in the order of nature now set and established of God but in God himselfe this principle holdeth not Or if you will thus By man this is impossible to wit to make any thing of nothing but with God all things are possible and want of matter letteth not him It is our comfort that he could and can so do for thereby we know his great abilitie to preserue what so wonderfully he hath made as also to confound and turne to nothing all subtile and malitious practises against his children 6 To what end To the prayse of his glory sayth the Apostle for in him and by him and for him are all things and this is the generall end Beside which there be also speciall ends and subordinate ends vnder them againe as the manifestation the acknowledging and contemplation of his heauenly and diuine wisedome and goodnes which appeareth in the Creation For if the Lord would be celebrated then must he create things to acknowledge him and to celebrate and prayse his name beeing knowne and manifested Therefore he created things reasonable and vnreasonable that they might prayse him and be matter of his glory The heauens declare the glory of God and the fyrmament sheweth his handy worke Agayne the gouernment of the world a subordinate end to that againe For therefore created he the world that he might gouerne it with his prouidence and preserue it and so might euer declare his wonderfull workes which he hath done from the beginning of the world or now doth or yet shall do especially that he might gouerne his Church of elect angells and men Lift vp your eyes sayeth the Prophet therefore and see who hath created these things Thirdly and lastly that all other things might serue to the health of body and soule to the life pleasure and necessitie of man and especially to the good of his chosen being vnto them as it were meanes and ministers whereby God doing them good might be honored and praysed of them Onely man he created for himselfe and all the rest for man Now if any with the Manichees enquire wherefore many things were made whereof they knowe no vse to man eyther of things in the sea or land let them consider what S. Austen aunswereth namely that herein they should rather adore the riches of Gods power and goodnes not only in creating but also in preseruing such a multitude of things as he hath created say with y e prophet Dauid O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdome hast thou made them all the earth is full of his goodnes Glory be to the Lord for euer let the Lord reioyse in his workes Though we know not the vse of them yet his wisedome doth and that should content vs. Sure we ought to bee that hee made nothing in vayne and it is sayd of them all that they were good Yea but what may be sayde for so many hurtfull beasts and creatures as be in the worlde vppon lande or in Sea Why did God create them Surely it was enough for aunswere heerevnto that was sayde before that though wee knowe not by and by the good of a creature yet therefore God may not be condemned for creating them for hee may do with his owne as pleaseth him Yet neuerthelesse we may further say as some do that if man had not sinned no creature had been hurtfull to him and therefore now his fault to be blamed not Gods creation Lactantius aunswereth that in great wisedome God hath made aswell hurtfull things as others that by contraryes a fuller knowledge might growe in man to the prayse of God that hath done all so well And this true aunswere dasheth that greate thunderbolt as hee thinketh of the Epicure made to ouerthrowe Gods prouidence and care to gouerne the worlde and maketh it seeme more foolish then fearefull God sayth hee eyther will take away all hurtfull things and can not or can and will not or neyther can nor will or both can and will If hee woulde and can not then wanteth hee power and is not God if hee can and will not then is hee enuiouse and is not God if hee neyther can nor will then both enuiouse and weake and so no God if hee both can and will then how do they yet remayne This goodly argument is easely aunswered by saying hee can and will not and yet not enuiouse therein but good and carefull for man that he might by sight of contrary euill better discerne the good and so profit thereby both in wisedome and thankefulnesse to the Lorde Lactantius whose Chapter is very worthy reading 7 And lastly in what time or how many dayes did God create all things in sixe dayes sayth the Scripture and euery day some thing sayth this place till the seuenth day wherein hee rested Non vno momento sed sex dierum spatio not in one moment but in sixe dayes space If you happely thinke or meete with Syrach his wordes who sayth Hee that liueth made all things together the Lord who only is iust c. You must consider that he speaketh not of the time but of the multitude of creatures Meaning that God made them all together before he rested and gaue ouer creating but not meaning that hee made them all in one moment of time or in one day for we see both this place and others against it the Lords owne commaundement written with his owne finger giueth testimonie that in sixe dayes the whole was made Thus are we instructed in all these seuen points that I named in the beginning to wit who created what was created when how whereof to what end and in how many dayes or what time Now touching the vse this further What may be knowne of God sayth the Apostle is manifest in these creatures for God hath shewed it vnto them for y e inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world c. The quantitie qualities course and perpetuities of things created how do they shew God surely sayth the Prophet the heauens declare the glory of God and the fyrmament sheweth his handy worke Agayne the same Prophet teacheth the like when he goeth from this creation to the viewe and thought of Gods wonderfull and great loue to mankinde saying When I beholde thy heauens euen the worke of thy fyngers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordayned O what is man Lord thinke I then c. Reade the whole Psalme Concerning other things to be obserued in this Chapter some say how could Moses write of these things that were done so long before he was borne surely not by any wisedome and learning of Aegypt wherein yet he was most excellent but by that holy spirit of God whereby he had receyued to be a faithfull Minister in the house of God being in this aboue all Prophets that he was inabled not only to gouerne things present and foretell
