should haue said we saw God to be with thee and therefore it was not fit that we should be against thee we saw God was thy friend so that it was but a follie for vs to be any longer thy foes Instruction 24 Whereby all faithfull folkes are taught that Gods helpe is most present when as mans ayde is most absent as also that if we haue our refuge vnto him in our affliction with Isack God will also comfort and cheere vs vp with Isack Rom. 8.31 So that if God be with vs we shall not neede to feare who be against vs. For either God will turne the hearts of our foes and make them our friends as he did heere with Isacks enemies or els they shall not be able to doe vs any notable harme Gen. 26.30.31 And as Abimelech together with his Philistims and friends came to treat of peace alliance and amitie with Isack So did he on the other part shew his peaceable disposition and gentle nature in entertaining them for he made them a feast and in accepting of the offer made by the king for they sware one to another And truly if we desire to shew our selues the children of Abraham and of Isack we must behaue our Instruction 25 selues semblably in the behalfe of our neighbours by the meanes of a courteous gentle kinde and quiet cariage In one word the Apostles exhortation to all christians is to haue peace and amitie Ro. 12.18 if it be possible with all men That we may be the children not onely of Abraham and Isack but euen of the most high Mat. 5.9 the father of vs all which is in heauen And as God blessed Abraham amongst many other blessings with a vertuous wife so did he likewise his Sonne Isack For a prudent wife coÌ„meth of the Lord Pro. 19.14 saith Salomon and a godly woman is giuen to him that feareth the Lord Eccles 16.14 saith Siracides Of Sara it is said that she was verie faire and of Rebecca that she was beautifull to the eye Gen. 12.14 24 16. 26.7 and verie faire to looke vpon But this is not all the externall beautie of her body was accompanied with the internall beautie of her minde and in both she proued the true daughter of Sara whose beautie and bountie are both of them recorded in scripture to her praise Eccles 36.22.23.24 The beautie of a woman saith Siracides cheereth the face and a man loueth nothing better if there be in her tongue gentlenes meeknes and wholsome talke then is not her husband like other men As Naomi said vnto Ruth all the Citie of my people doth know that thou art a vertuous woman Ruth 3.11 So all the Citie of Nahor knew that Rebecca liuing as yet in her fathers house was a vertuous and a modest maide and after she was married to Isack all the land of Canaan and of Gerar knew that she was a wise and a well quallified wife Eccles 25.8 26.14 Well is him saith Siracides that dwelleth with a wife of vnderstanding and well was Isack to haue found such a wife as wise Rebecca For there is nothing saith the wise man of so much worth as a woman well instructed And thus in the person Instruction 26 of Rebecca are all matrons and maides taught to ioyne bountie to beautie and mildenes meekenes and modestie of minde to the welfauourednes of face and the outward feature as I said aboue in the Legend of Sara Besides her bodily chastitie and virginall puritie whereof the holy scripture beareth witnes saying that she was a Virgin and vnknowne of man her industrie and diligence is also set downe to her praise for she led not an idle or lasie kinde of life as many maides now a dayes doe but she was employed in the dayly seruice of her fathers house Gen. 24.16.17.18 19.20 for Abrahams seruant found her drawing water at the well for her fathers cattell Whereby young women and Instruction 27 maides are taught to inure themselues euen from their verie tender yeeres to vertuous and profitable employments and not to be ashamed to take paines about their parents houshold affaires considering how that there is nothing more contrary to chastitie then idlenes and lazines which is the roote of all euill and the mother of all mischiefe Ezech. 