word and deed to seeke the prosperitie of any The Lord then doth promise to make all his blessings goe before them that doe in any manner make their blessings goe before his seruants To this purpose is it which the Prophet Dauid hath Pray for the peace of â—sal 1â—2 6. Ierusalem Let them prosper that loue thee And that of Christ He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of â—att 10. 41. 42 a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward and hee that receiueth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receiue the reward of a righteous man And whosoeuer shall giue to one of these little ones to drinke a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple Verely I say vnto you he shall not loose his reward Vpon this blessing of God was it that Dauid said to his sonne Salomon Shew kindnes vnto the sonnes of Barzillai the 1. King 2. 7. Gileadite for so they came to me when I fled froÌ„ Absolom thy brother And as the Lord doth blesse them that loue his children with his blessings of this life so doth he blesse them at last with the kingdome of heauen For thus doth our Sauiour Christ giue his sentence Come ye blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning Matth. 25. 34. of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meat c. Which afterwards he doth thus explaine Verely I say vnto you in as much as ye haue done it to one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it to me But here we must vnderstand that when he saith I will blesse them that blesse thee the word thee did not signifie personall Abraham but Abraham and all his posteritie which were in his loynes and were to be that great Nation that the Lord promised to make of him And this the Foxe Balam knew very Num. 24 5. â— well when speaking of Iacob and the habitation of Israel He citeth this Text Blessed is hee that blesseth Genâ— 3â— â—â— and 39 23. thee Laban was blessed for Iacobs sake and the keeper of the prison with his whole charge was blessed because of Ioseph The midwiues that did spare Exod. 1. â—7 20. 21. the children of the Israclites and did not kill them according to the commaundement of Pharaoh the king were also blessed which the Scripture doth thus record God therfore prospered the widowes And againe And because the widowes feared God therefore he made them house Rahab also that harboured and hid the Lords spies found the blessing that Ioshuah oâ— â— 14. 6. 25. â—at 1. 5. saued her and her fathers houshold and all that she had and she dwelt in Israel as it seemeth married to Salmon and so also from her came Christ To curse in this place doth signifie all kind of afflictions Deut. 28. Leuit. â—6 as appeareth by the lawe of God And so the meaning is that the Lord will spend all his plagues vpon such as doe bring any affliction vpon Abraham yea the Lord will reuenge them in his wrath So saith the Lord Iesus Christ He that shall Mat. 18. 6. offend one of these little ones that beleeue in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Let Pharaoh tell how well he sped for taking Abrahams wife into his house The Text saith The Lord plagued Pharaoh with great plagues because of Sarai Abrahams Gen. 12 15. 12. Gen. 20. 3. 18. Ge. 19. 5. 12. 24. Exod. 1. c. wife Let Abimelech tell how much better he faired for the like pranke But Sâ—dom will neuer be forgotten that would abuse strangers And Egypt is hanged vp a table in all mens eyes to let them see that the Lord hath innumerable fearefull plagues to spend vpon them that will deale craftily and cruelly with his people and not suffer them to serue the Lord. The reason hereof is that God to Reason communion with God Gen. 17. 7. him that receiueth his couenant doth bind himselfe to be his God and the God of his seede And thus the Prophet Zacharie bringing foorth God expressing his meaning to be that there is so strickt an Vnion betweene God and his people that what is done to his seruants hee taketh as done to himselfe His words be these He that toucheth you toucheth the apple Zach. 2. 8. of mine eye To this purpose is that of our Sauiour Christ He that receiueth you receiueth me and he that Matth. 10. receiueth me receiueth him that sent me And againe He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth Luke 10. 16. me despiseth him that sent me And now seeing the respect of blessing or cursing which falleth vpon Abraham and his posteritie doth fall vpon God then consider what God saith for himselfe Them that honour 1. Sam. 2. 30. me I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised And this doth Dauid acknowledge in God With the godly thou wilt shew thy selfe godly with the Psal 18. 25. 26 vpright thou wilt shew thy selfe vpright with the pure thou wilt shew thy selfe pure and with the froward thou wilt shew thy selfe froward It is then to bee obserued that godly men that VSE I. feare God where euer they goe by Gods vocation Godly men find friends they shall find friends and such as shall blesse them He made those that led them away captine to pitie them Ioseph and Daniel found more honour abroad then their Princes had at home Ester and Mordecai found more fauour at Shusan then many of their better found at Ierusalem Hee that raised vp those godly men friends abroad will also prouide for you abroad if ye continue his faithfull seruants as Abram did And further here wee see that such as loue II. Gods people shall prosper though they be but heathen The friends of godly men prosper This may giue warrantie vnto our conscience to accept of fauour and blessings euen of the Gentiles and also to hold a league and concurrence euen with the well affected Heathen that God hath stirred vp to be the means of his Blessings vnto vs. So is it said to Abram When he had occasion to rescue his brother Lot from Chedor-Laomeâ— Gen. â—4 1â— Then came one that escaped and told Abram the Ebrew which dwelt in the plaine of Mamre the Amorite brother to Eshcol and brother to Aner which were confederate with Abram And also we may secure our selues in the association of such that God will not kill vs for their sakes but on the contrary God will blesse them for our sakes Againe this text doth teach vs thus much that III. in a strange Countrey we must looke for enemies Thâ—y â—â—st looke for enemies euen cursing enemies vnder whose tongues is the poyson of Aspes and
one so that no other God shall bee Zach. 14. 19. named in all the worlde But lest any should vnderstand this point of the last iudgement and so place earth in heauen Daniell sheweth how the Lord shall be king his words are these The kingdome and dominion and greatnes of his kingdome vnder the whole Dan. 7. 27. heauen shall be giuen to the holy people of the most high whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and alpowers shall serue and obey him But what shal he abolish kings and bring all to a Popularity no such matter God is the author of order and not of confusion The â— Cor. 14. 33 â—euel 1â— 15. kingdomes of this world shall bee our Lords and his Christs and hee shall raigne for euermore by Kings conuerted to the Gospell For godly Kings doe siâ— 1 Chrâ— 30. 23 Psa â—3 97. 99. on the throne of the Lord and by them the Lord reigneth The beginning of this alteration Isaiah expresseth thus Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queenes shall be thy nurses they shall worship thee with their faces Isaâ— 49. 23. towards the earth and licke vp the dust of thy feete But least any man should say it may bee some but what is that to the rest Dauid answereth thus The Kings of Tarshish and of the Iles shall bring presents The Psal 7â— 10. 11. Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts yea All Psal 47. 6. Kings shall worship him All nations shall serue him And againe The Lord is high and terrible A great King ouer all the earth And again in the same Psalme God is King ouer all the earth sing praiseâ— whosoeuer hath vnderstanding God reigneth ouer the heathen c. If any do yet think that they shall serue him as the Kings did Iosuah when he set his feet on their necks Iosh 10. 24. the blessed scripture saith no. For the Psalme hath it thus All Kings of the earth shall praise thee O Lord for Psal 138. 