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
sufficeth to cause vs to consider Gods power which mightely and maruelously hath euer shewed it selfe in his creatures 6 In the fift verse it is sayd The Lord saw the wickednes of man that it was great He euer seeth both good and bad whatsoeuer it is neyther walls nor darkenesse can hinder his sight To the godly it is a comfort who are many times wronged by false suspicion slanders and lyes but the Lord seeth To the wicked it must be a terror and a very great one that cloke they or couer they hide they or hap they their sinnes neuer so much yet the Lord seeth And what will hee doo euer see and neuer punish then were he vniust but that he cannot be for any man therefore the end will smart without repentance 7 If you doubt of this beleeue the text which telleth vs what fell out when God sawe it would be no better it repented him that euer he had made man that is speaking after the manner of men God destroyed man and in that as it were did disauow him to be his creature And marke withall how liuely the Lorde doth discouer the corruption that is in vs saying all our imaginations and all our cogitations are euill and only euill and euer euill What greater euill then in this sort and measure to be euill Where is that free will that wilfull men deuise to do good when our mould and mettall is become thus bad Away with such dreames experience is the fooles schoolemaister and shall not euen that teach vs but will we gaynesay our owne knowledge Austen telleth vs and all the world that homo male vtens libero arbitrio se ipsum perdidit man abusing that freewill which before his fall he had he lost both himselfe and it We are naught waking we are naught sleeping we are sinfull dreaming and when we do not dreame and where is our good 8 Somewhat conceyue of the measure of sinne that was now in the earth by these speeches of God that he repented and that he was sory in his heart Could a small measure make God thus greeued No he dayly indureth great wickednes and yet repenteth not that he made man wherefore this must teach vs their sinne was great and warne vs agayne to beware at the least with great sinne to offend the Lord. If we cannot but sinne through our imperfection yet let vs not increase the measure without remorse by any wicked malice But stay to go on if wee cannot stay to go in Stop the course as the Lord shall inable and not by fulnesse of measure as this people did heere pull vengeance from heauen whether God will or no. O heauye day and houre to you or me if the Lord shall say it repenteth me that I haue made such an one yea I am sory and sory at my heart for it Beware then of great sinnes and of heaping sinne vpon sinne till God be driuen to say thus against you The contrary is sweet when the Lord reioyceth at our beeing and shall say to Satan hast thou marked my seruant Iob such a man such a woman how they loue me c. 9 But why was the Lord sory that he had made man surely because he must destroy him againe his sinne is so great Why then he is sory to destroy man Truth it is if he could with iustice choose O then what see wee Cannot God proceed to punishment of rebellious sinners yea of such rebellious sinners as these were that made the whole earth smell of their sinnes but with some griefe with some discontent with some â—othnes as it were to haue it so if they would amend and shall he be hastie and furious implacable vnmerciful to a poore sinner that groneth greueth sigheth sobbeth wepeth crieth for wo that he doth sin and that he cannot but sin against so good a God so deere a Father and wisheth it better euery day he riseth and euery night he goeth to bed No no it cannot be And therefore be of good comfort thou greeued spirit the Lord loueth thy longing care to serue him better and he can sooner cease to be God which is impossible then cast away his eyes of mercy and pitie from thee He will not punish thee but he lusteth to exercise thee that the glory of thy faith after such assault appearing bright may receyue a Crowne of comfort brighter then golde or beaten golde beset with precious stone O tary then the Lords leasure bee strong and hee shall comfort thy heart and put thou thy trust in the Lord. 10 In the seuenth verse the Lord sayth I will destroy Before we noted his mercifull striuing to bring to repentance but now note his iustice if man will not repent he beareth long and saith turne turne but at last he catcheth his sword and sayth I will destroy Tempt not the Lord therefore ouerlong you vnfeeling hearts for you see a fearâ— Many times admonished and neuer amended thinke you heare this word I will destroy 11 In the eyght verse it is sayd But Noe found grace in the eyes of the Lord. So then God punisheth that euer yet he spareth some So is hee iust that hee forgetteth not his mercy He spareth Noe and his household with him and that in mercy Gratiam inuenit non meriti mercedem Grace he founde but no reward of merit Yet what God giueth him we may not deny him he was a iust man and vpright in his time and walked with God A singular prayse in so corrupt an age to be so vnlike them Would God it might teach vs the prayse of this not to be caryed away with corruptions amongst vs be they neuer so generall or so imbraced of the greatest men To walke with God is a precious prayse though none do it but my selfe and to walke with man with the world with a Towne