16.49 This may be seene in the Sodomites who were full of idlenes and also of vnnaturall lust also in Dina Iacobs daughter Gen. 34.1.2 who by her idle gadding abroad lost her virginitie Likewise in Dauid who being idle 1. Sam. 11.1.2.3.4 committed adulterie with the beautious Bathsheba Vriahs Instruction 28 wife Moreouer in the person of Rebecca women are taught to shew all humanity curtesie towards strangers and wayfaring folkes especially those of their owne sexe For Rebccca disdained not to draw water for Abrahams seruant being a stranger to her and not onely for him but also for his Camels wherein likewise her great humilitie lowlines is descried She disdained not to serue Abrahams seruant God in requitall of this her lowly and humble behauiour aduanced her to be the mistresse of the man to whome she had formerly behaued her selfe as a seruaÌ„t Sâ—e humbled her selfe and the Lord honoured her she debased her selfe the Lord lift her vp Iam. 5.5 And therefore the holy Apostle exhorteth all persons but chiefely the yonger sort to humility saying Decke your selues inwardly in lowlines of minde for God resisteth the proud Iob. 5.11 22.29 40.6.7 and giueth grace to the humble he abaseth and bringeth lowe the arrogant and proud and lifteth vp the lowly Gen. 24.49.50.51 52.57.58 Abrahams seruant hauing asked Rebecca of her parents to be Isacks wife she was graunted vnto him accordingly and sent away home with him to Isack with her owne consent and without all delay Instruction 29 Wherein we may learne how that the Lord blesseth and prospereth the affaires of such as feare him and commend their errands as this Godly seruant did vnto Gods fatherly care 1. Pet 5.7 Cast all
Psal 78.70 71.72 who waited so well on God that of a fillie shepheard he was made a mighty monarch and a glorious king So that he had good cause to say it is good for me to drawe neere to God to trust in him Psal 33.20 40.1 73.28 and to waite patiently on him A king is able to make his waiter of a meane man a mightie man of a Lad he is able to make him a Lord but God can easily if he please make his waiter of a contemptible cast-away Psal 113.7.8 Eccles 11.1 a puissant Prince a crowned king It is he that raiseth the needie out of the dust and lifteth vp the poore out of the dung That he may set him with the Princes euen with the Princes of his people Yea not onely setteth he such as waite on him with the princes but also sometimes setteth a crowne vpon their heads Iob. 36 7. and maketh them Princes not onely doth he place the righteous with kings in the throne but also maketh them sometimes kings Eccle. 4.14 and as Salomon speaketh bringeth them out of the verie prison to raigne And therefore godly Dauid acknowledgeth that God did preuent him with liberal blessings Psal 21.3 and that he set a crowne of pure gold vpon his head So then as I said before be forgotten who will the man that feareth God and waiteth on him shall not be forgotten but shall be b th remembred and remunerated with an ample reward greater then any mortall king can giue Rahel and Leah as in their barrennes they prayd vnto God for to giue them the abilitie to beare children so hauing receaued at Gods hands the thing they did aske they praised him for the same Now will I praise the Lord Gen. 29.33 35 said Leah when she had borne Iudah Rahel hauing borne Ioseph reioycingly praised the Lord for taking away her rebuke Gen. 30.23 1. Sam. 2.1 to 11. So the holy woman Anna hauing receiued a son of the Lord praised him in a song The like did religious Zacharie hauing receiued a Sonne by his wife Elizabeth in her barren olde age Luk. 1.68 to 80. Whereby both women and men Instruction 57 are taught to pray vnto God for all good things they stand in need of hauing receiued that which they did aske to proue thankfull by praising him for the same for the man that is not thankfull for good things already receiued is not worthy to receiue any more good at Gods hand And therefore the Apostle exhorteth christians to giue thankes alwaies for all Eccles 5.4.20 things vnto God euen the father in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ And the Prophet Moses warneth the people that they doe not forget to blesse the Lord for their habitation and foode Dent. 8.10 11.12.13 14.15.16.17.18 for the increase of their flockes and of their siluer and golde Remember the Lord your God saith he for it is he which giueth you power to get substance And therfore let euerie one that hath receiued any good thing at the Lords hand or yet looketh to receiue more say with holy Dauid What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benifites to me Psal 116.12.13.14 I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vowes vnto the Lord euen now in the presence of all his people Psal 103.1 2.3.4.5 My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefites Which forgiueth all thine iniquitie and healeth all thine infirmities which redeemeth thy life from the graue and crowneth thee with mercie and compassion which satisfieth thy youth with good things and thy youth is renued like the Eagles But to returne from Iacobs wiues vnto himselfe Iacob was enuied of his owne Cousins Labans children which did murmure mightily against