are all his gifts and onely his to take and giue as pleaseth him This is some vse of this 8. Chapter Chap. 9. ALl things being doone as you reade before God blessed Noah and his familie So follow comforts after sorrowe as we noted before The mourning weede thou tookest me fro and madest mee to reioyce sayth the Psalme 2 The feare of you and the dread of you saith God shall be vpon euery beast prouiding thereby for mans safetie for by the vertue of this commaundement beasts rage not so much against man as they would but many of them serue euen to his vse hereby 3 In the 3. verse theyr commission is signed yea signed and sealed to kill and eate not hearbes as before and no flesh but flesh now also aswell as hearbes Many men thinking it was not so before 4 But fleshe with the life thereof that is with the bloud thereof might they not eate God meaning heereby to bridle crueltie which he euer hated 5 And as before hee prouided that man should not be raged against by beasts so prouideth he heere also that man against man should not be a destroyer For if he be Hee that sheadeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed againe That is in iustice shall either the Magistrate reuenge such iniquitie vpon him or some other stirred vp in the iust wrath of God shall measure to to him as he hath measured to others that is kill him as he hath killed others and leaue his wife a widowe and his Children fatherlesse as he hath left others 6 Then God maketh his couenant with man and all fleshe that hee will neuer destroye the world any more by water and because man is so harde of beleefe hee adioyneth a signe to his word and promise and setteth it in the heauens euen his bowe which we vsually call the Raine bowe By which so dooing of the Lord first we learne the antiquitie of the mercie in adding outwarde signes to confirme man by Secondly the vse of them The antiquitie if it had beene no more but from Noah it had been much but we see it was before euen in Paradise to Adam there was the Tree of Life and the tree of the Knowledge of good and euill The one assuring him if he obeyed he should liue and the other if he sinned that he should die A mercy so long continued to his children should bee greatlye regarded with hartie thankes for it The vse of such outwarde signes is not to confirme God in his promise who though hee neuer added anye seale yet would bee most true in his worde but to confirme vs in the beleefe of that promise which of it selfe and in it selfe is most immooueable For though he be true to performe yet wee are weake to beleeue and a gratious God hee is that will so support vs. Againe the Rainbowe is taken as a figure of Christ and therefore wee thereby taught that when either the darke blacknesse of vglye sinne or the thicke cloudes of greefe and aduersitie doe threaten vnto vs any fearefull ouerthrowe wee should clap our eyes streight vpon our Rainebowe Christ Iesus and bee assured that though that blacknesse of sinne be neuer so great yet in him and by him it shall bee doone awaye and neueâ— haue power to caste vs awaye though those mists and fogges of aduersitie be neuer so thicke yet shall they by him as by a hote and strong sunne be dispersed and neuer able to drowne vs. The greatest raine we know shall end ere it come to such a Flud againe and so shall these things before we fall 7 In the 20. verse you see Noahs trade of life hee fell to Husbandrye an ould an ancient a profitable a godlye and necessary vocation as hath beene noted before Then followeth in the nexte verse his foule fall when hauing planted a Vineyard he drunke of the fruite and was drunke and vncouered in his Tente Such fauls in Gods children though they be theyr shame yet yeelde they vs weake ones great comforte For wee should vtterlye dispayre when wee see our selues if such blots and spots had not beene in such greatnesse once by mans corruption Nowe though wee haue no warrant by them to do the like yet if humaine frailtie ouer carry vs euer wee neede not to dispayre for with God there is mercye to repentance and amendement and greater meâ— then wee haue had theyr wants 8 Marke the filthinesse of drunkennesse it maketh him lye vncouered in his Tente vndecentlye vnseemely nay beastlye and rather like a beast then a man And could it so disfigure Noah a man of such goodnesse so highly commended before and not disfigure vs that are a thousand degrees behinde him shall once beeing so bee such a blot and shall daylye being so be no blot Thinke of it and if you shame in Noahs behalfe to thinke howe vnseemely hee laye take heede to your selfe For fowle sightes are seene bothe in men and women that are drunke 9 When Cham the eldest sonne of Noah saw his Fathers nakednesse he mockingly went and tould his brethren of it In Cham then beholde a true patrerne of all such vilde spirites as ioye in the publishing of other mens wantes whome yet for many graces they ought to reuerence mocking flyring and geering at them with prophane hearts concepts and censures like this Cham. Such hath this worlde had euer but in these later dayes as though Satans kingdome were driuen to this shift he stirreth them vp in euery place most busilye and seeketh their seruice They most vnwarely not marking whome they serue and what they doe are contented to be carried tempted and drawne to this curssed course most fully 10 But when Sem and Iaphet heard of it they tooke a Garment and put it vpon both their shoulders and wente backward and couered the nakednesse of their father with their faces backward and so they sawe not their fathers nakednesse As notable a picture on the contrarye side of all such milde modest louing godly and christianlike spirites which couer with loue theyr fathers and brethrens imperfections infirmities wants and weakenesse charitably expounding whatsoeuer may be so taken either speaking the best or not the worst and wishing in their hearts all men were amended and no man disgraced if he will be amended Such spirits are blessed when the others are curssed and shall stande as well liked before his face who shall retribute to the other in due iustice the very blacknesse of darkenesse for euermore 11 Marke it againe in this place diligently that a good Father hath his children not all good not all alike qualified not of the same vertuous and honest conditions all yet this is not the fathers fault It greeueth him full sore if Cham playe so lewde a part that procureth a cursse and not a blessing But so God pleaseth to exercise his
all flesh and so foorth therefore not to be feared It includeth felicitiâ— it excludeth miserie finisheth the toyles of age preuenteth the perils of youth Multis remedium nonnullis votum omnibus finis To many a remedye to some a wished thing to all an ende It deserueth better of none then of them to whome it commeth before calling Heathens haue beene strong and shall we be weake The Swans doe sing and shall wee weepe to thinke of death Mâ—râ— nomen tantum fidelibus saith the Father Death to the godlye is onely a name and no worse is in it Surely to dye no man feâ—â—eth but hee that dispayreth of life after death yet hasten not the time by thy desire for that is a faulte as farre the other waye It is the parte of an vnthankefull man eyther to wyll a good longer or to bee wearye of it sooner then the giuer and lender of the same dooth limit and is contented No man may breake the prison and let the soule out but he that inclosed it in the same Let all these comfort vs and let all these staye vs. Feare not when it commeth sente of God and procure it not till it come for anye dislike and discontent of a weake minde In a good age dooth the Lorde adde and who maketh ould but euen himselfe The hoarâ—e heyres are his gratious gift and the timely death is also his to escape the woes to come 14 For the wickednesse of the Amorites is not yet full saith the 16 verse Then God spareth many times till iniquitie be ripe and at an height Most true it is and let vs marke it It may well daunte those curssed spirites and stoppe the streame of those wicked hearts that flatter themselues because God yet suffreth What say they needes all this threatning of the preachers against mens dooings iwis God is not so hastie as they make him nor yet so readye to smite as they reporte him For my selfe haue hither to found him fauourable albeit I trode awry c. But take heede saith the Wiseman and say not I haue sinned and what euill hath come vnto me For the almightie is a patient rewarder but hee will not leaue thee vnpunished Because thy sinne is forgiuen be not without feare to heape sin vppon sinne And say not the mercy of God is great he will forgiue my manifolde sinnes for mercye and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth foorth vpon sinners Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lorde and put not of from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake foorth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance In this place wee see that God often spareth the wicked the wicked nation and wicked person man or woman not because hee will not smite but because they may haue a mightie payment and fâ—arâ—full vengeance together when their sinne is ful that at once he may destroy them for euer in his great iustice Knowe you then your selfe to treade awrye and doth God still suffer Stande in awe and goe not on Make not your sinne full by continuing of it For if you do your death is determined Many things moe yet hath this chapter but let these suffice now Chap. 16. The principall heads of this Chapter are these The double mariage of Abraham to the 4 verse The dispising of Sarah by Hagar to the 7. verse Her flight and returne to the end COncerning the first the occasion of it is noted when it is sayd Sarah was barren and bare no children to Abraham Her barrennesse sheweth the power of God in after giuing her a Childe and is noted to that end 2 In that shee layeth the fault vppon hir selfe and not vppon her husband saying The Lord had restrained her c. It sheweth hir spirit modest and godlye and telleth vs the better to discerne them that had rather blame any themselues and that in a thousand things then themselues in one Such Spirites bee proud and arrogant swelling with vaine concepts of themselues and poysoned with spite against others And if they be women they are no Sarahs we well know by this good marke of a good Sarah in this place 3 The Lord restraineth honest Women from child bearing and none but he but filths restraine themselues least their secret whordomes should appeare 4 If Sarah thought shee was finally restrained because of age it was a want in a good woman and a little spotte in a fayre face For God is not to be tyed to time to age and yeares But is as able when yeares be many as when they be fewer Yea age and youth to him are one if his pleasure be to haue it so 5 Hâ—r giuing her Maide to her husband noteth the corruption of that time from the beginning it was not so for male and female God created them first one for one and not mo for either at once 6 Abraham obeyed his wife and tooke her maide saith the texte and this also was a blemish though then indured as wee knowe He should haue sayd no I will not doe it we will trâ—st to Gods promise who is able to giue vs children though we bee ould when it pleaseth hâ—m and wee will tarrye his time But whome hath not a woman deceyued if she were hearkened vnto at all times 7 When Agar saw she had conceiued her Mistresse was despised in her eyes and so truly verified we see the prouerbe Asperius nihil est humili cum surgit in altum Pungitur in celsa simia sede sedens Nothing more proude than a beggar set on horsebacke and a verye Ape if you place him vp aloft begins to bridle the matter and take vpon him maruelously Secondly it teacheth that aduersitie is better borne then prosperitie of manye one Thirdlye it sheweth the end of euill counsell Sarah is beaten with her owne rodde 8 But dooth shee so applye it no but in a rage she flyeth vppon Abraham and chideth him because her maide abused her An angrye minde will lay the fault where it is not and especially an angrie woman 9 Abraham answereth his angrie Wife with meekenesse a vertue in him and best for her to appease hir wrath for fire neuer quencheth fire as we all know But a soft answer breaketh anger saith the Wiseman 10 Sarah handled her roughly after Abraham had answered and behoulde by it the certaintie of Womens affections Before she promoted her and now she plagueth her before she desired fruite of hir and now when she seeth the hope of it it will not serue To bee woone with the Egge and lost with the shell is a great inconstancie Sarahs cause was better but yet her hardnesse more then happilye answered the cause as it was 11 Agar runneth away when she should haue amended her fault and submitted her selfe to her mistrâ—sse so take wee the course in the crookednesse of our nature
