wife is the ornament of her house but the bountie and wisdome of a wife buildeth the house Prou. 14.1 for a wise woman saith the wise man buildeth the house but the foolish destroyeth it with her owne hands Prou. 31.10.16.26 And king Lemuels vertuous woman as she openeth her mouth with wisdome hath the law of grace in her tongue so she considereth a field and getteth it and with the fruite of her hands she planteth a vinyard Likewise it is recorded of Rahel and Leah that they twaine builded the house of Israel Ruth 4.11 Rahel then did not eate the bread of idlenes neither when she was maried nor yet when she was a maide she was not like those careles women described by the Prophet Isay Isai 32.9.10.11.12 13.14 Pro. 31.10 to 31. but rather like the vertuous woman described by Salomon Being maried she did take paines in ouerseeing the worke of her seruants and disdained not to worke cheerfully with her hands and being a maid she was employed in keeping of her fathers sheepe leauing an example Instruction 53 to all matrons and maides to flie idlenes As her calling was to keepe sheepe so her name signifieth a sheepe so that her verie name serued to put her in remembrance of her calling But chiefly to shew her how that she should endeuour to be like vnto the Instruction 54 sheepe in innocencie and harmles simplicitie and therefore our Sauiour Christ doth compare often his followers to sheepe Vnto his Disciples he saith Mat. 10.16 beholde I send you as Sheepe in the midst of Wolues be ye therefore wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues Ioh 10.1.2.3.4 11 14.15 And of al his elect children he saith that his sheepe heare his voice and that he calleth them by their name and leadeth them out and goeth before them and that they follow him and know his voice and that he himselfe is the good shepheard that giueth his life for his sheep Rahel and Leah Iacobs two wiues were barren for a time but it is said that in end God remembred and heard them God may seeme for a time to forget his children and not to heare them but in end they may be sure to be both remembred and heard Not that God doth at any time forget his Instruction 55 children indeede and not heare their requests but that somtimes he doth carie himselfe to our apprehension and feeling as one that is subiect to forgetfulnes and not willing to heare what we say or sue for at his hands and that he doth euen for our good for so it pleaseth him to exercise vs and to stirre vs vp to greater feruencie and earnestnes in prayer Likewise the delay of a benifite sweetneth the same when it is obtained That good thing which hath beene gotten with great difficultie with much adoe and after long delay is by many degrees more deare vnto vs then if it had beene gotten with ease and at an instant Gen. 29.31.32 30.17.22 The Lord at last remembred heard Rahel Leah which did both of them begge children at his hands For it is the Lord that openeth the windowes of heauen being shut to giue raine 1. King 18 1.41.45 to make the earth fruitfull and it is likewise the Lord that openeth the barren womans wombe to make her the ioyfull mother of many children 1. Sam. 2.5 Psal 113.9 128.3 so that she is made as the fruitfull vine on the house sides and her children stand like Oliue plants round about the Table And as it is said that God remembred Rahel and Leah when he deliuered them from barrennes so is it also said that he remembred Noah Gen. 8.1 when as he made the waters to cease vpon the earth he remembred Abraham when as he deliuered Lot at Abrahams request Gen. 19.29 from the destruction of Sodome and he remembred Ismael Gen. 21.17 when as he deliuered him from extremitie of indigence and nourished him in the wildernes being cast out together with his mother Hagar out of Abrahams house And he remembred Iacob being in tribulation Gen. 35.3 by reason of his brother Esau and deliuered him from his hostilitie and feare Lastly thus he remembred Anna when he deliuered her from barrennes 1. Sam 1 11.19 Iob 14.13 42.10.11.12 and made her to beare So we see that the Lords remembrance is alwayes conioyned with deliuerance from some Instruction 56 euill Yea not only doth God when he remembreth deliuer from some euill but he also bestoweth some good as may appeare by these foresaid examples and by the example of Iob. So that whosoeuer he be that serueth God and sueth vnto him he may assure himselfe at first or last to be heard and not to begotten for euer Princes may sometimes forget their seruants and suiters but God neuer forgeteth his Psalm 22. 25. 27.2.8.9.10.11 28 6.7 30.10 11 31.12.14.16.21.22.23.24 32.6.7.10 11 33.18 19.20 21. 