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
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
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