his providence had so ordered that he should see them passing and invite them to his house How glad was this good man of an occasion to shew kindness acknowledging Gods good providence And how improvident are we for our selves that will not offer a sacrifice when God sets up an altar before us So do as thou hast said The Angels needed not his courtesie yet kindly accept of it Good offers or offices even from inferiours are not to be rejected but regarded yea rewarded Vers 6. Make ready quickly Habent aulae suum Ciâ—ò Ciâ—ò saith One. So had Abrahams house here He she the boy and all hasted and had their severall offices The very expression it self here used is concise and quick Much like that of the Prophet in the case of returning to God If ye will enquire enquire return come Esa 21.12 Silius Praecipitatempus mors atra impendet agenti Three measures of fine meal Three pecks for three mens dinners and the best of the best too fine meal the fat calf butter and milk Gods plenty of all and hearty welcome the good-man himself standing by and bidding them Go to which shews his humanity and his humility also Dat bene dat multum qui dat cum munere vultum Vers 9. Behold in the tent David compares a good woman to the vines upon the walls of the house because she cleaveth to her house Others to a snail that carrieth her house on her back St. Paul reckons it for a vertue in a woman to keep at home Tit. 2 5. Prov. 7.11 and Solomon for a sign of a lewd huswife that her feet abide not in her house Vers 10. According to the time of life That is when this time shall return again this time twelve-moneth See vers 14. with the Note to it Sarah heard it in the tent door She was listning out of womanish curiosity Yet some think the Angel asked for her on purpose that she hearing her name mentioned might listen Vers 11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old So when we were altogether without strength according to the time of life Christ dyed for the ungodly Rom. 5.6 Vers 12. Sarah laughed Gods promises seem absurd and ridiculous many of them to humane reason which therefore must be silenced and shut out as Hagar was for it will argue carnally as that unbeleeving Lord 2 King 7.2 storms at Gods offers as Naaman at the message looks upon Gods Jordan with Syrian eyes as he and after all cryes out with Nicodemus How can these things be measuring God by its own modell and casting him into its own mould After I am waxed old shall I lust Old and cold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is our English proverb and the Greek word for an old body signifies one in whom naturall heat is exstinct It is a most undecent thing to see the pleasures of youth prevailing in times of age among old decrepit goats Were it not monstrous to behold green apples on a tree in winter My Lord being old also This was the onely good word in the whole sentence God takes notice of it and by St. Peter records it to her eternall commendation 1 Pet. 3.6 yea he was so well pleased with her subjection to her husband whom she here in her heart calleth Lord that he is content to forgive her great sin of unbeliefe Vers 1.3 Said to Abraham wherefore did Sarah laugh The wives sin reflects upon the husband But Solomon shews that some wives are so intemperate and wilfull that a man may as well hide the wind in his fist or oyl in his hand as restrain them from ill-doing Prov. 27.15 16. Liberum arbitrium Hcidfeld pro quo tantopere contenditur viri amiserunt â—â—xores arripuerunt saith One wittily Vers 14. Is any thinâ—â—oo hard for God He can do all things pessiâ—le and honourable He cannot lye dye deny himself for that implyeth impotency He could not do any mighty work in his own Country because of their unbeleef Mark 6.5 6. He could not because he would not He can do more then he will as of stones raise up Churches Matth. 3.9 Call for legions Matth. 26.53 Create more worlds in an instant But whatsoever he willeth that he doth in heaven and earth and none can saâ— What doest thou Our God can deliver us Dan. 3.17 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Matth. 8.2 c. I will return to thee according to the time of life He returned not personally that we read of but virtually he did by making good his promise at the appointed time That of Doctour Sands afterwards Bishop of Worcester is wonderfull and worth relating He departing the land for fear of Q. Mary took his leave of his Host and Hostess who was childless and had been married eight years When the wind served as he went toward the ship he gave his Hostess a fine hand-kerchief and an old royall of gold in it thanking her much and said Be of good comfort Act Mon. fol. 1874. ere that one whole year be past God shall give you a child a boy And it came to pass that day twelve-moneth lacking one day God gave her a fair son Vers 15. I laughed not for