THE MIRROVR of Religious men and of godly Matrones EXHIBITED IN THE GOLden Legends of these six famous and faithfull Persons Abraham Sara Isack Rebecca Iacob Rahel Very comfortable to be read of all the sonnes and daughters of such faithfull parents according to the promise for the rectifying of their liues and the confirming of their faith By I. M. Master in Arts. LONDON Printed for E. White and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the gun neere the little north dore of Pauls 1611. TO THE RIGHT HONOrable Bruce-sprung noble Lord IOHN Lord Harington Baron of Exton and to the right noble and worthy the Lady ANNE his wife and the most vertuous Gouernesse of the moste gracefull yong Princesse Madam ELIZABETH Infanta of Albion all heauenly and earthly happinesse IT is the custome right honourable of such as set or send out any worke to publike viewe to make choyse of some worthy Person for the patronizing thereof So that I being about the publishing of certaine Essayes and Meditations of mine morall and diuine and among others of this present Pamphlet I began to bethinke my selfe of some conuenient Patron for the countenancing thereof And in end after that I had considered of the nature and kinde of the Subiect sufficiently and had weighed with my selfe the greatnesse of your humanity both towards Schollers and my Countrymen I was emboldened so much the more to publish it vnder the combined splendor of your vnited illustrious names In it one may see as in a cleere Mirrour or christall glasse a plaine and liuely representation of the sayth pietie and deuotion of the vprightnes charity compassion of the Temperance sobriety and moderation and of the diligence industrie honest conuersation of the godly Men and Women of olde namely of the six famous faithfull persons therein more particularly painted out In whose golden Legends I hope the sharpest-sighted shal not espie so much as the smallest spice of any fained fiction falshood or he the which thing no doubt many will deeme and esteeme a great rarity in a golden Legend In it one also may see a perfit patterre and picture of a perfit Seruant of God Man or Woman together with an exemplary proofe of Gods bountifull requiting and liberall rewarding of them for their seruice Therein likewise is as it were in a visible manner expressed to the eye the exceeding great care that Almighty God hath of his children euen of all such as doe commend their estate and commit their affaires vnto his fatherly prouidence Finally this little Mirrour doth afford diuers moral obseruations and instructions to the number of 68. touching the chiefe duties that men and women owe vnto God and likewise one vnto another namely such as doe mutually concerne husbands wiues parents and children maisters and Seruants Considering then that the nature of it is such and that it may serue somewhat for the furtherance of men and women chiefely those of the yonger sort in the exercise of soundnes of beliefe and of sincerity of life I am so much the more bold to implore your worthy Patronage therein and to pray your honours in the behalfe thereof to answere vnto the signification of your two christen names which doe import Grace and gracious and euen to grace this meane Testimonie of a dutifull minde with your gracious acceptance The which fauour if it shall please your honours to afford me I shall be encouraged to be a-about the shewing of some more ample signification of mine obseruancie towards the honour of your names And thus wishing in the meane time vnto a gracefull IOHN and ANNA such felicitie hap and honour as hath befaln vnto ABRAHAM SARA ISACK and REBECCA IACOB and RAHEL whose godlines and vertuousnes ye doe so happily imitate I rest Your Honours deuoted to all humble duties IAMES MAXWELL A SVMMARIE VIEWE of the chiefe contents of this present Legend-booke I. OF obedience vnto the Lords voyce page 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. II. Of faith in God of the wonderfull effects thereof 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. III. Of the religious care that should be in Parents for their children and in Masters mistresses for their seruants p. 12. 13. 14. 139. 142. 143. 144. 145 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. 151. 152. 153. 154. 155. 156. 157. 158. IIII. Of the qualities of a good Seruant P. 14. 15. 16. 17. V. Of the charity pitty compassion equity and peaceable disposition that ought to be in christians P. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 70. 71. 92. VI. Of Gods blessing and rewarding of such as serue him and waite on him p. 3. 25. 26. 27. 28. 57. 58. 59. 65. 66. 67. 68. 76. 107. 116. 119. 120. VII Of Gods raising vp of the despised and of his casting downe of the despisers p. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. VIII Of the subiection modestie and shamefastnes that ought to be in Christian women p. 52. 53. 79. 80. 