good Christians as we if we might be our owne iudges 10 Diuers offers are made him in great good will without any money but Abraham would not so accept of them He will buy for his money but not take it of gift And why so happely because he would not receyue at mans hands as beholden to him for it what God had so often and so assuredly promised to giue him He would not preuent Gods gift in any part Lastly you haue heere the name of currant giuen to money to note the vse of it not to be hoorded vp and lye in a corner but to passe from man vnto man according to his name We reade that money was first leather then brasse then siluer then golde but what sayth one I pray you note it Quibus gradibus creuit pecuniae materia iisdem decreuit antiqua mundi simplicitas probitas integritas Looke how money increased from baser to better by the very same steps did the world decrease from good to worser for the world was first golden then siluer then brasse now leather or lead or worse if any worse thing you thinke good to name Money is better and men worse the chest stored with better substance and the soule filled with worse sinnes yea euen with all sinnes that so sinfull a world can bring foorth and infect withall Chap. 24. In this Chapter especially consider these things The counsell and commandement of Abraham touching a wife to be taken for his sonne The obedience and care of his seruant in that behalfe The contract or matrimonie it selfe MOre particularly marke in the first verse that Abraham is both ould and rich and let the vse of it be this to assure our doubting mindes that God is able to sustayne vs when ripenesse of wit valure of body and all naturall power to worke labour toyle and drawe with the world are gone Yea not onely to sustayne vs but with very great abundance to blesse vs as heere he did Abraham And therefore tye not God to yeares nor his mercy euer to the measure of your wit But feare God in youth serue him in age and be assured that neither youth nor age shall want the benefite of his mercifull prouidence Away with that speach that if we be not growne at 20. wary at 30. rich at 40. there is neuer hope eyther of strength wisedome or wealth for God is free and not tyed to times 2 But how came Abraham by his riches the text answereth the Lord had blessed him in all things Thereby giuing the wealth of Abraham to the Lords mercy and not to his owne industry So it is sayd elsewhere Benedictio Dei facit diuites benedictio Dei super caput iusti The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and the blessing of the Lord is vpon the iust Earthly wretches ascribe all to their owne labours pollicies and fetches but such vnthankfull harts were there euer 3 Passe it not ouer also vnnoted where or when God made him rich surely in strange countreys and when hee was a very traueler and passer from place to place not stayed nor placed any where Euen then in this wandring time which the ould saying is doth not gather mosse yet God was able to blesse him to make his store increase Surely in such places it had bin great power in God to let him still passe amongst them with life though hee had left him and let him be poore But the Lord would euen this also and therefore where where is not God able to doo for hys if they please him 4 Abraham sayd to his eldest seruant c. Then wee see in Abrahams house orders and degrees respects and regards diuers of such persons as serued him according either to time or qualities or some circumstance iustly mouing therevnto This we may folow in our dayes wise men do it God disliketh it not 5 The putting his hande vnder his maysters thigh noteth vnto vs the forme and manner of priuate othes ministred priuatly in those dayes of superiors to their inferiors for publickly equall persons did otherwise Or if you will it sheweth the seruants obedience towards hys mayster and his maysters power ouer hym 6 If we consider the titles that Abraham giueth vnto God heere they set out the terror of his maiestie and the might of hys power as also that to hym which is about to sweare nothing iâ— more fit to be thought of then the power of God to punish falsehood if it be auoutched with an oth in his name The forgetting whereof maketh many a man and woman cast themselues and their soules headlong into great dangers 7 That exception that you see the ould man take heere against the daughters of the countrey and his expresse commandement for a wife to be taken to his childe out of the number of the faithfull teacheth vs notably if wee haue Abrahams spirit in vs to giue Religion and the true feare of God the vpper hand of all honor friends wealth and glory of the world whatsoeuer in all matches and mariages that wee shall make either for our selues or our friends children or charge Conferre it with Gen. 28. Deut. 7. v. 3. 2. King 8.18 where the like doctrine is taught 8 Passe not ouer againe in this talke of Abraham about the mariage of his sonne without noting what power the parent then had ouer the childe in guiding his choyse and not leauing him libertie directly without cause to stray from his liking oppose it against the licentious rage of children in these dayes whose wit and onely wit in this case must be folowed say parents to the contrary by graue experience whatsoeuer they can Yet standeth it fast euen in this matter as in all other hee that despiseth me shall be despised of me and hee that despiseth parents despiseth God who hath sayde thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother c. Now shall children thinke that honor of word cap or knee is due and the greatest matter of all others eyther to their owne good or parents comfort belongeth no further to them then they list It cannot be Therefore who so in this matter taketh not parents good aduise and consent he despiseth God and the cursse doth rest vpon him without repentance 9 In the 5. verse the seruant reasoneth with his mayster and putteth a case Consider in it I pray you and learne how it is not inough onely to beware of forbidden euill when a man taketh an oth but care also must be had least in things commanded wee offend not knowing the full drift and scope of the Commandement And for this cause doth this seruant thus question with hys mayster 10 Beware sayth he that thou bring not my sonne thither againe meaning into his own countrey out of Canaan And why think you surely least he should lose the inheritance promised him there