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
by God Why was y e matter now in any likelyhod truly no. Abraham was but a stranger in Canaan yet neyther had any more possession then the sepulchre that he bought there for to bury his wife in But by his faith which wauered not one iote in Gods promise he possessed euen the whole land and therefore he would not suffer his sonne to be remoued thence to the woman if the woman would not come to him O that wee had such faith to beleeue what is promised vs and to expect it with assuring hope then should our hearts be free from many cares that now oppresse them and we possesse to our good content what yet in mans eyes we haue no hould of 11 In the 7. verse Abraham maketh mention of the Lords calling of him out of his owne Countrey into that where hee now was and so stayeth himselfe vpon that that by no meanes he will doubt but God will go forward with his mercy begun in this and by this his calling So so and euen so should all wee bee in that calling whatsoeuer vnto good that God voutsafeth vs. As for example if the Lord haue called vs into the land of light by hearing the word preached vnto vs or any other good meanes whatsoeuer neyther should the world nor wants of men neyther any thing in this life make vs returne to the land of darkenesse againe So of Magistracie or Ministerie or such lyke the calling of God should be our strong stayes to goe through with it against all assalts to the contrary But especially this is a place and an example for them that for any earthly preferment in mariage of their children can be very well content that they should bee caried from Canaan euen againe and againe to Mesopotamia that is from the grace and light of God which hee hath giuen and from the place where he hath promised to giue an inheritance into the mists and cloudes of ould ignorance againe and all damnable superstition Abraham heere abhorreth it though his sonne should lose his wife thereby and surely as he should be our example to folow euer so shall he be their condemnation that will not doo it 12 Marke againe in this verse the arguments whereby Abraham strengtheneth his faith First hee aledged the deede of God in these words qui eduxit me which brought me out Secondly his promise qui loquutus est iurauit which spake vnto me and sware And why doth hee not alledge his owne doings and say because I obeyed hym and left mine owne countrey for him or because agayne I offered to kill this sonne of mine when he bad me and to offer him vp in sacrifice to him or some such lyke surely because the children of God were neuer acquaynted with bragging of their owne works and putting God in the nose with their owne merits Some do it and alas will not see how they offende in it but men and women possessed with Gods sauing spirit neuer did it neither will doo it Abraham knewe merits in hym were no such props to his faith as mercies in God and therefore silent in the one with comfort he aledgeth and remembreth the other So let vs doo if wee haue no calling but the common calling of Christians And if wee bee further eyther Magistrates or Ministers or such lyke then consider also how fitly wee may doo it For as Abraham had the deede of God in bringing hym out so haue Magistrates and Ministers in geuing them that place And as Abraham had hys promise and hys oth verely so haue they that hee wyll bee with them in the cause of iustice and in theyr ministerie to the verye worldes ende Bee it concluded then in our soules for euer that the Angell of God shall be with vs as heere Abraham speaketh so long as wee liue to honor God by a faithfull seruice and not our owne selues by some subtill seemings for God seeth 13 I cannot but remember you of it also how when the seruant putteth the case the woman would not come so farre Abraham doth not bid him tell her what wealth shee shall haue what riches and treasure and that his sonne should haue all or so forth but he answereth by his trust and assurance that the Lord would moue her and bring it to passe if it were his liking and therefore hee sayth the Lord shall send his Angell c. Thus euer euer doth Religion perswade one way and earth and flesh and the world and other way 14 But if she will not sayth hee then c. Where wee see how fully doubting mindes are to be instructed Often times doe we promise good vnto men in the name of the Lord and wee hope it shall come to passe yet wisedome would that wee should more fully teach say as heere Abraham doth But if she will not c. That is yet if God will not thus and thus do for causes knowne to his owne wisedome and not vnto vs then this and this shall be your estate c. 15 Onely bring not my Sonne back agayne sayth hee repeating againe what hee had once giuen in charge before and we noted it O constant hart doth to abide himselfe and to keepe his posteritie in a strange countrey being once called thither although with wealth hee might returne and with his owne kindred peraduenture liue more quietly What a thing in a godly mans hart is a place apoynted hym of God How is he not fickle and fugitiue onely for greater worldly good without any direction from a better cause Yea how must not a man like without God his liking nor carue for himselfe a portion of this worlde where himselfe liketh but where the Lorde will be content remayning constant and with the same contented till the Lorde giue a going out Abraham had his griefes heere no doubt and probably may wee thinke the Cananites were not to hym as hys kindred nor Canaan as hys owne Countrey Yet so would the Lorde And wee see before our eyes that the heart of Abraham answereth to the Lorde O my God I am content to doo it and his toong chargeth his seruant againe bring not my Sonne back c. 16 Then the seruant sware sayth the text That is after hee had inquired questioned talked and was fully instructed concerning his maysters will and the ende of his othe then hee sware A very good example to teach all men how an othe is to be taken But alas where is this conscience and care and feeling with feare to abuse this dutie Where is hee that searcheth and secketh to knowe the matter and the depth of it how farre it may charge him what hee is requested to sweare vnto Yet thus doth Abrahams seruant heere and let vs note it The second part THe seruant thus instructed and sworne prepareth to his iourney and tooke ten Camells c. Teaching and shewing this wisedome that a thing is not
it was a priuate respect that hee had and a particular pleasure that hee shotte at Heere is the pollicy then or rather subtiltie which now in our dayes wee see so rise If malice possesse vs and wishe a reuenge if couetousnes haue caught vs and would haue a benefite or whatsoeuer it is that wee would effect still the pretence is a publicke good thus and so shall the Church bee profited and thus and so shall the lande bee inriched if our deuises may haue place when indeede they tende to as muche good to eyther as this perswasion dyd to the Sichemites beeyng the meanes whereby crueltie tooke place malice and wrath had oportunitie and the fearefull destruction of them all was brought to passe and compassed Trust not therefore ouer hastily such goodly promises and painted showes of publike good to bring in an innouation which as this may haue danger vnder it and yet not doubted 8 The silly people consent vnto Hamer his speech wherby we may learne how dangerous a temptation the promise of gaine and profit is to the ignorant multitude This winneth and bewitcheth them this gaineth and getteth them to doo any thing yea with this both eyes bee dimmed and eares so stopped that subtil men may worke their wils and had I wist come euer too late 9 Marke againe what power to effect either good or ill is in the perswasions of great meÌ„ to their inferiors They carry them headlong to destruction if so they wil and they carry them comfortably vnto good if so they wil. Happie be the gouernours that perswade but wel and so answer not with their own for the bloud of many Againe marke here what often els may be seene that when the Lorde determineth to punish men haue no power to foresee the peril Iniustice be taketh the wisdome from the wise and counsell from the prudent 10 Thus the inhabitants being inticed to admit of circumsition for an earthly commoditie and respect the third day when they were sore Simeon and Leuie the sonnes of Iacob with swordes drawne come vppon them and kil euerie male amongst them A bloudie fact and a great murther in mans eyes worthie of great blame that for one mans fault so many should dye offering them recompence by admitting their condition and so deeply deluded by so holy a show But altogither we may not esteeme it by this but somewhat consider the reuenging hand of a iust God in it who wil neuer suffer the wrongs violently offred to his chosen people to escape vnpunished if they cleaue to him The mightie worldlings may imagine they shall do what they list with vs and proudly wrong vs imboldned by their might and our weakenes but they shalbe deceiued as is seene to their terror and our comfort in this example That Simeon and Leuie were so forward-summe in nature we may iustly thinke of For Dinah to them was full sister both by father and mother where vnto some others she was but onely by father Leah was her mother and the mother of Simeon and Leuie also Againe wee may see in this example that saying verified Quicquid delirant Reges plectuntur Achiui For the sinnes of gouernours the people often smart and therefore happy people that haue a good gouernour It is a treasure that of many is little coâ—â—â—dered and a blessing that God is neuer worthily thanked for 11 Then came the other sonnes of Iacob vpon