in the order of nature now set and established of God but in God himselfe this principle holdeth not Or if you will thus By man this is impossible to wit to make any thing of nothing but with God all things are possible and want of matter letteth not him It is our comfort that he could and can so do for thereby we know his great abilitie to preserue what so wonderfully he hath made as also to confound and turne to nothing all subtile and malitious practises against his children 6 To what end To the prayse of his glory sayth the Apostle for in him and by him and for him are all things and this is the generall end Beside which there be also speciall ends and subordinate ends vnder them againe as the manifestation the acknowledging and contemplation of his heauenly and diuine wisedome and goodnes which appeareth in the Creation For if the Lord would be celebrated then must he create things to acknowledge him and to celebrate and prayse his name beeing knowne and manifested Therefore he created things reasonable and vnreasonable that they might prayse him and be matter of his glory The heauens declare the glory of God and the fyrmament sheweth his handy worke Agayne the gouernment of the world a subordinate end to that againe For therefore created he the world that he might gouerne it with his prouidence and preserue it and so might euer declare his wonderfull workes which he hath done from the beginning of the world or now doth or yet shall do especially that he might gouerne his Church of elect angells and men Lift vp your eyes sayeth the Prophet therefore and see who hath created these things Thirdly and lastly that all other things might serue to the health of body and soule to the life pleasure and necessitie of man and especially to the good of his chosen being vnto them as it were meanes and ministers whereby God doing them good might be honored and praysed of them Onely man he created for himselfe and all the rest for man Now if any with the Manichees enquire wherefore many things were made whereof they knowe no vse to man eyther of things in the sea or land let them consider what S. Austen aunswereth namely that herein they should rather adore the riches of Gods power and goodnes not only in creating but also in preseruing such a multitude of things as he hath created say with y e prophet Dauid O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdome hast thou made them all the earth is full of his goodnes Glory be to the Lord for euer let the Lord reioyse in his workes Though we know not the vse of them yet his wisedome doth and that should content vs. Sure we ought to bee that hee made nothing in vayne and it is sayd of them all that they were good Yea but what may be sayde for so many hurtfull beasts and creatures as be in the worlde vppon lande or in Sea Why did God create them Surely it was enough for aunswere heerevnto that was sayde before that though wee knowe not by and by the good of a creature yet therefore God may not be condemned for creating them for hee may do with his owne as pleaseth him Yet neuerthelesse we may further say as some do that if man had not sinned no creature had been hurtfull to him and therefore now his fault to be blamed not Gods creation Lactantius aunswereth that in great wisedome God hath made aswell hurtfull things as others that by contraryes a fuller knowledge might growe in man to the prayse of God that hath done all so well And this true aunswere dasheth that greate thunderbolt as hee thinketh of the Epicure made to ouerthrowe Gods prouidence and care to gouerne the worlde and maketh it seeme more foolish then fearefull God sayth hee eyther will take away all hurtfull things and can not or can and will not or neyther can nor will or both can and will If hee woulde and can not then wanteth hee power and is not God if hee can and will not then is hee enuiouse and is not God if hee neyther can nor will then both enuiouse and weake and so no God if hee both can and will then how do they yet remayne This goodly argument is easely aunswered by saying hee can and will not and yet not enuiouse therein but good and carefull for man that he might by sight of contrary euill better discerne the good and so profit thereby both in wisedome and thankefulnesse to the Lorde Lactantius whose Chapter is very worthy reading 7 And lastly in what time or how many dayes did God create all things in sixe dayes sayth the Scripture and euery day some thing sayth this place till the seuenth day wherein hee rested Non vno momento sed sex dierum spatio not in one moment but in sixe dayes space If you happely thinke or meete with Syrach his wordes who sayth Hee that liueth made all things together the Lord who only is iust c. You must consider that he speaketh not of the time but of the multitude of creatures Meaning that God made them all together before he rested and gaue ouer creating but not meaning that hee made them all in one moment of time or in one day for we see both this place and others against it the Lords owne commaundement written with his owne finger giueth testimonie that in sixe dayes the whole was made Thus are we instructed in all these seuen points that I named in the beginning to wit who created what was created when how whereof to what end and in how many dayes or what time Now touching the vse this further What may be knowne of God sayth the Apostle is manifest in these creatures for God hath shewed it vnto them for y e inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world c. The quantitie qualities course and perpetuities of things created how