be a Tower of defence vnto his children against the face of all their enemies Then Iacob called his Sonnes c. in the two first verses of this chapter is contained the Prologue or preamble to the ensuing Propheticall Benediction and in this preamble there is a Summons and a Charge The first branch is the summons Iacob citeth his sonnes to appeare and calls them before him that he may speake vnto them before he dies This was a custome amongst the holie Patriarches when they felt death approaching to call their children and their friends before them First to acquiante them with the knowledge of things to come and secondlie to instruct them in sacred Aphorismes and rules of good life So did f Deuter. 33. Moses g Iosu 24. Iosuah h 1. Reg. 2. Dauid and many others making their death-bed their Pulpit to Prophecie and preach in But why should they choose such a time a time of paine and anguish and a time of mourning lamentation because it is the fittest time i Xenoph. lib. 8 Plat. in apel Some Philosophers haue thoght that the soule of man vpon the approach of death growes more diuine and by a supernaturall inspiration is made euen then most able to discourse of future euents but this Assertion is repugnant to reason For the soule though in its owne nature it bee impassible yet doth it sympathize with the bodie and therefore when the bodie is ill affected and afflicted with sicknes then also the faculties of the soule begin to languish to growe fainte and dull Let then Xenophon bring in his Cyrus and Plato his Socrates to auouch that at the time of death a mans soule is inspired with the power of diuination yet will this position proue to bee but like a house founded vpon the sand and one of Sathans fallacies and illusions The cause then why Iacob prophecies vpon his death-bed is not because his soule was then more diuine but that the remarkeable circumstance of the time might procure in the memorie of his sonnes a deeper and more permanent impression of his Prophecie The second branch of the Preamble is the Charge in these words Gather your selues together that I may tell you what shall come to you in the last dayes gather your selues together and heare you sonnes of Iacob and hearken vnto Israel your Father This Charge is very emphaticall as appeareth by this threefold doubling of the words Gather your selues together gather your selues together Heare Hearken vnto Iacob and Israel your Father k Tharg Hieros in hunc locum This shewes that the holie Patriarch will speake of some great and important matters concerning his sonnes that hee will instruct them both as a naturall and spirituall Father and therefore because he will not haue them stand like idle spectators and carelesse auditors First hee chargeth them to gather and gather themselues together wherein hee requireth not onely the presence of their bodies but also of their cogitations Secondly hee commands them to heare and hearken vnto Iacob and Israel their Father which is as if hee should haue said let mee haue both the l Rup in Gen. lib. 9. Com. cap. 25. attention of your eares and the intention of your minds that I may tell you what shall come to you in the last dayes in this speech Iacob alledgeth the cause both why he summoned them to appeare also why hee giueth them so strict a charge This cause is the seale of his commission and a testimonie that he is one of Gods Prophets because the grouÌ„d of his speech must be a Reuealing of things to come which is onely proper peculiar to God them whom hee vouchsafeth to employ as his instruments It is not registred by the pen of Gods spirit how the Patriarch Iacob attained vnto this foreknowledge whether by Oracle dreame or vision which are the m Num. 12.6.7.8 three ordinary meanes of Reuelation yet it is very likely that God was knowne vnto him by vision which is three manner of wares either when true things are discerned by an infused light and the mere vnderstanding or else when besides that light Imâ—ges are also described that either in the minde as when Zachariah saw the n Zach. 18. Hornes and the o 4.2 candlesticke p Hier. 1.13 Hieremiah the Pot or else in the eyes and outward sense as was that q Dan. 5.5 hand spokeÌ„ of by Daniel which appeared on the wall and as Angels were seene to talke with men in a bodily shape now it is most probable that by the first of these three meanes Iacob prophecied telling his sonnes what should come to them in the last dayes Touching the boundes or limites of Iacobs Prophecie there is some question made amongst expositors both Iewish and Christian r Rab. Kimhi in 2. cap. Esa Rabbi Kimhi s Hieron in Michaeam cap. 4. S. Hierome and Lyranus affirme that as often as dies nouissimi the last dayes are mentioned in the Scriptures the Time or comming of the Messiah is signified and that his time is therfore called the last daies because he should be the period or ende of the Iewish state both in regard