godly Isack after his prayer in one good wife found a treasure of good things and in one blessing receiued many Instruction 33 blessings To teach vs that prayer is the proper meanes to pull downe vpon vs aboundance of Gods good things and as Rebecca performed the duties of a vertuous wife in her husbands behalfe so did Isack play the part of discreete and louing husband towards her Gen. 24.67 For it is said that he loued Rebecca and was comforted in her and by her after his mothers death for as I said before out of Siracides the grace of a good wife reioyceth her husband Eccles 26.1.2.13 and doubleth the nomber of his dayes And as it is recorded that he loued Rebecca so is it also Gen. 26.8 that he reioyced and sported with her according to that which the wise man inioyneth saying Eccles 9.9 Reioyce with thy wife which thou hast loued all the dayes of the life which God hath giuen thee vnder the Sunne And the holy Apostle as he enioyneth wiues to be of holy behauiour sober temperate discreete Tit. 2.2.3.4.5 Colloss 18 19 Ephes 5.25 28. chast keeping at home subiect louers of their husbands and of their children so likewise he exhorteth husbands to loue their wiues as their owne bodyes and not to be bitter Instruction 34 vnto them for he that loueth his wife saith he loueth himselfe If a mans wife be of a sweet and gracious disposition then ought the husband to ioyne his sweetnes to his wiues except he meane to shew himselfe a beast yea worse then a beast in being bitter and sowre in the behalfe of his vertuous wife And if otherwise she be of a more bitter vnpleasing disposition then behooueth then he must shew himselfe wise in allaying the sowrenesse and bitternes of his wines behauiour with the sweetenesse of his patient and gentle inclination in labouring to reclaime her by all kinde of faire perswasions and enducements of loue Thus the discreete husband may amend that male-pleasing humour of his wife whereas by vsing bitternes in her behalfe he shall turne his wiues wormwood into gall of aspes and make her ten folde more bitter and sowre then she was at first Thus then in the person of Instruction 35 godly Isack and vertuous Rebecca are all husbands and wiues taught to labour by all meanes to be a comfort and ioy one vnto another Wiues to loue in most entire manner their husbands to reuerence and obey them with all subiection submission of body and minde and to be alwayes a matter of ioy and comfort vnto them and husbands on the other part to make much of their wiues to loue them entierly and to esteeme of them as their greatest ornament their best portion their dearest inheritance their surest helpe their strongest piller their sweetest comfort their richest pearle and in one worde as their most glorious crowne Gen. 25.21 24.63.64 Rebecca was barren for a time but the Lord at the prayer and entreatie of her husband Isack made her to beare Thus Isack as by prayer he had obtained a vertuous wife so by prayer he purchased at Gods hands for his wife the strength and ability to Instruction 36 conceiue and to beare children Wherein we finde that saying of the Apostle verified Iam. 5.16 The prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be feruent Gen. 20 17 18. Abraham was a righteous man and at his prayer Abimelechs wife ceased to be barren and Abimelech himselfe was healed Deut. 9.20 21. Num. 12.10 Moses was a righteous man and at his prayer Aron purchased pardon for his idolatrie and Miriam was cured of her leaprie Num. 16.47.48 Aron was a righteous man and at his prayer the plague ceased from the people Samuel was a righteous man 1. Sam 7.8 9.10.11.12 and at his prayer the Isralites scattred ouercame the Philistims Eliah was a righteous man 1. King 17 17.18.19 20.21.22.23 18.45 and at his prayer he obtained raine after the drought of three yeeres and restored his hostesse sonne to life Likewise at his prayer the two captaines ouer fifty with their fifties sent by Ahaziah to apprehend him 2. King 1.7.8.9.10 11.12.13 were deuoured by fire from heauen and the third captaine with his fiftie at the Prophets desire were preserued Elisha was a righteous man and at his prayer the Shunamite conceiued bare a sonne to her husband being old 2. King 4.12.13.14 15.16.17 31.33.34 35.36 and that after long barrennes whome afterwards he also restored againe to life being dead likewise at his prayer the men that the king of Sirya had sent to apprehend him 2 King 18 2.23.24 was smitten with blindnes And the 42. children that mocked him were torne in peeces by two Beares out of the Forrest The Prophet sent by God to Ieroboam to reproue him was a righteous man and at his prayer Ieroboams hand being first dried vp was restored 1. King 13 6 So great is the force of a righteous mans prayer It openeth the windowes of heauen to giue raine