them which way hee wyll Secondly see how iust it is that they two which had ioyned in lyking one of an others counsell and deede further then God alowed should now as farre iarre and that for euer Surely such ende will vngodly friendship haue And euen dayly wee see that of all others they become most hated who haue been accompted of â—efore but in bad counsells conspireâ—s against God so able is God to set at variance amongst themselues and to continue their iarre to his good pleasure 3 Hee could haue destroyed the Serpent quite from off the earth but hee would not and happely because by his remayning there might bee continued in vs a liuely remembrance of our most lothsome fall and sinne so often as wee light of any of them The fourth part of the Chapter Verse 15. HE shall breake thy head and thou shalt bruse his heele Hee that is Christ not shee that is Mary This was a promise of a restitution vnto them and to their seede after them so many as beleeued in Christ and by Christ who should be borne of the woman to recouer their fall Yea to breake the Serpents head that is the olde Serpents head the Deuils power strength and might against man by sinne to quash it and quell it that it should not hurt to eternal death so many I say as beleue Nibble Satan shall at our heeles but not bite vs to death if wee holde here yea al his power against a chosen one shalbe but a nibbling a very nibbling rather to shew his malice then to hurt the heart that thus is settled and what a comfort is this He had a power by sinne to quell vs and vtterly to destroy vs but now by Christ it is become but a poore nibbling God make vs thankefull 2 This being sayd the Lord goeth on with his punishment agayne and now dealeth to the woman also as she had iustly deserued She was next to the Serpent in offending and shee is next to him punished of the Lord. This dolor and sorrow this anguish and payne that is heere inflicted and inseperably ioyned to the womans trauell should make both her husband and children loue her not adding by vnkindnesse griefe vnto griefe Despise not thy Mother sayde oâ—ld Tobias to his Sonne when I am dead but Honor her all the dayes of thy lyfe and doo that whiche shall please her and anger her not Remember how many daungers shee sustayned when thou wast in her wombe and how canst thou recompence her for that she hath done 3 The subiection of the woman to the man and his rule ouer her was a iust check of that bould taking vpon her both to talke so much with the Serpent and also to doo as hee had her without any priuitie and knowledge of her husband And it is as much as if God should haue sayde to her Because thou toâ—kest so much vpon thee without aduise of thy husband heereafter thy desire shall be subiect vnto him and he shall rule ouer thee Yet this authoritie of the man may not imbolden him any way to wrong his wife but teacheth him rather what manner of mâ— he ought to bee namely such an one as for grauitie wisedome aduise and all good gouernment is able to direct her in all things to a good course And her subiection should admonish her of her weakenesse and neede of direction and so abate all pride and conceipt of her selfe and worke true honor in her heart towards him whome God hath made stronger then her selfe and giuen gifts to direct her by This I say this authoritie in the man and subiection in the woman should effect But alas many men are rather to be ruled then to rule and many women fitter to rule then to be ruled of such vnruly husbands On the other side many men for abilitie most fit and able to rule yet for pride in the heart where subiection should be shall haue no leaue to rule So fit we sometimes to the order appoynted of almightie God Amendment is good on both sides for feare of his rod whose order we breake 4 In the third place Adam hath his punishment appoynted but with mencion of his fault before to weet Because thou didst obey the voyce of thy wife and eat Thereby geuing a note to Magistrates and Rulers that inflict punishments to doo the lyke namely to be able euer to lay downe a iust cause of theyr sentence If Herod should haue done thus when he killed Iohn he would haue seene his owne cruell iniustice and many in these dayes would be to seeke of true causes if they would keepe this order 5 Adam was drawen to it by his wife and she by the Serpent yet neither of them excused by that well and well agayne admonishing vs that no yeelding to a friend in an euill matter shall euer be defended by such excuse The case you see heere is in the Church this day Satan stirreth vp his false charmers in holes and corners against the Lorde and his anoynted They are as this Serpent Many in simplicitie are abused by them thinking all shall be well they shall knowe good and euill c. these be as Eue. And many yeeld vnto these for fauour and frendship kinred and liking c. and theis are as Adam But as Adam was excused because his friend perswaded him so shall they bee and no otherwise and would God wee might thinke of it at large and with a full meditation 6 The cursse of the earth is a perpetuall Preacher vnto vs how we offended that we might be humble and the benefits that we receiue neuerthelesse by labour from it declare Gods mercy that we might be thankefull The labour that is inioyned teacheth how hatefull to God all idlenesse is and the course beeing so that with the sweate of mine owne brow I should eate my bread a vocation is inferred for euery man to walke in and liuing at other mens tables and other mens trenchers eating the sweat of theyr browes and not mine owne is condemned 7 God made Adam and his Wife coates of Skinnes The beginning of apparrell is heere to bee noted that it was when wee had sinned and so is vnto vs at this daye no otherwise then if an offender should weare an halter all his life in remembrance of his faull What should more coole this vayne delight of apparell in vs then this should the theefe that had purchased an haulter by his faull yet had life granted him with a law to weare that halter during life wax proud of his halter and dye it red or greene or in some braue colour that he might ruffle it out with his haulter Surelye so it is with apparell it is our halter and badge of our desert to dye and wee should not bee so proude with an halter as wee are Whether it be silke or veluet
who appointed once is to bee killed Certainely the griping thoughts and twitching passions that Abraham felt in his minde during these three dayes made this tryall of his farre greater then it had beene if presentlye hee should haue smit that blowe Lastlye that hee must offer him for a burnte offring O depth of tryall able to haue swallowed vs vp a thousand of vs bothe to laye his handes vpon his deere Sonne and then to burne him to ashes when hee had doone his owne selfe making and tending the fire till all was doone and putting peece after peâ—ce into the flame when any was without and with his owne eyes to see all this and to looke vpon it Heere is a tryall to tell vs what God may doe if it please him This hee did to one farre better then anye of vs and yet wee must bee nice and tender and dayntie and if GOD touche vs but with the ache of a finger or a toe wee straight thinke hee dealeth hardelye with vs and hee hath forgotten his loue But O learne learne and see this The second part THen Abraham rose vp sayth the Text c. Heere wee see the most woonderfull obedyence that euer wee read of ioyned or rather flowing from a notable faith and both of them held â—ppe with the ordinarye proppes no doubte of Gods truthe and omnipotencie The nature of which is eyther to vphoulde other For his truthe vphouldeth his omnipotencie and hys omnipotencie his truth And this his obedience is set out euen from the beginning to the lifting vp of the very knife 2 Wee maye heere obserue what maketh the commaundements of God seeme so hard vnto men Surely not so much the nature of the commaundements as theyr nature to whome they are giuen which being crooked and corrupt maruelouslie fighteth and rebelleth against the same stronglye For saye to an angrye furious and hote bludded man thou must forgiue and loue thy neighbour blesse him when hee cursseth thee doo good to him when hee dooth hurte to thee c. Out hee cryeth it is impossible howe can a man obey such a lawe But saye to an Abraham that is to one that is borne againe and regenerated by the Spirite of God in such sorte as Abraham was who hath now God reigning in him in steede of oulde corruption offer thy onelye Sonne beeloued and deere to thee euen with thyne owne handes and burne him when thou hast doone for a burnte offering and you see heere hee will doe it without grudging or gaynesaying So sure is it that if the Lorde haue altered our nature His yoake is easie and his burthen is light Well therefore maye wee saye it is with vs sinfull men as it is with sicke folkes who woonder at the stomackes myrthe and cheere of the whole and thinke it a verye harde matter to doe so But where is the hardnesse Is it in the thing or in the weakenesse of