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
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
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
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
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