or Parish in wicked wayes is a deadly sinne though millions do it Iustice and vprightnesse will abide the touch when craft and dissembling will be discerned drosse Noe in this wicked time and in this vniuersalitie of sinning was a iust man and vpright and walked with God do they all what they would he would not follow theÌ„ and let vs marke it 12 In the 24. verse and so to the end of the Chapter direction is giuen to Noe how he should be saued euen in an Arke which he is commanded to make to that purpose The prescription you see and euery particular as they lye Let me tell you the resemblance that hath bin made by some peraduenture not vnfitly Noe say they was a fit figure of our Sauiour Christ for in him was fulfilled most effectually that which was sayd of Noe in the fift Chapter the 29. verse Lamech begat a sonne and called his name Noah saying this same shall comfort vs concerning our worke and sorow of our hands as touching the
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
that hee was assured his posteritie was chosen of the Lorde and euen for the kingdome that after folowed that it should be in his stock and line and belong to them Therefore sayth the Apostle that Isaac blessed Iacob by faith and Esau concerning things to come as did also Iacob in the ende of this booke when he was a dying This honor then that heere hee speaketh of shot at that which was fulfilled afterward in Dauid and Salomon but chiefely in Christ vnto whome all people are seruants and all Nations bow euen the knees of all things in heauen and earth and vnder the earth and to whome God hath giuen the heathen for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for a possession as sayth the Prophet Yet true also euen of the godly is this which is said he that curseth thee shall be cursed and blessed be hee that blesseth thee for euen in his holy tabernacle shall a place be giuen to them that make much of such as feare the Lord. And whosoeuer offendeth one of these little ones that beleeue in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that hee were drowned in the bottome of the sea But chiefely I say it is true in Christ who descended of Isaac that heere speaketh thus which Christ whosoeuer curseth by abusing his person or contemning his truth c. that man shall be cursed and whosoeuer blesseth him by imbracing him and beleeuing on him c. that man shall be blessed 17 Iacob was scarce gone out when Esau came Marke I pray you the powrefull prouidence of almightie God how it ruleth and gouerneth times and seasons dayes and houres and moments of time to the safetie and benefite of his chosen For doth Esau come before Iacob is gone No first Iacob is out of his walke and then he commeth Yet see agayne the narrow escape and let vs learne by it not euer to looke for easy and great passage from perill but be content if hardly and narrowly God deliuer vs scarse he was gone yet gone 18 After long debating of the wrong at last Esau breaketh into teares but preuayled not Let it make vs wary and wise least prophaning the dignitie of our holy calling to Christ and vilely esteeming spirituall graces selling them as this man did for some base price and preferring profit or pleasure before them we at last bewayle the same as now he doth but all too late Let the Apostles exhortation sound euer in our eares Let there bee no fornicator or prophane person as Esau was which for one portion of meate sould his birthright For ye know how that afterward also whē he would haue inherited the blessing he was refused finding no place to repentāce though he sought it with teares Surely such men womē as hauing bin once zealous great louers of the word of preachers professors of the same with very forward affection in all good causes and after to please some mens humors to purchase to themselues this or that profit or that they may inioy some sinfull pleasure either forgoe all agayne quite or in great measure Let them take heed they be not either in or very neere the prophannes of this Esau For what do they else then contemne spirituall things to obtayne earthly sell their birthright that is their title to Gods kingdome had by walking in his feare for such sinfull reward as they gayne by their change God awake all cooled harts and giue them heate agayne that so are slipped and thinke not of it Remember Esau and beware Esau 19 This blessing which Esau wringeth from his father includeth temporall things which are common to the wicked with the godly And that breaking of the yoke from his neck your margin sheweth you when it was fulfilled That which I note in it is a certayne vicissitudo rerum an interchange of things For hardly hath bin scene or rather neuer that any man any stocke or any countrey should be euer aloft or euer below and vnder But the Lord changeth giuing the yoke and breaking it away agayne according to his good pleasure 20 Agayne heere in Esau wee may note some properties of a bad man voyde and destitute of any true grace and learne by them both to examine our selues and to auoyde them if wee finde them First hee hated his brother for this thing and hee that hateth his brother is a mansleyer sayth the Scripture Secondly hee thinketh in his minde a secret venome of a poysoned heart his tong hee stayes sed loquitur in corde hee sayth within him some euill Like as the Prophet sayth they imagine mischife in their hearts meaning the wicked Lastly