And heere againe in this good seruant Instruction 6 Eliezer are all seruants taught to doe all diligence and to vse all fidelity and consionable carefulnes in doing of their maisters affaires But to returne from the man to the maister as Abrahams faith was not a dead or idle faith in the behalfe of God for we see it wrought by obedience Iam. 2.21.22 Galat. 5.6 and pious liuing in Gods behalfe so likewise was it not dead or idle in the regard of man but wrought by charitie Gen. 18.1.2.3 4.19.3 equitie and loue This appeareth by his hospitality for he was wont to sit at the doore of his Tent to inuite strangers and to bid the poore into his house So that on a time he receiued Angels for his guests at vnwares And the like did his brothers son Lot Whereupon the Apostle to the Ebrewes Heb. 13.2 giueth out this exhortation Be not forgetfull to lodge strangers for thereby some haue receiued Angels into their houses vnawares Instruction 7 If then the father of the faithfull had this godly custome to sit at his doore to bid the stranger and the poore into his house how vnseemely and vnsoundly a thing is it for the sons and daughters of such a father to be so farre from bidding or bringing them into our houses as not to receiue or entertaine them when they come but euen to chase them away from our doors The world is now adaies grown so Keycolde in charitie that if the verie Angels themselues should come downe from heauē into our houses as of olde it seemeth we would be more ready to bid them to be gone then to harbour them with Abraham and Lot But heare what our Sauiour saith If ye were Abrahams children ye Ioh. 8.39 would doe the workes of Abraham Abraham was likewise full of tender hartednes pittie and compassion toward the miserable and afflicted whence it came to passe that he not onely deliuered Lot from captiuitie Gen. 14.12 16 18.23 being taken and spoiled by Chedar Laomer in the ouerthrow of Sodome and restored him againe to his owne but he also prayed very earnestly vnto Instruction 8 God for the sinfull people of Sodome Whereby the children of Abraham are taught to comfort the comfortles to pittie the oppressed to deliuer the distressed to aide the weake to ransome and redeeme the captiue and to pray for the conuersion saluation of all men be they neuer so wicked Yea Abraham prayed also euen for such men as had don him wrong Gen. 20.3.7.17.18 as for king Abimelech and his houshold when as the Lord had plagued them for taking away Abrahams wife from him Giuing Instruction 9 vs therein an example of praying euen for our ill-willers and enemies according to the commandement of our Sauiour Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you Mat. 5.44.45 doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you that ye may be the children of your father which is in heauen for he maketh his sun to arise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and the vniust If we be the children of Abraham we will do the workes of Abraham and if we be the children of God we will doe the will of our Father which is in heauen Abrahams peaceable and milde disposition appeareth in that Gen. 13.5 to 12. when as the land was not able to beare him and his brothers sonne Lot to liue together by reason of the great increase of their store he to auoide contention and strife parted company very louingly with Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee said Abraham to Lot betweene thee and me neither betweene mine Heard-men and thine for we be brethren Yea Abraham to purchase peace resigned his owne right and bid Lot choose what part of the land he did most like Instruction 10 Teaching thereby all his children to auoyd all occasions of wrangling and contending with their kins-men neighbours friends and rather be content to loose a part of their owne then enter into quarrell with them for that which iustly is theirs To which purpose Ro. 12.18 the Apostle exhorteth all Christians to labour by all meanes to haue peace with all men The good christian then after the example of his father Abraham will shew him-selfe alwaies peaceable that is a louer a maker and a taker of peace He will cut off all occasions of contention as much as he can and he will say vnto such a one as would be at debate with him let there be no strife nor debate I pray thee betweene thee and me neither betweene any of ours for we be brethren we be Christians euen children of one father seruants of one Lord fellowes of one Baptisme followers of one faith and members of one militant Church And in so doing we shall be called not onely the children of Abraham but euen the sonnes and daughters of the most high euen of the God of Abraham Mat. 5.9 As Abraham was peaceable so was he likewise equitable and iust he would not receiue at the hands of Ephron the Hittite a field which he had offered him freely to burie his wife Sara in Gen. 23. but would needes giue him the price thereof euen foure hundred sheckles of Siluer What shall we then say Instruction 11 of violent oppressours and possessors of other folkes rights of robbers and wrongfull with-holders of that which appertaineth to other men how can such vnreasonable and vnequitable