of the Lawe the Priest-hood the Kingdome and the figures or types of the Old Testament and that after the preaching of the Gospell no other priest-hood law nor Sacraments were to be expected though I doe not gainsay but that the Time of the Messiah may be called the last daies yet in these wordes that Time is not principally implyed for Iacob in this prophecie fore-telleth diuerse things which were fulfilled long before the comming of CHRIST therefore in this Text by the Last-daies is signified the Succeeding ages and Times from the departure of the Israelites out of Aegipt till the comming of Christ In this prologue of Iacob wee may for our instruction obserue two things First The patterne of dying Secondly the Art of hearing the first is couched in the Summons the second in the Charge of Iacob For the first it is vpon record that the holie men in former times vsed to assemble their friends kins-folke and children to blesse and instruct them before they died t Gen. 27. so Isaac blessed his two sonnes Iacob and Esau v Deut. 33. Moses the Tribes of Israel so x 1. Chro. 29. Dauid blessed Salomon and our blessed y Iohn 17. Sauiour prayed for his disciples immediately before his death these actions of them ought to be presidents for vs to followe and imitate and herein by their example are wee taught to haue a speciall care of the spirituall welfare of our children bequeathing them golden legacies wholsome counsell and good instructions how to serue God to walke in his wayes and obserue his statutes z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death is common to all as well to the rich glutton cloathed in purple and fine linneÌ„ as to the famisht Lazar
be vnto thee thou euill tongue but I wish and counsell him to set these words of the Psalmist as a watch before his lippes (p) Psal 34.12.13 What man is hee that desireth life and loueth long daies to see good keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lippes that they speake no guile In this world these two Tongues are contrarily censured for Gods Tongue that giueth goodly words is euer blamed but the Diuels tongue which is the Organon or instrument of wickednesse is alwaies extolled this iniudicious censure is caused through the corruption of mans nature which embraceth vice and abhorreth vertue the world being a land of darkenesse hath no fellowship with the light and therefore it blameth the good tongue be the words thereof neuer so godlie All the Prophets of the old Testament either were persecuted or murthered because of their tongues Iohn Baptist who was the Common limite of the old and the newe Testament for his Tongue lost his head and most of the Apostles of the new TestameÌ„t because of their tongues were like sheepe led to the slaughter So is it in these dayes the Tongue that vtters the Truth is accounted an vnquiet seditious and factious tongue As Eliah was said to be a troubler of Israel Amos a conspiratour Iohn Baptist a tumultuous person so all such as speake with zeale against vice are by Worldlings reputed euill tongued raylers and bablers But let the blinde worlde iudge as it will Sure I am that such Tongues as giue goodly words and speake the Truth boldly are the Siluer Trumpets of Gods Tabernacle Of the coÌ„trary part the euill tongue though it swell with the venome of Blasphemie Swearing Insolencie Lying and Flatterie yet it is admired and highly esteemed if it can but say as the Tongues of the false Prophets did Peace Peace and make a couenant with the diuell and the world not to speake against sinne To conclude seeing that it was so excellent a quality in Naphtali to giue goodly words Let vs all studie to speake his language and though for speaking the truth the worlde hate vs yet this is our Comfort God will loue vs. THE ELEVENTH SERMON OF IOSEPH GEN. 49.22.23.24.25.26 Ioseph shall be a fruitfull Bough euen a fruitefull Boughe by the Well side the small Boughes shall runne vpon the wall And the Archers grieued him and shotte against him and hated him But his bowe abode strong the hands of his armes were strengthened by the hands of the mightie GOD of Iacob of whom was the feeder appointed by the stone of Israel Euen by the God of thy Father who shall helpe thee and by the Almightie who shall blesse thee with heauenly Blessings from aboue with blessings of the deepe that lyeth beneath with blessings of the brestes and of the wombe The blessings of thy Father shall bee stronger then the blessings of mine Elders vnto the ende of the hilles of the worlde they shal be on the head of Ioseph and on the toppe of the Head of him that was separate from his brethren IOseph was the Sonne of Iacob and Rahel who had been barren long for he was borne in the ende of Iacobs foureteene yeares seruice In the historie of his birth it is said that (a) Gen. 30.25 Gen. 30.22.23.24 God remeÌ„bred Rahel and God heard her opened her wombe So shee conceiued and bare