his whole houshold And therfore the Lord not onely honoured him with his presence in appearing vnto him Gen. 35.9.13.15.22 blessing him but he also blessed his seede for his sake I am God all sufficient saith the Lord vnto his seruant grow and multiply a nation and a multitude of nations shall spring of thee and kings shall come out of thy loynes Also I will giue thee the land which I gaue to Abraham and Isack euen vnto thee and thy seed after thee The Lord blessed him likewise with a great issue and gaue him twelue Sonnes for whose vertuous education he was exceeding carefull For he tooke order that they should not spend their young yeeres in idlenes but should be occupied about cattel euen from their child-hood And as he did with great diligence incourage them to vertue so did he not faile to correct them and sharply reproue them when as they did offend or fall into any vice as he did Reuben for his vncleannes Gen. 34.1.7.25.26.27.28.29.30.31 35.22 49.4.5.6.7 Simeon and Leui with the rest of their brethren for their reuenge wrought vpon the Shechemites for Shechems deflowring of their sister Dinah And heerein are all fathers and mothers taught to be verie watchfull and carefull for the vertuous education and honest conuersation of their children Thus we read how that Abraham commanded his children to keepe the way of the Lord. Gen. 18.19 And how that Moses did exhort the people of Israell to teach their children how they ought to vnderstand and keepe Gods ordinances and because that Eli the high Priest and Iudge of Israell did not correct his sonnes more sharply then he did for their sinne Deut. 4.9 14.20 32.46 and tooke not so great paines as he ought to reclaime them from their lewde and wicked waies therefore the Lord said thus vnto Eli. 1. Sam. 22.31.32 33.34 Behould the daies come that I will cut off thine arme and the arme of thy others house that there shall not be an old man in thine house for euer And this shall be a signe vnto thee that shall come vpon thy two sonnes Hophni and Phinehas in one day they shall both die And afterward the Lord shewed Samuel what should become of Eli and his house 1. Sam. 3.11.12 13 14. I will iudge his house for euer for the iniquity which he knoweth because his sonnes ran into a slander and he staied them not And behold the issue of the Lords commination and threatning 1. Sam 4 11.17.18.19.20.21 22. In one day Elies two insolent sonnes were slaine of the Philistims in the field And old Eli hearing of his sonnes death and of the taking of the Arke of God the tidings wherof grieued him most fell from his seate backwards by the side of the gate so that his neck brake and he died Besides that which befell vnto his daughter in law who no sooner heard the report that the Arke of God was taken and that her father in law and her husband were dead but she was stricken with such a sorrow that she trauailed before her time and died when as she had named the childe Ichahod saying The glory is departed from Israell for the Arke of God is taken So great is the anger of God against Parents for their negligence in correcting and directing their children as they ought and therefore wise Salomon doth double and treble his admonitions and exhortations to Parents that they neglect not this great duty He that spareth his rodd Pro 13 24 19.18 22.15 23.13 29.15 hateth his son but he that loueth him chasteneth him betime Chasten thy sonne while there is yet hope and let not thy soule spare for his murmuring Foolishnes is bound in the heart of a childe but the rodd of correction shall driue it away from him withhould not therefore correction from the childe for if thou smite him with the rodd he shall not die The rodd and correction giue wisdome but a childe set at liberty maketh his mother ashamed The summe of all is this that the rodd hath a certaine efficacy to driue away foolishnes and fondnes out of the heads of children and to driue in wisedome and vertue into their hearts And that if the father smite his childes body with the birchen rod of temporal correctioÌ„ Sathan shall not smite his soule with the bruising yron rod of eternall destruction To the same purpose Iesus the sonne of Sirach in his wisedome exhorteth Parents not to bring vp their children delicately and wantonly nor to giue them too much liberty nor yet to withhould from them due correction Eccles 30.1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10 11.12.13 He that loueth his sonne saith he causeth him oft to feele the rodd that he may haue ioy of him in the end He that chastiseth his sonne shall haue ioy in him and shall reioyce of him among his acquaintance He that teacheth his sonne grieueth the enemie and before his friends he shall reioyce of him Though his father die yet is he as though he were not dead for he hath left one behinde him that is like him In his life