after long drinesse and the wombe of women to beare after long barrennesse As the Apostle saith through God I am able to doe all things So through prayer is the righteous man able to obtaine all things And as Isack had his recourse vnto God by prayer Gen. 25.22.23.28 to make his wife fruitfull so She hauing conceiued and feeling the children in her wombe to striue together it is said that she went to aske the Lord concerning the meaning of Instruction 37 that matter Wherein men and women are taught in euerie difficultie to haue their recourse vnto God by prayer for this hath been alwayes the custome of Gods people both women and men It was reuealed vnto her that the elder should serue the yonger and that Iacob should be more acceptable vnto God then Esau and therefore the holy woman loued Iacob more then Esau Gen. 27.6.10 and by her counsaile and prudence he got the blessing from his brother Esau for whome the Lord blesseth and loueth shall be blessed and loued of the best men likewise And when as Esau in reuenge had intended to slay Iacob Rebecca which by interpretation is asmuch as contention hindered did indeede and in effect answere vnto her name and therefore to Instruction 38 hinder this mortall and bloudy strife betweene her two children she sent Iacob away to Haran to her Brother Laban there to tarrie vntill Esaus fiercenes were asswaged Gen. 27.41 42.43.44.45 In which doing Rebecca as she bewraied both her wisdome and her peaceable disposition So hath she left vnto all women wiues and mothers an example of imitation to preserue peace and to preuent strife and contention amongst her children and seruants Happie then was godly Isack to haue receiued at the Lords hands such a vertuous wife and peaceable wife as was Rebecca for a peaceable woman and of gaod
set at the right hand of the throne of God Hence it is that we also reioyce in tribulations Rom. 5.3.4.5 knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope 2. Tim. 2.12 hope maketh not ashamed for if we suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him If we beare the Crosse heere with him on earth we shall also weare a crowne hereafter with him in heauen Iacob lying vpon the stones found notwithstanding rest to his Body and if we repose our selues wholy vpon the Rock 1. Cor. 10.4 Gen. 49.24 Dan. 2.34.41 Christ Iesus whome Iacob calleth the stone of Israel and Daniel the the stone cut without hands we shall not faile to finde rest to our soules And Christ shall be vnto Instruction 47 vs not onely a Rock to rest vpon and a stone to stay vpon but likewise a Ladder to climbe vpon wherby we may ascend from this earth wherein is all hardnes vnto the kingdome of heauen where is all happines Iacob being come vnto his Vncle Labans house entered into seruice with Laban in which his seruice he was so exceedingly blessed of God Gen. 30.27.43 that he became very rich got many flocks maidseruants and men seruants Camels and Asses Moreouer Laban confessed that the Lord had blessed and enriched him likwise for Iacobs sake Whereby the children of Iacob Instruction 48 are taught not to liue Idlely and without some lawfull calling or trade and rather to embrace the condition of seruice then to spend their time in sluggishnes idlenes and sinne And therefore we read that Iacob brought vp his owne children in the occupation of sheepe-heardes Gen. 46.34 47.3 And Saul was taken from seeking of his fathers Asses 1. Sam. 9.3 16.11.12.19 and Dauid from keeping of his fathers sheepe to feede and rule the people of Israel and the Apostle Saint Paul as he wrought with his owne hands 2. Thes 3.7 8.9.10 11 Act. 20.34 so he commandeth that the man that will not worke should not eate And therefore he exhorteth idle men to worke with quietnes and to eate their owne bread and withall recommendeth vnto them his owne example for imitation how that he tooke not bread of any man for nought but wrought with labour and trauaile night and day because he would not be chargeable to any of them Pro. 5.15 12.11 14 14.23 20.4 21.17 Drinke the water of thy Cisterne and of the riuers out of the midst of thine owne well saith Salomon insinuating thereby how that men ought to liue of their owne laboures He that tilleth his land shal be satisfied with bread but he that followeth the idle is destitute of vnderstanding the recompence of a mans hâ—â—as shall God giue vnto him and in all labour there is aboundance The slothfull will not plowgh because of winter therefore shall he begge in summer but haue nothing he that loueth pastime shall he a poore man and he that loueth Wine and Oyle shall not be rich Iacob then who was so exceeding rich was no doubt verie free from the vices of idlenes superfluitie and excesse And yet it was Instruction 49 not so much his labour as the blessing of the Lord that made him rich Psal 1 27.1.2 Except the Lord builde the house saith the Psalmist they labour in vaine that build it except the Lord keepe the Citie the keeper watcheth in vaine It is vaine for you to rise early to lie down late to eate the bread of sorrow but he will surely giue rest to his beloued As if he should say it is in vaine for a man to toyle and moyle day and night except the Lord blesse his busines as he did Iacobs Labans likewise for Iacobs sake and as he did Iosephes affaires and his three maisters for Iosephes sake first in Potiphars house Gen 39. 