she was afraid And well she might for as every body hath its shadow so hath every sin its fear Her sin she saw was detected and her conscience she felt was troubled hence her fear Nay but thou didst laugh A lye must be roundly reproved and the truth asserted She laughed but within her self but as good she might have laughed out aloud for God searcheth the heart I pray thee O Lord was not this my saying when I was in my Country Jon. 4.2 No Jonas it was not thy saying it was onely thy thinking but that 's all one before him who understandeth thy thoughts afar off Psal 139.2 Vers 16. To bring them on the way A special piece of courtesie and much spoken of in Scripture 3 Joh. 6. Acts 20.38 21.5 Ram. 15.24 1 Cor. 16.11 Tit. 3.13 Vers 17. Shall I hide from Abraham My bosom-friend He shall be both of Gods Court and his Councel His secret is with them that fear him The Kings of Israel had some one Courtier called the Kings Friend by a specialty to whom they imparted arcana Imperii State-secrets Such an Office had Abraham about God who calls him Abraham my Friend See what our Saviour saith to all his John 15.15 This honor have all his Saiâ—as Vers 18 19. Seeing that Abraham c. Gods first motive here is from his own antecedent love to Abraham as the second from his consequent Vers 19. For I know him God hath a quick eye to see our good works He weighs and rewards every circumstance Christ could tell that the people had come from far to heat him that they had fasted three days John 6. that they went in a Wilderness where they could not cater for themselves that if they should be
strain vade tibi Get thee gone Gen. 12.1 Gen. 22.2 Here God led Abraham into temptation but delivered him from evill Have you not been tempted saith a Holy man in this or that kinde It is because God in mercy would not lead you into temptation Baines Letters Yea this is in some sort more to be acknowledged then victory when you are tempted For not to be tempted is more immediately from God and less in mans power then to prevail against temptation Sith nothing doth overcome us against our will but without our will God doth lead us into triall for he knoweth we would taste little of these if we might be our own carvers Vers 3. And Abraham rose up early c. To shew his prompt and present obedience He neither consulted with his wife nor with his own reason Exod. 4. She might have haply hung upon him and hindered him as Zipporah did Moses to the hazarding of his life He captivates all the powers of the soul to his Creator goes after him without sciscitation and so shews himself to be renewed in the spirit of his minde that is in his naturall reason for that like an old Beldam is the mother and nurse of all our distempers and outstrayes Cassianus tells us of a young man that had given himself up to a Christian life And his parents Cassianus misliking that way wrote letters to disswade him from it which when he knew he would not once open them but threw them in the fire Let us do so by the suggestions of flesh and blood and the counsell of carnall friends or we shall never rest and feast in Abrahams bosome I know not by what reason said Borthwick the Scotch Martyr they so called them my friends Act Mon. fol. 1157. which so greatly laboured to convert me as they called it neither will I more esteem them then the Madianites which in time past called the children of Israel to do sacrifice to their Idols Vers 4. Then on the third day A great while for him to be plodding ere he came to the place But we must conceive that his brains were better busied then many of ours would have been therewhile We must not weigh the cross for then it will prove heavy we must not chew the pill but swallow it whole else it will prove bitter We must not plod too much but ply the Throne of Grace for a good use and a good issue of all our trialls and tribulations Vers 5. Abide you here with the Asse This the Hebrews use for a proverb against such as are dull and uncapable Zophar saith That man is born as a wild-asses-colt As an Asses foal for rudeness and a wild-asses for unruliness Job 11.11 It imports that he is untamed and untractable till a new heart be put into him Agur had not the understanding of a man till he spake to Ithiel and Vcall for it Prov. 30.1 2. He wants the totum hominis that doth not fear God and keep his Commandements Eccles 12.13 Tu Asinus unum estote Alex. Cook his Abatement of Popish brags Epist will not do it which was the counsell given to a young Novice entring a Monastery And come again to you Nesciens formam rei futurae prophetavit sciens de eventu prophetavit quod ignoravit saith Amb. Vers 6. And laid it upon Isaac his son Who was herein a lively type of Christ bearing the cross whereon he was offered up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Plutarch speaking of the Roman fashion of crucifying malefactors