4. they haue heard the words of thy mouth A thing which they will not doe at the resurrection when going to hell thy shall say When saw we thee an hungred or a Mat. 25. 45. thirst or a stranger or naked or sicke or in prison c And as the scripture is very particular in setting down the state of the kings how they shall stand affected to the Gospell so doth it of the people First Psal 97. 6. Dauid saith All the people shall see thy glory But that is not sufficient wherefore S. Iohn in the Reuelation goeth farther thus All nations shall come and worship Reuel 15. 5. Isai 45. 23. before thee O Lord. Isaiah hath it thus I haue sworne by my selfe and the worde is gone out of my mouth in righteousnes and shall not returne that euery knee shall bow vnto mee and euery tongue shall sweare by mee Phil. 2. 9. 10. Which Saint Paul expresseth thus God hath exalted Christ Iesus and giuen him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus should euery knee bow and that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus is the Lord vnto the glory of God the Father Malachie yet goeth further Mala 1. 11. thus From the rising of the Sun to the going downe of the same My name is great among the Gentiles and in euery place incense shall be offred vnto thy name and Psal 17. 9. a pure offring The Psalme saith also The princes of the people are gathered vnto the people of the God of Abraham To conclude this point the Prophet Isaiah saith From moneth to moneth and from Saboth to Saboth Isai 66. 2â— shall all flesh come to worship me saith the Lord. The summe is what blessing any Nation had by Christ must be Communicated to all Nations the office of his Prophecie to teach the ignorant the office of his Priesthood to giue remission of sinnes to the sinnefull the office of his kingdome by word and Sacraments and spirit to rule the inordinate that such as are dead in trespasses may be made to sit together Ephe. 2. 1. c. in heauenly places For there is no difference betweene the Iew and the Grecian For he that is Lord ouer Rom. 10. 12. all is rich vnto all that call vpon him For it well beseemeth the glory of God to triumph ouer his Reasons from Gods attributes enemies and the Wisdome of God after the world hath had plentifull experience of the craft of the diuell and wicked men of all sortes to exalte the Gospell the wisedome of God As also his Power to bee declared when all his enemies had shewed their force and his Mercy to his Saints after so great exercises of patience and his iustice to shewe his iudgements in condemning those that haue spoken proud words and done wicked deeds to his seruants But especially to his Glory in exalting his sonne and crowning him with Glory Worship that we may see that which yet we see not All â—hings be put in subiection vnto him It is true that many Hâ—b 2. 8 obiections are made against this doctrine out of such places as this When the sonne of man commeth Luk. 18. 8. shall he finde faith on the earth And of Antichrist whom 2. Thes 2. 8. the Lord shall abolish by the brightnesse of his comming But partly for want of Grammer learning to know the meaning of the word Come and partly for want of Logick to lay out those places to their due times those Scriptures and many more are racked by such men out of their ioints which rightly vnderstood haue a cleane other sense then that for which they are alleadged which neither this time nor place will giue me leaue to dispute Wherefore standing to our owne first grounde learne first to bee sparing in VSE abridging the glory of God which made the world Be sparing in shorâ—ning the glory of God that his Sonne might rule ouer all For howsoeuer for some good causes God would not make himself glorious at the first but would seeme to hide the glory of God in the passion of his Sonne and affliction of his Saints and permitting Antichrist to clime to his height that those that are perfect may be knowne yet questionlesse Christ must sit at the Psal 110. â— 1. Cor. 15. right hand of his Father till all his enemies bee made his footestoole and then shall come from thence to iudge the quick and the dead Againe if it be Gods purpose that the Gospell II. shall be preached through the world for a witnesse then ought ministers to bee carefull and willing to spread it abroad in such good seruices as this that is intended Sure it is greate shame vnto vs of the ministery that can be better content to sit and rest vs heere idle then vndergoe so good a worke Our pretence of zeale is cleare discouered to be but hypocrisie when we rather choose to minde vnprofitable questions at home then gaining soules abroad It is a singular sin for men to be ouercome with euill it is a shame that the Iesuites and Friers that accompany euery ship should be so diligent to destroy souls and wee not seeke the tender lambes nor bind vp that which is broken But go on couragiously and notwithstanding the snorting idlenes of the ministery suspect not the 2 King 5. 2. blessing of God A captiue girle brought Naman to the Prophet A captiue woman was the meanes of conuerting Iberia now called Georgia Eedesius Ruffinus Eccle. Hist lib. 1. cap. 9. 10. 1. Cor. 1. Frumentius two captiue youthes were the meanes of bringing the gospell into India God makes the weake thinges of the worlde confound the mighty and getteth himselfe praise by the mouth of Babes and sucklings Be cheerfull then and the Lord of all glory glorifie his name by your happy spreading of the gospell to your commendation and his glory that is Lord of all things to whom be power and dominion for euer Hallelu-iah FINIS
Yet still wee must remember that this speciall calling was subiect to the generall law of replenishing the earth For although God called him to one land yet to vpholde the generall rule God often laide a necessitie vpon him to spread further for in this Chapter by reason of a famine hee was constreined to soiourne Gen 12. 10. c in Egipt God did also tell him before hand that his seede should be a stranger in a land that is not Gen. 15. 13. theirs foure hundred yeares It is true that the Iewes did holde themselues so confined to their owne land that they were as loth to forgoe their inheritance as from the Sacrament of their saluation witnes â— King 21. 3. be Naboth that answered the King The Lord keepe me from giuing the inheritance of my fathers vnto thee And yet when God would haue it so as when there was famine Elimelech and his Familie Râ—th 1. 1. 2. goe to soiourne among the Gentiles In time of warre Dauid tooke his father and mother and carried 1. Sam. 2â— 3. them to soiourne with the King of Moab And Act. â— 5. when as we reade that there were dwelling at Ierusalem Iewes of euery nation vnder heauen it is plaine that the Iewes did spread abroad not onely to soiourne for a time and then to come againe but to Act. 22. 3. inhabite and replenish the whole earth Paul was also a Iew borne in Cilicia euen in a Romane Colonie The reason why God will haue his to fill the 1. Reason To knowe Gods works earth is because the Lord would haue his workes to be knowne Now in diuers Countries God hath his diuers workes of hearbes and trees and beastes and fishes and fowles and serpents c. which if the people of God come not there cannot praise the Psal 145. 10. â—1 Creator When Dauid saith All thy workes praise thee O God and thy Saints blesse thee they shew the glory of thy kingdome and speake of thy power the implication is manifest that his Saints must be witnesses of all his workes in all Climates for else they cannot II. blesse him in all his workes Another reason is Spreading of knowledge that one that hath the knowledge of the feare of God should communicate it to others Hereupon Psal 67. 1. 2. is it that Dauid doeth teach vs to pray thus Haue mercie on vs Lord and blesse vs and cause thy face to shine among vs Selah Marke this that he biddeth vs pray God be mercifull vnto vs The meanes how is this That they may know thy way vpon earth and thy sauing health among all nations whereby he doth imply that God hath with-held some mercy from vs til all nations haue the meanes of saluation This was Exod 11. 