wee the oportunitie of this Vision when it was Surely when Abraham was returned from the rescue of Lot and was now in a great feare what might be faull him by those Kings whome he had so pursued conquered and deliuered his freend from He was a stranger and they at home hee but a few they of great power alyance and kindred howe should it bee but they would combine together to destroye him and neuer put vp and digest what he had doone to them This multiplied in Abrahams minde as all feare will and gaue him many a secret gripe that all the world felt not so well as hee But behould a gracious God a deare and tender father that neuer slumbreth nor sleepeth when his be in agonies and perplexities In this oportunitie of time he appeareth to his seruant renueth his promise to his great comfort and dasheth in sunder with his wordes of sweete mercy the bones of all such troubled thoughts and fearefull concepts Could Abrahams heart haue wished his comfort in a more fit time Did hee not thus againe before when Lot was departed from him Let it euer then be one of our notes in reading the word how fitly in respect of time and neede God comforteth his and let vs know that he is one and the same for euer to all that put their trust in him He seeth what Abraham wanteth and when he wanteth and seeth he not vs Hee gaue Abraham what hee wanted and when he wanted it and is â—e onely his God Stirre we then vp the faith within vs euer euer to trust in him to depend on him and to expect from him our wanted helpes euen in the very time they may best steede vs. 3 Let vs marke the manner of comforte and the wordes themselues Feare not Abraham saith he I am thy buckler and thine exceeding great rewarde He telleth him not that his enemies be wicked and he iust or that they shall be weake and he strong or any such matter but this he saith onely I am thy shield Teaching vs that this is enough against all the threats of foes and terrors of a whole worlde if God care for vs and take vppon him to be our shield against them Earthly hearts do not conceyue this but they crie Giue me friends and fauour with men with Princes with Noblemen with Magistrates and Gentlemen giue me gold and siluer giue me alyance and kindred and such like and then let me alone but if we want these all or some woe be to vs we cannot liue we shall be so crossed so snubbed so brow-beaten so pinched a thousand wayes that death were better a great deale then such a life But O carnall wretches and carnall comforts is God nothing and man all is the Creator so weake and the creature so strong where are our eyes If these things bee had with Gods fauour they are good meanes and may bee our comforte but if these wante and God loue is hee all to weake to shielde vs God forbid Naye onely his loue is life and libertie though all the worlde with his power were set against vs. And this is that which in this place God would haue Abraham to see That hee might not thinke alas I am a stranger weake and without friendes great men malice me and howe shall I doe howe can I scape their handes c. away saith GOD Abraham with such concepts I am thy Buckler and I tell thee that is inough against all thy foes were they neuer so manye and mightie Truthe Lorde truthe and farre bee it from vs euer to thinke otherwise If thou be with vs who can be against vs to hurt vs. If I walke in the middest of the shadow of death saith the Prophet Dauid I will not feare any euill and why Quia tu mecum es Because thou art with mee and O Lorde it is our songe also increase our faith for thy merciâ— sake 4 In that hee saith hee is his rewarde and not onely so but his exceeding great rewarde wee doe well see there is no losse in seruing God as the wicked doe complaine in the Prophet Malachie that there is but on the contrarye side this is profitable and most profitable yea this is riches and exceeding great riches For what hath Heauen or Earth that is not ours God himselfe is ours and wee are his and vnto God what may be added for more perfection Dâ—uid saith The Lorde is his â—â—epheâ—rd and therefore hee shall wante nothing And may not wee say the Lorde is our God our Father our shield and buckler yea our rewarde and exceeding great rewarde therefore we are riche and loose not by his seruice Most truly may wee say it euermore and moste sweetlye should wee taste it when wee are tempted It is wealth to haue Corne and Wine and Oyle increased but sure farre greater wealth to haue the light of Gods countenance lifted vp vpon vs in the Prophets iudgement It is gaine To haue our Garners filled with all manner of store to haue our Oxen strong to labour no leading into captiuitie nor anye complayning in our streets and the people bee happie that bee in such a case but surelye yet farre greater gaine it is to haue the Lorde for our God and rather rather happye bee they that inioye that mercy then all the former 5 When Abraham sayth to God yea but O Lorde what wilte thou giue mee seeing I goe childlesse c. We may see the weakenesse of Gods children euen his deere ones and cheefe-ones if things answer not theyr desires They are a little impatient and thinke lesse of many mercies that both they haue and are promised after to haue because they wante some one thing that they would gladlye haue So was Abraham heere for wante of a Childe as if hee should haue sayde O Lorde what is all thou promisest whilst this wanteth that I haue no issue This is a great corruption in vs and wee must beware For if God were not mercifull it were the waye to robbe vs of all to thinke light of anye for wante of some Let vs not thinke it is denyed that is differred God hath his tymes for all thinges and bounde are wee to his Maiestie for what wee haue till more come and though neuer more come 6 When Abraham thus vttered his greefe for wante of seede God telleth him in great goodnesse hee should haue seede according to his desire yea farre and farre aboue that which hee could imagine or aske For as the stars of heauen so should his seede be for number A gratious promise to a greeued minde for that same thing But when or wherein will not God be good to those that truly serue him this promise Abraham beleeued saith the text and it was counted vnto him for righteousnes By faith then was Abraham iustified we plainly see and is there an other way for other men this were madnes to thinke
So was Ezekias commanded to doe by the Prophet and it is a thing that euery wise man will be carefull of whilst hee hath time The neglect of this hath spent whatsoeuer was gathered by him that dyed 4 Abraham dyeth and it is the way of all flesh as hath often beene sayd Hee dyeth in a good age sayth the Text and full of dayes Long life is good and yet life will wearie any bodye at last a fulnes of time will come to them that most loue this world though it be long first for Senium viuendi taedium adfert Oulde age will wax wearie of life at length 5 Isaac and Ismael his Sonnes burie him A dutie that parents do owe theyr children and children againe to their parents husband must doe this for his wife and the wife likewise for her husband it is the last curtesie and kindnesse to be showed and it is not a matter of little regarde with the godly They know there will be a meeting againe and therefore they lay vp as it were the bodyes of theyr dead freends as men laye vp theyr iewels till such day come Isaac and Ismael were no great friends once but yet no iarres hinder them for this common duty to their Father We are more crooked and wayward many of vs if lust do vrge vs in this pointe Our displeasures priuate hinder vs greatlye from common good and our anger lasteth from age to age to our great reproche 6 Abraham is buried with Sara his wife and if they that loued and liued together while they were heere be also both layde together in that bed of earth that all must come to when they be dead it is a thing that may well bee doone and deserueth no iust dislike of any 7 And after the death of Abraham God blessed Isaac sayth the 11 verse and howe sweete is it to all parents if they marke it For since God is not the God of Abraham alone but of all that feare him This comfort may you haue in your soules euer that when you be gone yet he remaineth and liueth for euer to blesse and prosper to defend and comfort your children after you that are now your care 8 In the genealogie of Ismael hauing twelue princes descending of him see what God can do for a poore boye that was sente out with a bottle of water and as it were left to the wide worlde and to his fortune as some speake O powrefull God what cannot he do and whome cannot hee exalt if it please him Seruants and all succorlesse children looke at it 9 Rebecca was barren long and had no Childe both to her owne and husbands greefe no doubt But so it pleased God then and so so now it pleaseth him often also to schoole his children by withholding theyr wished comforts from them a time Isaac had a promise that he should haue seede and in his seede the familye and lyne greatlye increased yet God wyll haue him wayte for it and tarry his good pleasure in patience which wee must marke Isaac prayeth for his wife and the Lorde is intreated to showe vs what cupples should do one for an other in this behalfe and how well the Lord liketh it when they do it 10 Then she conceyued and being with childe shee felt them striue in her bodye together and marueiling at her case shee wente to the Lorde to aske him Noting thereby to vs that there is no refuge to the godly euer in theyr distresses more then this to get them to the Lorde and to learne of him some comfort for their case But how did she aske of the Lord Surely there is no certayntie layde downe vnto vs and therefore as wee cannot bee resolued with any certainty so is the silence vsed an euidence that there is no necessitie the matter is not to vs materiall Austen saith whether she went vnto the altar that Abraham had built or Melchisedeck was yet aliue or some such man or any other way that I cannot remember and thinke of sayth he this is certaine the Scripture is true and she asked God Others saye this was before Abraham dyed and that shee asked of him and had her answer as foloweth others say happilye in a dreame shee was told or by some inward reuelation or by some angell 11 When the children came to be borne Esau is borne red and hearie So vseth nature sometimes in mens bodyes to bewraye theyr future manners qualities and conditions Iacob is borne the later whom God could haue made first if it had pleased him but he would haue it knowne that he was chosen meerely of grace and not as more excellent because the elder Hee held his brother by the heele which heele signified his posteritie ouer whom the Israelites ruled not by nature but by God 12 Isaac loued Esau and Rebecca loued Iacob Such diuersitie in affection of parents to theyr Children wee see daylye Sometime with reason and often without Heere a reason is added of the Fathers loue to wit because hee loued venison which Esau often killed for him But of the mothers no reason is giuen happily shee loued Iacob more because God had chosen him before Esau Whatsoeuer it was certaine it is shee loued him whome God loued But something was in Iacob that pleased hir we may probably thinke for this is the difference of Gods loue and mans that the reason of his is euer in himselfe and not in the partie being a sinfull man but the reason of mans loue is in the merit of the partie lesse or more euer 13 Sell mee thy birthright nowe c. As if he should haue sayd often hast thou offred it now performe it and let me haue it and thou shalt haue to refresh thy hunger withall But was this a brothers parte to praye as it were vpon his brother and to lye in waite for a vantage Surely if hee had beene but a strangerâ— humanitie would haue releeued his hunger either gratis or for lesse then a birth-right much more his brother Howe then may Iacob be excused heere The answer of good men is that in an extraordinarie thing we may not vse an ordinarie measure iudging of it as of other things that are ordinarie The Lords purpose was to deriue the birth-right to Iacob this occasion and opportunitie falleth out Iacob taketh it and let vs leaue all to God and make no doctrine eyther of rebuke to others or imitation to our selues by extraordinarie facts 14 Lo I am almost dead what is then this birth-right to to me A very bad speech of an earthy minde that measureth all by the belly and thinketh nothing of vse that profiteth not that waye and we cannot better conceiue of this speeche then by the like Suppose a Christian in distresse seeketh comfort somewaye of a Turke He shall say if thou wilt forgoe thy fayth and profession thy
