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
chiefest Tribe when another had the imperiall authoritie seeing then that till the time of Dauid the Scepter was neuer in Iudah but onely when Othoniel and Ibzah did Iudge Israel how can the prophecie of Iacob be fulfilled this exposition of Eusebius then doth no whit at all cleare this point in controuersie wherefore I thinke with Pererius that the meaning of Iacob is this When the tribe of Iudah shall be absolutely possessed of the Scepter it shall keepe it continually till Shiloh come there was a beginning of Iudahs principalitie when after the death of Iosuah his Tribe was appointed by God to be as a Captaine to the rest and likewise in the gouernment of Othoniel and Ibzah but when Dauid was annointed and installed then was the Scepter confirmed in him and entailed as it were to his posteritie wherein it continued without any interruption till Zedekiah was carried away captiue to Babylon but afterwards how it remained vntill the comming of Christ in the familie of Iudah is the greatest matter in question As I said before all those seuentie yeares wherein the Iewes were captiues in Babylon those that were left behind by Nabuzar-adan to dresse the vines and to till the land had euermore license to choose themselues a gouernour of the house of Iudah whom they called Reschgaluta and after their returne from Babylon Zerubabel of the same Tribe was their captaine and others after him vntill we come downe to the Machabees who were both Captaines and Priests for that they were as Rabbi Kimhi holdeth Rab. Cimhi com in agg Ioseph lib. 13. 14. antiq Cyrill lib. 8. cont Iulian. apostat by the mothers side of the Tribe of Iudah and by the fathers side of the Tribe of Leui and from these men downe to Hircanus and Aristobulus whom Herod slewe there continued still the same line as Iosephus declareth S. Cyrill is of opinion that the posteritie of Zerubabel held the Scepter and exercised princely authoritie till Herod but Iosephus that writ the historie of that Nation auoucheth the contrarie affirming that the chiefe gouernment was in the Machabees and their line who were of Leui and that Aristobulus the sonne of Hircanus the sonne of Simon was the first Leuite that wore a crowne in whose race it continued till the raigne of Herod if then the Leuites swaied the Scepter did not the Scepter contrarie to Iacobs prophecie and promise depart from Iudah It is answered that the Scepter was not taken away from Iudah though the Leuites held it because they that were both Priests and Princes were by the mothers side of the Tribe of Iudah this answere is not sufficient for (b) 2. Chr. 22.11 though Iehoida the Priest married Iehothabeath sister to Ahaziah the king of Iudah yet it is vncertaine whether the high Priests did alwaies take their wiues out of the Tribe of Iudah nay it is more probable that they did not and though they did yet could they not be said to be of the Tribe of Iudah because the Tribes were counted by the fathers side not the mothers Because this solution hath beene deemed insufficient to take away all scruple and doubt Therfore others vnderstand this prophecie of the seauentie Elders called (c) Galatin lib. 4. de arcanis sidei Sanhedrim which were elected out of Iudah to whom the cognisance of the weightiest causes and establishing of lawes appertained who were of such supreme authoritie that they cited Herod who hardly escaped the sentence of death for his contumacie these Sanhedrim continued vntill Herod who not long before CHRISTS birth rooted them all out I will not deny but that there was in those times such a Sanhedrim or Councell of Elders resembling those (d) Numb 11.16 seuentie auncientes appointed by Moses from GOD to bee assistantes vnto him in the gouernment of Israel yet it is vncertaine whether they were elected out of Iudah or no and though that should appeare yet they were but Counsellours of Sate the Regall Scepter was not in Iudah as here Iacob prophecieth but in Leui of whō were the high Priests Kings after the Captiuitie to leaue then al ambiguities this seemeth to be our surest refuge by Iudah not to mean particularly the tribe of Iudah but the whole nation of the Iewes both because although there were of the Tribes of Leui Beniamin among thē yet the whole cōmonwealth had the name of Iudah also the kingdome was in this lot tribe and territorie that appertained to Iudah though it might be vsurped by some which were not of the tribe of Iudah really and in this sense it is true that the Iewes had alwaies a king and a gouernour of their owne nation vntill (e) Ioseph lib. 14. antiquit cap. 2. Herod an Idumaean who had married Mariamnes the daughter of Hyrcanus by the speciall helpe