the sycke So I saye is it when wee thinke anye parte of Gods lawe so harde and harde as manye doe 3 In that it is mentioned hee rose early to accomplish this busines therein hath the Holyghost made manifest not onely his great obedience but his woonderfull alacritie and forwardnesse in the same a strange example in so harde a matter But what can not Gods spirite effect if it bee powrefull in Man or woman 4 He maketh not his Wife priuie for anye thing wee can see in the Text and as we may coniecture for feare she should hinder him by any womanly weakenesse or motherlye teares from his bounden and purposed obedience Which if it were so fitly dooth it admonish vs to doe the like when we iustly can thinke that our freends affections will anye waye tempt vs or totter vs agaynst the Lords commaundements 5 Abraham tooke the wood of the burnte offring and layde it vpon Isaac his sonne to goe towardes the place of death that God had appoynted Behould a liuely figure of Iesus Christ bearing his owne crosse towards the place of execution euen as yong Isaac dooth heere the wood to burne himselfe withall though as yet he knewe not so much and in the end God preuented it 6 Behoulde the fire and the wood saith Isaac to his father but where is the Lambe for the burnt offring O pricke and wounde to the Fathers heart no doubte when the Childe thus spake But hee was resolued God not naturall affections must now bee obeyed Therefore hee taketh courage to him in a godly determination and conceyling all still from the Childe answereth him My sonne God will prouide him a Lambe for a burnt offring and so wente on with the Childe still In which answer of his beeing of Gods prouidence in a case hidden and secret as yet wee are notablye taught in all distresses what to hope and what to saye Surelye euen as Abraham did to hys Chylde in this place Dominus parabit The Lorde shall prouide If the wife saye with Tobias wife what shall we doe we are poore where shall wee haue bread for our Children where this and where that O be content The Lorde shall prouide is a good answer a fit answer and the answer of father Abraham in this place to his sonne Lord giue vs faith and thou neuer prouidest more notably a Lambe to saue young Isaac heere then thou wilt also prouide necessaryes for vs to saue our liues till the time appoynted of thee 7 But now the matter can be no longer hidden for they are come to the place and the deed must be doone Abraham therefore buildeth an Altar there and couched the wood and bound Isaac his Sonne and layde him vpon the Altar vpon the wood Though the Texte speake nothing of any speeche of Abraham to his sonne yet like it is that ere hee bound him hee shewed him Gods commaundement where vnto his sonne readilye submitted himselfe Iosephus taketh vpon him to tell vs more and supposing so strange a thing could neuer bee done without some dialogue betwixt the Father and the Sonne hee sayth it was in this sort First the Father spake to his Childe and sayde O my sonne deare and beloued with great care and diligence haue I hetherto brought thee vp whome with a thousand desires I wished before I had thee Thinking nothing more happye a comfort for mee then if I might liue to see thee a man and leaue thee in my place the possessor of all that I haue when I goe But behould it seemeth good to him nowe that gaue thee to mee to take thee from me againe and that I should loose thee Which since it is so O my gratious Childe indure this sacrifice for I yeeld to God for my owne parte who seeketh this seruice of vs for his continuall fauoure towardes vs bothe in peace and warre Thou art borne by nature to dye a death at sometime and now thy death must not be common but of thyne owne Father
not as by any vnder instrument and inferiour meanes as wickedlye the Arians would conclude but as by his substantiall power and vertue And againe as wee saye the fyre shyneth and the light of the fyre also shyneth so all which the Father dooth the Sonne also dooth Thus much of this poynte 2 What was created Heauen and earth say these words of Moses heere And Heauen and Earth and Sea and all things that are in them say the Apostles in an other place But that the generalitie bee not mistaken you must remember that needefull limitation which the Apostle addeth when hee sayth All things that were made By him all things were made and without him was made nothing That was made By which clause is made a plaine distinction of things created from things vncreated Nazianzene Epiphanius with other of the old writers rightly concluded vpon it against the Arians that as the Father was not made nor created so neither Sonne nor holy Ghost were But especially this clause discerneth and distinguisheth the workes of God and good creatures from sinne and death and such like which were not things made but came otherwise not things positiuely as I may speake of themselues but a priuation destruction and horrible deprauation of the order first made by God Thus teacheth Iohn when he maketh Satan the author of lyes and saith then he speaketh of his owne Againe when he saith the concupiscence of the flesh is not of the Father but of the world and in the next Chapter He that committeth sinne is of the Deuill for the Deuill sinneth from the beginning And as for death By sinne came death saith the Apostle and the rewarde of sinne is death c. When it is sayd therefore that God made all things remember to adde this all things that were made as S. Iohn dooth and so shall you exclude from the worke of God all sinne death deformitie confusion tyranny calamitie and such like which being neuer made by God are crept in by Satans malice and mans corruption as breaches and blots of Gods order 3 When In the beginning saith Moses heere and much a doo haue curious heads made about these words But if we haue that reuerent feare in vs that all men ought to haue toward the word of God they are plaine inough for if he had said in the end God created heauen and earth would we not streight haue conceiued that hee created them last to wit in the worke of the sixte day And why should we not as easily conceiue him when he saith in the beginning to meane nothing but first of all to wit the first day and so leaue all vngodly quirkes to a vaine heart that shall weepe for such wickednes one daye In principio say the best interpreters that is Certo ac definito tempore atque adeò in principio temporum non ab aeterno In the beginning that is in a certaine and definite time and euen in the beginning of time not from euerlasting In principio scilicet creandi In the beginning to wit of creating â—aith very rightly Abben Hezra God created heauen and earth And let these graue lights of graue and learned men sway more with vs then a thousand subtilties which as Syrach speaketh are fine subtilties but vnrighteous This creation of it in the beginning conuinceth the falshood that it is eternall So do many things mo beside this and namely that computation which is generally receiued of all men of the yeares which it hath indured and which be now past since the creation But neuerthelesse on go some with their blinde concepts and would prooue the contrary For first say they if we grant the world had a beginning then was God idle euer before but that is absurd therefore it was not created but was eternall We may answer them first that the rule which they harpe vpon in this argument namely that Perfectissima causa non est otiosa the most perfect cause is not idle Non est vera dea gentibus voluntariis is not true of such things as worke by will or willingly as the most excellent Carpenter may forbeare his worke and action a time If they thinke that God was alone therein they shew themselues carnall and speake carnally For how should he be alone more then then now vnto whome all things are present though they be future and things that are not as if they were Hierom vpon this occasion citeth that saying of Scipio Nunquam minus solus qùam cum maxime solus Neuer lesse alone then when I am most alone And cannot this be true much more of God that he is not alone without these creatures which he made Could he say it when his countrey was lost his wife and children freends and louers that yet all his good was with him and cannot the Lord say it much more that his good standeth not in the presence of creatures but before euer they were and now that they are yet all his is with him without them Christ sayth hee is not alone not in respect of any company of man or creature but in respect of his Father whome he saith to bee with him Nowe shall Christ not bee alone in respecte of hys diuine coniunction with hys Father and shall it not be alike with the Father in regard of his sonne and with the holy Ghost in regard of them both and with eache of them in respect of others Surely that inseperable vnitie of the Trinitie denyeth to euery person a possibilitie to be alone And that insearchable mysterie of the fruition of his owne glorye is other manner of company if I may so speake then all the creatures of this world can yeeld him O but yet say they what did God euer before Verely saith Austen he made Hell for such busie braines vnreformed harts and toongs that will so curiously enter into Gods secrets How much better would the words of the modest and godly Apostle become them O the deepenes of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God howe vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who was his counsellâ—r c. Secondly they reason thus The moouer the thing mooued be relatiues and the one supposeth the other But God the moouer was euer therefore the thing mooued to wit the world But we answer them to this also truly that if there be a moouer actually then there must needes also be a thing mooued But God though he were from euerlasting himselfe yet did he not actually mooue in respect of these outward creatures which are without his essence but onely was Mouens potentia It is farre differing therefore to speake of one as was said before that worketh by wil and freely to speake of a thing that worketh naturally it is no absurditie to say y t the relation betwixt the first cause the