3â— 4.5.6.15.17.18.19 37.6.7.34 40.1.2.16 17. onely it behooueth vs with godly Dauid to waite patiently vpon the Lord and to hope in him though for a time we seeme to be forgotten with Dauid as a dead man out of minde yet we shall finde by experience with Dauid that the eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares open vnto their crye That he is neere vnto them that are of a contrite heart and will saue such as be afflicted in spirite And that though he hide his face from vs for a while so that we say in our hast loe we are cast out of his sight yet ere it be long he will turne our mourning into ioy Loose our sacke and gird vs with gladnes heare the voice of our petition and shew vs his maruailous kindenes deliuer vs from our troubles and compasse vs with his mercie establish our hearts Iob. 8.21 and fill them with his good things Psal 27.10 with gladnes and ioy For though our fathers and our mothers should forsake vs and forget vs yet the Lord will gather vs vp saith the Psalmist O how much better is it then to trust in the Lord rather then in Princes or yet in our naturall Parents Let eche one say then with Dauid Psal 130.5.6.7.8 I haue waited on the Lord my soule hath waited and I haue trusted in his word my soule waitch on the Lord more then the morning watch watcheth for the morning Let Israel waite on the Lord for with the Lord is mercie and with him is great redemption Psal 118.8 9. As it is better to trust in God then in Princes so is it better to waite on God then on Princes For want who will Gods waiter shall be sure not to want his rewardes Psal 37.34 Waite thou on the Lord and keepe his way and he shall exalt thee and thou shalt inherite the land saith that good waiter on God godly Dauid
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
of his death O my beloued Sonne Isack would God thou hadst neuer beene borne and thou my sweete wife Sara would God thou hadst alwaies beene barren rather then to haue borne a son in thine old age after so long barrennes whome thy husband and his father must now in so vnfatherly a fashion bereaue of his naturall being and breath But Abraham was farre from all such infirmitie and imperfection of faith and therefore beleeuing that Gods promise should not misse of performance but that he was euen able to raise Isack againe out of his owne ashes he delayed not to doe that which the Lord had enioyned him concerning his son Gen. 22.1 to 13. But when as he was in heauing vp his hand to giue him the mortall blowe with the knife behold the Angell of the Lord from heauen forbid him to lay his hand vpon the childe For now I knowe quoth he that thou fearest God seeing that for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne And thus Abrahams will to offer his onely sonne for a burnt offering vnto the Lord was accepted for the deede Abrahams obedience then was correspoÌ„dent to his faith whence it did flowe his faith was great and therefore great was his obedience Io. 8.56 he saw Christ but a farre off and he was glad he saw by faith and that a great faith and therefore great was his sight his gladnes and his ioy And as he had a great faith in his heart so made he a great demonstration thereof in the actions of his hands Gen. 12.7.8 13.4.18 For Abraham wheresoeuer he soiourned erected an Alter vnto God and called vpon his name As he forsooke the Idols of his fathers euen their Gods Iosh 24.2.3 which were no Gods so he acknowledged and worshiped entierly the onely true God Gen. 14 18 19.20 Heb. 7.4.8 Also he payed Tithes vnto Melchisedeck the high Priest of the most high Giuing therby an exaÌ„ple to al his Instruction 3 children Iam. 2.18 of shewing their faith by their workes and namely vnto the richer sort of consecrating a part of their substance to the building repairing of Churches for the seruice of God and of making his ministers partakers of their goods according as the Apostles exhortation doth beare saying Galat. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods And not onely was Abraham religious and godly in himselfe but he was also carefull for all such as were vnder his charge Gen. 17.23.24.25.26.27 Deut. 10.16 30.6 Ierem 4.4 6.10 Act. 7 51 Gen 18.19 to wit for his children and seruants that they should liue before God as men no lesse circumcised in their hearts then in their flesh I know said the Lord that Abraham will command his Sonnes and his housholde after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnes and iudgement Whereby the Instruction 4 children of Abraham after the promise and chiefly all fathers and maisters of families are taught to giue diligence that their children and seruants be instructed in the knowledge of the true God Tit. 2.12 and of godlines that they may liue godlily soberly and iustly in this present world And the effect of this his christian care for his familie may appeare both in his Sonne Isack and in his seruant Eliezer of Damascus the steward of his house as for his sonne as he was consecrated to the Lord in his very child-hoode Gen. 22.2.10.11.12 26.25 25.5 so was the whole time of his life spent in a spirituall and reasonable sacrificing of himselfe to the Lords seruice Neuer was there a sonne begotten of man more father like then was godly Isack who followed the foote-steps of his fathers faith pietie charitie equitie and vertuous liuing and succeeded both to his goodnes and his goods to his godlines no lesse then to his gold And as for Abrahams chiefe seruant Eliezer his pietie and fidelity are both of them mentioned in the scripture to his praise His piety towards God doth appeare in this that being sent by Abraham to take a wife for his sonne Isack in his owne kinred Gen. 