in the order of nature now set and established of God but in God himselfe this principle holdeth not Or if you will thus By man this is impossible to wit to make any thing of nothing but with God all things are possible and want of matter letteth not him It is our comfort that he could and can so do for thereby we know his great abilitie to preserue what so wonderfully he hath made as also to confound and turne to nothing all subtile and malitious practises against his children 6 To what end To the prayse of his glory sayth the Apostle for in him and by him and for him are all things and this is the generall end Beside which there be also speciall ends and subordinate ends vnder them againe as the manifestation the acknowledging and contemplation of his heauenly and diuine wisedome and goodnes which appeareth in the Creation For if the Lord would be celebrated then must he create things to acknowledge him and to celebrate and prayse his name beeing knowne and manifested Therefore he created things reasonable and vnreasonable that they might prayse him and be matter of his glory The heauens declare the glory of God and the fyrmament sheweth his handy worke Agayne the gouernment of the world a subordinate end to that againe For therefore created he the world that he might gouerne it with his prouidence and preserue it and so might euer declare his wonderfull workes which he hath done from the beginning of the world or now doth or yet shall do especially that he might gouerne his Church of elect angells and men Lift vp your eyes sayeth the Prophet therefore and see who hath created these things Thirdly and lastly that all other things might serue to the health of body and soule to the life pleasure and necessitie of man and especially to the good of his chosen being vnto them as it were meanes and ministers whereby God doing them good might be honored and praysed of them Onely man he created for himselfe and all the rest for man Now if any with the Manichees enquire wherefore many things were made whereof they knowe no vse to man eyther of things in the sea or land let them consider what S. Austen aunswereth namely that herein they should rather adore the riches of Gods power and goodnes not only in creating but also in preseruing such a multitude of things as he hath created say with y e prophet Dauid O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdome hast thou made them all the earth is full of his goodnes Glory be to the Lord for euer let the Lord reioyse in his workes Though we know not the vse of them yet his wisedome doth and that should content vs. Sure we ought to bee that hee made nothing in vayne and it is sayd of them all that they were good Yea but what may be sayde for so many hurtfull beasts and creatures as be in the worlde vppon lande or in Sea Why did God create them Surely it was enough for aunswere heerevnto that was sayde before that though wee knowe not by and by the good of a creature yet therefore God may not be condemned for creating them for hee may do with his owne as pleaseth him Yet neuerthelesse we may further say as some do that if man had not sinned no creature had been hurtfull to him and therefore now his fault to be blamed not Gods creation Lactantius aunswereth that in great wisedome God hath made aswell hurtfull things as others that by contraryes a fuller knowledge might growe in man to the prayse of God that hath done all so well And this true aunswere dasheth that greate thunderbolt as hee thinketh of the Epicure made to ouerthrowe Gods prouidence and care to gouerne the worlde and maketh it seeme more foolish then fearefull God sayth hee eyther will take away all hurtfull things and can not or can and will not or neyther can nor will or both can and will If hee woulde and can not then wanteth hee power and is not God if hee can and will not then is hee enuiouse and is not God if hee neyther can nor will then both enuiouse and weake and so no God if hee both can and will then how do they yet remayne This goodly argument is easely aunswered by saying hee can and will not and yet not enuiouse therein but good and carefull for man that he might by sight of contrary euill better discerne the good and so profit thereby both in wisedome and thankefulnesse to the Lorde Lactantius whose Chapter is very worthy reading 7 And lastly in what time or how many dayes did God create all things in sixe dayes sayth the Scripture and euery day some thing sayth this place till the seuenth day wherein hee rested Non vno momento sed sex dierum spatio not in one moment but in sixe dayes space If you happely thinke or meete with Syrach his wordes who sayth Hee that liueth made all things together the Lord who only is iust c. You must consider that he speaketh not of the time but of the multitude of creatures Meaning that God made them all together before he rested and gaue ouer creating but not meaning that hee made them all in one moment of time or in one day for we see both this place and others against it the Lords owne commaundement written with his owne finger giueth testimonie that in sixe dayes the whole was made Thus are we instructed in all these seuen points that I named in the beginning to wit who created what was created when how whereof to what end and in how many dayes or what time Now touching the vse this further What may be knowne of God sayth the Apostle is manifest in these creatures for God hath shewed it vnto them for y e inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world c. The quantitie qualities course and perpetuities of things created how do they shew God surely sayth the Prophet the heauens declare the glory of God and the fyrmament sheweth his handy worke Agayne the same Prophet teacheth the like when he goeth from this creation to the viewe and thought of Gods wonderfull and great loue to mankinde saying When I beholde thy heauens euen the worke of thy fyngers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordayned O what is man Lord thinke I then c. Reade the whole Psalme Concerning other things to be obserued in this Chapter some say how could Moses write of these things that were done so long before he was borne surely not by any wisedome and learning of Aegypt wherein yet he was most excellent but by that holy spirit of God whereby he had receyued to be a faithfull Minister in the house of God being in this aboue all Prophets that he was inabled not only to gouerne things present and foretell
Anger that cannot speake is most wicked but anger that can speake and faire speake and meane so ill is wickednesse it selfe It is a Cains curtesie to speake faire and meane ill to walke with me as a brother and to cut my throate as an enemy and euen that should make vs hate it See also heere and obserue it well how old a practise of Satan it is to set brethren at variance for religion Cain hateth Habell because God made it knowne that his religion and worshipping of God was better then his Old satan hath not cast his cote yet but soweth dislike still for the same cause Gods word giueth testimony to one brothers truth and disliketh vtterly the other brothers falsehood This maketh the worse to gnash at the better where he should reioyce for him and pertake in his good by yeelding to it 12 God regarded this iarre in Caine and expostulateth with him what ayled him Dooth not God abide it and will Caine do it haue we any Cains now that hate theyr brethren and heare this are they not afraid of Gods eye are they not ashamed to be like Cain doe they thinke to iumpe with him in crime and not to iumpe with him in iudgement It cannot be 13 But will Cain confesse to God what is the matter no I warrant you neither his hatred before nor his murther after but concealeth all as much as he could though in deed from God nothing can be hid So old againe is this corruption of hiding and couering cloaking and shadowing of our sinnes When wee do it we resemble Caine and what fowler patterne to be paynted by 14 Thy brothers bloud cryeth to me saith God out of the earth And doe we hope secresie for want of witnesses Alas we are deceyued The wickednesse it selfe will torment vs as if a thousand knew it The conscience cannot be bribed to hould his peace it will giue euidence do what we can And the very deede we haue doone will giue God no rest but crie against vs till it bee reuenged and we punished If you knew your secret sinnes should be cryed at the market crosse assoone as you haue doone them you would be afraide to sinne and take no comfort in the wante of witnesses nor hope of rest by the secresie Nowe you heare with your eares and see with your eyes that bee it neuer so secret and without the knowledge of man it crieth in heauen and maketh all heauen ring of it as Abels bloud did and shall it not feare you Care not then for secresie if it be euill for if God see it and heare it he is priuie that can do more to you then any man euen Kill the soule as well as the bodye and caste them bothe into Hell fire 15 The iustice of God vpon Cains murder truly showeth vs how all sinne shall speede For hee hateth not murther alone but all sinne Read the words well and marke the wrath sharpe is his hand vpon this offender and yet most iust 16 In Cains building a Citie and calling it after his sons name we see the care of the wicked euer More to desire to magnifie themselues then to glorifie God more to seeke after a name in earth then a life in heauen more to establish their seede with townes and towers then with Gods fauour But such course is crooked and like Cains heere If we dâ—sire a name the loue of Gâ—d and his word the loue of Christ and his trueth is the waye You remember a sely Woman that in a true affection to her Lorde and maister powred vpon him a box of oyntment and what got she Verely saith Christ wheresoeuer this Gospell shall be preached throughout the world this shalbe told of the Woman for a remembrance of her Heere was a name well gotten and firmely continued to the very world ends The memorie of the righteous shall remaine for euer and the name of the wicked do what they ean in Gods good time shall rot and take an ending For which cause Moses if you marke it â—â—keth no mention of the time that either Cain or any of his Sonnes liued as he dooth of the godly Filthy Polygamie you see in this place began with wicked Lamech that is to haue mo wiues then one at one time so old is this euill that from the beginning was not so that mention that is made of the children here of the wicked telleth vs how they flourish for a time with all worldly thingâ— whome yet God hateth The last words show you what eclipses true religion suffceth often in this world and let vs marke it Chap. 5. This whole Chapter handleth the Genealogie of the Fathers before the Flud and hath also particulars diuerse worthy marking 1AGaine it is sayde God created Adam after his likenesse which what it was you hearde in the first Chapter referring you to the Apostle who expoundeth it by righteousnesse and true holinesse meaning by those two wordes all goodnesse as wisedome truth innocencie power and such like incident to mans nature vnspotted by sinne 2 He called them both Adam saith the Texte both the man and the Woman by that one name noting vnto vs that inseperable holy and misticall vnion that is made by marriage of two persons to become but one fleshe the like in some sorte remaineth still in vse amongst vs in that the wife is called