he saw him and had ioy in him and was not sorie in his death neither was he ashamed before his enemies He left behinde him an avenger against his enemies one that should shew fauour vnto his friends He that flattereth his sonne bindeth vp his wounds and his heart is greiued at euery crie An vntamed horse will be stubborne and a wanton childe will be wilfull If thou bring vp thy sonne delicately he shall make thee affraid and if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauinesse Laugh not with him lest thou be sorry with him and lest thou gnash thy teeth in the end Giue him not libertie in his youth and wink not at his folly Bow downe his necke while he is yong and beate him on the sides while he is a childe least he wax stubborne he disobedient vnto thee and so bring sorrow vnto thine heart chastise thy child and be diligent therein least his shame grieue thee And the same wise man in another place Eccles 7 23 24. â—5 â—â— 27.28 as he exhorteth the childe to honour his father with his whole heart and not to forget the sorrowes of his mother but to remember that he was borne of them and that he cannot recompence them the things that they haue done for him So he aduiseth parents to instruct their children and to holde their necke from their youth to keepe their daughters bodie and not to shew their face cheerefull towards them and to marry them to men of vnderstanding Finally saith the wise man if children liue honestly Eccles 22.8 9. they shall put away the shame of their parents But if children be proud with hautines and foolishnes they defile the nobility of their kindred Thus we see then the great vertue of the rod in a discreet parents hand Moses Rod lifted
of his death O my beloued Sonne Isack would God thou hadst neuer beene borne and thou my sweete wife Sara would God thou hadst alwaies beene barren rather then to haue borne a son in thine old age after so long barrennes whome thy husband and his father must now in so vnfatherly a fashion bereaue of his naturall being and breath But Abraham was farre from all such infirmitie and imperfection of faith and therefore beleeuing that Gods promise should not misse of performance but that he was euen able to raise Isack againe out of his owne ashes he delayed not to doe that which the Lord had enioyned him concerning his son Gen. 22.1 to 13. But when as he was in heauing vp his hand to giue him the mortall blowe with the knife behold the Angell of the Lord from heauen forbid him to lay his hand vpon the childe For now I knowe quoth he that thou fearest God seeing that for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne And thus Abrahams will to offer his onely sonne for a burnt offering vnto the Lord was accepted for the deede Abrahams obedience then was correspoÌ„dent to his faith whence it did flowe his faith was great and therefore great was his obedience Io. 8.56 he saw Christ but a farre off and he was glad he saw by faith and that a great faith and therefore great was his sight his gladnes and his ioy And as he had a great faith in his heart so made he a great demonstration thereof in the actions of his hands Gen. 12.7.8 13.4.18 For Abraham wheresoeuer he soiourned erected an Alter vnto God and called vpon his name As he forsooke the Idols of his fathers euen their Gods Iosh 24.2.3 which were no Gods so he acknowledged and worshiped entierly the onely true God Gen. 14 18 19.20 Heb. 7.4.8 Also he payed Tithes vnto Melchisedeck the high Priest of the most high Giuing therby an exaÌ„ple to al his Instruction 3 children Iam. 2.18 of shewing their faith by their workes and namely vnto the richer sort of consecrating a part of their substance to the building repairing of Churches for the seruice of God and of making his ministers partakers of their goods according as the Apostles exhortation doth beare saying Galat. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods And not onely was Abraham religious and godly in himselfe but he was also carefull for all such as were vnder his charge Gen. 17.23.24.25.26.27 Deut. 10.16 30.6 Ierem 4.4 6.10 Act. 7 51 Gen 18.19 to wit for his children and seruants that they should liue before God as men no lesse circumcised in their hearts then in their flesh I know said the Lord that Abraham will command his Sonnes and his housholde after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnes and iudgement Whereby the Instruction 4 children of Abraham after the promise and chiefly all fathers and maisters of families are taught to giue diligence that their children and seruants be instructed in the knowledge of the true God Tit. 2.12 and of godlines that they may liue godlily soberly and iustly in this present world And the effect of this his christian care for his familie may appeare both in his Sonne Isack and in his seruant Eliezer of Damascus the steward of his