do they shew God surely sayth the Prophet the heauens declare the glory of God and the fyrmament sheweth his handy worke Agayne the same Prophet teacheth the like when he goeth from this creation to the viewe and thought of Gods wonderfull and great loue to mankinde saying When I beholde thy heauens euen the worke of thy fyngers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordayned O what is man Lord thinke I then c. Reade the whole Psalme Concerning other things to be obserued in this Chapter some say how could Moses write of these things that were done so long before he was borne surely not by any wisedome and learning of Aegypt wherein yet he was most excellent but by that holy spirit of God whereby he had receyued to be a faithfull Minister in the house of God being in this aboue all Prophets that he was inabled not only to gouerne things present and foretell
sufficeth to cause vs to consider Gods power which mightely and maruelously hath euer shewed it selfe in his creatures 6 In the fift verse it is sayd The Lord saw the wickednes of man that it was great He euer seeth both good and bad whatsoeuer it is neyther walls nor darkenesse can hinder his sight To the godly it is a comfort who are many times wronged by false suspicion slanders and lyes but the Lord seeth To the wicked it must be a terror and a very great one that cloke they or couer they hide they or hap they their sinnes neuer so much yet the Lord seeth And what will hee doo euer see and neuer punish then were he vniust but that he cannot be for any man therefore the end will smart without repentance 7 If you doubt of this beleeue the text which telleth vs what fell out when God sawe it would be no better it repented him that euer he had made man that is speaking after the manner of men God destroyed man and in that as it were did disauow him to be his creature And marke withall how liuely the Lorde doth discouer the corruption that is in vs saying all our imaginations and all our cogitations are euill and only euill and euer euill What greater euill then in this sort and measure to be euill Where is that free will that wilfull men deuise to do good when our mould and mettall is become thus bad Away with such dreames experience is the fooles schoolemaister and shall not euen that teach vs but will we gaynesay our owne knowledge Austen telleth vs and all the world that homo male vtens libero arbitrio se ipsum perdidit man abusing that freewill which before his fall he had he lost both himselfe and it We are naught waking we are naught sleeping we are sinfull dreaming and when we do not dreame and where is our good 8 Somewhat conceyue of the measure of sinne that was now in the earth by these speeches of God that he repented and that he was sory in his heart Could a small measure make God thus greeued No he dayly indureth great wickednes and yet repenteth not that he made man wherefore this must teach vs their sinne was great and warne vs agayne to beware at the least with great sinne to offend the Lord. If we cannot but sinne through our imperfection yet let vs not increase the measure without remorse by any wicked malice But stay to go on if wee cannot stay to go in Stop the course as the Lord shall inable and not by fulnesse of measure as this people did heere pull vengeance from heauen whether God will or no. O heauye day and houre to you or me if the Lord shall say it repenteth me that I haue made such an one yea I am sory and sory at my heart for it Beware then of great sinnes and of heaping sinne vpon sinne till God be driuen to say thus against you The contrary is sweet when the Lord reioyceth at our beeing and shall say to Satan hast thou marked my seruant Iob such a man such a woman how they loue me c. 9 But why was the Lord sory that he had made man surely because he must destroy him againe his sinne is so great Why then he is sory to destroy man Truth it is if he could with iustice choose O then what see wee Cannot God proceed to punishment of rebellious sinners yea of such rebellious sinners as these were that made the whole earth smell of their sinnes but with some griefe with some discontent with some â—othnes as it were to haue it so if they would amend and shall he be hastie and furious implacable vnmerciful to a poore sinner that groneth greueth sigheth sobbeth wepeth crieth for wo that he doth sin and that he cannot but sin against so good a God so deere a Father and wisheth it better euery day he riseth and euery night he goeth to bed No no it cannot be And therefore be of good comfort thou greeued spirit the Lord loueth thy longing care to serue him better and he can sooner cease to be God which is impossible then cast away his eyes of mercy and pitie from thee He will not punish thee but he lusteth to exercise thee that the glory of thy faith after such assault appearing bright may receyue a Crowne of comfort brighter then golde or beaten golde beset with precious stone O tary then the Lords leasure bee strong and hee shall comfort thy heart and put thou thy trust in the Lord. 10 In the seuenth verse the Lord sayth I will destroy Before we noted his mercifull striuing to bring to repentance but now note his iustice if man will not repent he beareth long and saith turne turne but at last he catcheth his sword and sayth I will destroy Tempt not the Lord therefore ouerlong you vnfeeling hearts for you see a fearâ— Many times admonished and neuer amended thinke you heare this word I will destroy 11 In the eyght verse it is sayd But Noe found grace in the eyes of the Lord. So then God punisheth that euer yet