and fauour of Anthonie who ruled together with Octauius obtained to be created king of Iurie without any title or interest in the world in the thirtieth yeare of whose raigne Shiloh or the Messiah was borne He shall bind his asse foale vnto the vine and his asses colt vnto the best vine he shall wash his garment in wine and his cloke in the blood of grapes his eyes shall be red wine and his teeth white with milke Onkelos and Rabbi Salomon doe thinke that this speech doth indeed demonstrate the fertilitie or fruitfulnesse of Iudea but yet they affirme that these words are not to be taken properly but figuratiuely and therefore whereas Iacob saith first hee shall bind his asse foale vnto the vine c herein say they Iacob prophecyeth that both old and young men in the Tribe of Iudah shal be iust and righteous euer cleauing to the doctrine and the law of God thus they make the foale to signifie a Sonne the asse a parent and the Vine the lawe Secondly by the washing of the garments in wine and the cloake in the blood of grapes they say is signified the Rich and costly apparell of scarlet colour which the Princes of Iudah should weare and lastly by the Eyes red with wine and the teeth white with milke they vnderstand the wine presses of Iudah and the hilles and fields full of sheepe and corne this is a strained exposition and altogether disagreeing from Iacobs intention wherefore the meaning is no more but this Iacob thus speaketh onley to declare the fruitfulnes of that Region in the land of Chanaan where the posteritie of Iudah should dwell and this is expressed by three Arguments First that therein should growe so great vines and so loaden with grapes that an Asse might bee bound vnto one of them and haue his full burthen of the grapes thereof Secondlie that there should bee such aboundance of wine that it would bee sufficient for them to drinke plentifullie and also if they would euen to wash their Cloathes therewith And thirdlie that it should be excellent wine such as maketh the eyes of them that drinke
the opinion of the Iewes that they thought that No goodnesse could come out of Galilee CHRIST began to worke his miracles and to preach the gladsome tidings of eternall life This teacheth vs that God hath mercie in store euen for them that are most wicked if they will repent And for this cause sent his deare welbeloued Sonne into the world To gather together the lost Sheepe of Israel If then wee haue lost our selues in the Darknes of sinne yet if wee be Sheepe that will heare his voyce we shall not perish though for a time we be Lost sheepe Zacheus was a Publican but after Christ had called him hee became the childe of Abraham Marie Magdalene was possessed with seuen Diuels and yet Manie sinnes were forgiuen her because shee loued much and one of the Malefactors that was Crucified with our Sauiour was a Thiefe and yet hee was made a free-denison in Paradice If therefore saith S. Chrysostome any man haue sinned grieuously yet let him not despaire but looking vpon these examples of Gods mercie comfort himselfe For Christ was Conceiued amongst the Zebulunites by his conception instructing vs that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance hee was transfigured vpon mount Tabor in the land of Zebulun to signifie that he is not onely the glory of Israel but also a light vnto the Gentiles and hee first preached among them that sate in darkenesse declaring hereby that if sinners will be conuerted vnto him they shal enioy that which the Gospell promiseth eternall life for sweete and mercifull is the Lord and his commiserations spread ouer all the rest of his wonderfull workes THE SIXTH SERMON OF ISACHAR GEN. CAP. 49.14.15 Isachar shall bee a strong Asse couching downe he weene two burdens and he shall see that rest is good and that the land is pleasant and he shall bowe his shoulders to beare and shall be subiect vnto tribute ISachar was the fift sonne of Iacob and Leah and his name signifies Wages and Reward according to the first signification it hath relation to Reubens Mandrakes for the which Leah bargained with Rahel that Iacob shuld sleepe with her whereupon she cōceiued and bare Isachar the historie hereof is thus recorded by Moses (a) Gen. 30.14.15.16.17 Reuben saith he went in the dayes of wheat haruest and found Mandrakes in the field and brought them vnto his mother Leah then saide Rahel to Leah giue me I pray thee of thy sonnes Mandrakes but shee answered is it a small matter for thee to take my husband except thou take my sonnes Mandrakes also then said Rahel therfore he shall sleepe with thee this night for thy sons Mandrakes and Iacob came from the field in the euening and Leah went out to meete him and said come into me for