And heere againe in this good seruant Instruction 6 Eliezer are all seruants taught to doe all diligence and to vse all fidelity and consionable carefulnes in doing of their maisters affaires But to returne from the man to the maister as Abrahams faith was not a dead or idle faith in the behalfe of God for we see it wrought by obedience Iam. 2.21.22 Galat. 5.6 and pious liuing in Gods behalfe so likewise was it not dead or idle in the regard of man but wrought by charitie Gen. 18.1.2.3 4.19.3 equitie and loue This appeareth by his hospitality for he was wont to sit at the doore of his Tent to inuite strangers and to bid the poore into his house So that on a time he receiued Angels for his guests at vnwares And the like did his brothers son Lot Whereupon the Apostle to the Ebrewes Heb. 13.2 giueth out this exhortation Be not forgetfull to lodge strangers for thereby some haue receiued Angels into their houses vnawares Instruction 7 If then the father of the faithfull had this godly custome to sit at his doore to bid the stranger and the poore into his house how vnseemely and vnsoundly a thing is it for the sons and daughters of such a father to be so farre from bidding or bringing them into our houses as not to receiue or entertaine them when they come but euen to chase them away from our doors The world is now adaies grown so Keycolde in charitie that if the verie Angels themselues should come downe from heauē into our houses as of olde it seemeth we would be more ready to bid them to be gone then to harbour them with Abraham and Lot But heare what our Sauiour saith If ye were Abrahams children ye Ioh. 8.39 would doe the workes of Abraham Abraham was likewise full of tender hartednes pittie and compassion toward the miserable and afflicted whence it came to passe that he not onely deliuered Lot from captiuitie Gen. 14.12 16 18.23 being taken and spoiled by Chedar Laomer in the ouerthrow of Sodome and restored him againe to his owne but he also prayed very earnestly vnto Instruction 8 God for the sinfull people of Sodome Whereby the children of Abraham are taught to comfort the comfortles to pittie the oppressed to deliuer the distressed to aide the weake to ransome and redeeme the captiue and to pray for the conuersion saluation of all men be they neuer so wicked Yea Abraham prayed also euen for such men as had don him wrong Gen. 20.3.7.17.18 as for king Abimelech and his houshold when as the Lord had plagued them for taking away Abrahams wife from him Giuing Instruction 9 vs therein an example of praying euen for our ill-willers and enemies according to the commandement of our Sauiour Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you Mat. 5.44.45 doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you that ye may be the children of your father which is in heauen for he maketh his sun to arise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and the vniust If we be the children of Abraham we will do the workes of Abraham and if we be the children of God we will doe the will of our Father which is in heauen Abrahams peaceable and milde disposition appeareth in that Gen. 13.5 to 12. when as the land was not able to beare him and his brothers sonne Lot to liue together by reason of the great increase of their store he to auoide contention and strife parted company very louingly with Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee said Abraham to Lot betweene thee and me neither betweene mine Heard-men and thine for we be brethren Yea Abraham to purchase peace resigned his owne right and bid Lot choose what part of the land he did most like Instruction 10 Teaching thereby all his children to auoyd all occasions of wrangling and contending with their kins-men neighbours friends and rather be content to loose a part of their owne then enter into quarrell with them for that which iustly is theirs To which purpose Ro. 12.18 the Apostle exhorteth all Christians to labour by all meanes to haue peace with all men The good christian then after the example of his father Abraham will shew him-selfe alwaies peaceable that is a louer a maker and a taker of peace He will cut off all occasions of contention as much as he can and he will say vnto such a one as would be at debate with him let there be no strife nor debate I pray thee betweene thee and me neither betweene any of ours for we be brethren we be Christians euen children of one father seruants of one Lord fellowes of one Baptisme followers of one faith and members of one militant Church And in so doing we shall be called not onely the children of Abraham but euen the sonnes and daughters of the most high euen of the God of Abraham Mat. 5.9 As Abraham was peaceable so was he likewise equitable and iust he would not receiue at the hands of Ephron the Hittite a field which he had offered him freely to burie his wife Sara