did shew his goodnesse to Noah and gave him dominion over all creatures and power to eate flesh which before God had given them no warrant to doe and therefore I suppose the godly did not usually unlesse in sacrifice if then And herein the Lord was gratious to Noah that for his sake he made a covenant And he was a figure of Christ in whom the Lord did make a covenant with all mankind then the second time not to destroy them with eternall destruction if they would trust in his mercy and repent of their sinnes For this temporall covenant was a shadow of that eternall into which all mankind was againe admitted through Christ that was to come But they did soone cast of this covenant in running to other gods which may seeme to be the onely sinne that then did cast the committers quite out of the covenant other sinnes did keepe them from injoying the good things of the covenant but this did cast them out of it altogether so that having runne into that they were no longer in the covenant Now see Gods grace more fully to us that hath renewed this covenant which is in Christ more evidently and take we heede of casting our selves out of it againe by following strange Mediators and Jesusses as I thinke the Papists doe Whosoever doth seeke to any other merits but only those of Christ thrusts himselfe out of the covenant of grace and Christ is become of none effect unto him Lastly Noah had two Godly sonnes and this is a singular favour to give a man a Sem and Iaphet if he have a Cam and that all his sonnes be not discoverers of their Fathers shame Lastly after 950. yeares Noah died and so must we all after not so long a life O therefore prepare wee for the comming of death that it may not take us away in the midst of our impenitency * ⎠* THE SEVENTH EXAMPLE OF HAM NIMROD Babilonians I Have offered to your consideration the Examples of the Old World I proceede to speake of the World that now is as S. Peter calles it 1. from the floud to Abraham and then from Abraham to the death of Ioseph for there the Booke of Moses called Genesis is concluded Now here first I will set before you the bad examples of bad men then the good examples of good Of the bad we have Cam Nimrod particulars and the builders of Babel in an heape as it were and of the good wee have Sem and Iaphet and the godly posterity of Sem whose geneologie is noted to shew the age of the world till Abram First J will begin with Ham and note his parentage and life for of his death in particular Moses hath made no mention For his parentage he was the son of Noah borne to him before the floud after his 500. yeare for to that age lived he before he became a Father and after that in the whole time of his life hee had no more children God of purpose it may seeme giving him but few children because his minde was to begin the present world with a few as he did the first with one man that so his blessing in the large increase of mankinde afterwards might be more evidently discovered But the youngest sonne was this Ham. Now for his life I marke three things in it First the great benefits God bestowed upon him Secondly the great sinnes he committed Thirdly the great punishments which God inflicted upon him for his sinnes First God vouchsafed to save him in the Arke from the Deluge of waters so that he perished not with the world but escaped with his Father and Brethren It was a speciall and singular favour to make him one of the few that is eight persons that were delivered from the raging waves and enjoyed the benefit of a miraculous preservation of that little handfull of men whereof the Church visible did then consist Wee see that one was an Hypocrite a dissembler a wicked unsanctified man who though he continued a professour of the true religion and worshipper of the true God with his Father and Brethren yet was destitute of true piety and continued gracelesse a servant of sinne voide of due reverence and charity towards his aged Father Gods Minister and the most holy man of all those times and served God with them alone in outward forme and fashion For had he beene truly good he would not have run into so foule a sin at least he would not have persisted in it without repentance as he did See then that the Lord shewes a great deale of patience long-suffering and goodnesse to hypocrites in the Church and maketh them partakers of all outward benefits and priviledges which are bestowed upon the Church so did Ishmael live in Abrahams family a long time and Esau longer in Isaacs So Core Dathan Abiram and the rest of those rebels and murmurers were brought out of Egypt passed thorough the sea saw the miracles and did eate Manna and drunk water out of the rock and were shadowed with the cloud and conducted by the pillar of fire among the rest of the sons of Iacob And I pray you to take heed by this warning of priding and pleasing your selves in this that you be members of the Church escape divers punishments enjoy many mercies live in good esteeme among the godly and carrie away as great credit as any other men in the Church All this befell Cham a wicked Hypocrite and at last a damned Reprobate It is a dangerous thing to flatter our selves in a bad estate and to couzen our selves with false arguments making our selves to trust upon a false conclusion and to judge our selves Gods children and in the state of salvation upon such reasons as have no verity nor stability in them You live in the true Church so did Cham you live amongst godly men have beene borne of godly parents have beene instructed in the doctrine of godlinesse so was Cham you have escaped great punishments enjoyed great benefits and beene well reputed of by godly men all this befell Cham and all this notwithstanding Cham was cursed and damned and so may you In after times the Jewes bragged of the Temple of the Lord and the Temple of the Lord are we and yet the Lord rejected them and cast them out of his sight In Christs daies the Jewes bragged that Abraham was their Father for Iohn Baptists warning would not serve the turne to make them forbeare such idle boasting of their Pedigree but our Saviour telleth them that the Divell was their Father yea Iudas himselfe was one of Christs Familie and Disciples and Apostles and trusted with the bag and yet a Divell O therefore beguile not your selves with ill grounded hopes and build not upon a rotten foundation If you say unto mee why then you leave us in uncertainty and affoord us no sure pillar upon which to ground our hopes I answer not so but I will turne you to