I haue bought and paid for thee with my sonnes Mandrakes and hee slept with her that night and God heard Leah and shee conceiued and bare vnto Iacob the fift sonne who was called Isachar which name is agreeable to the circumstance of his conception for when hee was begotten she paid wages to Rahel for her husbands company These wages were (b) Epiph in philol cap. 4. Aug. lib. 22. cont Faust cap. 36. Rhodigin l. 7 Lect antiq cap. 3. as some thinke Mandrake apples and that therefore Rahel was so desirous of them because they haue vertue to cause women to conceiue but this is a meere fable for the Mandrake apple is very refrigeratiue a great procurer of sleep and forgetfulnesse and (c) Galen lib. 7. simpl medicament Oleast in gen cap. 30. Galen saith that it is cold in the third degree furthermore Rahel notwithstāding these Mandrakes conceiued not neither would Leah hauing now ceased to beare haue giuē them away if they had any such vertue others take them to be flowers which were wonderous faire in colour and sweet in smell Oleaster saies they were lillies Onkelos holdeth that they were violets and some thinke they were inchaunted or loue-flowers but Rahel needed not to vse any inchantments for her husband did already loue her most dearely most likely it is that they were louely flowers both for sight smel as the Hebrew word Dudaim signifies but what flowers they were it is vncertaine howsoeuer certaine it is that they were very pleasant else would Rahel neuer for them haue forgone her husbands company one night in this bargaine of Leah we may obserue both how desirous she was of children and also how louing she was to Iacob because rather then she will want his societie she will buy him pay for him with her sons Mandrakes Secondly Isachar signifies a reward accordingly Leah after her deliuery of this son frameth her speech saying d) Gen. 30.18 God hath giuen mee my reward because I gaue my maid vnto my husbād in these words she both manifesteth the chiefe occasiō of Isachars name and also bewraieth her owne infirmitie in that shee assigneth that to bee the cause of her reward which by the institution of God was forbidden namely Polygamie or the multiplicitie of wiues and concubines as it may appeare by the wordes of God saying e) Gen. 2.24 Man shall leaue his father and his mother shall cleaue to his wife and they shall bee one flesh the breach of any law is sinne and therefore as Iacobs tetragamie cannot bee iustified no more can Laban Rahel and Leah bee excused who were the causes impulsiue of this errour in him and yet Leah thought that shee had done well in giuing her handmaid Zilpah to Iacob and therefore she saith that God had giuen her a reward for it and this her conceite shee expresseth in the name of her son Isachar which is by interpretation a reward and thus in stead of acknowledging her fault shee braggeth and boasteth of it as I cannot but commend her in that she would giue wages to buy her husband so I cannot but condemne her in that she maketh God accessarie to euil in calling him a Rewarder of her guiltines in Iacobs trespasse Isachar shall be a strong Asse c. these wordes containe the character of Isachar his posteritie whom Iacob compareth vnto an Asse not out of any contempt of them though the Asse be a contemptible beast but only by comparing the one to the other to shew what kind of men the Isacharites should be The Asse is an humble profitable and a gentle creature whereas then Isachar is likened vnto an Asse Iacob does hereby make the Asse an Embleme of three things which were praise worthie in the tribe of Isachar to wit humilitie publique vtilitie and meekenesse first the Isacharites were men (f) Deut. 33 18. Prou. 30.28 Iudg. 9.5 2. King 11.1 1. Sam. 22.9 Amos 7.10 1. King 12.31 that reioyced in their tentes as Moses saith they were not like vnto the ambitious spider which as Salomon writeth taketh hold with her handes and is in Kings palaces as most worldlings bee some
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
his cloake in the blood of grapes as Iob said of himselfe (l) Iob. 29.6 I washed my paths with butter the rocke poured me out riuers of oyle So doth Mos speak of Asher m] Deut. 33.24 saying he shall dip his foote in oyle In these texts of scripture by washing of the cloake the paths the feet in wine butter oyle is meant the pleÌ„tifulnes great store of wine oyle butter which Iudah Iob Asher had (n) Ioseph lib 4. de bell Iud. Iosephus reports that the inhabitaÌ„ts of Giscala a citie within the lot portion of Asher were all tillers of the ground that their chiefest wealth consisted in Corne oyle This is a plaine testimonie that the land of Asher was both a great Corne-countrey in that they had Bread an