house as for his sonne as he was consecrated to the Lord in his very child-hoode Gen. 22.2.10.11.12 26.25 25.5 so was the whole time of his life spent in a spirituall and reasonable sacrificing of himselfe to the Lords seruice Neuer was there a sonne begotten of man more father like then was godly Isack who followed the foote-steps of his fathers faith pietie charitie equitie and vertuous liuing and succeeded both to his goodnes and his goods to his godlines no lesse then to his gold And as for Abrahams chiefe seruant Eliezer his pietie and fidelity are both of them mentioned in the scripture to his praise His piety towards God doth appeare in this that being sent by Abraham to take a wife for his sonne Isack in his owne kinred Gen. 15.2.3 24.1.2.10.11.12.42 he no sooner receiued his masters commaund but as soone he commended his way and affaires to Gods prouidence and blessing by prayer The which thing he did likewise when he was arriued to the Citie of Nahor O Lord of my maister Abraham quoth he I beseech thee send me good speede this day and shew mercie vnto my maister Abraham Such as the maister was such was the man a religious maister and Instruction 5 a religious man whose pietie towards God may serue for a lesson to all maisters and men to begin alwaies their important affaires at God by in calling of his name for except God blesse man certainly shall misse and miscarrie in his designes Likewise Eliezer when as he had receiued the signe which he had asked of the Lord to know thereby the prosperous successe of his iourney being ariued to the Citie of Nahor Gen. 24.48.50 51.52 where Bethuel dwelt he bowed himselfe and worshiped the Lord and said Blessed be the Lord God of my maister Abraham which hath not withdrawen his mercy and his truth from my maister for when I was in the way the Lord brought me to my maisters brethrens house The like was his religious and Godly demeanour when as his errand had taken the desired effect and that he had betrothed Rekekath the daughter of Bethuel to his maisters sonne Isack to be his wife Thus godly Eliezer as he began his busines in praying vnto God for good successe so he ended it in praysing God for the good successe already gotteÌ„ The which pietie of Eliezer is to be practised of all good seruants yea and of all maisters too To the end that God who is the Alpha and the Omega Reuel 1.8 that is to say the beginning the ending of all things may be likewise the Alpha and the Omega of all our actions Whether ye eate or drinke saith the Apostle or what soeuer ye doe 1. Cor. 10.31 Col. 3.17 do all to the glory of God and in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God euen the father by him And as this good Eliezer was pious towards God so was he no lesse officious and faithfull towards his maister the father of the faithfull For both he would not so much as eate a crumme of bread in Bethuels house till he had said his message Gen. 24.33 37 54.5â—.59.61.63 64. and done according to his oath and when as he had done the errand which he came for and had obtained Rekekah for Isack he would not soiourne any longer in Bethuels house but departed the next morning bringing home with him the vertuo us Rekekah to godly Isack who as he went out to pray in the fielde toward the euening met her comming home
all things are possible to him that beleeueth and vnto his disciples Mat 21.22 what soeuer ye shall aske in prayer if yee beleeue ye shall receiue it It is not then without great cause that Moses exhorted the people going out to battell Deut. 30.3 to haue faith in the victorie promised 1. Sam. 12.20.21.52 that Samuel encouraged the people to trust in God and that Iehosophat enioyned the people to confide in God 2. Chron. 20.20 and to beleeue his Prophets Good cause had the holy Apostles to desire of Christ to encrease their faith Luk 17.5 and to exhort men to stand stedfast in the faith 1. Cor. 16.13 2 Cor. 13.5 and to prooue themselues whether they be in the faith or no Rom. 1.17 1. Tim. 6.12 and to grow from faith to faith Finally to fight the good fight of faith 1. Pet. 1.9 and so to lay holde on eternall life and in end to receiue the end of our faith euen the saluation of our soules And as Sara is greatly commended for her faith towards God so likewise is she for her obedience towards her husband her mildnesse of spirit and modestie in attire And therefore the blessed Instruction 18 Apostle S. Peter exhorteth all women and wiues to imitate the example of her excellent vertues 1. Pet. 3.1.2.3.4.5.6 Let the wiues be subiect to their husbands that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of the wiues while they beholde your pure conuersation which is with feare whose apparelling let it not be outward as with broyded haire and gold put about or in putting on of apparell But let the Hid man of the heart be vncorrupt