a Sonne said God hath taken away my rebuke she called his name Ioseph saying the Lorde will giue mee yet another Sonne The circumstaÌ„ces of Iosephs birth are demonstrations of Rahels repentance In my former lectures vpon Dan Naphtali I laid open her enuie follie impatience vaineglorie But now she is another woman and a true conuert For in that God first remeÌ„bred her secondly heard her thirdly opened her wombe all which are signes of grace and fauour it is euident that she had repented and sorrowed for her sinnes and also that she had praied vnto God to make her fruitfull whereupon God remembred her heard her and opened her wombe This name of her sonne Ioseph is by interpretation Increasing And therein is infolded or included Rahels hopefull desire of a threefolde increase The first is the encrease of her husbands loue who loued her before better then Leah yet now vpon the birth of this sonne she hopes that his loue will be augmented for children are bellowes that kindle mutuall affection betwixt man and wife and this was one cause why Sarah Rahel and Annah were so desirous of children The second is the encrease of glorie for she said God hath taken away my rebuke or infamie For barrennesse in the familie of Abraham was reproachfull as may appeare by the wordes of Isaiah saying (b] Isai 4.1 And in that day shall seuen women take holde of one man say wee will eate our owne bread wee will weare our owne garments onely let vs be called by thy name and take away our reproach The third is the encrease of issue for shee saide the Lord will giue me yet another sonne and this increase as she trulie acknowledgeth must come froÌ„ God for none but hee caries the Key of the wombe Barrennesse fruitfulnesse doe both of them depend vpon his prouidence Of the first of these there bee diuerse Naturall causes as either some originall defectes in the Birth For some are borne vnapt for Generation (c) Arist lib. 2. de gen animalium Or it may come by diseases and sometimes the constitution of the body is an impediment as in fatte bodies where nature is turned into the nutriment of the bodie but the supernaturall cause of Barrennesse is when it pleaseth GOD to restraine the wombe which hee doth sometimes for a punishment (d) Gen. 20.18 as in the women of Abimelechs house whose wombes God shut vp because Abimelech had taken Sarah Abrahams wife And sometimes for the manifestation of his owne glorie and power as when he maketh Sarah and Elizabeth continue barren euen vntill they be stricken in yeares and vntill it ceaseth to be with them as with other women that contrarie to the course of nature hee may make the barren woman to beare to bee a ioyfull mother of childreÌ„ Secondly concerning fruitfulnes euen the heathen Philosopher confesseth thus much Though generation saith Plato be done in a mortall creature Plat. Sympos yet it is a aâ—â—ure thing procured by an immortall power though Iacob and Rahel were both very desirous of children yet for all that nature could doe nothing till God had opened her wombe Ioseph shall be a fruitfull Bough c. In this speech of Iâ—cob to Ioseph there be three things contained a prediction a narration and a Benediction First the Prediction or Prophecie is implied in these wordes Ioseph shall be a fruitfull bough euen a fruitfull bough by the Well-side the small boughes shall run vpon the wall In this prophecie which is a declaration of things to come Iacob
God forbid that I should consent to so foule a sinne But it may bee obiected against Iacob that hee seemeth to be a partaker with his soÌ„nes in their crueltie howsoeuer hee doth now at the last inueigh against it Because when that horrible fact was fresh and new he passed it ouer with so slight and easie a reprehension for hee onely said vnto them (a) Gen. 34.3 Yee haue troubled mee and made me stinke among the inhabitants of the land wherein he seemeth onely to be grieued at his own imminent danger not directly to censure them for their bloudie riot and misdemeanour But his obiection may thus be refelled and Iacob excused Hee partlie considered the iustice of God vpon the Shechemites for the outrage committed against Dinah partly he was moued with her complaint and moane for the losse of her virginitie and partly he gaue place to the rage of his sonnes which were in their furie and this is the cause why they were rebuk't so slenderly But now vpon his deaths-bed hee maketh himselfe trans-parent by disclosing and opening his detestation of their bloudie acte saying Into their secret let not my soule come That which Iacob abhorreth is of all men to bee eschewed namely Consent in sinning it is the guise and fashion of the wicked as the Psalmist obserueth WheÌ„ they see a Thiefe to consent vnto him and to bee partakers with the adulterers but such as be like blessed Iacob will not walke in the counsell of the vngodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull There is small difference saith S. Augustine betwixt the Actor and Consenter in sinning As for example it was (b) 2. Sam. 11.17 Dauids sinne to murder Vriah but Ioab consented because he put the Kings letter in execution and it was the sinne of the Iewes to stone Steuen but Paul kept their clothes stood by and consented vnto his death and therefore in the course and rule of Iustice Ioab may be saide to haue contriued the death of Vriah as well as Dauid and Paul to haue stoned Steuen as well as the Iewes It is not enough when we see any sinne committed to goe aside and call for water and wash our hands as (c) Matt. 27.24 Pilate did when the high Priests and the rest cryed out against IESVS Crucifie him Crucifie him and to say as hee did I am innocent of the bloud of this Iust man looke you to it No Pilate herein did imitate the Pharisies washing the outside of his cuppe but not cleansing it within So then euery one is a right Pilate that doth not to his power hinder sinne and thwart Sathan It is the dutie then of a true Christian if he see anie proud Herode (d) Act. 12.22 houen and puffed vp with the acclamations of his practises to crie out against his sinne as the Prophet Isaiah did saying (e) Isa 28.1 Woe to the Crowne of Pride if a couetous extortioner to say with Iames (f) Iam. 5.1 Goe to yee rich men weepe howle for your miserie that shall come vpon you and if a deceitfull and cruell person to say with Iacob Into thy secret let not my soule come My glorie bee not thou ioyned with their assemblie Rabbi Salomon is of opinion that in this and the former branch of this speech Iacob aymeth at (g) Num. 25. Zimri his vncleane act with Cosbi and at (h) Num. 16. Corah with his rebellious assemblies The one being of the tribe of Simeon the other of Leui No doubt Iacob being endewed with the spirit of prophesie did foresee both Zimri his incontinencie and Corahs schisme and obstinacie but here his words are to be vnderstoode of the cruell exploite of Simeon and Leui against the Sichemites and haue onely relation to the Time past Iacob by his Glorie meaneth two things First (i) Ps 30.12 his Fame or good Name Secondlie his Tongue which is the instrument of praise and glorie as it is vsed in the Psalme Therfore shall my toÌ„gue praise thee not cease c. There the Hebrue word Chebodh is traÌ„slated Tongue yet it signifieth Glorie because the Tongue is the organ whereby Gods Name is glorified So then the meaning of this place is this First hee prayeth that his good and glorious name may not be blemished by his sonnes conspiracie And secondlie hee protesteth that as he gaue no consent vnto them in his heart so neither would he afford their action any approbation with his tongue The first Doctrine that like fruite groweth vpon the stemme of Iacobs speech is this It is good and requisite for euery man to be iealous of his name credit fame (k) Pro 22 1â— A good name saith Salomon is to be chosen aboue great riches and louing fauour is aboue golde aboue siluer The consideration whereof grieued and troubled Iacob for he feared that the infamie of his sonnes would blurre his glorie that their misdemeanour would be imputed vnto him laid to his charge yet if the inhabitants of the land haue fastened any tooth vpon his credite to backbite it he might iustly say as Dauid did They lay to my charge things that I knâ—w not as theÌ„ Iacob is jealous of his glorie so should we all be cautelous and warie of our credit A good name is like an Oyntment powred out which leaueth behind it a sweet perfume such a name haue all we for our Sauiour who is the Messiah and CHRIST which signifieth anointed hath writteÌ„ vpon vs his own Name thereupon we are called (l) Hier. in Esay 62.7 ChristiaÌ„s it behoueth vs theÌ„ to take heed that we blemish not this glorious name by our leaud life for (m) Eccles 10.1 as dead flies cause to stinke putrifie the oyntmeÌ„t of the apothecary so doth a little folly him that is in estimation for wisdome for glory Now what name is more esteemed then the Name of IESVS CHRIST at the hearing whereof all knees ought to bowe and what title so Honourable as a Christian Who then that is a Christian will bee so carelesse of this blessed Name as to tainte it with ill-liuing Sinnes are those Dead-flies that putrifie and cause to stinke this excellent oyntment therefore saith the sonne of Syrach (n) Eccl. 7.2 Depart from the thing that is wicked sinne or the reproach of sinne shall turne from thee Iudas was a Christian so was Ananias Saphyra Simon Magus and Demas but the dead flie of Treason caused this name to stinke in Iudas the dead flie of hypocrisie corrupted it in Ananias Saphyra the dead flie of vaine-glorie putrified it in Simon and the dead flie of Apostasie did rot it in Demas If then wee haue a desire to preserue our name sweete we that are Christians must take heed like Iacob that no dead-flie come into our Boxe of Oyntment wee must keepe it shut with two Couers the