oyle-couÌ„try because their Bread was fat It is a singular blessing to dwell in such a couÌ„trey as that which by the prouidence of God became Ashers portion for as famine is one of the arrowes of Gods veÌ„geance so of the coÌ„trary part fulnes of Bread is a signe of his fauour As no man can so well iudge of the happines of health as he that hath bin long sicke so the great blessing of plentiefulnes is best declared in the coÌ„sideration of want penurie The inhabitants of Thule or Island haue no corne growing therfore in stead thereof they make bread of dried fish as Munster reporteth The Scythians Tartarians feed vpon horse-flesh mares milke and the Troglodites vpon snakes and serpents for want of better food as Pomponius Mela writes How much more happie then were the Asherites that had both Bread Oyle namely fat bread to satisfie them The kingly prophet Dauid affirmeth that GOD for the loue that he beareth vnto his Seruants (o) Psal 107.33.34.35.36.37 changeth the order of nature for their coÌ„moditie This his Assertion may be drawne out of the Psalme where he saith Hee turned the floods into a Wildernes and the springs of water into drinesse a fruitefull land into barrennesse for the wickednes of them that dwell therein Againe He turneth the Wildernes into pooles of water and the drie land into water-springs and there hee placeth the hungrie and they builde a citie to dwell in and sowe the fieldes and plant vineyards which bring forth fruitfull increase Here the Prophet sheweth vnto vs two things First who is the author both of Fertilitie Barrennesse of soile Namely GOD whose powerfull hand alone altereth the course of nature for if he but say Fiat let there be pleÌ„tie or let there be want both heauen earth obey him euen as the hand-maid looketh vnto the eyes of her Mistris And secondly what is the impulsiue cause whereby God is prouoked to lay the yoke of misery or penurie vpoÌ„ the necke of man Namely Wickednes God setteth before our eyes a Blessing and a Cursing the one the stipend of righteousnes the other the reward of disobedience (p) Deut. 7.12.13 If yee hearken saith Moses vnto these Lawes doe them then the LORDE thy GOD shall keepe with thee the Couenant and the mercie which he sware vnto thy Fathers and he will loue thee and blesse thee and multiplie thee hee will also blesse the fruite of thy wombe and the fruit of thy Land thy Corne thy Wine and thine Oyle and the increase of thy Kyne the flockes of thy Sheepe in the Land which hee sware vnto thy Fathers to giue thee (q) Deut. 28.15.16.17 But if thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe doe all his CoÌ„mandements Ordinances which I commaund this day then all these Curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the Towne cursed in the fielde cursed shall thy Basket be and thy Dough cursed shall be the fruite of thy bodie the fruite of thy lande the increase of thy Kine and the flockes of thy sheepe c. As God dealt with the Israelites so hee doth with vs if we walke before him with vpright harts like Ashers our Bread shall be fat But if we be stubborne and stiffe-necked and goe on still in our wickednes c. hee will strike our Corne-fields with Blasting and Mildewe and they shall pursue vs till we perish He will make our land which like Chanaan flowes with milke honie Barren he will send amongst vs cleannesse of Teeth the tongue of the sucking childe shal cleaue vnto the roofe of his mouth For first the young childreÌ„ shall aske bread no man shal break it vnto them they that feede delicately shall perish in the streetes they that were brought vp in scarlet shall embrace the dung Our visages with famine shall grow blacker then a coale Our skinne shall cleaue to our bones and wither like a stocke What is the cause that our land comparable to the land of Asher for fatte Bread in former times is now become as a Wildernesse for scarcitie and want Why doe wee sow much and reape so little and why doe the Powers of heauen fight against vs If we do but as Moses did (r) Exo. 4.6 put our handes into our bosomes and take them out againe behold they will be as leaprous as snowe Our Sinnes alas which like a leaprosie cleaue vnto vs haue brought these punishmeÌ„ts vpon our heads * Spottes from the head to the sole of the foote we are full both of white black spots like the (Å¿) Gen. â—0 32 sheepe which were Iacobs wages we are become party-coloured in regard of the variety of our wickednes For we haue not vsed this Blessing of fat-bread to the glory of God and the good of his poore meÌ„bers No no the inuectiue speech of the Prophet Isaiah against the princes of Iudah may well bee applied to our mightie rich men (t) Isai 1.23 They are all rebellious coÌ„panions of Thieues