81. IX Of Beauty and Bounty in women p. 54. 55. 56. 57. 71. 72. 109. 110. 111. X. Of Gods presence assistance in the time of the godly mans aduersity and affliction p. 66. 67. 68. 69. 101 102. 123. 124. 126. 127. 130. 131. 132. XI Of diligence and industrie that ought to be in Christian men and women p. 73. 74. 104. 105. 106. 111. 112. XII Of the humility and humanity that ought to be in Christian men and women p. 75. 133. 134. XIII Of the heart-fasting that ought to be in such parties as are about mariage before that they be hand-fasted p. 76. 77. 107. XIIII Of parents and friends blessing and well aduising of the married couple p. 78. 79. XV. Of the excellency of a vertuous wife and of the great account that her husband should make of her p. 82. 83. 84. 88. 93. XVI Of the feruent loue that ought to be betweene married folkes p. 85. 87. 88. XVII Of the great efficacy of the righteous mans prayer p. 88. 89. 90. 91. XVIII Of Gods loue and fauour and of the great efficacy thereof p. 95. 96. 97. 124. 125. 126. XIX Of the patience innocency and modesty that ought to be in Christians p. 98. 99. 100. 102. 103. 112. XX. Of Gods remembring of his children after a seeming forgetfulnes p. 113. 114. 115. 116. 117. XXI Of the Christians patient waiting on God and of the good issue thereof p. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. XXII Of the thankefulnes that ought to be in Christians towards God for benefits receiued p. 121. 122. 138. 139. XXIII Of the care and charge that Gods Angels haue of the afflicted and godly p. 127. 128. 129. 130. XXIIII Of Christians acknowledging of Gods gratiousnes and of their owne vnworthines p. 135. 138. XXV Of the great vanity of Idols or shop-Gods of golde siluer p. 140. 141. 142. ERRATA Page 8.
the Sonnes and Daughters of faithfull Abraham and Sara may beholde cleerely as in a christall glasse of how wonderfull great vertue and force godlynes is it being able to procure a blessing at Gods hands not onely to the godly man himselfe but vnto others also euen vnto such as the godly man either prayeth for or yet reapeth any benefite by Thus God blessed and prospered Laban for Iacobs sake Gen. 30.37 39.2.3.4.5.6 so long as he soiourned with him in his house And thus he blessed Putiphar the Egiptian for Iosephs sake and made his blessing to rest vpon all that he had in the house and in the field And thus no doubt but he will blesse all such as the followers of Abrahams saith Iam. 2.21.22.23 and the workers of his workes for these two God hath conioyned together and therefore man must not seuer them shall recommend vnto God in their prayers The golden Legend of ISACK and REBECCA ISack the Sonne and heire of faithfull Abraham and Sara Gen. 17.15.16 17 18. 18.10.11.12.13 14. 21.1.2.3 25 5 26.25 as he was consecrated to the Lord in his verie childe-hood so was his whole life nothing els but a reall and an actuall sacrificing of himselfe vnto the Lords seruice he walked in the wayes and foot-steps of his father and followed the trace of his faith pietie charitie equitie and vertuous liuing He succeeded aswell to his goodnes as to his goods to his godlines no lesse then to his golde wheresoeuer he spread his Tent there did he not faile to erect an Alter vnto the Lord and to call vpon his name Wheresoeuer he had his chamber there God had his Church yea his Tent was a verie Tabernacle his bed-chamber was as a chappel dedicated to the seruice of the God of his father Instruction 22 Abraham VVhereby all the children of Isack according to the promise are taught to worship God not onely publikly in the Church but also priuately in their secret chambers Both which duties the sweete singer of Israel doth ioyntly mention in the fourth Psalme and recommendeth them to our practise The priuate deuotion in these wordes Psal 4.4.5 Examine your owne heart vpon your bed and be still and the publick in these offer the sacrifices of righteousnes and trust in the Lord. VVhereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that no place whether priuate or publicke is to be thought vnfit for the practising of holy duties for Gods worship as it should be publickly performed in the Church according to that of the Psalmist Psal 22.22 25. 111.1 In the midst of the congregation wil I praise thee so must it not be neglected priuatly in the chamber according to which it is written of the Prophet Daniel that he went into his house Dan. 6.10 and hauing opened the window of his chamber that looked toward Ierusalem he kneeled vpon his knees three times a day and prayed and praised his God These two priuate deuotion publicke adoration God hath conioyned and therefore man must not seuer them They are as the two hands of our christian profession the publicke is as the right hand the priuate as the left the want of either maketh a maimed christian And as no place is vnfit for Gods seruice so likewise no time whether morning or euening night or day It is a good thing to praise the Lord Psal 92.1 2. and to sing vnto thy name O most high to declare thy louing kindnes in the morning and thy truth in the night saith deuout Dauid Psal 119.62 and againe at midnight will Irise to giue thankes vnto thee because of thy righteous iudgements Heare my voice in the morning Psal 5.3 O Lord for in the morning will I direct me vnto thee and I will waite And to the same purpose Siracides saith Eccle. 