9. a cause why God sent Abrahams posterity into Egipt that by their meanes Pharaoh whose heart was bigge and would not acknowledge God might be constrained to fall down and say I haue sinned against Exod. 10. 16. the Lord. The cause also of the captiuity of the Iewes in Babilon in the secrete prouidence of God was that the Monarkes of the world who thought Dan. 4. 20. 21. 17. 29. there was no God could come neere them in greatnes might be as beastes before God acknowledging that it is God that giueth Kingdomes to whom he will And when the Lord had caused his people to returne and to build their Citie and Temple yet would not God fore-slowe the inforcing of his precept Fill the earth For whereas by reason of his promise he could not send the people abroad till Christ came to make his glory knowne he brought vpon them Gog and Magog with their numbersome Ezek. 38. 16. 23 Armies The reason is that the Heathen may knowe the Lord I wil be magnified and sanctified and knowne in the eyes of many Nations Then here must wee know that what inducement Abraham had to goe VSE I. out of his Countrey by a generall calling the same doth binde all his sonnes according to the faith to goe likewise abroad when God doth not otherwise call them to some speciall affaires How euer still they must haue a longing and a liking to spread the Gospel abroad And that this point may be euidently conuicted vnto vs Christ our Sauiour hath according to his infinite wisedome reuiued the olde law of filling the earth in a most excellent manner Goe teach saith he all nations and baptize them in the Matth. 28. 19. name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Gaue hee this Commaundement to his Apostles onely haue not also the labours of godly Preachers which they haue spread ouer the face of the whole earth beene bestowed by the power of this Commandement And though the words as they lie doe binde the Ministers of the Word to endeuour the propagation of the Gospell with all their power yet not onely them For we reade that poore Tent-makers and others haue done much good in spreading the Acts 18. 3. 26. Gospell according to their vocations they also satisfying II. thus much of Christs precept Neither can there be any doubt but that the Lord that called Abraham into another Countrey doeth also by the same holy hand call you to goe and carry the Gospell to a Nation that neuer heard of Christ The Prophet Zachary speaking of the daies of the Gospell doth shew that it is a good Vocation for men to goe abroad when the number of the children of God doe exceede his wordes are these Thus saith the Lord of hostes my cities shall yet be broken with plenty the Lord shall yet comfort Zion Vnto Zach. 1. 17. whom agreeth the Prophet Isatah The children of Isa 49. 20. thy barrennesse shall say againe in thine eares the place is too strait for me giue me place that I may dwell Wherefore seeing that thankes be to God we are thronged with multitude the Lord of hostes himselfe hath giuen vs the calling of his children to Obiection Not to enter other Princes Territories seeke for roome and place to dwell in And heere might we haue proceeded to the next point were it not for one scruple which some that thinke themselues to be very wise do cast in our way which is this in effect The countrey they say is possessed by owners that rule and gouerne it in their owne right then with what conscience and equitie can we offer to thrust them by violence out of their inheritances 1. Answere Conquest lawfull For answere to this obiection first it is plaine that the obiecter supposeth it not lawfull to inuade the territories of other princes by force of sword This proposition I confesse I neuer was willing to examine considering my vocation is priuate And if Sigismund the Emperour said well CARION that he merueiled euery man auoided all labors and difficulties but onely to rule which is the most difficult of all
spoken of Iacob in this manner In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed It is true that in Abraham and his Gen. 28. 14. Children were many men blessed as appeareth in the Scripture where they haue drawne many strangers to serue God Howbeit the principall blessing is ascribed to Christ who by excellencie is called Thy seede as S. Paule doth very notably obserue when he saith Hee saith not and to thy seedes as speaking Gal. 3. 16. of many but And to thy seed as of one which is Christ By the families of the earth are vnderstood all those nations which arose from the families of the sonnes of Noah after their generations among their Gen. â—â— 3â— people for out of these were the nations diuided in the earth after the flood and that which is heere rendred families afterward is called Nations in the speech of the Lord of Abraham All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him S. Paul rendreth it thus in thee shall Gen. â—8 â—8 22. 18. all the Gentiles be blessed By blessing in this place seeing Gal. 3. 8. the seed is Christ and the word Thee did so far point out Abraham as it had relation to Christ in his loynes of force it must signifie that blessednesse which Christ doth bring vnto men Which the Angel and a multitude of heauenly souldiers do comprehend in their sweete song of praising God when they said Glorie be to God on high and Peace on earth Luk. 2. 14 and towards men good will Then the speech all put together is this that Abrâ—ham must get him out of his Countrie that he may begin that which God by him and his seed will accomplish in due time namely that all nations may embrace the gospel of Christ vnto their saluation An excellent argument and of singular force to perswade not only Abram but all his Children according to the faith to fly if it were possible ouer the mountaines about so greate an errand O with what Comfort may a man come before the Lord with this account of his talent Behold I am heere the childreÌ„ which God hath geuen me It would neuer grieue S Paule to go from Cilicia to present a Church at Corinth a pure Virgin to Christ 2. Cor 11 2 Obiection The last iudgment at hand But stay saith one you run too fast without good ground you seeme to encline to the Millenaries or such as looke for the gospell to be spread ouer all the world You must know that is done manie a faire yeare agoe that we need not looke for a new Reuolution of that It were safer to tremble at the last iudgement whose trumpet is euer sounding in our eares Arise from the dead and come to iudgement To this I answere that no preiudicate opinion is a iust Answere condemnation to the trueth nor any doctrine out of Bookes that are Apocripha can make a wise man depart from a doctrine of the Canonicall Scriptures It is true that Gregories credit was wont to bee great â—râ—g lib. Dialo in the times that men knew no better who confidently affirmed the iudgement to bee at hand but besides the confutation of a thousand yeares which haue bin since hee so affirmed the pregnant cleere Scripture confoundeth the proud coniecture of him and his followers And this doth also appeare by the Apostasie of some Papists that in their bookes Maluenda de Antichristo lately Printed at Rome haue departed from the sentence of so great a Pope and graue Doctor of the Church telling vs plainely that the gospell must be preached vniuersally through the world before the last Iudgement But neither by their authority nor arguments but by the force of such Texts as cannot be deluded do I affirme That all the Nations of the world shall be blessed in Christ They that mince and pare this Text that they make it as sore as the Shechamits Gene. 34. 25. Psal 19. 3. Rom. 10. 18. were with their circumcision say that take away the ouerlashing hyperbole and Their sound is gone out into all the world will serue the turne A simple blessing God knoweth and little differeth from The sauor of death vnto death If they receaue you not â— Cor. 3. 16. saith Christ shake off the dust of your feete Truely I say vnto yon it shall be easier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Iudgement then for that Citie attâ— 10. 