for their Thieuerie our Fatnes of bread is turned into scarcetie First they are Thieues vnto GOD for they deuoure holy things seeke after vowes that is they Rob his Church of Tythes preteÌ„ding they were giuen to superstitious vses and therefore may lawfully be taken away froÌ„ the Church but are not impropriatioÌ„s sacriledge considering GOD himselfe saith (u) Leu. 27.30 All the Tythes of the land both of the Seede of the ground of the fruite of the Trees is the Lords it is holie to the Lord by the mouth of the prophet he saith Bring my Tithes into my Barnes and see if you shall not prosper The want of paying Tythes then which is a robbing of God is the first cause why the Seed rotteth vnder the clods why the garners are destroyed why the barnes are brokeÌ„ downe why the corne withereth The 2. is the oppression of the poore needy by such as (x) Amos. 6.3.4.5.6 put far away the euill day approch to
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
thirtie yeares fewe and euill haue the daies of my life beene For this cause the Thracians vsed to lament and weepe when their children were borne but to laugh and reioyce when any of their friends died and the reason hereof is giuen by Iob who saith Man that is borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of trouble he shooteth forth as a flower and is cut downe he vanisheth also as a shadowe and continueth not Thirdly euery one is the Childe of sorrowe in regard of originall sinne (g) Rom. 6.23 the wages whereof is death this Naturall corruption which by the fall of Adam is transfused vpon his whole posteritie maketh man not onely lyable and subiect to infinite calamities in this world but also to death eternall hereafter vnlesse (h) Psal 5â— 1 this Sinne wherein all men are borne and this iniquitie wherein they be conceiued he washt away by the blood of Christ (i) Eph. 2.5 By nature saith S. Paul wee are the children of wrath that is not by creation but by Adams transgression and so by birth And Iob saith That a childe of a day old is not pure in Gods sight seeing then that euery man is borne in sinne therefore is euery man a Ben-oni the sonne of Sorrowe because Death and Sorrowe be the effects of sinne Rahel hauing called this sonne Ben-oni in his Name as I haue said declared both particularly and generally the paines of Child-birth the sorrowes of mans life and the reward of sinne and thereupon to giue instance for the truth of her assertion shee gaue vp the ghost prouing by her owne example that women bring forth children in sorrowe that mans life is a painefull pilgrimage and that the wages of sinne is death these are the reasons why shee called his name Ben oni the sonne of sorrowe But his father called him Beniamin that is the sonne of his right hand Amongst the ancient Hebrewes nothing was rashly or inconsiderately done either in the imposition or Chaunging of names Rahel had reason to call her sonne as shee did Ben-oni and Iacob likewise had good cause to chaunge his name as hee doth by calling him Beniamin It is apparant both out of diuine and profane histories that in former times all men had an especiall care to giue vnto their children faire fit and well-boding names and they greatly disliked vnpleasant dismall and vnluckie names Herodotus writeth that Cyrus was first called Spaco which in the language of the Medes signifieth a Dogge because this was a foule name it was changed into Coresch or Cyrus which in the Persian tongue soundeth a Lord Theophrastus as Strabo saith was so named by his Maister Aristotle Strabo lib. 13. in exchange of his filthie name Tyrtanus and amongst the popes of Rome the Chaunging of names was first brought in by Sergius who before was called Os porei or Swinesnout so here Iacob doth chaunge Ben-oni which is a name of griefe and Sorrowe into Beniamin a name of strength and honour some thinke that he calleth him Beniamin the sonne of his right hand because he onely was borne in Canaan in the south part which is vpon the right hand if one turne his face to the sunne rising some because he was borne in Bethlem within the Tribe of Iudah Lyranus is of opinion that he was so called because Iacob bare so strongly and patiently the heauie crosse of his Rahels death and Oleaster saith that Iacob hereby sheweth that he had notwithstanding his age strength to beget a child But it is most probable that Ben-oni was chaunged into Beniamin by Iacob first least it might haue brought still to his remembrance the losse of his dearest wife And secondly to shew how deare he should be vnto him both because he was his youngest sonne and also for his mothers sake In the Scripture the Right hand hath eight seuerall significations First by it is meant strength and fortitude