your care on him for he careth for Instruction 30 you saith the Apostle Likewise parents heere are taught not to bestow their children in mariage without their free consent the parties must not be hand-fasted by their parents before they be hart-fasted of their owne accord No violent thing lastes long and loue that is constrained cannot continue True loue betweene two parties must flowe from the heart on both hands and the fastening of the heart must goe before the fastning of the hand Neither can there be any true content in this kinde except that mutuall consent doe goe before And the want of this hath marred many matches and euen turned mariages into marrages for so may all constrained coniunction be rightly called Rebecca being ready to depart Gen. 24.60 her parents her brother blessed her wishing that she might grow into thousand thousands and that her seede might possesse the gate of their enemies In like manner the people that were present at the matrimoniall solemnitie of Booz and Ruth Ruth 4.11 prayed that the Lord would make Ruth like Rahel and Leah which twain did build the house of Israel and that Booz might doe worthily in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem Likewise Raguel blessed yong Tobias and Sara his wife Tob. 10.11 12. saying The God of heauen make you my children to prosper before I die And he said to his daughter honour thy father thy mother in law which are now thy parents that I may heare good report of thee and he kissed them Edna also said to Tobias the Lord of heauen restore thee my deare Brother and grant that I may see thy children of my daughter Sara that I may reioyce before the Lord. Beholde now I commit to thee my daughter as a pledge do not Instruction 31 entreate her euill Wherein parents and kinsfolkes are taught to pray vnto God to blesse their children and friends being about to liue in the honorable estate of mariage and to aduise them diligently touching such godly duties as doe belong vnto married folkes whether in regard of themselues or in regard of their houshold Rebecca cōming home to Isack Gen. 24.64 65. as soone as she saw him a far off she lighted downe from her Camel couered her head with a vaile in token of shamefastnes modestie pudicitie and subiection Eccles 32.11 Before ashamefast person goeth fauour saith Iesus the son of Sirach And Rebecca for reward of her shamefastnes found fauour both with God and man There is no ornament that so much becommeth a Instruction 32 maide as the maidens blush which alwayes doth bewray a shamefast disposition And she that wanteth this shamefast ensigne lacketh a rare Iewell and therefore Siracides aduiseth parents to haue a diligent and a watchfull eye ouer their daughters in whom this signe of shamefastnes doth not appeare If thy daughter be not shamefast saith he holde her straitly Eccles 26.10 11. 42.9.10 11. least she abuse her selfe through too much libertie least she cause thine enemies to laugh thee to scorne and make thee a common talke in the Citie and defame thee among the people and bring thee to publicke shame Take heede of her that hath an vnshamefast eye and maruaile not if she trespasse against thee The daughter maketh the father to watch secretly saith he and the carefulnes that he hath for her taketh away his sleepe in the house least she should passe the flower of her age and when she hath an husband least she should be hated In her virginitie least she should be defloured in her fathers house and when she is in her husbands house least she should misbehaue her selfe proue vnfaithfull she that is bolde Eccle. 22.5 impudent and vnshamefast saith the same wise man dishonoreth both her father and her husband is not inferiour to the vngodly Contrariwise a shamefast loyall peaceable woman Eccles 26.14.15 and of good heart that is to say of an honest heart for an honest heart is the best heart in the world is a gift of the Lord and there is no weight to be compared to her continent minde Such a goodly gift receiued godly Isack at Gods hands when as he was going out to pray in the field towards the euening Gen. 24.62.67 In his prayer no doubt but he asked of God amongst other blessings a vertuous wife and God who hath said to euerie beleeuing soule aske and it shall be giuen you Mat. 7 7 heard him and granted him his desire Thus Isack after his prayer found a good thing for he that findeth a vertuous wife findeth a good thing Pro 18.22 saith Salomon after his prayer he receiued a gift at Gods hands and a good portion For a vertuous and shamefast woman is a good portion Pro. 19 14. Eccles 26.14.15.24 which shall be giuen for a gift vnto such as feare the Lord saith Salomon and likewise Siracides Isack after pis prayer found a possession an heritage an helpe and a piller to rest vpon For he that hath gotten a vertuous wife hath gotten all these Eccles 36 24. 22.4 and a wise daughter is an heritage vnto her husband saith Iesus the Sonne of Sirach Isack after his prayer found a matter of ioy gladnes and long life For he found a wife full of grace Eccles 26.1.2.17.13 and the grace of a wife is the thing that most reioyceth her husband for she feedeth his bones with her vnderstanding Blessed is the man saith Siracides that hath a vertuous wife for the nomber of his yeres shall be double an honest woman reioyceth her husband and she shall see the yeeres of his life with pence Whereas contrariwise an euill wife is as a yoke of Oxen that draw diuers waies and he that hath her is as though he held a Scorpion For such a one maketh her husbands life short for the verie talke of her tongue is like the sting of a Scorpions taile Isack after his prayer found an ornament of his house Eccles 26.16 for as the Sunne when it ariseth in the high places of the Lord so is the beautie of a good wife the ornament of her house Isack after his prayer in his wife Rebecca found a Crowne Prou. 12.4 for a vertuous woman is the Crowne of her husband saith Salomon Finally Isack after prayer found an inestimable treasure Eccles 26.14.15 for there is nothing so much worth saith Iesus the Sonne of Sirach as a woman well instructed and no weight to be compared vnto her continent minde Who shall finde a vertuous woman saith king Lemuel for her price is farre aboue the pearles The heart of her husband trusteth in her Pro. 31.10 11.12.28.29 and he shall haue no neede of spoile She will doe him good and not euill all the dayes of her life her husband also shall praise her saying many daughters haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all Thus we see that