it did that yeare that Christ suffered Iohn 19. 3 That most strict and precise rest specified in the lawe from all worke from rosting of meate gathering of stickes Exodus 16.29.35.3 and Number 15. from any long iourney and such lyke were Ceremoniall and therefore with other the Ceremonies of the law are abrogated by Christ there remayning to man now a further freedome and yet without breach of the Sabboth as I pray you reade in my treatise vpon that commaundement at large The daye also of the Iewes Sabboth was changed from the Saterday to the Sonday by the Apostles theÌ„selues Act. 20.7 1. Cor. 16.2 4 The ende and vses of this Sabboth also you may there more at large see to wit For order in the Church of God that we might meete together and none be freed from seruing God at least one day in seauen For the reliefe of seruants and brute beasts which by pitilesse worldlings might else be abused And lastly to resemble and still to remember vs of our eternall rest in heauen to be cared for now and enioyed then when this life is ended Esay 58.13 The exercises also of this Sabboth you may there reade to weet preaching praying reading singing conferring mutuall admonishing visiting the sick poore prisoners with many such like Touching the repetion of things concerning creation vers 4. and 5. it is said that God had not yet caused it to rayne therein ascribing it to the Lord as his peculiar power to open and shut the heauens and to send drought or rayne according to his good pleasure And in deede so it is very often repeated in the Scriptures that we might duly confesse it and thankfully euer consider it I will send you rayne sayth the Lord in due season and the earth shall yeeld her increase yea I will giue the fyrst rayne and the later that thou mayst gather thy wheate thy wine and thy oyle The vse of this knowledge we learne by the Prophet euen to say in our hearts Come let vs now feare the Lord our God that giueth rayne both earely and late in due season and which reserueth vnto vs the apoynted weekes of the haruest That a mist supplied the place of the rayne and watered all the earth we learne the great power of our God to furnish and steede himselfe euer with meanes to effect his wyll If hee haue not one thing he can take an other and neuer will he wante conuenient instruments of mercie for his children 2 Man was created of the duste of the earth that so base a matter might euer worke humilitie of minde cut the cordes of swelling conceipts for wherefore should dust and claye be lifted vp and cause a true remembrance of assured end that earth wee were earth we are and to earth againe we shall returne hee not we can tell how soone 3 But ere euer hee made Man hee made all thinges for man as was noted before The earth to goe vpon the heauens to couer him the Sea for walles Fishes and Fowles Hearbes and Trees to feede and comforte him to delight and accompanye him light by daye and the like by night manye a greene and pleasant thing and what wanted of such creatures for man before hee was Is this God a changeling was his care for man then so great and is it nowe nothing No no hee is the same and though wee haue sinned yet hee is intreated and for Christ as hee was hee will bee carefull and good for man and to man euermore Yet this is not all but consider we further of this thus That if this dealing shewed loue and care to Adam then howe is it not eache one of our cases at this daye in some respect For before euer hee would haue anye of vs to lyue and breathe in this world wee see had hee not prouided Parents and Freends houses and comfortes and whatsoeuer might bee needefull for vs O loue then to vs also most kinde and a care that may assure vs hee will euer care for vs. Loue him and feare him honour him and serue him hee is your GOD who prouided for you before you were borne thinges needefull for you against you should bee borne and wyll hee euer forsake you nowe when you are borne O fayth increase growe and bee sâ—rong helpe Lorde helpe for fleshe is full fraile and faynter then I would 4 God breathed in his face the breath of life man was made a liuing soule God gaue life then and who can take it awaye without his leaue Can raging tyrants bluddy persecuters flye Iudases No no till hee will you cannot dye thunder they and threaten they neuer so much and breathe out slaughter euerye houre against you God gaue life and God must take it awaye it is one prerogatiue of his you neede not feare Againe who can preserue lyfe but hee that first gaue it No man no meanes And therefore vsing as you are occasioned what God hath appointed of any helpes yet caste your eye euer vpon the Fountaine from whome life came at the first It is an other prerogatiue againe of his to preserue life also and to giue his blessing for that purpose to his creatures Hearbes or Plants meates or drinkes men and their counsels whatsoeuer Againe life is the gifte of God therefore abuse not what God hath giuen you It was not of your selfe but it was giuen you you must accompt for it how you haue vsed it to the giuers praise and your owne discharge 5 God made a Paradise a Garden most pleasaunt as euer was that it might bee for euer to posteritie after a figure of a celestiall place abounding with innumerable comfortes for the godly prepared in Heauen Hee made not man in Paradise but translated him and put him in it after hee was created that it might resemble that wee also shall bee remooued from the place where wee firste tooke our beeing to a place with our GOD where wee shall neuer take ending God set in this Paradise thinges not onelye profitable for vse but pleasant also for sight thereby assuring vs that hee disliketh not our pleasures any more then our necessaries but most gratiously â—â—oweth that wee should haue both so that wee will let the Tree of lyfe alone that is so that wee doe not swell aboue that which is allowed vnto vs but be obedient to God and with praise and thankes vse his creatures 6 God set man in this Garden to dresse and keepe it not allowing Man in his moste innocencye to be idle no hee would not his Angels to wante what to doe but made them ministring Spirites Howe then should hee nowe when corruption hath caused a cursse and that cursse giuen cause of force to labour alowe lothsome idlenesse Bee sure hee dooth not bee sure hee will not And therefore all honest mindes will not looke for nowe what was not lawfull