So doth the Psalmist vse it saying (k) Psal 44.3 They inherited not the land by their owne sword neither did their owne arme saue them But thy right hand and thine arme and the light of thy countenance because thou diddest fauour them Secondly it is taken for helpe or aid as it is in Iob Stretch forth thy right hand to helpe the worke of thine owne hands Thirdly for the exuperancie of honour and glorie as it is in the Psalme The Lord said vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footestoole Fourthly it signifies the Sweetenesse of Christs loue towards his Spouse the Church As it is in the Canticles (l) Cant. 2.6 His left hand is vnder mine head and his right hand doth embrace me Fiftly by it is vnderstood the aboundance of diuine and heauenly pleasures so saies Dauid (m) Psal 16 1â— In thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore Sixtly it is vsed to declare that which is good iust and holy So saies the wiseman The Lo d knoweth the waies which are vpon the right hand but the waies which are vpon the left hand are froward and peruerse Seauenthly it signifies such things as be spirituall blessings And so does Salomon applie it saying The length of his daies is in his right hand and in his left hand be richâ—s and glorie In this speech the Wiseman by the length of daies which is in the right hand of a righteous man meaneth the eternitie of blessednesse in heauen And by riches and glorie which are in the left hand the temporarie goods and prosperitie of this life Lastly the Preacher saith (n) Eccles. 10.2 the heart of a wiseman is at his right hand but the heart of a foole is at his left hand the meaning of which words sheweth the difference betwixt the righteous the wicked For the cogitations and the actions of the one sort are euer Right that is full of honestie innocencie and wisedome But the imaginations and enterprises of the other are foolish wicked declining vnto the left hand which leadeth vnto destructioÌ„ hence it appeareth that it is a signe both of Loue wel-wishing in Iacob towards his sonne because he changeth the disastrous name of Ben-oni into the well-portending name of Beniamin To be the Sonne of the fathers Right hand is a great fauour Xenoph. li. 8. Cyropaed yet the ancient Persians as Xenophon reporteth vsed to place such as they meant to honour vpon their left hands But the Hebrewes obserued a contrarie custome (o) â— Reg. 2.19 for wee read that Salomon placed his mother vpon his right hand at the generall iudgement it is said that (p) Math. 25.33 Christ shall set the sheepe vpon his right hand and the goates on the left Therein honouring the Elect and disgracing the reprobates These two names Ben-oni Beniamin imposed by Rahel Iacob do mystically decipher the two estates of maÌ„kind The
yet is hee proud and cruell For e) Matt. 23.14 vnder a colour of long Prayers hee will deuoure the House of the Widowe And therefore in the Hebrew tongue hee is verie fitly called Chaneph which signifieth Impure or Polluted and also such a one as boasteth of himselfe and braggeth of his owne vertue As the proud Pharisie did who (f) Luc. 18.11.12 stood prayed thus with himselfe O God I thanke thee that I am not as other men Extortioners Vniust Adulterers or as this Publican I Fast twice in the Weeke I giue Tithes of all that euer I possesse There be manie of these woluish Impostors and deceitfull Wolues in the worlde which because of their Sheepes cloathing can hardly bee knowne and discouered from the Sheepe of Christes Folde vnlesse they bee examined by the Rule of our Sauiour which is this You shall knowe them by their Fruites Doe men gather Grapes of Thornes or Figges of thistles The Thorne hath faire Blossomes but it beares no Grapes the Thistle brings foorth a flower but neuer a Figge So the hypocriticall Wolfe will transforme himselfe into the heauenly shape of an Angel and giue goodly words softer then oyle but it is as impossible to finde a good worke done by him as a grape vpon a thorne or a figge vpon a thistle Iacob doth not liken his sonne Beniamin to this Wolfe for if he had done so then had he exposed both him his tribe to the curse of God fox hypocrites are a g) Matt. 23.13 cursed generation (h) Mat. 3.7 and a generation of vipers Fourthly by the Wolfe is signified Courage in fight for though hee be neither so strong nor so well armed as the Lyon yet hee is as fierce and resolute as hee And therefore Iacob compareth in this place the Tribe of Beniamin to a Wolfe in regard of courage and valour in battell for though the children of Beniamin were neither so strong in respect of number nor so well armed in respect of power and authoritie as the Tribe of Iudah was who is compared vnto a Lyon yet they were