he spareth some So is hee iust that hee forgetteth not his mercy He spareth Noe and his household with him and that in mercy Gratiam inuenit non meriti mercedem Grace he founde but no reward of merit Yet what God giueth him we may not deny him he was a iust man and vpright in his time and walked with God A singular prayse in so corrupt an age to be so vnlike them Would God it might teach vs the prayse of this not to be caryed away with corruptions amongst vs be they neuer so generall or so imbraced of the greatest men To walke with God is a precious prayse though none do it but my selfe and to walke with man with the world with a Towne or Parish in wicked wayes is a deadly sinne though millions do it Iustice and vprightnesse will abide the touch when craft and dissembling will be discerned drosse Noe in this wicked time and in this vniuersalitie of sinning was a iust man and vpright and walked with God do they all what they would he would not follow theÌ„ and let vs marke it 12 In the 24. verse and so to the end of the Chapter direction is giuen to Noe how he should be saued euen in an Arke which he is commanded to make to that purpose The prescription you see and euery particular as they lye Let me tell you the resemblance that hath bin made by some peraduenture not vnfitly Noe say they was a fit figure of our Sauiour Christ for in him was fulfilled most effectually that which was sayd of Noe in the fift Chapter the 29. verse Lamech begat a sonne and called his name Noah saying this same shall comfort vs concerning our worke and sorow of our hands as touching the
was of weight and concerned them most neerly So noteth this repetition vsually in the scripture as in the Psalme when he saith Hearken O daughter consider incline thine eare forget also thine own people thy fathers house Againe Heare this all yee people giue eare all ye that dwel in the world In the Prouerbs Heare O ye childrē the instruction of a father giue eare to learne vnderstanding with many such Againe he giueth himself 2. names Iacob Israel saying heare ye sonnes of Iacob hearken vnto Israel your father drawing from these names 2. good arguments to stir vp in them this attention which he requireth y e one of nature the other of religion of nature because he was Iacob their father of religion because fearing God truly seruing him euer he found fauour with God euen so far as to receiue from him this name of Israel whereof you haue heard before the full circumstance 2 Ruben mine eldest son thou art my might the beginning of my strength the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power Thou wast light as water thou shalt not be excellent because thou wētest vp to thy fathers bed then diddest thou defile my bed thy dignity is gone Comming now to particulars he beginneth with his eldest son as you see often repeateth his excellēcy making great mention of it that he was his might y e beginning of his strength y e excellency of dignity the excellency of power in the end throweth him out of all saying he should not be excellent his dignity was gone And why thus because he had sinned agaynst nature defiled his fathers bed Then al these repetitions of his dignity tēded but to this to exaggerat his fault and to make it appear vnto his cōscience the posterity euer after how great it was and foule before God as for which all this dignity was lost taken away Nothing more shaketh the hart of any one not quite dead to God grace then this course Therefore often God vseth it in his word Heare O heauēs saith he by the prophet hearkē o earth I haue nourished brought vp children but they haue rebelled against me The Oxe knoweth his owner the asse his maisters cribbe but Israel hath not knowen me my people hath not vnderstood amplifying their sin by this that they had receiued this dignity to bee nourished of him and brought vp as his Children In the fifth Chapter agayne my beloueds Vineyarde was in a fruitfull grounde hedged about the stones gathered out planted with the best plantes a Towre built and a wine presse made yet it brought forth wild grapes To Dauid likewise I anointed thee king ouer Israel and deliuered thee out of the hand of Saul gaue thy Lords house and thy Lordes Wiues into thy bosome gaue thee the house of Israel and Iudah and would moreouer if that had been too litle haue giuen thee such such thinges wherefore then hast thou despised c. Still proouing the greatnes of sin by grace and fauour vouchsafed before So here Ruben being vouchsafed of God to be his fathers first borne his might the beginning of his strength the excellencie of dignitie and the excellency of power yet sinning in this sort his fault by these fauours was made most great and therefore his dignitie and the sequels of his dignity most iustly translated otherwise As the birthright to Ioseph the priesthood to Leui and the Kingdome to Iudah Read Deuter. 