15.2.3 24.1.2.10.11.12.42 he no sooner receiued his masters commaund but as soone he commended his way and affaires to Gods prouidence and blessing by prayer The which thing he did likewise when he was arriued to the Citie of Nahor O Lord of my maister Abraham quoth he I beseech thee send me good speede this day and shew mercie vnto my maister Abraham Such as the maister was such was the man a religious maister and Instruction 5 a religious man whose pietie towards God may serue for a lesson to all maisters and men to begin alwaies their important affaires at God by in calling of his name for except God blesse man certainly shall misse and miscarrie in his designes Likewise Eliezer when as he had receiued the signe which he had asked of the Lord to know thereby the prosperous successe of his iourney being ariued to the Citie of Nahor Gen. 24.48.50 51.52 where Bethuel dwelt he bowed himselfe and worshiped the Lord and said Blessed be the Lord God of my maister Abraham which hath not withdrawen his mercy and his truth from my maister for when I was in the way the Lord brought me to my maisters brethrens house The like was his religious and Godly demeanour when as his errand had taken the desired effect and that he had betrothed Rekekath the daughter of Bethuel to his maisters sonne Isack to be his wife Thus godly Eliezer as he began his busines in praying vnto God for good successe so he ended it in praysing God for the good successe already gotteÌ„ The which pietie of Eliezer is to be practised of all good seruants yea and of all maisters too To the end that God who is the Alpha and the Omega Reuel 1.8 that is to say the beginning the ending of all things may be likewise the Alpha and the Omega of all our actions Whether ye eate or drinke saith the Apostle or what soeuer ye doe 1. Cor. 10.31 Col. 3.17 do all to the glory of God and in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God euen the father by him And as this good Eliezer was pious towards God so was he no lesse officious and faithfull towards his maister the father of the faithfull For both he would not so much as eate a crumme of bread in Bethuels house till he had said his message Gen. 24.33 37 54.5â—.59.61.63 64. and done according to his oath and when as he had done the errand which he came for and had obtained Rekekah for Isack he would not soiourne any longer in Bethuels house but departed the next morning bringing home with him the vertuo us Rekekah to godly Isack who as he went out to pray in the fielde toward the euening met her comming home
help vs himselfe and hinder others from doing vs any harme Moreouer when as Iacob was in his iourney Gen. 32.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 and was greatly affrighted and troubled because of his brother Esau the Lord sent his Angels to meete him and to accompanie him for his preseruation and safetie accordirg to the saying of the Psalmist Psal 34.7 19.11 The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about all them that feare him and deliuereth them He shall giue his Angels charge ouer them to keepe them in all their wayes Thus we read that the Lord comforted Hagar by an Angel Gen. 16.7 to 15 when she fled from her mistris Sara for vsing her roughly Thus an Angel stayed Abraham at the Lords appointment Gen. 22.11.12 from sacrificing his Sonne Thus an Angel conducted Eliezer Abrahams seruant to finde a wife for Gen. 24.7.12.27.40 Isack Thus an Angell comforted Eliah and nourished him when as he fled from Iezebell 1 King 19 5 6.7 Thus an Angell comforted and encouraged Ioshua being about the besieging of Ierico Iosh 5.13.14.15 Thus an Angel appeared vnto Gideon Iudg 6.11 to 28. to appoint him to be the sauiour of Israel out of the Midianites hands Thus the Angel Raphael was sent of God to guide Tobias in his wayes Tob 5.6 1.3.14 15.18.19 20.21.22 Act 1◠7 8 9 10 11 12. 27.23.24 and to prosper his busines Thus the holy Angels deliuered the Apostles out of prison and another Angel shewed Saint Paul that none of them with him in the Ship should perish Also the Angels ministred vnto our Sauiour Christ in the Wildernes after his fourtie dayes fasting Mat 4.11 Luke 22.4.5 And another Angel comforted him in the garden before his apprehension Mat. 29.24 53. He might likewise haue had legiōs of Angels to deliuer him from the violence of the Iewes but he would not Also the Angels did tell the Maries and the rest of the deuout women Mat. 28.5.6 the newes of our Sauiours resurrection In one word Luk. 15.7.10 as the Angels reioyce at the sinners conuersion so are they appointed of God for the faithfuls protection and consolation according to that saying of the Lord vnto his people Exod. 23.20.23 32.2 Behold I send an Angel before thee to keepe thee in thy way and to bring thee to the place which I haue prepared Finally our Sauiour teacheth vs in the Gospell Mat. 18.10 that the Angels are appointed of God to be gardians of little Children Iacob prayed vnto the Lord to deliuer him from the hand of Esau Gen. 32 9.10.11.24.25.28 and the Lord heard him and in token that he should ouercome his brothers anger made his Angell to wrestle with him and in the