the dead and spoiled the Citie See therein anger how it rageth and increaseth being once incensed and stirred vp One man by example kindleth an other and violence vpon violence will increase still if we stay not quickly If you marke now the state of this Citie how the children be fatherles the women comfortlesse no house without bloudshead murther and death their goods spoyled in Citie and field their bodies captiuated which remaine aliue O heauy wo would not the heart of any man or woman tremble to offend the Lorde to feede the flesh that sinfully lusteth with such deadly delight and carelesse to scorne what so fearefully punished we see of God How happy Hamor if his sinning sonne had neuer been borne how happy the sonne if hee had turned his eyes from euil and brideled his lusting heart with vertue and honour How happy all both old and young both great and litle men and women with babes and sucklings if God had been feared and sinne abhorred This is sinne in the eyes of the highest a cryer continually for his wrath till at last it come The Lord giue a feeling that we truly hate what hurteth harmeth in this sort 12 Then said Iacob to his sonnes Ye haue trobled me c. Pitifully bemoning the danger which this desperatenes carried with it both to him and his had not God been good whose mercy in deed onely affected that the countries about did not rise vp in armes against him and destroy him quite The Lord knew how Iacob abhorred this course and yet how perfectly hee hated the sinne of his daughter wherefore in mercy hee prouided for him staied all euil that might be against him and kept both him and for his sake his that might else haue perished well inough I note it to my comfort and the comfort of many that maye in their houses and seuerall families either by children or seruants or friendes haue that committed whiche their soules abhorre and they little knowe of God is gracious to regarde the innocent and to turne from his faithfull seruantes that whiche euil committed might procure vnto them as hee heere did from Iacob Then marke againe in these sonnes of Iacob whether for their merites God so increased them and made them his people or it onely was mercy and no merit And remember withall what by Ezechiel God saith vnto them I meane to the people descended of them and of like merite with them for this that we speake of Sonne of man cause Ierusalem to know her abhominations say thus saith the Lord God vnto thee Thine habitation thy kinred is of the land of Canaan thy father was an Amorite thy mother an Hittite And in thy natiuitie when thou wast born thy nauel was not cut thou wast not washed in water to softeÌ„ thee thou wast not salted with salt nor swadled in cloutes No eye pitied thee to do any of these vnto thee for to haue compassioÌ„ vpon thee but thou wast cast out in the open field to the contempt of thy person in the day that thou wast born and when I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thine owne blood and I said vnto thee when thou wast in thy blood thou shalt liue euen when thou wast in thy blood I said vnto thee thou shalt liue Marke you this repitition Euen when thou wast in thy blood I said vnto thee thou shalt liue That is euen when thou werst sinful wretched and vgly to be looked on in thy selfe
not Such is Gods mercy at this day to vs miserable sinners We fall and offend him some one way some another and all of vs too many wayes Where it pleaseth him to shewe iustice and wrath there he letteth them goe on with hardned hearts brasen browes and stiffe necks euery day worse and worse but where it pleaseth him to shewe mercy there he commeth to walke in the coole of the day that is as I sayd there he visiteth the partie that hath sinned happely the same day happely the same houre euen assoone as the deede is done by smiting the heart as he did Dauids with true remorse sight and sorow of and for what then is done that albeit that can not be vndone againe yet it may be lamented with speedy and true repentance and no more added therevnto as no doubt we should do if God thus walked not to visit vs with his holy spirit Happy were we if we could not sinne and offend our God but since that is not now to this corruption of ours possible pray we the Lorde with bowed knees that he would visit vs euer and quickly yea in the coole of the same day that is ere we go to bed or take any rest that we may see and sigh for our transgressions that day against his Maiestie 2 God walked not then silent but the Text sayeth they heard hys voyce No more doth hee now but wee also heare hys voyce for his voyce are his Ministers Preachers and cryers crying in hys Churche Repent for the kingdome of God is at hande Happye are they that heare them with profit and feeling and who so contemne them let them learne by this place that they despise God himselfe walking in the garden oâ— his Church and speaking to them which contempt he will hotely reuenge one day 3 Agayne by the coole of the day we may note if we will the oportunitie of time that God tooke to come to doo good vpon these seduced sinners to weet when the heate of the temptation was past Thereby teaching his Ministers some godly wisedome to take their time and notably discouering our vile corruption that admit no counsell nor perswasion while the heate of concupiscence temptation is vpon vs. Happely in the coole of the day we will that is when wofull experience hath beate vs and sinfull heate is abated in vs. But O gracelesse wee that no sooner Yet better late then neuer so that wee presume not which if wee doo surely it is many to one that neyther in the coole of the day the Lorde will visit vs but euen cast vs away for euer because we presumed making no more accompt of his Maiestie but to be at our becke and of repentance which is his great gift to be at our call 4 In that they hid themselues from the presence of God Marke the frute of sinne it woundeth the conscience and the conscience wounded feareth accuseth vexeth and tormenteth a man distrusteth in God flyeth from him and vaynely seeketh a couer from him that admitteth no couers But let vs bee warned by it how foolish this course is nay how desperate and daungerous and when through frayltie wherewith we are clothed as with a garment we haue offended runne not from God but runne to God hide not from him but open to him what indeede he knoweth already Fall at his footestoole and cry peccaui I haue sinned Lord I haue sinned woe is me that I haue so but haue mercy vppon me deere God haue mercy vppon me yea agayne and agayne haue mercy vppon mee and according to the multitude of thy mercyes doo away mine offences Thus may you liue but by running from him you cannot runne from him by hiding you can hide nothing and yet for your indeuour you shall dye the death 5 Adam sayd he was afrayd because he was naked when hee shoulde haue sayde because I haue sinned so waywarde is flesh to confesse a truth if it touch our selues with any fault but God folowed him out and asked him who tould him that he was naked thereby vrging him hardly to tell truth and teaching vs all at this day that except we confesse truly and fully playnely and faithfully our sinne to God there is no forgiuenes Wryings and turnings from the matter will not serue minsings and shiftings before hym were neuer currant nor euer shall be A direct confession becommeth a sinner and God requireth it Hee that hydeth his sinne sayth Salomon shall not prosper but he that confesseth it and forsaketh it shall haue mercy 6 But see yet further when hee was so vrged that hee must needes confesse then he layeth it vpon the woman and God saying the woman deceyued me and the woman whome thou gauest mee Would God this sinne of translating a fault from our selues to others had dyed with Adam then had not so many of vs bin so faultie in the same as we are some blaming one thing and some another and fewe men as they ought blaming themselues To recken vp particulars were too long thinke of them your selues and auoyd the like Monstrous is that bouldnesse or ingratitude that rather will blame God then themselues as heere Adam did when they should be thankfull to God for as much as he did The woman doth the lyke and as Adam layd the matter vppon her so she vppon the Serpent both naught and farre from the course of right repentance The third part of the Chapter verse 14. IN considering the punishment of each one marke how first the Serpent is proceeded against because hee was the cause and beginner of this fault thereby teaching that ringleaders to any mischiefe are first to be dealt against as most worthy then remember how before was noted the gifts of God in the Serpent in some respects aboue other creatures which hee abusing now is punished thereby Wee beeing truly taught what shall befall them that doo the like Some haue wisedome and learning somâ— haue power and authoritie some wealth and riches some birth and parentage whatsoeuer it is if wee abuse it to serue the Dâ—uill when it should serue God that gaue it that so doing wâ—â— smart one day and the cursse of God shall be vpon it as heere was vpon the Serpent who beeing more subtill then other beasts became an instrument for the Deuill to deceyue by 2 The Lord sayth Hee will set enmitie betwixt the woman and the Serpent and betwixt their two seeds for euer which may well teach vs two things First that not onely the bodyes of men and beasts are in Gods hand to doo withall what he list but theyr very inward affections passions and dispositions are also rulâ—d by him If hee list hee causeth friendship and loue if hee please he setteth dislike and hatred and euer well in respect of hym The hearts of Kings and all men are in Gods hand as the riuers of water and hee turneth
