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
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
set at the right hand of the throne of God Hence it is that we also reioyce in tribulations Rom. 5.3.4.5 knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope 2. Tim. 2.12 hope maketh not ashamed for if we suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him If we beare the Crosse heere with him on earth we shall also weare a crowne hereafter with him in heauen Iacob lying vpon the stones found notwithstanding rest to his Body and if we repose our selues wholy vpon the Rock 1. Cor. 10.4 Gen. 49.24 Dan. 2.34.41 Christ Iesus whome Iacob calleth the stone of Israel and Daniel the the stone cut without hands we shall not faile to finde rest to our soules And Christ shall be vnto Instruction 47 vs not onely a Rock to rest vpon and a stone to stay vpon but likewise a Ladder to climbe vpon wherby we may ascend from this earth wherein is all hardnes vnto the kingdome of heauen where is all happines Iacob being come vnto his Vncle Labans house entered into seruice with Laban in which his seruice he was so exceedingly blessed of God Gen. 30.27.43 that he became very rich got many flocks maidseruants and men seruants Camels and Asses Moreouer Laban confessed that the Lord had blessed and enriched him likwise for Iacobs sake Whereby the children of Iacob Instruction 48 are taught not to liue Idlely and without some lawfull calling or trade and rather to embrace the condition of seruice then to spend their time in sluggishnes idlenes and sinne And therefore we read that Iacob brought vp his owne children in the occupation of sheepe-heardes Gen. 46.34 47.3 And Saul was taken from seeking of his fathers Asses 1. Sam. 9.3 16.11.12.19 and Dauid from keeping of his fathers sheepe to feede and rule the people of Israel and the Apostle Saint Paul as he wrought with his owne hands 2. Thes 3.7 8.9.10 11 Act. 20.34 so he commandeth that the man that will not worke should not eate And therefore he exhorteth idle men to worke with quietnes and to eate their owne bread and withall recommendeth vnto them his owne example for imitation how that he tooke not bread of any man for nought but wrought with labour and trauaile night and day because he would not be chargeable to any of them Pro. 5.15 12.11 14 14.23 20.4 21.17 Drinke the water of thy Cisterne and of the riuers out of the midst of thine owne well saith Salomon insinuating thereby how that men ought to liue of their owne laboures He that tilleth his land shal be satisfied with bread but he that followeth the idle is destitute of vnderstanding the recompence of a mans hâ—â—as shall God giue vnto him and in all labour there is aboundance The slothfull will not plowgh because of winter therefore shall he begge in summer but haue nothing he that loueth pastime shall he a poore man and he that loueth Wine and Oyle shall not be rich Iacob then who was so exceeding rich was no doubt verie free from the vices of idlenes superfluitie and excesse And yet it was Instruction 49 not so much his labour as the blessing of the Lord that made him rich Psal 1 27.1.2 Except the Lord builde the house saith the Psalmist they labour in vaine that build it except the Lord keepe the Citie the keeper watcheth in vaine It is vaine for you to rise early to lie down late to eate the bread of sorrow but he will surely giue rest to his beloued As if he should say it is in vaine for a man to toyle and moyle day and night except the Lord blesse his busines as he did Iacobs Labans likewise for Iacobs sake and as he did Iosephes affaires and his three maisters for Iosephes sake first in Potiphars house Gen 39. 40. 41 then in the prison lastly in the Princes Pallace Iacob serued twise seuen yeeres his Vncle Laban for his daughter Rahel For it is said that he loued her and euen so earnestly and feruently Gen. 20.18 28.30 that so many yeeres did seeme vnto him but a fewe dayes Wherby such as are about Instruction 50 mariag are taught to make choise onely of such parties as they can most entierly loue Gen. 25.23 25.26.27.28 As Iacob being the yonger of Isacks two sonnes was more beloued of God and of his mother Rebecca then the elder sonne Esau So of Labans two daughters being Iacobs two wiues the younger was more loued of Iacob then the elder Gen. 29.16 17.18.19.20 euen faire Rahel more then tender-eyed Leah As of the two brethren the Lord made choyse of the younger Mat. 1.2 Rom 9.13 Iacob haue I loued so of the two sisters Iacob made choise of the younger for Rahel he loued serued twice seauen yeares for her It is said of Rahel that she was beautifull and faire the same is said of Sara and of Rebecca 1. Sam. 25.3 and likewise of Abigail who was both beautifull and singularly wise Abigail is asmuch by interpretation as fathers ioy and such a one was Rahel euen the ioy of her father Laban and likewise of Iacob her louing husband Pro. 10.1 Eccles 26.1.2.13 for as a wise daughter is the ioy of her father so is a wise wife the ioy of her husband saith the wise man And Rahel Labans daughter and Iacobs wife Abigail like was both The greatest glorie of a daughter is to be called her fathers or her mothers ioy And the greatest glorie of a wife is to be accounted the ioy of her husband And heere all daughters Instruction 51 and wiues are taught to endeuour by all meanes to be such as Rahel and Abigail were Iacob loued Rahel for her beautie but yet more for her bountie and gracious behauiour For fauour is deceitfull Pro. 31.30 and beauty is euanishings but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised saith Salomon such a one was Rahel who was not so faire in body as she was in minde therefore worthie to be loued of her husband and landed of men The beautie of a woman cheereth the face saith Siracides and a man loueth nothing better Eccles 36.22.23.24 if there be in her tongue gentlenes meeknes and wholsome talke then is not her husband like other men Instruction 52 The beautie of a woman indeede cheereth the face but the bounty of a woman cheereth the minde more and is the sweetest solace of the soule The eye of man loueth nothing better then beautie and the heart of man loueth nothing better then bountie the beautie of a wel-behaued woman is in the house Eccles 26.16 17 18. as the candle light in the Temple Eccles 22.4 36.24 or the Sunne-light in the heauen saith Siracides But the wisdome of a woman is the heritage and heartes-case of her husband The beautie of a