vsurpers and encroachers claime to be called or accounted the children of righteous Abraham If they were Abrahams children they would not take another mans goods for nought although being offered them by the owner much lesse would they violently bereaue a man of that which is his owne or yet with hold it from him they hauing it in their hands And if such men cannot claime to be Abrahams children how can they make claime to any part or portion in Abrahams bosome seeing the man that would repose in Abrahams bosome after this life Luk. 16.22 25. must heere in this life harbour in his heart and beare in his bosome Abrahams liuing faith which was made perfite through workes Iam. 2.21.22 wrought by obedience equitie righteousnes charitie and loue But did this godly and religious disposition of Abraham want a reward No truly I will make of thee a great nation said the Lord and I will blesse thee Gen. 12.2 3.7 15 1.2.3 4 17.1.4 18.1 and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing I will also blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed feare not Abraham I am thy buckler and thine exceeding great reward The Lord honoured him often with his presence in appearing speaking vnto him he made him of Abram Abraham of a father the father euen the father of
for vnfalliable read vnfallible Page 19. for vnsoundly read vnsonnely Page 49. for deseased read deceased Page 68 for bended read bruised Page 90. for was read were Page 100. for opens read open Page 133. for blesseth read kisseth The golden legend of ABRAHAM and SARA ABraham as he was the father of the faithfull Gen. 17.4 5 6. Rom. 4.16 17 18. so was he more particularly of all religious and godly rich men He feared God deuoutly obeyed his voyce readily called vpon his name dilligently liued among men vprightly and followed his calling carefully Gen. 12.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 15.1.2.3.4.12.13.18 2.17.8 His obediēce to the Lords voyce was such that he left his natiue country forsook his kindred and his fathers house and trauailed towards the land of Canaan Act. 7 2.3 4.5 which the Lord promised to giue him his seed he left a certaine possession for an vncertaine only relying reposing himselfe vpon the certainty of Gods gratious promise Yea more when as God had giuen him a son one onely sonne of his wife Sara in their olde age contrary to the cōmon course ordinary ability of nature Gen. 22.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. and 26. 5. Iames 2.21 he was willing at the Lords voyce to offer him for a burnt offering So that not without great cause is the holy Patriarks obedience so highly commended by the Lords owne mouth By my selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely sonne therfore will I surely blesse thee and will greatly multiply thy seed as the stars of the heauē the sand which is vpon the sea-shore thy seed shal possesse the gate of his enemies And as Abraham at the commaundement of the most high would haue sacrificed his sonne yea his young sonne and his onely sonne and the sonne of his delight and that with his owne hands without protracting of time for he rose vp early in the morning to offer vp his son so the Lord in consideration of his obedience yea his admirable memorable obedience rewarded him most amply and blessed exceedingly not onely himselfe but likewise his seed for his sake Instruction 1 Hence we may learne this lesson that whosoeuer he be that serueth the Lord hee shall finde that hee serueth not a thankeles but a most thankefull maister according to that which he said vnto Abraham Gen. 1. Feare not Abraham I am thy Buckler and thine exceeding great Instruction 2 reward In Abrahams obedience in preferring the Lords voyce and will before the loue of his Country kindred yea before the loue of his onely son Isack al his children according to the promise but chiefely rich men are taught to yeeld obedience vnto the Lords voyce and euen if the cause require it to abandon and forsake their dearest and most beloued things for the cause of God to preferre his will before al earthly and corruptible treasure Mat. 10.37 19 29. He that loueth father or mother more then me saith our Sauiour is not worthy of me and he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of me And whosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake he shal receaue an hundreth fold more and shall inherit euerlasting life Well knew holy Abraham this who as he reioyced to see Christ in the flesh Iohn 8.56 so he loued him farre aboue all fleshly and corruptible things he knew well what it was to be worthy of Christ would haue rather forsaken all then to haue proued vnworthy of him that made all This great obedience in Abraham did flowe from his exceeding great faith as the Apostle to the Hebrewes lets vs to vnderstand By faith Abraham when he was called Hebr. 11 8 9 10 17 18 19. obeyed God to go out into a place which he should afterward receaue for inheritance and he went out not knowing whether he went By faith he abode in the land of promise as in strange countrie as one that dwelt in Tents with Isack and Iacob heires with him of the same promise for he looked for a Citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God By faith he offered vp Isack when he was tried and he that had receiued the promises offered his onely begotten sonne To whome it was said in Isack shall thy seede be called for he considered that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead from whence he receiued him also after a sort Gen. 15.6 and 17.11 23 24 25 26 27 Rom. 4.3.11.16 17 18 19 20 21 22. Gala. 3.6 Iam. 2.23 Abraham beleeued God saith the scripture and it was counted to him for righteousnes who aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations Neither did he doubt of the promise of God thorough vnbelief but was strēgthened in the faith gaue glory to God being fully assured that he which had promised was also able to do it Though Abraham had not by inheritance so much as one foote breadth in the land of Canaan yet he beleeued that the Lord was both able and willing to performe his promise made to him and his seede touching the possession thereof Though he knew that Sara his wife being both barren and olde could not by the course of nature conceiue yet he was assured that God was able to giue him a Sonne euen of her Finally though he was commanded to offer vp his Sonne Isack for a burnt offering vnto the Lord yet being strengthned in the faith he considered how that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead and was fully perswaded that Gods promise made to him touching Isack and his seede should not nor could not fall to the ground and want the owne performance in the own due time Heauen and earth shall passe away but Gods promise is as vnfaileable and vnfalliable as God himselfe Abraham if he had beene feeble in the faith would haue said what a kinde of a Commandement is this for a father to be the slayer of his owne Sonne Haue I receiued a Sonne and but one Sonne onely after so long prayer and expectation and must I and none other but I be the butcher of his body the spiller of his blood and the burner of his bones Good Lord what an hard and heauy commandement is this Is it possible O heauens that God should be the author thereof How much more like is this son-offering voice vnto the voyce of some monstrous Milcom or Molech Leuit. 18 21. the blood-sucking Idol of Ammon rather then vnto the voyce of the most gracious God of Abraham chiefly he hauing promised in Isacks seede to call and blesse all the nations of the earth and must I and none but I who was the instrument of his life now be the mortall and vnnaturall instrument
Elcanas wiues Thus as the holy woman Anna after long barrennes and much despisement reproch 1. Sam 1.20 3.4 7.15.16 17 Iudg. 13. ◠4.5.7.24 brought forth her Samuel to be a Priest before the Lord a Iudge of his people and Manoahs barren wife her Sampson to be the Lords champion against the Philistims holy Elizabeth her Iohn to be the conuerter of the children of Israel Luk. 1.5.6.7.13.14.15.16.17.57.60.63.76 the Prophet of the most high and the fore-runner of the Messias Iesus the sonne of Marie the blessed Virgine So godly and vertuous Sara after long barrennes and much reproch bare in her olde age with Elizabeth her Isack to be the heire of Abraham the seeds-man of all the blessed nations of the earth and the figure and forefather of the Messiah according to the flesh Thus wee see how that faith Instruction 16 which transcendeth nature Ephes 2.8 and is not of nature but of grace not of man but Gods gift made Sara to beare when as by nature she was barren As without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 so without faith it was impossible for Sara to conceiue and beare a Son in her olde age And God that doth vnto euery man according to his faith Mat 9.29 wrought with vertuous Sara according to her faith As Abraham aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations Rom. 4.18.19.21 being strengthened in the faith and not considering the deadnes of his owne body So his wife Sara being strengthened in the same faith and not considering the deadnes of her wombe aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that she should be the mother of many Nations Both of them beleeued him that had promised to be both faithfull in his promise and powerfull to performe it Hence we may learne of how great vertue efficacie and force faith is By faith a man is counted Instruction 17 righteous before God for Abraham beleeued in the Lord saith the scripture and it was counted vnto him for righteousnes Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.3 9. By faith a man hath peace towards God and pleaseth him Rom. 5.1.10 Heb. 11.6 and so commeth neere vnto him and without faith it is impossible to please God saith the Apostle Act. 26.18 By faith we are raised vp from sin and receiue forgiuenes thereof inheritance among the Saints Act. 15.9 by faith our hearts are purified and clensed and Blessed be the pure in heart Mat. 5.8 saith our Sauiour for they shall see God By faith we are strenthened in Gods grace we resist the deuil 1. Pet. 1.2.5.9 5.9 the world and the flesh yea we ouercome them Ephes 3.12 Galat 3.14 26. Ephes 2.8 9. 