And surely it was by a wonderfull providence of God that the Jews brought our Saviour to Pilate to be put to death sith they hated nothing more then to confirm or countenance the Roman tyranny among them by any means Hence Gamaliel gave counsell to dismiss the Apostles Act. 5.38 And hence the chiefe Priests and Rulers took it so exceeding haynously that Paul was taken out of their hands by the chiefe Captain Act. 23. But God had a hand in it that this and other types and Scriptures might be fulfilled that foretold the very manner of his death on a tree Let the Jews stumble now at the cross and fall backward Let the Gentiles jear us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borreo dicere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vita peregr Omnis homâ— aut est cum Christo regnaturus aut cum Diabolo cruciandus Aug. Justin l. 18. as Luciâ—n doth for that we deny the multitude of their gods and yet believe in a crucified God Let us desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified and if ever we desire to be Kings in heaven and every man must be aut Caesar aut nullus a King or a caytiffe Let us seek by the eye of faith to see the Sun of righteousness in the West as Stratoes servant taught him Let us look upon Christ hanging on the cross dying on that Altar and we shall live for ever Vers 7. Where is the Lamb for a burnt offering Isaac was not to be told now what belonged to a sacrifice He had been long since taught by his father what was to be done in the service of God When I was young my father taught me saith Solomon Prov. 4.4 so did his mother also Primas in Philip Greg. Moral l. 27. c. 14. Prov. 31. in her Lemuels lesson Plantas tenellas frequentius adaquare proderit saith Primasius Vers 8. God will provide himself a Lamb A pious and precious Proverb much to be mused on and made use of Qui finxit alas papilioni is curabit omma when we are in an exigent and see not whither to turn us Then say Deus viderit God will with the temptation also give an issue 1 Cor. 10.13 Necesse est adesse divinum ubi humanum cessat auxilium saith Philo. Sciat etiam Celsitudo vestra saith Luther in a letter to the Prince Elector of Saxony Sâ—uâ—tet Ann. I would your Highness should well know that businesses are far otherwise carried and concluded in heaven then at the Diet at Norinberg c. And to Phillip Melancthon he writes thus Si nos ruemus ruet Christus unà ille regnator mundi esto ruat c. Sed scribo haec frustrà quia tu Scuâ—tet Annal secundùm philosophiam vestram has res ratione regere hoc est ut ait ille cum ratione insanire pergis occidis teipsum nec vides prorsus extra manum tuam consilium positam esse causam etiam extra curam tuam velle agi Vers 9. And they came to the place Mount Moriah where the Temple was afterwards built This was a little from Salem 2 Chron. 3.1 as Mount Calvary also was a little from Jerusalem And bound Isaac his son Who strugled not neither resisted though able for his age being twenty five year old as Josephus makes him others thirty three to have overmastered his old father He was
and a goodly creature Sweet saith Solomon Eccles 11.7 Comfortable saith David Psal 97.11 Which when one made question of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot Beatumâ—ssâ— hominem Deo fruentem sicut oculus luce August de Civitat Dei l. 8. 2 Cor. 6.14 1 Thes 5. â— 6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.13 Lactant. That 's a blinde mans question said the Philosopher What is it then to enjoy him that is Light Essential The Platonists who were blinde in divinis and could not see far off yet they could say that he was a blessed man who enjoyed God as the eye doth enjoy the light And God divided the light c. Let not us confound them and so alter Gods order by doing deeds of darkness in a day of Grace in a Land of Light What make Owls at Athens or such spots among Saints as count it pleasure to riot in the day time It was a shame that it should be said There was never less wisdom in Greece then in the time of the seven wisemen of Greece It was a worse shame that it should be said to the Corinthians That some of them had not the knowledg of God 1 Cor. 15. 