14. howsoeuer they heard the sound of the worde of God This stumbling blocke fewe wise men will say was this Blessednesse promised to Abram The Iewes hunt counter as fast on the other side For when as in the second Psalme they reade of their Messtas that he shall haue the heathen for his inheritance and the vtter most parts of the earth for his possession Psal 2. 8. 9. that he shall crush them with a scepter of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessel they affirme that all the world must bee subdued by force and violence vnto Messiah An opinion that preuailed much in the time of Christ as appeareth not onely by diuerse others but also by the Apostles who encountred our Sauior Christ thus before his ascension Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome Acts 1. 6. to Israel But they also make but an vncomfortable blessing of this blessednes of Abraham The phrase is plaine that in Abraham all the families of the earth shall be blessed A blessednes then must the Gentiles trust to receiue from Abraham Particuly these things are deliuered in the Scripture which I thinke no distinctions of hyperbole nor spiritually nor at the last iudgement can delude which are the ordinary refuges of them that out of preiudice would faine put by the truth Daniell hath it thus A stone was cut without hands Dan. 2. 35. and smote the image vpon the feete and brake them in peeces Then was the yron the clay the brasse the siluer and gold broken together and became like chaffe of the summer flowers and the winde carried them away that no place was found for them and the stone that smotâ— the image became a greate mountaine and filled the whole earth Here first we plainly see that Christ must destroy the Monarches that they be not fouÌ„d And so much of this speech doth S. Paul interprete thus plainely That Christ shall put downe all rule and all authoritie â— Gâ—r 15. 2â— 25. 2â— and power For he must reigne till hee haâ—h put all his enemies vnder his seete the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death The other part of Daniels speech Dauid doth thus expresse in the Psalme Thou Lorde Psal 8â— 6. shalt inherit all nations And this point the Prophet Zachary doth render thus The Lord shâ—ll bee King ouer all the earth In that day there shall be one Lord and his name shall be
VIRGINIA A SERMON PREACHED AT WHITE-CHAPPEL IN THE presence of many Honourable and Worshipfull the Aduenturers and Planters for VIRGINIA 25. April 1609. PVBLISHED FOR THE BENEFIT AND VSE OF THE COLONY PLANTED And to bee Planted there and for the Aduancement of their CHRISTIAN Purpose By WILLIAM SYMONDS Preacher at Saint SAVIORS in Southwarke IVDE 22. 23. Haue compassion of some in putting of difference And other saue with feare pulling them out of the fire LONDON Printed by I. WINDET for ELEAZAR EDGAR and William Welby and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the Windmill 1609. TO THE RIGHT NOBLE AND WORTHIE ADVANCERS OF THE STANDART of CHRIST among the GENTILES the Aduenturers for the Plantation of VIRGINIA W. S. prayeth that Nations may blesse them and be blessed by them Right Noble and worthy SVCH as doe prayse the worthies do cloth them with the robes of others that haue gone before them in vertues of like nature A thing which I cannot doe of your Plantation seeing neither Testament that I can find dooth afford vs a Parallell in men of like qualitie That great and golden SENTENCE The seede of the woman shall Gene. 3. 15 breake the Serpents head the onely subiect of all ages with a part of the wisedome that is folded therin hitherto hath beautified the world with admirable and pleasant varieties more rich and delightfull then all the ornaments of Princes palaces or the Curtaines of Salomon Here may we see the Flood the burning of Sodom the drownâ—ng of Pharoh the subduing of the Cananites by Dauid and his sonnes the breaking of Monarchies into chaffe the Dan. 2. 35. surprising conquering of great Nations Ephe. 6. 17. by Fisher-men with the sword of the spirit the stamping of the Dragon the Heathen Empire into peeâ—es by Constantine Euseb de vita Constantini the desolation and nakednesse of Antichrist now readie to be cast into the fire Manifest demonstrations of the Serpents bruised head But here is not all These things were done in a corner in comparison of that which is in hand and remaineth to be accomplished at the last iudgement Long since the Gospell of Christ did ride forth conquering that hee might ouercome Reue. 6. 19. And NOW the hostes that are in heauen doe follow him on white horses Now the Isai 52. 10. Lord hath made bare his holy arme in the sight Reuel 19. 12. of â—ll the Gentiles and all the ends of the earth shall see the saluatioÌ„ of our God NOW many Mighty Kings haue set their Crownes vpon the head of Christ The valiant souldier saith The shields of the world belong to Psal 47. 9. God The true Nobilitie haue vpon their horse bridles Holinesse to the Lord. And Zach. 14. 20. now the wise and industrious Merchant doth hold the riches of the Gentiles too base a fraight for his shippes He tradeth Isai 60. 9. for his wisedome that said Surely the Isles wait for me saith the Lord and the shippes of the Ocean most especially namely to carry the Gospell abroad The people in multitudes like stronge thundrings doe say Hallelu-iah And who is wanting in this Reuel 19. 6. blessed expedition Surely not any tribe Prayse ye the Lord for the people that offered Iudg. 5. 2. themselues so willingly For who can withdraw himselfe from concurrence in so good an action especially when he shall but read or heare that one sentence which Deborah did sing Curse ye Meroz sayd the Angell of the Lord curse the inhabitants therof Iudg. 5. 23. because they came not forth to helpe the Lord. This land was of old time offered to our Kings Our late Soueraigne Q. Elizabeth whose storie hath no peere among Princes of her sexe being a pure Virgin found it set foot in it and called it Virginia Our most sacred Soueraigne in whom is the spirit of his great Ancestor â—onstantin tâ—e pacifier of the world and planter of the Gospell Euseb de vita Constantin in places most remote desireth to present this land a pure Virgine to Christ Such as doe mannage the expedition are carefull to carry thither no Traitors nor Papists that depend on the Great VVhore Lord finish this good worke thou hast begun and marry this land a pure Virgine to thy kingly sonne Christ Iesus so shall thy name bee magnified and we shall haue a Virgin or Maiden Britaine a comfortable addition to our Great Britaine And now Right Worthy if any aske an account of my vocation to write and Preach thus much I answere that although I could not satisfie their request that would haue me goe yet I could not omit to shewe my zeale to the glory of God If they aske account of my Dedication I answere your vertue hath exacted it If any man list to be curious or contentious wee haue no such custome nor the Churches of God Hold on your blessed course and you shall receiue blessings of Christ Blessed bee the Lord God euen the Psal 72. 18. 19. God of Israell which onely worketh great wonders and hath put these blessed thoughts into your Christian hearts And blessed be his glorious name for euer and let all the earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen Fours most heartily affected in the cause of Virginia WILLIAM SIMONDS VIRGINEA BRITANNIA A SERMON PREACHED AT WHITE CHAPPELL IN THE presence of many the Aduenturers and Planters for VIRGINIA GENESIS 12. 1. 2. 3. For the Lord had said vnto Abram Get thee out of thy Countrey and from thy kindred and from thy fathers house vnto the land that I will shew thee And I will make of thee a great nation and will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing I will blesse them also that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed THis Booke of Genesis conteineth the story of the Creation and Plantation of heauen and earth with conuenient inhabitants The heauen hath Angels the skie starres the aire foules the water fishes the earth furnished with plants and hearbes and beasts was prouided for man a while to inhabite who after was to be receiued into glory like vnto the Angels Matth. 22. 30. Hereupon the Lord who by his great decree set downe by his whole Trinitie had determined that man should rule among the creatures did make man both male and female After his owne image 2. Cor. 4. 4. that is Iesus Christ and gaue them this blessing Bring forth fruit and multiplie and fill the earth and subdue Gen. 1. 26. â—7 28. it c. And howsoeuer this precept might seeme to finde interruption by the sinne of man that had incurred the curse to die the death yet we see that God Gen. 2. 17 3. 3. Isai 45. 23. Gen. 9. 1 2. would not for any thing alter his oath and word that was gone out