40. 41 then in the prison lastly in the Princes Pallace Iacob serued twise seuen yeeres his Vncle Laban for his daughter Rahel For it is said that he loued her and euen so earnestly and feruently Gen. 20.18 28.30 that so many yeeres did seeme vnto him but a fewe dayes Wherby such as are about Instruction 50 mariag are taught to make choise onely of such parties as they can most entierly loue Gen. 25.23 25.26.27.28 As Iacob being the yonger of Isacks two sonnes was more beloued of God and of his mother Rebecca then the elder sonne Esau So of Labans two daughters being Iacobs two wiues the younger was more loued of Iacob then the elder Gen. 29.16 17.18.19.20 euen faire Rahel more then tender-eyed Leah As of the two brethren the Lord made choyse of the younger Mat. 1.2 Rom 9.13 Iacob haue I loued so of the two sisters Iacob made choise of the younger for Rahel he loued serued twice seauen yeares for her It is said of Rahel that she was beautifull and faire the same is said of Sara and of Rebecca 1. Sam. 25.3 and likewise of Abigail who was both beautifull and singularly wise Abigail is asmuch by interpretation as fathers ioy and such a one was Rahel euen the ioy of her father Laban and likewise of Iacob her louing husband Pro. 10.1 Eccles 26.1.2.13 for as a wise daughter is the ioy of her father so is a wise wife the ioy of her husband saith the wise man And Rahel Labans daughter and Iacobs wife Abigail like was both The greatest glorie of a daughter is to be called her fathers or her mothers ioy And the greatest glorie of a wife is to be accounted the ioy of her husband And heere all daughters Instruction 51 and wiues are taught to endeuour by all meanes to be such as Rahel and Abigail were Iacob loued Rahel for her beautie but yet more for her bountie and gracious behauiour For fauour is deceitfull Pro. 31.30 and beauty is euanishings but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised saith Salomon such a one was Rahel who was not so faire in body as she was in minde therefore worthie to be loued of her husband and landed of men The beautie of a woman cheereth the face saith Siracides and a man loueth nothing better Eccles 36.22.23.24 if there be in her tongue gentlenes meeknes and wholsome talke then is not her husband like other men Instruction 52 The beautie of a woman indeede cheereth the face but the bounty of a woman cheereth the minde more and is the sweetest solace of the soule The eye of man loueth nothing better then beautie and the heart of man loueth nothing better then bountie the beautie of a wel-behaued woman is in the house Eccles 26.16 17 18. as the candle light in the Temple Eccles 22.4 36.24 or the Sunne-light in the heauen saith Siracides But the wisdome of a woman is the heritage and heartes-case of her husband The beautie of a
Psal 78.70 71.72 who waited so well on God that of a fillie shepheard he was made a mighty monarch and a glorious king So that he had good cause to say it is good for me to drawe neere to God to trust in him Psal 33.20 40.1 73.28 and to waite patiently on him A king is able to make his waiter of a meane man a mightie man of a Lad he is able to make him a Lord but God can easily if he please make his waiter of a contemptible cast-away Psal 113.7.8 Eccles 11.1 a puissant Prince a crowned king It is he that raiseth the needie out of the dust and lifteth vp the poore out of the dung That he may set him with the Princes euen with the Princes of his people Yea not onely setteth he such as waite on him with the princes but also sometimes setteth a crowne vpon their heads Iob. 36 7. and maketh them Princes not onely doth he place the righteous with kings in the throne but also maketh them sometimes kings Eccle. 