things future but thus notably to lay downe things passed from the beginning of the world Touching those waters aboue the fyrmament well sayde Beda in his time what manner of waters they be and for what purpose ordayned he knoweth that made them thereby geuing vs to learne what modestie becommeth vs in speaking of the secrets of God The same power that is able to vpholde all the frame of this world without any earthy prop is able to holde those waters there in their place to that ende that his wisedome hath ordayned them for and this should content vs. Because it is sayd Let the lights be for signes c. therefore Astrologers catch as though their vnlawfull dealings shoulde therein be warranted But let them conferre Esay 44. vers 22. Ierem. 10. vers 2. with this and then it will appeare that herein the Lord meant not to warrant what there he misliketh But that these words are to be taken in things naturall and politicall as signes of day and night Sommer and Winter c. For if the Starres inclined men vnto euill how should it be said that God saw them to be good wheÌ„ he had made theÌ„ nay how should it not redound euen to the touch of the creator thus farre that he is author of euill But that be farre from vs to say and therefore let God be good and his stars good and their art wicked and naught Let Austen speake for all that I could name vnto you Fugiendum omnibus modis ab hac arte monemus Curioâ—i etenim eius inimici sunt dei et sine solitudine nunquam sunt Semper enim suspensi expectant quod minime certum sciunt We exhort all men saith he to flie from this arte for they that are curious thereof are the enemies of God are neuer without fearefull cares euer expecting what they know not to be certaine Againe nothing so contrarie to Christianitie as this arte for it is against the lawe of God with a number such like speeches he himselfe in his youth hauing beene delighted with it as he confesseth What it is for man to be created according to the Image and similitude of God The Apostle Paul teacheth Ephes 4.24 and also Coloss 3.10 Read Iunius for more Man is appointed heere his foode of God that he should eate and some mooue the question how that shall be For if man were created immortall if he sinned not what needed he any meate to be appointed for him since yet he had not sinned Answer is made by some that there be two kindes of Immortall one that cannot die but euer liue an other that may liue for euer a condition being obserued and die also if that condition be broken One immortall after the first sort needeth no meate but he that is immortall after the second sort dooth neede and such was Adam if he had not sinned he had not dyed but sinning he was so made that he might die and therfore his flesh and nature not such that could liue without meate Others answer that this appointment of meate was made by God in respect of their fall which he knew would be Howsoeuer it was curiositie becommeth vs not but this comfort we may rightly take by it that what the Lord hath made he will maintaine and nourish and casteth for them his prouidence euer to that end euen as the Prophet sayth Cast thy care vpon the Lord and he shall nourish thee vp He is our father and knoweth what we haue need of He careth for vs as saith S. Peter Againe in that he saith Ego dedâ— I haue giuen euer may we be put in minde by it when we sit downe to eate from whence those gifts and blessings come surely euen from hence I haue geuen them and therefore thankefulnes due and most due to so good a God and carefull Father That it is sayde when all was made the Lord sawe and all was good yea exceeding good the lyke hauing been testified also particularly it may admonish vs as neere as euer we shall obtayne strength to indeuour to be lyke our heauenly Father in doing nothing but what may receyue in his mercy such testimony that it is good for great is the comfort of that and more then great the discomfort of the contrary The making of all things before man sheweth Gods woonderfull mercy and loue to man who would as it were prepare euery thing for his vse and comfort before he would haue him bee in the world Not vnlike to a man heere amongst vs that louing the friend whome he intendeth to haue with him and to come vnto him ere euer he will haue him come maketh all things ready that may be either for pleasure or necessity to him then sendeth for him to come all things beeing ready O what is man frayle man wretched and miserable man that God should thus regard him may we well say with the Prophet yet thus it was And shall that God that thus prepared for man ere euer he was now forsake man when he is if he be not most vnkindly and too vnkindly forsaken of man it cannot be it cannot be and therefore in all distresses cast your eyes vpon him and thinke of such testimonies of his loue as this was and be sure that he knowing what you haue neede of will neuer forsake you When the Angells were created it is not precisely named but that they were created both by this place it is knowne and Coloss 1.16 by Iude also and Peter the vsuall opinion is the first day reade Iunius And this of this Chapter briefely Chap. 2. The generall heads of this Chapter are three The institution of the Sabboth A repetition of some things concerning Creation The institution of Mariage COncerning the first it is sayde GOD rested the seuenth day and thereupon consecrated it holie to his Church for euer which rest of the Lord must be vnderstood from creating not from preseruing and from creating to weet of any new kinde for otherwise dayly he createth the soules of men and disposeth them to their bodyes If any question bee made of briers brembles and such like not created at first but springing vp since answere may be made that these and many other things appertayne to corruption and heere mention is made only of perfection These things haue proceded from God punishing and the sixe dayes works from God not offended 2 This Sabboth begun thus by the Lords owne example after it pleased him by a law to ratifie Exod. 20. it was called The Sabboth of dayes because it was euery seuenth daye Beside which the Iewes had a Sabboth of yeares euery seuenth yeare Exod. 23. Leuit. 25. and seuen times seuen yeares made 49. the next yeare after being euer the Iubile to weet euery 50. yeare Then was the Sabbatum magnum the great Sabboth when the Passouer fell vpon the Sabboth as
it did that yeare that Christ suffered Iohn 19. 3 That most strict and precise rest specified in the lawe from all worke from rosting of meate gathering of stickes Exodus 16.29.35.3 and Number 15. from any long iourney and such lyke were Ceremoniall and therefore with other the Ceremonies of the law are abrogated by Christ there remayning to man now a further freedome and yet without breach of the Sabboth as I pray you reade in my treatise vpon that commaundement at large The daye also of the Iewes Sabboth was changed from the Saterday to the Sonday by the Apostles theÌ„selues Act. 20.7 1. Cor. 16.2 4 The ende and vses of this Sabboth also you may there more at large see to wit For order in the Church of God that we might meete together and none be freed from seruing God at least one day in seauen For the reliefe of seruants and brute beasts which by pitilesse worldlings might else be abused And lastly to resemble and still to remember vs of our eternall rest in heauen to be cared for now and enioyed then when this life is ended Esay 58.13 The exercises also of this Sabboth you may there reade to weet preaching praying reading singing conferring mutuall admonishing visiting the sick poore prisoners with many such like Touching the repetion of things concerning creation vers 4. and 5. it is said that God had not yet caused it to rayne therein ascribing it to the Lord as his peculiar power to open and shut the heauens and to send drought or rayne according to his good pleasure And in deede so it is very often repeated in the Scriptures that we might duly confesse it and thankfully euer consider it I will send you rayne sayth the Lord in due season and the earth shall yeeld her increase yea I will giue the fyrst rayne and the later that thou mayst gather thy wheate thy wine and thy oyle The vse of this knowledge we learne by the Prophet euen to say in our hearts Come let vs now feare the Lord our God that giueth rayne both earely and late in due season and which reserueth vnto vs the apoynted weekes of the haruest That a mist supplied the place of the rayne and watered all the earth we learne the great power of our God to furnish and steede himselfe euer with meanes to effect his wyll If hee haue not one thing he can take an other and neuer will he wante conuenient instruments of mercie for his children 2 Man was created of the duste of the earth that so base a matter might euer worke humilitie of minde cut the cordes of swelling conceipts for wherefore should dust and claye be lifted vp and cause a true remembrance of assured end that earth wee were earth we are and to earth againe we shall returne hee not we can tell how soone 3 But ere euer hee made Man hee made all thinges for man as was noted before The earth to goe vpon the heauens to couer him the Sea for walles Fishes and Fowles Hearbes and Trees to feede and comforte him to delight and accompanye him light by daye and the like by night manye a greene and pleasant thing and what wanted of such creatures for man before hee was Is this God a changeling was his care for man then so great and is it nowe nothing No no hee is the same and though wee haue sinned yet hee is intreated and for Christ as hee was hee will bee carefull and good for man and to man euermore Yet this is not all but consider we further of this thus That if this dealing shewed loue and care to Adam then howe is it not eache one of our cases at this daye in some respect For before euer hee would haue anye of vs to lyue and breathe in this world wee see had hee not prouided Parents and Freends houses and comfortes and whatsoeuer might bee needefull for vs O loue then to vs also most kinde and a care that may assure vs hee will euer care for vs. Loue him and feare him honour him and serue him hee is your GOD who prouided for you before you were borne thinges needefull for you against you should bee borne and wyll hee euer forsake you nowe when you are borne O fayth increase growe and bee sâ—rong helpe Lorde helpe for fleshe is full fraile and faynter then I would 4 God breathed in his face the breath of life man was made a liuing soule God gaue life then and who can take it awaye without his leaue Can raging tyrants bluddy persecuters flye Iudases No no till hee will you cannot dye thunder they and threaten they neuer so much and breathe out slaughter euerye houre against you God gaue life and God must take it awaye it is one prerogatiue of his you neede not feare Againe who can preserue lyfe but hee that first gaue it No man no meanes And therefore vsing as you are occasioned what God hath appointed of any helpes yet caste your eye euer vpon the Fountaine from whome life came at the first It is an other prerogatiue againe of his to preserue life also and to giue his blessing for that purpose to his creatures Hearbes or Plants meates or drinkes men and their counsels whatsoeuer Againe life is the gifte of God therefore abuse not what God hath giuen you It was not of your selfe but it was giuen you you must accompt for it how you haue vsed it to the giuers praise and your owne discharge 5 God made a Paradise a Garden most pleasaunt as euer was that it might bee for euer to posteritie after a figure of a celestiall place abounding with innumerable comfortes for the godly prepared in Heauen Hee made not man in Paradise but translated him and put him in it after hee was created that it might resemble that wee also shall bee remooued from the place where wee firste tooke our beeing to a place with our GOD where wee shall neuer take ending God set in this Paradise thinges not onelye profitable for vse but pleasant also for sight thereby assuring vs that hee disliketh not our pleasures any more then our necessaries but most gratiously â—â—oweth that wee should haue both so that wee will let the Tree of lyfe alone that is so that wee doe not swell aboue that which is allowed vnto vs but be obedient to God and with praise and thankes vse his creatures 6 God set man in this Garden to dresse and keepe it not allowing Man in his moste innocencye to be idle no hee would not his Angels to wante what to doe but made them ministring Spirites Howe then should hee nowe when corruption hath caused a cursse and that cursse giuen cause of force to labour alowe lothsome idlenesse Bee sure hee dooth not bee sure hee will not And therefore all honest mindes will not looke for nowe what was not lawfull