the same Again to consent to that which is wickedly deuised of others and to make a particular concept a general iudgement action and worke at last Great cause therfore that mens lewd deuises should be restrained from being published since both the deuisers wishe and mans great corruption is so prone to yeeld a wicked consent and folowing of the same Caiphas counsell when it once sounded of Christs death was quickly harkened vnto and from that daye forward consultation had together howe they might accomplishe the same Whosoeuer broched it first that the people should aske Barabbas and refuse Iesus it was soone receiued liked folowed of such ignorant spirits and giddy heads That a sort should combine together and kill the Apostle had a beginner and how quickly pleased the plot such other bloudye mindes and spitefull hearts How soone imbraced Lots yoonger daughter the counsell of the elder to do so vile a thing That vnbrotherly conspiracie against Ioseph was soone yeelded vnto when once it was vttered Lye vpon thy bed said Ionadab and faine thy selfe sicke when thy father commeth to see thee pray him that thy sister Thamar may come make thee some meate c. You know the counsel you know the consent to the same also how ready it was how wel liked Ahitophels deuise that Absolon should enter into his fathers concubines left to keepe the house though it were horrible yet how it pleased was imbraced cannot be forgotten A sort of green heads Oratores noui stulti adolescâ—tuli new orators fooles yoong counsellers laid a plot for Rehoboam Salomons sonne to folow he liked it he folowed it and cast away the counsell of the aged experienced learned and faithful counsellers to his father but it cost him the setting on hee bought it deere and had I wist came as euer it dooth when it was too late Thus might we runne on a large and long course if I woulde But it shall not neede one example moe shall suffice and then an end of this note Doe you remember the murmuring against Moses and Aaron in the booke of Numbers how began it had it not a Captaine then a second then a third then a number once broched that Moses and Aron tooke too much vpon them that others were equall with them and therfore should be in like authority that the people wronged and so foorth soone was it liked soone was it catched soone was it prosecuted of proud mindes that would be aloft and knew not to obey But what was Moses Aron that they should be thus vsed of their brethren Surely the Lords faithfull ministers his chosen serauants they were whose cause when he had thus exercised them with a trial he tooke into his own hands his ielousie on their behalfe began to burne and till hee had shewed a iudgement that should make all eares to tingle that heare of it all hearts not forsaken of God to feare how they doe the like hee neuer left them Conclude we then vpon all those that sinne some be wicked to broache a wickednesse and thousands weake to folowe the same when once they heare it yea though it be to builde a Tower against God it neuer was nor euer shall be either godly pollicie or christian dutye to suffer mens braines to broche what they list and others to folow vnquiet deuises hatefull to God and hurtfull to his Church in a high degree 6 It followeth in the text That we may get a name see the madnes of the world euer to neglect heauen and seeke a name in earth where nothing is firme nothing continueth but fadeth away and perisheth as a thought This madnesse the Prophet Dauid mentioneth in his 49. Psalme and laugheth at it saying They thinke their house and their habitations shall continue for eâ—eâ— euen from generation to generation and call the lands by their owne names This their way vttereth their foolishnes yet their posteritie delight in their talke c. That saying of Iuuenal is known Mors sola fatetur quantula sunt â—ominum corpuscula onely death acknowledgeth of what power mens bodyes bee such are our minds so greedye of a name and so blinde in the true course to attaine the same whereof wee had speeche before Thys sinne of ambition and vayne glorye pricked the heartes of our first parents to the very death It is not rooted out of their posteritie nor euer will But yet lesse and more it pricketh although all bee not euill in this respect alike Would God this vngodly and vntowardlye regarding and desiring of a name had not beene before and were to this day a cause to make many reiect the truth of God which they should imbrace For times past what said our Sauiour in the 5 of Iohn Howe can you beleeue which receiue glorie one of an other and do not seeke that glorie that is onely of God For times present I content my selfe with that confession openly at Paules crosse that amongst some other causes which kept one in such disobedience to God and hir Maiestie this was one chiefe one the tickling of vaine glory Which cause said he I am sure dooth detayne most of the contrary side meaning Papists in their peruerse obstinacie howsoeuer they bragge that they seeke nothing by theyr dealings but the glory of God c What I could saye I doe not let them that take bad courses examine their owne hearts why they do it and remember how deepe hee that made the heart seeth into it Yea let others also looke that be no Papists if this hidden conceipt to get a name doe not make them tread awrie and if secret thoughts giue secret sentence on my side against themselues because conscience will speake true though not euer alowde that others may heare remember his saying that sayd it well Melius est de media via recurrere quam semper currere male Better it is to returne backe when we haue gone halfe waye then still to go on and that ill 7 They will build they say to saue them that they be not dispersed But behould the issew this very thing is the cause of their dispersion both farre and wide a sunder So crosse shall God turne the counsels of flesh against his glory liking and will For euen that which the wicked feareth shall come vpon him saith the spirite of God As in example one for many beside this place Christ may not be suffred to liue and goe on least the Romains came vpon them and tooke awaye both their place and the nation But euen this conspiracie put in practise brought that which they feared vpon them most trulye iustly and heauely to thâ—ir vtter ouerthrâ—w and subuersion by Titus and Vespasian There is no strength there is no counsell wisdome or pollicy against the Lord. If fleâ—h deuise wayes to establish it selfe without his feare the folly of flesh shall soone appeare
of grace and life except it be renewed and borne againe by the spirit of God through a gracious receiuing it into a gracious couenant freely made with man and his seed by a gracious God that would not the death of a sinner but that he should know him serue him loue him and liue for euer Consider how long it indured but vntill Christ and no longer of necessitie What was afterwards done was in regard of weakenes in the Iewes till the truth of Christ and the effect of his comming might be better knowen For what ende to confirme this promise that now you haue seene that if they walked befoâ—e God and were vpright verely and verely yea euen so verely as that signe was in their flesh would God be their God and the God of their seed after them 6 Note how the signe is called by the name of the thing signified This cut in the flesh is called Gods couenant when it was but the signe and the couenant as you haue seene this I will be thy God c. This is no new kinde of speaking with God but vsuall euer in his sacraments heere you see it in the circumcision afterward in Exodus when he commeth to the Passeouer he calleth the Lambe the Passeouer which was but the signe of the Angells passing ouer all those houses that were stricked with the bloud vpon the dore cheekes In the new testament the rock is called Christ the seed is called the word the water is called the washing of the new birth And yet may not