in Gen. 23. but would needes giue him the price thereof euen foure hundred sheckles of Siluer What shall we then say Instruction 11 of violent oppressours and possessors of other folkes rights of robbers and wrongfull with-holders of that which appertaineth to other men how can such vnreasonable and vnequitable vsurpers and encroachers claime to be called or accounted the children of righteous Abraham If they were Abrahams children they would not take another mans goods for nought although being offered them by the owner much lesse would they violently bereaue a man of that which is his owne or yet with hold it from him they hauing it in their hands And if such men cannot claime to be Abrahams children how can they make claime to any part or portion in Abrahams bosome seeing the man that would repose in Abrahams bosome after this life Luk. 16.22 25. must heere in this life harbour in his heart and beare in his bosome Abrahams liuing faith which was made perfite through workes Iam. 2.21.22 wrought by obedience equitie righteousnes charitie and loue But did this godly and religious disposition of Abraham want a reward No truly I will make of thee a great nation said the Lord and I will blesse thee Gen. 12.2 3.7 15 1.2.3 4 17.1.4 18.1 and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing I will also blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed feare not Abraham I am thy buckler and thine exceeding great reward The Lord honoured him often with his presence in appearing speaking vnto him he made him of Abram Abraham of a father the father euen the father of
many nations dignified him with the title and stile to be called the father of the faithfull the freind of God Rom. 4.17 Iam. 2.23 Abraham was a great father of many people saith Ecclesiasticus in glory was there none like vnto him Ecclus 45 19.20.21 He kept the law of the most high and was in couenant with him he set the couenant in his flesh and in tentation he was found faithfull Therefore he assured him by an oath that he would blesse the nations in his seed and that he would multiplie him as the dust of the earth and exalt his seede as the stars and cause them to inherite from sea to sea from the riuer vnto the end of the world 1. Sam. 2.30 Them that honour mee I will honour saith the Lord. Abraham honoured and Instruction 12 magnified the God of Israel and therefore God honoured him and made him the father of the most honorable on earth Abraham blessed the Lord deuoutly at all times acknowledging all blessednes to flowe from him and God crowned him with aboundance both of spirituall and temporall blessings Among other he blessed him with a vertuous and godly wife whose faith towards God and obedience towards her husband are both of them highly extolled in holy scripture Heb. 11.12 Through faith saith the Apostle Sara also receiued strength to conceiue seede and was deliuered of a child when as she was past age because she iudged him faithfull which had promised The tenure of which promise is set down in these words Gen 17.19 18.10.11 12 13.14 and 21.1.2.3 Sara thy wife shall beare thee a sonne and thou shalt call his name Isack and I will establish my couenant with him for an euerlasting couenant and with his seede after him And as the Lord promised her a sonne so he performed his promise and after long barrennes Instruction 13 made her to beare euen in her olde age To teach the sonnes and daughters of faithfull Abraham and Sara not to tie God vnto the strict order of nature nor to measure his power according to the ordinarie ability of naturall causes For God as he is the Lord of Nature she his hand-maide so can he worke both without her and with her aswell without meanes and contrary to meanes as with or according to meanes Gen. 16.1.2.3.4 Sara was despised in the eyes of her hand-maide Hagar for her barrennes But the Lord at last comforted and cheered vp sorrowfull Sarai and turned her sadnes into gladnes and her mourning into mirth he euen changed her name Gen. 17.15.16.19.21 and the inability of her nature both at once Sarai thy wife said the Lord to Abraham thou shalt not call Sarai which is asmuch as my mistrisse or dame but Sarah shall he her name which signifieth a Princesse or mistris of many and I will blesse her and will also giue thee a sonne of her yea I will blesse her and she shall be them other of Nations Kings also of people shall come of her Sara I say was barren and despised for her barrennes euen at the hands of Hagar her owne hand-maide But the Lord remembred her in end and remedied both these euills he made her the mother of Isack euen the happie mother of a most happie sonne for with him the Lord did establish his couenant and so tooke away her barrennes and reproch yea more he made her the honorable Grand-mother of Kings and of Queenes and so not onely tooke away her despisement