siluer or golde all is but an halter And it should make vs sighe rather then swell with pride as we doo It should humble vs trulye and serue our neede it should neuer make vs hawtie and serue for pompe 8 Adam is thrust out of Paradise to paine and labour And it teacheth the iudgement of God vpon all such as being by hys mercy preferred to places of honour pleasure and good graceleslye abuse them and themselues in them to the Lordes disliking Surely they shall bee thrust out then in the Lordes iustice and wrath when he seeth his time 9 The Garden is garded by the Cherubins and the blade of a Sword shaken that Adam by a visible signe being put out of all hope to recouer it and his estate anyemore might quietly subiect himselfe to the Lords ordinance and faule to till the earth as he was inioyned If any should thinke the Lord might haue kept the tree of Life from him and let him neuerthelesse inioye the Garden Truth it is he could so but he would not so Thereby as in figure declaring thus much That if any man be not vouchsafed by Gods mercy and sauour to inioy Christ Iesus the true Tree of Life the same may haue no place in the kingdome of God the true Paradise And thus much for a taste of the good of this Chapter being but a liâ—le to that which might be noted for if either I should seeke to note all or amplifie these notes as I might I should ouer burden the buyers whome I seeke to incourage by smalnes of price and attempt to do what no man can do Chap. 4. The cheefe heads in this Chapter are these three The propagation of mankinde The murder of Abell by Cain his brother And the punishment of the same by God 1COncerning the first it is said that afterward the man knew Heuâ—h his Wife as if hee should haue sayde after man was cast out of Paradise then this was Which some wicked spirites inflamed with venome against the holy institution and ordinance of God haue snatched at and thereby sought to blemish godly mariage saying it was then vsed when paradise was lost and not before then Adam knew his wife and not before But these wicked impes should know that if we should alwayes reason from the order of speeches in the word of God we should make many absurdities The maner of the Holy-ghost being so often to speake of that last that was done first and of that before that was done after In Samuel it is said They claue the wood of the Cart and offered the Kine for a burnt offring vnto the Lord and then in the next verse They tooke downe the Arke and put it vpon the great stone as if they had clouâ—n the Cart wherevpon the Arke was before they tooke the Arke downe which could not bee yet the order of the wordes are so A number of such places there be in the Scriptures in all which as there is a plaine figure putting that after that was doone first so may it be heere very well that Adam knew her before although now spoken of and not before and so the Act of Mariage nothing impeached by this order of wordes Bâ—t suppose it were not so but that nowe first he knewe her yet cannot these Spirits denye but euen in Paradise it was said Increase and multiplie thereby authorising and sanctifieng the act if they had neuer fallen so that holy euery waye standeth Gods ordinance notwithstanding this word Afterward Adam knew his Wife 2 When Heuah had borne her first sonne Cain shee sayd I haue receyued a man from the Lorde The first mother that euer was abscribing the first Childe that euer was vnto Gods giuing so then acknowledged so euer since acknowledged by the godlye that children are a blessing comming onely from the Lord He maketh the barren woman to bring forth and to be a ioyfull mother of Children and he onely dooth it 3 She called her eldest Kaine which signifieth a possession and her second sonne when she had also borne him Habell which signifieth vaine or vnprofitable By which diuersitie of names euidently appeareth a diuersitie of affection in the namers and so teacheth vs two things First the preposterous loue that is in manye Parentes esteeming moste oftentymes of those Children that are woorste and least of them that deserue better Theyr Kaines be accounted Iewels and wealth but theyr Habels vnprofitable needelesse and naught Secondlye it teacheth the lot of the godlye in this worlde many times euen â—rom theyr verye Cradle to bee had in lesse regarde then the wicked are So was heere Abell so was Iacob of his Faâ—her so was Dauid and many mo Such and so crooked are mens iudgements often but the Lords is euer streight and let that be our comfort he preferreth Abell before Cain whatsoeuer his parents thinke he loueth Iacob better then Esau and hee chooseth little Dauid before his tall brethren hee seeth the heart and goeth thereafter when men regard showes and are deceyued Care away then if my heart be sounde God esteemeth me and let man choose 4 Their trade of life and bringing vp we see the one a keeper of sheepe the other a tiller of the ground both holye callings alowed of God Idlenesse hated then from the beginning both of the godly and such as had but ciuill honestie or the vse of humaine reason The antiquitie of Husbandrye heerein also appeareth to the great praise of it and due incouragement vnto it But alas our dayes many things hath time inuented since or rather the Deuill in time hatched of farre lesse credit and yet of more vse with wicked men a nimble hand with a paire of Cards or false Dise is a way now to liue by and Iack must be a gentleman say nay who shall Tilling of the ground is to base for Farmers Sonnes and we must be finer But take heede we be not so fine in this world that God knowe vs not in the worlde to come but say vnto vs I made thee an Husbandman who made thee a Gentleman I made thee a tiller of the ground a trade of life most ancient and honest who hath caused thee to forsake thy calling wherein I placed thee Surely thou art not he that I made thee and therefore I know thee not depart from me thou wicked one into euerlasting fire 5 In the next place mention is made of the sacrifice or offring that these two brethren brought vnto the Lord. The Apostle saith that Habell by faith did offer Faith euer presupposeth a word because it is a frute that springeth onely of that seede and therefore it necessarily followeth that albeit wee read not preciselye when God taught them thus to worship him yet certaine it is that he taught it and commanded it otherwise it could not bee doone of faith nor please him Most
Anger that cannot speake is most wicked but anger that can speake and faire speake and meane so ill is wickednesse it selfe It is a Cains curtesie to speake faire and meane ill to walke with me as a brother and to cut my throate as an enemy and euen that should make vs hate it See also heere and obserue it well how old a practise of Satan it is to set brethren at variance for religion Cain hateth Habell because God made it knowne that his religion and worshipping of God was better then his Old satan hath not cast his cote yet but soweth dislike still for the same cause Gods word giueth testimony to one brothers truth and disliketh vtterly the other brothers falsehood This maketh the worse to gnash at the better where he should reioyce for him and pertake in his good by yeelding to it 12 God regarded this iarre in Caine and expostulateth with him what ayled him Dooth not God abide it and will Caine do it haue we any Cains now that hate theyr brethren and heare this are they not afraid of Gods eye are they not ashamed to be like Cain doe they thinke to iumpe with him in crime and not to iumpe with him in iudgement It cannot be 13 But will Cain confesse to God what is the matter no I warrant you neither his hatred before nor his murther after but concealeth all as much as he could though in deed from God nothing can be hid So old againe is this corruption of hiding and couering cloaking and shadowing of our sinnes When wee do it we resemble Caine and what fowler patterne to be paynted by 14 Thy brothers bloud cryeth to me saith God out of the earth And doe we hope secresie for want of witnesses Alas we are deceyued The wickednesse it selfe will torment vs as if a thousand knew it The conscience cannot be bribed to hould his peace it will giue euidence do what we can And the very deede we haue doone will giue God no rest but crie against vs till it bee reuenged and we punished If you knew your secret sinnes should be cryed at the market crosse assoone as you haue doone them you would be afraide to sinne and take no comfort in the wante of witnesses nor hope of rest by the secresie Nowe you heare with your eares and see with your eyes that bee it neuer so secret and without the knowledge of man it crieth in heauen and maketh all heauen ring of it as Abels bloud did and shall it not feare you Care not then for secresie if it be euill for if God see it and heare it he is priuie that can do more to you then any man euen Kill the soule as well as the bodye and caste them bothe into Hell fire 15 The iustice of God vpon Cains murder truly showeth vs how all sinne shall speede For hee hateth not murther alone but all sinne Read the words well and marke the wrath sharpe is his hand vpon this offender and yet most iust 16 In Cains building a Citie and calling it after his sons name we see the care of the wicked euer More to desire to magnifie themselues then to glorifie God more to seeke after a name in earth then a life in heauen more to establish their seede with townes and towers then with Gods fauour But such course is crooked and like Cains heere If we dâ—sire a name the loue of Gâ—d and his word the loue of Christ and his trueth is the waye You remember a sely Woman that in a true affection to her Lorde and maister powred vpon him a box of oyntment and what got she Verely saith Christ wheresoeuer this Gospell shall be preached throughout the world this shalbe told of the Woman for a remembrance of her Heere was a name well gotten and firmely continued to the very world ends The memorie of the righteous shall remaine for euer and the name of the wicked do what they ean in Gods good time shall rot and take an ending For which cause Moses if you marke it â—â—keth no mention of the time that either Cain or any of his Sonnes liued as he dooth of the godly Filthy Polygamie you see in this place began with wicked Lamech that is to haue mo wiues then one at one time so old is this euill that from the beginning was not so that mention that is made of the children here of the wicked telleth vs how they flourish for a time with all worldly thingâ— whome yet God hateth The last words show you what eclipses true religion suffceth often in this world and let vs marke it Chap. 5. This whole Chapter handleth the Genealogie of the Fathers before the Flud and hath also particulars diuerse worthy marking 1AGaine it is sayde God created Adam after his likenesse which what it was you hearde in the first Chapter referring you to the Apostle who expoundeth it by righteousnesse and true holinesse meaning by those two wordes all goodnesse as wisedome truth innocencie power and such like incident to mans nature vnspotted by sinne 2 He called them both Adam saith the Texte both the man and the Woman by that one name noting vnto vs that inseperable holy and misticall vnion that is made by marriage of two persons to become but one fleshe the like in some sorte remaineth still in vse amongst vs in that the wife is called by her husbands name her owne name ceasing and being vsed no more as if it should be sayd nowe that you are maried though before you were two yee are become one and therefore fitte that one name should seâ—ue you both to note so much bothe to your selues and others The man is the worthier person and therefore by his name shall you both bee called and the womans name shall cease to be as it was since now shee is changed and become one fleshe with him whose name she inioyeth 3 Adam is sayde to haue begot a sonne after his likenesse which is to bee vnderstood thus a man as hee was and corrupt as he was Like him in sex and nature and like him in corruption impure of impure 4 From the 4. verse to the 22 two things cheefely are noted The long life of these Fathers and their assured death many yeares they continued yea many hundreds but at last they dyed Death long ere it came but at last it came And touching their long life some questions are mooued First why it was so long Secondly whence or howe it came to bee so of the first two causes are aledged one for the propagation of mankinde so much the faster and more speedely the other for continuance of remembrance of matters and deducing of them to posteritie the better To the second answer is made that as al mens liues at this day are from God and of God as the fountaine so was also that long life of