2. Tim. 3.15 2. King 6.14.15 16.17 we haue free accesse vnto God we receiue his blessing we are made his sonnes and in end we acquire the saluation of our soules Elisha was so strong in faith that he feared not the troupes of the King of Siria that he sent out to apprehend him Feare not quoth the Prophet to his seruant being affrayed of the mighty host of their enemies for they that be with vs are more then they that be with them The Citie of Dothan was compassed with Horses and charets sent by the King of Syria to offend Elisha and to apprehend him But loe the mountaine was full of horses and Charets of fire round about Elisha sent by the King of Kings to defend his seruant and to confound his foes The Angel of the Lord saith the Prophet pitcheth round about them that feare him Psal 34.7 deliuereth them 1 Sam. 6. to 24. Ionathan accompanied with his armour-bearer discōfited the Philistims through the great faith he had in God For it is not hard for the Lord to saue with many or with few quoth Ionathan to his man 1. Sam. 17.26.32 to 37. 55. Dauid being armed with an inuincible faith in God went out against the mighty Goliah and smote him first in the fore-head with a stone so that he fell groueling to the ground afterwards smote off his head with his owne sword The Lord that deliuered me quoth Dauid to King Saul out of the paw of the Lion and out of the paw of the beare he will deliuer mee out of the hands of this Philistim No the Lord not onely deliuered Dauid out of his hands but also deliuered the vncircumcised Philistim into the hands of his champion Dauid The three children by their faith in God were preserued in the middes of the firie fornace Dan. 3.16.17.27.28 Behold said they to the King our God whome we serue is able to deliuer vs from the hot fierie fornace and he will deliuer vs out of thine hand O King And according to their saith so it fell out for the fire had no power ouer their bodies no not so much as an haire of their head was burnt neither were their coates changed no not so much as any smoakie smell of fire came vpon them They were casten bound into the mids of the hote fierie fornace but loe the king seeth them loose walking in the mids of the fire as if it had beene amids a glorious and a fresh florishing garden together with one in their companie like the Sonne of God Their faith in God made the fierie fornace vnto them as a fresh medow when as the flame thereof consumed the Idolatrous and faithles officers that threw them in a wonderfull worke that the fire should forbeare to burne the smallest haire of the head of such as were cast into the mids of it and in the meane while destroy and slay such as were without it The seruants of God were safe in the fire because of their faith in God but the kings seruants though being without the fire were not yet safe because they were without faith in God whervpon Nebuchadnezzer the king was constrained to praise God saying Blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach and abednago who hath sent his Angell and deliuered his seruants that put their trust in him And not onely did he blesse God for them but also decreed that whosoeuer should speake any blasphemie against him that he should be drawne in peeces and his house made a Iakes And withall as he honored and magnified the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednago acknowledging that there is no God that can deliuer after this sort and commanding all his subiects to doe the same so did he promote these men that thus did honour God to greate honour in the prouince of Babell Wherein we finde that saying of the Lord verified Them that honour me 1. Sam. 2 30. I will honour The like was the efficacie of Daniels faith Dan. 6.11.12.16.22.23.24.26.27 the strength whereof did surmount the strength of the strongest beastes euen of Darius his Lyons He was cast into the Lyons denne for making his supplication vnto God yet no
many nations dignified him with the title and stile to be called the father of the faithfull the freind of God Rom. 4.17 Iam. 2.23 Abraham was a great father of many people saith Ecclesiasticus in glory was there none like vnto him Ecclus 45 19.20.21 He kept the law of the most high and was in couenant with him he set the couenant in his flesh and in tentation he was found faithfull Therefore he assured him by an oath that he would blesse the nations in his seed and that he would multiplie him as the dust of the earth and exalt his seede as the stars and cause them to inherite from sea to sea from the riuer vnto the end of the world 1. Sam. 2.30 Them that honour mee I will honour saith the Lord. Abraham honoured and Instruction 12 magnified the God of Israel and therefore God honoured him and made him the father of the most honorable on earth Abraham blessed the Lord deuoutly at all times acknowledging all blessednes to flowe from him and God crowned him with aboundance both of spirituall and temporall blessings Among other he blessed him with a vertuous and godly wife whose faith towards God and obedience towards her husband are both of them highly extolled in holy scripture Heb. 11.12 Through faith saith the Apostle Sara also receiued strength to conceiue seede and was deliuered of a child when as she