but also heaped much honour vpon her head and the insolent hand-maide Hagar who before had despised her daine was turned out a doores with her mocking sonne Ismael Gen. 16.4.5 21.9.10.11.12 13.14 Instruction 14 Hence we learne two notable lessons one is that such as God hath imparted any excellent quallitie vnto or bestowed vpon any abilitie of nature or of grace that they beware of despising such as God hath not dealt so liberally with Pro. 3.34 1. Pet. 5.5 Iam. 4.6 For God who resisteth the proude and giueth grace vnto the humble will despise the despisers and exalt the despised he will scorne the scornfull and curse such as sit in the seate of the scornfull With the froward Psal 18.26 the Lord will shew himselfe froward Prou. 3.34 saith holy Dauid and with the scornefull he scorneth or will shew himselfe scornefull saith wise Salomon his sonne He that dwelleth in the heauen shall laugh Psal 2.4 the Lord shall haue them in derision As despising Hagar together with her mocking sonne Ismael were cast out of Abrahams house So shall all proud despising Hagars all insolent mocking Ismaels be debarred from Abrahams bosome Wherefore seeing that as the Apostle speaketh we are not Children of the seruant but of the free woman Gal. 4.28.29.30.31 children of the promise after the manner of Isack and not children of the bond woman after the manner of Ismael let vs shew our selues not offerers of despisement and mockage with Hagar and Ismael but rather sufferers with Sara and Isack that we may be partakers of the inheritance with him Instruction 15 The other lesson we learne hence is this that the sonnes and daughters of faithfull Abraham and Sara are taught to commit their cause to commend their afflicted and vilipended estate vnto God who is alwaies wont to be nearest then when as his seruants by reason of the greatnes of their anguish and griefe thinke him farthest off Dauid was so farre despised by his enemies that he calleth him selfe a worme and not a man Psal 22.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.22.23.24 a shame of men and the contempt of the people and one that was had in derision of all and his recourse was vnto God who drew him out of the wombe and gaue him hope euen at his mothers breasts Euen he deliuered his soule from the dogges and bulles of Bashan which had inclosed him about wherupon the holy man resolued to praise the Lord in the mids of the congregation to exhort encourage others to doe the like for he doth not despise nor abhor the affliction of the poore neither hideth he his face from him but when he calleth vnto him he heareth In one word Psal 15.3 such as hope in him shal not be ashamed Wherefore it is good for all afflicted persons to draw neere vnto God It is God as the holy woman Anna singeth in her song that maketh both the barren to beare 1. Sam. 2 5 6.7.8 and the mother of many children to be weake he maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth lowe and exhalteth he raiseth vp the poore out of the dust lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the seate of glory Thus sang Anna when as she had receiued a sonne from the Lord 1. Sam. 6. being before for her barrennes despised in the eyes of fruitfull Peninnah the other of
reede or their violence then a blast of winde Feare ye not them saith our Sauiour which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule Mat. 10.28 But rather feare him which is able to destroy both body and soule And the Lord as he was ready and present to comfort cheere vp Isack in his affliction so was he not onely his friend himselfe But also he framed the heart of king Abimelech to fauour him Gen. 26.26.27.28.29 For the heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord Pro. 21.1 he turneth whether soeuer it pleaseth him saith Salomon Abimelech of a foe was made a friend to Isack before he vexed him but afterwardes he went vnto him to visit him and to make an alliance and couenant with him For we saw quoth the king that certainly the Lord was with thee as if he should haue said we saw God to be with thee and therefore it was not fit that we should be against thee we saw God was thy friend so that it was but a follie for vs to be any longer thy foes Instruction 24 Whereby all faithfull folkes are taught that Gods helpe is most present when as mans ayde is most absent as also that if we haue our refuge vnto him in our affliction with Isack God will also comfort and cheere vs vp with Isack Rom. 8.31 So that if God be with vs we shall not neede to feare who be against vs. For either God will turne the hearts of our foes and make them our friends as he did heere with Isacks enemies or els they shall not be able to doe vs any notable harme Gen. 26.30.31 And as Abimelech together with his Philistims and friends came to treat of peace alliance and amitie with Isack So did he on the