bee good for vs to liue we shall liue and when an other place shall be better for vs the Lorde as he did Henoch can take vs away yea and will if we trust in him 8 Lastlye let vs thinke vpon this occasion that though all of vs in bodye cannot obtaine this honour to bee thus caught vp to walke with God yet may we in minde be partakers of this much to ascend vpwarde to haue our hearts aboue and not beneath and to walke in spirit amongst those endlesse ioyes that are prepared for vs. Chap. 6. Hitherto wee haue heard of mans generation now must wee heare of his degeneration that wee may well perceiue if wee will see any thing how vaine a thing man is rebelling euer against his God This whole Chapter contayneth cheefelye but these three thinges 1 Mans degeneration from God in the foure firste verses 2 The iustice of God ordaining punishment for him from the 5. verse to the 8. 3 The mercie of God euen in this Iustice from the 8. to the end 1TOuching the first it teacheth vs as I sayd the great and greeuous corruption of man who the more bound hee is for mercy to serue God trulye the more apte and prone hee is to offend him highlye The Lorde had nowe increased mankinde them manye to theyr great comforts if they could haue vsed it and nowe without all regarde and thankefulnesse for such his goodnesse headily and hastilye wickedlye and vngodlye they prouoke him to anger and great displeasure against them by fleshlye following their owne willes euerye man marrying as hee best lyked for outwarde beautye without regarde of Gods liking and inwarde vertue The Sonnes of God that is the Children of the godlye sawe the daughters of men that is of wicked parents descended such 〈◊〉 Kain was that they were fayre and they tooke them wiues of all that they liked 2 Wee see howe greeuous a thing vnequall mariages bee when the godlye with the vngodlye the beleeuing with the Infidels the religious with the superstitious are vnequally yoaked surely euen so greeuous to God that for this cause especially the whole world was destroyed by the Flud The Lord is no changeling he disliked it euer and disliketh it still It is a secret poyson that destroyeth vertue more speedily then anye thing Salomon was ouerthrowne by the daughters of men for all his wisedome Iehosaphat matched his Sonne to Ahabs daughter and it was his destruction Hee forsooke the waye of the Lorde and wrought all wickednesse in a full measure Whye because sayth the Texte The Daughter of Ahab was his Wife Ahab was wicked but a wicked Wife made him farre worse for shee prouoked him saith the Texte Be not vnequally yoaked with the Infidels saith the Apostle for what felowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darkenesse what concord hath Christ with Belial or what parte hath the beleeuer with the Infidell It is a lawe of mariage that should not bee broken that it bee in the Lorde that is with his liking and in his feare with such as bee godlye and hould the truth Our children we allow not to marrye against our wils but our right wee challenge to giue a consent And shall the Children of God seeke no consent of theyr Father in Heauen to theyr marriages But his consent hee will neuer giue to marrye his enemie and therefore doe it not It is not lawfull it is not expedient if it were lawfull The Flud came to so much such disobedience and forget it neuer 2 Consider how God hateth it that in mariage onely beautie and fauour should be respected for theyr fairenesse the sonnes of God chose wicked Women saith this place and God plagued it Fauour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie saith wise Salomon but a Woman that feareth God she shall be praysed 3 Marke the worde striue in the 3. verse My spirite shall not alwayes striue with man And see in it and by it the deepnesse of Gods goodnesse to vs miserable sinners he dooth not by and by bring vpon vs the desarte of our sinnes but beareth with vs and long beareth with vs daylye and hourelye giuing mercy more notwithstanding all those sinnes yea he striueth with vs and tuggeth with vs that wee might be saued and not perish O what a God is this Looke how your selfe striue with your childe or friend whome you loue to bring him to good and to saue him from euill euen so doth the Lord with you yea much and farre more As I liue as I liue sayth the Lord I desire not the death of the wicked but that he may turne from his way and liue O turne you turne you from your euil wayes for why will yee dye yee house of Israell The Lord of his promise is not slack as some men count slacknesse but is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance sayth the Apostle Peter And despisest thou O man sayth S. Paule the riches of Gods bountifulnes and patience and long suffering not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth thee to repentance Thus good is God and thus he striueth with vs. 4 Agayne marke his mercy in the time that hee graunteth heere to repentance An hundred and twentie yeares sayth hee shall his dayes bee that is though thus greatly and greeuously man hath offended and euen all the earth is become corrupt so that with great iustice I might bring a flood foorthwith and consume them all yet will I not doo so but still beare longer and looke for amendment yea an hundred and twentie yeares yet will I giue him ere I bring the flood vpon him to see if they will returne and auoid my wrath What is long suffring if this be not and this is the sweete nature of our God 5 Of Gyants and mightie men the word speaketh sundrie times in seuerall places Heere he sayth of these vngodly mariages came many of them which being mightyer then the vsuall sort of men vsurped by their might authoritie ouer others and did degenerate from the simplicitie wherein their Fathers lyued In the booke of Numbers they that went to search the land of Canaan when they returned made report that they had seene there Gyants in comparison of whome they seemed Grashoppers In Deuteronomie mention is made of Og the King of Bashan whose bed was of iron nine cubits long and foure cubits brode That great Goliah also of the Philistims you remember S. Austen sayth he saw the tooth of a man as great as an hundred of ours what was the body then somewhat you may guesse Plinie reporteth that in Crete out of a mountayne was digged the remnants of a man by guesse of proportion when hee liued six and fortie cubits but there were no end to tell you all we reade of this matter Thus much
earth which the Lord hath curssed The Arke a figure of the Church for as out of that there was no safetie so out of the Church there is no saluation The matter of it must not be euery thing but of Pine trees direction was giuen The children of the Church are not euery sort not they which are borne of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God The Pitch represented the loue of the Church wherewith as with glew the members are vnited and fastned together Within and without the Arke was pitched and within and without a true member of the Church is vnfayned loue He loueth within he loueth without he loueth without and he loueth within it is not secret and cannot be seene it is not seene outward and wanteth within but truth and show and show and truth go together in this man O blessed pitch would God we were all thus pitched for the more of this cleaueth to our fingers the better we It defileth not but maketh vs holy before the Lord. In the Arke were diuers roomes and in the Church are diuers gifts diuers orders and degrees of men In the heauen we seeke for diuers mansions In the Arke are beasts vncleane aswell as cleane and in the true Church and of the true Church hee that denyeth sinners to be shall prooue an Anabaptist The window they say might represent the Gospell and the preaching thereof for as by that window came light into the Arke to lighten their bodyes so by the preaching of the Gospell commeth light into the Church to lighten the hart and minde and vnderstanding of those that are within The dore Christ I am the dore and so as foloweth The Arke was great and very great So is the Church of great largenesse dispersed by God both farre and wide Reade the 54. of Esay 2. Reioyce thou barren that bearest not c. inlarge thy tents c. The flood resembled Baptisme which killeth the ould man and restoreth the new while the Arke was preparing sayth S. Peter whereby eight soules were saued in the water whereof the baptisme that now is answering that figure c. saueth vs also by the resurrection of Iesus Christ Finally and lastly the Arke was tossed in those waues of water both vp and downe and so is the Church whilst it heere is militant too and fro Yea euery member doth witnesse this tossed of the world tossed of flesh tossed of Satan and tossed by sinne neuer able to hould together if God as he did the Arke did not defend it guide it and keepe it and gouerne the waues that they shall not hurt further then in mercy he will heale againe This is the figure of the Arke and summe of this Chapter Chap. 7. Hauing heard in the former Chapter the sinne of man in those dayes and the gratious striuing of God with him to bring him to amendment geuing euen then when he might iustly haue punished yet an hundred and twenty yeares to repentance In this Chapter we shall see how all this goodnes of God was despised and neglected those hundred and twenty yeares in all wickednesse likewise spent and therefore God forced as it were at last to bring the flood vpon them The generall heads may be these two The entrance of Noah into the Arke The comming of the flood vpon all flesh 1COncerning the first it is to be obserued that God biddeth him enter into the Arke thereby giuing his faith that sure stay of the word without which it must needs haue wauered and bin shaken in pieces in that great tryall And Noah his not entring till he was bidden teacheth vs truly to take God for our guide in all our actions and his word for our warrant and assurance in what we go about 2 The Lord sayth he saw Noah righteous in that age before him not meaning thereby that Noah wanted weakenes of humane imperfections but so calling him in respect of others and because he had a desire and hartie affection to be such an one Whereby we haue giuen vs a great comfort that the Lord doth measure vs according to our will and not according to our power and finding vs willing with vnfayned affection to serue him vprightly which will yet commeth not of our selues he voutsafeth vs the honor and title of righteous men notwithstanding our great weakenes and want of perfection These and such like places we should euer haue in store against those fiery darts of our deadly foe that would perswade vs we are nothing regarded of God because we labour of some imperfections How honorable is the remembrance of their faith in the 11. to the Hebrues all which had their wants and many infirmities 3 The addition of the words before me make his prayse great and his vertue true for many seeme glorious before men which before God are nothing so that is true righteousnes which before God is so This if we thought of aswell as we knowe we would more regard God and lesse thinke of men whereas now we prick at it as our great marke to be approoued of men and to gayne their prayses 4 A question is asked why of cleane beasts by seuens and of vncleane but cupples were taken and preserued And the best answere is after the preseruation of seed because the cleane serued for sacrifices which God had apointed to be serued by God then prouided for coÌ„manded exercises that there might â—e to performe them with and we as though we were not his children nor euer meant to be his heires most carelesly contemne theÌ„ and will prouâ—de nothing for theÌ„ if we prouide any thing it shalbe how to hinder them put them downe and this is our resembling of God 5 God telleth Noe when he would begin to rayne and how long he would continue that his faith might be firme in euery respect and not doubting since nothing more greeueth God then so to do as you may remember in diuers examples of the best men as in Moses and Aron those great pillers who for their doubting and wauering went neuer into the land of promise In Zacharias whose doubting brought him dumbnes for a time and such like When God sayth he will do a thing he would be beleeued and because he knoweth our weakenes he prouideth often for vs by such particular circumstances as heere you see 6 Noah was not only saued but his wife his sonnes and his sonnes wiues yet reade wee not of their righteousnes as of Noahs But this is the good that commeth by the company of the godly euen to be within the shadow of Gods great mercy for their sakes So good is the Lord to his louing children that to their friends also hee will be good So was hee to Lot and to his friends if they would haue bin ruled So was hee to Rahab and her fathers house So is his manner