1 Cor. 5.1 2 Cor. 6. and that such Fornication was found among them as was not heard of among the Heathen For what fellowship hath light with darkness Surely none Our morning shadows fall as far as they can toward the West Evening toward the East Plutarch Noon day toward the North c. Alexander having a souldier of his name that was a coward he bade him either leave off the name of Alexander or be a souldier Verse 5. And God called the light Day c. He taught men to call them so Day from the noise and hurry Night from the yelling of wild beasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Darknesse he created not but onely by accident and yet not that without some notable use Much lesse that darknesse of affliction which he is said to create Esa 45.7 Vnto the upright there ariseth light in darknesse yea light by darknesse Psal 112.4 as to Paul whose bodily blindnesse opened the eyes of his minde Opera Dei sunt in mediis coâ—trariis saith Luther Gods workes are effected usually by contraries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naziâ—nz Laerâ—ius And the evening and the morning c. Thales one of the seven Sages had learned this truth by going to Schoole in Egypt For being asked whether was first the Day or the Night he answered that the Night was sooner by one Day As who should say afore God had created the light it must needs be confessed that out of him there was nothing but darknesse Evening seperates by darknesse morning by light so the one dis-joynes day from night the other night from day Onely this first evening seperated not because light was then uncreated Yet was it of God appointed even then to stand betwixt light and darknesse In the first Evening was Heaven and Earth created and in the first Morning the light 2 Cor. 11.25 both which make the civill day called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Apostle And this which doubtlesse is the naturall order of reckoning the day Pliâ— lib. 2. c. 7 from evening to evening was in use among the Athenians and is to this day retained by the Jewes Italians Bohemians Si esians and other Nations Our life likewise is such a day and begins with the darke evening of misery here but death is to Saints the day-breake of eternall brightnesse Morning lasteth but till morning Nay Psal 30.5 not so long for Behold at even-tide trouble and before the morning he is not Esay 17.14 It is but a moment yea a very little moment and the indignation will pertransire be overpast saith the Prophet Esa 16.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb 6.10.37 so little a while as you can scarce imagine saith the Apostle If it seem otherwise to any of us consider 1 That we have some lucida intervalla some respites interspiriates breathing whiles And it is a mercy that the man is not alwayes sweating out a poor living Gen. 3. Rom. 6.23 the woman ever in pangs of child-birth c. 2 That this is nothing to eternity of extreamity which is the just hire of the least sin 3 That much good accrues unto us hereby Heb. 12.10 Yea this light affliction which is but for a moment 2 Cor. 4.17 worketh out unto us that far most excellent and eternall weight of glory Oh pray pray that the eyes of our understanding being enlightned by that Spirit of wisdome and râ—vellation we may know what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints c. Eph. 1.17 18. Verse 6. Let there be a firmament Yet not so firme but it shall be dissolved 2 Pet. 3.11 That it is not presently so that those windowes of heaven are not opened as once in the deluge having no better a bar then the liquid ayre and we suddenly buried in one universall grave of waters see a miracle of Gods mercy and thanke him for this powerfull word of his Let there be a firmament Bartholinus tells us that in the yeare of Christ 1551. a very great multitude of men and cattell were drowned by a terrible tempest the clouds suddenly dissolving and the waters pouring downe againe Barthol lib. 2 de meteoris with such a strange stupendious violence that the massie walls of many Cities divers Vineyards and faire houses were utterly destroyed and ruined Clouds those bottles of raine are vessells as thin as the liquor which is contained in them D. H. Conteâ—p There they hang and move though weighty with their burdens How they are upheld saith a Reverend Divine and why they fall here and now we know not and wonder Job 26.8 They water our lands as we doe our gardens and are therefore called our heavens Deut. 33.28 Verse 7. Waters which were above the firmament That is the clouds and watery meteors above the lower region of the ayre where Gods pavillion round about him is darke waters Psal 18.11 Jer. 10.13 and thicke clouds of the skies These he weighes by measure not a drop falls in vaine or in a wrong place Job 28.15 And this is the first heaven As the second is the starry skie which is firme and fast as a molten looking-glasse Job 37.18 To this heaven some that have calculated curiously have found it 500 yeares journey Others say that if a stone should fall from from the eight sphere and should passe every houre an hundreth miles Burton of Melancholly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Câ—lo texâ— 99. Deut. 10.14 Luke 22.42 Luke 16.22 Job 14.2 Heb. 12.22 Heb. 11.14 it would be 65 yeares or more before it would come to ground Beyond this second heaven Aristotle acknowledgeth none other Beyond the moveable heavens saith he there is neither body nor time nor place nor Vacuum But