with a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by For euen after this manner in time past did the holy women which trusted in God ner themselues and were subiect to their husbands As Sara obeyed Abraham and called him Syr or Lord whose daughters ye are whiles ye doe well Ecclesi 26.35.27 A shamefast woman saith Siracides will reuerence her husband A woman that honoureth her husband shall be iudged wise of all But she that despiseth him shall be blazed for her pride This same subiection shamefastnes and modestie of Sara in her cariage and cloathing the Apostle S. Paul recommendeth very earnestly vnto women in his Epistle to Timothie 1. Tim. 2.9.10.11 As our Sauiour said to the Iewes that if they were Abrahams children they would doe the workes of Abraham Ioh. 8.39 So may it be said of women and wiues as many as be the daughters of Sara they will imitate the modesty Gen 12.11 14. 24.16 26.7 29.17 1. Sam. 25.3.42 meeknes shamfastnes and obedience of Sara It is recorded in scripture that Sara was a faire woman to looke vpon and very beautifull the like is said of Rebecca Isacks wife and of Rahel Iacobs wife and of the verteous and wise Abigaill Dauids wife after the death of churlish Nabal Eccles 36.22.23.24 The beautie of a woman saith Iesus the Sonne of Sirach cheereth the face and a man loueth nothing better If there be in her tongue gentlenesse meekenes and wholsome talke then is not her husband like other men he that hath gotten a vertuous woman hath begunne to get a possession she is an helpe like vnto himselfe and a piller to rest vpon As the Sunne when it ariseth in the high places of the Lord Eccles 26.16.17.18 so is the beauty of a good wife the ornament of her house as the cleare light is vpon the holy candlestick so is the beautie of the face in a ripe age and as the golden pillers are vpon the sockets of siluer so are faire feete with a constant minde The externall beautie of Saras bodie was accompanied with the internall beautie of her minde and in a faire body in her person was lodged a more faire soule Instruction 19 Thus in the example of the beautious and bounteous Sara are all matrons maides admonished to ioyne bountie meekenes and modestie of minde to the beautie of body and vertuous carriage to the well-fauourednes of their outward feature Considering how that beautie without bountie in a woman as the wise man speaketh is as a Iewell of golde in a swines nose Pro. 11.22 12.4 31.30 and that not the beautious but the vertuous woman is the crowne of her husband For fauour is deceitfull and beautie is a vanishing thing but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised House and riches may be the inheritance of the fathers Pro. 18.22 19.14 but a prudent wife commeth of the Lord and he that findeth such a wife findeth a good thing and receiueth fauour of the Lord. And doubtles Abraham who found so many good things and so great fauour at the hands of the Lord he found this fauour this cheife good thing to wit a good wife amongst many other fauours and good things Eccles 26.3.14.15.24 A vertuous woman is a good portion saith Siracides which shall be giuen for a guift vnto such as feare the Lord. Who feared the Lord more then did godly Abraham and consequently what man could there be more worthy of a vertuous wife then hee There is nothing so much worth as a woman well instructed and there is no waight to be compared vnto a shamefast womans peaceable faithfull continent minde And who could be so worthie of such a worthy pearle as the worthiest amongst men the holy Patriarke Abraham the father of the faithfull And as God blessed him with a vertuous and an vnderstanding wife which proued the ioy and crowne of her husband whose death therefore he had great cause to bewaile as he did with mourning and lamentation Gen. 23.1.2 so did he endowe him exceedingly with temporall store â—he magnified and multiplyed him Gen. 13.5.6 24. â—5 36 so that he gaue him in great aboundance men-seruants and maid-seruants siluer and golde Camells Asses Instruction 20 Sheepe and Beeues Wherein we finde that saying of the Apostle verified 1. Tim 4.8 Godlynes is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that which is to come Lastly the Lord hath such an honorable regard of Abraham that according to his promise made to him Gen. 12.3 saying I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee He both cursed and blessed other men for Abrahams sake As he plagued Pharao king of Gerar together with their housholdes for offering to doe him wrong Gen 12.15 16.17.18 19.20 20.3.4 7.17.18 19.29 20.17 27 3.4.5 so for Abrahams sake and at his entreatie he multiplied Isack and deliuered Lot from the destruction of Sodome and healed king Abimelech and all his housholde So effectually was God with Abraham that he was also with others for Abrahams sake Wherein all