33. verse 6. Iud. 5.15 16. Take we heede then of sinning euer but especially when our consciences tell vs God hath beene gracious gracious vnto Bodye and gracious to Soule gracious to our selues and gracious to our friendes For this is as the dignitie of Ruben which shall increase our offence and iustly plucke downe from the hand of God a verye sure and certaine punishment vppon vs and happily euen also vpon our posterity as here in Rubē whose whole ofspring was depriued of honor There is not one of vs but hath receiued mercy from heauen in verye great measure if wee bee aliue within to feele it Therefore not one of vs but euen in this respect bound with a carefull hart to auoide the thing that offendeth God And happy wee if wee will doe it remembring Ruben here and his fearefull losse his dignitie being gone as his Father sayth 2 Simeon and Leui brethren in euill the instruments of crueltie are in their habitations Into their secrets let not my soule come my glory be not thou ioyned with their assemblye for in their wrath they slew a Man and in their selfe will they digged downe a wall Cursed bee their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell I will deuide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel To the selfe same ende tendeth this punishment inflicted vppon these two brethren that the former did euen to humble themselues in themselues and to teach posteritie how God hateth euill The Papistes prattle of poena and culpa that the punishment satisfieth for the offence c. But farre otherwise doth the Word instruct telling vs euer that punishment is not imposed to make satisfaction for that onely doth Iesus Christ and his stripes but to purge the hart from all hypocrisie humbling it faythfully and vnfaynedly and to stirre vp to repentance for y e time passed as also to carefulnes for the time to come keping both body and soule in a godly feare as it were with a bridle Therfore saith the father as you haue heard before Quod patimur vnde plangimus medicina est non poena castigatio non damnatio That wee suffer punishment it is a medicine not a punishment a correction not a damnation Non enim de peccatis sumit supplicium sed in futurum nos corrigit For God doth not take punishment of our sinnes forgiuen but chastiseth vs fatherly for the time to come Marke also in this place how fully how plainly how faithfully Moses layeth downe to the world in writing y e shame reproch of the tribe he came of of his father Leui which certainly declareth the power of Gods spirit ruling ouerruling in these writinges and that of him from him not from flesh and bloud they are proceeded for flesh nature would haue couered these blemishes in his auncestors 3 Thou Iudah thy brethrē shall praise thee thy hand shal be in the neck of thine enemies thy fathers sonnes shal bow downe vnto thee Iudah as a Lyons whelp shalt thou come vp from the spoile my sonne He shal lie down couch as a Lion as a Lionesse who shal stir him vp The scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a lawgiuer from betwixt his feet vntil Shiloh come the people shalbe gathered vnto him He shall bind his asse fole vnto the vine his asses colt vnto
carrye his cursse for euermore Feare not therefore though one be made riche and the glorye of his house bee increased for the fauour of God consisteth not in these things but for all them hee may be a Cham and his fathers cursse setled vpon him and his seede Blessed are the people saith the Psalme that be in such a case hauing relation to outward blessings named before but then followeth after as a correction of the former yea rather blessed are they that haue the Lorde for theyr God noting the former to bee but blessings in respect and the later onely the true and certaine happinesse of any flesh See also how euen in those daies to iudge of the estate of the wicked and godlye they had neede to enter into the Sanctuarie of God for if they went by outwarde showe either of the one or of the other they should be deceyued as also nowe 10 But why dooth Moses mention so carefully and precisely the borders or limits of Chanaan or of the Canaanites Certainlye it was by the guiding of Gods holy Spirite in respect of the church and children of God to whom after it should be giuen that they might know them the better Where marke we the depth of Gods hidden and secret prouidence in such sorte as it peereth out and sheweth it selfe vnto vs. Do wee not see how earthly things are giuen to the wicked which euen then when they enioy them by a wise God are appointed in his prouidence vnto others whome he fauoureth more and for whome he vseth but those for a time to prouide for them and to make them readyer to theyr handes Adore we therefore this secret depth and say we with the Apostle O the deepenes of the riches bothe of the wisedome and knowledge of God howe vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who hath beene his counseller c. Manye things moe might be noted in this Chapter if the Genealogies should be stood vpon wherein with praise many haue traueled but I chuse rather with him that did so before mee to leaue that diligence to them that haue shewed it and to content my selfe with these few notes at this time Chap. 11. The heads of this Chapter especiall and principall are two The confusion of tongues from the 1. ver to the 10. The description of Sâ—ms ofspring from the 10. to the ende 1TOuching the first it is sayd that the earth was all of one language and question is made what that was and whether it remained still or no after the confusion and with whome for the first it is answered that although it be vncertaine yet probably it is coniectured that it was the Hebrew For so say the proper names of men and women which remaine as yet and are Hebrew being imposed then and not altered by Moses the relator into any language els Of this iudgement is Hierom vpon the 3. of Sephon when he calleth the Hebrew tongue the mother of all the rest Augustine thought otherwise writing thus Vnam sane linguam primitus fuisse didicimus antequam super bia turris illius post diluuium fabricatae in diuersos signorum sonos humanam societatem diuideret Quae autem illa lingua fuerit quid attinet querere That there was one tongue in the beginning we learne before the pride of the Towre built after