other part shew his peaceable disposition and gentle nature in entertaining them for he made them a feast and in accepting of the offer made by the king for they sware one to another And truly if we desire to shew our selues the children of Abraham and of Isack we must behaue our Instruction 25 selues semblably in the behalfe of our neighbours by the meanes of a courteous gentle kinde and quiet cariage In one word the Apostles exhortation to all christians is to haue peace and amitie Ro. 12.18 if it be possible with all men That we may be the children not onely of Abraham and Isack but euen of the most high Mat. 5.9 the father of vs all which is in heauen And as God blessed Abraham amongst many other blessings with a vertuous wife so did he likewise his Sonne Isack For a prudent wife coÌ„meth of the Lord Pro. 19.14 saith Salomon and a godly woman is giuen to him that feareth the Lord Eccles 16.14 saith Siracides Of Sara it is said that she was verie faire and of Rebecca that she was beautifull to the eye Gen. 12.14 24 16. 26.7 and verie faire to looke vpon But this is not all the externall beautie of her body was accompanied with the internall beautie of her minde and in both she proued the true daughter of Sara whose beautie and bountie are both of them recorded in scripture to her praise Eccles 36.22.23.24 The beautie of a woman saith Siracides cheereth the face and a man loueth nothing better if there be in her tongue gentlenes meeknes and wholsome talke then is not her husband like other men As Naomi said vnto Ruth all the Citie of my people doth know that thou art a vertuous woman Ruth 3.11 So all the Citie of Nahor knew that Rebecca liuing as yet in her fathers house was a vertuous and a modest maide and after she was married to Isack all the land of Canaan and of Gerar knew that she was a wise and a well quallified wife Eccles 25.8 26.14 Well is him saith Siracides that dwelleth with a wife of vnderstanding and well was Isack to haue found such a wife as wise Rebecca For there is nothing saith the wise man of so much worth as a woman well instructed And thus in the person Instruction 26 of Rebecca are all matrons and maides taught to ioyne bountie to beautie and mildenes meekenes and modestie of minde to the welfauourednes of face and the outward feature as I said aboue in the Legend of Sara Besides her bodily chastitie and virginall puritie whereof the holy scripture beareth witnes saying that she was a Virgin and vnknowne of man her industrie and diligence is also set downe to her praise for she led not an idle or lasie kinde of life as many maides now a dayes doe but she was employed in the dayly seruice of her fathers house Gen. 24.16.17.18 19.20 for Abrahams seruant found her drawing water at the well for her fathers cattell Whereby young women and Instruction 27 maides are taught to inure themselues euen from their verie tender yeeres to vertuous and profitable employments and not to be ashamed to take paines about their parents houshold affaires considering how that there is nothing more contrary to chastitie then idlenes and lazines which is the roote of all euill and the mother of all mischiefe Ezech. 16.49 This may be seene in the Sodomites who were full of idlenes and also of vnnaturall lust also in Dina Iacobs daughter Gen. 34.1.2 who by her idle gadding abroad lost her virginitie Likewise in Dauid who being idle 1. Sam. 11.1.2.3.4 committed adulterie with the beautious Bathsheba Vriahs Instruction 28 wife Moreouer in the person of Rebecca women are taught to shew all humanity curtesie towards strangers and wayfaring folkes especially those of their owne sexe For Rebccca disdained not to draw water for Abrahams seruant being a stranger to her and not onely for him but also for his Camels wherein likewise her great humilitie lowlines is descried She disdained not to serue Abrahams seruant God in requitall of this her lowly and humble behauiour aduanced her to be the mistresse of the man to whome she had formerly behaued her selfe as a seruaÌ„t Sâ—e humbled her selfe and the Lord honoured her she debased her selfe the Lord lift her vp Iam. 5.5 And therefore the holy Apostle exhorteth all persons but chiefely the yonger sort to humility saying Decke your selues inwardly in lowlines of minde for God resisteth the proud Iob. 5.11 22.29 40.6.7 and giueth grace to the humble he abaseth and bringeth lowe the arrogant and proud and lifteth vp the lowly Gen. 24.49.50.51 52.57.58 Abrahams seruant hauing asked Rebecca of her parents to be Isacks wife she was graunted vnto him accordingly and sent away home with him to Isack with her owne consent and without all delay Instruction 29 Wherein we may learne how that the Lord blesseth and prospereth the affaires of such as feare him and commend their errands as this Godly seruant did vnto Gods fatherly care 1. Pet 5.7 Cast all