spared though not by vs. Can we feare or doubt of reward if wee do it when ready will is thus regarded Or doth that doctrine of God condemne good works which thus assureth vs good will is respected yet euer beware to exclude Gods mercy and to put in place of it the works merit 7 Consider what I shall now note vnto you and regard it with me from your hearts Is Abrahams willingnesse to offer his Sonne a token of loue and great affection to the Lord So sayth the Lord heere and so hee taketh it euen as a worke that was done for his sake and which but for his sake could not haue bin obtayned at Abrahams hands for eyther golde or siluer by all the men in the world O harts of ours then that they could feele O eyes of ours that they could see What affection was it in the Lord to vs not to lay onely his owne and onely Sonne beloued and innocent vpon the altar of the Crosse for vs and to heaue vp the knife as ready to doo it but in deede to doo it O loue of loues what loue was this and what affection to vs was this Abraham was commanded of our God who could commaund Abraham should haue sinned if he had refused so should not God Therefore if the one shew loue in Abraham a creature what doth the other in God the creator Well might it be sayde with a vehemency So God loued the world So I say and so as no toong is able to speake of it nor pen write nor hart thinke The Lord giue faith and thankefull feeling euermore 8 Abraham thus stayed from sacrificing his Sonne yet fayled not of a sacrifice in his roome but lifting vp his eyes hee sawe a ramme caught by the hornes in a bush him hee tooke and offred Now remember wee what Abraham sayde to hys sonne before that the Lorde shoulde prouide him a Lambe Was it not so Did not God prouide this ramme to supply yong Isaac his place No question hee did and no chance but Gods guiding hand brought him thither and fastned him there What should we learne then by it but this that if our hearts be set in deede to serue the Lorde in our place and calling certaynly hee will neuer suffer vs to want the thing that shall be necessary and expedient for vs therevnto A great comfort and a true 9 Abraham taketh the ramme and yet none of his owne but Abraham was assured no doubt that it was Gods doing and being so he maketh no scruple to accept of Gods offer and prouidence no more then Eliah made question how the rauens came by the meate which they brought him We cannot folow Abraham except we had his warrant 10 Abraham calleth the place the Lord seeth or prouideth shewing therein his care to continue the memory of Gods mercy not of his owne fact though in deede it was most notable for if he had he would haue giuen some other title that should at least haue glaunced that way but he doth not and so should wee euer seeke the Lords glory and not our owne Surely if wee honor him he will honor vs inough c. Mo things might be noted in this Chapter but let these suffice Chap. 23. Two things in this Chapter especially The death of Sara verse 1. and 2. Her buryall 3. to the end IN mencioning so precisely the age and death of Sara we may note the singular accompt that the Lord made of her and if we marke it well wee shall see it a prerogatiue aboue all other women So would y e Lord by all meanes incourage vs to serue him 2 In that a woman who by nature is not strong in such troubles and griefes many times as she had such remoues and trauels through forren countreys should liue so long how noteth it the power of God greater then any weakenes and how should it comfort vs against any infirmitie of body whatsoeuer 3 When it is sayd that Sarah died though she liued so long remember euer the tale that shall be told of all flesh first or last he is dead she is dead Thus you hard in the fift of this booke of a great sort that euer they dyed were their yeares neuer so many Againe it teacheth vs that there is both a better life and a worse death then heere is in this world otherwise what preheminēce had Gods children ouer the wicked since they dye aswell as they 4 But where dyed she the text nameth the place in Kiriah-Arba in the land of Canaan Thus did the Lord place and set downe in that countrey certayne pledges and pawnes to assure the rest that he would in time giue that land vnto them as he had promised and they should possesse it So may wee now be assured of the kingdome of heauen that forsomuch as many of our brethren and sisters are already there placed and haue taken possession before vs surely wee also shall folow and hee will giue that land euen that heauenly Canaan and new Ierusalem for euer and euer 5 Abraham lamenteth his dead but not the estate of his dead So did Christ our mayster sorow for his friend Lazarus So are we permitted by the Apostle keping a measure as men and women that are not without hope So doth the wise Syrach counsell vs and so hath all laudable custome euer alowed This moderation appeared in Abraham for in the very next verse it is sayd Abraham arose c. 6 He talked with the sonnes of Heth. Where wee see and learne that so wee should giue place to sorow that in the meane while we regard also things necessary as y e buriall of our frends such like otherwise our passions be impatiences and as 〈…〉 the Lord greatly so all wise men will mislike vs worthely 7 Hee telleth them hee is a stranger c. a great token of his rare humilitie and lowlinesse of minde though he were in many respects a very great man Then he seeketh nothing amongst them but for his money as good a testimony that way agayne of a contented minde though he possessed nothing amongst them 8 Nay say the Hittites my Lord thou art a prince of God amongst vs take therefore our chiefest places and bury thy dead in a very great kindnesse and curtesye on their partes agayne And let vs marke in it that humanitie and bountie beare a most glorious shew euen in heathens O how can such vertues then disgrace Gods seruants and professors of a better doctrine then euer heathen knew 9 Abraham bowed himselfe vnto them and yet they were heathens to shewe that he well esteemed both them and their kindnesse But wee haue not so much good nature many of vs to our owne brethren that are of the househould of faith with vs what loue soeuer they shewe vnto vs. Pride and disdayne and scorne are the flowers of our garland and yet none so
Laban charged heere and let vs be ashamed of such qualities 16 Then Laban answered These daughters are my daughters c. Now see a trick of this world agayne when a man is brideled and dare not hurt then to pretend fauour and loue and to smooth the matter as though he neuer meant hurt which is not so This iugling the world hath not lost yet but God seeth truth and loueth truth Finally a couenant of loue Laban will haue made because his conscience accused him of euill deserts Iacob is content and letting anger go maketh them good cheere Laban sweareth like an idolater and Iacob aright consider you both of a rough beginning there is a smooth ending Laban taketh his leaue and departeth quietly and all is well O able God and carefull God for thy children euer make vs thy seruants faithfull and true that in all stormes we may finde thy fauour and of all feares no worse an end then in thy mercy may be to our comfort as this was now to Iacobs Chap. 32. The chiefe things of this Chapter are these The meeting of the Angells The meeting of his brother Esau And his wrestling with the Angell FOr particulars let vs remember that but euen now was ended Iacobs feare of Laban and his bad measure that he was euer like to offer to him and his had not God restrained him and now followed presently at the ende of that the feare of his brother Esau whome hee must meete What sheweth this vnto vs but the continuall succession of feare vpon feare trouble vpon trouble and tryall vpon tryall vnto the godly to the true teaching of vs what to expect and wherewithall not to be dismayed if it happen for it is the lot of Gods deerest 2 We see heere a multitude of Angells meete Iacob as hee setteth on his iourney Where first marke the thing and then the oportunitie of it touching time For the thing it selfe it truly confirmeth this doctrine that God giueth his Angels charge ouer his elect to attend and defend them as shall seeme best to his great mercy and infinite wisedome so saith the Apostle are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shalbe heires of saluation so saith the Prophet the Angels of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them yea hee hath giuen them charge ouer euery one that putteth his whole trust in God and committeth himselfe wholy to his protection in all temptations to keepe such an one in all his wayes And they shall beare that person in their hands that hee hurt not his foote against a stone Examples in Elizeus in Peter in many mo It derogateth therefore greatly from the mercy care that God hath for his to say euery man hath but one good Angell and one bad for euery man and woman fearing God hath many as Iacob had heere and euen so many as any way shall be needfull in his wisedome that euer knoweth what is expedient fit Secondly for the oportunitie of this vision you see how great it was euen then when Iacob was setting forward to meete with his brother Esau of whome he was very greatly afrayde not only for himselfe but for those with him that were as deere to him as his life What they taught Iacob by thus appearing vnto him we may all very easily conceyue surely euen this that though he were weake yet was he strong strong I say by God and the might of his power who should neuer suffer him to miscary whilst he had an Angell in heauen to send with him but would so stand on his side against Esau that all should be well and with safetie passed ouer O this God this God of ours doo wee not see him Since this booke began haue wee not seene many testimonies of his loue and care not only to help and comfort but euen in the nick to doo it when there is most neede and when his childs heare is downe in the body by some occasion Neuer any more notable then this to Iacob heere and therefore let vs marke it and of them all conclude how blessed the man is that hath the God of Iacob for his help whose trust is in the Lord his God 3 The next thing we may marke is the counsell of Iacob vnder Gods blessing taken of him to pacifie his brother and to haue a good meeting First he sendeth messengers to him to signifie his comming least by stealing by him he might iustly offend Secondly he deuideth his people and cattell as you see Thirdly he prayeth Fourthly and lastly hee sendeth a present In all which we may note two things First that the godly haue neuer bin despisers of means though their trust in God and assurance of his helpe were neuer so great but wisely and with good pollicie and discretion they haue disposed themselues to vse the same as God directed Secondly that it is lawfull to vse submission in some sort to the wicked and that religion standeth not in stubbornes and frowardnes and disdainefull proude and vndutifull speaches as some imagine 4 These messengers thus sent of Iacob to giue his brother notice of him returne againe and tell him that Esau commeth to meet him with 400 men whereupon sayth the text Iacob was greatly afrayd and sore troubled not knowing what Esau meant by bringing thus many with him which of like Esau did onely for pomp and to shew his power but fearing the worst as nature is apt in the very best The thing that we are to note in it is how hard it is euen for Iacob y t is a very extraordinary mā to cleaue stedfastly vnto God in perill danger and to ouercome by faith such false feares as will muster thēselues before his eyes We saw before how God had comforted him by y t host of Angles that met him yet now euen now againe when hee heareth this newes the infirmitie of flesh appeareth and Iacob is sore afrayd Knowe wee then our mould what it is and if so notable a man as Iacob after so many incouragements haue yet imperfection of faith set wee it downe that great is our neede farre farre vnlike Iacob to pray for faith that the Lord may increase it in vs euer more and more See againe in Iacob euer as we go the life of man feare after comfort and comfort after feare ebbings and flowings risings and fallings so wee go along and so wee shall ende 5 That he falleth to prayer after he had deuided his companies see both the right vsage of lawfull meanes and the true cōfort in all distresse whatsoeuer it is The right vsage of meanes is with prayer and the right vse of prayer is with meanes if God offer them these one exclude not an other but both ioyne together as louing friends and thus ioyned and ioyntly vsed the Lord giueth his blessing to