hee appoynteth a time when hys Father shall bee dead beeing content to make fayre weather and to carry murder and suche murder as of hys owne brother tyll that daye Thys is an hypocrites fashion euer to forbeare euill for feare of men 21 But his mother heard of it He happely afterwardes bolting out some suspicion This is the Lord still and still and euermore in the behalfe of hys nothing so secret to their harme which some way or other commeth not out Thus hath thy power O Lord appeared mightely and by name in this Kingdome and the protection of thy faithfull seruant our deere and gracious Souerayne Queene Elizabeth O Lorde how hast thou opened the darknesse of sinne conceyued agaynst her royall person agaynst thys lande and the life of all that feare thy name For wee were sould wee were sould O Lord by many bloudy mindes shee thy sacred seruant first as our head and stay vnder thy Maiestie and then wee her poore people liuing and breathing vnder her shadowe not to be for seruants and handmaydes as complayned that Queene Esther to Assuerus for then they had not bin so cruell but to be destroyed after many miserable monstrous torments with bloudy sword of murdering mindes that should haue licked vs vp drunke our bloud til they had vomited againe for fulnes with the same And from all this thine owne selfe hath saued vs and set vs free giuing them their portions eyther by Sea or land by one meanes or other as they did deserue Out thou broughtest Esau his conspiracies at all times to this day and saued thy true Iacob whome thou hast blessed amongst vs and ouer vs to our vnspeakable comfort ten thousand wayes Some or other heard of it as Rebecca did heere and were instruments of wisedome counsell and seruice to preuent it 〈…〉 Lord wee thanke thee with the very soules of our foules wee thanke thee crauing mercy that wee cannot do it as we should O Lord continue thy mercy for thy mercy sake and let the soule of our Souerayne be still deere vnto thee write her deere Father in the palmes of thy hands and regard her euer as the apple of thine eye Continue
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
this house not to Zache alone but to this house c. 13 Obserue it also how earely this King riseth in the morning after hee was thus admonished to performe the Lordes will and euen hartely consider with your selfe that if a Pagan coulde not thus bee quiet to deferre amendment after hee was wakened and warned by God to reforme hys faulte how is it possible that Gods spirit should bee in vs and yet no more touch feeling sense remorse nor amendment then was in the dayes of our ignorance and deepest darkenesse Truly it cannot be but this heathen King will accuse vs in the great day if it be not better with vs. 14 It is sayde agayne in the text if you marke it that when hee was vp thus earely hee called all hys seruants together and telleth them all both to take away all suspicion of hys fact with Abrahams wife and so to cleere her credit which hee was to bee carefull of and also to teache hys seruants by hys example euer whilst they liued to beware So carefull are good mindes not onely of themselues but of theyr charge And how much the serious and earnest warning of so great a personage may doo I referre to your experience Would God such warnings and speaches were more often made by such But because you should not doubt of it the spirit of God hymselfe hath testified so much in this place and sayth they were all afrayde See then the piercing power of a good exhortation or admonition made by a superiour Therefore agayne I say greatly to be wishshed they would speake more often The third part THe 9. verse These things thus done the King called for Abraham and talketh with hym which teacheth vs that a true touched heart indeede with the word of God is not prowde nor disdaynfull but admitteth of farre inferiors vpon occasion to speach If this King had followed the customes of some in our dayes that be no Kings nor Gods neyther hee would haue sent out a message to Abraham by some page boye or woman and haue kept his state with great disdayne that a stranger as Abraham was should come to speach with his owne person But it is enough Religion is humble and Atheisme is prowde and sirly as the Deuill for such hart such show 2 What hast thou done Abraham sayth hee c. A phrase and manner of speach if you marke it that sheweth a wakened spirit in Abimelech from that great securitie whereinto hys carnall affections had cast hym And it is a speach that would wonderfully profit vs if wee woulde vse it to our selues now and then demaunding of our selues what we haue done The drunkard if God gaue him an hart to say alas what haue I done surely hee woulde amend so the swearer the slanderer and such lyke 3 What haue wee sinned sayth hee wee wee A notable estate when a Gouernour ioyneth himselfe with his people in this to auoyde sinne caring that neyther they nor hee doo any thing that may bee sinne and offend and still carry your eye vpon it how hee calleth sinne sinne in himselfe aswell as any others no way excusing or shifting or diminishing the matter with respects of yeares of estate of frayltie or any such like and yet hee an heathen and wee Christians 4 Vpon mee and my kingdome sayth hee full well confessing agayne that a superiour sinneth not to the hurt of hymselfe alone 5 But how should Abraham bring a sinne vppon them verely because