Lastly in thankfulnes Iacob will giue tenths to God and of all that God shall giue him and we will be iudged thankfull also and eyther pay nothing or the worst we haue and but of something Chap. 29. There are layde downe vnto vs in this Chapter generally and chiefely these heads The coÌ„ming of Iacob to Haram with the circumstances His seruice there with Laban His mariages His children by Leah FOr particulars it is sayd after God had talked with Iacob as we saw before that Iacob lift vp his feete and came into the East countrey whiche seemeth to note some alacritie in him to goe forward after he had had so comfortable a promise of the Lords company with him and guiding grace ouer him in all his wayes If it were so as sure there was good cause it should be so we may profit by it in this sort He had a promise and we haue a promise he was cheered and so should we be with the same he to goe into a strange countrey we much more to goe into our owne hee to serue many paynefull houres by day and night wee to rule and reigne in vnspeakeable ioyes with Father Sonne and holy Ghost for euer and euer Go wee then forwarde with the feete of our affections cheerefully lifted vp towards the place we seeke as Iacob did heere and wee shall finde rest not for body alone but for body and soule eternally 2 And as he loked about behould a Well in a seeld The letter is playne we see in it the prouideÌ„ce of God who directed him brought him to Labans house But mystically some haue vnderstood by the feeld y e Church by the well the word of God in the same which is opened by the chiefe shepherd Iesus Christ that his sheepe may drinke and his flocks be watered O that we would go to this water to drinke euer then should wee be sure to finde him ready that sayth Come vnto mee all yee that thirst c. But when wee leaue this sweete well of Gods word and runne vnto mans traditions what maruell if wee finde no true comfort to coole our heate withall 3 The dialogue that you see betwixt Iacob the shepheards of that place noteth the curtesy of those dayes and of that people to strangers euer a good thing as hath bin noted before in Abraham and Lot and others Doggednes and currishnes graceth neyther countrey nor people 4 When they say wee may not water till all come together c. We see in them more regard and care to obserue the law of shepherds then I feare me we can finde in our selues to obserue the law of the highest For who being willed to ryot and surfet to quaffe and exceede to sweare and blaspheme to commit fornication and whoredome answereth in earnest as these shepeheards did we may not the lawe is contrary c. Looser therefore I say I feare are we to our woe one day in a greater matter then these shepheards were in a lesser Would God we regarded but Princes lawes and ciuill constitutions as these men did their pastorall orders then would not many do as they do but answere to all allurers we may not c. 5 When Iacob saw Rachell and his vncles flocks he rowled away the stone off the well he watered the flocks he kissed Rachell tould her who he was and lift vp his voyce wept See the affections of flesh vnto flesh I meane vnto our carnall kindred how dull are we that we cannot thus hartely be moued with the sight and presence of brethren in faith Consider our coldnesse and as we know the band is better so dayly let vs striue to thinke better of it 6 Rachel runneth telleth her father Laban he coms running to meet him Where we compare resemble vnto Laban this present worlde which at the first meeteth men as Laban did Iacob and seeming very ioyfull for them intertaineth them well but afterward churlishly altereth vpon them as he did Flattring world how many hast thou deceyued that felt nothing but honye for a time I say no more I wis there be mo Labans in the world then haue to name Laban as hee had hoate at first colde at last friendly in the beginning froward in the ende bee Iacob neuer so worthie of continued loue vnto him 7 Laban will not suffer Iacob to serue for nothing but he will needes giue him hyre at least hee maketh showe so saying Though thou beest my brother yet shouldest thou serue me for nothing wherby we may learne that if a brother of a brother be to bee rewarded and one kinsman of an other for so meaneth Laban if he take paines in truth and industrie for him then may we not see strangers that are no waye bounde to vs in nature as the other be go without their wages neyther may we let them go to bed without their hire And what strangers Surely our Ministers that faithfully and truly teach vs we may not defraud our seruants we may not rob of theyr due neither anye labourer that worketh with vs for this were more iniustice then the other and yet the other such as Laban maketh shewe to bee ashamed of· 8 Iacob is content all other wages set a side to serue him 7. yeares for Rachell his yongest daughter Wherein wee see how Iacob vseth lawfull meanes to come by his Wife and not vnlawfull and at the seauen yeares end also asketh her and doth not take her by force Compare it with the damnable libertie of our dayes wherein gayning our purpose is thought both obedience to God and loue to our neighbour sufficient though wee would be loth our selues to haue such measure and both God and man abhorre vs for it That the time seemed so short sheweth the force of affection when it is set 9 Laban accepted the condition and the yeares being expired the mariage is solemnized of a feast at mariages wee reade here and in Iohn 2. of maâ—riage garments that is cleaner or extraordinarie somewhat according to our places and abilities Math. 25. Of Virgins going before with Lampes Math. 25 and so forth But I remember yet what Chrysostome noteth when hee saith De nuptiis Iacob legimus de tripudis chorets non legimus We reade of Iacobs mariage but of dancing we reade not 10 When euening came Laban deceyued Iacob and gaue him his daughter Leah in steed of Rachell whome hee could not by anye light then knowe because of the Vâ—â—les which Virgins were couered with all in token of chastitie The simplicitie of those dayes appeare in it which I leaue to your owne considerations and thinke we of the world in this place which maye well be resembled to Laban Because as Laban promised fayre Rachell but in the end performed but bleere eyed Leah so dooth the world promise often mountaines to