aemulation of her sisters happinesse a desire to be endeared to her husband and a feruent longing to be interessed in the promised seede herein shee doeth ill that good may ensue which is not to be allowed or iustified neither is there any inconuenience to yeeld to such holy women as Rahel their infirmities but here is not the lowest ebbe of her weakenesse for she goes further and giues her handmaide to her husband hoping to be comforted by her issue and vpon that contract with Bilha was Dan borne as I said before in my lecture vpon Isachar Laban by deceite made Iacob to diuide his Rib and to haue two Sisters to be his wiues and his two wiues being sisters by their perswasions made their owne husband to be Tetragamos the husband of sower wiues the one giuing him Bilha the other Zilpha their handmaids to be his Concubines now herein how can Iacob be excused or the childreÌ„ of Leah Bilha Zilpha be accounted legitimate considering that by the first Canon and institution of marriage made by God in paradice (g) Gen. 2.24 One man was to haue but one wife and they two saith Christ shall be one flesh the breach of euery lawe is sinne Iacob breaking then the lawe sinneth and consequently all his children except Ioseph and Beniamin the sonnes of Rahel to whom Iacob was first contracted were illegitimate S. Augustine thus answereth as long as it was the custome to haue many wiues it was no sinne Aug. Cont. Faustum manich lib. 22. cap. 47. but now it is a sinne because it is not the custome some sinnes are against nature some against Custome some against the lawe now saith he Iacob is not to be blamed for hee transgressed not the lawe of nature because he vsed his pluralitie of wiues not for lust but for the increase and multiplication of mankind neither did hee breake custome for in those daies in the east countries Polygamie was vsuall neither was it prohibited by any lawe concerning Custome Saint Augustine he holdeth the Truth but as for the Lawe of nature and the Lawe of God they Both are opposite to the multiplicitie of wiues first the lawe of Nature appeareth herein (h) Zanch. de sponsal that God when hee was to giue Adam a wife tooke onely one Rib not two and made onely one woman not two teaching vs thereby that one man should be contented with one wife and one wife with one Husband This Law of Nature is confirmed by that which God coÌ„manded Noah to doe when he destroyed the world with water (i) Gen. 7.7.8 Noah his wife his 3. sonnes their wiues of beasts both cleane vnclean the male the female entred into the Arke This coupling of Creatures both reasonable vnreasonable sheweth that Nature in her Seminarie requires no more but one Male and one Female Furthermore these are two Axiomes or Maximes in Nature Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne facias Do not that to another which thou wouldest not to be done to thy selfe Also Ne quod alterius est inuito eripiatur Let nothing which belongeth to another bee taken from him against his will Now in Polygamie these two Rules are broken off For first a man will not beare nor brooke it that his wife should take vnto her another man Then why should hee haue another wife Secondly the (k) 1. Cor. 7.4 Married man as the Apostle saith hath not power ouer his owne bodie but the wife How then can the Man without offering manifest wrong to his Wife bestowe his bodie vpon an other woman Concerning the law of God it doth directly forbid Polygamie as appeareth by the wordes of Christ who is the best interpreter of the Law saying (l) Mat. 19.5 For this cause shall a man leaue father mother câ—eaue vnto his wife they twayne shal be one flesh Herein our Sauiour teacheth vs that the wife is not onely not to be put away vpon euery cause but also that the Husband ought not to take vnto himselfe another Wife Thus both by the Law of God Nature Polygamie is condemned Can the Custome be Iacobs protection How caÌ„ his tetragamie be iustified and the rest of his Sonnes excepting Ioseph Beniamin be legitimate I answer by Dispensation For God according to the state of those times dispeÌ„sed with the Patriarks for the Law which he had made at the beginniÌ„g And this is euident out of the exaÌ„ples of Abraham Iacob Elcaenah other godly Fathers who were not reproued by any Prophet for their multiplicitie of wiues Nay which is more God gaue Saules wiues as (m) 1. Sam. 12.8 Nathan saith into the bosome of Dauid Now then if God gaue Dauid wiues notwithstanding his first institution is for the coÌ„trarie we may conclude that he dispensed with his own Law gaue the Patriarchs libertie for Polygamie The reason of this dispensation was this in those times God had chosen the seede of Abraham to bee his people in whose linage the true worship of the Deitie was preserued for all other people were giueÌ„ to idolatry went a whoring after straunge gods Therefore it was necessarie that the