by her husbands name her owne name ceasing and being vsed no more as if it should be sayd nowe that you are maried though before you were two yee are become one and therefore fitte that one name should seâ—ue you both to note so much bothe to your selues and others The man is the worthier person and therefore by his name shall you both bee called and the womans name shall cease to be as it was since now shee is changed and become one fleshe with him whose name she inioyeth 3 Adam is sayde to haue begot a sonne after his likenesse which is to bee vnderstood thus a man as hee was and corrupt as he was Like him in sex and nature and like him in corruption impure of impure 4 From the 4. verse to the 22 two things cheefely are noted The long life of these Fathers and their assured death many yeares they continued yea many hundreds but at last they dyed Death long ere it came but at last it came And touching their long life some questions are mooued First why it was so long Secondly whence or howe it came to bee so of the first two causes are aledged one for the propagation of mankinde so much the faster and more speedely the other for continuance of remembrance of matters and deducing of them to posteritie the better To the second answer is made that as al mens liues at this day are from God and of God as the fountaine so was also that long life of
in the worlde can and that to God himselfe and for greater punishment then any man can inflict wee are so farre from hating that wee hate him that perswadeth vs to hate it Thys is straung madnesse if wee would consider it The Drunkardes drunkennesse cryeth agaynst him and will not suffer the Lorde to rest tyll hee punish it and yet hee loueth it so dooth the Swearer Adulterer and suche like theyr sinnes crye against them c. 7 When the Lorde sayth Their sinne is exceeding greeuous wee maye rightlye note the woonderfull patience and long suffering of the Lorde who beareth and beareth spareth and suffereth holdeth and stayeth expecting amendemente till manye times the sinnes bee horrible and exceeding greeuous as nowe they were in Sodome Nowe hath hee this slownesse towardes sinners that will not amende and is he voyde of affection towardes broken heartes that woulde doe better if they coulde and daylye doe better as they can Farre be such sowre conceits from vs and no lesse farre to presume to sinne because hee is patient For wee see heere though hee staye long yet hee commeth at laste surelye and truelye yea dreadfullye and terriblye with streames of Fire and Brimstone from Heauen vpon suche as presumed to goe on in theyr wickednesse notwithstanding anye admonition to the contrarye tyll theyr sinnes were exceedinge greeuous 8 But the Lordes phrase is that Hee wyll goe see if all bee true or no. Not therein imploying any want of knowledge in himselfe howe all was who can not bee deceyued or ignorante of anye thing but by an humaine speeche After our manner giuing vs to note howe euer in iustice knowledge of a faulte shoulde goe before punishmente of the same And credulitie auoyded to beleeue the worste as a horryble vice It blotted Putiphar it blotted Dauid and it blotteth and blacketh who so euer is spotted with it 9 When Abraham hearde the Lordes iudgementes agaynst Sodome What dooth hee As wee doe in these dayes Care not who sinke if wee swimme passe not who perrishe so wee bee safe No no such sinfull vnfeelingnesse is farre from the heart of so good a man And the Texte telleth vs Hee stoode yet before the Lorde and entreth into a zealous and carefull consideration bothe of the Lordes glorye and Iustice as also of the good of as manye faythfull as might bee founde in Sodome and with all humilitye pleadeth for them bothe his wordes you see and marke them well O this hearte where is it nowe amongst vs eyther to tender what prophane tongues may speake of our GOD or to pyttye and praye againste the intended punyshmentes of our Brethren Alas as I sayde wee care not for any mans woe but our owne and this true loue to God and man is decayed amongst vs. Wee will scarse praye for our neere neighbours that liue dayly amongst vs. Much lesse do the estates of many righteous people in forren countreys affect vs. But learne we in the feare of God from our father Abraham heere to haue a better heart whose true touche and heartie speeches in this place shall witnesse against vs if wee doe not 10 But why did Abraham dreame of anye righteous in so vile a place Surely because hee was a good man and hoped the best of all places so teaching vs to leaue that iudging vaine and condemning braine that we loue too much A good heart hopeth God hath his portion and all be not bad 11 If fiftie if fortie if thirtie if twentie if ten righteous had beene found a promise from the Lorde wee see heâ—re that he would spare the whole Cittie for their sakes and shall wee not see in it the price of his Children with him whatsoeuer the world thinketh of them as also what good commeth many times to the very wicked by them and for them The world hateth and maliceth mocketh and contemneth the godlye making more accompt of one prophane Esau then of twenty true hearted Iacobs but the Lord whose loue is life and worthy regarde indeed more esteemeth one Iacob one true Israelite one faithfull seruant of his then hee dooth ten thousand worldlinges of vncircumcised hearts and eares yea ten of them shall stande before him euen to turne him and alter him as I may saye from anger to mercye when hee will not vouchsafe but for their sakes to respect ten thousand thousand of such as the worlde hath honoured for magnificoes and men and Women of great accompt O euer then may my soule and yours seeke and sue for the Lords louâ— rather then the worlds liking and say with the sweet singer of Israell The greater sort craue worldly goods and riches to imbrace But Lord grant vs thy countenance thy fauour and thy grace For thou thereby shalt make our hearts more ioyfull and