that verie thing by that meanes being speedily procured which was intended by the same to be diuected and turned away O how could I runne this note to the admonition of them that seeke by such towers as this not onely to get a name but to keepe their posteritie from dispersion that is to continue theÌ„ in that countrey in that towne in that house c. neuer seking the Lords fauour mercy to direct and make strong their desires neither euer seeking to plante his feare in them that must inioye those things But their issew is according the Lord turneth all crosse in his iudgement and for that very thing they are dispersed and driuen often to forsake not onelye the place but the verye lande I saye no more thinke what you knowe 8 If they thought by this Tower to preuent drowning when the like Flud came againe as some thinke they did though it bee not propable the reason being expressed before by themselues to be for to get a name c. then may it admonishe vs howe bad men neuer looke at the true causes of Gods iudgements and plagues but frame vnto themselues some other concepts and runne their course according to the same The true cause of the Flud was sinne and therefore they should haue sayd Let vs sinne no more least a woorse thing happen vnto vs and not let vs builde a towre For the cause bring not taken awaye for which God smiteth no towers nor steeples no tops nor top gallants though they could reache as high as was sayde can euer deliuer from his blowes Let theyr folly be our instruction and whilst we liue pray that we may and indeuour when wee haue prayed to see the true cause of Gods visitation any waye vpon vs or ours that that being knowne wee may take a true course to turne his wrath awaye from vs. 9 The Lord descendeth to see if theyr folly was so great It is a figure meaning the Lorde punished not before there was true and due cause And a good lesson it giueth to all in authoritie that they will looke before they iudge see and be sure of the desert before they laye on the censure So did not Putiphar and it was his blame Ioseph is adiudged and there is no cause So did not the Pharisees when they sent to apprehend Christ without anye matter of truth against him So did not Dauid when vpon flattring Ziba his reporte he condemned his faithfull seruant Mephibosheth and gaue awaye his liuing beeing afterwardes faine to reuerse his sentence with shame when hee knewe the truthe So doe manye at these dayes to thâ—ir great discredit First iudge and then know but folow we a better patterne in this place 10 The people is one saith the Lord and behould we by it a bad vnitie to the ende a glorious name may not dezell our eyes when the thing in nature answereth not the same You read of an vnitie in the second Psalme But it was against the Lorde and his annoynted A like vnitie againe in Iosephs brethren to deale vniustlye and vnkindlye with their brother There was an vnitie in Sodom against Lot and his perswasion And the whole worlde was one against Noah and his preaching So is it heere and so is it often the people are one but not in truth not in right not in GOD and what vnitie is that Be wee not then as I sayde amazed at a name wee knowe who crye vnitie vnitie but wee see no proofe nor euer shall of veritie And wee knowe the Fathers speeche who spake it trulye Vnitas sine veritate proditio est Vnitie without veritie is but a conspiracie 11 They haue begun sayth God and they will not giue ouer Marke how stedfast flesh is in a wicked course In a good thing I warrant you no such thing but iust contrary In the end we will soone begin or hardlye or not at all giue ouer In the other eyther not beginne or most easilye giue ouer Alas our corruption and our weakenes waywardnes also if yee will shall wee thus see our nature described and not consider it and not amend it as God inableth I hope we will 12 Yet ouerthrowne are they for all their ill will to desist and giue ouer Feare not then with what might and maine soeuer the wicked goe about their wicked purposes and that they will so hardly be perswaded to giue ouer for the Lorde is stronger then they and will make them mauger their hearts to giue ouer at his pleasure a great comfort to all that are oppressed and pursued Their tongues are changed and it hindreth this earthly building and can it further the spirituall to be ignorant what is said Such a place is Babell saith the Lorde himselfe that is confusion and shall we say it is profitable God forbid And thus much of this Chapter not standing now vpon Sem his Genealogie Chap. 12. The generall heads of this Chapter are cheefely three The calling of Abraham from the 1. ver to the 4. His obedience to that calling from the 4 to the 8. The crosses accompanying and following the same from the 8. to the end 1IN the calling of Abraham consider first who called God and thereby learne wee that it is the Lordes worke onely to gather hiâ— a church to appoint before all times whome hee will call in time and make a member of the same What man dooth in the gathering of the same he doâ—th but as a minister and seruant vnder him so farre preuailing as he will blesse and no further The foundation of GOD standeth sure and hath this seale the Lorde knoweth who are his c. And whom He predestinated them He called He I saye He fâ—r it is his worke 2 Consider whome he calls Abraham the yonger brother and peraduenture an idolater more like so then otherwise though vncertayne And see we by it that Gods choyse is free not tyed to circumstances of age of birth of degree or any qualitie in man whatsoeuer but on whome hee will haue mercy on them hee will haue mercy He looketh not as man looketh for man many times regardeth the elder brother before the yonger and the outward gift of nature before inward graces of the spirit as Ishai offred his eldest to Samuel to be anoynted King and all the rest before he offred Dauid thinking least of him whome yet God appoynted And Ioseph would haue had his father layd his right hande vpon his eldest sonne Manasses But God doth not so finding nothing in the best to deserue a calling and therefore vsing his libertie without all respect of circumstances as I sayde before 3 Whence was he called euen out of his owne countrey and from his fathers house Teaching vs first thereby that neyther Father Mother countrey nor any thing may be sticked vnto aboue Gods commandement for hee that loueth any of these things more
of dust and ashes so often applyed to himselfe we see all of vs both the humble conceit that this great Patriarch had of himselfe as also the reuerent humilitie he spake to his God withall Two speciall things for our vse in these dayes wherein we are puffed vp and swell with filthye pride and forgetfulnesse of our selues as though wee were made of some farre more precious matter then dust and ashes and wherein we speake to our God as vnreuerently and rashlye as euer did anye prophane minde for many of vs without any such spirite of lowlinesse and dread as heere was in Abraham not considering what we are and what God is how vnworthy we are to speake or breath before him But we swap vs downe in our places most vnreuerently and then we stare and looke and gape and yawne and huddle and tumble vp some vnliked prayers of the Lorde not onely without any profit to vs but to our great harme for so vndutifully vsing the name of God Well thinke heereafter of this example of Abraham better and amend both these faults 15 It is worthy marking againe how Abraham iterateth his requests one after an other from fiftie to ten and yet the Lorde is not angrie but heareth him patiently and kindely maketh answer to euery one he will not do it for so many sake And is he changed from this kindnesse now if I do the like vpon occasion No no our God is one for euer not subiect to change and therefore bouldly and comfortably doe as your neede constrayneth hee will abide you and answer you as shalbe fit Lastlye marke it and forget it neuer Abraham maketh an end of intreating before God of hearing him O sweete O deere and gracious God what ioye is this can my soule wishe a greater mercy then that I maye speake on and he will heare yea that I shall giue ouer first and not hee when once I sue vnto his Maiestie Lord make vs profitable vsers of this mercie Chap. 19. The cheefeheads be three The care of God for the safetie of his faithfull to the 24 verse A fearefull example of his wrath against sinne to the 29. The faull and fault of Lot from thence to the end PArticular things in this Chapter obserue wee may many as in the former 1 He calleth them Angels who before were called men and therein we may note the manner of the scriptures and word of God how it vseth by one place to lighten and expounde an other expressing more plainely to auoide doubt what before was more obscure might cause doubt Againe in so expressely saying they were Angels that foolish conceipt is ouerthrowne that they were these three the three persons in Trinitie as also that most wicked blasphemy of some heathnish spirits that Sodome was destroyed by Necromancie to wit by fire procured by that art when the Lord as he vseth executed his wrath by his Angels 2 When it is sayd in the 4 verse from the yong to the ould euen all the people from all quarters You see the state of that citie how generall the euill was and howe fearefully it had spred it selfe through all the vaines members of that place that there was none good but the spirit of God saith all all A lamentable estate of any place whatsoeur when iniquitie shall ouerflowe all and would God we drew not toward such fearefull measure now vnder the Gospell when it may bee obserued to a maygame a Beare bayting a prophane stage playe vpon the Lordes daye and many such things how wee compasse the place round about as heere is sayd these Sodomites did from the yonge to the ould euen all the people from all quarters Verely the words of the Holyghost to iumpe vppon vs and may very truly be sayd of vs and the Lord preuent by mercy and fauour in chaunging vs from such lewde likings that such iudgement and wrath doe not iumpe also vpon vs as it did vpon these men Marke againe you may when he sayth all were such the nature of sinne how it spreadeth and infecteth first one and then an other till it haue gone ouer all It is the deuils leauen which stayeth not till it haue leauened the whole lumpe and therefore happie is the place where it beginneth not for it spreadeth quickely and largelye and dangerouslie 3 Their shamelesse speeche to haue the men brought out that they might knowe them very notablye discouereth vnto vs the impudencie that sinne affecteth in time when it once getteth rule Surely it taketh all modestie and shame and honestye awaye and prooueth the saying to be most true Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati The custome of sinne taketh awaye all sense and feeling of sinne At the beginning men shame to haue it knowne what they doo though they feare not to doo it and they will vse all cloakes and couers that possibly they can to hide their wickednesse But at last they growe bould and impudent as these men did euen to say what care we And why Certainelie because this is the course of sinne in Gods iudgement that it shall benum and harden the heart wherein it is suffered and so feare vp the conscience and conceipt in time that there shall bee no shame left but such a thicke visard pulled ouer the face that it can blush at nothing eyther to saye it or doe it Behould these brasen browed wretches heere who after long vse of sinne no doubt at first more secret are now come to require these men openly and to tell the cause that they mighe know them without all shame or sparke of shame in and at so horrible abhomination Maruell not then any more that the adulterer blusheth not the drunkard shameth not nor the blaspheming swearer hideth not his face You see the reason custome to doo euill in that kinde hath vtterly bereaued him of feeling and shame as it did these Sodomites A heauy and fearefull case for Gods plague is euen at the doore of such people as you see it was heere for these Sodomites Shall Abimelech be cheerefull that his hand is cleane and assure his heart that God both sâ—â—th it and regardeth it and shall not we that know more delight in innocency and be bould in the comfort of a cleere conscience â—â—â—ecially when our iust God must be iudge If Abimelech an heathen beleeued God would not smite a faultlesse man will our deere Father smite his chosen children when they be guiltlesse O euer then let it be our ioy to haue cleane bosoms and our comfort strong vpon that agayne God will regard it 4 Euen a thousand tymes consider the manner of hys answere heere how he doth not pleade any preheminence of a King or any authoritie to deale with such as were in his countrey as hee listed but onely pleadeth innocency and a true meaning And shall Pagans goe before vs in vnderstanding Shall wee whiche knowe so much bee of opinion