was past age because she iudged him faithfull which had promised The tenure of which promise is set down in these words Gen 17.19 18.10.11 12 13.14 and 21.1.2.3 Sara thy wife shall beare thee a sonne and thou shalt call his name Isack and I will establish my couenant with him for an euerlasting couenant and with his seede after him And as the Lord promised her a sonne so he performed his promise and after long barrennes Instruction 13 made her to beare euen in her olde age To teach the sonnes and daughters of faithfull Abraham and Sara not to tie God vnto the strict order of nature nor to measure his power according to the ordinarie ability of naturall causes For God as he is the Lord of Nature she his hand-maide so can he worke both without her and with her aswell without meanes and contrary to meanes as with or according to meanes Gen. 16.1.2.3.4 Sara was despised in the eyes of her hand-maide Hagar for her barrennes But the Lord at last comforted and cheered vp sorrowfull Sarai and turned her sadnes into gladnes and her mourning into mirth he euen changed her name Gen. 17.15.16.19.21 and the inability of her nature both at once Sarai thy wife said the Lord to Abraham thou shalt not call Sarai which is asmuch as my mistrisse or dame but Sarah shall he her name which signifieth a Princesse or mistris of many and I will blesse her and will also giue thee a sonne of her yea I will blesse her and she shall be them other of Nations Kings also of people shall come of her Sara I say was barren and despised for her barrennes euen at the hands of Hagar her owne hand-maide But the Lord remembred her in end and remedied both these euills he made her the mother of Isack euen the happie mother of a most happie sonne for with him the Lord did establish his couenant and so tooke away her barrennes and reproch yea more he made her the honorable Grand-mother of Kings and of Queenes and so not onely tooke away her despisement but also heaped much honour vpon her head and the insolent hand-maide Hagar who before had despised her daine was turned out a doores with her mocking sonne Ismael Gen. 16.4.5 21.9.10.11.12 13.14 Instruction 14 Hence we learne two notable lessons one is that such as God hath imparted any excellent quallitie vnto or bestowed vpon any abilitie of nature or of grace that they beware of despising such as God hath not dealt so liberally with Pro. 3.34 1. Pet. 5.5 Iam. 4.6 For God who resisteth the proude and giueth grace vnto the humble will despise the despisers and exalt the despised he will scorne the scornfull and curse such as sit in the seate of the scornfull With the froward Psal 18.26 the Lord will shew himselfe froward Prou. 3.34 saith holy Dauid and with the scornefull he scorneth or will shew himselfe scornefull saith wise Salomon his sonne He that dwelleth in the heauen shall laugh Psal 2.4 the Lord shall haue them in derision As despising Hagar together with her mocking sonne Ismael were cast out of Abrahams house So shall all proud despising Hagars all insolent mocking Ismaels be debarred from Abrahams bosome Wherefore seeing that as the Apostle speaketh we are not Children of the seruant but of the free woman Gal. 4.28.29.30.31 children of the promise after the manner of Isack and not children of the bond woman after the manner of Ismael let vs shew our selues not offerers of despisement and mockage with Hagar and Ismael but rather sufferers with Sara and Isack that we may be partakers of the inheritance with him Instruction 15 The other lesson we learne hence is this that the sonnes and daughters of faithfull Abraham and Sara are taught to commit their cause to commend their afflicted and vilipended estate vnto God who is alwaies wont to be nearest then when as his seruants by reason of the greatnes of their anguish and griefe thinke him farthest off Dauid was so farre despised by his enemies that he calleth him selfe a worme and not a man Psal 22.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.22.23.24 a shame of men and the contempt of the people and one that was had in derision of all and his recourse was vnto God who drew him out of the wombe and gaue him hope euen at his mothers breasts Euen he deliuered his soule from the dogges and bulles of Bashan which had inclosed him about wherupon the holy man resolued to praise the Lord in the mids of the congregation to exhort encourage others to doe the like for he doth not despise nor abhor the affliction of the poore neither hideth he his face from him but when he calleth vnto him he heareth In one word Psal 15.3 such as hope in him shal not be ashamed Wherefore it is good for all afflicted persons to draw neere vnto God It is God as the holy woman Anna singeth in her song that maketh both the barren to beare 1. Sam. 2 5 6.7.8 and the mother of many children to be weake he maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth lowe and exhalteth he raiseth vp the poore out of the dust lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the seate of glory Thus sang Anna when as she had receiued a sonne from the Lord 1. Sam. 6. being before for her barrennes despised in the eyes of fruitfull Peninnah the other of