and of all that die in the Faith of our Lord Jesus to whom bee ascribed all Might Majestie Dominion and Glorie both now and for ever more Amen This Man of God and faithfull Minister of Christ departed this life upon Friday the 10. of May Anno Domini 1639. neare the end of the six and fiftieth yeare of his age Feb. 25. 1639. Imprimatur THOMAS WYKES Banburies Funerall teares powred forth upon the Death of her late pious and painefull Pastour Mr. William Whately deciphered in this Sympathizing Elogy I am that Orbin which of late did shine An heav'n enlightned starre with raies divine Which did arise within mee and dispence Light life heate Heav'n-infusing influence And went before me steering right mine Eye Vnto the very place where CHRIST did lye He was a Cynosura in my motion To Heaven's bright haven on this worlds vast Ocean Or as the Aegyptian Pharos to descrie The rockes of sinne and errour to mine Eye Hee was my Glorie Beautie Consolation My very soule I but the Corporation I would goe on with bleedings to recite His and mine owne sad fall but I can't write Throbs shake mine hand and griefe my sight destroyes And when I speake ah teares doe drowne my voice Yet will I sigh and give my sorrowes pent Within my breast by mournefull breathings vent Come then speake sighs write teares and sadly storie The dark Ecclipse that hath befell my glorie My Starre is falne and Heavens did so dispose That there he fell where he at first arose The Starres above us thus their races runne Returning thither whence they first begunne But did I say hee 's fallen Stay me there He is translated to an higher spheare Where though to th' world he is obscur'd he may Shine forth unvailed in a purer ray Fixt to an endlesse rest in heavens bright throne Above all starry Constellation But ah alas Death hath dispos'd it so That his rise prooves my fall his weale my woe His weale my woe strange what a change is this My welfare was but now in wrapt in his But thus Death innovates and did he not Tell me that he Commission hath got And warrant for his fact from heavens great King I would have brought him into questioning Ah death what hast thou done Dost thou not care To make a breach which ages can't repaire So rare a Frame in peeces for to take VVhich Heav'n and nature did combine to make A Master-peece For who did ere behold So sound a spirit in so strong a mold Heaven's treasure which within his breast abode VVas by his liberall tongue disperst abroad All Graces gave a meeting in him even To make his breast a little map of Heav'n His lips distilled Manna and he stood Not so for Church-goods as the Churches good His voice it was a trump whose sound was made VVith breath divine which it from Heaven had His life a dayly Sermon which alas Methinkes was measur'd by too short a glasse Ah Death though Painters give thee holes for eyes Yet thou canst see to take the richest prize To hit the fairest mark yet I suspect It was my sinne which did thine hand direct My light had I improov'd it well for gaine VVould have remaind els lights sha'nt burn in vain Yet sure he is not dead for why I find Him still surviving in my breast enshrin'd And who can say that he 's of life bereaven That lives in 's works inpious hearts in Heaven He 's but a sleepe by death undrest not dead Or hath but changd his dresse for he in stead Of these sin-staind ragges of mortality VVeares a pure robe whose length's eternity M. B. EXAMPLE I. OF Adam and Eve AS all other knowledges are conveniently taught by Precepts and Examples so is that best of knowledges the art of living holily Hence it is that as I have instructed you to my poore ability in the Law and the precepts of good life so I doe now intend to set before your eyes the Examples recorded in Scripture of Men both good and bad that by observing the swervings of the one and the right walking of others you may better keepe your owne feete in the streightest paths Onely concerning Examples you must know this thing in generall that no Example at all hath the force of a precept either to binde the consciences of men to any thing as a duty or to restraine from any thing as a sinne because the knowledge of sinne is from the Law and where there is no Law there is no transgression and our care must be to walke in Gods waies not in the waies of any man whatsoever But Example prevaileth alone to perswade the will as a fit argument of Exhortation or Dehortation not as an argument to proove a thing needfull or sinfull Seeing then my duty is to perswade you to all goodnesse and to disswade you from all evill and the Examples of Scripture are undoubted and certaine and they offer themselves as it were unto the sences and so more worke on the will to allure or deterre I thinke it a convenient meanes of helping you in all righteousnesse and against the contrary to make a collection of those Examples of good or bad things which are left us upon record by a divine pen and I will range these Examples according to the order of time wherein they lived so farre as I can informe my selfe thereof by the Word of God And I will begin with Adam and Eve and put them both together because their good and evill was put togeher in practise thereof The Method I intend to take in each person is this I will consider his Birth Life and Death and in his Life I will looke to his carriage and behaviour in respect of the deeds he did good bad indifferent and doubtfull and the things that befell him either prosperously or adversely in benefits or afflictions Now for Adam and Eve because they were the first fountaines of mankind and therefore could not be borne in the same manner as others be for he that is borne must have a Parent and he that hath a Parent was not the first man or woman because his Parent was before him therefore I cannot tell you any thing of their Birth but of their entring into the world by another way which was to them the same in effect that our begetting and birth is to us I will informe you according to the Scriptures for it much concernes us to understand our originall and to know certainely how mankinde came into the world Know then in summe That God made Man of the dust of the earth and breathed into him the breath of life and man became a living soule Here is in briefe the Creation of Adam now Adam signifieth red Earth because his body was made of such kinde of Earth and concerning Woman it is noted that God caused a deepe sleepe to fall upon Adam and then tooke one of his ribbes
seeke to God for pardon or for grace to repent Wherefore I say againe looke on thy first Parents that how bad soever thou beest were causes of thy being so bad and promise thy selfe pardon upon repentance because they are pardoned and hope to be penitent if thou indeavour and seeke it because they were helped which were as vile sinners as thy selfe THE SECOND EXAMPLE OF Caine. NExt after Adam and Evah the Scriptures propound unto us the Examples of Caine and Abel two sonnes of those Parents First wee must speake of Caine who being the elder Brother was yet the worser man for the Lord hath never accustomed to give his graces according to the priviledges of age that the gift may appeare to be free and gratuitous not at all deserved by any thing that the man may finde in himselfe Now speaking of Caine we must handle his Birth and Life for it hath not seemed good to God to tell us any thing of his death His Birth wee have Gen. 4.1 Adam knew Evah his wife and shee conceived and bare a sonne and called his name Caine or a possession saying I have obtained a man of the Lord or as it may be translated a man the Lord perhaps expressing her conceit to be that this sonne of hers must be that man who was also to be God that should redeeme her selfe and all men from the mischiefe which the Serpent had brought upon them but if shee had any such hopes shee had much deceived her selfe for God doth seldome make such hast in granting so great things immediately after the promise he chooseth rather to exercise the faith and patience of his people in waiting some good and large space of time for the performance of the promise Now concerning this man we will note first his carriage and behaviour then the things that befell him In his carriage some