noteth in all likelyhood quarrels would haue growne and perrillous contentions Esau was mightie fierce and irreligious and what conscience such men make to wrong and wringe a good man the world yet sheweth too much All this God preuenteth in mercy to his Iacob and maketh Esau giue place Cast we our care then vpon God and labour to be his we shall euer bee cared for 3 Their riches were so great that they could not dwell together saith the text that they could not dwell together and the land wherin they were strangers could not receiue their flockes Let neuer then filthy feare to want in this world what may be good for vs wound our soules with distrust in God The beasts of the field the foules of the ayre and the fishes of the Sea be all his yea the whole earth and all that is therein is his as the Psalme sayth If to Iacob and Esau hee be able to giue such wealth when went his powerfull might from him that hee cannot do it againe to you to me to whom soeuer his good pleasure is and shalbe If in a straunge country their flockes be so many let my soule neuer dispaire for place but dwell where the Lorde appointeth and with beleeuing heart remember such examples as this Yea let it go to bed with you let it rise with you write vpon your hand and print it in the very veines of your hart what the Psalmist saith The Lorde God is the Sonne and shield vnto vs the Lord wil giue grace and glorie and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke vprightly He that honoureth me him wil I honour saith the Lord and hee will not breake a promise to very Esau of any good or comfort as you see in this whole chapter Be not we faithles then but faithfull 4 A sweete comfort againe I see here in this that if a man and woman feare the Lord themselues if religion be setled in the furrowes of their hearts as it was in Isaac and Rebecca surely euen vnto their wicked children if they haue any yet for the parents sake God granteth often worldly fauours as here to Esau who would not then with a faithful heart loue such a God He loued Iacob and hated Esau yet Esau beeing the sonne of a good father and of a vertuous and religious mother the fountaine of mercy and God of all goodnes to his true seruants euen the God of heauen wil shew mercy to this Esau thus farre as in the world to make him a great one and to giue him riches Againe I see worldly slate no good cause why men should forget themselues and waxe proud but euer looke at the inward heart what pietie is there least painted port glistring glory of this fading world be vnited in my person with the hatred of God concerning future state as it was in Esau I haue hated Esau saith the Lord and yet his pompe thus great Were this thought of peraduenture our hearts would chaunge and with lesse regarde of earthly showe make earnest search for the fauour of God how indeed wee may be assured of it towards vs euer 5 God promised Iacob that Kings should come out of him but behold as yet all the glory in Esau How then hath God forgotten or will he faile in faithfulnesse toward his seruant No no you knowe what glorious Princes came of Iacob in time and the Prince of Princes that sitteth vppon his throne for euer Christ Iesus Bâ—t as yet Iacobs show is lesse and Esau his ruffe hath the eyes of men Thereby wee learning that Gods vsuall maner is to keepe his children vnder faith and hope in this world euer What pleaseth him hee performeth in Iacobs life and the rest his faith is exercised within hope assured of it in time so with an other and an other after him and still there is vse of faith and hope in this world with the godly Bee content then with what God granteth and beleeue the rest if it be promised 6 The inuention of mules specified in this Chapter sheweth the busie curiositie of some mens natures giuen to newes and straunge inuentions not contented with simplicitie and plainenes nay discontented with the course of gods nature many times If wee praise this inuention take heed wee touch not Gods former distinction of their kindes and sexes which hee had created Therefore rather blame I then praise such needles newes as this was 7 You see in this Chapter as I said before all the glory in Esau and Iacob hath little but hereafter these Edomites fall and the Israelites rise Therefore thus let vs profit by it as neuer with the lustie bloods of this sinfull world to despise the slow going forwarde of the children of GOD or the cause that they maintaine Sat citò si sat bene Soone inough if well inough that is fast inough if with Gods fauour and better a stable estate that is in longer time atteined then a fickle fading estate got in hast Not vnlike the grasse vpon the wall top that is soone vp but assoone withered and gone againe Lastly for genealogies in this Chapter layd downe I referre them to each mans diligence that list to search them wishing the Apostles counsell followed in this matter euer 1. Tim. 1. Verse 4. and Tit. 3.9 For our Pedigrees in these dayes as they haue an vse modestly and moderately looked into so shewe they mens vanities otherwise vsed who yet would not like to bee called vaine Maximilian the Emperour forgot himselfe in it as I haue shewed before and of his very Cooke hee was reprooued Let not the wise man glorie in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength much lesse in ioyned Pedigrees but hee that glorieth let him glory in the Lord and that his name is written in the booke of life and he reckoned in the rowle of the righteous He that is ouer busie in laying downe his auncestors whilst he seeketh to be esteemed as descended of them is often iustly despised as degenerated from them and not in any measure seeking to expresse the vertues in them But let thus much serue both of this matter and of the Chapter Chap. 37. The heads of this Chapter are chiefly three The hatred of the brethren towards Ioseph Their treacherie against him The lamentation of Iacob his father for him THe causes of their hatred are specified in the Chapter to be these His complaining of them to his father verse 2. His fathers great loue to him aboue them ver 3. And the dreames which he had seeming to note a superioritie ouer them like to ensue in him ver 5. c. The greatnes of their malice is also mentioned when it is said they hated him and could not speake peaceably vnto him verse 4. For particulars to beginne with the first cause of their malice towardes him because he brought their euill as the text saith to his father it
before the hatred growen in the brethren against Ioseph in this second part of y e chapter we may sée their execution and practise of the same against him when they had oportunitie The oportunitie was this Their father sendeth Ioseph into y e fields to them where they kept their cattel to sée how they did Whom when they saw in this sort come into their hands streight they conspired against him Now that the father would send him and that Ioseph would go hauing had such notice of their disliking of his dreames it plainlie sheweth the simplicitie of the godlie and such as haue honest minds that they are farre and often but too farre from suspecting and forecasting such perils as in déed are towards them and such euill nature in others as in time sheweth it selfe and bursteth out It is an old saying euen here we sée it true Vt quisque est vir bonus c. A man that meaneth truly and honestly himselfe thinketh all others to meane so likewise But it was so Though olde Iacob meane no hurt neither yet Ioseph the other brethren doe and conspire his death when in loue sent in loue he commeth to sée howe they did Though simple then it is good to be yet ouer simple beware to be Inter spinas calceatu Amongest thornes haue on thy shooes sayeth an other prouerbe and it is worthie practise 2 Out goeth Ioseph and thinketh no harme then as I said and he séeketh his brethren from place to place but he findeth blouddie enimies rather then brethren at the last So fareth it dayly with manie a man Wee séeke life but wee finde death at the Phisitians hands Wee séeke iustice we finde oppression wee séeke truth wee finde falsehoode and in a worde as Ioseph here wee séeke for brethren but finde farre otherwise in the end So dooth secret sinne couer it selfe euen in the Church militant to this day But who so reputed a brother becommeth a foe let him thinke what credite Iosephs brethren had with God or man for such hypocrisie and who so is halted withall and deceyued as Ioseph was meaning no woorse then Ioseph did let him turne his face from man and clap holde of God saying with the Prophet It is good for me to holde mee fast by God to put my trust in him and what protection and safe garde poore Ioseph found when hee was here alone in the middest of his no brethren but bloudie foes that comfortablie hope for at the same Gods hand who is one to day then and for euer to all that truelie cleaue to him 3 But why saith Moses so brodelie that they conspired to slay him This was much to bee laid in writing against such men No not a iote For it being so in déed the holie spirite of God hath taught vs notablie by it what difference is betwixt man and God Man in his writings flattereth and smootheth and dissembleth faults yea often for vice putteth in vertue and where in deede a dispraise was due yet there extolleth to the skie But Gods holie spirite in his writings dooth not so He speaketh plainly and euer truely of all degrées whatsoeuer Againe it sheweth that Moses was not directed by flesh and bloud for if he had he would haue couered the blemishes especiallie these great blemishes of his ancestours Thirdlie it is a rule to direct them to doe it and it is a warrant to them if they doe it that write stories and commit to writing facts of present or former times Trueth was euer without shame what blame soeuer it getteth vnworthilie But filthie flatterie maketh them liue with shame that vse it during life and shamefullie spoken off euen after death 4 Behold say they this dreamer or maister of dreames commeth A scoffe and a lewde scoffe the dreames of Ioseph being from God to a speciall reuelation of his great mercie in time intended to that house But we may well sée in it the fashions of the wicked and the lot of the godlie in this world often How differ these speaches Behold the dreamer and Beholde the holy man the holy woman the hote gospeller c Surelie both are scoffes alike from a prophane heart which God will visite with a whipping rodde in his good time Thus scoffed the Captaines and their fifties when they called the Prophet in mockerie Man of God but with fire from Heauen the Lorde consumed such mockers· If the like fire from Heauen consume not our mockers let them yet bee sure that fire in hell shall neuer faile them 5 Come therefore say they and let vs slay him and cast him into some pit c. See what it is to harbor in our bosoms a dislike of a man and a hatred in time it leadeth vs euen to blouddie murther of the partie so disliked or at the least to a willingnes to do it if we be by meanes kept from the act For if a brother breath death agaynst his brother because he hateth him surelie men in further degrées from vs will neuer stand in our handes Then stoppe betimes if we feare God and abandon hatred out of our hearts Let it neuer lie boyling within vs and gather strength Such Patriarchs ouercome by hatred against their brother may teach vs whilest we liue what hatred is 6 Then shall we see what will become of his dreames As if they should say so shall wee proue his dreames false O blinded men the determined counsaile of God they will ouerthrow and by their power and practise they will preuent what hee will haue come to passe So thought the blinde Pharisies Priests and Elders that if they could compasse once the death of our Sauiour all should be well they should still deceyue the worlde the Scriptures should bee falle and whatsoeuer by Christ was effected shoulde bee preuented But was it so or rather did not all their malice woorke to the effecting of Gods purpose Herode by pollicie or crueltie open will kill the babe Iesus and then all shall be well yea euen to this day fooles will contende agaynst God and prooue him vntrue But away betimes with such dreadfull impietie God will bée true and his purposes shall be perfourmed when all earthlie creatures shall be confounded that stande agaynst him Iosephs dreames shall come to passe in despite of all scorners or vnnaturall practisers to the contrarie So let vs thinke so let vs know so let vs liue till life take her leaue and all bee effected Our fayth our cause our profession and religion shall stande being the Lordes though thousandes of our bodyes bee destroyed by raging crueltie and all is not sure on our aduersaries side as they suppose when once they haue preuailed against some of vs. Blessed be God 7 But when Ruben heard that hee deliuered him out of their handes c. What Ruben was this Surelie euen hee that laie with Bilhah his fathers Concubine as wée