pleasure with vs sure we are by these examples he will not faile vs but prouide for vs as shall be best 3 Dwell in this land and I will be with thee c. Note the blessing of God vpon men when they are where God appointeth them If we carue for our selues bee it vnto vs according to our bouldnes But if we tarrie Gods leasure folow his calling and his directioÌ„ surely it shalbe to vs there according to mercy a good place to stay flitting minds no waye respecting the Lord in theyr changes but their owne pleasures or selfewill 4 Many blessings he promiseth here to Isaac if you marke them and why Because Abraham obeyed my voice sayth hee c. teaching vs plainely that there is no more effectuall meanes to prouoke God to mercie toward children then if their parents before obeyed Gods voyce This is it that God cannot forget neither will forget for his goodnes sake But euen vnto thousands of their seed that serue him and keepe his commaundemenes will he be good O parents marke it and lay it to your hearts You see the fruite of your comming to church of your hearing the worde receiuing the Sacraments and of leading your life according to the waye prescribed it sealeth vp the Lords fauour not onely to your selues but to your children after you to a thousand desents This cannot raking and scraping vp worldly pelfe do with neglect and contempt of all I haue named but euen quite the contrary and therefore I pray you marke it 5 What might be noted heere in his denyall of his wife hath sufficiently bin touched in the remembrance of this matter in his Father before him Chap. 20. whether you may resort againe and compare the Father and sonne together making this note with your selfe that feare and distrust is found in the most faithfull and therefore no cause we should vtterly dispayre for our own wants 6 Abimelechs iudgement of adulterie in the 10. verse will condemne many carelesse sinners in this kinde that make not the like conscience to offend thus that this man did These cursed dayes make but a sporte of this sinne so fowle in the eyes of very Heathens But let vs beware and lay it to our hearts how in all ages men that haue not been past all honestie haue been perswaded that Gods vengeance should light of wedlock breakers 7 Abimelech then gaue charge as you see for Isaacs safetie and his wiues also threatning death it selfe to hym that should touch them See Gods mercy to take away his feare that for his wife he should be killed and not onely so but to raise him vp such a friend of the king as heere wee see O what is not God able to do for his faithfull seruants and what is he not willing to doe also for theyr comfort Let vs cleaue to God then and hee will cleaue to vs let vs trust in him and he will neuer forsake vs. 8 Isaac thus hauing found grace with the king that he might be safe fell to labour and sowed a crop The Lorde was present in that also and gaue him of his labour increase an hundred fould So the Lorde blessed him among these strangers and is that arme shortned that it cannot nowe blesse our labours in our seuerall callings and trades if it please him We knowe it is not and therefore rather we want Isaacks trauell who lay not on the one side and looked to liue but laboured truly and sowed his seed or els we want his good heart toward God and religion and therfore the Lord serueth vs thereafter Iudge your selues as you best can and amend what you finde to be amisse with sowing not with sleeping Isaac got his increase and yet not with sowing neither without Gods blessing but the Lord blessed him saith y e text ver 13. and so makes him the author of this fruitfulnes in y e land as euer he is His mightie increase also otherwise the text doth shew you and marke it well what God can do 9 So he increased in very deed that the Philistins had Enuie at him Thereby we finding the saying true that pouertie breeds pittie and plentie spite yea thereby wee seeing the guise of this world most playne before vs that if a man want he is contemned and if God blesse him hee is enuied for enuie is a greefe at an others well doing And there is no poyson like this poyson for all others hurt some others not themselues but enuie rather wasteth and weareth our owne selues then hurteth others Actius Sincerus sayd well of it when being in company where question was made what was good for the eyes to quicken the sight and some sayd Fennell some Saladine some glasse c. He sayd Enuie was better then all those Noting thereby that enuie and spite is euer busie to spie quickly rather with most then least what remedy but patience and patience against spite shall euer haue victorie at the last Xenophon sayde to one that spake spitefully of him Tu didicisti maledicere ego conscientia teste maledicta contemnere Thou saith he hast learned to speake euill and I in the testimonie of my cleare conscience to contemne thy spite So say we and so do we and the game will be ours in the end Pacientia vincit omnia non colluâ—tando sed sufferendo non murmurando sed gratias agendo Patience ouercommeth all things not with strugling againe but with suffring not with murmuring but with giuing of thanks Socrates was merry when he answered one that asked him why he put vp an iniury and cauld not the partie into law What if mine Asse take vp his heele and hit mee must I goe to the law with him by and by Noting what patience is rather to be vsed of wisemen 10 The Philistins stop vp his wels c. This being theyr malice let it harten vs if euer we finde the like and teach vs that it is as true of malice as of loue that if it cannot go it will creep that is it will shew it selfe as it can and if it cannot do all it would it will yet doo peeuishly all it can 11 Isaac vpon this changeth his dwelling and we may learne by it that quietnesse is to be sought aboue profit 12 In digging of these pits that heere you see marke theyr names the first is digged and he calleth it Esek that is contention or strife because they stroue with him for it Then digged he a second and called it Sitnah which is hatred But at last He digged a third for which they stroue not and therfore he called it Rehoboth because the Lord had made him rowme So then after Esek and Sitnah strife and hatred at last hee came to Rehoboth rowme and rest let vs hope the like after trouble peace after strife rest and after paine pleasure to the praise of
heard in the 35 Chapter Learne then sayeth Caluin vpon the place Non esse à peccato vno quantumuu atroci estimandos homines vt nobis desperata sit eorum salus Not to iudge men peremptorilie vppon one sinne though a verie great one and their estate to vs seeme verie desperate For here wee see more vertue more pietie and feare of God though before hee had so grieuously fallen then in all the rest See againe howe God will euer haue one Ruben or another that is one meanes or another to deliuer his out of perils and daungers as euer shall stande with his blessed pleasure Let wicked men deuise and determine what they will the Lorde hath a hande ouer all their purposes and they shall not preuaile but as hee will Killed to bée God will not haue haue his seruant and they can not effect it but solde into Egypt hee will haue him and therein they preuaile So it is his will not theirs his counsaile not theirs that indeede ruleth The deuise that Ruben had to saue his life maie euer bee a warrant to vs to vse good meanes and lawfull pollicyes to the good of our brethren the children of God eyther in deliuering them from blouddie rages of cruell aduersaries or otherwise This was pia fallacia saith a learned man a holie deceit to a good purpose and we may obserue it 8 They strippe him c. Greatlie they spited his partie coloured coate as wee sawe before and what most men are spited to haue they are first robbed of if their enuying foes preuayle ouer them What they sayde to Ioseph when they thus stripped him or what hee to them when they thus vsed him is not layde downe But well wee maie thinke this was dolefull intertainement to his harmlesse heart that came in such sort both readilie and kindelie to sée howe they did and to beare to his father what they wanted Yea questionlesse with wéeping eyes and aking heart hee cryed for pittie calling them brethren a name of loue mercie and nature remembring them of God of nature of their aged father at home who had sent him to them and of what soeuer might mooue compassion but it woulde not serue O Lambe amongest Woolues if euer were anie O Iacob at home thou seest not this Little dreamest thou thy darling is in this perplexitie amongest his brethren To thée hee shall come no more but his coate for him Thy sorrowe is neare and euen at the doore by such cruell children No God no brother no father no friend is regarded of them Stonie heartes and iron bowels are nowe where Nature shoulde haue dwelt See wee then man if the Lorde touch not and prepare to endure what GOD shall sende Pitie or none fauour or none feeling or none his will be done 9 Then they sate them downe â—o eate bread saith the text Alas they shoulde rather haue sate downe to weepe for their moste wicked behauiour towardes their innocent brother then to eate and drinke but they felt not the sinne as yet and thus are mens consciences to often lulled a sleepe through Satans subtiltie an estate most dangerous and abhorred of God Such a lethargie was in Dauid in Ezechias and others to their great hurt Wherefore blessed is the man estéemed of Salomon that feareth alway that is that hath a feeling still of sinne to auoyde it and hate it to sigh and sorrow for it as becommeth a man or woman that feareth God But whilest thus they were eating beholde a meanes to deliuer Ioseph out