hee sayde shee was his Sister and so gaue occasion to the King to offend to his owne harme and his kingdomes Well then we learne that to giue one occasion to sinne is to bring sinne vpon him and therefore wee must make more conscience heereafter of ministring occasions then happely heeretofore wee haue done 6 Passe it not ouer how this heathen King caulleth taking an other mans wife thus but vpon ignorance not onely a sinne but a great sinne a strange sinne and a thing that ought not to be done You knowe our dayes and the manners of the same I say no more your selues be iudges whether Heathens and Pagans shall not rise in iudgement against some that cannot saye they knewe not that shee was his wife and yet no remorse Doo these men thinke there is a God a hell any damnation or saluation would God they did It would wring some grace out of them if not for loue yet for feare 7 In Abrahams answere that hee thought the feare of God was not in that place and therefore they woulde kill him for his wiues sake You see what holdeth out and what letteth in all wickednes into a place be it kingdome or towne or house If the feare of God be there the banke is strong the fluds of lewde life cannot ouerflow but if it be not no thing so horrible but it will enter yea euen this in Abrahams iudgement that a man shall be murdered for his owne wife Happy then is the place where this feare is and curssed where it wanteth Lastly the Kings gifts and liberalitie to Abraham his kinde offer of his land to dwell in his good nip that he gaue to Sarah for her dissembling saying hee was her brother whome God had giuen her for her husband and to be a veyle to shield her and couer her from all harmes are good fruites of a hart moued with that which God had sayd to him and for our instruction Also that Abraham prayeth for him hartely and vnfaynedly and is in perfit loue and charitie with him though somewhat he had wronged him is worthy noting And lastly how when sinne is reformed God altereth his punishments and taketh them away healeth all the house whome hee had closed vp from bearing of children with such other things are matters of profit to vs if wee marke them Blessed is that man and woman that heareth God warning them obeyeth his warning willingly as this King did abhorreth that which is euill with him and with speede and care reformeth things amisse as he did for such will all godly Abrahams pray and God by them will be intreated to take punishments away and to put mercies in their place to his great prayse and their great comfort euermore Chap. 21. The generall heads of this Chapter are these three The birth of Isaack from the 1. to the 14. The banishment of Agar from the 14. to the 22. The couenant betwixt the King and Abraham THe first particular I note is this the performance of that promise in his appoynted time that was made vnto Sarah before in the 18. Chapter verse 10. concerning a Sonne It doth assure vs thus much that the word hath not passed Gods lips euer which proued not true and shall proue true to the worlds end Truth being essentiall to him and he neuer changeling onely this there is a season and time appoynted either reuealed or otherwise which wee
men but performe in conclusion little moulehils my meaning it is many men gape and hope vpon promises for many matters and in the end are serued with a iugling cast as here Iacob was and misse of matter they looked for Trust not the worlde then nor all golden promises in the same for men are false vpon the weights and Laban is aliue to deceiue still Beleeue you shall haue a thing when you haue it and not ouer hastily before you were best 11 But why would not Laban giue him Rachell as hee promised we see he pretendeth custome and manner of that place not to giue the yonger before the elder but why then had hee not so â—ould him in the beginning The truth is plaine hee ment no truth but finding Iacob such a seruant for his profit as hee could not well spare very gladly would retaine still he wrought this crafte to continue his seruice to him for seauen yeares moe Which was performed of Iacob and that willingly for his affâ—ction to Rachell So Laban had his purpose though by a bad meanes and little honestie in him 12 When the Lord saw that Leah was despised hee made her fruitefull but Rachell was barren saith the text First we see the power and strength of affections euen in the best men manie times Here they were so strong in Iacob that Leah in comparison of Rachell was despised which the Lorde saw and misliked giuing vpon that a mercy to her that he gaue not to Rachell to be fruitefull and beare Wherein we see againe that children are the blessing of the Lord and his free gift neuer to bee had by any power but by his Leah ioyeth in his mercy and acknowledgeth that it proceeded from God who looked vpon her tribulation and therefore shee blesseth him and giueth her Children names according to her feeling of that goodnesse so should wee doe and not so little regarde this mercy as many doe She hopeth her Husband will now loue her and keepe her company by which wee see what should be if it be not in all men children are a Chayne to binde them to their wiues in all loue and affection and this Chaine is strong with all good men Lastly shee was contented with her number and we also must learne to moderate our desire by her Many things els are in this Chapter which rather priuate reading