hee was ashamed of his Kindred but that hee would couer his Brethrens fault then wept hee and cryed so aboundantly that the Egyptians heard and the house of Pharao also heard Brideled then may be affection awhile but when the banke breaketh the streame is strong and who can then stop the course agayne a while Yet see a care of his Brethrens name euen in the midst of his pang and till all were gone hee would not touch them Such wisedome such gouernment and such discretion is most gracious wheresoeuer it is and would God wee migâ—t euer bee beautified with it Let loue be seene and let sorrowe shew but remember euer time and place Then cryed Ioseph I am Ioseph I am Ioseph doth my Father liue as if he should haue sayd feare no longer my deare brethren nether bee dismayed it is Ioseph your brother that hath thus dalied with you Ioseph your Brother your owne flesh and bloud and no other I am Ioseph I tell you euen Ioseph your Brother and cast feare away Doth my Father liue But his Brethren amased could not answere a word they were starke dumbe O mighty God what a change is here such endes to sorrowes can God giue when it pleaseth him and let all flesh giue glory to him Againe see a type of the Lord our God which may be comfortable Hee checketh vs and snubbeth vs he bindeth and imprisoneth vs that is he imposeth vpon vs sundry afflictions as Ioseph did vpon these his brethren and when hee hath tryed vs to his good pleasure wee thinking of this man and that man of this malice and that malice agaynst vs fearing and dismayde almost altogether in the ende hee can hold no longer but that bottomlesse mercie of his breaketh out and with bowels of loue hee cryeth vnto vs it is I it is I I am Ioseph your brother that is Christ your Sauiour your God and your Lord that haue not spared mine owne life but haue geuen it for you bee not afraid be not afraid but plucke vp your hartes and reioyce your sorrow is ended and your tryall finished I will be a brother to you and no worse for euer It is I it is I so sweete is the end in time of the troubles and tryals of Gods children Euen as vpon the Sea when he walked and his Disciples feared he cryed it is I be not afrayd be of good comfort Come nere vnto me saith Ioseph come neere vnto me sayth Christ Yea come vnto mee all yee that trauell and are heauie laden I will refresh you So againe in his day of iudgement Come yee blessed of my Father come come I am Ioseph your brother c. which kindnesse in him both heauen and earth shall heare then as Pharao his house heard now of Ioseph So fitteth this figure to our Sauiour 2 Now therefore be not sad nether greeued with your selues that yee sould mee for God sent mee before you for your preseruation c. This comfortable speaking of Ioseph to his brethren must teach vs by all meanes to comfort them which are truly humbled and wounded for their sinnes And the ascribing of his comming into Egypt to God teacheth vs to distinguish betwixt Gods finger and mans malice in the selfe same action for they differ greatly the one being sinfull to an euill end the other being gracious and mercifull euer for good In Iobs affliction God had his finger and Satan his with but what Satan maliciously God most mercifully directed to his glory and to Iobs good So the crucifying of our Sauiour and the afflictions of his children euermore Therfore it followeth not that if we say such things be of God by by it should be coÌ„cluded that he is author of euill You see the difference remeÌ„ber S. Austen God would neuer suffer euill to be done except he were able out of euill to draw good The land of Egypt yelded this comfort that the posterity of Iacob according to Gods purpose might be preserued in the same Therefore y e Godly are not burdensome to a countrey but a countrey is blessed y t it may relieue them and the inhabitantes inioy for them such mercy as peraduenture without them they should neuer haue So happily euen this land wherein we liue for the poore exiles of Gods flocke and we may do well to thinke of it to stay all grudging 3 That Ioseph calleth this deliuerance a great deliuerance being but from famine and bodily death it may fitly moue vs to thinke of our deliuerance from hell death and deuill by Iesus Christ in the bottomlesse loue of our most gracious Father and from ignorance superstition and popery from fire and fagot with most bloudy cruelty by a dread and deare a mild and mercifull Soueraigne of God for this purpose giuen vnto vs and placed ouer vs. O what deliuerances be these and how should we feele them within and publish them without day and night to the praise of God the fountaine of all and the honor of his annointed and appointed meanes for euer The Grecians deliuered but from bodily seruitude called their deliuerer a Sauiour to them and range it out Sauiour Sauiour that the Fowles in the Ayre fell dead downe with the crye Much more much more than ten thousand times may wee call the Lordes Annointed a Sauiour vnto vs. God giue feeling which I feare wee want 4 Then biddeth hee his Brethren goe tell his Father what honor GOD had giuen him in the land of Egypt making GOD the Fountayne of his preferment like a thankefull man and not worldly meanes like the gracelesse hartes of these times Promotion commeth neither from East nor West from North nor South but GOD raiseth vp and setteth with Princes euen with the Princes of his people That Ioseph would haue hs father neere him it noteth the comforte that is comforte indeede if GOD vouchsafe it frendes to bee neere one to another And that he promiseth to nourish both him and his may not be forgotten but for euer teach vs that if the Lord vouchsafe vs any thinge in this Worlde our Parentes portion shoulde bee there in with offer of vs before demaunde of theirs and all comfortable countenance vnto the ende Yea see if Ioseph bee not euen earnest and greedie to haue this comfort deriued to his Father from him and verily there is no more pleasure or sweete comfort to a good vertuous Childe than to doe good vnto his Parents according to the power that God hath giuen Fye of all filthy natures then too visible daily before our Faces in this accursed and daungerous time that being both riche and welthy warme and well furnished with all comfortes suffer not onely other frendes in kindred neere them to say nothing of the naked members of Christ but euen their Parents that bred and bare them to suffer both hunger and colde need and misery to their vtter shame
Thus did not Ioseph and let vs marke it 5 Then fell he vpon his brother Beniamins necke and wept and Beniamin vpon his necke Moreouer hee kissed all his Brethren and wept vppon them c. See the Bowelles of men indued with Gods Spirit they are full of loue full of affection full of grace and full of goodnes when clubby chuâ—les haue Iron harts brasen bowels as farre from sweetnes outward towardes any frends as from holy feeling inward towardes God O where are these natures become now a daies that was in Ioseph Wee when our friends come to vs haue a formall shew but for this heat and hartinesse this life and power of loue that was in Ioseph alas it is gone and that makes vs strangers one to another but I say no more You see here by Ioseph the godly be no Stoicks nor they bee no flintie Nabals towards any but full of affection to their friendes Yea though their friendes haue wronged them as these had Ioseph yet all is forgotten and blotted out when once they meete Now the God of Loue worke more of this loue amongest vs daylye 6 The tidinges of this meeting came vnto Pharaos eare and the text saith it pleased Pharaoh well and his seruaÌ„ts where we see the power of God still for his seruantes to giue them fauour in the hartes and eares and eies of any mortall men whatsoeuer whose ministerie it shall please him to vse to the reliefe comfort or countenance of any of them He ruleth poore and rich meane and mightie to his Childrens comfort when he will yea euen the Princes haue their harts in his hande and hee ruleth them as the Riuers of water at his will Wee heard in the former Chapter that for the Egyptians to eate bread with the Hebrewes was an abhomination to the Egyptians yet see now euen the king and his courtiers most fauourably bent to these despised Hebrewes So powrefull I say is God ouer all harts when he will and who may not be comforted with it Nay see more not onely the King is fauourably inclined to them but most extraordinarily regardeth them calling for Ioseph and giuing him commaundement to dispatch his Brethren away with their lading and to giue them in charge to bring their Father and Families wholly vnto him and hee would giue them not some wast part of the Land but the very best of the land and they should eate of the fatte of it He furthermore willeth that charrets be taken out of Egypt for their children and wiues and that they should not passe for their stuffe for he would prouide for them See therefore the power of GOD not to prouide small thinges for his Children but euen thus farre to mooue the Kinge that he thinketh of the very best of the Lande for them And see in the King a most Princelie minde beeing where hee is good most bountifullie good A vertue euer worthy great commendacion In farre meaner personages it may haue his effect in a measure They also doing good for their degrees liberally hartily and throughly not sparingly and pinchingly Agayne wee may see the vse of Charets in those dayes for necessity not for pompe and pride where the iourney is small the way easie and the body strong That vse then warranted them and such vse now condemneth them if it bee so Let therefore necessity haue her lawfull helpes but let not pride and vanitye bee cherished and maintayned Lastly in the King it was most Honourable so to loue his true Seruant that for his sake hee loued all his frendes yet not onely loued them but thus loued them that hee would bee a Father to them and theirs in this measure and in this extremitie of famine and dearth Happy Ioseph whose faythfull seruice found so gracious regarde and worthy Pharao of a faythfull seruant as euer was any Prince that we may reade of 7 Then did Ioseph carefully dispatch them according to y e kings commandement sent vnto his father also great comforts else as you see in the text withal which prouisioÌ„ they come to their Father home safe and well euery one of them and as all a fire with the comfort of their tidinges they tell their Father Ioseph is yet aliue speaking as it should seeme euen all together least any should preuent another in so sweete newes Abruptly also and hastely their speech seemeth to haue beene made which argueth the heate of their hartes and their affections all troubled with these strange euentes Iacob a good man on the other side hearing these wordes betwixt hope and feare is all daunted and amased so that his hart fayled sayth the Text. GOD knew his Hart when hee heard of Ioseph to liue and yet afeard hee is least so sweete a tydinge should not bee true Euen as vsually still wee see it fall out that happy newes are hardly credited for feare of the Prouerbe Too good to bee true But when hee sawe the Charrets that Ioseph had sent to carrye him then the Spirit of Iacob reuiued Such assurance haue deedes aboue wordes alwayes The Phrase of his spirite reuiuing may put vs in minde of the effect of sorrow euen killing as it were the harts and mindes and spirites of men as also of the nature of comfort and ioy to reuiue agayne what sorrow so had daunted and euen ouercome 8 Then Iacob sayd I haue ynough that Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue neuer making any mention of his honour where a man would haue thought hee should haue gloried in that No no the life of his Childe is that which chereth him aboue the whole Worlde and therefore of that hee speaketh Teaching vs that naturall Parentes doe greatly ioy to haue their Children liuing though they haue no honour nor dignitie in the World Yet not vnthankefull to God if that also be added as Iacob assuredly was not here Would GOD Children were in like sort affected to them agayne ioying in their liues and deaths more than in any honors or worldly possessions that they are indewed withall bee they neuer so great Surely both dutie and nature would it if God were in vs. Then saith Iacob I will goe downe and see him yet ere I die Teaching vs the nature of faythfull Loue it coueteth sight and comfortable societie in the presence of those whom in Hart and minde wee doe both loue and affecte and contenteth not it selfe wholly with hearing that they are aliue Such longe and liked absence then of Parentes from Children and Children from Parentes and one Friende from another sheweth frosen affections is not at all dryed vp and quite decayed Iacob was nowe aboute an hundred and thirtie yeres olde and yet hee will take this long iourney to see his Child cutting the Throte by this his example of all such seely excuses as wee vse to keepe our selues out of one an others companie Surely Loue will creepe if it can not goe and tender Affection
