Elcanas wiues Thus as the holy woman Anna after long barrennes and much despisement reproch 1. Sam 1.20 3.4 7.15.16 17 Iudg. 13. ◠4.5.7.24 brought forth her Samuel to be a Priest before the Lord a Iudge of his people and Manoahs barren wife her Sampson to be the Lords champion against the Philistims holy Elizabeth her Iohn to be the conuerter of the children of Israel Luk. 1.5.6.7.13.14.15.16.17.57.60.63.76 the Prophet of the most high and the fore-runner of the Messias Iesus the sonne of Marie the blessed Virgine So godly and vertuous Sara after long barrennes and much reproch bare in her olde age with Elizabeth her Isack to be the heire of Abraham the seeds-man of all the blessed nations of the earth and the figure and forefather of the Messiah according to the flesh Thus wee see how that faith Instruction 16 which transcendeth nature Ephes 2.8 and is not of nature but of grace not of man but Gods gift made Sara to beare when as by nature she was barren As without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 so without faith it was impossible for Sara to conceiue and beare a Son in her olde age And God that doth vnto euery man according to his faith Mat 9.29 wrought with vertuous Sara according to her faith As Abraham aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations Rom. 4.18.19.21 being strengthened in the faith and not considering the deadnes of his owne body So his wife Sara being strengthened in the same faith and not considering the deadnes of her wombe aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that she should be the mother of many Nations Both of them beleeued him that had promised to be both faithfull in his promise and powerfull to performe it Hence we may learne of how great vertue efficacie and force faith is By faith a man is counted Instruction 17 righteous before God for Abraham beleeued in the Lord saith the scripture and it was counted vnto him for righteousnes Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.3 9. By faith a man hath peace towards God and pleaseth him Rom. 5.1.10 Heb. 11.6 and so commeth neere vnto him and without faith it is impossible to please God saith the Apostle Act. 26.18 By faith we are raised vp from sin and receiue forgiuenes thereof inheritance among the Saints Act. 15.9 by faith our hearts are purified and clensed and Blessed be the pure in heart Mat. 5.8 saith our Sauiour for they shall see God By faith we are strenthened in Gods grace we resist the deuil 1. Pet. 1.2.5.9 5.9 the world and the flesh yea we ouercome them Ephes 3.12 Galat 3.14 26. Ephes 2.8 9. 2. Tim. 3.15 2. King 6.14.15 16.17 we haue free accesse vnto God we receiue his blessing we are made his sonnes and in end we acquire the saluation of our soules Elisha was so strong in faith that he feared not the troupes of the King of Siria that he sent out to apprehend him Feare not quoth the Prophet to his seruant being affrayed of the mighty host of their enemies for they that be with vs are more then they that be with them The Citie of Dothan was compassed with Horses and charets sent by the King of Syria to offend Elisha and to apprehend him But loe the mountaine was full of horses and Charets of fire round about Elisha sent by the King of Kings to defend his seruant and to confound his foes The Angel of the Lord saith the Prophet pitcheth round about them that feare him Psal 34.7 deliuereth them 1 Sam. 6. to 24. Ionathan accompanied with his armour-bearer discōfited the Philistims through the great faith he had in God For it is not hard for the Lord to saue with many or with few quoth Ionathan to his man 1. Sam. 17.26.32 to 37. 55. Dauid being armed with an inuincible faith in God went out against the mighty Goliah and smote him first in the fore-head with a stone so that he fell groueling to the ground afterwards smote off his head with his owne sword The Lord that deliuered me quoth Dauid to King Saul out of the paw of the Lion and out of the paw of the beare he will deliuer mee out of the hands of this Philistim No the Lord not onely deliuered Dauid out of his hands but also deliuered the vncircumcised Philistim into the hands of his champion Dauid The three children by their faith in God were preserued in the middes of the firie fornace Dan. 3.16.17.27.28 Behold said they to the King our God whome we serue is able to deliuer vs from the hot fierie fornace and he will deliuer vs out of thine hand O King And according to their saith so it fell out for the fire had no power ouer their bodies no not so much as an haire of their head was burnt neither were their coates changed no not so much as any smoakie smell of fire came vpon them They were casten bound into the mids of the hote fierie fornace but loe the king seeth them loose walking in the mids of the fire as if it had beene amids a glorious and a fresh florishing