more glad Then they that of their corne and wine full great increase haue had And let these dogges and swine of Sodome beholde whether good or euill commeth to a land a Cittie a house by such as feare God For ten sake they all should haue found mercy and haue escaped this fearefull plague of fire and Brimstone from heauen and are these then the hurtes of a place the woes of a common-wealth such as must bee not onely weeded out but digged and rooted out or els wee shall not bee well O price with God and profit to men of such men and women wheresoeuer they are more then wee thinke of and let vs euer heereafter consider it better 12 In that he calleth them righteous in hope some were so who yet were not circumsised plainely it showeth that in those dayes this popish doctrine was not hatched y e saluation is tied to the sacrament If righteousnes theÌ„ might consist without circumcisioÌ„ why may not children now be saued without baptisme which is in the place of circumcision so long as no contempt but Gods speedy visitation by death is the cause This is a new doctrine you see then not ours which was imbraced held of father Abraham so many hundred yeares agoe And I warrant you this Angell which was Christ controlleth not his speech as vntrue but letteth it passe as verye right And as hee tyeth not righteousnesse and saluation to the sacrament so neither dooth he it to his owne life but euen then hee knew it true that Peter after long preached that though God chose him and his for his peculiar people yet in all other nations also he might haue if it pleased him some 13 When he asketh whether the Iudge of all the worlde should not do right hee reasoneth from the Lordes office and teacheth vs that with humble bouldnesse we may do so in our earnest desires as shall not the father pittie his childe and helpe him c. Lord thou art my father then for thy place sake pittie me helpe me saue me and keepe me I beseeche thee and praye thee c. 14 In his title
by God Why was y e matter now in any likelyhod truly no. Abraham was but a stranger in Canaan yet neyther had any more possession then the sepulchre that he bought there for to bury his wife in But by his faith which wauered not one iote in Gods promise he possessed euen the whole land and therefore he would not suffer his sonne to be remoued thence to the woman if the woman would not come to him O that wee had such faith to beleeue what is promised vs and to expect it with assuring hope then should our hearts be free from many cares that now oppresse them and we possesse to our good content what yet in mans eyes we haue no hould of 11 In the 7. verse Abraham maketh mention of the Lords calling of him out of his owne Countrey into that where hee now was and so stayeth himselfe vpon that that by no meanes he will doubt but God will go forward with his mercy begun in this and by this his calling So so and euen so should all wee bee in that calling whatsoeuer vnto good that God voutsafeth vs. As for example if the Lord haue called vs into the land of light by hearing the word preached vnto vs or any other good meanes whatsoeuer neyther should the world nor wants of men neyther any thing in this life make vs returne to the land of darkenesse againe So of Magistracie or Ministerie or such lyke the calling of God should be our strong stayes to goe through with it against all assalts to the contrary But especially this is a place and an example for them that for any earthly preferment in mariage of their children can be very well content that they should bee caried from Canaan euen againe and againe to Mesopotamia that is from the grace and light of God which hee hath giuen and from the place where he hath promised to giue an inheritance into the mists and cloudes of ould ignorance againe and all damnable superstition Abraham heere abhorreth it though his sonne should lose his wife thereby and surely as he should be our example to folow euer so shall he be their condemnation that will not doo it 12 Marke againe in this verse the arguments whereby Abraham strengtheneth his faith First hee aledged the deede of God in these words qui eduxit me which brought me out Secondly his promise qui loquutus est iurauit which spake vnto me and sware And why doth hee not alledge his owne doings and say because I obeyed hym and left mine owne countrey for him or because agayne I offered to kill this sonne of mine when he bad me and to offer him vp in sacrifice to him or some such lyke surely because the children of God were neuer acquaynted with bragging of their owne works and putting God in the nose with their owne merits Some do it and alas will not see how they offende in it but men and women possessed with Gods sauing spirit neuer did it neither will doo it Abraham knewe merits in hym were no such props to his faith as mercies in God and therefore silent in the one with comfort he aledgeth and remembreth the other So let vs doo if wee haue no calling but the common calling of Christians And if wee bee further eyther Magistrates or Ministers or such lyke then consider also how fitly wee may doo it For as Abraham had the deede of God in bringing hym out so haue Magistrates and Ministers in geuing them that place And as Abraham had hys promise and hys oth verely so haue they that hee wyll bee with them in the cause of iustice and in theyr ministerie to the verye worldes ende Bee it concluded then in our soules for euer that the Angell of God shall be with vs as heere Abraham speaketh so long as wee liue to honor God by a faithfull seruice and not our owne selues by some subtill seemings for God seeth 13 I cannot but remember you of it also how when the seruant putteth the case the woman would not come so farre Abraham doth not bid him tell her what wealth shee shall haue what riches and treasure and that his sonne should haue all or so forth but he answereth by his trust and assurance that the Lord would moue her and bring it to passe if it