got a manchilde of the Lord she called him Cain a possession as David did Absolom his Fathers peace But Fallitur augurio spes bona sape suo Excellently Saint Gregory Ante partum liberi sunt onerosi in partu dolorosi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post partum laboriosi And he shall rule over thee Yet not with rigor She must though to her grief and regret be subject to all her husbands lawful both commands and restraints But he must carry himself as a man of knowledg towards her and make her yoke as easie as may be It is remarkable Colos 3.19 That when the Apostle had bid Wives submit to your own husbands c. He doth not say Husbands rule over your wives for that they will do fast enough without biding but husbands love your wives and be not bitter unto them Vers 17. Because thou hast hearkned to the voyce of thy wife Our English Historian relating the deadly difference that fell out betwixt those two noble Seymours the Lord Protector Sir Johu Heywood in the life of K. Edw. 6. p. 84. and the Admiral his Brother in Edward the sixt time thorough the instigation of their ambitious wives passionately cryes out O wives The most sweet poyson the most desired evil in the world c. Woman was first given to man for a Comforter saith he not for a Counsellor much less a controller and director And therefore in the first sentence against man this cause is expressed Because thou hast obeyed the voyce of thy wife c. Cursed is the ground for thy sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arvuum ab Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence the Greeks and Latines borrow their words for ground of the Hebrew word that signifieth cursed The curse of emptiness and unsatisfyingness lyes upon it that no man hath enough though never so much of it The curse also of barrenness or unprofitable fruits whose end is to be burned Heb. 6.8 The whole earth and the works therein 2 Pet. 3.10 shall be burnt up It was never beautiful nor chearful since Adams fall At this day it lyes bed-rid waiting for the coming of the Son of God that it may be delivered from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8.20 Vers 18. Thorns also and thisties Vbi veritas dixit quod terra homini spinas tribulos germinaret subintelligendum fuit ait Petrareha rusticos tribulis omnibus asperiores Petrarch de remed ver fort Dial. 59. Judg. 8 7-16 The Clowns of Midian drove Jethroes daughters from the water they had drawn Rudeness hath no respect either to sex or condition Those Churls of Succoth were worthily threshed with thorns of the Wilderness and with bryars and thereby taught better manners Thou shalt eat the herb of the field And no longer feed on these pleasant fruits of Paradise which by thy sin thou hast forfeited Thus man is driven from his dainty and delicate dyet to eat husks with hogs as the Prodigal or at least grass with the Ox as Nebuchadnezzar and be glad of it too as our Ancestours who though they fed not at first on acorns as the Poets fable Hiâ—c holus quisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet if they could get a dish of good green herbs they held themselves as well provided for as if they had all Verse 19. Picherellus in Cosmâ—p In the sweat of thy face Or of thy nose as One rendreth it that sweat that beginning in thy brow runs down by thy nose through thy hard labour This is a law laid upon all sorts to sweat out a poor living to humble themselves by just labour to sweat either their brows or their brains for this latter also is a sore occupation Eccles 1.13 and the Ministers toyl is compared to that of those that cleave wood or work hard in harvest 1 Thess 3.5 Math. 10.1 â— 1 Cor. 9.14 See my true â—â—ealure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Shalt thou eat bread Not herbs onely as vers 18. And here take notice of an elegant gradation together with a mercifull mitigation of mans misery Thou shalt eat earth ver 17. herbs vers 18. and now here Thou shalt eat bread that stay and staffe of mans life under his hard labour Panem dictum volunt à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isidor 1.20 Vntill thou returne unto the ground O earth earth earth bearâ— the word of the Lord i.e. Earth by creation Earth by corruption Earth by resolution This is the end of all men and the living should lay it to heart Jâ—â— 22.29 In this third of Genesis we find Mans Exodus This is the first text of mortality and all comments yea all dead corpses concur to the exposition of it Etiam mutâ— clâ—mant cadavâ—â—a Basil For dust thou art Think on this and be proud if thou canst We were created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now we live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Agapetus Had we so sweet a generation as that little creature Scaliger speaks of Exercit ad ad Cardan that is bred in sugar we might have had some ground of boasting but now we may sprinkle