61. 62. and preach the kingdome of God Then another saide I will follow thee Lord but let me first goe and bid them farewell which are at mine house And Iesus saide No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back is apt to the kingdome of God Then the commaundement of God must needes bee obeyed whosoeuer else be neglected I am not ignorant that many are not willing to Reason of not going answered 1. England not like Mesopotamia goe abroade and spread the gospell in this most honorable and christian voyage of the Plantation of Virginia Their reasons are diuerse according to their wits One saith England is a sweete country True indeede and the God of glory be blessed that wheras the country was as wilde a forrest but nothing so fruitfull as Virginia and the people in their nakednes did arme themselues in a coate armor of Woad fetching Com. Câ—soris their Curets and Polderns from a painters shop by the ciuill care of conquerers and planters it is is now become a very paradise in comparison of Kindred not like Abrams that it was But how sweete soeuer it be I am sure it cannot compare with Meâ—â—potamia where Abram dwelt O but saith another my kinidred would not be forsaken Kindred what kindred Surely thy kindred is hardly so honourable and blessed as the kindred of Abram was And for any thing that I can see since ATHEISTS and PAPISTS haue gotten out of their serpents holes and conuersed with men they haue sowed such cockell among our wheate that in many places a man is in no such perill to be cheated and cosoned if not murthered poisoned as among his own kindred that are affected that way Some few and those very few are not willing to leaue their fathers house where any thing may bee hoped for after the death of their parents but for the most part the world perceiueth that excepte it be to ioyne in a deadly feude or some peece of excellent villanie the English Prouerbe is true The farther from kinne the neerer to friends But look seriously into the land and see whether there bee not iust cause if not a necessity to seek abroad The people Causes to seeke abroad blessed be God doe swarme in the land as yong bees in a hiue in Iune insomuch that there is very hardly roome for one man to liue by another The mightier like old strong bees thrust the weaker as younger out of their hiues Lords of Manors conuert towneships in which were a hundreth or two hundreth communicants to a shepheard his dog The true labouring husbandman that susteineth the prince by the plow who was wont to feede manie poore to set many people on worke and pay twice as much subsidie and fifteenes to the king for his proportion of earth as his Landlord did for tenne times as much that was wont to furnish the church with Saints the musters with able persons to fighte for their soueraigne is now in many places turned labourer and can hardly scape the statute of rogues and vagrants The gentleman hath gotten most of the tillage in his hand he hath rotten sheepe to sell at Michaelmas his sommer fed oxen at Easter asking no better price for hay then his beasts to keepe that till spring that they got at grasse by these meanes he can keepe his corne til the people sterue alvvaies prouided that the poore husbandmen which are left and the clothier must buy their seed and wool at such a rate that shall vveare them out in a very few yeeres And were it not that the honest and christian merchant doth often helpe who putteth all his estate vpon the prouidence of God which they call venturing to bring corne into the land for which he hath many a bitter curse of the cursed cornmongers we should finde an extreame famine in the midst of our greatest plenty The rich shop-keeper hath the good honest poore labourer at such aduantage that he can grind his facewhen he pleaseth The poore mettall man vvorketh his bones out and swelteth himselfe in the fire yet for all his labour hauing charge of wife and children hee can hardly keepe himselfe from the almes box Alwaies prouided that his masters to whom he worketh will giue neuer a penny towards his liuing but they can tell of their owne knowledge that if the poore man were a good husband he might liue well for he receiueth much money in the yeere at their hands very neere foure pence for euery sixe penny worth of work The thoughtfull poore woman that hath her small children standing at her knee and hanging on her breast she worketh with her needle and laboureth with her fingers her candle goeth not out by night she is often deluding the bitternes of her life with sweete songs that she singeth to a heauy heart Sometimes shee singeth Haue mercie on mee Lorde sometimes Helpe Lord for good and godly men doe perish and decay sometimes Iudge and reuenge my cause O Lord and many such like which when a man of vnderstanding doth heare he doth with pittie praise God that hath giuen such meanes to mocke hunger with and to giue patience I warrant you her songs want no passion she neuer saith O Lord but a salte teare droppeth from her sorrowfull head a deep sigh breatheth as a furnace from her aking hart that weepeth vvith the head for company vvith teares of svveetest bloud And vvhen all the vveeke is ended shee can hardly earne salt for her vvater gruell to feede on vpon the Sunday Many such svveets are in England vvhich I knovv not how better to interpret then to say the strong olde bees doe beate out the younger to svvarme hiue themselues elsevvhere Take the opportunity good honest labourers vvhich indeede bring all the hony to the hiue God may so blesse you that the prouerbe may be true of you that A May swarme is worth a kings ransome THE place whither Abram must goe is to the land iijo which the Lord will set himsee A commaundement fit for God to perswade by no arguments taken from the sweetnes and fruitfulnesse of the place Thus doth the Apostle to the Hebrewes render this place By faith Abraham when he was called obeyd God Heb. 11. 8. to goe into a place which afterwards he should receiue for inheritance and he went out not knowing whither hee went The like commandement did the Lord giue to the children of Israel when they came out of Egipt For they must not chuse their owne way but follow the cloudie piller that led them For at the commaundement of the Lord they pitched and at the Numb 9. 23. commaundement of the Lord they iourneyed keeping the watch of the Lord at the commaundement of the Lord. They iourneyed sometimes where the waters were bitter sometimes where there was no water sometimes where the place was full of fierie Serpents yet could they not be their own chusers but