were his liking and therefore hee sayth the Lord shall send his Angell c. Thus euer euer doth Religion perswade one way and earth and flesh and the world and other way 14 But if she will not sayth hee then c. Where wee see how fully doubting mindes are to be instructed Often times doe we promise good vnto men in the name of the Lord and wee hope it shall come to passe yet wisedome would that wee should more fully teach say as heere Abraham doth But if she will not c. That is yet if God will not thus and thus do for causes knowne to his owne wisedome and not vnto vs then this and this shall be your estate c. 15 Onely bring not my Sonne back agayne sayth hee repeating againe what hee had once giuen in charge before and we noted it O constant hart doth to abide himselfe and to keepe his posteritie in a strange countrey being once called thither although with wealth hee might returne and with his owne kindred peraduenture liue more quietly What a thing in a godly mans hart is a place apoynted hym of God How is he not fickle and fugitiue onely for greater worldly good without any direction from a better cause Yea how must not a man like without God his liking nor carue for himselfe a portion of this worlde where himselfe liketh but where the Lorde will be content remayning constant and with the same contented till the Lorde giue a going out Abraham had his griefes heere no doubt and probably may wee thinke the Cananites were not to hym as hys kindred nor Canaan as hys owne Countrey Yet so would the Lorde And wee see before our eyes that the heart of Abraham answereth to the Lorde O my God I am content to doo it and his toong chargeth his seruant againe bring not my Sonne back c. 16 Then the seruant sware sayth the text That is after hee had inquired questioned talked and was fully instructed concerning his maysters will and the ende of his othe then hee sware A very good example to teach all men how an othe is to be taken But alas where is this conscience and care and feeling with feare to abuse this dutie Where is hee that searcheth and secketh to knowe the matter and the depth of it how farre it may charge him what hee is requested to sweare vnto Yet thus doth Abrahams seruant heere and let vs note it The second part THe seruant thus instructed and sworne prepareth to his iourney and tooke ten Camells c. Teaching and shewing this wisedome that a thing is not
noteth in all likelyhood quarrels would haue growne and perrillous contentions Esau was mightie fierce and irreligious and what conscience such men make to wrong and wringe a good man the world yet sheweth too much All this God preuenteth in mercy to his Iacob and maketh Esau giue place Cast we our care then vpon God and labour to be his we shall euer bee cared for 3 Their riches were so great that they could not dwell together saith the text that they could not dwell together and the land wherin they were strangers could not receiue their flockes Let neuer then filthy feare to want in this world what may be good for vs wound our soules with distrust in God The beasts of the field the foules of the ayre and the fishes of the Sea be all his yea the whole earth and all that is therein is his as the Psalme sayth If to Iacob and Esau hee be able to giue such wealth when went his powerfull might from him that hee cannot do it againe to you to me to whom soeuer his good pleasure is and shalbe If in a straunge country their flockes be so many let my soule neuer dispaire for place but dwell where the Lorde appointeth and with beleeuing heart remember such examples as this Yea let it go to bed with you let it rise with you write vpon your hand and print it in the very veines of your hart what the Psalmist saith The Lorde God is the Sonne and shield vnto vs the Lord wil giue grace and glorie and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke vprightly He that honoureth me him wil I honour saith the Lord and hee will not breake a promise to very Esau of any good or comfort as you see in this whole chapter Be not we faithles then but faithfull 4 A sweete comfort againe I see here in this that if a man and woman feare the Lord themselues if religion be setled in the furrowes of their hearts as it was in Isaac and Rebecca surely euen vnto their wicked children if they haue any yet for the parents sake God granteth often worldly fauours as here to Esau who would not then with a faithful heart loue such a God He loued Iacob and hated Esau yet Esau beeing the sonne of a good father and of a vertuous and religious mother the fountaine of mercy and God of all goodnes to his true seruants euen the God of heauen wil shew mercy to this Esau thus farre as in the world to make him a great one and to giue him riches Againe I see worldly slate no good cause why men should forget themselues and waxe proud but euer looke at the inward heart what pietie is there least painted port glistring glory of this fading world be vnited in my person with the hatred of God concerning future state as it was in Esau I haue hated Esau saith the Lord and yet his pompe thus great Were this thought of peraduenture our hearts would chaunge and with lesse regarde of earthly showe make earnest search for the fauour of God how indeed wee may be assured of it towards vs euer 5 God promised Iacob that Kings should come out of him but behold as yet all the glory in Esau How then hath God forgotten or will he faile in faithfulnesse toward his seruant No no you knowe what glorious Princes came of Iacob in time and the Prince of Princes that sitteth vppon his throne for euer Christ Iesus Bâ—t as yet Iacobs show is lesse and Esau his ruffe hath the eyes of men Thereby wee learning that Gods vsuall maner is to keepe his children vnder faith and hope in this world euer What pleaseth him hee performeth in Iacobs life and the rest his faith is exercised within hope assured of it in time so with an other and an other after him and still there is vse of