Children of Abraham should bee permitted to vse Polygamie and haue many wiues that mankind might bee spred by procreation because this propagation of the flesh was the increase of godlines Seeing God would that the people in whoÌ„ true religion was planted should continue euen vnto Christ So then it was by dispensation lawfull vnto the Patriarchs to haue many wiues to the inteÌ„t that that people whom God had chosen namely Israel might be manie in nuÌ„ber neither can it appeare that they sinned when they did so but here sin must be distiÌ„guished For if to sinne be to stray froÌ„ most perfect reason surely they sinned but if we determine that to be sinne wherewith God is offended prouoked to reueÌ„ge they sinned not sith God dispensed with his law to the ende that the people of whome hee would be worshipped might be of the greater nuÌ„ber For although amongst other Nations some perhaps were good men yet the publike worshipping of God was no where else but in Israel Furthermore AbrahaÌ„ Iacob the rest thogh they had many wiues yet they were not hereunto led by lust but by a chast desire to augment multiplie Gods familie This was Iacobs motiue wheÌ„ he went in vnto Bilha begot Dan. And therefore coÌ„sidering both Gods dispensation his owne intention Iacob is not to be condemned neither his children borne of concubines to be debased yet Rahels act in giuiÌ„g her handmaid caÌ„not be excused because she was moued therunto by the spirit of Pride Enuie shee knew it was a glorious thing to haue children a shame to be barren and therefore she desired to haue a child thogh borne by her maid to free herselfe from infamie in the worlde to be more equall with her sister Herein is
for humilitie and such like spirituall ornaments of the soule is a Blessing but to be acceptable vnto men as many are for their prodigalitie ryot is a Curse The world loueth her owne saith Christ but hateth the children of God Of the contrary part Gods children are acceptable vnto him but the childreÌ„ of this world are hatefull in his eyes To be beloued then of the world is a curse because it sheweth that wee are of the world but to be hated of the world is a blessing because it declareth vs to be the beloued children of God As then Asher was acceptable to his brethren the Israeltes not to the Gentiles so must we endeuour so to be haue ourselues that the Seruants of God may be friendly louing vnto vs As for the wicked their loue is not materiall it is better to be abominable in their eies then acceptable EueÌ„ as q) 1. Sam. 17 10. Goliath the giant did defie the host of Israel challeÌ„ged any man to fight with him such was his hatred against Gods people so euerie Philistim or child of man doth naturally abhor the soÌ„nes of God because ther is an antipathie betwixt vice vertue light and darknes the flesh the spirit These striue euermore together as (r) Gen. 25 22. Iacob Esau wrestled in Rebeccahs womb so that there can be no true friendship or loue betwixt them now It is an empeachment a blemish to a true Israelite that is the child of God to bee in grace fauour with an Alien to Strangers and one that is not of the houshold of faith Such are to bee esteemed of as Goliah was by Dauid namely vncircuÌ„cised vnclean persons we must not regard whether we be acceptable vnto them or no for they are not our Brethren but the children of their father the Diuell Whosoeuer then desires to be accepted of God and of such as he the brethren of Christ for so are they called which doe the will of our Father which is in heauen but must in imitation of Dauid with Goliath to enter combat and bee at open defiance and with all worldly Giants loathing their loue and reiecting their friendship Of these Giants there be diuers sortes with whome to hold friendship is a sinne For we are commanded not to say so much (Å¿) â— Ioh. 10 as God speed vnto them The first be Anakims or Chayne-men to wit the bloudie Tyrants of the world who are so wicked and so proud that they care not for God but Hunt the poore and when they haue gotten them into their Nettes eate them vp like bread The second bee the â—â—mims these are vncontroulable Giants who with their terrible countenances astonish the beholders Tell anie of them of the iudgements of God and they will answere Who is the Lord and who is Lorde ouer vâ—â— such a Giant is that monstrous man of sinne the pope of Rome for (t) Dec. can 32. if hee lead a thousand soules to hell no man must call him to any account for it The third bee the Zamzummims Namely the wealthie and the greedie worldlings who trusting in their Riches presume they may commit any sinne whatsoeuer because they are countenanced by Mammon The fourth be the Rephaim or Dead men for so does the word signifie or rather men of death because they be the bane of the people amongst whome they liue and these be Vsurers who like the Romane souldiers spoken of by Iosephus make no conscience to kill