for vnfalliable read vnfallible Page 19. for vnsoundly read vnsonnely Page 49. for deseased read deceased Page 68 for bended read bruised Page 90. for was read were Page 100. for opens read open Page 133. for blesseth read kisseth The golden legend of ABRAHAM and SARA ABraham as he was the father of the faithfull Gen. 17.4 5 6. Rom. 4.16 17 18. so was he more particularly of all religious and godly rich men He feared God deuoutly obeyed his voyce readily called vpon his name dilligently liued among men vprightly and followed his calling carefully Gen. 12.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 15.1.2.3.4.12.13.18 2.17.8 His obediēce to the Lords voyce was such that he left his natiue country forsook his kindred and his fathers house and trauailed towards the land of Canaan Act. 7 2.3 4.5 which the Lord promised to giue him his seed he left a certaine possession for an vncertaine only relying reposing himselfe vpon the certainty of Gods gratious promise Yea more when as God had giuen him a son one onely sonne of his wife Sara in their olde age contrary to the cōmon course ordinary ability of nature Gen. 22.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. and 26. 5. Iames 2.21 he was willing at the Lords voyce to offer him for a burnt offering So that not without great cause is the holy Patriarks obedience so highly commended by the Lords owne mouth By my selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely sonne therfore will I surely blesse thee and will greatly multiply thy seed as the stars of the heauē the sand which is vpon the sea-shore thy seed shal possesse the gate of his enemies And as Abraham at the commaundement of the most high would haue sacrificed his sonne yea his young sonne and his onely sonne and the sonne of his delight and that with his owne hands without protracting of time for he rose vp early in the morning to offer vp his son so the Lord in consideration of his obedience yea his admirable memorable obedience rewarded him most amply and blessed exceedingly not onely himselfe but likewise his seed for his sake Instruction 1 Hence we may learne this lesson that whosoeuer he be that serueth the Lord hee shall finde that hee serueth not a thankeles but a most thankefull maister according to that which he said vnto Abraham Gen. 1. Feare not Abraham I am thy Buckler and thine exceeding great Instruction 2 reward In Abrahams obedience in preferring the Lords voyce and will before the loue of his Country kindred yea before the loue of his onely son Isack al his children according to the promise but chiefely rich men are taught to yeeld obedience vnto the Lords voyce and euen if the cause require it to abandon and forsake their dearest and most beloued things for the cause of God to preferre his will before al earthly and corruptible treasure Mat. 10.37 19 29. He that loueth father or mother more then me saith our Sauiour is not worthy of me and he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of me And whosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake he shal receaue an hundreth fold more and shall inherit euerlasting life Well knew holy Abraham this who as he reioyced to see Christ in the flesh Iohn 8.56 so he loued him farre aboue all fleshly and corruptible things he knew well what it was to be worthy of Christ would haue rather forsaken all then to haue proued vnworthy of him that made all This great obedience in Abraham did flowe from his exceeding great faith as the Apostle to the Hebrewes lets vs to vnderstand By faith Abraham when he was called Hebr. 11 8 9 10 17 18 19. obeyed God to go out into a place which he should afterward receaue for inheritance and he went out not knowing whether he went By faith he abode in the land of promise as in strange countrie as one that dwelt in Tents with Isack and Iacob heires with him of the same promise for he looked for a Citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God By faith he offered vp Isack when he was tried and he that had receiued the promises offered his onely begotten sonne To whome it was said in Isack shall thy seede be called for he considered that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead from whence he receiued him also after a sort Gen. 15.6 and 17.11 23 24 25 26 27 Rom. 4.3.11.16 17 18 19 20 21 22. Gala. 3.6 Iam. 2.23 Abraham beleeued God saith the scripture and it was counted to him for righteousnes who aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations Neither did he doubt of the promise of God thorough vnbelief but was strēgthened in the faith gaue glory to God being fully assured that he which had promised was also able to do it Though Abraham had not by inheritance so much as one foote breadth in the land of Canaan yet he beleeued that the Lord was both able and willing to performe his promise made to him and his seede touching the possession thereof Though he knew that Sara his wife being both barren and olde could not by the course of nature conceiue yet he was assured that God was able to giue him a Sonne euen of her Finally though he was commanded to offer vp his Sonne Isack for a burnt offering vnto the Lord yet being strengthned in the faith he considered how that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead and was fully perswaded that Gods promise made to him touching Isack and his seede should not nor could not fall to the ground and want the owne performance in the own due time Heauen and earth shall passe away but Gods promise is as vnfaileable and vnfalliable as God himselfe Abraham if he had beene feeble in the faith would haue said what a kinde of a Commandement is this for a father to be the slayer of his owne Sonne Haue I receiued a Sonne and but one Sonne onely after so long prayer and expectation and must I and none other but I be the butcher of his body the spiller of his blood and the burner of his bones Good Lord what an hard and heauy commandement is this Is it possible O heauens that God should be the author thereof How much more like is this son-offering voice vnto the voyce of some monstrous Milcom or Molech Leuit. 18 21. the blood-sucking Idol of Ammon rather then vnto the voyce of the most gracious God of Abraham chiefly he hauing promised in Isacks seede to call and blesse all the nations of the earth and must I and none but I who was the instrument of his life now be the mortall and vnnaturall instrument
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
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