as couragious in fight as they (i) Theodor vltim quaest in Gen. wherefore this Prophecie sheweth the warlike disposition of the whole Tribe of Beniamin whose childrē were indeed as they are called Wolues as may appeare (k) Iud. 20.15.16.17 by that fierce battel which they fought with the other tribes wherein they twice ouercame them beeing but sixe and twenty thousand men and seuen hundreth which fought against foure hundred thousand men that drewe sworde euen all men of warre and also by the warres which the house of Saul had with Dauid and the Tribe of Iudah for the Kingdome These seuerall conflicts are sufficient testimonies of Beniamins courage and resolution in Fight for which cause hee is compared vnto a Wolfe that shall rauine or make hauocke of his enemies as indeede the children of Beniamin did for at two seuerall times they slewe of the men of Israel fourtie thousand which could handle the sword In the morning hee shall deuoure the Preye and at might hee shall diuide the spoyle Of these words there be fiue seuerall interpretations First Rabbi Salomon saith that hereby is signified (l) Iudg. 21.23 the exploite of the Beniamites in taking as a preye the daughters of Silo as they came forth to daunce to be their wiues which afterwards they distributed and diuided as a spoile amongst themselues Or secondlie saith the same Author these words of Iacob may be applied to Saul who in the morning or the beginning of the Israelitish kingdome preyed vpon the Amalekites and to (m) Hest 7.10 8.5 Mordecai and Hester being both of them Beniamites by birth who in the euening that is to say after the decay and dissolution of the Kingdomes of Israel and Iudah Hiero. in tradit Hebr. in Genesim made preye of Haman and of their enemies Thirdly S. Hierome saith that some of the Hebrues were of opinion that by this speech Iacob meant the Temple of Ierusalem which was built within the portion or inheritance of Beniamin and that therefore it was by him called a Wolfe because it did deuoure and spend innumerable sacrifices of beasts which in the Morning were slaine and offered vnto God and in the Euening diuided amongst the Priests The Chalde Paraphrast subscribeth to this exposition Chald. paraphr in hunc locum for thus he saith Beniamin in his Land the presence of the Diuinitie shall rest in his possession shall the Sanctuarie be built in the Morning at Euening shall the Priests offer Oblations and in the euening they shall diuide the remainder of the things that be sanctified Fourthly manie of the ancient fathers as Ambrose Hierom Ruffinus Chrysostome Augustine thought that this prophecie principallie was fulfilled in S. Paul and therefore they referre it vnto him because (n) Rom. 11 1. being of the tribe of Beniamin at the first as a Rauenous Wolfe he persecuted the Church before his conuersion (o) Acts. 9.1 breathing out threatnings slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord but afterward when he was conuerted to the Faith of Christ he diuided the spoyle that is to say according to Rupertus the word of God and the doctrine of Saluation distributing to his Disciples and auditours this heauenly spoyle according to their capacitie vnderstanding for to some hee gaue Milke to some he gaue strong meate Fiftly though all these 4 interpretations may in some sort be receiued as consonāt to the Text because both the Beniamites which carried away the daughters of Siloh as also Saul Mordecai the Temple S. Paul were a Wolues deuouring the preye diuiding the spoile yet if wee doe but consider that Iacob in euery speech which hee maketh to anie of his Sonnes seuerallie doth chiefly prophecie of the state of their whole posteritie and not of any priuate person wee must then needs acknwledge that the exposition of these words by Theodoret Theodoret. quest vltim in genes comes nearest both to the letter and to the intention of Iacob which is this Beniamin shall rauin as a wolfe that is the Beniamites shall be a fierce and couragious people in warre Againe In the morning hee shall deuoure the praie and at night he shall diuide the spoile that is the Beniamites shall be prosperous and succesfull in battell for hauing ouercome their enemies they shall returne home being made glorious by victorie and rich by the spoile In this speech of Iacob concerning Beniamin we may obserue three things which make for morall vse and instruction The first is this Rahel called her youngest son Ben-oni the sonne of sorrowe and presently gaue vp the ghost but Iacob changed his name and called him Beniamin least it might haue brought to his remembrance the losse of his dearest wife and so haue prolonged and continued his sorrowe This holy patriarch euen in the reason of this Change