the dust of humility on our heads as the Ancients used to do in token that they had deserved to be as far under as now they were above ground And to dust thou shalt return By this limitation God restrains mans death here threatned to that earthy part of him his body The forest death is when a man dyes in his sins as those Jewes did Joh. 8.21 better dye in a ditch a fair deal when he is killed with death as Jesabels children Rev. 2.23 this is the second death The condemned person comes out of a dark prison and goes to the place of execution so do many from the womb to the tomb nay to that tormenting Tophet to the which death is but a trap-door to give them entrance Verse 20. And Adam caâ—â—ed his wives name Eve That is Life or Living Not per antiphraesim as some would have it much less out of pride and stomack in contempt of the divine sentence denounced against them both that they should surely dye as Rupertus would have it but because she was to be mother of all living whether a naturall or a spirituall life and likewise for a testimony of his faith in and thankfulness for that lively and life-giving oracle vers 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mother of all living Have we not all as one father Mal. 3.10 so one mother did we not all tumble in a belly why do we then deale treacherously every man against his brother ib. This one consideration should charm down our rising and boyling spirits one against another as it did Abrahams Gen. 13 8. Verse 21. Coats of skins and clothed them God put them in leather when yet there was better means of cloathing to humble them doubtless and draw them to
binding of a bush or briar And to this both David seems to allude Psal 94.19 and the son of David in that famous Lammah Sabachtani of his Bastards Serm. on Gen. 22.1 Mark 15.24 And Abraham went and took the Ram c. How likely is it saith One that we will offer to God Isaac our joy which will not sacrifice the Ram that is mortifie our sinfull lusts and the desires of our flesh God tempteth us now saith Mr. Philpot Martyr as he did our Father Abraham commanding him to slay his son Isaac which by interpretation signifieth mirth and joy who by his obedience preserved Isaac unto life and offered a Ram in his stead Semblably we are to sacrifice to God our Isaac that is our joy and consolation which if we be ready to do our joy shall not perish but live and be increased although our Ram be sacrificed that is the pride and concupiscence of our flesh intangled through sin with the cares of this stinging world for the preservation and perfect augmentation of our mirth and joy Act. Mon. 1667. sealed up for us in Christ Thus he And as God provided another sacrifice saith a Third for Abraham that so he might save his Son which was a Ram tyed and intangled in thornes Itinerar Scripturae fol. 99. so God provided a sacrifice for the salvation of the world Christ that immaculate Lamb whose head being crowned with thorns and hanging on the Cross by his death opened unto us the door of life and made us capable of eternall happiness It is probable saith Bucholcerus that Abraham when he slew and sacrificed the Ram looked up to heaven with new eyes full of divine light and that being filled with the Spirit of God and carried beyond himself he thought of more things he felt more he seemed to see and hear more then was possible to be uttered Ipse Deus quodammodo expositurus declaraturus Abrahae actionis praesentis augustam significationem Bucholc in Chronâ— p. 187. manu eum ducturus ad introspicienda hujus sacrificii sui adyta promissionem de Christo repetit jurejurando confirmat Vers 14. In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen God will be found of his in fit time and place To him belong the issues of death Psal 68.20 None can take us out of his hands He knows how to deliver his and when as Peter spake feelingly 2 Pet. 2.9 with Act. 12.11 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Jireh To perpetuate the memory of Gods mercy not of his own obedience which yet was notable and not to be matched again If we honour God we shall have honour that 's a bargain of Gods own making 1 Sam. 2.31 Vers 16. By my self have I sworn God swears for the further confirmation of our faith For here he swore not more for Abrahams sake then ours as the Apostle shews Heb. 6.13 14 17 18. As when he spake with Jacob at Penuel there he spake with us Hos 12.4 and what he said to Joshua he said to all I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 And hast not with-held thy son thine onely son And yet what was this to that sic without a sicut that hyperbole that excess of love in God that moved him to send his Son to dye for our sins He loved Christ far better then Abraham could love Isaac and yet he gave him up freely which Abraham would never have done without a command and to dye