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
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
manner of hurt was found on him because he beleeued in God Daniels faith made him safe in the mids of the den amongst a company of hugry deuouring beasts wheras they brake all the bones of their accusers which wanted faith in God or euer they came at the ground of the den Whervpon king Darius made a decree that within all his dominions men should tremble and feare before the God of Daniel for he is the liuing God and remaineth for euer said the king and his kingdome shall not perish and his dominion shall be euerlasting He rescueth and deliuereth and he worketh signes and wonders in heauen and in earth who hath deliuered Daniel from the power of the Lyons The Apostle to the Hebrewes painteth out at large the efficacie of the faith of the men of God of olde Heb. 11. Faith opened the heauens to Enoch and freed him from seeing of death Faith preserued Noe and his houshold from the flood Faith made the people of God vnder the conduction of Moses the man of God to passe through the red sea as by drie land which when the Egiptians had assayed to doe they were drowned for they both wanted faith in God themselues and they persecuted such as had faith and beleeued in God Likewise by faith the walles of Iericho fell downe after they were compassed about seuen dayes Thus we see faith is stronger then walled townes for it maketh them to fall stronger then Lyons and Beares for it tieth their pawes and shutteth vp their iawes stronger then the raging Sea and the most ouer-flowing floods for it turneth them into drie land and stronger then the consuming fire for it maketh it colde as water and as refreshing as a faire flowery field The men of God saith the holy Apostle through faith subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obtained the promises stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battell turned to flight the armies of the aliants finally by faith the women receiued their dead children raised to life So that faith is not onely stronger then walled townes then armed men then roaring Lyons then the raging sea then the flaming fire but also stronger then death it selfe Yea 1. Pet. 5.8.9 Ephes 6.16 1. Ioh. 5.4 it is stronger then the diuell for it quencheth all his fierie dartes and maketh him to flie from vs with the winges of the winde though his strength far exceede the strength of millions of roaring and deuouring Lyons And as the Epistle to the Hebrewes setteth before our face the force of faith in the holy men of olde So doth the holy Gospell afford vs diuers notable testimonies of the wonderfull effects thereof in diuers persons Mat 8.2.3.5.6.8.10.13.14.15 The leaper that came to Christ through faith in him beleeuing that he was able to make him cleane was cleansed of his leprosie with one touch of our Sauiours powerfull finger And by the same faith and finger was Peters mother in lawe cured and freed of her feuer And the Centurions seruant was healed of his palsie Speake the word onely said the Centurion to our Sauiour and my seruant shall be healed Our Sauiour marueiled at his faith and said vnto his followers Verily I haue not found so great faith euen in Israell and vnto the Centurion himselfe he said Goe thy way and as thou hast beleeued so be it vnto thee And his seruant was healed the same houre Mat 9.18.20.21.22.25.28.29.30 20.30.31.32.33.34 By faith was the woman that had beene twelue yeares sick of a bloody issue cured of her desease for she said in her selfe if I may touch but his garment onely I shall be whole Then Iesus turned him about and seeing her did say daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole and the woman was made whole at that houre Her faith was great and therefore deliuered her from a great desease and wrought vpon her a great cure her faith was present and therefore was she presently cured without any protracting of time It was a matter of good comfort to her that she was cured of a long and lingring disease It was a matter of greater comfort to her that she was cured by the great Phisition our Sauiour Christ And it was a matter of greatest comfort of all that she being a poore patient sick in body and sinfull in soule became by the meanes of her faith to be so much dignified as to be made and called the daughter of the Sonne of God Daughter said our Sauiour vnto her be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole The like honour and helpe he vouchsafed vpon the sick of the palsie seing his faith Son be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee said our Sauiour vnto the sinfull sick-man whereupon he arose freed from the sicknes of his body and the sinne of his soule both at once Iairus the ruler of the Synagogue beleeued that our Sauiour was able to cure his daughter being deseased yea to quicken her being deseased My daughter is now dead said he to our Sauiour but come and laye thine hand on her and shee shall liue And so did the issue answere vnto his faith for presently she reuiued and arose Two blinde men beleeued that our Sauiour was able to restore them to their sight and their eies were opened as soone as he had touched them and said Mat. 15.22 22. be it vnto you according to your faith And vnto the Cananitish woman whose daughter was vexed with a deuill who did sue at his hands for helpe with great importunitie and feruencie his answere was O woman great is thy faith be it to thee as thou desirest and her daughter was made whole at that houre Mat 17.14 15.18 Mat. 9 17 to 30 Likewise the lunaticke child was healed at the humble petition of his beleeuing father witout any longer delay the Ruler of capernaum his son being sick vnto the death Ioh. 4.47.50.53 was healed because of the faith of his father who beleeued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto him The holy Apostle Peter through faith walked on the water Mat. 14.28 29 as on the drie land And the holy Apostle Paul Act. 14.8 9.10 beholding a certaine impotent man which had beene a creeple from his mothers wombe and had neuer walked and perceiuing that he had faith to be healed said with a loud voice stand vpright on thy feete and he leaped vp and walked Thus we see how that faith is able to make the lame to goe the blind to see the dumbe to speake the deafe to heare the leaper to be cleane the lunaticke and mad to be in their right minde and the dead to arise No maruell then though the same faith was able to make Sara to beare in her barren olde age For as our Sauiour said vnto the man whose son was possessed Mat. 9.23