the Flud had deuided mans society into diuers sounds of words but what tongue that was what need we aske To the second it is answered that it did remaine being as is supposed inioyed of vs at this day And to the third y t it was in the house family of Sem Arphaxad Selah Eber of whom it had denomination Hebrue Philo thinketh y e first tongue was the Chaldee contrary to Hierom as was said before and Hierom to him But since Arphaxad was a Prince of the Chaldeans what hindreth that rather the Chaldee and Hebrew should not be all one at first though in processe of time some difference grew 2 When it is said to reache vp to heauen we may not thinke they were so mad as to imagine they could so doe but wee must know the manner of speech to be a figuratiue amplification often vsed of men without fault and often vsed in the scripture it selfe when Dauid saith of them that saile on the seas are occupied in great wâ—ters that they are caried vp to the heauens downe againe to the depths he doth not meane as he speaketh that they are caried vp to y e heauens indeed but by the same figure he meaneth very highe So is the former and so are many moe speeches in the word which if Iulian could haue seene or other such like prophane spirits yet perceiue their carping impietie had a faull 3 Vnitie of language was a great mercie of God by that meanes keeping them by a notable bande knit together whome far distance of place had set a sunder And if this be a mercy that we speake as it is a great one surely far greater it was that they all spake one speech for so might they continue not onely in a most profitable interchange of any earthly commodities but euen also in a holy communion of al mercies whatsoeuer one vnderstanding from an other and of another what wonderfull good soeuer the Lord should show Now as a punishment of pride the case is altered and we neither in the one nor other can do as then they might But as a wonder it is at this daye that speeche being as it were the image of the minde where mindes agree thoughts do ioyne speech should differ as now it dooth 4 The time of this tower built and speech confounded may be asked to which answer is vncertaine There is a fragment vnder the name of Berosus if it should not wrong him to say suche trifles be his and there it is said that an hundred and thirty yeares after the Flud it was Others better like to say it was three hundred and 40 yeares after so as I sayde certaintie there is none I stand not vpon coniectures to sâ—an it out Agreed it is that ould father Noâ—h was yet aliue to whome no question but it was a great greefe when he heard of it But so pleased it God euen in his oulde age to exercise his seruant that no continuall succesâ—â—on of woes should make vs faint if God so please to haue them 5 It must needs be that one man gaue this counsell first saying to the rest Come let vs build c. But when once it was broched not one man alowed it but euen all full quickly yeelded to it Whereby we see first the vilenesse of man not onely to deuise that which is naught but to set it full greedily abroche when it is deuised and to labour to perswade others to imbrace and folowe
thy Gospell to this land and the light of thy countenance still in our dayes blessed for euer and euer for what is past 22 Marke how Rebecca vseth meanes to saue Iacobs life and yet she had Gods oracle that he should be mightie and rule ouer his brother so that if euer any might haue presumed of Gods apoyntment she for one might but yet she doth not but leauing that vseth ordinary meanes and sendeth him away How senselesse then is it that some talke of predestination that if it be to be saued they cannot be damned and if to be damned they cannot be saued and therefore no meanes to be vsed fye fye of such follies Do as Rebecca heere doth leaue God his apoyntment to himselfe and take the ordinary course to be saued heare his word beleeue his promises and indeuour to walke in the wayes of hys will then shall God performe his apoyntment to your comfort as he did to Iacob the other is but tempting of God and deceyuing your selues Christ himselfe flyeth into Egypt from Herod and yet apoynted of God to liue his time which no Herod could preuent with many moe Lastly note Rebeccas words to her husband I am weary of my life for the daughters of Heth c. See in them how going about to get Iacob leaue to depart the countrey she telleth not her husband the true cause least she should grieue his heart but maketh an other excuse yet a iust one Such wisedome and good discretion is commendable eyther in man or woman Thus shee had her desire her husbands minde not troubled her sonnes both saued and her selfe in peace and quiet It was the Lords goodnes thus to direct her and that Lord in mercy make all these things profitable to vs. Amen Chap. 28. The heads of this Chapter are chiefely these The Fathers counsell at his sonnes departure The fact of Esau The ladder that Iacob saw The vow which he made 1TOuching particulars First wee may marke how a sweet and temperate nature in ould Isaac ruleth and ouerruleth all his affections which otherwise were stirred vp against Iacob when once hee seeth the will of God what it is He is now so farre from raging or rayling agaynst Iacob that quietly and fatherly hee calleth him vnto him blesseth him and giueth him his counsell to direct his match This is a speciall place for grieued parents to consider of or friends whatsoeuer that wee bee not froward and wilfull when children or others haue offended Anger must haue an ende and the sight of Gods wyll must ouerrule vs. I haue