as a malefactor and by the hands of barbarous and bloody enemies whereas Isaac was to dye as a holy sacrifice and by the hand of a tender father How much more cause have we to say Now I know the Lord loves me Psal 119.106 and to swear as David did to keep his righteous judgements Vers 18. Because thou hast obeyed This because is not so much causall as rationall Significat non causam meritoriam sed subalternam sine qua non Vers 19. Went together to Beersheba The Hebrews conceive because here 's no mention of Isaac's return that he was sent by his father to Shem or that he remained for certain years in Mount Moriah But this is uncertain Vers 20. It was told Abraham Good news out of a far Countrey God usually chears up his children after sharpest trialls brings them as once from Mâ—rah to Elim c. Vers 23. And Bethuel begat Rebeccah Rebeccah is born Sarah dyes Thus one generation passeth and another commeth Our children are the Danes that drive us out of the Countrey CHAP. XXIII Vers 1. And Sarah was an hundred c. IT is observed by Divines that God thought not fit to tell us of the length of the life of any woman in Scriptâ—â—e but Sarah to humble that sex that because they were first in bringing in death deserved not to have the continuance of their lives recorded by Gods Pen. Vers 2. And Sarah died The Jews would perswade us that the Devill represented to her the offering of Isaac whereat she took a conceit and dyed This is but a meer conceit of theirs for Abraham then dwelt at Bâ—orshebâ— now at Hebron And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah So she was the first that we read of mourned for at death and it is mentioned as an honour to her Solons Mors mâ—a ne careaâ— luchrymis is to be preferred before Hin◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justa defunctorum Testamentum Augusti praeleg it tanto simulato gemitu uâ— non medò â—â—x sed spiritâ— deficere◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio Eumse lâ—gere simulabanâ— quem necâ—veraâ—t Dio in Claud. Gen. 37.35 Jer. 31.15 Ennius his Nemo me decoret lachrymis It is one of the dues of the dead to be lamented at their funeralls and the want of it is threatned as a curse in many Scriptures It is a practise warranted by the best in all ages and mourn we may in death of friends so we mourn 1. In truth and not fainedly 2. In measure and not as men without hope For the first how grossely did Tiberius dissemble at the death of Augustus and at the funerall of Drusus Whereupon Tacitus makes this note Vana irrisâ— vero honesto fidem adimunt So when Julius Caesar wept over Pompey's head presented to him in Egypt they that saw it laughed in their sleeves and held them no better then Crocodiles tears So the mourning that Nero and his mother made over the Emperor Claudius whose death they had conspired and effected was deep dissimulation This is no less hatefull then to mourn heartily but yet immoderately is unlawfull Here Jacob forgat himself when so overgrown with grief for his Joseph and Rachel for the rest of their children that they would not be comforted So David for his Absolom Alexander the Great for his friend Hephestiâ—n when he not onely clipped his horse and mules hair Plutar. in vita â—â—lop but plucked down also
his Care not for your lumber and trumpery suffer with joy the loss of your goods Come come away in your affections I have far better things for you above the good of all the land of the living is yours c. And should we not cheerfully follow the Divine call Many play loth to depart because they have treasure in the world as those ten men had in the field Ier. 41.8 But all that this world affords is but trashto the truly religious Alexander hearing of the riches of the Indies divided his Kingdom of Macedony among his Captains and Souldiers And being asked what he had left for himself he answered Hope And should not the hope of heaven make us slight all earthly vanities Spes in terrenis incerti nomen boni spes in divinis nomen est certissimi Heb. 11.1 Vers 21. And gave them provision for the way So doth God give all his meat that the world knows not of joy that the natural heart never tasted of the white Stone the hidden Manna the continual feast the foretaste of eternal life to hold up their hearts till they come home to heaven On the cates of a good conscience he goes on feeding as Sampson did on his honey-comb till he came to his parents as Josephs brethren here did on their venison till they came to their father Jacob. Vers 22. But to Benjamin 1 Tim. 4.10 he gave c. Gods gives his best blessings to his Benjamins He is the Saviour of all men but specially of them that believe The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down These are common favours but behold a better thing The Lord loveth the righteous Psal 146.8 This is more then all the rest Outward things