God bee alowed by some men in the sacrament of his last supper to speake as euer he did in all sacraments but because there he sayth the bread is his body c. therefore it must be so really carnally substantially and grossely by transubstantiation deuised of themselues But by these examples of like speach and phrase you well see that their assertion is a reall lye a carnall lye a substantiall lye and a grosse lye and truly sayd the Father if they woulde regard him Christus non dubitabat dicere hoc est corpus meum cum fignum daret corporis sui Christ doubted not to say this is my body when he deliuered but a signe of his body 7 That the child was not circumcised before the 8. day it teacheth vs that God hath not tyed saluation to the sacrament for it had bin a hard thing in the Lord to deferre it an houre if the childe had perished without it This answereth the feare of some good ones and the false bouldnes of some bad ones in these dayes touching children that dye without baptisme for God is not worse to vs vnder the Gospell then hee was to them vnder the Law neither lesse able to saue now without baptisme then in those dayes he was without circumcision the seede of the faithfull This grace was not then free and now bound then more and now lesse then stronger and now weaker farre be it from vs so to dreame Dauids childe when it died before the eight day he yet for all that iudged not damned neither cryed out for it as he did for Absolon that was circumcised but sayd that he should go to it refreshed himselfe cheered his wife and made his seruants to wonder at his comfort And when he sayd he should go to it we knowe he meant not that it was in Hell or any hellish Limbus and that thither himselfe looked to go to it but rather comfortably he conceyued it was with the Lord because the promise extended it selfe both to the godly and to their seede if further we desire to thinke of this matter consider we this and the like reasons No elect can be damned wee knowe it a principle whatsoeuer foolish men do prattle but some vnbaptized are elect a thing that no man will deny therefore some vnbaptised cannot be damned which if it be true then see you plainly that saluatioÌ„ is not tyed to baptisme as some imagine Againe he that heareth my word sayth Christ and beleueth in him that sent me shal be saued cannot be damned Iohn 5.24 but this may one doo before he be baptised therefore before a man be baptised he may stand in the state of saluation and out of all danger of damnation The assumption is euident in the Eunuch Act. 8· and others Fortie yeares it was omitted in the wildernesse and yet hard to say that whosoeuer so dyed was damned since God in that omission intended no crueltie but mercie and pitie to his people How do not these men consider that they put life and death saluation and damnation in the hand of a mortall man yea of any Minister that if he be disposed for malice to the parents to hurt the childe may be absenting himselfe and seeking delayes in the weakenesse of the childe so farre hurt it as to damne it for euer out of the kingdome of God and company of all faithfull O fearefull doctrine fearefull to all good parents iniurious to thousands of poore infants and blasphemous against the bottomlesse mercy of a sweet and tender father who hath sayd I will be thy God and thy childes not adding any condition of baptisme if it cannot be had as it ought How much sweeter is it that Luther obserued and long before him Bernard Epist 77. in the words of our Sauiour He that beleeueth and is baptised shall be saued and he that beleeueth not shall be damned Marke sayth Luther how in the affirmatiue he mencioneth baptisme but not in the negatiue For he doth not say he that is not baptised shall be damned but he that beleueth not he shall be damned Are couenants made by Sacraments or only sealed by them Did not the Primitiue Church examine those of yeares in the faith before they baptised them Why so I pray you but that they might shewe it was the couenant not the seale their faith and not the sacrament which chiefely was to be regarded though the seale also in no case to be neglected much lesse contemned How many in times past deferred their baptisme for many yeares as Constantine Nectarius Nazianzene c. not therein doing so well as they ought but yet euidently shewing the faith of the Church then that God without baptisme is able to saue and hath not tyed his grace to any signe If he can saue men of yeares why not infants but I will go no further only this will I say that if saluation depended vpon the sacrament it were not only fit that women who are neerest in time of weakenesse should baptise who yet are forbidden by God and well ordred Churches but also that all sorts of persons and not only Ministers should dispense that holy mysterie to the end that no poore creature might be cast away for want of it But blessed be God that hath neither thus inthralled his grace nor taught his Church in his word but quite contrary as we see in this place
title and interest in Christ and religion I wyll releeue thee The Christian shall thinke and say My distresse is great and what good dooth my faith and profession now to me can my title and name now releeue me can I liue by the name of Christianitie is eyther meat in my belly or money in my pursse by religion No I may dye for hunger and lye in prison for wante for all my Christianitie and therefore better is it for mee to take goulde and siluer meate and drinke pleasure and comforts of this life and be out of this want then to cleaue and be wedded to my faith still away then with this that helpeth not and welcome that that neuer fayles Forgiue me the penny and I shall want nothing Were not this a prophane speech of an vntaught minde and man were not this a most horrible contempt of a most holy profession Then thinke of Esau by this What saith he is this birth-right to me now that I am like to dye for meate as if he should say giue me for my belly and let it go that feedes me not and so foorth Nowe if this be vgly before our eyes as I am sure it is then learne wee by it neuer to measure spirituall things by worldly profit to back and belly and pursse c but thinke of spirituall things in theyr kinde and know that he that feareth God shall wante no manner of thing that is good Godlinesse hath the promise of the to come and of this life also that is of all necessaries heere as shall be best Seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and all these things shall bee cast vnto you With many and many such promises 15 Sweare to me saith Iacob and why sweare Of like because hee knewe the instabilitie and vncertaintie of Esau nowe in this minde now in that neuer constant in the word spoken Therfore he maketh him sure that he shal not start with an othe which doubtles very Esau made religion of to the condemnation of manie amongst vs that thinke they be better then Esau and yet care asmuch for an othe as for their ordinarie speeches we may learne by Iacob with worldlye men to deale somewhat worldly that is to make surer of them by such lawfull meanes as we can then we would of others whose consciences be better and constancie in a word spoken farre otherwise then this mans was 16 Then he sware and sould it Preferring as worldly men doe an earthly commoditie before Gods spirituall graces which the godly doe not The preheminence of the birthright was this Habebant ius Sacerdotii regni in familia They were Priests and kings in the familie after the fathers death They had a preheminence aboue the rest in the diuision of the fathers inheritance Deutro 21. They succeeded the father in all dignitie principallitie and honour They had authoritie ouer theyr yonger brethren so that they rose vp at theyr presence and ministred to them Spectabat etiam vitam aeternam It had also his reference and respect to eternall life All which being great things this prophane man made little accompt of but sould his title to them all for an easie price according to a sillye feeling of spirituall grace Beware we by him as the Apostle warneth to the Hebrewes that wee bee not like him Reade the Apostles wordes your selfe Many among vs can skill more of Sheepe and Cattell Corne and Wine Farmes and rents then of spirituall regeneration and death of sinne Such sayings sauour not ought vnto them but remember Esau and I say no more Lastly when Esau had sould it and Iacob gotten it then falleth he to his meate freshly that Iacob set before him and contemned the birthright See I pray you the remorse in wicked men when they haue offended They eate and drinke laugh and are merry this is the care they take and feeling that they haue A fearefull dulnesse if we thinke of it not onely to do wickedly but to be so farre from repentance afterward Yet is this vsuall with many men Dauids heart smote him when hee had offended and it was Gods grace and spirit in him so shall it be in vs. A stonie heart is a plague of God and a fleshie heart his good blessing The one for his enemies the other for his children