heard of parents that neuer woulde relent what circumstances so euer were to moue them Theyr griefe may be iust but yet for all that Isaac heere is a better example then they are and let vs all thinke of it 2 Hee blesseth his sonne Iacob agayne the second time to confirme his faith and to strengthen his heart that the Lorde would be with him so long as hee serued him in all his matters such comfort were fathers blessings in those dayes to children which now very little or nothing are regarded 3 That he calleth him God all-sufficient See comfort and stay of all trauelers in strange places whose trauell lyeth vpon them eyther by any necessitie of their calling or for the truth and their good conscience sake Surely it is this God is all sufficient euer able to protect and saue them wheresoeuer they come so must Iacob thinke that goeth abrode and be comfortable so will Isaac thinke that parteth with him and by the same stay his heart concerning the safetie of his sonne So let vs c. 4 He forbiddeth him mariage with vnbeleeuers and it still doth remember vs how perfitly those godly Patriarks hated such vnequall matches eyther for lucre or pleasure as wee in these dayes make no conscience of 5 It may be agayne our learning to marke the estate of Iacob heere He is chosen and his brother reiected he is the blessed of his father and the blessed of the Lord yet must he now goe walke hee must abrode and shift for himselfe his countrey and fathers house are not for him a banished man must he be O Iacob wee see thy case and consider the lot very often of Gods deere ones God make vs blessed as thou wert for to be banished is no newes 6 When Esau saw saith the text c. Now then he seeth when he had offended but he should haue seene before he offended An ouerlate sight is good neither in pietie nor pollicie for though the prouerb sayd it is neuer too late to do well yet an other answereth that had I wist commeth euer behinde So heere c. 7 Esau seeketh to win his parents loue agayne but all in vayne and preposterously as long as hee taketh not away the cause of their displeasure to wit his Cananitish wiues Wee may learne thereby that in vayne also wee our selues shall â—eâ—ke Gods fauour and seeme religious except the cause of his wrath be done away by vs to wit our sinnes and hated offences 8 He lodged in the feelds to wit Iacob a stone vnder his head c. In which let vs marke his estate who was afterward rich and wealthy The wide feeld is his house the cold earth is his bed a stone is his pillow c. Where is our faith when we see this with patience to beare the time of our humbling triall knowing this and many mo examples of Gods exaltation of his childrens worldly estate when hee seeth his time For who seeing Iacob now woulde haue thought hee shoulde haue bin as hee was after when hee came backe agayne yet so hee was and so able is God to any if it be his will Only beleeue in thy aduersitie and despayre not 9 That night in his dreame hee saw a ladder vpon earth and the top of it reached vnto heauen and so the Angels went vp and downe by it The letter sheweth vs the goodnes of God euer comforting his and strengthning them yea then especially when their neede is greatest of comfort as diuers times we haue seene before in this booke The mystery of this ladder may bee this The ladder is Christ The foote of it in earth noteth his humanitie man of the substance of his mother borne in the world The top reaching vp to heauen noteth his diuinâ—â—ie God of the substance of his Father begotten before all worlds perfit God and perfit man by which vnion of natures he hath ioyned earth and heauen together that is God and man The ascending and descending of Angells by that ladder sheweth how by Christ the seruice of Angells is purchased to vs to attend vs and serue vs as he shall thinke good to apoynt them who onely is I meane Christ our Sauiour the ladder whereby we ascend into heauen I am the way sayth he and no man
noteth in all likelyhood quarrels would haue growne and perrillous contentions Esau was mightie fierce and irreligious and what conscience such men make to wrong and wringe a good man the world yet sheweth too much All this God preuenteth in mercy to his Iacob and maketh Esau giue place Cast we our care then vpon God and labour to be his we shall euer bee cared for 3 Their riches were so great that they could not dwell together saith the text that they could not dwell together and the land wherin they were strangers could not receiue their flockes Let neuer then filthy feare to want in this world what may be good for vs wound our soules with distrust in God The beasts of the field the foules of the ayre and the fishes of the Sea be all his yea the whole earth and all that is therein is his as the Psalme sayth If to Iacob and Esau hee be able to giue such wealth when went his powerfull might from him that hee cannot do it againe to you to me to whom soeuer his good pleasure is and shalbe If in a straunge country their flockes be so many let my soule neuer dispaire for place but dwell where the Lorde appointeth and with beleeuing heart remember such examples as this Yea let it go to bed with you let it rise with you write vpon your hand and print it in the very veines of your hart what the Psalmist saith The Lorde God is the Sonne and shield vnto vs the Lord wil giue grace and glorie and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke vprightly He that honoureth me him wil I honour saith the Lord and hee will not breake a promise to very Esau of any good or comfort as you see in this whole chapter Be not