God gives to the wicked also but as Ioseph put his cup into their sack to pick a quarrell with them or at best as he gave them here change of raiment to shew his general love to them but three hundred silverlings and five suites none but a Benjamin shall have the honour and favour of Artabazus in Xenophon complained when Cyrus had given him a cup of gold and Chrysantas a kiss in token of his speciall respect and love saying that the cup that he gave him was not so good gold as the kiss that he gave Chrysantas When David said to Ziba All is thine that pertained to Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 16.4 Ziba answereth I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight As who should say I had rather have the Kings favour then the lands Valdè protestatus sum said Luther me nolle sic ab eo satiari He would not be put off with lands and large offers And Moses would not hear of an Angel to go along with them He would have God himself or none Psal 134.3 The blessings that come out of Sion are choyce peculiar even above any that come out of heaven and earth Vers 24. Fall not out by the way Such a charge layeth Christ upon all his to love one another and to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Si collidimur frangimur If we clash we are broken according to the old fable of the two earthen-pots swimming in the Sea The daughter of dissention is dissolution said Nazianzen And every subdivision in point of Religion is a strong weapon in the hand of the contrary party Hist of Coun. of Trent fol. 49. as he upon the Councel of Trent wisely observed Castor pollux if they appear not together it presageth a storm Vers 26. Joseph is yet alive This was the joyfullest news that ever Iacob heard and the sincerest pleasure that ever he had which therefore God reserves for his age How did his good heart after he had recollected himself dance Levaltoes in his bosome to hear of Iosephs honour but especially of his life what shall ours do when we see Christ in his Kingdom Jacobs heart fainted for he believed them not They had told him a tale before and he that once hath crackt his credit is hardly after believed Besides he thought the news was too good to be true Tarda solet magnis rebus inesse sides The joy of heaven is so great that we must enter into it it cannot enter into us Enter into thy Masters joy Vers 27. When he saw he waggons Such assurance have deeds above words Segnius irritant animos demissae per aures Quam quae sunt oculis commissa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nos non eloquimur magna sed vivimus said those Primitive Christians And no Christian is an ill-lived man unless he be a pretender only to that religion saith Athenagoras in his Apology for them For as one said of Davids words in the 119. Psalm that they are verba vivenda non legenda so is Religion to be credited by the power and practice of it Christians should lead convincing lives and by their piety and patience muzzle the malevolent thrattle envy it self I have read of a woman Mr. Ward 's Serm. The happ of Paradise who living in professed doubt of the God-head after better illumination and repentance did often protest that the vitious life of a knowing man in that town did conjure up those damnable doubts in her soul The difference betwixt Divinity and other sciences is that it is not enough to know but you must do it as lessons of Musick must be practised and a copy not read onely but acted The spirit of Jacob their father revived How will our spirits exalt and triumph when we shall hear the last trump see the mestengers and wagons sent for us consider the crowns scepters Kingdoms glories beauties Angelical entertainments beatifical visions sweetest varieties felicities eternities that we are now to be possessed of Surely as Aeneas and his company when they came within view of Italy after long tossing in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas joyfully cryed out Italiam Virg. Italiam primus conclamat Achates Italiam socii laeto clamore salutant And as when Godfrey of Bulloine and his company went to Jerusalem as soon as they saw the high turrets they gave a mighty shout that the earth rang so when we shall see the battlements of the new Jerusalem what acclamations will it ring of c Vers 28. It is enough Ioseph is yet aliâ—e lâ—cob rejoyceth more for his life then his honour Why is living man sorrowfull Lam. 3.39 yet he is alive that 's a mercy amidst all his miseries before I dye This he speaks after the manner of old men whose song is ' My breath is corrupt my dayes extinct the graves are ready for me Job 17.1 CHAP. XLVI Vers 1. And came to Beershebâ— A Place 1. Consecrated to Gods worship 2. Where he and his fathers had met God and received many mercies 3. That lay in his way from Hebron to Egypt But say it had been out of his way yet it had been