the afflicted citizens of Ierusalem [u] Ioseph de bello Iudaico that flie vnto theÌ„ for succour hoping in their bellies being ript vp to find some iewels or treasure The fifth be the Nephilims or Rushers vpon men and these are such Iudges as the prophet Zephariah speaketh against saying [x] Zeph 3.3 Her Iudges are as Wolues in the Euening which leaue not the bones till the marrowe men whose hands receiue gifts and who by briberie will be drawne to condemne the innocent and let the guiltie goe free thus were the Giants of the old world called in the Scriptures Hanakim Emim Zamzummim Rephaim and Nephilim and so may the wicked generation of this age be truely tearmed for they doe most exactly the one sort pararell the other I will not say that the spirits of darkenesse which keepe companie with women in carnall manner be the fathers of these our moderne Giants as Franciscus Georgius and Psellus thought that the Giants before the flood were forgotten neither that the Incubi were their fathers as Paulus Burgensis surmiseth for these are but coniectures not warranted by Scripture but sure I am They are not our Brethren for they doe the workes of their spirituall father the diuell and therfore to be accepted of them is to be reiected of God for it is a sinne either to giue vnto them or to receiue from them the right hand of fellowship Fourthly it is a happinesse from heauen for a man to dippe his foote in oyle and to haue plentie of all things but if as it often falleth out aboundance cause greedinesse and that the more a man hath the more he desires then it is better to dip the foote in water then in oyle to feele scarcitie then to haue superfluitie for if we be both Rich and Couetous theÌ„ Riches be snares whereby Sathan entangleth our soules they be like Bunches vpon the backe of a Camell they hinder vs that we caÌ„not enter in at the straight and narrow way of heauen which is compared to the eye of a needle so saies our Sauiour (y) Mark 10.25 it is as hard for a rich maÌ„ to enter into the knigdome of heauen as for a Camell to goe through the eie of a needle he doeth not meane al Rich men for Abraham was rich and so was Iob yet both righteous but he points onely at such as make wealth their felicitie and therefore hunger and thirst after it as long garments saith Socrates are hinderances to them that walke so Riches are impediments to the soules of men the reason is because ordinarily they increase couetousnesse eueÌ„ as they themselues increase for this cause the spirit of God saith If riches increase set not thy heart vpon them but they must be vsed like Wiues which is to haue them as though we had them not Aristophanes in his comedie bringeth in Plutus whoÌ„ the poets make the God of Riches Blind and saith that he is (z) Aristo in plut Vnsatiable and Horace compareth the (a) Hor. lib. 2. carm od 2. rich man to one that is sicke of the Drepsie who the more he drinkes the more he calles for drinke and the wiseman likens him to the (b) Prou. 30.15 Graue and the barren wombe which will neuer say It is enough It is a curse for a man after this manner to haue his feete dipt in Oyle and to abound in riches so it may appeare to be out of the words of the
in the Sodomites whose crying sinne sprang from Pride (g) Ezech. 16.49 fulnesse of Bread and aboundance of Idlenesse then it had beene faire better to haue dwelt vpon the barren mountaines or in a wildernesse voide of water-springs though God giue fat bread vnto many yet fewe there be that make right vse of it the true vse of it is to preserue our owne liues and to be beneficiall to the poore according to the direction of the wiseman saying (h) Eccl. â—1 1 Cast thy bread vpon the waters that is be liberall to the poore and though it seeme to be as a thing ventred on the sea yet it shall bring thee profit for after many daies thou shalt finde it for as the Apostle saith it is a Sacrifice wherewith God is pleased and as the Table of Shew-bread in the Tabernacle was circled or compast about with (i) Exod. 25.24 a Crowne of gold euen so such as keepe a Table for the poore which is holy vnto the Lord shall be (k) Luc. 6.36 rewarded because he that giueth vnto the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the giuer of a cup of cold water in Christs name shall not loose his reward but for one Tabitha that maketh almes-coates for the naked wee shall finde ten Iezabels that will strippe Naboath both out of his vineyard and of his life for one Dauid that will giue bread and water and figges rasons to an Aegiptian the seruant of an Amalekite his enemie we shall finde ten Rich Gluttons who wil not relieue poore Luzarus with the crummes which fall from their tables but rather suffer him to starue for want so incompassionate are the fat of kine of Bashan the wealthie worldlings who by abusing their Blessings of fat bread heape vpon their owne heads the Curse of God Wealth whether it consist