wrestling strengthned Iacob so that the Angell could not preuaile Thereby giuing him to vnderstand that if an Angell was not able to vanquish him when as God was on his side to strengthen him how much lesse should his brother being a mortall man be able to giue him the foile And therefore the Angell said vnto Iacob thy name shal be called Iacob no more but Israell because thou hast had power with God thou Instruction 60 shalt also preuaile with men And herein we are admonished in the time of anguish and aduersity but cheifely whenas we are in perril by reason of great men to haue our recourse vnto God with Iacob praying him to deliuer vs from the hands of our enemies that are stronger then wee This hath allwaies beene the custome of the men of God namely of Godly Dauid Lord how are mine aduersaries increased Psal 3.1.3.4.5.6.7 said this holy man when as he fled from his son Absalon How many rise against me But thou Lord art a Buckler for me my glory and the lifter vp of mine head I did call vnto the Lord with my voyce and he heard me out of his holy mountaine I laied me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me I would not be afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about O Lord arise helpe me my God for thou hast smitten all mine enemies vpon the cheeke-bone thou hast broaken the teeth of the wicked The Lord was Dauids gard against the insurrection of his Sonne and likewise against the persecution of Saul Psal 18.32 to 42. God girded him with strength and taught his hands to fight so that he not onely wounded his enemies that they were not able to rise but also consumed them for he beat them as small as the dust before the winde and tread them flat as the clay in the street And as God consumed Dauids enemies so he changed the hearts of Iacobs aduersaries This great King of hearts softned Esaus heart in his brothers behalfe for no sooner came he into his brothers sight and had done obeisance in humble manner before him but as soone God touched Esaus heart with a correspondent affection so that he ran to meete him and embraced him and fell on his neck and they wept for ioy out of a kinde tendernesse of heart Thus Esau that once hated his brother mortally now loued him exceedingly and he that once intended to kill him now blesseth him and he that once did banish and chase him away now runneth to meete and to embrace him in his armes Instruction 61 In Esaus demeanour we are taught to ouercome all carnall desire of reuenge though we haue power to be auenged on such as haue either crossed vs or yet done vs any wrong Rom. 12.19.20.21 Dearely beloued saith the Apostle auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I wil repay saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feede him if he thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vpon his head Be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with goodnes Againe in Iacobs humble behauiour towards his Brother for it is said that he bowed himselfe seauen times to the ground before his brother whome he called his Lord and that he sent him a present of his goods that he might finde fauour in his sight In Iacobs humility Instruction 62 and curtesie I say the children of God are taught to vse all the ordinary meanes of pacifying and appeasing such as we know to beare vs any euill will whether by dooing of externall submission and obeisance or by vsing honorable and reuerent compellations in their behalfe or yet by giuing or sending them a present of such goods as the Lord hath bestowed vpon vs. The present that Iacob sent vnto his brother Esau he calleth his blessing insinuating therby that as it was a blessing from God vnto him so should it be a blessing to his brother from God by Iacobs hands And it is verie likely that the Lord blessed Esau for Iacobs sake for being appeased towards his brother and for vsing him so kindely
as he did as he likewise had blessed Laban for the same Iacobs sake But the pietie and religion of Iacob is notable Gen. 33.5 11 God saith he hath had mercie on me and therefore haue I all things First he acknowledgeth his children to be Gods gift they are the children quoth he to his brother whome God of his grace hath giuen thy seruant Gen 48.8.9 The like said Ioseph of his sonnes to his father Iacob Then his goods he acknowledgeth to haue them and holde them of God Gen. 32.10 I am not worthie saith this worthy man in his prayer vnto God of the least of thy mercies and all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant For with my staffe came Iouer this Iorden and now haue I gotten two bands He acknowledgeth Gods mercie and free fauour and not his owne merite or any worthynes flowing from his nature to be the fountaine of his good Fortune and the wel-spring of all his wealth Instruction 63 In the which confession and acknowledgement all the children of God ought to imitate him For God giueth to all life and breath and all good things of his owne free grace in Christ Iesus Luk. 21.36 Reuel 3.4 Ephes 4.1 And whatsoeuer worthines there is in vs it is not of vs but of him and from him who hath called vs and translated vs into the kingdome of his Sonne and