This feeling heart and tender sense when we haue shipped the Lord giue vs euer to a true repentance and rising vp againe Chap. 26. The heads of this Chapter these The famine verse 1. The exile of Isaac and his accidents to ver 15. The hatred of the Palestines against him to 16. The couenant betwixt the king and him 1TOuching the first wee remember and the words remember vs also that God tryed Abraham this mans Father before euen with the same affliction in a strange coūtrey and now he tryeth his sonne after him with the same Thereby giuing vs occasion to learne that euen such temptations as others before vs our Fathers and brethren haue tasted of we also must expect and prepare our selues for The cup of affliction is not appropriated to some fewe but made ready euen for the whole number of Gods elect as the Father of wisedome shall iudge it sit Now if others also haue drunke with vs both before and shall after then false is that peeuish perswasion that Sathan so faine would fasten in our mindes that none but we taste of this crosse or in this sort and such like It is not so but as heere what Isaac is tried with his father also indured before so what we abide others in like sorte haue abidden and it is no more token of Gods displeasure to vs then to them but his messenger in loue to invre our faith both to them and vs. The Apostle Peter is very plaine let not his wordes depart from before your eyes day or night whom resist saith he stedfast in the faith knowing that the same the same afflictions marke it are accomplished in your brethrē which are in the world Both of which place and matter I haue much more spoken in the last petition of the Lords praier to your comfort I hope if you will there see it and consider it 2 The Lord appeareth to Isaac and saith go not downe to Egipt c. where we see the care prouidence of the Lord for his chosen euer whom though he exercise as it pleaseth him yet he neuer leaueth destitute of his comfort His eye sleepeth not nor his loue fainteth but euer he is ready to supply an other waye what wanteth someway to his children Gen. 41. He admonisheth Pharoh of a famine to come by his seruant Ioseph and whye But that so he might prouide for his seruant Iacob a place to be fed in 2. Kings and 8 you haue an other notable example of this mercy Let the Lord then worke his
before the hatred growen in the brethren against Ioseph in this second part of y e chapter we may sée their execution and practise of the same against him when they had oportunitie The oportunitie was this Their father sendeth Ioseph into y e fields to them where they kept their cattel to sée how they did Whom when they saw in this sort come into their hands streight they conspired against him Now that the father would send him and that Ioseph would go hauing had such notice of their disliking of his dreames it plainlie sheweth the simplicitie of the godlie and such as haue honest minds that they are farre and often but too farre from suspecting and forecasting such perils as in déed are towards them and such euill nature in others as in time sheweth it selfe and bursteth out It is an old saying euen here we sée it true Vt quisque est vir bonus c. A man that meaneth truly and honestly himselfe thinketh all others to meane so likewise But it was so Though olde Iacob meane no hurt neither yet Ioseph the other brethren doe and conspire his death when in loue sent in loue he commeth to sée howe they did Though simple then it is good to be yet ouer simple beware to be Inter spinas calceatu Amongest thornes haue on thy shooes sayeth an other prouerbe and it is worthie practise 2 Out goeth Ioseph and thinketh no harme then as I said and he séeketh his brethren from place to place but he findeth blouddie enimies rather then brethren at the last So fareth it dayly with manie a man Wee séeke life but wee finde death at the Phisitians hands Wee séeke iustice we finde oppression wee séeke truth wee finde falsehoode and in a worde as Ioseph here wee séeke for brethren but finde farre otherwise in the end So dooth secret sinne couer it selfe euen in the Church militant to this day But who so reputed a brother becommeth a foe let him thinke what credite Iosephs brethren had with God or man for such hypocrisie and who so is halted withall and deceyued as Ioseph was meaning no woorse then Ioseph did let him turne his face from man and clap holde of God saying with the Prophet It is good for me to holde mee fast by God to put my trust in him and what protection and safe garde poore Ioseph found when hee was here alone in the middest of his no brethren but bloudie foes that comfortablie hope for at the same Gods hand who is one to day then and for euer to all that truelie cleaue to him 3 But why saith Moses so brodelie that they conspired to slay him This was much to bee laid in writing against such men No not a iote For it being so in déed the holie spirite of God hath taught vs notablie by it what difference is betwixt man and God Man in his writings flattereth and smootheth and dissembleth faults yea often for vice putteth in vertue and where in deede a dispraise was due yet there extolleth to the skie But Gods holie spirite in his writings dooth not so He speaketh plainly and euer truely of all degrées whatsoeuer Againe it sheweth that Moses was not directed by flesh and bloud for if he had he would haue couered the blemishes especiallie these great blemishes of his ancestours Thirdlie it is a rule to direct them to doe it and it is a warrant to them if they doe it that write stories and commit to writing facts of present or former times Trueth was euer without shame what blame soeuer it getteth vnworthilie But filthie flatterie maketh them liue with shame that vse it during life and shamefullie spoken off euen after death 4 Behold say they this dreamer or maister of dreames commeth A scoffe and a lewde scoffe the dreames of Ioseph being from God to a speciall reuelation of his great mercie in time intended to that house But we may well sée in it the fashions of the wicked and the lot of the godlie in this world often How differ these speaches Behold the dreamer and Beholde the holy man the holy woman the hote gospeller c Surelie both are scoffes alike from a prophane heart which God will visite with a whipping rodde in his good time Thus scoffed the Captaines and their fifties when they called the Prophet in mockerie Man of God but with fire from Heauen the Lorde consumed such mockers· If the like fire from Heauen consume not our mockers let them yet bee sure that fire in hell shall neuer faile them 5 Come therefore say they and let vs slay him and cast him into some pit c. See what it is to harbor in our bosoms a dislike of a man and a hatred in time it leadeth vs euen to blouddie murther of the partie so disliked or at the least to a willingnes to do it if we be by meanes kept from the act For if a brother breath death agaynst his brother because he hateth him surelie men in further degrées from vs will neuer stand in our handes Then stoppe betimes if we feare God and abandon hatred out of our hearts Let it neuer lie boyling within vs and gather strength Such Patriarchs ouercome by hatred against their brother may teach vs whilest we liue what hatred is 6 Then shall we see what will become of his dreames As if they should say so shall wee proue his dreames false O blinded men the determined counsaile of God they will ouerthrow and by their power and practise they will preuent what hee will haue come to passe So thought the blinde Pharisies Priests and Elders that if they could compasse once the death of our Sauiour all should be well they should still deceyue the worlde the Scriptures should bee falle and whatsoeuer by Christ was effected shoulde bee preuented But was it so or rather did not all their malice woorke to the effecting of Gods purpose Herode by pollicie or crueltie open will kill the babe Iesus and then all shall be well yea euen to this day fooles will contende agaynst God and prooue him vntrue But away betimes with such dreadfull impietie God will bée true and his purposes shall be perfourmed when all earthlie creatures shall be confounded that stande agaynst him Iosephs dreames shall come to passe in despite of all scorners or vnnaturall practisers to the contrarie So let vs thinke so let vs know so let vs liue till life take her leaue and all bee effected Our fayth our cause our profession and religion shall stande being the Lordes though thousandes of our bodyes bee destroyed by raging crueltie and all is not sure on our aduersaries side as they suppose when once they haue preuailed against some of vs. Blessed be God 7 But when Ruben heard that hee deliuered him out of their handes c. What Ruben was this Surelie euen hee that laie with Bilhah his fathers Concubine as wée