things are for mattrer good some things altogether evill That which is good is that at his Fathers appointment and education he betook himselfe to a needfull trade of life for so it is said Caine was a tiller of the ground that is he gave himselfe to Husbandry This calling as it is very usefull for even the King is served by the land that is tilled so it is you see a very ancient calling it is full of paines and full of profit much increase saith Salomon doth come by the labour of the Oxe but where no Oxe is the crib is empty You see it hath the precedencie of the Shepheard for the elder sonne was assigned to this trade as the most necessary Wherefore mee thinkes they doe not shew themselves to be of the same minde with Adam that are still ready to pull downe tillage and set up pastorage as I may call it Indeed pastorage gives most private gaine to one or two men and therefore they that are led more by selfe love then by charity or the love of mankind are more affected to it but surely Gods pleasure was in making the World to make provision for a multitude to live in convenient abundance rather then for a few to live in excessive riches Howsoever you see this is good in Caine he imbraced a calling and lived painefully therein for hee was tilling the ground he did not alone take upon him the name of a Husbandman but did exercise himselfe in the workes of that calling Secondly Caine was religious too at least in respect of the outward acts for in processe of time hee brought a gift to the Lord of the fruit of the ground hee worshipped God by offering something to him of that which by his goodnesse and blessing the earth did bring forth unto him The Lord will be served even with our costs with gifts with rendring him backe againe something of that which himselfe hath given us He commanded Israel not to appeare before him emptie but to bring free-will-offerings and heave offerings of their hands God loves not an empty worshipper he is liberall to us he would have us also liberall to him wee receive much from him he lookes to receive something of us that so we may actually acknowledge him to be the giver of all He is not contented that the mouth worship him in prayers and praises nor the eare in hearing and attending to him nor the body in bowing it selfe to him nor the hands in lifting up themselves but he will be honoured with our goods as Salomon saith Prov. 3.9 even with our substance For though he hath not now commanded any thing to be burnt upon the Altar having abolished all Sacrifices by sending his Sonne to offer up himselfe in Sacrifice for our sinnes that he might take away our sinnes by that one offering once for all yet now he hath appointed such a worship as cannot be maintained without cost in regard of the persons attending it and the instruments of it and hee hath now appointed them to reape our earthly things in his steed which in his steed doe sowe unto us spirituall things Marke this then as a thing in it selfe good to worship God and to worship him with giving a gift unto him as also in the Psalme hee saith bring presents to him that ought to be feared Further it was a lawfull and good thing in Caine even after his great sinne committed that he built a City for surely to take order for the replenishing of men with people and the commodious habitation of men borne into the world is a good and commendable thing in it selfe though men may easily and often doe transgresse much in the manner of doing it Therefore the Lord saith Esay 58. 12. in commendation of his people and in way of promising a great benefit and honour There shall be of thee that shall build the old waste places Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the breach the restorer of paths to dwell in Surely if to build old wasts and repaire decaied places that they may stand to many generations be a praise as you heare from the Prophet then to build new that were not built before that also is a good thing and laudable This therefore must be noted as a good thing in Caine that hee gave himselfe to build a City Lastly that is good in him that he was the husband of one wife and did content himselfe with the first institution of marriage not corrupting it with taking variety of women to one and the same man at the same time as God had made but one Eve for Adam and said a man shall cleave to his wife not to his wives and they shall be one flesh meaning theâ— two not three or foure Some are of opinion that in the beginning Evah at every burden bare twinnes and so there came into the world together a man and a woman whether this was so or not I cannot affirme but it may seeme probable because the Holy Ghost makes
causing us never to see the second death though we must not be freed from the first for that was the speciall priviledge of Enoch and Eliah and was never granted to any other that we read Labour therfore to hold fast in your soules a firme perswasion of Gods love to you in Christ and withall a firme purpose of pleasing him in all things Let sincere truth of obedience be joyned with a firme perswasion of Gods love and the firme perswasion of Gods love be joyned with a sincere indeavour of obedience then death shall never come amisse then you are alwaies ready for it So David faith I have hoped in thy salvation and done thy Commandements So then if we would be ready for God we must doe two things Turne to him and walke with him To turne is to begin to walke with God to walke with God is to continue to turne to him O ye that have not begun to turne doe it to day turne now call to mind your former evill waies to judge your selves for them to lament them to seeke of God in Christ forgivenesse of them and power against them and labour to rest your selves upon his goodnesse in Christ for pardon and helpe and so have you made your peace then keepe your peace by a constant indeavour to please God in holinesse of life and a constant renewing of your assured perswasion of his love O happy man he that can so fit himselfe for his latter end Brethren let the mention of the deaths of so many aged persons make you carefull to prepare for death you that be young doe it because death takes away young men as well as old and you that be old doe it because you may meete with it very suddenly and must needs meete with it afore it be long Againe you see these long-liv'd men here wrestling with the corruptions of the world and their owne some a longer time and some a shorter but all in comparison of our selves a great while The longest lived man for number of dayes was Methuselah who lived nine hundred sixty nine yeares but for perfection of life Adam who lived a perfect man nine hundred and thirty yeares The shortest lived of all the Patriarkes was Noahs Father Methuselahs Sonne Lamech for he lived seven hundred seventy and seven yeares and died the yeere before the floud a little before his Father Methuselah who lived till that very yeare that the floud came and drowned all and was taken away that he might not see the floud Now why did God lengthen out the daies of the Patriarkes I answer chiefely to maintaine the knowledge of God and true religion in the world that by the long life of one godly man the truth which then was not put in writing but by word of mouth delivered from man to man might be kept more pure and undefiled Adam lived till Methuselah was two hundred forty and