of the pit and to saue his life They lift vp their eies and saw marchants comming streight they concluded by the motion of one to sell Ioseph to them and so to be rid of him So fitte can God make meanes fall out to serue his prouidence euermore So came Rebecca so came Rachell fitte in their times so can a thousande knowen experiences full well declare if they be remembred God hath his tymes and his opportunities of tymes to fitte assuredlie and let it be our comfort Ioseph then is solde and away he goeth But God had a purpose vnknowen to Ioseph to his great comfort Had hee knowen it his sorrow nothing woulde haue béene so great Let it comfort vs when aduerse thinges happen little knowe wee what may insue 10 Finallie the sorrow of Iacob so great and so grieuous so long and so lasting refusing to be comforted whosoeuer came to him most plainelie and effectuallie expresseth a fathers heart towards a childe beloued Iacob had indured manie great afflictions in his time yet neuer ranne out as he did in this Here hee is euen ouercome with griefe and his passions vehement shewe themselues in a dolefull measure Thus neare lie chldren to their parents hearts Touch our goodes or touch our owne bodies we endure it often with great patience but touch our children and we are gone Iob can witnesse it if our daylie knowledge wanted proofe The comming of friends to comfort him in this we full well commendeth vnto vs a kindenesse and duetie that is most commendable But that his sonnes woulde suffer him thus to sorrow for their brother that liued O barbarous hardnesse Their confession of the trueth though it might verie iustlie haue wrought them blame yet most swéetelie it woulde haue refreshed the mourning heart of their aged father But sée our nature how it abhorreth truth if it may ought hurt vs and how obstinate Nature standes in a sinne to face it out and kéepe it close Such is our mould and such is our great corruption They comfort their father and yet cause his wo much like our Vsurers that speake so kinde and cut so déepe into a mans estate till he be vndone O miserable comforters and so I ende Chap. 38. The generall heads are these chiefly The mariage of Iudah to the 12. verse The incest to the 24. verse The manifestation of the same froÌ„ thence to the end TOuching particulars it is to be obserued first how Iudah tooke to wife the daughter of a Cananite which affinitie by God was vtterly condemned And the children that hee had by such mariage prospered not Euen therefore as it should séeme the mariage of the father being mentioned that we might know how iust cause there was why God should detract his mercie and grace from the issue Let men then looke vpon this example and call to remembrance with it their owne experiences Hath not God euer hated vngodlie matches Hath not God sundrie wayes plagued them euen in our dayes by deniall of issue either to such as so marrie or to the next children of such marriage or by withdrawing his grace from them that they become wicked and vicious as these were here Er and Onan or by some meanes or other best pleasing his iustice that striketh in tyme the vnreformed person though he spare long Let neuer then either lusting flesh or couetous heart or anie respect vnder heauen
and therefore let them weigh their estate that take such bitter courses as we daylie sée whether that spirite be in them that was in Ioseph or no. Nay are they like vnto farre worse men then Ioseph was for knowledge in the truth that moderateth reuenges As vnto Antigonus who hearing with his owne eares certain of the soldidurs speake euil of him neuer reuenged the matter but patientlie endured it and bad them either go further or speake softer lest the king should heare them vnto Augustus Caesar who suffred one Timagenes a writer of historie abusing notoriously both him his wife and his whole familie to liue neuerthelesse and to liue in good estate euen in Rome vnder him If such men as these thus gouerned their affections when they had wrong may we carie the credites of christian professors boiling in malice hunting for reuenge and euen breathing out slaughter against whome we dislike as we sée at this day What the Lorde hath saide against such heates sundry times in these notes I haue obserued and our selues full well know his dislike of such dealing Nowe doe but thinke of him that in wisedome saide it Parciús vtendum potestatâ— quó semper ea vti possis Sparingly shouldest thou vse thy power that euer thou maist vse it That is reuenge little and liue long c. 6 The greatnes of the famine is laid downe noted by the effects of it When it consumed all the money in the land and brought it to Pharaohs coffers then all their cattell being glad to giue them for food when their money was gone thirdly all their land and euen their bodies also if he would so haue taken what they offered What a spectacle is this of Gods power what easilie he can do and of his gratious fauour what yet hee doth not Durum telum necessitas A sharpe dart is neede and want And therefore a great mercie is plentie and store Where be our hearts to feele it and to blesse God for it vsing it well to his glorie But what when both money and cattell with land also were gone all become Pharaohs Sée then a wisedome and a fatherly mercie in Ioseph Then gaue he them séed to sow their land yeelding y e king but the fift part and themselues kéeping foure to their maintenance wisdom I say because else the land should haue beene wast and the foode as yet holding out would haue decaied mercie for that if some had had them at such a list they would haue rather taken foure parts and haue left them one then quite contrarie as Ioseph did Mercie againe in that he regardeth their wiues and children c. That is their charges and according therevnto dealeth with them and alloweth to them Which is a thing they little thinke of that shaue to the bones and grinde euen the faces of their tenants now adaies What blessing also this kind dealing had in the hearts of the people the storie noteth when they thankefullie attributed the sauing of their liues vnto him Gracious dealing will euer haue a gracious report with thankefull men when sighing grones of whole families beggered and vndone will crie for spéedie vengeance from a iust iudge 7 Except the land of the priests onelie c. This wiâ—h that before in the 22. verse where it was saide that Pharaoh nourished the Priests with an ordinarie sheweth what care should be had of ministers and what prouision should euer bee made for them This Pharaoh of Egypt had a care of his Priests Iesabel a wicked woman maintained her prophets of the groues 400. at her table Micah in the Iudges maintained his Priest And may onelie the professors of the Gospell neglect their teachers Let the Lord iudge who said the labourer was worthie of his hire Let the Apostle iudge who saith they are worthie of double honour and the oxe may not be mufled that treadeth out the corne nay who with manie similitudes and arguments proueth the contrarie as 1. That no man goeth to warfare on his owne charges 2. That husbandmen eat of the fruit of such vineyards as theÌ„selues plant 3. That shéepherds eat of the milk of their own flocks cloth themselues with the wooll 4. That sowing spirituall things which are the greater we are well worthie to reape carnall things being the lesser 5. That the ordinance of God was to haue them liue by the altar that serued at the altar with other like reasons in that place and to the Galatians if you consider them and gather them out Had the priests of the law the tenth part and shal the ministers of a better testamenc haue neuer a part Such maintenance wil haue such ministers in time out of question to the vtter decay of learning pietie and religion and to the bringing in of al barbarisme error as Satan wisheth Worthie is the vertue of Nehemiah touching this matter euerlasting remembrance and imitation of them that haue like authoritie feare God He finding that the priest Eliashib who had the ouersight of that which belonged to y e maintenance of the priests being ioined in affinitie with Tobiah y e Ammonite an enemie of the Iewes the portions of the Leuites were not giuen them but euery man was fled to shift for himselfe amongst his friends most zealously reformed it as there you may sée threw out Tobiahs vessels thrust out Eliashib placed them y t were counted faithful brought the tithes of corne and wine and oile into the house of the lord againe Marke the state of our times and sée if such Tobiahs be not yet amongst vs and such Eliashibs who dealing togither in all vnrighteousnes conuey the portions of the Leuits by little and little from the church y t all may come to ruine vtter confusion in time They must haue the tith corne the glebe land peraduenture the house also for a dairie and their cousen Eliashib the minister there shall haue the tith géese and the egs at Easter But shall not god visit this great impietie O lord O lord in mercie forgiue the sins of the land and the iniquitie of thy people deseruing iustly the losse of thy worde sweet libertie of their consciences yet yet shew fauor For these mercies raise vp workmen y t are able to féed thy people as they ought either conuert or confound these church-robbers that sauor nothing but their 〈◊〉 gaine that taking thus dailie away the rewarde of knowledge indeuor the death of thousaÌ„ds thousands of soules 〈…〉 created Stirre vp Nehemiah thy faithful seruant to redresse this sin and to settle things carnal as shalbe 〈◊〉 to them that so â—â—spiritual that God be not mocked Howe that be thy people sheepe of thy pasture shal giue this praise for euer for so great a mercie Amen Amen 8 So Iacob dwelt in Egypt in the best of the land grew and