must follow where the Lord went before For Rom. 11. 34. God in his wayes can endure no counsellour Hee will be the shepheard we the sheepe of his pasture 1. Reason Contented to be Gods creatures He will be the potter wee must content our selues with the condition of the potters vessell wherefore we are bound if God commaund to follow him though blindfold Againe the Lord doth not tell II. him whither he shall goe to keepe him in suspense that the obedience of faith may the more effectually appeare For if the Lord had enticed him by arguments taken from the opportunitie and sweetnesse of the place how should it be knowen whether hee went by the power of the promise of God or by some carnall inducement We know the diuell saith to God of Iob Doth Iob feare God for nought hast Iob 1. 9. 10. thou not made a hedge about him about his house And we also know what Christ saith to them that followed Iob 6. 26. him Yee seeke me not because yee saw the miracleâ— that is for any respect they had to his Godhead but because ye ate of the loaues and were filled From which imputation the Lord would free his seruant Abraham whom hee purposed to make the Father of the faithfull and giue him for an example to all posteritie So dealt the Lord in the wildernesse with the children of Israel hee let them see no possibilitie to liue in the world but susteined them by extraordinary miracle giuing them Manna and Quaâ—les that they might follow the steps of their father Abraham and know that man liueth not by Deut. 8. 3. bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God doth man liue Then here we see where VSE God doth commaund he is to be obeyed without asking of any questions Abraham must goe to a land hee knoweth not whither because God will haue it so He must not say A Lyon may bee in the Prou. 26. 13. street lest he find A Serpent bite him at home as he leaneth on the wall How much more when the land is discouered to bee as much better then the place in which vve liue as the land of Canaan was better then the roaring wildernesse ought vve to be vvilling to goe vvhither God calleth The children of Numb 14. 7. 8. Israell had vvord by their spies The land which wee walked through to search it is a very good land If the Lord loue vs he will bring vs to this land and giue it vs which is a land that floweth with milke and â—oniâ— Thence they brought a bunch of grapes and loaded Numb 13. 24. Deut. â— 24 two men as they carried it on a barre vpon their shoulders Sure if such motiues as these could not make them readie to runne to the place it appeared that they had neither the feare of God that vvould not be perswaded by him nor the vvits of reasonable men that vvill not respect their owne benefit What shall vvee say then to our people vvhich haue in them so little edge to follovv their owne thrift The land by the constant report of all that haue seene it is a good land with the fruitfulnesse vvhereof and pleasure of the Climate the plentie of Fish and Fowle England our mistresse cannot compare no not vvhen she is in her greatest pride It is said of the land of Canaan that Isaack sowed in that land and Gene. 26. 12. found in the same yeere an hundred fold by estimation and the text addeth And so the Lord blessed him But here is greater matter then so For if I count aright this land giueth fiue hundred fold at one haruest For the eares of Wheate vvhich I haue seene are ten in square and fiftie long and yet they say that commonly this returne is little better then the third part euery stalke bearing ordinarily three such eares of Wheate As for the opportunitie of the place I leaue it to the graue Polititian and for the commodities let the industrious Merchant speake but for foode and raiment here is inough to be had for the labour of mastring and subduing the soile The children of Israell that were in the wildernesse readie to perish if God vvithdrew his miraculous hand like a stiffenecâ—ed people as they were refused to goe fell into a mutiny and made a commotion vpon the newes that the Land had fenced cities and Num. 13. 29. walled townes exceeding great And because there were the sonnes of Anak mightie â—â—nts that were armed in Brasse their speare like a Weauers cloth beam For they forgat the God that brought them out of Egypt and that made the raging waues of the sea to stand in heapes and take the office of strong walles that they might easily march through vpon drie land They forgat that God was the creator of the mountaines whereof one of the least is stronger then all the sonnes of Anak They forgat that God putteth away all the vngodly of the earth like drosse But wee should be worse then mad to bee discouraged by any such imaginations of this place There are but poore Arbors for Castles base and homely sheds for vvalled townes A Mat is their strongest Portcullis a naked brest their Target of best proofe an arrow of reede on which is no iron their most fearefull vveapon of offence heere is no feare of nine hundreth iron charets Their God is the enemie Iudg. â— â—3 â— â—et â— 8. of mankind that seeketh whom hee may deuoure A murtherer from the beginning that labâ—ureth oâ—n 8. 44. the destructioÌ„ of those that serue him most deuoutly Heere that Scripture hath a full accomplishment In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants 〈…〉 of Ierusalem and he that is feeble among them shall bee is Dauid that slew his ten thousand And the house 〈…〉 7. of Dauid as Gods as the Angel of the Lord before them that destroyed the most puissant Armie of the Assyrians that came against Ierusalem Wherefore â—â—ay â—7 3â— seeing we are contented when the King doth presse vs out to warre to go we know not whither nor vnder whom and can propose no thing vnto vs but to fight vvith a mightie enemie Let vs bee cheerefull to goe to the place that God will shew vs to possesse in peace and plentie a Land more like the garden of Eden vvhich the Lord planted then any part else of all the earth THE Lord doth promise to enrich him with many iiijo Deut. 281. Leuit. 26. 3. blessings if he be obedient to his calling An example of that sweete sanction of the law vvhen the Lord doth allure men to keepe it by the abundance of his blessings In this place the Lord doth promise vnto Abraham foure most excellent mercies of all men of vnderstanding most earnestly desired The first thing he promiseth vnto him is that The A great Nation Lord will make him a
great Nation A thing which in the beginning of the Plantation of the vvorld by all men vvas principally desired vvith the greatest longing Out of this desire arose the taking of many Mal. 2. 15. vviues vvhereas God did make but one Hence also rose a reproch vnto the barren though the Lord had shut vp the wombe This appeareth by Leah who said when she bare a sonne Now therefore my Gene 29. 32. 1. â—â—m 1. 6. husband will â—oue me And againe Now will my husband keepe me companie because I haue borne him three sonnes It appeareth also by the storie of Hannah of whom it is said her aduersary vexed her sore which was her husbands other wife for she vpbraided her because the Lord had made her barren It appeareth also that euen to the time of the Gospel it was a reproch to a woman if she were barren as Elizabeth said when shee conceiued with child Thus hath the Luke 1. 26. Lord dealt with me in the dayes when he looked on mee to take from me my rebuke among men Yea it was in those dayes a speech Cursed bee the barren that beareth not and the breasts that giue not sucke No maruaile then if it were an argument very powerfull to perswade Abraham to goe vnder this condition Especially when Abraham was full of yeeres elder Gene. 12. 4. then his father was when he begat him And also Gene. 18. 11. his wife was well stroken in yeeres in so much that it ceased to be with her after the manner of vvomen And to let it appeare that hee vvas exceedingly affected vvith a desire to multiplie and encrease when God came to him and comforted him Thus Feare Gene. 15. 1. 2. not Abraham I am thy buckler and thine exceeding great reward he maketh this answere to God What wilt thou giue me for the Text doth say hee was exceeding rich seeing I goe childlesse As if he had said that he preferred the blessing of multiplication before all the vvorld beside Now heere dooth God promise him vpon his obedience not only to giue Gene 17. â—0 him a child or that he shall beget twelue princes as it is said of Ismael but he will make him a great Nation a Nation that not man but God calleth Great that is exceeding great For imprinting of vvhich Gene 1â— â—6 Gene. â—â— 5. Heb. â—â— 12. promise in the heart of Abraham he calleth him to see the innumerable starres of the skie the infinite sands by the sea and the motes of the dust of the earth which hee will make fit comparisons to expresse the greatnesse of this nation Then seeing Answere to the Obiection of being extinguished whatsoeuer was promised to Abraham is also promised to all that are of his faith and obedience here is an answere to such as obiect they are loth to goe from home because they know not what shall become of them For if they once get into an other Countrey they thinke there is an end of them and all theirs This the Lord answereth Not so but obey the commandement And God will open the barren wombe and make her to dwell with a family Psal 113. 