2.28 39.5 that we ought to preuent the sunne rising to giue thankes and to salute the Lord before the day spring The wise man saith he will giue his heart to resort early vnto the Lord that made him and to pray before the most high for his sinnes Psal 55.17 Euening and morning and at noone will I pray saith godly Dauid and he will heare my voyce Isack waited on God Gen 26.1.2.3.4.5 inuoked him and walked with him And therefore God was with him and prouided for him in the time of famine which was in the land he honoured the Lord and the Lord honoured him with his presence and appearance For he appeared vnto him and bid him dwell in the land of Gerer and promised to blesse him and not him onely but also in his seede all the nations of the earth As he was religious and godly farre aboue all other so was God with him and blessed him farre aboue all other He both preserued him in the time of famine increased his substance and store So that when as he sowed in that land he found in the same yeare an hundreth folde by estimation He waxed mightie and still increased till he was exceeding great Gen. 26.12 13 14. As he was great in faith and in godlines grew daily so did he encrease from day to day in his familie and goods For he had flockes of sheepe and heards of cattell and a mighty housholde Gen 26.14 15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22 And though that the Philistims among whome he liued did enuie him and vex him by stopping of his welles and in end draue him away after much strife yet the Lord was alwayes on his side The Philistims were his foes but the God of Israel was his friend and the man that hath God for his friend is strong enough to withstand all his foes be they neuer so furious Isack when as he was resisted by men was assisted of God Gen. 26.23.24 for when as he was thus afflicted by the faithles Philistims God who is faithfull and true and who loued faithful Abraham and his seede appeared vnto Isack the same night in Beersheba and said vnto him thus I am the God of Abraham thy father feare not for I am with thee and will blesse thee and multiply thy seede for my seruant Instruction 23 Abrahams sake Happie is the man who with Isack hath the Lord with him and blessed is he whom the Lord blesseth for he needeth not to be affrayed neither of famine nor infection nor yet of foes Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high saith the Psalmist shal abide in the shadow of the almighty Psal 91.1.2.3.4.5.6.7.10 The Lord will deliuer him from the snare of the hunter and from the noysome pestilence he shall not be affraid of the feare of the night nor of the arrow that flyeth by day There shall none euill come vnto him neither shall any plague come neere his tabernacle If God be on our side what matter is it who be against vs For what better is their oposition then a blowe with a bended
your care on him for he careth for Instruction 30 you saith the Apostle Likewise parents heere are taught not to bestow their children in mariage without their free consent the parties must not be hand-fasted by their parents before they be hart-fasted of their owne accord No violent thing lastes long and loue that is constrained cannot continue True loue betweene two parties must flowe from the heart on both hands and the fastening of the heart must goe before the fastning of the hand Neither can there be any true content in this kinde except that mutuall consent doe goe before And the want of this hath marred many matches and euen turned mariages into marrages for so may all constrained coniunction be rightly called Rebecca being ready to depart Gen. 24.60 her parents her brother blessed her wishing that she might grow into thousand thousands and that her seede might possesse the gate of their enemies In like manner the people that were present at the matrimoniall solemnitie of Booz and Ruth Ruth 4.11 prayed that the Lord would make Ruth like Rahel and Leah which twain did build the house of Israel and that Booz might doe worthily in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem Likewise Raguel blessed yong Tobias and Sara his wife Tob. 10.11 12. saying The God of heauen make you my children to prosper before I die And he said to his daughter honour thy father thy mother in law which are now thy parents that I may heare good report of thee and he kissed them Edna also said to Tobias the Lord of heauen restore thee my deare Brother and grant that I may see thy children of my daughter Sara that I may reioyce before the Lord. Beholde