three yeares old Methuselah lived till Sem the Sonne of Noah was one hundred yeares lacking two so that Sem talked with him that had talked with Adam who could acquaint him with all things concerning the creatures the fall and the promised seed out of his certaine knowledge and experience he had beene made of nothing he had seene all perfections and Methuselah could tell it to Sem and Sem lived to see Isaac borne and a Father So that Isaac might speake mouth to mouth with him that had spoken with him that had spoken with Adam the first man that ever was Was not this a notable confirmation of his Faith THE FIFTH EXAMPLE OF The Old World WEe have propounded particular Examples unto you hitherto as also the Scriptures have done Now following them wee must set before your eyes the Examples of an whole multitude even of an whole World full of men and women that gave themselves to worke wickednesse before the Lord. It is called in Scripture the old World and the world of ungodly In the space of a 1656. yeares the generation of mankind was growne to that height and exorbitancie of wickednesse that the patience of God could no longer endure them Now concerning this Old World we will shew you three things 1. Their sinnes 2. The goodnesse of God to them notwithstanding their sinnes 3. The severe punishment that fell upon them at the last and so will make use of all First for their sinnes the Holy Ghost sets them out in generall and more particularly In generall the sinne of man is said to be great and that every imagination of the thought of his heart was evill and onely evill and that continually Secondly it is said that all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth So their naughtinesse was remarkeable in these two respects it was exceeding hainous and grievous in that they committed great and fowle sinnes in great abundance with great wilfullnesse and gave themselves to add sinne to sinne doing nothing but plodding and contriving wickednesse and then all men gave themselves over to the same bad course you could not finde a man that made scarce a shew of goodnesse out of Noahs house When all consent together to sell over themselves to worke iniquity and grow past shame or feare running into most grievous and notorious sinnes with greedinesse and wilfullnesse this is very offensive to Almighty God and will certainely provoke his wrath to bring upon them some fearefull and heavie punishments Divers reasons may be thought of that caused this exceeding great growth of sinne in those times 1. The long life of men for let an unsanctified man continue long and he will grow more and more sinfull the longer he continues Sinne by frequent exercise growes more and more violent and head-strong So living a great space of time they grew above measure naught 2. They had strong and able bodies together with health and ability to enjoy the things of this life 3. They had great peace in regard they all lived under a paternall governement the agedst in the family still being acknowledged the governour of the family and they had all one language and so no great cause of controversie and one religion too it is like seeing the Patriarkes lived so long that they were immediately taught of God save that they degenerated to prophanenesse and the most became of no religion and so did not warre with the contrary little partie unlesse it were with jests scoffes and contumelies Long life great strength great peace begat great wickednesse But more particularly the Lord takes notice here of their 1. Unlawfull and carnall marriages 2. Of their violence and oppression And our Saviour telleth of their great worldlinesse that did sell over themselves to temporall dealings and cared nothing for better things and S. Peter tells of their obstinacy in sinning and their not beleeving nor regarding they were disobedient whilest the long suffering of God waited in the daies of Noah Yea our Saviour
it if you have it not yet get it if you have it labour to increase and nourish it by considering his great excellencie and great terriblenesse A third vertue Abraham had obedience that is his will was thoroughly subject to Gods will in all things so that he held this resolution within himselfe that whatsoever God bad him doe that he would doe for which God praised him saying because thou hast obeyed my voice and the Apostle saying he obeyed and went out Obedience is a resolution and indeavour to doe all that God bids because he bids Let us take some speciall acts of obedience wherein Abraham did crosse his reason and his affection and his credit and his profit and all to performe the will of God even therefore onely because God bad him whom he durst not out of feare and would not but out of love follow in all things First God gave him Commandement to leave his Countrey and Fathers house to goe out into a land which he should shew him A strong Commandement leave all thy kindred and goe into a Countrey thou knowest not whither but goe from place to place as I shall shew thee Here seemed no reason in this Commandement but Abraham obeyed it Gen. 12.1 Secondly when he came into the land of Canaan he did not build a Citie nor an house there but dwelt in tents as the Apostle noteth as a pilgrim and a stranger not having possession in it at all so much as a foot God gave him no place of abode but caused him to wander as himselfe telleth Gen. 20.13 This seemed an unhappy and unsetled life and flesh and bloud could not take content in such a kinde of living but because God injoyned Abraham so to live He submitted himselfe and did live so save that onely he bought a place to burie in as being still mindfull of his death A third heavie Commandement he received from God Gen. 17. 10. and 26. God made him to circumcise himselfe and all the males of his family and all that should after be borne when they were eight daies old and he made no question of it To circumcise was to cut off the top of the uppermost skinne of the secret part This seemed the foolishest thing in the world a matter of great reproach which would make him as it made his posterity after to seeme ridiculous to all the world It carried an appearance of much undecencie and shamefullnesse to cause all his servants to discover themselves unto him Much more might have beene alledged against this ordinance what good could it doe what was any man the better because he had wounded himselfe and put his body to that torment yet for all this Abraham disputed not objected not made no contrary allegations but presently the selfe same day tooke himselfe and his sonne Ishmael and all his servants in his house and circumcised them according to the commandement of Almighty God Yet a fourth commandement more tedious and contrary to reason and affection then all these which was of it selfe exceeding grievous in his sight as the Holy Ghost witnesseth that is the expulsion or excommunicating of his sonne Ishmael and of his mother Hagar yet when God commanded him to doe it Gen. 21.12 hee rose up the next morning betimes v. 14. and sent away both the mother and the sonne But last of all he obeyed a commandement that seemed to contradict nature and religion and Gods promise and his owne salvation and the salvation of all men and the truth and honour of God himselfe so that God was said to try him to the utmost in that commandement It was in sacrificing Isaac