prouidence and mercie and therefore his heart ioyed in it His terming of his present to be a blessing hath this reason because gifts were giuen of the godly that gaue them willingly with blessings and praiers and wishes of all prosperitie with them Contrary to the course of many in our daies whose presents and gifts by the same reason may bee called cursings because with them hand and hart going not togither they wish euill as the diuel choake him or such like 7 Thus Esau is appeased and his wrath departed meanes haue preuailed and hee is not obstinate We haue men and women within compasse of our knowledge whose wrath can neuer be appeased by any meanes that either the parties themselues or any friends for them can make No subiection no submission no wordes no deedes can stirre them a iote And yet they would be loth to be called Esaus much more impatient if a man should say farre worse then Esau But they see themselues whether indeed it be not so when Esau is intreated and they cannot to that which God and grace and the perill of damnation perswadeth vnto God is loue and without loue without God and consequently cast away for euer 8 Iacobs care of the cattell to driue as their pase will indure most fitly showeth the duetie of a carefull and good Minister euer to haue an eye to the weake ones in his flocke that cannot indure what the stronger can and so to regard all as he ouerdriue not any Better it is that the able go more softly then the weake and feeble ouer fast for the one hath daunger the other none Let hastie spirites consider this that neuer knew what bowels in deed a true Pastor hath to the whole and not to some few singled out in a partiall affection and for some shew of that which indeed is not in them They are all the Pastors care and he must in conscience driue as the weakest may indure not hurling hasting to the abilitie of some vtterly ouerthrowing the greater part A good Phisition of the body doth not desire to cure hastily but surely and soundly and why must the Phisition of the soule his praise consist in haste You may conceiue a fault though I paint it not Ne sut or vltra crepidam Let the shoomaker go no further then his shooe Tractent fabrilia fabri And let Carpenters meddle with Carpenters worke The Pastors office is aboue their reach if they loued not to haue an oare in other mens boats and he that hath called him to it counted him faithfull and put him in his seruice hath indued him with discretion and assisteth him with a conscience to cōsider his charge who be strong and who be weake what might be done and what is conuenient and profitable to bee done with the discharge in singlenes before his eyes that is the shepheard of shepheards and chiefe Bishop of our soules Who art thou that iudgest an other mans seruant he standeth or falleth to his owne maister Thou art not the Pastor and therefore hast neither his bowels nor knowledge His course and reasons thereof haue an other iudge Iacob may not haue more care of bruit beasts then Ministers must haue of Gods people but he wil not ouerdriue the very weakest no more must the Minister if he meane to saue and not kill Haste hath made waste that I can tell and more leisure would haue been better speed Remember Iacob here 9 And lastly still see the practise of faithfull men euer when God hath been mercifull to them and deliuered them out of danger Now Iacob buildeth an aultar in the true thankfulnes of his soule vnto God for this great mercy and deliuerance of him from his brother Esau And hee calleth it the mightie God of Israel giuing to the signe the name of the thing which it signified which is vsuall in the scripture Thus would he publish Gods goodnes in his safe-being with all his after all dangers Would God it might kindle some heat in our hearts and consciences to consider our selues the daungers that we haue been in in our dayes the daungers of the lande wherein wee inhabite the daungers of our deare and nurcing mother her moste excellent Maiestie for our sakes because shee loueth vs with a true loue not keeping the bodie onely in an earthly safetie and well being for earthly commodities but chiefely procuring our soules comfort and defending the same vnto vs against all malice of mightie powers The daungers of wife children and friendes and now our safetie and deliuerance from all our feares our quiet sitting vnder our owne Vines without noyse of Drumme sound of Trumpet neying of Horses roaring of Canon clattering of Armour cries of the slaine by day and by night For this hath the Lord done for vs and whatsoeuer it is in our eyes surely it is wonderfull euen through the world All nations see our happines the wicked gnash their teeth at it the godly haue sent vs their gratulations and they blesse GOD for vs. But where now are our Aultars That is where are our thankes and most gratefull songes of our deliuerance We haue found mercie as Iacob did yea farre more for greater Esaus haue come against vs then did against him not with foure hundreth men but many thousandes to captiuate vs for euer as their slaues when they had slaine their fill And yet wee liue and by God onely who hath straungely reuenged vs vpon them that would thus haue eaten vs vp Yet with Iacob we build no Aultars That is I say againe wee giue not thankes for the custome of our time as hee did after the manner of his At the first peraduenture wee did but it was soone at an end Now we are fallen into a dead sleepe againe and both God and his mercy is forgotten Our daunger also as if it had neuer been But in the Lord I beseech you let vs awake againe looke vpon Iacob heere what hee doth and euery man and woman follow his example Build God an Aultar not in earth with lime and stone but in your heart of most kinde and thankfull remembrance for all his mercies to the land to our dread soueraigne to our selues our soules and bodies to our wiues and children to our neighbors and friendes and infinite wayes that wee cannot name Blesse his Maiestie for them and let not the remembrance die till you dye your selfe A thankfull heart is all that the Lord seeketh and it is all that in deed we can doe to him The childe vnborne hath cause to thanke him and much more we that enioy his mercy at this present houre The Lord touch our harts that they may feele that Lord loose our tongues that they may speake and the Lord inable both heart and tongue to continue praises vnto his maiestie not for a day or tws but whilest breath goeth through our nostrelles and we remaine O our God of mercie blessed be