and therefore let them weigh their estate that take such bitter courses as we daylie sée whether that spirite be in them that was in Ioseph or no. Nay are they like vnto farre worse men then Ioseph was for knowledge in the truth that moderateth reuenges As vnto Antigonus who hearing with his owne eares certain of the soldidurs speake euil of him neuer reuenged the matter but patientlie endured it and bad them either go further or speake softer lest the king should heare them vnto Augustus Caesar who suffred one Timagenes a writer of historie abusing notoriously both him his wife and his whole familie to liue neuerthelesse and to liue in good estate euen in Rome vnder him If such men as these thus gouerned their affections when they had wrong may we carie the credites of christian professors boiling in malice hunting for reuenge and euen breathing out slaughter against whome we dislike as we sée at this day What the Lorde hath saide against such heates sundry times in these notes I haue obserued and our selues full well know his dislike of such dealing Nowe doe but thinke of him that in wisedome saide it Parciús vtendum potestatâ— quó semper ea vti possis Sparingly shouldest thou vse thy power that euer thou maist vse it That is reuenge little and liue long c. 6 The greatnes of the famine is laid downe noted by the effects of it When it consumed all the money in the land and brought it to Pharaohs coffers then all their cattell being glad to giue them for food when their money was gone thirdly all their land and euen their bodies also if he would so haue taken what they offered What a spectacle is this of Gods power what easilie he can do and of his gratious fauour what yet hee doth not Durum telum necessitas A sharpe dart is neede and want And therefore a great mercie is plentie and store Where be our hearts to feele it and to blesse God for it vsing it well to his glorie But what when both money and cattell with land also were gone all become Pharaohs Sée then a wisedome and a fatherly mercie in Ioseph Then gaue he them séed to sow their land yeelding y e king but the fift part and themselues kéeping foure to their maintenance wisdom I say because else the land should haue beene wast and the foode as yet holding out would haue decaied mercie for that if some had had them at such a list they would haue rather taken foure parts and haue left them one then quite contrarie as Ioseph did Mercie againe in that he regardeth their wiues and children c. That is their charges and according therevnto dealeth with them and alloweth to them Which is a thing they little thinke of that shaue to the bones and grinde euen the faces of their tenants now adaies What blessing also this kind dealing had in the hearts of the people the storie noteth when they thankefullie attributed the sauing of their liues vnto him Gracious dealing will euer haue a gracious report with thankefull men when sighing grones of whole families beggered and vndone will crie for spéedie vengeance from a iust iudge 7 Except the land of the priests onelie c. This wiâ—h that before in the 22. verse where it was saide that Pharaoh nourished the Priests with an ordinarie sheweth what care should be had of ministers and what prouision should euer bee made for them This Pharaoh of Egypt had a care of his Priests Iesabel a wicked woman maintained her prophets of the groues 400. at her table Micah in the Iudges maintained his Priest And may onelie the professors of the Gospell neglect their teachers Let the Lord iudge who said the labourer was worthie of his hire Let the Apostle iudge who saith they are worthie of double honour and the oxe may not be mufled that treadeth out the corne nay who with manie similitudes and arguments proueth the contrarie as 1. That no man goeth to warfare on his owne charges 2. That husbandmen eat of the fruit of such vineyards as theÌ„selues plant 3. That shéepherds eat of the milk of their own flocks cloth themselues with the wooll 4. That sowing spirituall things which are the greater we are well worthie to reape carnall things being the lesser 5. That the ordinance of God was to haue them liue by the altar that serued at the altar with other like reasons in that place and to the Galatians if you consider them and gather them out Had the priests of the law the tenth part and shal the ministers of a better testamenc haue neuer a part Such maintenance wil haue such ministers in time out of question to the vtter decay of learning pietie and religion and to the bringing in of al barbarisme error as Satan wisheth Worthie is the vertue of Nehemiah touching this matter euerlasting remembrance and imitation of them that haue like authoritie feare God He finding that the priest Eliashib who had the ouersight of that which belonged to y e maintenance of the priests being ioined in affinitie with Tobiah y e Ammonite an enemie of the Iewes the portions of the Leuites were not giuen them but euery man was fled to shift for himselfe amongst his friends most zealously reformed it as there you may sée threw out Tobiahs vessels thrust out Eliashib placed them y t were counted faithful brought the tithes of corne and wine and oile into the house of the lord againe Marke the state of our times and sée if such Tobiahs be not yet amongst vs and such Eliashibs who dealing togither in all vnrighteousnes conuey the portions of the Leuits by little and little from the church y t all may come to ruine vtter confusion in time They must haue the tith corne the glebe land peraduenture the house also for a dairie and their cousen Eliashib the minister there shall haue the tith géese and the egs at Easter But shall not god visit this great impietie O lord O lord in mercie forgiue the sins of the land and the iniquitie of thy people deseruing iustly the losse of thy worde sweet libertie of their consciences yet yet shew fauor For these mercies raise vp workmen y t are able to féed thy people as they ought either conuert or confound these church-robbers that sauor nothing but their 〈◊〉 gaine that taking thus dailie away the rewarde of knowledge indeuor the death of thousaÌ„ds thousands of soules 〈…〉 created Stirre vp Nehemiah thy faithful seruant to redresse this sin and to settle things carnal as shalbe 〈◊〉 to them that so â—â—spiritual that God be not mocked Howe that be thy people sheepe of thy pasture shal giue this praise for euer for so great a mercie Amen Amen 8 So Iacob dwelt in Egypt in the best of the land grew and
13. Euery thâ—ng in his season hath God for hys childe Verse 20. Thankfulnes euer in the godly Verse 21. Good works ioyned to true faith smell sweetly Verse 21. The seasons of the yere Gods gift still Verse 1. Comfort after sorowe Psalm 30. Verse 2. Beasts how bridled to hurte no more then they doe Verse 3. Flesh alâ—â—wed to eate Verse 4. Crueltie forbidden Verse 6. Murdeâ— restrained Verse 9. Verse 13 The Raine bowe why giuen An allegorie of the Rainebow Verse 20. Verse 21. The fauls of the 〈…〉 they profit The filthie sinne of drunkennesse Verse 22. Publiâ—hers of other mens waÌ„ts Verse 23 The good spirâ—t of them that couer as they may â—heir brethrens nakednesse Good men haue euill children Verse 24. Note Verse 1. Gods power mans forgetfulnes In the Church good and bad Truth elder then falsehood Oppression howe ould Verse 9. Tyrannie compared to hunting Sinne groweth by custome In euery towne a Nimrod great or little Earthly glory no true token of Gods fauour Psal 49. The wicked often prouiders for others that shalbe better then they Rom. 11.33 Caluin Verse 1. What language was first Aug. lib. 9. cap. 12 sup Genesin ad literam The Chaldie tongue Verse 4. Hyperbole Psal 107. Vnitie of language When the tower was built Bad counsell soone taken Iohn 11. Mark 15. Acts. 23.12 Gen. 19. â—1 Gen. 37 2â— 2 Sam. 13. â— 1. Sa. 16.21 Chap. 16. Verse 4. Vaine glorie how it pricketh to do euil Psal 49.11 Verse 44. W. Tedder Seminarie priest 1. December 1588. pag. 9 Ruff. li. 1.6 Verse 4. What the wicked feare commeth vpon them Ioh. 11.48 〈◊〉 21.30 Wicked men neuer see the true cause of Gods iudgements Note Verse 5. Magistrats must looke for cause iust before they smite Iohn 7. 2. Sam. â—6 Verse 6. There is a bad 〈◊〉 to bee auoyded 〈…〉 Feare not â—he heat of the wicked An vnknowne â—ongue God his worke to call 2. Tim. 2 1â— God looketh not at merit in his calling Rom. 9. All must be forsaken to follow God 45.11 Countrey impietie perilous Be not curious when God doth call Gâ—d euer calâ—eth vs to our goâ—d if we folow him Verse 3. God calleth by his word Heb. 12.25 Abrahams obedience Cap. 11.8 Monkiâ—h practise nothing helped by Abrahams leauing all c. Verse 4. Abraham patiently tarieth God his leysure Verse 5. The obedience of a faithfull wife 8.10.11 c The crosses of this good cupple The lot of the godly The weaknesse of chiefe pillers in Gods Church 17 God steppeth in to saue Sarah 18 How odious adultery to an heathen Nâ—te Verse 19. The griefs of the godly haue a good ende Psalme 34. A figure in Abraham and Sarah Verse 2. Riches giuen to the godly Verse 7. Wealth cause of contention sometime Seruants set maysters at variance Maysters excuses to deale in their seruants quarells Speech endeth anger and silence nourisheth increaseth it When maâ—hood â—s to bee â—hewed Verse 10. Pietie neuer bringeth losse in the ende Psal 34. 