as the Spirit of God notâ—th Heb. 11. and Gen. 23. God bad him take Isaac and not instantly kill him in the place but goe three dayes journey and not knocke him on the head and there an end but offer him for sacrifice But what was this sonne the sonne of his old-age the sonne of his love which was so deare unto him yea the promised seede in whom it was said In Isaac shall thy seede be called and this sonne he offered after a most melting conference betwixt himselfe and Isaac his sonne all alone Here was an obedience incomparable and unparalable no man ever did the like except our Lord Jesus Christ who offered up himselfe which must needes be dearer to himselfe then Isaac was to Abraham So now marke the excellency of Abrahams obedience hee was obedient for the matter in hard and difficult things for the manner promptly and readily without gaine-saying speedily and presently without deferring and universally without excepting without picking and choosing If you be able to produce such obedience to justifie your faith that it may appeare your faith is a working faith then have you faith indeed and not in word alone but if your faith be not accompanied with an obedience of the same kind though not in the same degree whereby you are able to yeeld your selves to God resolving in all things readily and without delay or murmuring to yeeld unto him how are you obedient how have you faith such a faith as was Abrahams All therefore that say they beleeve as Abraham did but yet obey not as Abraham did yea are wilfull against Gods Commandements refusing to doe knowne duties and to leave knowne sinnes that will not circumcise the foreskin of their hearts nor leave their countrey and Fathers house nor cast out their Ishmaels nor offer up their Isaacs all such are beleevers alone in shew and not in deed Compare your selves with Abraham and if your obedience be not like his I say as before having the same ground extent and properties it is but a counterfeit faith whereof you boast and no true faith Therefore now be earnest with the living God to worke in you true subjection to him and to make you like Abraham his servant for God that wrought his heart to such flexiblenesse will and can performe the same for you Pray him to incline your hearts to his statutes beseech him to write his law in your hearts and to cause you to keepe his Commandements and judgements and doe them And if you find such an obedience though not so great yet that which hath the same ground and strives to attaine the same extent and properties then take comfort and be not afraid to call your selves sonnes and daughters of Abraham for Zacheus was the sonne of Abraham when leaving his greedinesse hee could make restitution and give to the poore Now a fourth vertue in Abraham was religiousnesse for it is said of him that hee built an Altar to God and that hee worshiped God and that he called on the name of God and that he payed tithe of all he had to Melchisedech and this is for our learning We must call upon God we must professe and practise true religion we must offer reall sacrifices on Christ the Altar we must also
store yet we have sufficient to keep our selves and ours from pining away with want O that we could be as full of thanks when we are freed from wants as we have beene of complaints even for small crosses And now use moderately your abundance that God may not strip you of all and bring you to such extremity and why should we forfeit our selves and ours to famishing when wee see that God is tender to us and willing to satisfie us with good things And lastly let every man prepare for this crosse think of it tell himselfe it may befall him and resolve if the wisedome of God shall bring it upon him that he will labour patiently to undergoe it not so as to be sorrowlesse that were no way commendable but so as to be moderate in grieving and to turne his griefe into spirituall griefe and powre it forth before the Lord in humble and penitent confessions and lamentations for sinne Before I depart from handling of Hagars Example I must say something of Sarah and her which I knew not how so fitly to speake of in the life of either viz. that these two Mothers and the children borne of them were Allegories as S. Paul calls them that is figures of some other thing mystically signified by them For this we have the authority of S. Paul Gal. 4.21 In these words Heare you not what the Law that is the writings of Moses commonly called the Law because the Law was the principall part thereof doth say for it is written that Abraham had two sonnes one of the bond-woman another of the free-woman and the son of the bond-man was borne after the flesh that is by a bare naturall power of generation as any man naturally may beget a child of a woman without any power above nature concurring to the work But she that was borne of the free-woman was borne by promise that is not so much by any naturall strength of the Parents as by vertue of Gods promise which bound his truth to set his Omnipotency a worke above nature otherwise Abraham that had so long lived with Sarah in her youth and could never become a Father by her should much lesse have beene so by her now when her body was quite dried with age which things saith S. Paul are an Allegory according as I told you before For these are Testaments or Covenants the one from Mount Sinai which came thence being there published and promulgated it is the Law the Covenant of workes whereof it is said The Law came by Moses and this is said to gender unto bondage that is to beget and make not sonnes and daughters of a free and ingenuous spirit loving God and out of love doing him service and meerely of his grace love free favour and promise expecting their reward but bond-slaves which out of a feare of punishment or hope of reward doe service and expect the reward for the worthinesse sake of their workes and this Covenant is Hagar meaning is signified by Hagar for saith he this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia meaning is so by signification and representation and answereth in signification and Type to Ierusalem which now is and is in bondage meaning to the Law and to the curse and rigour of it being debtors to the whole Law to doe it or if they doe it not to the curse to suffer it But this Ierusalem which is from above that is the Heavenly Ierusalem the Church the number of true beleevers that doe indeed seriously imbrace the doctrine of the Gospell which began by Christ and his Apostles to be preached at Ierusalem not hoping to be justified and saved by the merit or worth of their owne workes but by the free promise of God in Christ those are free from the curse and rigour of the Law and shee is the mother of all true Christians of us all that is of my selfe and all those which with mee looke for righteousnesse and salvation alone through the merits of Christ and mercy of God in Christ through faith in his name and after he saith As then he that was after the flesh persecuted him that was after the Spirit even so saith he it is now Here you have the full Allegory two Mothers a bond-woman and a free-woman two manners of begetting after the flesh and after the Spirit two kindes of children bond-men and free-men and the bond still persecuting the free The Mothers are the two Covenants that of the Law and that of Grace The two manners of begetting one