yet in mercy I regarded thee turned my face from thy due desertes and sayd Thou shalt liue Now if there were no merite in this first people why the Lord should chuse them before all others but that mere mercy regarded them in their blood what merit might be in vs Gentiles wild oliues and behind them far in circumstances sundry of great importance that we should swell and be puffed vp Read the whole Chapter in Ezechiel and thinke in your soule how much rather the Lord might complaine of vs generally or particularly as there he doth of them And what should haue humbled them let it humble vs what should haue made them tenne thousande times thankfull Let it make vs not onely that way but euerie way dutifull to our liues ende Moses was a Leuite and yet hee writeth this of his father Leuie an argument euident that flesh and blood did not rule in the writing of the scriptures which hardly is drawne to laie downe any shame or blame of their auncesters but that Gods spirite the God of truth and veritie guided and gouerned the penne of the writer as best was seeming to his wisedome 13 Shal he abuse our sister as a whore say they No yet may not thereon be concluded that against a fault any manner of proceeding is alowed The fact was wicked yet the punishment should haue been orderly and with their fathers aduise who chiefly was wronged and whose wisedome and discretion would better haue guided his sonnes then they any way could direct him But this is youth hotte and fiery rashe and vnbrideled neuer forecasting what may insue but egerly harpyng vppon a reuenge They neuer thinke of their fathers estate and theyr owne in that countrey that they were but straungers there that they were but fewe and that extreame daunger might arise both to theyr father and them by this rage No no the heate of youth doth first performe and then repent when it is too late Whither did Cain his outragious anger carry him Surely his brothers blood was nothing when furie and anger had taken place Saul against Ionathan Achab against Naboth Asa against the Prophet with many moe declare well the effectes of anger when once it is kindled and incensed Theo-dosius after his slaughter of seuen thousande at Thessalonica in his anger by the perswasion of Ambrose layde downe a lawe that whosoeuer after should be condemned to death should haue execution therof deferred for thirtie daies to the ende that if anger had anye way made the iudgement too sharpe this respite and tyme myght againe moderate it accordyng vnto iustice For vt fragilis glacies interit ira mora As I se in time doth melt away so time makes anger to decay Lastly if you marke this answere of Iacobs sonnes it may shew what naked excuses we content our selues withall rather then we will acknowledge that we haue done euil Againe how vnprofitable speech is to an angry man til the mood be past Anger so darkeneth the mind that reason can haue no place No reason to a minde incensed with anger is like a keye to a locke that is iumbled that is it can do no good And as a theefe choseth often the darkest night and the fisher the water that is troubled so sathan to worke many mischiefs in chuseth a hart when it is troubled with anger But let thus much suffice of this Chapter Chap. 35. The chiefe matters of this Chapter are these two The remoue of Iacob away from Shechem The death of certaine of his dearest friends COncerning his remoue the text saith that then God sayd to Iacob that is to say then euen then when his heart was troubled and full of feare for the bloudie tact of his sonnes in Scechem Where see the vigilant care of the Lord ouer his in all their distresses doth hee euer forsake them that faithfully and hartely cleaue vnto him No no hee is at hand and readie euen before the trouble happen to bee comfortable to vs because this is essentiall in him and not accessory 2 Marke how he biddeth him go to Bethel and there build an Aultar vnto God that appeared vnto him when hee fled from his brother Esau why if you remember or looke the place Iacob there promised that if God would be with him in the iourney and keepe him and giue him bread to eate and clothes to put on so that he might come againe vnto his fathers house in safetie then should the Lord be his God and that stone which be there set vp as a piller should be Gods house c. And hath Iacob beene all this while in the countrey and not been yet there to performe his vowe and to giue the Lord thankes who so gratiously had granted his desire O great slownesse in so good a man and verye worthie blame exceedingly See then and marke it well how slacke the best of vs are to paye in prosperitie what we promise in aduersitie euen with great zeale Wee saye in sicknesse if we may recouer we will do this both to God and man and in other perils we promise much but alas where is all when once we are well and out of danger Hath Iacob dulnesse and haue we none thinke of it and by his faulte in this place that must be called vpon and spurred vp by God himselfe let vs amend what is amisse Then marke againe in this remembrance made by God the manner of it Go vp to Bethell Iacob sayth he and make there an altar c. This is not why hast thou not done it and because thou hast forgotten me I will forsake thee or any such like sharpe rebuke Sweete againe is this if we consider it For Iacob was now in sorrow his heart being wounded both for his daughter that was defiled and for the crueltie of his sonnes with the perill also that his whole familie was in In which greefe of his the God of mercie would not adde greefe vnto greefe but sparing him kindly admonisheth him gratiouslye with sweet words not so much as once quipping him for his faulte with but halfe a sharpe word A patterne euer to be followed of vs one towards an other that wee bruse not the heart already broken but too much that we insâ—lt not one ouer an other for slippes and wants but kindely quicken vp when a harde speech woulâ— crush too much O sweetest GOD howe sweete art thou to slaggâ—sh sinners when they doe faull and shall wee not labour to bee like them c. 2 When Iacob had receyued this woord of the Lord hee willeth his household to put away theyr strange Gods plainlye noting that there were such amongst them And knew Iacob this and reformed it not Surely the best men then haue theyr affections and euen good Iacob is not heere without them Rachell his Wife is most deere vnto him and for her sake eyther he seeth not or he feeleth