9. and to be a ioyfull mother of children Prayse the Lord. Iacob thus prayseth God with my sâ—affe came I ouer Gene 32. 10. this Iorden and now haue I gotten two bands The second thing vvhich the Lord doth promise God will blesse him vnto Abram is that He will blesse him Him I say and the nation that shal come of him What is meant by this blessing the Patriarke Isake doth in part make plaine vvhen hee disposeth of this blessing to Iacob vvhich his Father Abram had of God and left to him His vvords are these God giue thee of the dew of heauen Gene. 27. 28. and the fatnes of the earth and plenty of wheat and wine Let people be thy seruants and nations bow vnto thee be thou Lord ouer thy brethren and let thy mothers children honor thee In summe he blesseth him vvith plenty and authoritie Hovvbeit these things vvere but a parte of the blessing the remainder of this blessing vvhich indeede is most excellent conteyneth the substance vvherof those temporall blessings vvere but the type and shadovv and as it vvere the Sacraments When Moses doth say My doctrine Deut. 32. 2. shall droppe as the raine and my speech shall still as the dew as the showers vpon the hearbs and as the greate raine vpon the grasse It is plaine that the devv is but the type of the vvorde of God and his gratious spirit that doth accompanye it as all the promises vvhich vvere deliuered in a temporall Phrase had a spirituall sence To vvhich purpose is that in the Epistle to the Hebrewes By faith Abraham abode in the Heb. 11. 9 10. 16 land of promise as in a strange countreye for hee looked for a City hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God that is an heauenly one In this blessing then are there all good things hauing the promise of 1. Tim. 4. 8. the life present and of that which is to come for this is the profit is got by godlines So vvhen the children of Israell Exod. 12. 35. came out of Egypt they came forth riche vvith siluer and golde and vvith greate substance as the Gene. 15. 14. Lord had shevved vnto Abram before But that vvas Deut. 18. â— 5. not all for the Lord sent his angell to accompany them raysed them vp Prophets of their brethren erected Num. 11. 26 27 1. Cor. 10. 4. Answere to the Obiection of loosing the blessing of God his tabernacle among them yea saith saint Paule They dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them and the rock was Christ And heere is an ansvver to a second obiecton of such as vvill not goe abroad for feare of loosing the blessing of God diuers are the difficulties into which a man is cast when hee liueth among barbarous people Sure hee cannot haue the blessing of God that is mingled among the heathen Hee must lose the preaching of the word of God and the purity of the Sacraments thus is he vndone in bodie soule To this the Lord replieth that to him that doth wilfully with the breach of Gods commandement run into tentation the Lord doth bring vpon him the curse that Dauid forewarneth his sonne of If thou 1. Chron. 28. 9. forsake him hee will cast thee off for euer But if a man leaue his Country at Gods commandment the blessing of the Lord shall euer waite vpon him to feede his body and sanctifie his soule The trueth is that none doe so shine in pietie as those that feare God are out of their Countrie We neuer read of such a blessing of men with constancie and deliuerance in their owne Countrie as we find of some abroad Where did Sidrach Misach and Abednago stand Dan. â—1 25. for their
faith and were deliuered out of the fierie Ouen into which they were cast because they would not offend God but among the Babilonians Where Dan. 6. 16. did Daniel shew his constancie in prayer and found deliuerance from the Lyons denne but among the Gentiles Stand fast then in the Faith and you shal see the blessings of God redoubled vpon you more being in a strange Contry then you were able to discerne at home The third blessing vpon Abraham is that God A great name will make him a great name This is a blessing of that kinde as men are exceedingly ambitious of No meruaile when God and man doth commend it vnto the world as a thing of price A good name Eccles. 7. 3. Prou. 22. 1. saith Salomon is better thâ—n a costly oyntment and is to bâ—e chosen aboue great riches Hereupon the Scripture hath recorded good men and the Epistle to the Hebrews giueth the reason of it which it rendreth Heb. 11. 39. 1. Chron. 11. thus All these through faith obtained a good report So is Dauid registred for a worthie and so are all his worthies recorded by the holy Ghost to stirre vp other ages to imitate their vertues that they may inherit their prayses For praise for vertue is a blessed thing which Christ himselfe delighted in His fame was spread abroad throughout all the land and of the fame of the Apostles and such as preached Psal 19. â— Rom. 10. 18. the word of God Dauid saith which also S. Paul doth cite and thus render to their praise Their sound went out through all the earth and their words into the ends of the world This swift flying and loud sounding fame doeth the Lord promise shall bee spread abroad of Abram if hee will obey God and forsake his country A thing which proued true for all the rest of the Scriptures to the end of the Bible hath this onely subiect namely the praise of Abram It is certaine that a godly man hath neuer that great name at home as abroad Christ saith truely in the Particular of a Prophet which is also true of euery vertuous man A Prophet is not without honour saue in Matth. 13. 57. his owne Country and in his owne house And so here is Answere to the Obiection of losse of memorie an answere to a third obiection which some doe make What should a man do abroad A man would willingly keepe the poore reputation and respect he hath If I go out of my Country I shall be but swallowed vp among strangers my memorie will be sooner rotten abroad though I liue then if I were long laide in my graue at home The Lord answereth this obiection thus Feare not Abram I will bee thine exceeding great rewarde I will by thee doe so greate things in a strange place that thy name shall be remembred as my name which I will put vpon thee Sure it is very true that manie a man while he staieth at home liueth in obscuritie as in the darkest night though his vertues and worth deserue better respect For at home what can bee a mans regarde where there be millions of his rank though not better deseruing yet better fauoured Get abroad where vertue is skant and there by the aduancing of thy wisdome and vertue thou shalt bee more eminent and famous in a yeare then at home halfe of thy ranke shall bee all their daies hidden vertue is neglected but abroade it is magnified At home bee thou a right good man thou canst not be seene for thou art either ouertopt or so many waies equalled that thou art like Gold in Salomons time vvhich 1. King 10. 27. vvas esteemed no better then stones or like Cedars that vvere but like vvild figge trees Thy vvay then to make the vvorld ring of thy vertue to thy praise among the good and to the terror of those that are euill is to go abroad vvhen God calleth thee The fourth blessing is that he shall be A blessing This speech hath relation to the esteeme that other A blessing men giue For so doe wee often reade the phrase in the Scripture where it euer doth import so good a reputation among others that they hold themselues blessed for his company In that sense the prophet Isaiah vseth the worde in this sentence In Isai 19. 24. that day shall Israell be a third with Egypt and Ashur euen a blessing in the mids of the land And the Prophet Zacharie thus It shall come to passe that as yee were a curse among the heathen O house of Iudah and Zach. 8. 13 house of Israel so will I deliuer you and ye shall bee a blessing But the speech hath more in it then so namely that whereas The time of ignorance God regarded not but that he bestowed those blessing vpon Acts 17. 30. the barbarons people by the hand of that generall prouidence whereby he maketh his Sunne to shine Matth. 5. 