of the promise the other by the flesh two kindes of children bond-men to good and free-men The matter is this Those that bring nothing but their owne naturall power to the Law and so seeke by it to be justified they are but of a slavish disposition and have nothing but the reward of slaves but those that looke to the goodnesse of God in the Covenant of Grace having the power of Gods Spirit are made to love God as children and admitted to the inheritance of sonnes Let us take heed of being sonnes of the bond-woman for many be such still The Papists will needs challenge salvation as due by the merits of their owne workes and so in very deed doe exclude themselves from it by challenging it on a wrong ground And the multitude are in this respect no whit better then the Papists for their owne good deeds are still in their mouthes as if they would be saved by workes which yet cannot save them yea some reliques of this ignorant and foolish pride was found in the Saints who if they finde not which they will never finde perfection in themselves are still apt to question their estate as if it were their owne goodnesse that should bring them to Heaven not the goodnesse of God in Christ rewarding them freely with that undeserved crowne because they are become the children of God by faith in Christ Now let us take heed of being the sonnes of Hagar but let us acknowledge still our owne sinfullnesse and unworthinesse yet still rest on his mercy in Christ and strive to obey him in love as children doe their Father and so much for Hagar * ⎠* THE TENTH EXAMPLE OF KETVRAH ISHMAEL ELIEZER NOw Abraham had a third wife her name was Keturah The Scripture bringeth her in as it were a dumbe person tells nothing of her parents life nor death but mentioning her bare name alone shewes that shee was Abrahams wife as I conceive and what children shee had by Abraham we are told Gen. 25.1 her sonnes were sixe as you may reade in that place Now the Lord seemeth to tell us this little of this woman and her sonnes because we should the more acknowledge the blessing of God upon Abraham in restoring him to a second youth as it were and making him so fruitfull as to beget six sonnes in his old-old-age after Sarahs death whereas before at an 100 he was as good as dead
married any without the liking and privity of his Father but took the right and due course gave up himselfe to his Fathers authority and direction and therefore God gave him a good Rebekah indeed a comfortable wife and vertuous woman In this therefore all children are bound also to imitate him Children must take their Parents counsell and direction in matter of marriage and not bestow themselves without their good liking and consent that they may have Gods blessing attending them in their marriage when they honour at once both God and their Parents in obeying Gods Commandement and shewing due respect unto their Parents So did even Ishmael though otherwise a wilde man for it is said of him that his Mother tooke him a wife So did Iacob afterwards His Father blessed him and sent him to Padan Aram to take him a wife of the daughters of Laban his Mothers brother And when Sampson saw a woman of Timnah that pleased him well he spake to his Father and Mother to take the Maide for him who went downe thither and made the match for him Indeed the Parents have more discretion and understanding then the children by reason of their age and experience and therefore it is for the childes good to follow their advice And to whom must the children goe for comfort and helpe in case that any crosse befall them in marriage but onely to their Parents of which comfort and helpe they deprive themselves if they venture upon marriage without them wee know that those God hath not joyned in marriage whom he doth not unite in that estate Now God hath made the Parents his Deputies in this behalfe saying unto them give your daughters in marriage and take sonnes for your daughters and againe you shall not give your daughters to them in marriage nor take their sonnes to your daughters Now how can it be said that God joyned them if their Parents whom hee hath made rulers over them in his steed do not joyne them seeing immediately hee doth joyne none in these our daies Also the children are the goods of the Parents as a part of their possession insomuch that they were also to be sold to pay their debts Wherefore as no bargaine is firme in other kindes of goods without the consent of those that have right unto those goods so neither can this covenant be good without the consent of Parents which have as much right from God in their children as in any other of their goods Wherefore those sonnes and daughters are much to be blamed who have neglected this part of their duty to their Parents and have suffered their blinde and strong passions so farre to transport them that against their Parents consent and counsell they have bestowed themselves in Matrimony and so have transgressed against the plaine commandement of God Such must heartily repent of their sinne and humble themselves before God with much sorrow for their great and wilfull disobedience Parents would not have their children thus to slight and dishonour them yea they take it grievously and are much perplexed with sorrow for their children in this case therefore children should bee much grieved themselves if they have given this occasion of griefe unto their Parents To satisfie mens owne desires and affections without regard to Gods ordinances is a notorious disobedience and bringeth the guilt of a great offence upon the soules of them that have so offended All you that have married in this disorderly manner see that you doe unfaignedly repent of the sinne before God and confessing the fault before him seeke to prevent the curse that must else fall upon you and your children after you for so dishonouring your Parents And you young men and women that be not yet married see that you binde your consciences and resolve your wills to obey this commandement Follow God in your Parents and be not so rash and selfe-willed as to crosse them and follow your owne heads and passions This duty will be easie if you looke carefully to your passions at first and suffer them not to be undiscreetely fixed upon any person untill you have acquainted your Parents with your desires and crav'd their allowance and consent But if a man or maide doe inthrall themselves and intangle others by a disorderly placing of their affections then shall they make this otherwise easie duty hard and impossible to themselves Keepe your selves therefore Masters of your owne hearts and sell not away your liberty through an over-hasty yeelding of your selves to your unruly passions Suffer not your mindes to be drawne away by any meanes but pray God to keepe your hearts in order It is a sinfull love as well as a sinfull passion in any other kinde which troubles an house and makes the children contrary to their Parents and to proove the greatest crosse that may be to them to whom they ought to have beene the greatest comfort Lastly Isaac shewes his due respect unto his Father by joyning with Ishmael his brother in burying his Father for so it is said his sonnes Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machphelah This is the last office that childeren can performe and they must shew their love and duty to them in the honourable