not with that heat or both seeing and feeling he lingreth reformation ouerlong She had stolne hir fathers idols as you heard before and what others they had gotten in the spoile of the Cittie it is vncertaine Prone is our nature by naturall corruption to such abuse and if Iacobs people so well instructed will yet be halting O what are we This cleaueth to our bones and the very marrow to be superstitious and delighted with euill The Gods that be seene best like our humors and what hands haue made we repose trust in but fie of this folly if wee bee aliue and not dead in heart to God and grace 3 What then did God abhorre the household of Iacob and refuse it to bee a Church No howbeit that familie was thus blemished and the wife of his loue that slepte in his bosome thus all too spotted yet euer were Iacobs sacrifices acceptable vnto God and his family cared for as his Church Note we thereby not to loue idolatrie or to mingle the wheat with the chaffe ne yet to extenuate Iacobs fault nor to followe him our selues in not reforming But note wee this and note it agayne that particular blemishes in some of a Church not yet amended depriue not the whole eyther of name or nature of a Church neyther make the good thinges therein done according to the worde as were Iacobs sacrifices of no effect much lesse do they reach out daunger of death and damnation to all that holde fellowship with that Church eyther not knowing or no waie approouing what is euill I could vrge the place harder if I would 4 In bidding them cleanse themselues and chaunge their garmentes lette vs note how outwarde ceremonies helpe inwarde duties vse them as helpes and not make them our rests thâ—nking all is doone when the outwarde thing is doone but knowe that cleane garmentes call for cleane heartes much more and cleansed bodies bid cleanse our soules much rather else are we like the Massing Priestes that washed theyr fingers so solempnely and neglected theyr consciences altogeather or lyke the hypocriticall Pharisies that scowred so carefully the outside and forgot so negligently the inside 5 Then they gaue vnto Iacob all the straunge Gods which were in their haÌ„ds c. where see a very notable example of prompt and ready obedience to the worde Blessed therefore he that had them and blessed they that so willingly hearken vnto hym Such Iacobs to bid and such people to obey would long and long continue these happie dayes of peace and freedome vnto vs with a gratious Gouernour and Soueraigne ouer vs in whose dayes wee may truly say mercie and trueth haue mette togeather righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other But why are they so zealous and ready now hauing beene so dul hitherto Surely the daunger they sawe themselues in by that outrage committed was a great meanes of it And therefore well may wee marke howe profitable for vs sometimes are feares and dangers troubles and perplexities in this worlde Then are wee awaked and quickened that before were heauie and then wee both heare the worde and obey it with alacritie and readinesse Take then the crosse away and take our great good away as we plainly may see But the text sayth Iacob hid them vnder an Oke that was in Sichem when as wee read that Moses tooke the golden calfe that Aaron made and burnt it in the fire ground it to powder and strawed it vppon the waters and made the children of Israel drinke of it A zeale indeed against Idolatrie and superstition For aunswere whereunto it may bee sayde that good mâ—n haue their wantes and Iacob himselfe in this was not so prouident as hee might haue beene Yet with comfort wee see that euen this measure of vertue and pietie in Iacob was accepted of God the want pardoned and cast out of sight With comfort I say we see it beeing thereby iustly incouraged to doe good and to hate euill seeing there is mercie with God in sweete kindnessâ— to accept what is well and to turne his face from what is wanting Away therefore with all discouraging thoughts and verye sowre conceipts of no acceptance with God where any blemish or imperfection is For euen in this example if we had no mo it is prooued false 6 When Iacob thus had reformed his house he tooke his iorney from Sechem towards Bethel and the text saith The feare of God was vpon the cities that were round about them so that they did not follow after the sonnes of Iacob It is the Lord then that cooleth and quencheth the rage of men against his children yea it is the Lord that is able to mussell the mouthes of the Lions of this world wheÌ„ they bristle themselues beside his liking to commit any violence or furie vpon the godly Let him say nay and they cannot stirre let him saye I and they runne a pace The Diuels themselues cannot touche the Swine tyll they haue leaue of him and are porcorum setae numbred sayth the auncient father and his chosen children forgotten No no there is no power against the least of them except it be giuen from aboue Therefore care away comfortably sing we and say we Si deus nobiscum quis contra nos If the Lord be with vs who can be against vs. No doubt these inhabitants had burning harts against Iacob and his familie for the murder committed but both hartes and handes are bridled by him that bridleth the verye diuels and such a feare is stricken into them by the Lorde that Iacob goeth safely on his iourney and not one dare looke out of the doores after him to attempt any euill against him O sweete God O deere God direct vs aright to be thine truly and we see here our safetie Thou wilt defend thou wilt protect and mightier farre then our selues are thou wilt make to feare vs for our good Blessed blessed be thy name for euer and let our hearts till death be secure in thee Amen Amen 7 The next thing I note is the death of Rachell the wife of Iacob deere and deere and twentie tymes deere againe vnto his heart Who can expresse the woe of this daye and the bitternesse of this losse to the man of God Rachel is dead and is she dead O death voyde of mercy or respect of persons She dyeth vppon childe an increase of greefe she calleth the childe the Sonne of hir sorrowe a heauie worde But be comforted Iacob and leaue all to God who giueth and taketh at his pleasure And learne wee by thee whilst the world indureth to knowe worldly comforts whatsoeuer they be to be subiect to change Loue with vnfaynednesse what may be so loued but loue neuer too much for feare of a check So loue that wee thinke of losse if the Lorde so will yet so loue that we wish no losse if the Lorde so will Let his liking moderate our affections euer