that this our natiue countrey hath had long many a particular member in it if al were thought vpon Pleasures vpon pleasures fit for a king yea that many a king wantes inioy priuate persons if their spirites be not dead from all feeling 10 Nepthali shalbe a hinde let goe giuing goodly words That is this tribe shall be giuen to humanitie to sweet speech and by peaceable meanes rather than by force of armes to defend themselues and to haue their being and stay in the world A course certainly not without great power though it seeme outwardly to be weak What more perceth thaÌ„ a smoth tounge and what anger yeldeth not in the end to a soft answer Salomons testimony of this is knowe that a softe answere putteth away wrath when greeuous words stirre vp anger In his 25. Chapter againe A soft tongue breaketh the bones Meaning the heart that is bent vnto anger As for example How pacified Gedeon the raging Ephramites How staied Abigael the fury of Dauid comming with death in his heart to Nabal her husbande and all his houshold What the Towne-clarke did in the vprore of Ephesus we see in the Actes of the Apostles Other examples we may remember many The saying is old and true If a man will catch Birdes he may not come towardes them with a staffe But Fistula dulcè canit volucres dum decipit auceps The Pipe goeth sweetly whilest they are deceiued what daily experience sheweth I neede not tell But thinke you whether the smiling Sunne or the blustring winde wil cause you to laie downe your cloake first surely with his kinde beames he wil take both your cloake your coate from you when the others puffes doth make you hold all harder Great therefore is the power of a sweete tongue It comforteth the afflicted it healeth the sicke it cheareth the poore it ruleth the rich it winneth the subiect it appeaseth the King and whatsoeuer it will haue it getteth in the ende neither anger nor strength can resist the force of it Marke therefore well the blessing of Nepthali here in this place and know it to bee a blessing being vsed well that hee shall be a Hinde let goe giuing goodly wordes 11 Ioseph shalbee a fruitfull bough euen a fruitfull bough by the well side the small boughes shall runne vpon the wall c. Great and comfortable is the blessing of Ioseph in many verses which being sufficiently lightened with the marginall notes in the Bible I referre you to them and pray you to marke them Beniamin is the last and of him saith his father He shall rauine as a Woolfe in the morning he shall deuoure the praie and at night he shall diuide the spoyle Meaning that of him should come a seede which should bee giuen to spoyle and to liue thereby So goeth not this blessing by affection and fauour but Iacob by the spirite speaketh what hee must bee hee neuer so deare So were these twelue Tribes blessed of their father with seuerall blessings Whereof if some seeme hard blessings vnto vs we must remember that forasmuch as they hindred nothing the couenant but notwithstanding them they were all Patriarkes euen them that were sharpliest spoken vnto as Ruben Simeon and Leui c. Therefore in deed and truth they were blessed as daily yet it may be sayd that forasmuch as the crosses punishments and afflictions of Gods children be so farre from hindring their felicitie in heauen as that vsually they be helpes and furtherances thereunto therefore euen in the middest of them and in the thickest of them they may be sayd to be blessed yea with them and for them I meane for that God thus vouchsafeth to chasten them in the world to the end they may not be condemned with the world Blood-letting making for health is not an euil but a good and so worldly crosses leading to God chaunge their nature and become no curses but blessings to the godly What a faith had Iacob here so farre to see and so chearfully to hope Let it teach vs to see and expect with comfort what God hath promised wil truly performe 12 The blessing thus ended the seconde part of the Chapter followeth concerning the death of Iacob which heere was with great quietnes and in great comfort chearfully charging them what to do with him and so taking his leaue Let it teach vs the blessing of a staied heart to the last ende with good memorie and good comfort to prescribe vnto all what is our will and so to bid the world without feare farewel Let it teach vs the dutie of all the children of a man to be this ioyntly to care for the honest burial of their parents since here they are charged al togither to see this done and not some one or two of them Let vs learne that faith makes death no worse then a gathering of vs to our fathers thogh fraile flesh oft startle at it And finally be sure that hâ— appoinâ—teth not his burial in y e land of Canaan for any holines of ground or superstitious conceypt of one place to be better then an other of it selfe as blinde Popery doth make a difference of the Church from the church-yard of places in either of them before others as neerer the crosse and neerer the aultar but only for the promise sake as hath been said before that his faith might appeare how so constantly he belieued God that that land should be giuen in time to his seede as that dead hee would take possession of it with his fathers and thereby incourage his posteritie vnto like hope patiently passing on towards the time as became their knowledge Iacob then dieth a sweete death he plucked vp his feete hauing thus spoken and gaue vp the Ghost Many were his crosses whilest he liued as you wel know yet thus he endeth and endeth them Our time must come and who knoweth how soone The God of might and mercy be vnto vs in that houre as here to Iacob that ende we may and yet neuer ende die and yet not dyâ—ng liue with him for euer in his kingdome Amen Chap. 50. The chiefe heads of this Chapter may be these The honour done vnto Iacob before his buriall The honour done at his buriall Iosephs sweete placabilitie towards his brethren Iosephs death THen Ioseph fell vpon his fathers face wept vpon him and kissed him Where wee see the force of loue loatheth not his dead face his pale lips his earthly hue at all but breaketh and bursteth through all impedimentes and showeth it selfe by true tokens So loue where it was would neuer be hidden and as yet it continueth the same nature 2 The embalming of Iacob and others in those daies sheweth vs the lawfull vse of this honour then It was vnto them in those dayes some signe of future incorruption their faith beeing then vsually helâ—â—d
kinde nature no doubt blessed him and blessed God for him and so for you if you doo the lyke Am not I vnder God O speech of a gratious heart I cannot make an ende to thinke of it But I must be ruled Let me remember you therefore of his second argument Why saith hee should I bee angry with you since what you did euill the Lorde hath turned to good and to the sauing of many liues No no. I wil looke vpon him and not vpon you and his mercy shall blotte out your offence Therefore whilest that is in mine eye whiche I trust shal neuer from eye whilest I haue an eye feare not I may not I cannot I wil not hurt you No I will nourish you and your children And this shalbe an argument vnto you without all doubt that I am your brother stil in all loue and nature of a kinde brother Thus did hee cheare them and euen make them to liue who were lyke dead men before him for feare This last argument is woorthie marking namely that by his deedes of loue to them hee would shewe that he had forgiuen them Should our forgiuenes be measured by this rule would it shewe well God knoweth all and the worlde seeth this that the tongue saying we haue forgiuen yet our hande hoâ—â—eth in the least curtesie which may passe from vs. This was not Iosephs forgiuenes but in token that all was faithful I wil nourish you and your children saith hee that is I wil doo you all the good that I can Sweet Ioseph then sweet are thy words and sweet are thy deeds true is thy loue and thy fauour faithfull therefore tokens folow it as the heat the fire liue thou in this to our example euer and thy honour for such arguments bee neuer forgotten 8 So Ioseph dwelt in Egypt hee and his fathers house and Ioseph liued an hundreth and tenne yeares The Lord being mercifull to his people continued the life of a good Magistrate long vnto them The lyke mercy is with him stil to preserue vnto vs our comfort and our head gouernour his faithfull seruant our gracious Souereigne if wee intreat him by feruent prayer framing our liues to his lyking more and more and thanking him truly for so great a good If not as mercy keepeth so so iustice taketh that the cryes maye rynge when it is too late 9 Ioseph saw Ephraims children euen vnto the third generation which was a great blessing also Manasses childrens children So dealeth God with his chosen when he wil and hee wil when to them it may be good Be it therefore with vs as hee pleaseth and that is best for vs. If we liue yet he must blesse and if we dye yet neither hee nor that power in him dieth to be fauourable to our seede and to blesse them in mercy when we are gone His promise also is past alreadie I wilbe thy God and the God of thy seede after thee and what would we more if our consciences tel vs we are in this couenant Lastly Ioseph dieth also and taketh an oath of his brethren to remoue his bones when God should visite them by deliuering them out of Egypt to carry them to the land of promise Wher in his faith as his fathers before him did appeare as the Apostle witnesseth to the Hebrewes Their faithfulnesse in so doing when they remoued we see in Exodus Thus ended Ioseph the renowned seruant of God the faithful seruant of his Lord and maister and the nourcing father of all his kindred with him endes this booke and with it my labour which to the Lord of mercy I most humbly now commend that it may finde a blessing with him to the glory of his name to the comfort of his people and to the mouing of others whose leisure is greater whose gifts be better to consider what wanteth to a multitude in this land and to relieue them according to their reaches Praying thee also good Christian reader to whom there may be any vse of this my poore labor to goe forward with thy holy exercise of reading the scriptures to take thy bible into thy hands anew and euer when thou hast read a Chapter to read these notes ouer vpon the same and to conferre them with the text And if thus both thy feeling and comfort increase to blesse God the authour of all mercies and namely of this and to pray for him truly who loueth thee hartely and shall so continue FINIS Corrections Folio 6. line 5. read would fol. 37. b. line 9. his fol 47. b. line 20. f. all fol. â—0 b. line 5. is fol. 67. line 1. asked for Sarah saying where is â—oâ—d note line 3. these fol. 69. line 33. the religion ibi and line fol. 121. b. lin 4. dealings fol. 122. line 34. similitude Heb. 5. Act. 15.21 Esay 29. â—1 2 â—er 3. Ephes 1. August 15. de 〈◊〉 dei cap. 6. Luc. 11.13 Hieron in proâ—m epist ad Galat. 1. Sam. 5. 1. Cor. 3. Exod. 36. Iohn 4.38 Num. 21.17 Exod. 1. Iohn 1. 2. Cor. 5. Verse 1. The Trinitie createth Acts. 4.24 Iob. 38.4 Hebr. 1.10 Psa 102.25 Iohn 1.3 Iob. 26.13 33.4 Zanch. de tribus Elo him 14. pag. 1. par Metandis Iere. 10.11 In Genes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Colo. 1.15 1. Cor. â— 6 Note Verse 1. Acts. 4.24 Iohn 1.3 Iohn 8. 1. Epist 2. 3.8 Syra 19.24 The 1. are against the creation of the world Iohn 8.29 Rom. 11.34 Psal 33. Rom. 4.17 Lib. 2. ca. 5. Prou. 16.1 Psa 103.22 Rom. 11.36 Psal 19.1 Esai 40.26 Gen. 1.28 Psal 8.7 1. Cor. 3.22 Psal 104.24.31 Hurtfull beasts and such like why created De ira dei cap. 13. How the creation profiteth vs to the knowing of God Psal 19. Psal 8.3 How Moses could write of these so long before him done Act. 7.22 Vers 7. Waters aboue the fyrmament to what vse Vers 14. Astrology not warranted Esay 47.12 Eccles 7.2.8 Chap. Esai 41.22 Psa 104.19 Aâ—g in quest De ciuit Dei confess in Psalmos contra Academ Gods Image what it is How doth God appoint man foode before his fall Vers 31. Folow God in doing all well Gods loue prouideth all readie for man before hee is made Creation of Angells Verse 2. How God resteth How the Father yet worketh c. Diuers Sabboths Ends of the Sabboth Exercises Rayne the gift of God Leu. 26.4 Deu. 11.14 Iere. 5.24 God will neuer waÌ„t meanes Verse 7. Mans base matter should humble him All made ready to man God no les carefull of vs then of Adam Verse 7. God both giuer and taker of life No phisick without God can profit Life must be accomted for Verse 8. Paradise made for a figure of Heauen Verse 9. Some pleasures alowed Verse 15. Idlenesse hated of God from the beginning Verse 17. Man scholed to obey euen in Paradise Learne of God howe to bring vp youth Verse 18 Verse 21. The holinesse of mariage Math. 19. 1.