garden together with one in their companie like the Sonne of God Their faith in God made the fierie fornace vnto them as a fresh medow when as the flame thereof consumed the Idolatrous and faithles officers that threw them in a wonderfull worke that the fire should forbeare to burne the smallest haire of the head of such as were cast into the mids of it and in the meane while destroy and slay such as were without it The seruants of God were safe in the fire because of their faith in God but the kings seruants though being without the fire were not yet safe because they were without faith in God whervpon Nebuchadnezzer the king was constrained to praise God saying Blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach and abednago who hath sent his Angell and deliuered his seruants that put their trust in him And not onely did he blesse God for them but also decreed that whosoeuer should speake any blasphemie against him that he should be drawne in peeces and his house made a Iakes And withall as he honored and magnified the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednago acknowledging that there is no God that can deliuer after this sort and commanding all his subiects to doe the same so did he promote these men that thus did honour God to greate honour in the prouince of Babell Wherein we finde that saying of the Lord verified Them that honour me 1. Sam. 2 30. I will honour The like was the efficacie of Daniels faith Dan. 6.11.12.16.22.23.24.26.27 the strength whereof did surmount the strength of the strongest beastes euen of Darius his Lyons He was cast into the Lyons denne for making his supplication vnto God yet no
set at the right hand of the throne of God Hence it is that we also reioyce in tribulations Rom. 5.3.4.5 knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope 2. Tim. 2.12 hope maketh not ashamed for if we suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him If we beare the Crosse heere with him on earth we shall also weare a crowne hereafter with him in heauen Iacob lying vpon the stones found notwithstanding rest to his Body and if we repose our selues wholy vpon the Rock 1. Cor. 10.4 Gen. 49.24 Dan. 2.34.41 Christ Iesus whome Iacob calleth the stone of Israel and Daniel the the stone cut without hands we shall not faile to finde rest to our soules And Christ shall be vnto Instruction 47 vs not onely a Rock to rest vpon and a stone to stay vpon but likewise a Ladder to climbe vpon wherby we may ascend from this earth wherein is all hardnes vnto the kingdome of heauen where is all happines Iacob being come vnto his Vncle Labans house entered into seruice with Laban in which his seruice he was so exceedingly blessed of God Gen. 30.27.43 that he became very rich got many flocks maidseruants and men seruants Camels and Asses Moreouer Laban confessed that the Lord had blessed and enriched him likwise for Iacobs sake Whereby the children of Iacob Instruction 48 are taught not to liue Idlely and without some lawfull calling or trade and rather to embrace the condition of seruice then to spend their time in sluggishnes idlenes and sinne And therefore we read that Iacob brought vp his owne children in the occupation of sheepe-heardes Gen. 46.34 47.3 And Saul was taken from seeking of his fathers Asses 1. Sam. 9.3 16.11.12.19 and Dauid from keeping of his fathers sheepe to feede and rule the people of Israel and the Apostle Saint Paul as he wrought with his owne hands 2. Thes 3.7 8.9.10 11 Act. 20.34 so he commandeth that the man that will not worke should not eate And therefore he exhorteth idle men to worke with quietnes and to eate their owne bread and withall recommendeth vnto them his owne example for imitation how that he tooke not bread of any man for nought but wrought with labour and trauaile night and day because he would not be chargeable to any of them Pro. 5.15 12.11 14 14.23 20.4 21.17 Drinke the water of thy Cisterne and of the riuers out of the midst of thine owne well saith Salomon insinuating thereby how that men ought to liue of their owne laboures He that tilleth his land shal be satisfied with bread but he that followeth the idle is destitute of vnderstanding the recompence of a mans hâ—â—as shall God giue vnto him and in all labour there is aboundance The slothfull will not plowgh because of winter therefore shall he begge in summer but haue nothing he that loueth pastime shall he a poore man and he that loueth Wine and Oyle shall not be rich Iacob then who was so exceeding rich was no doubt verie free from the vices of idlenes superfluitie and excesse And yet it was Instruction 49 not so much his labour as the blessing of the Lord that made him rich Psal 1 27.1.2 Except the Lord builde the house saith the Psalmist they labour in vaine that build it except the Lord keepe the Citie the keeper watcheth in vaine It is vaine for you to rise early to lie down late to eate the bread of sorrow but he will surely giue rest to his beloued As if he should say it is in vaine for a man to toyle and moyle day and night except the Lord blesse his busines as he did Iacobs Labans likewise for Iacobs sake and as he did Iosephes affaires and his three maisters for Iosephes sake first in Potiphars house Gen 39. 