he knew her not Yet he talked with her and she with him largelie how then might it bee that he knew her not she hauing beene the wife of his sonnes and long in his companie Verelie God angrie with his lewd disposition had blinded him so that hee knew her not And shall it not shew vs the wrath of the Lord against filthie concepts If thou louest sinne and wilt strain thy conscience to drinke of that cuppe take héede least in iudgement the Lord take knowledge and feeling from thée that thou no more discernest sinne to be sinne as it is then Iudah knew Thamar to be his daughter in law as she was 10 The match being made for her sinfull hire and the sin committed by her sinfull father the text saith He sent her his promise by his neighbour the Adullamite Such Cole-cariers the worlde is too full of and I would their occupation were writ in their foreheads then would there be lesse wickednesse wrought then is by much The vertue of man or woman hath no such enemie vnder heauen as these cariers be They bring and they speake yea they sweare and fowlie forsweare to worke a shame What sender cannot these cariers can haue time and place to discourse at full They lie they cogge they face and flatter till harmelesse heart rereceyue their venome O brokers of Sathan for sinne and wickednesse what will be your ende If the sinner sinning by your procurement bee damned and die what measure of confusion is due to you that haue brought it about Spit we then euer with destance heartie vpon such Adullamites as this was 11 When this carier came Thamar was gone and finding her not he returned his cariage vnto Iudah and told him of it To whome Iudah answered Let her take it to her to wit his pledge least we be shamed So shewing plainly what wee finde too true more in our eies to bee the shame of the world then the feare of God But it is a wrong course if God gaue eyes for he aboue all is to be feared and regarded that is able not to shame onelie but to kill both bodie and soule and to cast into hell fire c. 12 In time this whoredome draweth to light for Thamar being with childe after thrée moneths made open shew and the newes of it is brought to her father in lawe who by and by stoutlie as if he had beene the honestest man aliue giueth iustlie sentence that shee should be burnt Shewing as it is thought that euen by the lawe of nature written in mans heart whordome should be punished by death before euer the lawe written was giuen When she was brought forth to the ende to suffer shee sent vnto her father in law his tokens left with her when she offended Which by and by knowing he changed his sentence absolued her and condemned himselfe saying She is more righteous then I for she hath done this because I gaue her not to Shelah my sonne So hastie sentence was soone repealed and the case being altered he is not so hastie as he was Such Iudges and iudgements haue béene séene but the lesse the better Sinne will be sinne whatsoeuer we doe and God will assuredlie punish sinne whatsoeuer we doe Circumstances may alter sinne from more to lesse or backe againe but circumstance neuer can make sinne no sinne and vnworthie blame She had cause to complaine of wrong done her by her father in lawe not giuing her a wife to his sonne but that therefore with her father in law she should commit incest it cannot be iustified but inough before of this matter That it followeth streight He lay with her no more it was some grace and token of repentance Such as if offenders would euer shewe no doubt but mercie might be found for passed frailtie Regard this therefore and obserue it well Iudah sinned but he sinned no more c. Last of all when the time of deliuerance came her trauaile was hard yea so hard as it is not conuenient fullie to vtter yet all was well in the end both mother and twinnes too were in safetie The vse of it to women to trust in God who is mightie and almightie good and all goodnesse to regarde his faithfull seruants euer in this busines Let them not feare but cleaue fast to his gracious fauour the rather if before they haue prooued his mercie For though it be a fault for anie to doubt yet it is a double fault for one that hath tried to doe it Neither Gods mercie nor might wax weaker with time but he is for euer what euer he was and if you beléeue it as here did Thamar receyue a good ende so shall you First one then another and if there had béene mo the Lord still all one according to his pleasure And this of this Chappter Chap. 39. In this Chapter these three things as generals especially are to be noted Iosephs faithfull and true seruice His holie and vnuiolated chastitie His wrongfull and vniust imprisonment COncerning the first it is said That he serued Potiphar an Eunuch of Pharaos and his chiefe steward who bought him at the handes of the Ishmaelites Where we see the Lord hath a resting place for his euer in his good time howsoeuer they be tossed and caried vp and downe euen from piller to post for a while Read Esay 39. the seuenth verse and conferre it with this verse of this Chapter 2 The Lord was with Ioseph saith the text and he was a man that prospered Giuing vs to learne therein verie notablie that the fauour of God is the true fountaine of all prosperitie He riseth whom God loueth if so it be good and without him no man riseth though they burst their hearts Yet is not prosperitie a token euer of Gods loue though no prosperitie come but from Gods will But here we are tolde in this perticular that Ioseph prospered because God was with him Which when his maister saw he also fauoured him and made him ruler of his house putting all that he had vnder his hand making by that meanes good Iosephs pietie serue for his profite but not caring for the same to learne it himselfe A daylie trick of earthlie minded men Yet God is good to his seruant still and blesseth euen the Egyptians house for his sake So gainfull is godlines but in seruants What should it be in our selues if we also were right hearted with them Should God forget to be good to such a familie no no he would blesse it certainlie verie graciously 3 Then did his maister much more trust him taking no account of any thing that was in his house A vertue in some sort and a testimonie of good nature in his master For there be some that are so partiallie wedded to their owne Country-folke and so doggedlie hearted towards any strangers that rather they had endure the doltishnes of the former then