faith and hope in this world with the godly Bee content then with what God granteth and beleeue the rest if it be promised 6 The inuention of mules specified in this Chapter sheweth the busie curiositie of some mens natures giuen to newes and straunge inuentions not contented with simplicitie and plainenes nay discontented with the course of gods nature many times If wee praise this inuention take heed wee touch not Gods former distinction of their kindes and sexes which hee had created Therefore rather blame I then praise such needles newes as this was 7 You see in this Chapter as I said before all the glory in Esau and Iacob hath little but hereafter these Edomites fall and the Israelites rise Therefore thus let vs profit by it as neuer with the lustie bloods of this sinfull world to despise the slow going forwarde of the children of GOD or the cause that they maintaine Sat citò si sat bene Soone inough if well inough that is fast inough if with Gods fauour and better a stable estate that is in longer time atteined then a fickle fading estate got in hast Not vnlike the grasse vpon the wall top that is soone vp but assoone withered and gone againe Lastly for genealogies in this Chapter layd downe I referre them to each mans diligence that list to search them wishing the Apostles counsell followed in this matter euer 1. Tim. 1. Verse 4. and Tit. 3.9 For our Pedigrees in these dayes as they haue an vse modestly and moderately looked into so shewe they mens vanities otherwise vsed who yet would not like to bee called vaine Maximilian the Emperour forgot himselfe in it as I haue shewed before and of his very Cooke hee was reprooued Let not the wise man glorie in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength much lesse in ioyned Pedigrees but hee that glorieth let him glory in the Lord and that his name is written in the booke of life and he reckoned in the rowle of the righteous He that is ouer busie in laying downe his auncestors whilst he seeketh to be esteemed as descended of them is often iustly despised as degenerated from them and not in any measure seeking to expresse the vertues in them But let thus much serue both of this matter and of the Chapter Chap. 37. The heads of this Chapter are chiefly three The hatred of the brethren towards Ioseph Their treacherie against him The lamentation of Iacob his father for him THe causes of their hatred are specified in the Chapter to be these His complaining of them to his father verse 2. His fathers great loue to him aboue them ver 3. And the dreames which he had seeming to note a superioritie ouer them like to ensue in him ver 5. c. The greatnes of their malice is also mentioned when it is said they hated him and could not speake peaceably vnto him verse 4. For particulars to beginne with the first cause of their malice towardes him because he brought their euill as the text saith to his father it
he knew her not Yet he talked with her and she with him largelie how then might it bee that he knew her not she hauing beene the wife of his sonnes and long in his companie Verelie God angrie with his lewd disposition had blinded him so that hee knew her not And shall it not shew vs the wrath of the Lord against filthie concepts If thou louest sinne and wilt strain thy conscience to drinke of that cuppe take héede least in iudgement the Lord take knowledge and feeling from thée that thou no more discernest sinne to be sinne as it is then Iudah knew Thamar to be his daughter in law as she was 10 The match being made for her sinfull hire and the sin committed by her sinfull father the text saith He sent her his promise by his neighbour the Adullamite Such Cole-cariers the worlde is too full of and I would their occupation were writ in their foreheads then would there be lesse wickednesse wrought then is by much The vertue of man or woman hath no such enemie vnder heauen as these cariers be They bring and they speake yea they sweare and fowlie forsweare to worke a shame What sender cannot these cariers can haue time and place to discourse at full They lie they cogge they face and flatter till harmelesse heart rereceyue their venome O brokers of Sathan for sinne and wickednesse what will be your ende If the sinner sinning by your procurement bee damned and die what measure of confusion is due to you that haue brought it about Spit we then euer with destance heartie vpon such Adullamites as this was 11 When this carier came Thamar was gone and finding her not he returned his cariage vnto Iudah and told him of it To whome Iudah answered Let her take it to her to wit his pledge least we be shamed So shewing plainly what wee finde too true more in our eies to bee the shame of the world then the feare of God But it is a wrong course if God gaue eyes for he aboue all is to be feared and regarded that is able not to shame onelie but to kill both bodie and soule and to cast into hell fire c. 12 In time this whoredome draweth to light for Thamar being with childe after thrée moneths made open shew and the newes of it is brought to her father in lawe who by and by stoutlie as if he had beene the honestest man aliue giueth iustlie sentence that shee should be burnt Shewing as it is thought that euen by the lawe of nature written in mans heart whordome should be punished by death before euer the lawe written was giuen When she was brought forth to the ende to suffer shee sent vnto her father in law his tokens left with her when she offended Which by and by knowing he changed his sentence absolued her and condemned himselfe saying She is more righteous then I for she hath done this because I gaue her not to Shelah my sonne So hastie sentence was soone repealed and the case being altered he is not so hastie as he was Such Iudges and iudgements haue béene séene but the lesse the better Sinne will be sinne whatsoeuer we doe and God will assuredlie punish sinne whatsoeuer we doe Circumstances may alter sinne from more to lesse