40. 41 then in the prison lastly in the Princes Pallace Iacob serued twise seuen yeeres his Vncle Laban for his daughter Rahel For it is said that he loued her and euen so earnestly and feruently Gen. 20.18 28.30 that so many yeeres did seeme vnto him but a fewe dayes Wherby such as are about Instruction 50 mariag are taught to make choise onely of such parties as they can most entierly loue Gen. 25.23 25.26.27.28 As Iacob being the yonger of Isacks two sonnes was more beloued of God and of his mother Rebecca then the elder sonne Esau So of Labans two daughters being Iacobs two wiues the younger was more loued of Iacob then the elder Gen. 29.16 17.18.19.20 euen faire Rahel more then tender-eyed Leah As of the two brethren the Lord made choyse of the younger Mat. 1.2 Rom 9.13 Iacob haue I loued so of the two sisters Iacob made choise of the younger for Rahel he loued serued twice seauen yeares for her It is said of Rahel that she was beautifull and faire the same is said of Sara and of Rebecca 1. Sam. 25.3 and likewise of Abigail who was both beautifull and singularly wise Abigail is asmuch by interpretation as fathers ioy and such a one was Rahel euen the ioy of her father Laban and likewise of Iacob her louing husband Pro. 10.1 Eccles 26.1.2.13 for as a wise daughter is the ioy of her father so is a wise wife the ioy of her husband saith the wise man And Rahel Labans daughter and Iacobs wife Abigail like was both The greatest glorie of a daughter is to be called her fathers or her mothers ioy And the greatest glorie of a wife is to be accounted the ioy of her husband And heere all daughters Instruction 51 and wiues are taught to endeuour by all meanes to be such as Rahel and Abigail were Iacob loued Rahel for her beautie but yet more for her bountie and gracious behauiour For fauour is deceitfull Pro. 31.30 and beauty is euanishings but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised saith Salomon such a one was Rahel who was not so faire in body as she was in minde therefore worthie to be loued of her husband and landed of men The beautie of a woman cheereth the face saith Siracides and a man loueth nothing better Eccles 36.22.23.24 if there be in her tongue gentlenes meeknes and wholsome talke then is not her husband like other men Instruction 52 The beautie of a woman indeede cheereth the face but the bounty of a woman cheereth the minde more and is the sweetest solace of the soule The eye of man loueth nothing better then beautie and the heart of man loueth nothing better then bountie the beautie of a wel-behaued woman is in the house Eccles 26.16 17 18. as the candle light in the Temple Eccles 22.4 36.24 or the Sunne-light in the heauen saith Siracides But the wisdome of a woman is the heritage and heartes-case of her husband The beautie of a
help vs himselfe and hinder others from doing vs any harme Moreouer when as Iacob was in his iourney Gen. 32.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 and was greatly affrighted and troubled because of his brother Esau the Lord sent his Angels to meete him and to accompanie him for his preseruation and safetie accordirg to the saying of the Psalmist Psal 34.7 19.11 The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about all them that feare him and deliuereth them He shall giue his Angels charge ouer them to keepe them in all their wayes Thus we read that the Lord comforted Hagar by an Angel Gen. 16.7 to 15 when she fled from her mistris Sara for vsing her roughly Thus an Angel stayed Abraham at the Lords appointment Gen. 22.11.12 from sacrificing his Sonne Thus an Angel conducted Eliezer Abrahams seruant to finde a wife for Gen. 24.7.12.27.40 Isack Thus an Angell comforted Eliah and nourished him when as he fled from Iezebell 1 King 19 5 6.7 Thus an Angell comforted and encouraged Ioshua being about the besieging of Ierico Iosh 5.13.14.15 Thus an Angel appeared vnto Gideon Iudg 6.11 to 28. to appoint him to be the sauiour of Israel out of the Midianites hands Thus the Angel Raphael was sent of God to guide Tobias in his wayes Tob 5.6 1.3.14 15.18.19 20.21.22 Act 1◠7 8 9 10 11 12. 