performance of this last act as to testifie their love to their Parents so to declare their faithfull hope of the resurrection from the dead For therefore are men with due solemnities committed to the bosome of the earth because they expect their glorious rising againe and they shall not utterly perish and fall as doe the bruite and unreasonable creatures Now see Isaacs carriage towards his mother There was no love lost betwixt them but as Sarah did tenderly love Isaac so did he requite her love with love againe as is manifested in his sorrowfull taking of her death though she lived with him to a great age For so it is written that after Rebekkah was brought unto him and he was married unto her Gen. 24 ult Isaac was comforted after his mothers death intimating that even untill then he was grieved for the losse of her It is a fault therefore in childeren oversoone to forget their dead mothers and to let their remembrance quickly to slip out of their mindes how much more to be weary of their over-long lives and to be glad when the time comes that they must put them into the dust in respect of some paultrey gaine of money of land that they shall possesse when the Father and mother is dead All that desire their parents death for their goods sake which they shall enjoy after them and are glad when they shall change their parents for their goods must needes be called wicked and ungratefull childeren See therefore that you children love even your mothers heartily moderately lamenting their death that you may make it appeare their life was not a burden unto you And so have we seene Isaacs goodnesse towards his parents Looke into his carriage
in the yeare 2168. and after the flood as some thinke 512. and as others 562. for there is 60. yeares difference in chronologie because of the doubt about Abrahams birth Now the manner of his birth was this as the Scriptures relate Gen. 25.25 He came out first in colour red and all over rough as an hairy garment for which cause his name was called Esau which signe made as one that was stronger than ordinary children be and all over covered with haire In him the Lord shewed the freedome of his election as the Apostle notes Rom. 9. For Before the children were borne or had done good or evill it was said The elder shall serve the younger God chose not him but Iacob though they were borne both of the same Parents and at the same burden Now concerning his life we must consider 1. That which was good therein 2. That which was evill 3. His prosperity 4. His crosses and miseries For the first some things he did that for matter were good and commendable as even a bad man may have some good things found in him The first good thing was that he did shew good respect unto Isaac his Father For he was glad to gratifie him in his diet bringing home the Venison that he caught of which was made dainty meat which the old man loved to feed upon and when he came to him to present his Venison according to his Fathers appointment that he might receive the blessing from his Father he spake reverently unto him For when he brought the meate ready prepared for his eating he said thus to him Let my Father arise and eat of his sons Venison that thy soule may blesse mee Chap. 27.31 and after ver 34. Blesse me even me also ô my Father and ver 38. Hast thou but one blessing my Father blesse me even me also ô my Father Though his Father had given the blessing to Iacob his brother yet he doth not rage and grow into passionate expostulations but with gentle and reverent termes and with teares and with prayers seekes to get some blessing from him This proveth evidently that he carried a reverent esteeme of his Father in his heart and honoured him duly The same love and respect he shewed to Isaac after for when his wrath was kindled against his brother Iacob and that he minded to revenge himselfe by killing Iacob Yet he resolved to forbeare till Isaac was dead that he might not procure too much griefe and sorrow to him in his old age and therefore it is recorded that he said The dayes of mourning for my Father are at hand then will I kill my brother Iacob ver 41. He would not have deferred the murder of his brother for Isaacs sake till after his death but that he bare some respect and good will unto his Father And hee shewed the same respect unto him after Chap. 28.6 For when hee perceived his Father had blessed Iacob and sent him to fetch a wife from Padan Aram and not to take any Canaanitish woman and that the daughters of Canaan which he had married displeased his Father he went to his Vncle Ishmael and tooke his daughter Mahalath to wife seeking as well as his wit could serve to please his Father in that latter match although indeed he went not rightly to work in that marriage neither Some care you see he shewed to give his Father content though he had not wisdome enough to order himselfe rightly for that end Thus this Esau though he wanted grace and feared not God yet he bare love and reverence in some degree as a carnall man could unto his Father Isaac who loved him dearely and so he requited his love againe with such a kinde of love as might be found in an unsanctified person Now all you sons and daughters that have Parents living with you or have had come and lay your selves in the ballance with Esau and consider if you have so much as equalled him in this kinde of imperfect dutifulnesse towards your Parents He out of a kinde of naturall inclination or out of hope of being still kindly used and blessed of his Father shewed much respect unto him divers wayes Hath nature have carnall ends prevailed so much with you to encline your hearts to your parents as they prevailed with Esau If so yet boast not of this thinke not much the better of your selves these kinde of shadows of vertues cannot prove you to be godly children nor afford you sound comfort because themselves be not sound and perfect You have no great reason to please your selves because you are as good as Esau an unsanctified man and one of whom we can give little hope but that he was a casta-way I say therefore satisfie not your selves be not good in your own eyes because of this painted and counterfeit goodnesse But if otherwise it be and that it is evident you come far short of Esau and have not declared so much regard of your parents as he hath done then how bad must you account your selves that are much more sinfull even than an Esau might have been And it is cleare that divers children be far worse than this bad son of Isaac for they shew no reverence no submission to their aged Parents but apparently sleight them in word and deed grumble at them chafe against them carry themselves cuttedly and currishly towards them if at any time they be crossed by them will not be held from following their own evill desires as Esau was from killing his Brother by a desire not to grieve them but wilfully run on in their wicked courses even though they see and know that their wicked carriage doth greatly afflict and torment their Parents but purposely some do things to torment them O sin hath a greater sway and dominion in such childrens hearts than it had in Esaus and they are far more wicked than he was Yea when they see their Parents displeased with their wayes yet they have not so much desire to give them content as Esau had nor do not so much as labour in any manner though never so poorely to give them any satisfaction at all Woe woe unto such children what can he expect from God that is a viler son than Esau was Let such shame themselves by his example and now receive reproofe with meekness and greatly repent of their undutifulnesse if ever they purpose to attain pardon And now let all children that desire to enjoy in themselves the comfort of being the children and chosen of God strive to outstrip Esau in filiall obedience and duty Let them for conscience sake to God put on a largor measure of love and a greater reverence to their Parents labouring to please them in all things in the Lord out of conscience to submit themselves unto them honor them because God hath required it at their hands and to labour to forbeare all sin as in an holy regard to God so in part also out of a