we faithles then but faithfull 4 A sweete comfort againe I see here in this that if a man and woman feare the Lord themselues if religion be setled in the furrowes of their hearts as it was in Isaac and Rebecca surely euen vnto their wicked children if they haue any yet for the parents sake God granteth often worldly fauours as here to Esau who would not then with a faithful heart loue such a God He loued Iacob and hated Esau yet Esau beeing the sonne of a good father and of a vertuous and religious mother the fountaine of mercy and God of all goodnes to his true seruants euen the God of heauen wil shew mercy to this Esau thus farre as in the world to make him a great one and to giue him riches Againe I see worldly slate no good cause why men should forget themselues and waxe proud but euer looke at the inward heart what pietie is there least painted port glistring glory of this fading world be vnited in my person with the hatred of God concerning future state as it was in Esau I haue hated Esau saith the Lord and yet his pompe thus great Were this thought of peraduenture our hearts would chaunge and with lesse regarde of earthly showe make earnest search for the fauour of God how indeed wee may be assured of it towards vs euer 5 God promised Iacob that Kings should come out of him but behold as yet all the glory in Esau How then hath God forgotten or will he faile in faithfulnesse toward his seruant No no you knowe what glorious Princes came of Iacob in time and the Prince of Princes that sitteth vppon his throne for euer Christ Iesus Bâ—t as yet Iacobs show is lesse and Esau his ruffe hath the eyes of men Thereby wee learning that Gods vsuall maner is to keepe his children vnder faith and hope in this world euer What pleaseth him hee performeth in Iacobs life and the rest his faith is exercised within hope assured of it in time so with an other and an other after him and still there is vse of faith and hope in this world with the godly Bee content then with what God granteth and beleeue the rest if it be promised 6 The inuention of mules specified in this Chapter sheweth the busie curiositie of some mens natures giuen to newes and straunge inuentions not contented with simplicitie and plainenes nay discontented with the course of gods nature many times If wee praise this inuention take heed wee touch not Gods former distinction of their kindes and sexes which hee had created Therefore rather blame I then praise such needles newes as this was 7 You see in this Chapter as I said before all the glory in Esau and Iacob hath little but hereafter these Edomites fall and the Israelites rise Therefore thus let vs profit by it as neuer with the lustie bloods of this sinfull world to despise the slow going forwarde of the children of GOD or the cause that they maintaine Sat citò si sat bene Soone inough if well inough that is fast inough if with Gods fauour and better a stable estate that is in longer time atteined then a fickle fading estate got in hast Not vnlike the grasse vpon the wall top that is soone vp but assoone withered and gone againe Lastly for genealogies in this Chapter layd downe I referre them to each mans diligence that list to search them wishing the Apostles counsell followed in this matter euer 1. Tim. 1. Verse 4. and Tit. 3.9 For our Pedigrees in these dayes as they haue an vse modestly and moderately looked into so shewe they mens vanities otherwise vsed who yet would not like to bee called vaine Maximilian the Emperour forgot himselfe in it as I haue shewed before and of his very Cooke hee was reprooued Let not the wise man glorie in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength much lesse in ioyned Pedigrees but hee that glorieth let him glory in the Lord and that his name is written in the booke of life and he reckoned in the rowle of the righteous He that is ouer busie in laying downe his auncestors whilst he seeketh to be esteemed as descended of them is often iustly despised as degenerated from them and not in any measure seeking to expresse the vertues in them But let thus much serue both of this matter and of the Chapter Chap. 37. The heads of this Chapter are chiefly three The hatred of the brethren towards Ioseph Their treacherie against him The lamentation of Iacob his father for him THe causes of their hatred are specified in the Chapter to be these His complaining of them to his father verse 2. His fathers great loue to him aboue them ver 3. And the dreames which he had seeming to note a superioritie ouer them like to ensue in him ver 5. c. The greatnes of their malice is also mentioned when it is said they hated him and could not speake peaceably vnto him verse 4. For particulars to beginne with the first cause of their malice towardes him because he brought their euill as the text saith to his father it