27.23.24 and to prosper his busines Thus the holy Angels deliuered the Apostles out of prison and another Angel shewed Saint Paul that none of them with him in the Ship should perish Also the Angels ministred vnto our Sauiour Christ in the Wildernes after his fourtie dayes fasting Mat 4.11 Luke 22.4.5 And another Angel comforted him in the garden before his apprehension Mat. 29.24 53. He might likewise haue had legiōs of Angels to deliuer him from the violence of the Iewes but he would not Also the Angels did tell the Maries and the rest of the deuout women Mat. 28.5.6 the newes of our Sauiours resurrection In one word Luk. 15.7.10 as the Angels reioyce at the sinners conuersion so are they appointed of God for the faithfuls protection and consolation according to that saying of the Lord vnto his people Exod. 23.20.23 32.2 Behold I send an Angel before thee to keepe thee in thy way and to bring thee to the place which I haue prepared Finally our Sauiour teacheth vs in the Gospell Mat. 18.10 that the Angels are appointed of God to be gardians of little Children Iacob prayed vnto the Lord to deliuer him from the hand of Esau Gen. 32 9.10.11.24.25.28 and the Lord heard him and in token that he should ouercome his brothers anger made his Angell to wrestle with him and in the wrestling strengthned Iacob so that the Angell could not preuaile Thereby giuing him to vnderstand that if an Angell was not able to vanquish him when as God was on his side to strengthen him how much lesse should his brother being a mortall man be able to giue him the foile And therefore the Angell said vnto Iacob thy name shal be called Iacob no more but Israell because thou hast had power with God thou Instruction 60 shalt also preuaile with men And herein we are admonished in the time of anguish and aduersity but cheifely whenas we are in perril by reason of great men to haue our recourse vnto God with Iacob praying him to deliuer vs from the hands of our enemies that are stronger then wee This hath allwaies beene the custome of the men of God namely of Godly Dauid Lord how are mine aduersaries increased Psal 3.1.3.4.5.6.7 said this holy man when as he fled from his son Absalon How many rise against me But thou Lord art a Buckler for me my glory and the lifter vp of mine head I did call vnto the Lord with my voyce and he heard me out of his holy mountaine I laied me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me I would not be afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about O Lord arise helpe me my God for thou hast smitten all mine enemies vpon the cheeke-bone thou hast broaken the teeth of the wicked The Lord was Dauids gard against the insurrection of his Sonne and likewise against the persecution of Saul Psal 18.32 to 42. God girded him with strength and taught his hands to fight so that he not onely wounded his enemies that they were not able to rise but also consumed them for he beat them as small as the dust before the winde and tread them flat as the clay in the street And as God consumed Dauids enemies so he changed the hearts of Iacobs aduersaries This great King of hearts softned Esaus heart in his brothers behalfe for no sooner came he into his brothers sight and had done obeisance in humble manner before him but as soone God touched Esaus heart with a correspondent affection so that he ran to meete him and embraced him and fell on his neck and they wept for ioy out of a kinde tendernesse of heart Thus Esau that once hated his brother mortally now loued him exceedingly and he that once intended to kill him now blesseth him and he that once did banish and chase him away now runneth to meete and to embrace him in his armes Instruction 61 In Esaus demeanour we are taught to ouercome all carnall desire of reuenge though we haue power to be auenged on such as haue either crossed vs or yet done vs any wrong Rom. 12.19.20.21 Dearely beloued saith the Apostle auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I wil repay saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feede him if he thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vpon his head Be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with goodnes Againe in Iacobs humble behauiour towards his Brother for it is said that he bowed himselfe seauen times to the ground before his brother whome he called his Lord and that he sent him a present of his goods that he might finde fauour in his sight In Iacobs humility Instruction 62 and curtesie I say the children of God are taught to vse all the ordinary meanes of pacifying and appeasing such as we know to beare vs any euill will whether by dooing of externall submission and obeisance or by vsing honorable and reuerent compellations in their behalfe or yet by giuing or sending them a present of such goods as the Lord hath bestowed vpon vs. The present that Iacob sent vnto his brother Esau he calleth his blessing insinuating therby that as it was a blessing from God vnto him so should it be a blessing to his brother from God by Iacobs hands And it is verie likely that the Lord blessed Esau for Iacobs sake for being appeased towards his brother and for vsing him so kindely