was of weight and concerned them most neerly So noteth this repetition vsually in the scripture as in the Psalme when he saith Hearken O daughter consider incline thine eare forget also thine own people thy fathers house Againe Heare this all yee people giue eare all ye that dwel in the world In the Prouerbs Heare O ye childrē the instruction of a father giue eare to learne vnderstanding with many such Againe he giueth himself 2. names Iacob Israel saying heare ye sonnes of Iacob hearken vnto Israel your father drawing from these names 2. good arguments to stir vp in them this attention which he requireth y e one of nature the other of religion of nature because he was Iacob their father of religion because fearing God truly seruing him euer he found fauour with God euen so far as to receiue from him this name of Israel whereof you haue heard before the full circumstance 2 Ruben mine eldest son thou art my might the beginning of my strength the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power Thou wast light as water thou shalt not be excellent because thou wētest vp to thy fathers bed then diddest thou defile my bed thy dignity is gone Comming now to particulars he beginneth with his eldest son as you see often repeateth his excellēcy making great mention of it that he was his might y e beginning of his strength y e excellency of dignity the excellency of power in the end throweth him out of all saying he should not be excellent his dignity was gone And why thus because he had sinned agaynst nature defiled his fathers bed Then al these repetitions of his dignity tēded but to this to exaggerat his fault and to make it appear vnto his cōscience the posterity euer after how great it was and foule before God as for which all this dignity was lost taken away Nothing more shaketh the hart of any one not quite dead to God grace then this course Therefore often God vseth it in his word Heare O heauēs saith he by the prophet hearkē o earth I haue nourished brought vp children but they haue rebelled against me The Oxe knoweth his owner the asse his maisters cribbe but Israel hath not knowen me my people hath not vnderstood amplifying their sin by this that they had receiued this dignity to bee nourished of him and brought vp as his Children In the fifth Chapter agayne my beloueds Vineyarde was in a fruitfull grounde hedged about the stones gathered out planted with the best plantes a Towre built and a wine presse made yet it brought forth wild grapes To Dauid likewise I anointed thee king ouer Israel and deliuered thee out of the hand of Saul gaue thy Lords house and thy Lordes Wiues into thy bosome gaue thee the house of Israel and Iudah and would moreouer if that had been too litle haue giuen thee such such thinges wherefore then hast thou despised c. Still proouing the greatnes of sin by grace and fauour vouchsafed before So here Ruben being vouchsafed of God to be his fathers first borne his might the beginning of his strength the excellencie of dignitie and the excellency of power yet sinning in this sort his fault by these fauours was made most great and therefore his dignitie and the sequels of his dignity most iustly translated otherwise As the birthright to Ioseph the priesthood to Leui and the Kingdome to Iudah Read Deuter. 33. verse 6. Iud. 5.15 16. Take we heede then of sinning euer but especially when our consciences tell vs God hath beene gracious gracious vnto Bodye and gracious to Soule gracious to our selues and gracious to our friendes For this is as the dignitie of Ruben which shall increase our offence and iustly plucke downe from the hand of God a verye sure and certaine punishment vppon vs and happily euen also vpon our posterity as here in Rubē whose whole ofspring was depriued of honor There is not one of vs but hath receiued mercy from heauen in verye great measure if wee bee aliue within to feele it Therefore not one of vs but euen in this respect bound with a carefull hart to auoide the thing that offendeth God And happy wee if wee will doe it remembring Ruben here and his fearefull losse his dignitie being gone as his Father sayth 2 Simeon and Leui brethren in euill the instruments of crueltie are in their habitations Into their secrets let not my soule come my glory be not thou ioyned with their assemblye for in their wrath they slew a Man and in their selfe will they digged downe a wall Cursed bee their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell I will deuide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel To the selfe same ende tendeth this punishment inflicted vppon these two brethren that the former did euen to humble themselues in themselues and to teach posteritie how God hateth euill The Papistes prattle of poena and culpa that the punishment satisfieth for the offence c. But farre otherwise doth the Word instruct telling vs euer that punishment is not imposed to make satisfaction for that onely doth Iesus Christ and his stripes but to purge the hart from all hypocrisie humbling it faythfully and vnfaynedly and to stirre vp to repentance for y e time passed as also to carefulnes for the time to come keping both body and soule in a godly feare as it were with a bridle Therfore saith the father as you haue heard before Quod patimur vnde plangimus medicina est non poena castigatio non damnatio That wee suffer punishment it is a medicine not a punishment a correction not a damnation Non enim de peccatis sumit supplicium sed in futurum nos corrigit For God doth not take punishment of our sinnes forgiuen but chastiseth vs fatherly for the time to come Marke also in this place how fully how plainly how faithfully Moses layeth downe to the world in writing y e shame reproch of the tribe he came of of his father Leui which certainly declareth the power of Gods spirit ruling ouerruling in these writinges and that of him from him not from flesh and bloud they are proceeded for flesh nature would haue couered these blemishes in his auncestors 3 Thou Iudah thy brethrē shall praise thee thy hand shal be in the neck of thine enemies thy fathers sonnes shal bow downe vnto thee Iudah as a Lyons whelp shalt thou come vp from the spoile my sonne He shal lie down couch as a Lion as a Lionesse who shal stir him vp The scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a lawgiuer from betwixt his feet vntil Shiloh come the people shalbe gathered vnto him He shall bind his asse fole vnto the vine his asses colt vnto