made vs partakers of his rich grace 2. Cor 3.5 Act. 17 25.28 For our sufficiencie is of God and in him we liue we moue and haue our being saith Saint Paul Omne bonum Dei donum Euery good giuing saith S. Iames another Iacob and euerie perfite gift is from aboue Iam. 1.17 and commeth downe from the father of lights But Iacob thought it not enough to be religious in a priuate manner but he would also make an outward demonstration of his pietie and faith in the sight of those amongst whome he liued and that both for the edifying of men and for the more celebrious glorifying of God And therefore as soone as he had bought a parcell of ground in Schechem to pitch a Tent vpon he also set vp there an Alter and called it the mightie God of Israel The same was the pious practise of his religious forefathers Isack and Abraham Iacob by the erection of this Alter and by giuing it this name Gen. 33.18.19.20 would shew to the whole world in a most publike and open manner that he did confesse and professe that all his might strength power prosperitie and hap was the meere gift of God who loued him before Instruction 64 he was borne And herein we are taught whensoeuer we do receiue at Gods hands any notable benefite and blessing spirituall or temporall as of safetie and prosperitie that we endeuour by all meanes not onely to proue thankefull therefore in a priuate manner but also to make as publike a demonstration of our thankfulnes as we possibly can as by building or repairing of Churches for the honour of God or of hospitalls and almes houses for the help and reliefe of the poore Let your light so shine saith our Sauiour before men Mat 5.16 Philip. 2.15 that they seeing your good workes may glorifie your father which is heauen And therefore we see that deuoute Dauid Psal 22.22 25 116.12 13.14.17 18.19 saith not onely that he would praise God publikely in the midst of the congregation but also that he would performe his vowes in the sight of them that feare him euen in the presence of all his people Likewise when at the Lords appointment godly Iacob went to dwell in Bethel Gen. 35.1.2.3.4.5 there he also erected an Alter vnto God that appeared vnto him when as he fled from his brother Esau and heard him in the day of his tribubulation and was with him in the way which he went And not onely this but he also commanded all those of his houshold to put away all strange Gods from them and to clense themselues and to change their garments For it doth appeare that there were some of his seruants which had beene brought vp in Idolatrie in the land of Haran where he had serued his vncle Laban Gen. 31.19.30 Who likewise him selfe was not free from that sinne as may appeare by that it is recorded how that Rahel Labans daughter and Iacobs wife stole away her fathers Idoles the Instruction 65 which Laban calleth his Gods Wherein may be espied the great madnes and blindenes of men in making vnto themselues such Gods as are not able to keepe themselues from the stealing hands of theeues Psal 115.4.5.6.7.8 Their Idoles saith the Psalmist are siluer and gold euen the worke of mens hands they are golden Gods made of gold not able to make golde made by men not able to make a man no nor yet the least worme creeping vpon the earth all which the true God doth They are dumbe Gods for though they haue a mouth they cannot speake much lesse are they able to make the dumbe to speake They are blinde Gods for though they haue eyes yet they cannot see much lesse are they able to make the blinde to see They are deafe Gods for though they haue cares yet can they not heare much lesse are they able to make the deafe to heare They are senseles dead Gods for though they haue noses yet they cannot smell though they haue hands yet can they not touch though they haue feete yet can they not walke though they haue a throte yet make they no sound and in one word though they haue the whole lineaments of a man yet haue they no sparkle of the life of man how much lesse haue they of the life of the euerliuing God They that make them are like vnto them so are all that trust in them Euen more senseles and blockish then stockes or stones Isai 44.9.10.11.12.13.14.15 16.17.18.19.20 And therefore the Lord by his Prophet promiseth to confound these shop-gods of stone and timber and these forge-gods of golde and siluer euen all these vaine hand-made Gods together with the fond and foolish Godmakers Thus in the person of Iacob are all maisters of families taught to take care that the onely true God be acknowledged and worshiped of their whole houshold For it is a verie hard thing me thinketh that the man that worshipeth a false God should proue a true seruant in his maisters behalfe It ought then to be their chiefe care to see that their seruants be such as serue God and feare him by the meanes both of a pious and christian profession and of a vertuous and honest conuersasion For if they feare God sincerely it can not be but they wil serue their maisters likewise for Gods sake and in him conscionably carefully Thus the Lord who loued Iacob before he was borne was feared loued and honoured of Iacob after he was borne and not onely of him but also of