2. Tim. 6. 1. Tim. 4. Verse 10. Good men yeeld to reason Verse 11. Men gaping for pleasure get payne Good neighbours Verse 14. The continual weaknes of man needeth continuaâ—â— comforts from God Gods comfort◠〈◊〉 in fit times Obedience Thankefulnesse Open profession of religion Rom. 9.10 Verse 4. Rebellion 1. King 22. Iere. 38.4 Amos 7.10 Papists Rebells Math. 26. Rom. 13. Ambrose Sinne punished Verse 12. The euill of dwelling with the wicked Reade 1. Reg. 22. verse 32. how neere Iehosaphat was to a shrewde turne for companying with Ahab Verse 13. The Lords care for his Verse 14. In dâ—stresse of friend forget all former faules and helpe Warre lawfull Verse 15. Pollicy in warre Math. 2. Iosh 10. Act. 9. Verse 18. Religion and 〈…〉 together Melchisedechs fact no figure of popish Masse A rule touching types and figures Heb. 10.14 The comparison how it standeth Hebr. 7.1 verse 2. verse 3. verse 3. ver 5. c. Care of the credit of a professor of truthe Note verse 6. Aug. de genesi ad liter lib. 12 Gen. 41. chap. 40. Verse 1. How God comforteth Rom. 8. Psa 23.4 No losse in seruing God Mala. 3.14 Psal 23. Psal 4. Psal 144. Verse 2. Verse 5. Iustification by faith Rom. 4.23 Phili. 3.8.9 Verse 8. A signe asked Num. 6. God accepteth an imperfect faith The manner of olde coâ—enants and the sâ—gne of the ceremonies vsed Verse 11. An allegorie Verse 13. First sower and then sweete Verse 14. Sinne euer punished first or last 2. Thes 1.6 c. Gen. 4. Gen. 19. Exod. 14. Num 16. 2. King 2. Sorrowe hath an ende 〈◊〉 â—ere 25.12 〈◊〉 â—05 19 And ofâ—en 〈◊〉 welth Rom. 8 2â— Verse 15. The death of the godly full of comfort Gen. 5. Gen. 49. Chrysost Gen. ho. 29 Verse 16. God spareth till sinne be ripe Syrac 5.4 Verse 2. Good Spirits in men or women blame themselues before others Read Mal. 2. vers 15. Verse 4. Verse 5. Verse 6. Verse 7. Verse 8. Read Iob. 31.15 Verse 9. Verse 1. Theyr age noted for 2. causes Rom. 4.19 Verse 1. A comfort by Gods omnipotencie 2. Cor. 12.26 Verse 1. Godlynes gayneth God to vs and our children vngodlynes lâ—seth him to both 1. Tim. 4. 6. Verse 5. His name why changed Verse 7. Circumcision what and why there c. Verse 10. The sygne hath the name of the thing signifyed Exod. 12. 1. Cor. 10. Luc. 8.11 Tit. 3. Verse 12. Saluation not tyed to the Sacrament 2. Sam. 12.23 Note Maâ— 16.16 〈…〉 Verse 12. Not sinne but the imputation of it Note Verse 14. Contempt of sacraments Why Sarai her name was also changed Verse 15. Women thinke of this Verse 18. Fathers affection to children and childrens to fathers Note Verse 23. Great obedience A godly family Duties to God binde all Verse 1. Verse 2. How wee see and heare God Verse 2. How the Aâ—gells did eate A hartie householder loued of God Verse 5. True welcome wherein it consisteth Verse 5. Verse 6. Women shoulde haue rule in their owne houses and how Women keepe in c. 1. Tim. 5.13 Vers 6.7 Verse 9. Ministers Verse 10. Verse 10. Women desirous to heare and know euerye thing Verse 12. How wise men and fooles laugh Cap. 18.20 Vers 27.28 Verse 14. Priuie mockers marke it A â—â—sse ad esse Verse 16. Perfit curtesye Verse 17. Ihon. 15.14 Amos 3.7 Verse 18. The Lord will bee good because he hath been so O sweete Psalm 4. Rom. 8.32 Instruction of our families how hâ—ghly God liketh Verse 20. The horror of sin â—erse 20. â—ods great â—â—tience Note this and be of good comfort Verse 21. Knowledge before punishment Ouermuch credulitie a blot Read vpon Gen. 11.5 A true touched heart with regarde of God and his brethren Good men hope the best Of what price Gods children are with him Saluation not tyed to the Sacrament Actâ— 10. With what humilitie God is to be prayed vnto O comfort Verse 1. One
Scoffers mockers 2. King 1.11 Vers 20. Hatred brings forth murther Striuers against gods appointment Verse 21. Neuer giue sentence vpoÌ„ any for one fault What we are grudged to haue we are soonest robbed of See chap. 42 ver 21. the anguish of his soule The sinfull securitie of a dead conscience Prou. 28. The intire affection of parents towards their children God plagueth vngodly mariages Verse 6. Consent of parents Verse 7. The end of the wicked to be slaine Verse 8. An enuious mind hated of the Lord. Verse 11. We blame readily the vnworthie of blame Seeke sin in our selues 2. Sam. 24. Verse 14. A kinde of mourning apparell Womens vayles The poison of discontent Verse 14. Verse 16. Sinners blinded in gods iustice Verse 20. Cole-cariers betwixt offenders Such neighbors as this be good to scoure an hoâ—e ouen withall True friendship is vsque ad aras and no further Verse 23. Vers 24. A comfort to women with childe in their trauaile Verse 1. Verse 2. Ver. 3.4 Verse 5. Vers 6. Partiall affection to our owne CountrimeÌ„ Beautiâ— a snare our eies windowes to sinne Verse 7. Gen. 6.2 2 Pet. 2. Iob 31. Verse 7. An honest nature the more trusted y e more faithful Verse 8. The second argument The third argument Gen. 20.9 Heb. 13.2 The fourth argument Verse 10. Satan tempteth againe and againe to the same thing Companie to be auoyded Prou. 13. Syrac 13. Psal 18. Pro. 7 from the 6. ver to the end Ver. 11.12 Impudency Fulgent epist 4. ad Prob. pag. 532. de orat compunct Solitarines to be auoyded Verse 13. to the end Where incontinencie is many vices are Credulitie a great fault Cicero A comfort to seruants Verse 20. Verse 21. to the end Euen the prison is directed by God Note these A courtiers life Verse 2. Great mens anger Pro. 19.12 Chap. 16.14 Of dreames Verse 7. A good nature soone spieth others griefe comforteth them No certaine rules of expounding dreames Somnia ne cures nam mens humana quod opâ—aâ— c. Read Syrach 24 Ecclisiast 5. Iere. 23. ver 27. 27 ver 9. Cic. de diuinas confuteth c. Sharpe truths must be told Birth daies Vnthankefulnesse The company of the godly profitable to the wicked Preachers to repeate the same thing good Verse 8. Verse 9. Worldlie wise vnderstand not God Delayes in court old Verse 14. The wicked seeke to the godly in their need Outward reuerence before God Verse 16. Glorie to be giuen to God 1. Cor. 4 7. Iam. 1.17 Act. 12. Verse 28. Verse 35. Storing lawfull Verse 38. Gifts fit for places to be regarded Gifts too much regarded Panormitan lib. 1. de gestis Alphonsi Verse 41.42.43 After a fowl day coÌ„meth a faire Sweet comfort in deed in all afflictions O note and feele The godly may accept honours in this world by places titles c. Dan 2.48 2. Kings 18 7. Num. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 9.6 Act. 16.30 Act 14. Ezra 8. Num. 3. Sermon at P. Crosse A similitude The godly afflicted as the wicked yet to other end Vers 6. A question Gods purposes come to passe when we thinke not Chap. 37.5 Act. 4. 1. Tim. 4.1 Mockers Vers 7. Vers 8. A type of Christ Loue to our countrey Popish loue Our owne priuat waÌ„ts to be couered Vers 13. Truth present and yet not seene Vers 14. Vers 16. Vers 21. The force of affliction and trouble Vers 22. Fellowes in sin fall out Children wil be men therefore abuse them not The petition of a minde in anguish should moue much A guilty conscience Vers 24. Pitie Vers 25. Benefites done would be secret oftentimes Vainglory Bernard Similitudes Vers 27.28 The commoditie of our countrey here aboue others Gen. 28. A gauled conscience Counsel in perplexity No fortune or lucke Vers 36. The hart of Parenâ— to their children Vers 37. To be coâ—â—fortable 〈◊〉 stout in 〈◊〉 frends 〈◊〉 Vers 38. Perplexitie blind a while 2 Sam. 9. Loue to the liuing sheweth loue to the dead Vers 1. Tryals of faith Vers 7. Inferences vpon our speeches more than we thought of Vers 8. Vers 9. Vers 10. Vers 11. The godly haue euer a yeelding time to euery good thing Obstinacies not constancie Ezech. 18. Truth in all dealings Suspicion Gen. 20. 1. Sam. 1. Ambrose offic Chrisost in Math. Vers 26. A Glasse for childreÌ„ Gods mercy maketh a mans hart to melt A state may be maintained lawfully Vers 32. Hypocrites be bolder euer in their owne eies than others Isay 65. 1 Tim. 1.15 Vers 34 â—oue canâ—â—ot be hid A type of Christ Creditonce cracked is hardly recouered A moderatioÌ„ in pomp and port of plate c. Vers 7. The best men haue imperfections A detestatione peccati Be bould but wary in iustifying your selfe A paterne of the fading comforts of this world Vers 14. 1 Kings 4.27 White heads shuld haue white harts Ioseph not able to hold any longer Vers 1. Affection restrained if it breake out is violeÌ„t Isay 40.2 Mat. 14.27 Iohn 14. I will manifest myselfe vnto him Vers 5. Comfortable to the greeued Vers 7. Great deliuerances Plutarch in the life of Flam. Vers 9. Freindes to be neere a comfort Psal 75. Vers 10. Vers 11. Parents to be norished if the child be a Ioseph The godly be full of kindnes grace Vers 16. Gods power ouer mens harts Prou. 21. Tarda solet magniâ— rebus inâ—sie sides Life more to be ioyed in theÌ„ honor Frendes should meet together Vers 1. Gods childreÌ„ are ready to heare when their father speaketh Thinke of this Absence froÌ„ church Vers 3. The sweet care of God for his children The true stay of a man euer To close the eies of our dead frieÌ„ds Tobit vlt. Verse 5. Verse 27. Exod. 12.37 Verse 29. 