The Blessing Goods ill gotten What wealth hee wisheth By earthly things other meant An allegorie Vers 29. Heb. 11.20 Philip. 2. Psalm 2. Psalm 15. Math. 18.6 Verse 30. Narrow escapes Teares too late Heb. 12.16 Note Verse 39. â—sau his â—lessing 2. Reg. 8.20 Verse 40. Notes of wicked man Psal 140.2 The Lord discouereth treacheries against his English treasons Verse 43. The godly vse means and presume not vpon God his apointment Verse 46. Rebeccas godly discretion Anger must haue an ende Greeued parents or friends Verse 3. A second blessing of Iacob The comfort of trauelers Vnequall mariage Verse 5. The godly often banished Esau seeth too late his fault Verse 9. To please God the cause of griefe must be taken away Verse 11. After an humbling commâ—s an exalting Verse 12. The ladder what it signâ—fieth Col. 1.20 The Lord not Angâ—lâ— kepeth Iacob To vs this also spoken Hose 12.4 Verse 15. The Lords loue lasteth Iohn 13.1 I ill for euer not for a time Verse 16. How God is in a place A comfort Verse 18. Christ is the stone vpoÌ„ whom we rest Esay 28. Psalm 45. Diâ—nitie of place not 〈◊〉 one 1. King 13. 〈◊〉 18.12 1. Sa. â—3 5 Verse 20. Popish vowes Verse 22. Verse 1. Iacob chered with the promâ—sâ— so should we Reade Hebr 13. v. 13. 14. Verse 2. The allegorie of the Well Reade Ierem 2. v. 13 Ve. 4. c. Cuâ—tesy to strangers Mans lawe more regarded often then Gods The force of affections A patterne of the world Laborers hyre Verse 15. Syr. 34.23 Deutro 24.14.15 Verse 18. vse of good meanes to obtaine a mariage Verse 21. Verse 19. Rites of mariages then Verse 22. Verse 23. Labans deceit The world like Laban Why Laban brake promise Verse 26. Verse â—â— Ve. 28. c Verse 31. Whome man despiseth God regardeth Ve. 32. c. The frailty of women when they want their wils Verse 2. Saint seruers Zeale Ver. 3. c Impatience Verse 14 Mandraks Cantic 7. An experience of Mandraks Verse 15. Imperfections â—n the best Women kinde to their husbands God the giuer of children A good conscience in a seruant Acts. 20. Verse 27. Faire speech for profit Seruants not rewarded Ver. 29.30 A thankful acknowledging of Gods blessing Verse 30. Care of family 1. Tim. 5. Verse 32. A notable trust in God Worldlings be wauering Verse 33. Rewarde inferreth not merit but mercy Rom. 11.6 Verse 34. A couetous man greedy of a good bargain at any mans hand Couetousnes breedeth suspicion A quiet minde Ephes 6.7 Verse 37. verse 9.10 Animae Ciuit. 18.5 De Trinit lib. 11. Verse 1.2 Worldly goods part friends Verse 2. Face sheweth what heart thinketh 〈…〉 Psalm 119. Verse 3. When man forsaketh God releeueth Verse 4. Husbands should conferre with their wiues Reade before vpon Chap. 18. verse 6. V. 14. c. Wiues ought to cleaue to their husbands A type of the Church Verse 19. Weakenes in the best Verse 22. A sweete comfort Psa 144.15 Verse 27. 〈…〉 Verse 29. How the godly and wicked differ Verse 30. The gods of idolaters Verse 31. Iacobs answere to three obiections Rashnes in Iacob Reade Gen. 44.9 As one is themselfe so they thinke of others Reade 1. Sam. 19.13 somewhat to the purpose Verse 36. Some anger lawfull Exo. 32.19 Num. 16.15 1. Sa. 20.34 From 38. to 43. Properties of a good seruant and a bad mayster Hollow slattery A quiet ende of all troubles A succession of feare to the godly Finis vinus mali gradus est suturâ— God comfortable and in fit time Hebr. 1.14 Psal 347. Psal 91.11 2 King 6. Act 12. Ezeck 19. The godly vse means V. 3.4.5 In wordly things My Lord Esau Verse 6. Verse 7. How hard it is for the best to cleaue stedfastly strongly to God The right vse of meanes Verse 9. Parents pietie a comfort to the children Prayer hath her strength from promise Iacob plea deth no merit Note this comfort Verse 11. Ve. 10. etc Rich marchantes consider this Weapons Verse 13. Presents and gifts appease anger Verse 24. Iacobs wrestling The doctrine and vse of this wrestling Ge. 19.22 Mat. 15. 1. Sam. 1. Cant. 3.4 2. Kin. 4.30 Verse 31. The Allegory of Iacobs haulting Read Heb. 12.13 1. Re. 11.21 Verse 1. In peril nor amazement but counsell is conuenient Verse 2. The godly haue their affections Verse 8. Iacobs going before all shewed his faith and loue 1. Ioh. 3.2 Al harts in Gods hand Pro 21.1 Pro. 15.11 August Pro. 10.2 Pro. 15.19 Verse 6. Children the gift of grace Verse 8. Verse 9. Verse 10. Verse 11. 1 Sam 25. Abigael 1. Sam. 30. Dauid Manye worse then Esau for anger Verse 13. A patterne of a good Pastor Note Rom. 14. Verse 20. Iacob thankfull after deliuerance Verse 1. Womens needles going abroad Syrach 7.24 Pr. 7.11 c 1. Tim. 5.13 Verse 4. Consent of parents Verse 5. 〈…〉 Verse 7. Whordom of good ones euer abhorred Ver. 8 c A fond father ouer his childe Religion made a cloake Verse 21. Priuate respects couered with cloake of publicke good Innouation dangerouâ— often Verse 24. 〈…〉 Verse 24. Great mens perswasions Both father son are slaine that filthie lust may haue worthie recompence and sweet meat soure sawce Verse 27 c. The rage of an offended minde Stand in awe and sinne not Verse 30 c. Faults committed in families sore against the will of the rulers The Iewes not chosen for merites Ezec. 16.2 c. The scripâ—ture written by inspiration and not flesh and blood Verse 31 Youth 〈◊〉 and rash 2. Chro. 1â— 10. Theodorâ— lib. 5. cap 16. 17. Ouid. Naked excuses Verse 1. The care of the lord for his Verse 1. Gen. 28. 〈…〉 A sweete example Good men oft haue affections too much Note this well The vse of cleane clothes on holy dayes Verse 4. Obedience to doctrine c. Perplexities profitable Exo. 32.20 Verse 5. It is the Lord that staieth intents against his Verse 19 Wordlye comforts subiect to change Verse 22 The vse of bitter accidents to the Patriarkes Strength against oâ—fences Great faith exercised with great crosses The truth of Gods promise euer Verse 6. God his sweet care for his Verse 7. Gods powrefull prouidence for his in all places Psal 84 11. 1. Sam. 2.30 God is often mercifull euen to the euill children of good parents Worldly glorie no sâ—re â—â—tâ—es of Gods loue The godly stâ—ll vnder faith and hope Dukes be his sonnes c. Ver. 15. c. Read the Chapter Mans busie braine Rom. 1. Last verse Winking at euil Note it Children begotten in age loued for two causes Parentes loue shuld not be to childrens losse God without parents helpe exalteth often their children We rather obey strangers theÌ„ our brethren Knowledge not obeyed Gods fauor to his children cause also why they are hated in the worlde of some Verse 18. Vr. 16.17 Many seeke one thing and finde another Gods writings and mans writings 18
Scoffers mockers 2. King 1.11 Vers 20. Hatred brings forth murther Striuers against gods appointment Verse 21. Neuer giue sentence vpoÌ„ any for one fault What we are grudged to haue we are soonest robbed of See chap. 42 ver 21. the anguish of his soule The sinfull securitie of a dead conscience Prou. 28. The intire affection of parents towards their children God plagueth vngodly mariages Verse 6. Consent of parents Verse 7. The end of the wicked to be slaine Verse 8. An enuious mind hated of the Lord. Verse 11. We blame readily the vnworthie of blame Seeke sin in our selues 2. Sam. 24. Verse 14. A kinde of mourning apparell Womens vayles The poison of discontent Verse 14. Verse 16. Sinners blinded in gods iustice Verse 20. Cole-cariers betwixt offenders Such neighbors as this be good to scoure an hoâ—e ouen withall True friendship is vsque ad aras and no further Verse 23. Vers 24. A comfort to women with childe in their trauaile Verse 1. Verse 2. Ver. 3.4 Verse 5. Vers 6. Partiall affection to our owne CountrimeÌ„ Beautiâ— a snare our eies windowes to sinne Verse 7. Gen. 6.2 2 Pet. 2. Iob 31. Verse 7. An honest nature the more trusted y e more faithful Verse 8. The second argument The third argument Gen. 20.9 Heb. 13.2 The fourth argument Verse 10. Satan tempteth againe and againe to the same thing Companie to be auoyded Prou. 13. Syrac 13. Psal 18. Pro. 7 from the 6. ver to the end Ver. 11.12 Impudency Fulgent epist 4. ad Prob. pag. 532. de orat compunct Solitarines to be auoyded Verse 13. to the end Where incontinencie is many vices are Credulitie a great fault Cicero A comfort to seruants Verse 20. Verse 21. to the end Euen the prison is directed by God Note these A courtiers life Verse 2. Great mens anger Pro. 19.12 Chap. 16.14 Of dreames Verse 7. A good nature soone spieth others griefe comforteth them No certaine rules of expounding dreames Somnia ne cures nam mens humana quod opâ—aâ— c. Read Syrach 24 Ecclisiast 5. Iere. 23. ver 27. 27 ver 9. Cic. de diuinas confuteth c. Sharpe truths must be told Birth daies Vnthankefulnesse The company of the godly profitable to the wicked Preachers to repeate the same thing good Verse 8. Verse 9. Worldlie wise vnderstand not God Delayes in court old Verse 14. The wicked seeke to the godly in their need Outward reuerence before God Verse 16. Glorie to be giuen to God 1. Cor. 4 7. Iam. 1.17 Act. 12. Verse 28. Verse 35. Storing lawfull Verse 38. Gifts fit for places to be regarded Gifts too much regarded Panormitan lib. 1. de gestis Alphonsi Verse 41.42.43 After a fowl day coÌ„meth a faire Sweet comfort in deed in all afflictions O note and feele The godly may accept honours in this world by places titles c. Dan 2.48 2. Kings 18 7. Num. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 9.6 Act. 16.30 Act 14. Ezra 8. Num. 3. Sermon at P. Crosse A similitude The godly afflicted as the wicked yet to other end Vers 6. A question Gods purposes come to passe when we thinke not Chap. 37.5 Act. 4. 1. Tim. 4.1 Mockers Vers 7. Vers 8. A type of Christ Loue to our countrey Popish loue Our owne priuat waÌ„ts to be couered Vers 13. Truth present and yet not seene Vers 14. Vers 16. Vers 21. The force of affliction and trouble Vers 22. Fellowes in sin fall out Children wil be men therefore abuse them not The petition of a minde in anguish should moue much A guilty conscience Vers 24. Pitie Vers 25. Benefites done would be secret oftentimes Vainglory Bernard Similitudes Vers 27.28 The commoditie of our countrey here aboue others Gen. 28. A gauled conscience Counsel in perplexity No fortune or lucke Vers 36. The hart of Parenâ— to their children Vers 37. To be coâ—â—fortable 〈◊〉 stout in 〈◊〉 frends 〈◊〉 Vers 38. Perplexitie blind a while 2 Sam. 9. Loue to the liuing sheweth loue to the dead Vers 1. Tryals of faith Vers 7. Inferences vpon our speeches more than we thought of Vers 8. Vers 9. Vers 10. Vers 11. The godly haue euer a yeelding time to euery good thing Obstinacies not constancie Ezech. 18. Truth in all dealings Suspicion Gen. 20. 1. Sam. 1. Ambrose offic Chrisost in Math. Vers 26. A Glasse for childreÌ„ Gods mercy maketh a mans hart to melt A state may be maintained lawfully Vers 32. Hypocrites be bolder euer in their owne eies than others Isay 65. 1 Tim. 1.15 Vers 34 â—oue canâ—â—ot be hid A type of Christ Creditonce cracked is hardly recouered A moderatioÌ„ in pomp and port of plate c. Vers 7. The best men haue imperfections A detestatione peccati Be bould but wary in iustifying your selfe A paterne of the fading comforts of this world Vers 14. 1 Kings 4.27 White heads shuld haue white harts Ioseph not able to hold any longer Vers 1. Affection restrained if it breake out is violeÌ„t Isay 40.2 Mat. 14.27 Iohn 14. I will manifest myselfe vnto him Vers 5. Comfortable to the greeued Vers 7. Great deliuerances Plutarch in the life of Flam. Vers 9. Freindes to be neere a comfort Psal 75. Vers 10. Vers 11. Parents to be norished if the child be a Ioseph The godly be full of kindnes grace Vers 16. Gods power ouer mens harts Prou. 21. Tarda solet magniâ— rebus inâ—sie sides Life more to be ioyed in theÌ„ honor Frendes should meet together Vers 1. Gods childreÌ„ are ready to heare when their father speaketh Thinke of this Absence froÌ„ church Vers 3. The sweet care of God for his children The true stay of a man euer To close the eies of our dead frieÌ„ds Tobit vlt. Verse 5. Verse 27. Exod. 12.37 Verse 29. 2. King 2.19 Verse 30. Iosephs huÌ„ble mind not ashamed of his kinreds meane estate Verse 34. Proud hypocrits despise as vnholy who in Gods acceptance are holyer then them selues Verse 1. Iosephs modestie wisdome Court flatterers Verse 3. Verse 6. Most constant comforte to a true seruant Peeuish denying to salute our brethren Verse 9· Iacobs life how our comfort Heb. 13. Buildâ—ngs purchasings Verse 12. Verse 13. c. This famin sheweth our blessing Mercifull dealing in Ioseph when he had the vantage and could haue nipped A blessing vppon him for it Verse 25. note Maintaynance of ministers 1. Kinges 18. Verse 19. Iud. 17. Math. 10. 1. Tim. 5.17 1. Cor. 9. from the 5 verse to the 15. Galat. 6. Nehem. 13.14 Verse 10 Church robbers Galat. 6. Verse 28. Math. 8. Iohn 16. Esay 54.8 Iob last Verse 1. The godlie are sicke The vse of sicknes Visiting the sicke Verse 2. The ioye of frendes Verse 11. A most full feeling of Gods mercies to be wished Verse 12. Reuerence to parents be we neuer so high Verse 13. The best prayse of Ancestors God not tied to naturall artes A good man deceyued Verse 19. Good men diuersly minded in a matter of ceremonie We oppose our selues euen to God Num. 1.33.35 Esay 4.1 How ancient to make a testament Sweet speeches of diuers at their deaths 2 Pet. 1. v. 13.14 The end of this prophecye Num. 34. Vers 2. Psal 45.10 Psal 49.1 Prou. 4.1 Vers 3. 4 Mercy receiued maketh sinne more grieuous Esay 1.2 2 Sam. 12 7. 8. Gen. 49.26 Note Vers 5. 6 7 The vse of Gods ' punishments to the godly Esay 53 An arg of the scripture to be giuen by inspiration Vers 8. 9 10 11 12 Vers 13. Zabulon Vers 14.15 Issachar Thinke of this Vers 16. 17 Craft and secret cunning Vers 18. A stedfast faith seeth a good end of all affliction Vers 19. Iohn 16.33 Ro. 8.36.37 Psal 20. Vers 21. Pro. 15.1 Verse 5. Iudic. 8 1. Sam. 25.32 Act. 19. Note Verse 22.23.24.25.26 Ioseph Beniamin Crosses be blessings Verse 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. Iacob â—yeth a quiet death Notes Popish conceites of places to â—ury in Verse 1. Loue to the dead Embalming Phil. 3.21 Philip. 3.21 Verse 3. Dayes of mourning Verse 6. Obiection Mat. 8.21 Verse 12. Verse 15. Verse 17. Verse 17 18 19.2â— Verse 21. Loue we must not in lips or in tongue only but in deed and in truth Ioh 3.18 Verse 22 Good Magistrates in mercy continued long