4.14 and as Salomon speaketh bringeth them out of the verie prison to raigne And therefore godly Dauid acknowledgeth that God did preuent him with liberal blessings Psal 21.3 and that he set a crowne of pure gold vpon his head So then as I said before be forgotten who will the man that feareth God and waiteth on him shall not be forgotten but shall be b th remembred and remunerated with an ample reward greater then any mortall king can giue Rahel and Leah as in their barrennes they prayd vnto God for to giue them the abilitie to beare children so hauing receaued at Gods hands the thing they did aske they praised him for the same Now will I praise the Lord Gen. 29.33 35 said Leah when she had borne Iudah Rahel hauing borne Ioseph reioycingly praised the Lord for taking away her rebuke Gen. 30.23 1. Sam. 2.1 to 11. So the holy woman Anna hauing receiued a son of the Lord praised him in a song The like did religious Zacharie hauing receiued a Sonne by his wife Elizabeth in her barren olde age Luk. 1.68 to 80. Whereby both women and men Instruction 57 are taught to pray vnto God for all good things they stand in need of hauing receiued that which they did aske to proue thankfull by praising him for the same for the man that is not thankfull for good things already receiued is not worthy to receiue any more good at Gods hand And therefore the Apostle exhorteth christians to giue thankes alwaies for all Eccles 5.4.20 things vnto God euen the father in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ And the Prophet Moses warneth the people that they doe not forget to blesse the Lord for their habitation and foode Dent. 8.10 11.12.13 14.15.16.17.18 for the increase of their flockes and of their siluer and golde Remember the Lord your God saith he for it is he which giueth you power to get substance And therfore let euerie one that hath receiued any good thing at the Lords hand or yet looketh to receiue more say with holy Dauid What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benifites to me Psal 116.12.13.14 I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vowes vnto the Lord euen now in the presence of all his people Psal 103.1 2.3.4.5 My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefites Which forgiueth all thine iniquitie and healeth all thine infirmities which redeemeth thy life from the graue and crowneth thee with mercie and compassion which satisfieth thy youth with good things and thy youth is renued like the Eagles But to returne from Iacobs wiues vnto himselfe Iacob was enuied of his owne Cousins Labans children which did murmure mightily against him for his great wealth Yea Labans owne countenance began to be changed so that he was lesse kinde vnto him then he had beene before It was no doubt an affliction and that a bitter one too for him to be enuied of his owne neere Cousins and allies yea of his own Vncle and father in lawe Laban and that his good long seruices were not better considered vpon by him and his children and how that the Lord had for his sake prospered them all But though his nearest kins-men and allies were thus changed in their affection towards Iacob yet in the mean time God who is vnchangeable in his loue for whom he loueth Ierim 31.3 Ioh. 13.1 he loueth with an euerlasting loue did neuer alter his countenance and affection in his behalfe When Iacob was most crossed of men then did God shew himselfe most kinde And the frowardnes of his friends was not of so great force to cast him downe as the present fauour of God was to holde him vp Instruction 58 Whereby we are taught to haue alwayes our greatest affiance in Gods fauour for though our fathers and our mothers let alone our kins-men or allies should faile vs and forsake vs Psal 27.10 125.1 146.3 yet the Lord will gather vs vp They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot be remoued but remaineth for euer Put not your trust in Princes saith that godly Prince nor in the sonne of man Ierem. 17.5.6.7.8 for there is no helpe in him Cursed be the man saith the Lord that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord for he shall be like the heath in the Wildernes and shall not see when any good commeth but shall inhabit the parched places in the Wildernes in a salt land not inhabited But blessed be the man that trusteth in the Lord whose hope the Lord is for he shall be as a tree planted by the water which spreadeth out her rootes by the riuer and shall not feele when the heate commeth but her leafe shall be greene and shall not care for the yeere of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruit Such a well rooted greene and faire branched tree was Iacob who trusted in the Lord and not in man and therefore when as man frowned on him God fauoured him Gen 31.3.13.17.18 24. bid him leaue his Vncle Laban and returne into his own land Where he prōised to establish him his seede to make them in number as the dust of the earth and as the stars of the heauen And such was the care of the Lord for his seruant Iacob that when as after his departure he was pursued by his father in lawe Laban God did admonish him by a dreame that he should Instruction 59 not speake vnto Iacob so much as one euill word Wherin all faithfull folkes are instructed to commit and commend their wayes and estate vnto the gracious prouidence of God who will both