in corne in cattell in land of inheritance or in coyne is called Goods first because it is the good gift of God (l) Iob. 1.21 for it is the Lord that giueth and the Lord that taketh away and secondly in respect of the end for which it is giuen namely that thereby a man might be enabled to doe good now then if we imploy these good gifts contrarie to the intention of the giuer either by spending them prodigally vpon our bellies like Epicures whose daily language is this Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow wee shall die or by Idolizing our backs as many men doe in imitation of the princes of Iudah who in their apparel as the Prophet saith followed after strange fashions or by maintaining strange women who like Horsleaches crie continually giue giue or by Carding and Dicing which are the Canker-wormes of wealth then the Fatte Bread becomes like mouldie Manna and Gods Blessing is turned into a curse Secondly it is a great Inheritance that commeth from the Lord for a man to haue many children and therefore because Asher had manie hee is said to be blessed with children but this Blessing is conditionall to wit if they bee so brought vp as they may be worthy meÌ„bers in the church and coÌ„mon-wealth Otherwise they be as I said before Cankers and Impostures and more happie is the barren wombe then she that is mother of many vngracious and vngodly children Therefore if Parents desire to haue them bee as they are called Blessings they must euer bee carefull to giue them good education and bringing vp for education alters nature and maketh such children as without it would be like Braunches of the Sicomore or foolish Fig-tree to become like Olive branches round about the table The [m) Plut. de instit puer two dogges spoken of by Plutarch which Lycurgus shewed to the Spartanes proueth this to be true For these two dogges being both of one litter were different in qualities because there was a difference in their bringing vp The one was trained vp in hunting and pursuing the Game the other was suffered to lie by the fire and to be fedde vpon the trencher Wherefore when Lycurgus would demonstrate to his Citizens how necessarie good education was for children hee onely shewed them these Two Dogges hauing set before them a Quicke-Haâ—s and a Potte of Meate and letting them both loose either of them shewed their seuerall delightes for the one ranne to the Pot the other followed the Hare So is it with children if they be pampered and suffered to liue idlie like the fielde of the sluggard they will bee ouergrowne with thornes briers and thistles that is to say with innumerable vices which by custome wil be so habituated that they shall commit sinne necessarilie but if they be striken vpon the sides while they be young taught to feare God and honor their parents then will they proue to be good members in Gods Church and profitable to the Commonwealth (n) Eccl. 22.3 An euill nurtured sonne saith the Wiseman is the dishonour of his father the daughter is least to be esteemed And in another place he saith (o) Eccl. 16.1.2.3.4 Desire not the multitude of vnprofitable children neither delight in vngodly children though they be maâ—ie except the feare of the Lorde bee with them trust not thou to their life neither rest vpon their multitude For one that is iust is better then a thousand such and better it is to die without childen then to leaue behinde him vngodly children Seeing then that the multitude of children is rather a curse then a blessing if they be not trained vp in godlines it coÌ„cerneth parents to haue a special care of their education They must not be like the forgetfull (p) Iob. 39.17.18.19.20 Ostrich The which as Iob saith leaueth his egges in the earth and maketh them hote in the dust and forgetteth that the foote might scatter them or that the wild Beast might breake them He sheweth himselfe cruell vnto his young ones as if they were not his is without feare as if he trauailed in vaine For God hath depriued him of wisedome hath giuen him no part of vnderstanding The children of carelesse parents bee like these Egges left in the dust and the parents themselues like vnto the foolish Ostrich Did the Ostrich sit vpon her Egges the foote of the wild beast should not breake them but being neglected they are often scattered So is it with children if parents would looke to them and haue an eye ouer them that wilde beast Vice should not make a spoyle of them but by their carelesnesse it commeth to passe that they are soone corrupted and soone destroyed Thirdly it is a Happinesse for a man to bee acceptable vnto his Brethren and to bee beloued of them as Asher was If that this Loue and Friendship proceed from a good cause and be erected vpon a firme ground otherwise it is better to be hated then beloued The true roote of Friendship loue is vertue and godlinesse To be beloued then for wisedome for iustice for integritie for charitie