then open speech should note Chap. 30. The cheefe poynts or heads of this Chapter are these Iacobs children by others Labans hardnesse to Iacob Iacobs painfull diligence notwithstanding FOr particulars first the text sayth that when Rachel saw she bare no children as her sister did she enuyed her sister c. Where both her enuie and vnaduised speeche to her Husband to giue her Children showeth the frailtie of Women when they wante anye thing that they much desire They are not patient and moderate as they should be but suffer affections and passions to carry them headlong both into sinne against God and offenses to their husbands Wee see it heere in Rachell otherwise a good woman no doubt of it and let the foulenes of the spot in hir make vs wise and warie to auoide it in our selues It graced not her it cannot grace vs nay it disgraced her and it will all to blurre and blot vs. She wished not to others as to hir selfe no not to her owne sister no more doe we I feare me she praysed not God aswell for his mercy to others as to her selfe no more do wee I feare me yet both she and we bound to do it Better then is the spirit that not finding in it selfe what it wisheth ioyeth yet vnfainedly that others haue it 2 The answer that Iacob maketh to her vnaduised speech may very well show vs what answer all Saint seruers should haue at their Saints hands if they heard the petitions that are made vnto them namely as Iacob answered Rachel am I in Gods steed to doe this or that for thee For the anger of Iacob being aliue may well assure vs of the like now except heauen haue made him lesse zealous for Gods glory which no man thinketh Againe his earnest speaking or anger that was kindled may teach vs also how our hearts should burne and bee troubled and greeued in vs when we heare men aske of creatures what is the creators both glory and mercy to giue 3 The giuing of their maides vnto Iacob full fowly sheweth the impatience of flesh and bloud to stowpe to Gods pleasure and indure what he dooth appoint vnto vs. They had rather haue children in this sort then tarrie Gods time in patience and hope Iacobs act in consenting may not be our example Many things in the Fathers God indured that he alowed not simply being not so from the beginning The names of the children show theyr affections which imposed them and so sometimes still as yet amongst vs. 4 Ruben goeth foorth in the wheat haruest and findeth Mandrakes To discourse whereof belongeth rather to Phisitions then Diuines It is an hearbe whose roote hath a certayne likenesse of the figure of a man There is male and female of it that is two sorts differing in greatnesse both of roote leafe and fruite which commonly men call after this sort The fruite of the female as is written in quaÌ„titie like a Chesnut or Wallnut The Aple of the male as great as an Egge the roote forked as man is the smell of it very passing pleasant for the force of it to worke loue I leaue it to others to iustifie that so write of it For the efficacie of it eyther of roote or apple in helping barrennes in Women which seemeth to be ascribed to it by these sisters here they contending so about it happily it is not generall For the Hearbe being very could cannot haue that effect in all bodyes but rather the contrarie in some namely in cold But in hote countreys as in Affrike Spaine Italy Egipt and such like where the bodies are commonly of extraordinary heate this may be vsed to bring them to some good temperature and consequently if God will to more fruitefulnesse immoderate heate being an enemie to conception aswell as immoderate cold is But as I saye I leaue these things to Phisitions For Ruben that found them I rather thinke hee brought them for the pleasantnesse of the smell which is written to be very great then for secret vertue that he knew to be in them to such an end as we now speake of I will tell you what one writeth of his owne experience and so leaue this Leuinus Lemnius saith he had hanged of the leaues and apples in his studdie for the great pleasure of the smell and in time hee began to be so heauie headed that hee could not holde open his eyes in his studdie but must needs sleepe and thus hee continued rather euery day worse then other At
their Brother especially that they regarded him not when in anguishe and woe hee besought them of fauour and better dealinges Verily so shall it vs if we doe y e like crushing our brethren grinding their Faces whom wee can ouercome And who knoweth the end of Gods wrath to such bloudy hardnes of hart Agayne marke in these Bretheren the Nature of a guiltye conscience how it still accuseth still stirreth and startleth within a man and is alwayes gawling his mind with bitter remembrance of deede done Especially when any thinges doe chaunce or fall out crosse as here it did Then it tormenteth vs more within than the affliction wee doe suffer doth without still suggesting into our mindes that this befalleth vs for such a thing So you see were these brethren now tormented and beware wee by them Last of all that Ruben exhorted and warned them when they did offende and nowe iustifyeth his warning giuen to their Faces may it not well remember vs of the warnings giuen vnto our selues by Preachers and by Parentes by Friendes and welwillers of sundry degrees Is not Gods Finger in it that wee are thus warned And shall not they also one Daye accuse vs certainlye as here Ruben doth