multiplied exceedingly and had possessions hee liued in that lande seuentéene yeares and sawe his childrens children he inioyed his sonne Ioseph in great honour with Beniamin also whom he loued yea hee inioied them all placed about him and liuing in vnitie peace and plentie Sée then the comforts of god to his true seruant after many afflictions God is not changed Cleaue we therefore to him and be euer shall dispose vnto vs for the best If we now weepe he is able to make vs laugh if we now grone vnder any burden he is able to ease our shoulders from it in good time and to comfort our later yéeres with a swéeter measure as he here did Iacob Remember the great calme that followed after their great daunger in the shippe Remember the wordes you nowe are sad but your sorow shalbe turned into ioy Remember the prophet for a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thée for a litle season but with euerlasting mercy wil I haue compassion on thée saith the Lord. Tobiah had his sight againe and ended in comfort Iob had all well againe in the end the lord blessed the last daies of Iob more then y e first Dauid after manie troubles hath a crown of honor Iacob hath his Ioseph againe that his spirit reuiueth Ionas commeth vp againe all in safetie from the bottom of the sea Feare not affliction therefore but refer all to God He is not the god of these men alone but of vs also All shalbe well in the Lords good time al teares wiped away from our eies and what he hath promised anie way so true is he so good is he so himselfe is he and euer shall be Here then might I ende if it were not also worthie obseruing how reuerentlie Iacob speaketh to his son being in authoritie If I now haue found grace in thy sight deale mercifully with me c. Teaching hereby all parents to 〈…〉 their childrens places as their children ought to 〈◊〉 to them So such giuing other that honor is due God shall be honored of them both and in them both Of this buriall 〈◊〉 by Iacob in the land of Canaan withal haue occasion to speake hereafter It respected Gods promise of that land in time to be giuen to his posteritie which he stedfastlie beléeued and for shewe of the same his vnwauering faith and the confirmation of others wished and sought that his bodie might thither be caried to take possession till that tim came Such faith in other of Gods promises concerning vs becommeth it vs euer to haue and God in mercie giue it Chap. 48. In this Chapter two things especiallie are laide downe The adoption of the sonnes of Ioseph to be Iacobs sonnes The blessing that Iacob giueth them TIdings are brought vnto Ioseph that his father was sick Sicke then are the godlie when it pleaseth God as well as others and worne and wasted with diseases and griefs they passe away as other men The Lord could do otherwise if it pleased him But this course is best in his eies that being as others appointed to die they also as others should haue these common messengers and forerunners of their death that hereby receiuing as it were a watchworde that the time is neere they might renounce the worlde with all the flattering and fading glorie thereof they might lift vp their eies to the God of heauen and consider the comfort of that companie They might dispose of their goodes and affaires of this worlde to the quiet peace of them that shall haue them And lastly with more ease depart and make an end the bodie being weakned and worne away by sicknes that it cannot so stiffely startle against that separation Ioseph visiteth his father in this his sicknesse and taketh his two sonnes with him Manasses and Ephraim still shewing himselfe in all things a comfortable carefull and obedient man towards his father confuting also by his example that most sinfull softnesse of some in our dayes who can not abide to come at anie sicke persons as though themselues either neuer should be sicke or being sicke could rest contented to lie by the walles not comforted nor visited of anie bodie That with him he tooke his two sonnes he shewed that more highlie hee estéemed to haue his children receyued into Iacobs familie which was the Church of God then to inioy all the treasures of Egypt 2 Then one told Iacob that his sonne Ioseph was come Israel tooke his strength vnto him and sate vpon the bed c. Sée how the presence of déere friends comforteth the sick and grieued in their beds It euen maketh their spirits reuiue and their strength to come againe that they are able to speake and deliuer matters as whole men How may a friend then answer it to God or man to denie such comfort to the sicke 3 Then Iacob called for Iosephs children kissed them imbraced them and breaketh into these words I had not thought to haue seene thy face and behold God hath shewed me also thy seed Shewing thereby what a full feeling he had in his hart of Gods infinite mercies vnto him receiuing more then euer he could hope or looke for Such such féeling should we also haue in our estates euerie one of vs weighing our case past weighing our case present weighing what once was likelie and what yet now we haue what once we could not dreame of and yet now by God is done and rising vp vpon it into all feruent feeling of a sweete and gracious God which hath so done for vs. This did Iacob here and blessed he this doe not some of vs as may bee feared and therefore sinfull we But now let vs amende and write this saying of Iacob vpon our handes that we maie euer sée it Ioseph then tooke away his children from his fathers knees and did reuerence downe to the grounde O dutifull childe a verie patterne of all vertue and true affection to parents whilest the world endureth So great and so mightie so honourable and so high yet to his father hee boweth and doth reuerence euen to the ground his father being but a shéepheard as you heard before that is a man that liued by breeding and kéeping of cattell 4 Then Ioseph tooke his two sonnes Ephraim in his right hand towards Israels left hand and Manasses in his left hand towards Israels right hand so he brought them vnto him But Israel stretched out his right hand crossing his hands and laid it on Ephraims head which was the yonger and his left hand vpon Manasses head directing his hands of purpose for Manasses was the elder Then he blessed them giuing such title to his father Abraham as I wish vs to marke namelie that he walked with God To teach vs not to delight so much either in honour or prowes or pollicie or any thing in our ancetors as that they were religious and
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
Gods mercy that in time shall moderate what is amisse 13 God appeareth to him comforteth him saying feare not c. See and see againe the care of God for a true seruant of his These crossings and striuings you haue seene how greeuous they were to a poore stranger you can consider more farre then the like would haue been among his owne friends God therfore speaketh and cheereth him vp leauing vs this to remember euer that he seeth our greefes noteth our wrongs marketh our strifes and in most need he will euer comfort vs. O sweete mercy of a gratious father how may it cheere vs he is not kind for Isaac alone but for all them that trust in him and that haue we found I am sure all of vs if we will remember and fâ—ll shall find if we will regarde him His time he knoweth and wee may not apoint him his time he will keepe and we may not doubt him our pinche hee spyeth and we shall feele him 14 Yet see more both of mercy and power in the Lorde to his Childe That vnkinde king that reuersed his loue towards Isaak and thrust him away the Lorde maketh seeke to him againe for fauour to feare his vertue So can God do if it please him with any of vs when we are most troden downe and abused by any enemies that we haue But let vs not appoint him what he doth is euer best onely let vs see what he can do if it be good for vs. 15 Isaac when they came expostulateth with them of his wrong yet he forgiueth it and feasteth them liberally A good example for our eger wraths that will neuer be appeased If one of vs be touched we carrie deadly hatred to our graue with vs and haue rooted it also in our posteritie that they may carrie it Thus did not Isaac and God was with him 16 Concerning Esau in the 34 verse It biddeth vs marke who they be that marry against their parents minde also with wiues of a false religion Surely Esaus not Iacobs that is vngodlye children not godly children that haue grace in them Againe howe bitter it is to a godly parent to see the degeneration of his childe and to harbour or countenance daughters in lawe that feare not God Thirdly it is very worthie noting that albeit this matching of Esau in that Countrey with mens daughters as we may probably thinke not meane might haue beene some wordlye strength to Isaac who was there a stranger yet being not in the Lorde hee detesteth such meanes and wisheth in his heart no such affinitie but in faith relyeth vpon the sure God 17 Let vs not passe it ouer vnmarked how though Isaac had wealth at will and flowed in aboundance outward yet wanted be not in his howsehold crosses But Esau marrieth against his will greeueth the heart both of father and mother So must it be and so shall it be for this world is not heauen The Lord onely knit vs to him in all our crosses Amen Chap. 27. In this Chapter we haue The stealing of the blessing from Esau by Iacob The manner of the blessing The behauiour of Esau afterward 1IT is said that Isaac was old and his sight was dimme Wherein we may note both a generall prouidence of God and a particular A general that commonly men in age time should by course of nature waxe darke of sight that thereby they drawing towards an other world might be weined from earthly matters and be occasioned more to meditate by want of bodily sight vpon things that are not seene A particular by this meanes to drawe this man to doe that which otherwise peraduenture he would hardly haue done 2 I know not the day of my death sayth hee c. and who dooth knowe it Ideo latet vltimus dies vt obseruetur omnis dies Therefore is the last day vnknowne that we might bee in a readinesse euery daye Nothing more certayne then the thing nothing more vncertaine then the time and such like sayings many Vpon this occasion Isaac will make ready for death and dispose of his matters according to this vncertaintie So let vs doe vpon the like cause For you see wee knowe no more the day of our death then he did 3 He loueth venison And to our comfort it teacheth vs that vsing moderation remembring thanks the Lord is not offended with our fansies Hee hath sanctified all meates to the vse of his children and nothing is vncleane that the Lord hath created And if further wee like this rather then that euen so also is the Lord pleased and giuing vs libertie to vse our liking blesseth with his mercy that particular to vs. O gracious God 4 Rebecca heard when Isaac spake to his sonne Some note of the curiositie in womens natures they will be harkening ouer often when they are not called to be of counsell and it is a tickling desire in too many to knowe all that that is spoken be it purposely wished otherwise Sara before a good woman yet harkning behinde the dore and now heere Rebecca heard and of like by some such priuie harkning All women be not thus but many graue wise to content themselues within their bounds such as be so may well amend it and be greatly commended 5 Now hauing thus ouerheard her husband she entreth into talke with her sonne Iacob to preuent the ould man and to deriue this blessing from his brother to himselfe Wherein we see the picture of a partiall Mothâ—â— more addicted to one childe then an other when yet both of them are alike derely bought to her Touching the subtiltie she vseth I doo not see how it can be iustified for she should haue taryed till God had performed his promise by some direct course 6 Iacob obiecteth what danger may happen and thereby we see the common saying true Plus vident oculi quam oculus more see two eyes then one and especially if ones minde be vehement vpon the thing in question for earnest desire to obtayne a thing dazeleth the iudgement often that it seeth not hidden euill and inconueniences Therefore if euer I should vse my friend I would surely vse him and craue his due consideration to ioyne with me when I finde my affections hote vpon any thing to effect it or haue it for euen then sonest as I say by the vehemency of desire may my iudgement fayle me whereas my friend being swayed no way with any affection looketh more throughly into the matter and with a cleerer eye then I can so finding and seeing such perill and danger such euill and inconuenience as I for my heate carying me vneuenly could not see So doth Iacob in this place obiect what in deede in mans guesse might very well haue fallen out and of like by his mother was not either at all or earnestly thought vpon