wirh him 2. Dealeth plainely with him 3. Hee dealt bountifully with him Abrahams good carriage to strangers Heb. 13.2 Abrahams faults before his calling James 3.2 His first fault idolatry Abrahams faults after his calling 1. Weakenesse of faith 1 Sam. 27.1 Exod. 6.12 2. A carnall feare of death Psal 118.6 Psal 23.4 3. He dissembled 4. He drew Sarah to sinne so farre as to indanger her chastity A double ignorance 5. Abraham had two wives 3. Abrahams benefits 1. Temporall 1. For himself 1. A good wife 1 Pet. 3 6. A good wife a great blessing Prov. 18. â—2 Prov. 9.14 Prov. 31.10 11 2 He had children Psal 127.5 3 He had good servants especially one 4. Abraham had good kinsmen 1. Lot 2. Nahor 5. Abraham had faithfull friends Prov. 18.24 5. Abraham had a good name Eccles 5.13 A great and famous victory Isa 41.2 3. 2. God did doe good to others for Abrahams sake 1. Blessed Lot and delivered him 2. Blessed Isaac giving him goods and goodnesse He gave also abundance of outward things to Ishmael Shewed favour to him after his death Psal 112.6 Abrahams spirituall blessings 1. He was called from a false religion to the true Gal. 3.8 2. Spirituall blessings 1. God made him gratious promises 2. Appeared to him many times to renue those promises 3. He entred into a covenant with him and his seede after him Abrahams crosses 1. He changed his countrey and left his fathers house Psal 45.10 Mat. 10.36 2. Was uncertaine where he should dwell 3. Suffered crosses 1. In Lot his kinsman 4. His wife Sarah was twice taken away from him 5. Sarah was barren 6. There fell out a great jarre betwixt him and Sarah 7. Sarah died before him Gen. 23.3 8. He suffered in Hagars ill carriage to Sarah and in her running away being with-child 9. Hee was made to divorce Hagar and send her quite away 10. Hee was forced to thrust Ishmael out of his family 11. Hee was crossed in Isaac many wayes Heb. 11.19 Abrahams death 1 Pet. 3.6 Sarahs birth Her life 1. Her vertues 1. Her faith Heb 11.11 2. Shee obeyed her husband Gen. 18.6 1 Pet. 3.1 1 Pet. 3.6 3. Shee reverenced her husband A double feare Gen. 18.12 1 Cor. 11.3 7 â— Shee was a loving Mother and nursed Isaac her selfe Gen. 21.7 5. Shee apparelled her selfe modestly 1 Pet. 3.5 1 Pet. 3.3.4 1 Tim. 2.9 10 Sarahs faults 1. Shee was weake in faith Gen. 18 12. Ver. 11. Ver. 14. Heb. 11.11 2. Shee being â—ngry â—alâ—ely accâ—sed her husband Gen. 16.5 Verse 6. 3. Shee was somewhat too rough with Hagar 4. She dissembled at her husbands request 5. She lyed Sarahs benefits 1. Shee vvas a holy vvoeman 2 Shee had a godly and rich husband that was well esteemed 3. Shee had a godly childe 4. God delivered her twice out of a misery into which she had cast herselfe Sarahs crosses 1. She was barren a long time 2. Shee was sleighted by her maide 3. She was taken from her husband into the house of Pharaoh and Abimelech Her death Her age onely of all women is mentioned in Scripture Hagar nothing in Scripture of her birth or death It is probable she feared God and why Her life 1. Her Vertues 1. Shee was obedient to her governours 2. Shee told the truth Gen. 16.8 3. Shee submitted her selfe to her Mistresse aâ— the Angels commandement 4. Shee was thankfull to God for his goodnesse in bringing her home to Abrahams family 5. Shee was patient 6. Shee was carefull to provide her sonne a convenient wife Sarahs faults 1. Shee grew proud 2. Shee ranne away from her Mistresse Her benefits 1. She was one of Abrahams servants 2. Shee had the favour of her Master and Mistresse Ephes 6.3 Tit. 2.9 Pro. 14 35. 27.18 3. She received great mercies from God 4. Shee had Ishmael and a promise concerning him Her crosses 1. Sarah used her hardly 2. Shee and her son were cast out of Abrahams family 3. Shee saw her sonne ready to die with thirst Gal. 4.21 Ver. 22. Ver. 23. Ver. 24. Ver. 25. Ver. 26. Gal. 4.29 Keturah Ishmael His Vertues 1 He was outwardly conformable and obedient to his father 2. He submitted himselfe to his father to be banished out of his house 3 Hee ioyned with Isaac in his Fathers funerall 4. He was ruled by his mother in marriage His faults 1. He mocked his brother Ephes 5.4 2 Was a wilde man 3. Hee was a quarrellsome fellow Gen. 16.12 His Benefits 1. Deliverance from two great dangers 2. God provided water for him when hee was ready to die for thirst 3. God himselfe gave him his name Gen. 21.17 Joh. 9.31 4. He prospered much in the world His death See Ainsworth on Gen. 25.17 Eliezer The Scripture saith nothing of his Birth and Death nor of his faults His vertues 1. He proceeded warily to an oath 2. Carried himselfe well to Abraham 1. Hee used speed in performing his oath The iourney was about 300 miles Mat. 5.33 Psal 15.4 2. He served his Master religiously 3. He praised God for his good successe 4. He was discreete 5. He had a care of his Camels 6 Was diligent and made hast about his businesse Col. 3.22 Ephes 6.5 His benefits 1. God gave him a godly Master 2. He had his favour 3. He was a true Christian 4. God prospered him His crosse Hee was a bond-man Abrahams Contemporaries Lot His death is not mentioned in Scripture His vertues He was a righteous man 2 Pet. 2.8 A twofold righteousnesse Gal. 3.21 22. The righteousnesse of the Gospell is twofold Lots particular vertues 1. He left his owne Countrey and Fathers house 2. Hee was troubled at the evill conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.8 Psal 119.136 So in drunkennesse 3. Hee was hospitall Heb. 13.2 1 Pet. 4.9 Christmas 4. He intreated the Sodomites to desist from their villany 5. He sought to deliver his sons in law 6. For a good while he kept close to his Unkle Abraham His faults 1. He chose to dwell in a fertile place among sinfull men 2. He continued to dwell in Sodome among great sinners 3. He offered his two daughters to the Sodomites Rom. 6.2 4. He lingred in Sodome till the Angels tooke him by the hand Job 2.4 6. Hee was twice drunken His benefits 1. God gave him repentance 2. He and his were delivered out of the burning of Sodome His afflictions were foure Lots wife Her benefits 1. Delivered from Captivity 2. Delivered out of the burning of Sodome Her sin shee looked back to Sodome Her punishment Lots daughters had no vertues their vices 1. They agreed together about two grievous crimes Gen. 19.31 Qui semel verecundiae limites transiluerit graviter impudentem esse oportet Their owne sinne they make their Father drunken Their speciall sinnes Abrahams confederates Their vertues 1. They were friends to Abraham It is a good thing to be a a friend to the godly Prov. 13.20 Mat. 10.22 Acts 28. 2.