2. King 2.19 Verse 30. Iosephs huÌ„ble mind not ashamed of his kinreds meane estate Verse 34. Proud hypocrits despise as vnholy who in Gods acceptance are holyer then them selues Verse 1. Iosephs modestie wisdome Court flatterers Verse 3. Verse 6. Most constant comforte to a true seruant Peeuish denying to salute our brethren Verse 9· Iacobs life how our comfort Heb. 13. Buildâ—ngs purchasings Verse 12. Verse 13. c. This famin sheweth our blessing Mercifull dealing in Ioseph when he had the vantage and could haue nipped A blessing vppon him for it Verse 25. note Maintaynance of ministers 1. Kinges 18. Verse 19. Iud. 17. Math. 10. 1. Tim. 5.17 1. Cor. 9. from the 5 verse to the 15. Galat. 6. Nehem. 13.14 Verse 10 Church robbers Galat. 6. Verse 28. Math. 8. Iohn 16. Esay 54.8 Iob last Verse 1. The godlie are sicke The vse of sicknes Visiting the sicke Verse 2. The ioye of frendes Verse 11. A most full feeling of Gods mercies to be wished Verse 12. Reuerence to parents be we neuer so high Verse 13. The best prayse of Ancestors God not tied to naturall artes A good man deceyued Verse 19. Good men diuersly minded in a matter of ceremonie We oppose our selues euen to God Num. 1.33.35 Esay 4.1 How ancient to make a testament Sweet speeches of diuers at their deaths 2 Pet. 1. v. 13.14 The end of this prophecye Num. 34. Vers 2. Psal 45.10 Psal 49.1 Prou. 4.1 Vers 3. 4 Mercy receiued maketh sinne more grieuous Esay 1.2 2 Sam. 12 7. 8. Gen. 49.26 Note Vers 5. 6 7 The vse of Gods ' punishments to the godly Esay 53 An arg of the scripture to be giuen by inspiration Vers 8. 9 10 11 12 Vers 13. Zabulon Vers 14.15 Issachar Thinke of this Vers 16. 17 Craft and secret cunning Vers 18. A stedfast faith seeth a good end of all affliction Vers 19. Iohn 16.33 Ro. 8.36.37 Psal 20. Vers 21. Pro. 15.1 Verse 5. Iudic. 8 1. Sam. 25.32 Act. 19. Note Verse 22.23.24.25.26 Ioseph Beniamin Crosses be blessings Verse 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. Iacob â—yeth a quiet death Notes Popish conceites of places to â—ury in Verse 1. Loue to the dead Embalming Phil. 3.21 Philip. 3.21 Verse 3. Dayes of mourning Verse 6. Obiection Mat. 8.21 Verse 12. Verse 15. Verse 17. Verse 17 18 19.2â— Verse 21. Loue we must not in lips or in tongue only but in deed and in truth Ioh 3.18 Verse 22 Good Magistrates in mercy continued long
to the Father of all fleshe thou must bee offred in Sacrifice As it seemeth his mercie deeming thee vnworthy to dye eyther by sicknesse or warre or anye other calamitie But taking thy soule from thee in the middest of prayers and holye seruice to his Maiestie hee will place thee with himselfe where as one mindefull of the ende wherefore I haue brought thee vp thou shalt vnderproppe mine age and bee my comfort not of thy selfe and by thy selfe but thou shalt leaue vnto me God my defence and comforte in thy place Then answered Isaac the worthie Childe of so good a Father and sayde vnto him O my Father I am content vnworthy euer to haue been borne if striuing against the will both of God and thee my Father I should not willinglye indure that determined by you both which if none but thy selfe would haue my deere father I would not denye thee Thus sayth Iosephus spake they each to others and then all things being readye vp went the knife to giue the blowe had not God of his infinite goodnesse stayed the hande But O mercie memorable for euer and euer in the Lorde who will not the parting of such a father and such a childe as yet but staying the matter altereth the greefe into all ioye and deliuering the father his childe againe sendeth them both home together with as cheerefull hearts as euer had anye cupple no question in this worlde after anye danger What two examples bee these for vs to marke The father showing vs what it is to bee vsed to the yoake from a mans youth as hee was surelye it maketh harde thinges easie and euen the verye greatest things to bee better performed then euer they woulde if such exercises often had not beene The Sonne teaching vs what grace is effected by such gratious education as no doubte this Childe had And bothe of them laying before our eyes such a patterne of obedyence to Almightie God euen to the losse of lyfe as neuer wee should forget but beseeche God with daylye prayers that wee may come as neere vnto as anye case of ours towardes his Maiestie shall require euer The third part IN that God forbiddeth nowe at this pinche this sacrifice of Isaac to be made by his Father Wee may well consider howe carefull the Lorde is least by anye example of anye commanded thing by him others should take occasion to doe the like without like warrant from him Which happilye in this case would haue beene doone if hee had not stayed Abrahams hand but suffred the matter to bee accomplished and effected Men would peraduenture haue rashlye iudged such sacrifices to haue pleased the Lord greatly and so haue often doone wickedly 2 Let vs marke heere when the Lorde came to deliuer heere Not till the Knife was vp and euen readye to strike It teacheth vs for our selues euen then especially to looke for his helpe when in mans eyes we are but gone Yet must we trust no further to his helpe then we make our attempts by his warrant For wee see he did not the like to Ieptha 3 The Angell calleth and forbiddeth when as God could haue stayed him by a secret power if hee would And whye was this Surely to instruct Isaac further that what his Father did was by Gods commaundement Secondly to showe him what singular care and fauour God had ouer him and towarde him who so notablye would deliuer him by an open Angell from Heauen And thirdlye that all the worlde might learne by it that they must haue verye good warrante eyther to beginne or leaue of anye thing belonging and doone to honour God by 4 Nowe I knowe sayth the Lorde c. When hee knewe before verye well what heart was in Abraham towardes his glorye But thus would God commend vnto all the worlde the adioyning of outwarde workes to inwarde fayth Consonant vnto which is Paull the Apostle when hee requireth a fayth that worketh through loue and telleth vs that aswell With the mouth wee confesse vnto righteousnesse as with the heart beleeue vnto Saluation also our Sauiour himselfe who requireth to the inwarde acknowledging of him in the heart the outward profession of him before men This is that which S. Iames meaneth when he sayth Abraham our Fathe was iustified by workes when he offred Isaac his sonne vpon the Altar Seest thou not sayth he that the faith wrought with his workes and through the workes was the fayth made perfect c. That is Abraham by this meanes was knowne and declared to be iustified and his faith being effectuall and fruitefull by workes was thereby knowne to be a true fayth and not a dead faith For S. Iames speaketh not of the causes of iustification but by what effects we may know that a man is iustified True is the distinction therefore euen of the Schoolemen themselues Christ dooth iustifie a man effectiue effectually by working his iustification faith doth iustifie a man apprehensiue apprehendinglye because it taketh hould of Christ who is our iustifier and workes do iustifie also but declaratiue declaringly because they showe that a man is iustified as hath beene said So Christ faith and workes doo all iustifie but diuerslye True also is it that Bernard saith workes are via regni but not causa regnandi the waye to the kingdome but not the cause of reigning there 5 I knowe sayth God but what dooth hee knowe That thou Abraham saith hee fearest God Then behould the fountaine of all obedience the feare of God and the witnesse againe of the feare of God true obedience which being true as it is most true woe and bitternesse to the inhabitants of the earth if the Lorde bee not mercifull for our obedience beeing turned into daylye fearefull and most carelesse rebellion where is our feare of his Maiestie become Surelye the Fountaine is dammed vp and stopped and therefore no frute can flowe therfrom Let euerye man priuatelye applye this and saye with himselfe I thinke I feare GOD but if GOD giue iudgement of my feare by my obedience as hee did heere of Abraham how will all prooue c 6 Because thou hast not spared thine onely sonne saith God and yet hee was spared But this is the nature of our good God to accept in mercie our wyll for our worke and a ready indeuour euen for the deede it selfe if hee would not suffer vs to goe any further but this when the word goeth before to guide the will and not else For those Baals priests beeing destitute of the word though they lanced themselues neuer so deepe yet neyther in will nor worke pleased the Lord. And it is a good place also of Paule not sparing the body c. So then with this caue at let vs gather great incouragement to serue him who will in respect of our ready minde acknowledge that we haue not spared this or that when in deede yet it is