now I commit to thee my daughter as a pledge do not Instruction 31 entreate her euill Wherein parents and kinsfolkes are taught to pray vnto God to blesse their children and friends being about to liue in the honorable estate of mariage and to aduise them diligently touching such godly duties as doe belong vnto married folkes whether in regard of themselues or in regard of their houshold Rebecca cōming home to Isack Gen. 24.64 65. as soone as she saw him a far off she lighted downe from her Camel couered her head with a vaile in token of shamefastnes modestie pudicitie and subiection Eccles 32.11 Before ashamefast person goeth fauour saith Iesus the son of Sirach And Rebecca for reward of her shamefastnes found fauour both with God and man There is no ornament that so much becommeth a Instruction 32 maide as the maidens blush which alwayes doth bewray a shamefast disposition And she that wanteth this shamefast ensigne lacketh a rare Iewell and therefore Siracides aduiseth parents to haue a diligent and a watchfull eye ouer their daughters in whom this signe of shamefastnes doth not appeare If thy daughter be not shamefast saith he holde her straitly Eccles 26.10 11. 42.9.10 11. least she abuse her selfe through too much libertie least she cause thine enemies to laugh thee to scorne and make thee a common talke in the Citie and defame thee among the people and bring thee to publicke shame Take heede of her that hath an vnshamefast eye and maruaile not if she trespasse against thee The daughter maketh the father to watch secretly saith he and the carefulnes that he hath for her taketh away his sleepe in the house least she should passe the flower of her age and when she hath an husband least she should be hated In her virginitie least she should be defloured in her fathers house and when she is in her husbands house least she should misbehaue her selfe proue vnfaithfull she that is bolde Eccle. 22.5 impudent and vnshamefast saith the same wise man dishonoreth both her father and her husband is not inferiour to the vngodly Contrariwise a shamefast loyall peaceable woman Eccles 26.14.15 and of good heart that is to say of an honest heart for an honest heart is the best heart in the world is a gift of the Lord and there is no weight to be compared to her continent minde Such a goodly gift receiued godly Isack at Gods hands when as he was going out to pray in the field towards the euening Gen. 24.62.67 In his prayer no doubt but he asked of God amongst other blessings a vertuous wife and God who hath said to euerie beleeuing soule aske and it shall be giuen you Mat. 7 7 heard him and granted him his desire Thus Isack after his prayer found a good thing for he that findeth a vertuous wife findeth a good thing Pro 18.22 saith Salomon after his prayer he receiued a gift at Gods hands and a good portion For a vertuous and shamefast woman is a good portion Pro. 19 14. Eccles 26.14.15.24 which shall be giuen for a gift vnto such as feare the Lord saith Salomon and likewise Siracides Isack after pis prayer found a possession an heritage an helpe and a piller to rest vpon For he that hath gotten a vertuous wife hath gotten all these Eccles 36 24. 22.4 and a wise daughter is an heritage vnto her husband saith Iesus the Sonne of Sirach Isack after his prayer found a matter of ioy gladnes and long life For he found a wife full of grace Eccles 26.1.2.17.13 and the grace of a wife is the thing that most reioyceth her husband for she feedeth his bones with her vnderstanding Blessed is the man saith Siracides that hath a vertuous wife for the nomber of his yeres shall be double an honest woman reioyceth her husband and she shall see the yeeres of his life with pence Whereas contrariwise an euill wife is as a yoke of Oxen that draw diuers waies and he that hath her is as though he held a Scorpion For such a one maketh her husbands life short for the verie talke of her tongue is like the sting of a Scorpions taile Isack after his prayer found an ornament of his house Eccles 26.16 for as the Sunne when it ariseth in the high places of the Lord so is the beautie of a good wife the ornament of her house Isack after his prayer in his wife Rebecca found a Crowne Prou. 12.4 for a vertuous woman is the Crowne of her husband saith Salomon Finally Isack after prayer found an inestimable treasure Eccles 26.14.15 for there is nothing so much worth saith Iesus the Sonne of Sirach as a woman well instructed and no weight to be compared vnto her continent minde Who shall finde a vertuous woman saith king Lemuel for her price is farre aboue the pearles The heart of her husband trusteth in her Pro. 31.10 11.12.28.29 and he shall haue no neede of spoile She will doe him good and not euill all the dayes of her life her husband also shall praise her saying many daughters haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all Thus we see that
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