and witnesse vnto our Faces that they did admonishe vs and wee would not heare Surely they shall and wee cannot bee ignorant of it any way Happy is the man then that harkeneth willinglye to all good admonitions and yeeldeth to them Ioseph heareth this wofull Dialogue of his Brethren but little knewe they that either hee was Ioseph or yet vnderstoode them And hee turned sayth the Text from them that hee might weepe Shewing thereby what I wish well noted that a man possessed with Gods Spirit hath pitie and mercie euer within what Face or fashion so euer he bee forced to shewe without Hee speaketh roughly like no Brother for a time but his affection is brotherly and most tender at all tymes His wordes be rough but his meaning smooth our wordes bee smooth and softer than Oile when our mindes and meaninges are roughe and cruell O contrary course and therefore contrary end if we take not heede from Ioseph here 7 Ioseph then taking Simeon a pledge that they should returne commaundeth their sackes to be filled with wheat and euery mans money to be put againe into their sackes with vittaile giuen them for their iorney And why must the money be secretly put in their sackes and not openly giuen them to their hands The reason was here that they might suspect nothing his time being not yet to reueale himselfe But we may truly learne by it this good lesson euen to steale a benefite vpon our bretheren doing them good without any trompet blowen before vs. Time shall serue to reueile what God will haue knowen and till then it is knowen to God which is inough Wee couet too much many of vs the knowledge of men when wee doe them good if they see it not wee will tell it yea againe and againe rather than it should be secret and vnknowen But this marreth all and thus loose wee loue with men of skill and all reward with God Almightie that hateth vaineglory Wherefore he said it well that said it Si tanto studio vitia nostra abscondimus ne humanam gloriam amittamus quanto maiori cura dissimulanda virtutes coelestem gloriam amittamus If so carefully wee hide our faultes least wee should loose the praise of men how much rather should we couer and keepe secret our vertues least wee loose the praise of God For as wel is God lost with vaine publishing of our good deedes as man by reuealing of our euill deedes A treasure hidden is safer from theeues and vertue couered is safer from Satan The fruite that hangeth by the way side seldome standeth till it be ripe and vertue published before mē for vainglory sake loseth her bewtie deserued praise which kept more close she had been sure of To cōclude the hen because she cackleth looseth her egge and cackling boasters loose their praise with God and man which Ioseph did not being thus secret in his good 8 Hauing all thinges ready these brethren set forward to returne to their father and being in their first Inne one of them opening his sacke to giue his Asse prouender espied his money in his sackes mouth whereupon a great feare arose in them and they were all astonished c. Their Innes then differed much from ours yelding them no such prouisiō for their cattell as ours do but y e fain euery traueller was to cary for himself would God this benefit y e least of ten thousand y t our lād affordeth vs might stir vs vp to be thākful to God to preserue y e peace prosperity of the same to our best powers They that haue their busines in forein countries know by experience the blessing that wee haue many times vtter it in our eares if our harts had feeling of any good If the word should be vrged peraduenture our blessing would greatly be amplified for it forceth not y t they were in any Iune at all but only abode in a place for the night season there prouendred their Beastes refreshed themselues hauing prouision giuen for both How Iacob lodged you remember before what a soft pilow he had of a hard stone vnder his head Therfore looke we more at y e good of our countrey where euery village almost yeldeth cōfortable rest to a weary traueller Their astonishment and feare still still declareth y e gaule of a wounded cōscience which being in these brethren great grieuous accusing them still without any rest made them thinke y t God would haue brougth them to some trouble by this money Not to haue therefore thy conscience against thee is to haue a thousand comforts with thee Againe it sheweth how litle good a multitude doth in distresse except God giue counsell and direct to comfort For here are many yet all amazed at a matter not great had they considered Pray we therfore in all perplexities to the Lord of counsell wisedome and he wil direct vs assuredly but trust wee nothing in nūbers of men for they cannot help They feare againe wher was cause of comfort had they knowen all euen so do others to this day stil yet all is wel in the end when God openeth matters fully Euen in feares therefore comfort wee our selues hereafter trust in God hoping the best in the end their eye cast vpon God in this their perplexitie saying one to another what is this that God hath done to vs must make vs auoid all drowsie dreames of Lucke and Fortune and see the Lordes Finger euen in our aduersitie So did Iob and so haue all godly done from the beginning The Lord it is that taketh as well as that giueth and blessed must bee his name
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
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