thought falling out and excuse the guiltlesse 3 Then Iudah another sonne of Iacobs moueth his Father to consent to the request of Ruben his brother made before for Beniamin to goe with them and vseth to this end some arguments as first of necessitie That wee may liue and not die both wee and thou and our children Secondly from security I wil be suretie for him of my hand shalt thou require him if I bring him not to thee and set him before thee then let mee beare the blame for euer Lastly a damno of hinderance that commeth by staye except wee had made this tarying doubtles by this wee had returned the second time Then the Father yelded and said if it must needes be so doe thus c. Where see and marke in Iacob a most Godly course in extremitie and danger namely to vse all honest meanes to relieue our feare and yet onely to trust in the GOD of Heauen Iacob sendeth the best fruites of the Land c. But as his hold aboue all houldes hee speaketh thus GOD Almightie giue you mercye in the sight of the Man c. Then againe obserue it in Iacob here that in time hee yeeldeth and cannot resist when GOD had decreed it should be so Surely so doe wee and so must wee doe what wee can Startle we may and striue a while as Iacob did here vtterly refusing and vtterly dislyking to doe this or that but if GOD haue appointed it to be so a time will come that wee shall striue no longer but say as Iacob said in this place If so it must be then so be it Happye are they y t yeeld soonest and striue least agaynst that good which God hath appointed Obstinacie was neuer constancie nor wilfulnes witte as I haue noted before To change from euill to good from error to truth from darknes to light was euer pietie when contrary course was sinfull obstinacie and the rodde of God vpon the vngodly But O how hardly is this perswaded So loue wee the thing wee haue loued long that needes we must cleaue to our owne damnation and thinke it holy So haue wee done our fathers long O constant course but you shall not doe as your Fathers haue done saith the Lord. 4 The truth of Iacob would also be obserued who willeth them to take double money with them least happily the former was an error This conscience want not onely theeues and robbers and open offenders but some that seeme honest and are not the worst Who can be content to make an aduantage of the error or ouersight or mistaking of their neighbours according to the common saying Si spye sport c. But if you spie not good earnest and swallowed vp without any remorse at all Thus did not Iacob no this hated Iacob and all good men euer God seeth and God must iudge mee one day iustly according to my workes What profiteth then if my neighbour see not Beware wee then and keepe cleane handes with a good conscience that shall neuer bee ashamed 5 Thus all thinges made ready these brethren set on and come into Egypt before Ioseph who when hee saw Beniamin was not a litle glad yet kept his owne Counsell and commaunded his Stewarde to make ready for Dinner that they might dine with him The Steward did so and now when it was time he brought the men all to Iosephs house who straight were afrayde and sayd to themselues because of the money that came in our Sackes are wee brought hether that hee may picke a quarrell against vs c. O filthye suspicion howe blottest thou and spottest thou euen good men Thus apt to misdeeme are these men So was euen Abraham in his time when he said I thought the feare of God was not in this place and that they would kill me for my wife So was old Heli and misiudged Anna that she was drunke Wherefore well said the Father and full true Quanti non dederunt locum errori dederunt suspicioni How great men haue withstood error and yet giuen place to suspition Suspicio calumniā parit Suspicion breedeth slaunder and is the mother of it in time Suspicio amicitiae venenum Suspition is the cutthrote of friendship and euer was As hardly doth a good man suspect one to be euill so hardly doth an euill man imagine one to be good Againe see how Ioseph in a meaning so good is misiudged and ill thought of by those men Then who can auoide this damnable suspicion or what can a man so well intend which some wil not conster quite awry The man so good the meaning so good yet all suspected Their God giue grace to doe but well and God giue comfort against cursed misdemers for they cannot be auoided but will be doing 6 When Ioseph came home they brought their presentes to him and bowed downe to the ground before him where see the dreame againe fully accomplished Now is the yongest also with them and all bowe Then asked Ioseph of their welfare and by by whether their Father the olde man was in health Not forgetting I warrant you for any honour his old father This was a child that had God in him and this is a glasse for all children to behold them selues in who now a dayes quickly forget their parents if neuer so litle welth grow But if honor also happen to come O what should wee doe with our old parentes then Our high places may not thinke of such meane people But proud Pecocke remember thy selfe and behold here a man second in the kingdome to the King a man honored with all the honour that a mighty kingdome could aford and yet his second word is for his father his old father his dere father and neuer is he well till he haue him with him Let Courtiers like or dislyke his frends be his frends and he will not deny them God giue Children such hartes 7 Then Ioseph turned to his yongest brother Beniamin his brother wholly by father and mother for Rachel bare both Ioseph and Bēiamin Ioseph blessed him with that not able to goe any further his hart so melted vpon his brother but turned aside to weepe a while See then tears by Gods mercies Himselfe deliuered from danger prison exalted highly to great honor his father aliue and in good health his brethren before him and Beniamin with him what mercies are these No maruell then if a good man seeing so sweet a God be moued to teares in a sweet feeling And thinke of your selfe If neuer wet cie hath shewed feeling hart haue you not bene dull Certainly mercy in a gracious God wringeth out tears from a feeling child when neither fire nor sword can get them out The one we ouercome by faith assisted but y e other quite ouercommeth vs being sweet and comfortable aboue all desert Then Lord giue feeling 8 When Ioseph had eased