him for his great wealth Yea Labans owne countenance began to be changed so that he was lesse kinde vnto him then he had beene before It was no doubt an affliction and that a bitter one too for him to be enuied of his owne neere Cousins and allies yea of his own Vncle and father in lawe Laban and that his good long seruices were not better considered vpon by him and his children and how that the Lord had for his sake prospered them all But though his nearest kins-men and allies were thus changed in their affection towards Iacob yet in the mean time God who is vnchangeable in his loue for whom he loueth Ierim 31.3 Ioh. 13.1 he loueth with an euerlasting loue did neuer alter his countenance and affection in his behalfe When Iacob was most crossed of men then did God shew himselfe most kinde And the frowardnes of his friends was not of so great force to cast him downe as the present fauour of God was to holde him vp Instruction 58 Whereby we are taught to haue alwayes our greatest affiance in Gods fauour for though our fathers and our mothers let alone our kins-men or allies should faile vs and forsake vs Psal 27.10 125.1 146.3 yet the Lord will gather vs vp They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot be remoued but remaineth for euer Put not your trust in Princes saith that godly Prince nor in the sonne of man Ierem. 17.5.6.7.8 for there is no helpe in him Cursed be the man saith the Lord that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord for he shall be like the heath in the Wildernes and shall not see when any good commeth but shall inhabit the parched places in the Wildernes in a salt land not inhabited But blessed be the man that trusteth in the Lord whose hope the Lord is for he shall be as a tree planted by the water which spreadeth out her rootes by the riuer and shall not feele when the heate commeth but her leafe shall be greene and shall not care for the yeere of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruit Such a well rooted greene and faire branched tree was Iacob who trusted in the Lord and not in man and therefore when as man frowned on him God fauoured him Gen 31.3.13.17.18 24. bid him leaue his Vncle Laban and returne into his own land Where he prōised to establish him his seede to make them in number as the dust of the earth and as the stars of the heauen And such was the care of the Lord for his seruant Iacob that when as after his departure he was pursued by his father in lawe Laban God did admonish him by a dreame that he should Instruction 59 not speake vnto Iacob so much as one euill word Wherin all faithfull folkes are instructed to commit and commend their wayes and estate vnto the gracious prouidence of God who will both
help vs himselfe and hinder others from doing vs any harme Moreouer when as Iacob was in his iourney Gen. 32.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 and was greatly affrighted and troubled because of his brother Esau the Lord sent his Angels to meete him and to accompanie him for his preseruation and safetie accordirg to the saying of the Psalmist Psal 34.7 19.11 The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about all them that feare him and deliuereth them He shall giue his Angels charge ouer them to keepe them in all their wayes Thus we read that the Lord comforted Hagar by an Angel Gen. 16.7 to 15 when she fled from her mistris Sara for vsing her roughly Thus an Angel stayed Abraham at the Lords appointment Gen. 22.11.12 from sacrificing his Sonne Thus an Angel conducted Eliezer Abrahams seruant to finde a wife for Gen. 24.7.12.27.40 Isack Thus an Angell comforted Eliah and nourished him when as he fled from Iezebell 1 King 19 5 6.7 Thus an Angell comforted and encouraged Ioshua being about the besieging of Ierico Iosh 5.13.14.15 Thus an Angel appeared vnto Gideon Iudg 6.11 to 28. to appoint him to be the sauiour of Israel out of the Midianites hands Thus the Angel Raphael was sent of God to guide Tobias in his wayes Tob 5.6 1.3.14 15.18.19 20.21.22 Act 1◠7 8 9 10 11 12. 