45 on the euill the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust now the Lord shall bestow all his blessings vpon the land through Abram as if the Oliue trees of Gods graces did drop through him as through a golden pipe vpon them A greate blessing to Abram Zach. 4. 12. who herein should be a type of Christ For as of his fullnes all receiue so of Abram the nations should receiue grace for grace And so heere is an answer Answere of being abhorred to a fourth obiection of them that say what should a man do out of his country He shall bee but a hissing and a gasing stocke and a curse to those among whom he is a stranger Besides if hee will haue any good he must seeke for pearles in a dunghill hee must lick his hony off from the thorne and worke his butter out of the fire Vnto this obiection the Lord answereth Abram feare not for none of these things shall befall For on the contrary I wil encline the heart of thy strangers so to respect thee that they shall holde thee to bee the onely blessing that euer came among them because thou shalt verie sensibly bring many blessings vnto them When Isack the sonne of Abram came to Abimelech though Gene. 26. 2â— the Philistines enuied him for his wealth yet Abimelech the King came to him with his friends and captaines of his armye and said Wee haue certainely seene that the Lord is with thee and we thought let there now be an oath betweene vs and let vs make a couenant with thee Thou now the blessed of the Lord do this Pharaoh Gene. â—1 38. and 40. King of Egypt said to his seruants of Ioseph can we find such a man as this in whom is the spirit of God He said also to Ioseph Thou shalt be ouer mine house and at thy word shall all my people bee armed Thus Abraham was knowen to be a blessing Now what the Lord promised to Abraham was also
whose right hand is a right hand of iniquitie Balaam that had a witches tongue Iosh â—3 2â— Num. 22. 6. in his head was sent for to curse Israel by Balak that knew he had a pestilent tongue The seed of the diuel Gen 3. 15. will be spighting and biting doe what a man can This our Sauiour foretelleth to his holy Apostles Iohn 16. 33. In the world you shall haue trouble A thing which if the children of Israel had knowen as they ought they would neuer haue refused to enter the land which God commanded them to possesse because there were cursing and killing enemies no better then Canibals Bee not then discouraged though you light on enemies for that did God foretell vnto Abram that hee and his seed must find Rather bee strong and of good courage because the Lord is with you and with them but an arme of flesh Lastly our text doth tell vs that he will curse IIII. them that curse Abram This the witch Balaam knew Their enemies shall be cursed that if any would open his mouth to curse the people of God hee should bee cursed himselfe for the curse should returne vnto him as Water into his Psal 109. 17. bowels and oyle into his bones And generally they shall come vnto shame and confusion as many as haue euill will at Ziion Here then is a warrant that where godly men are constrained to encounter with cursers such as are the Priests of the Gentiles it is Gods ordinance to bring a curse vpon them and to kill them as the children of Israel did Balam Iosh 13. 22. Here is also a promise that if we keepe our selues to Abrams faith and obedience God will bring a curse vpon all our enemies The Prophet Zacharie hath many excellent speeches to expresse this by The Lord saith he will make Ierusalem a cup of poyson Zach. 12. â— c. vnto all the people in the siege of Ierusalem Ierusalem shall bee a heauie stone for all people all that lift at it shall be torne though all the earth be gathered together against it Againe the princes of Iuda shall bee as coles of fire among wood and like the firebrand in the sheafe and they shall deuoure all people round about on the right hand and on the left These things spake the Prophet of these victorious dayes of the Gospell I hope out of these words thus generally deliuered euery true hearted Protestant can frame out an answere vnto the obiection that is thought much to impeach this Plantation in VIRGINIA The perill say the obiecters is great by the Papists that shall come on the backe of vs. What Papists doe you feare the Princes Sure such as are in aliance with our Nation will thinke other thoughts and take better aduice But as for the popish Church an vnruly beast exempt from all good gouernment Ciuill and Diuine onely adoring him that hath exalted himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped it may be they like the daughters of Salomons horsleaches will cry Giue giue more blood and yet more blooâ— Froâ— 3â— 14. 15. And yet a man would thinke they were glutted before this time of day For in her may be found the blood â—eue 1â— 24 of the Prophets and of the Saints and of ALL that were slâ—ine vpon the earth But you will say now they be so well fleshed they will haue more blood To this first our text answereth in general neuer feare them they come to curse with Bell Booke and Candle and the Diuell and all but remember this God will cuâ—se them that curse Abram But say you they are such terrible beasts as that the professors of the Gospell must needes be afraid of them Indeed their perill was great while their Inchauntments were in Reue. 18. 23. force Iannes and Iambres withstood Moyses till the Exod. 9. 11. Plague of the Scab fell vpon them and then they were able to stand before Moyses no longer So they Reue. 16. â— iuggled and did many strange tricks and much mischiefe till the Plague of the Scab light vpon them at Naples more then an hundred yeere agoe but since though their industrie hath bene nothing inferior to the diuels that came from compassing of the earth Iob 1. â— to and fro yet they may cast a wofull accompt For they find in the totalâ— how many Kingdomes they haue lost and doe daily lose how many battailes they haue fought in all which to the Protestants as the Cananites would proue to the Isralites in Calebs Numb 1â— 9. iudgement so haue they bene euen Bread for vs. Aske what is become of those imperiall armies that went into Boeme against the Hussites in the time of Sigismund the Emperour and know what is become of their Armour whether it armed not the Hussites that wanted Aske what is become of the many shippes that came into the Narrow seas in the yeere 1588 I am sure much of their Ordinance furnished the Netherlanders Will they come to you Sure GOD that made Israel rich of the spoiles of Egypt can by his prouidence make them furnish you with shippes with Munition with Victuall with money let this be your hope But feare not their feares Babilon saith the Angell is fallen Reue. 14. 18 neuer to rise againe sing Hallelu-iah and you shall see her smoake ascend for euermore No no they Reue. 19. 3. shall preuaile no more for their madnes is made euident 1. Tim. 3. 8. They haue another chare to doe I hope will make them scratch where it itcheth not Thinke ye that it is possible for Princes whose treasure is exhausted and honour impeached by their inchaunments not to require satisfaction for these wrongs and to that purpose pull all their Mammon from vnder their Altars I am perswaded the Armour they haue in the roufes of their Churches will one day helpe to arme a company of good fellowes that will come to Church it may bee vnder pretence of hearing a Masse but will depart with good luggage of siluer and gold and pearle and such like that is there ready gathered to their hands Wherefore feare God and of all others there lieth the least feare to be looked for from them The onely perill is in offending God and taking of Papists in to your company if once they come creeping into your houses then looke for mischiefe if treason or poyson bee of any force know them all to be very Assasines of all men to be abhorred But hope in God that hee that hath sent you abroad will also send you such gouernours as will cast out the leauen out of your houses to whom I need say little because I know they need not be nurtured by me IN Abram shall all the families of the earth bee blessed Vjâ— By Abram is ment as before Abraham as in his loynes are many nations For that which is heere spoken of Abram is also