27.23.24 and to prosper his busines Thus the holy Angels deliuered the Apostles out of prison and another Angel shewed Saint Paul that none of them with him in the Ship should perish Also the Angels ministred vnto our Sauiour Christ in the Wildernes after his fourtie dayes fasting Mat 4.11 Luke 22.4.5 And another Angel comforted him in the garden before his apprehension Mat. 29.24 53. He might likewise haue had legiōs of Angels to deliuer him from the violence of the Iewes but he would not Also the Angels did tell the Maries and the rest of the deuout women Mat. 28.5.6 the newes of our Sauiours resurrection In one word Luk. 15.7.10 as the Angels reioyce at the sinners conuersion so are they appointed of God for the faithfuls protection and consolation according to that saying of the Lord vnto his people Exod. 23.20.23 32.2 Behold I send an Angel before thee to keepe thee in thy way and to bring thee to the place which I haue prepared Finally our Sauiour teacheth vs in the Gospell Mat. 18.10 that the Angels are appointed of God to be gardians of little Children Iacob prayed vnto the Lord to deliuer him from the hand of Esau Gen. 32 9.10.11.24.25.28 and the Lord heard him and in token that he should ouercome his brothers anger made his Angell to wrestle with him and in the wrestling strengthned Iacob so that the Angell could not preuaile Thereby giuing him to vnderstand that if an Angell was not able to vanquish him when as God was on his side to strengthen him how much lesse should his brother being a mortall man be able to giue him the foile And therefore the Angell said vnto Iacob thy name shal be called Iacob no more but Israell because thou hast had power with God thou Instruction 60 shalt also preuaile with men And herein we are admonished in the time of anguish and aduersity but cheifely whenas we are in perril by reason of great men to haue our recourse vnto God with Iacob praying him to deliuer vs from the hands of our enemies that are stronger then wee This hath allwaies beene the custome of the men of God namely of Godly Dauid Lord how are mine aduersaries increased Psal 3.1.3.4.5.6.7 said this holy man when as he fled from his son Absalon How many rise against me But thou Lord art a Buckler for me my glory and the lifter vp of mine head I did call vnto the Lord with my voyce and he heard me out of his holy mountaine I laied me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me I would not be afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about O Lord arise helpe me my God for thou hast smitten all mine enemies vpon the cheeke-bone thou hast broaken the teeth of the wicked The Lord was Dauids gard against the insurrection of his Sonne and likewise against the persecution of Saul Psal 18.32 to 42. God girded him with strength and taught his hands to fight so that he not onely wounded his enemies that they were not able to rise but also consumed them for he beat them as small as the dust before the winde and tread them flat as the clay in the street And as God consumed Dauids enemies so he changed the hearts of Iacobs aduersaries This great King of hearts softned Esaus heart in his brothers behalfe for no sooner came he into his brothers sight and had done obeisance in humble manner before him but as soone God touched Esaus heart with a correspondent affection so that he ran to meete him and embraced him and fell on his neck and they wept for ioy out of a kinde tendernesse of heart Thus Esau that once hated his brother mortally now loued him exceedingly and he that once intended to kill him now blesseth him and he that once did banish and chase him away now runneth to meete and to embrace him in his armes Instruction 61 In Esaus demeanour we are taught to ouercome all carnall desire of reuenge though we haue power to be auenged on such as haue either crossed vs or yet done vs any wrong Rom. 12.19.20.21 Dearely beloued saith the Apostle auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I wil repay saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feede him if he thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vpon his head Be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with goodnes Againe in Iacobs humble behauiour towards his Brother for it is said that he bowed himselfe seauen times to the ground before his brother whome he called his Lord and that he sent him a present of his goods that he might finde fauour in his sight In Iacobs humility Instruction 62 and curtesie I say the children of God are taught to vse all the ordinary meanes of pacifying and appeasing such as we know to beare vs any euill will whether by dooing of externall submission and obeisance or by vsing honorable and reuerent compellations in their behalfe or yet by giuing or sending them a present of such goods as the Lord hath bestowed vpon vs. The present that Iacob sent vnto his brother Esau he calleth his blessing insinuating therby that as it was a blessing from God vnto him so should it be a blessing to his brother from God by Iacobs hands And it is verie likely that the Lord blessed Esau for Iacobs sake for being appeased towards his brother and for vsing him so kindely