or backe againe but circumstance neuer can make sinne no sinne and vnworthie blame She had cause to complaine of wrong done her by her father in lawe not giuing her a wife to his sonne but that therefore with her father in law she should commit incest it cannot be iustified but inough before of this matter That it followeth streight He lay with her no more it was some grace and token of repentance Such as if offenders would euer shewe no doubt but mercie might be found for passed frailtie Regard this therefore and obserue it well Iudah sinned but he sinned no more c. Last of all when the time of deliuerance came her trauaile was hard yea so hard as it is not conuenient fullie to vtter yet all was well in the end both mother and twinnes too were in safetie The vse of it to women to trust in God who is mightie and almightie good and all goodnesse to regarde his faithfull seruants euer in this busines Let them not feare but cleaue fast to his gracious fauour the rather if before they haue prooued his mercie For though it be a fault for anie to doubt yet it is a double fault for one that hath tried to doe it Neither Gods mercie nor might wax weaker with time but he is for euer what euer he was and if you beléeue it as here did Thamar receyue a good ende so shall you First one then another and if there had béene mo the Lord still all one according to his pleasure And this of this Chappter Chap. 39. In this Chapter these three things as generals especially are to be noted Iosephs faithfull and true seruice His holie and vnuiolated chastitie His wrongfull and vniust imprisonment COncerning the first it is said That he serued Potiphar an Eunuch of Pharaos and his chiefe steward who bought him at the handes of the Ishmaelites Where we see the Lord hath a resting place for his euer in his good time howsoeuer they be tossed and caried vp and downe euen from piller to post for a while Read Esay 39. the seuenth verse and conferre it with this verse of this Chapter 2 The Lord was with Ioseph saith the text and he was a man that prospered Giuing vs to learne therein verie notablie that the fauour of God is the true fountaine of all prosperitie He riseth whom God loueth if so it be good and without him no man riseth though they burst their hearts Yet is not prosperitie a token euer of Gods loue though no prosperitie come but from Gods will But here we are tolde in this perticular that Ioseph prospered because God was with him Which when his maister saw he also fauoured him and made him ruler of his house putting all that he had vnder his hand making by that meanes good Iosephs pietie serue for his profite but not caring for the same to learne it himselfe A daylie trick of earthlie minded men Yet God is good to his seruant still and blesseth euen the Egyptians house for his sake So gainfull is godlines but in seruants What should it be in our selues if we also were right hearted with them Should God forget to be good to such a familie no no he would blesse it certainlie verie graciously 3 Then did his maister much more trust him taking no account of any thing that was in his house A vertue in some sort and a testimonie of good nature in his master For there be some that are so partiallie wedded to their owne Country-folke and so doggedlie hearted towards any strangers that rather they had endure the doltishnes of the former then
was of weight and concerned them most neerly So noteth this repetition vsually in the scripture as in the Psalme when he saith Hearken O daughter consider incline thine eare forget also thine own people thy fathers house Againe Heare this all yee people giue eare all ye that dwel in the world In the Prouerbs Heare O ye childrē the instruction of a father giue eare to learne vnderstanding with many such Againe he giueth himself 2. names Iacob Israel saying heare ye sonnes of Iacob hearken vnto Israel your father drawing from these names 2. good arguments to stir vp in them this attention which he requireth y e one of nature the other of religion of nature because he was Iacob their father of religion because fearing God truly seruing him euer he found fauour with God euen so far as to receiue from him this name of Israel whereof you haue heard before the full circumstance 2 Ruben mine eldest son thou art my might the beginning of my strength the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power Thou wast light as water thou shalt not be excellent because thou wētest vp to thy fathers bed then diddest thou defile my bed thy dignity is gone Comming now to particulars he beginneth with his eldest son as you see often repeateth his excellēcy making great mention of it that he was his might y e beginning of his strength y e excellency of dignity the excellency of power in the end throweth him out of all saying he should not be excellent his dignity was gone And why thus because he had sinned agaynst nature defiled his fathers bed Then al these repetitions of his dignity tēded but to this to exaggerat his fault and to make it appear vnto his cōscience the posterity euer after how great it was and foule before God as for which all this dignity was lost taken away Nothing more shaketh the hart of any one not quite dead to God grace then this course Therefore often God vseth it in his word Heare O heauēs saith he by the prophet hearkē o earth I haue nourished brought vp children but they haue rebelled against me The Oxe knoweth his owner the asse his maisters cribbe but Israel hath not knowen me my people hath not vnderstood amplifying their sin by this that they had receiued this dignity to bee nourished of him and brought vp as his Children In the fifth Chapter agayne my beloueds Vineyarde was in a fruitfull grounde hedged about the stones gathered out planted with the best plantes a Towre built and a wine presse made yet it brought forth wild grapes To Dauid likewise I anointed thee king ouer Israel and deliuered thee out of the hand of Saul gaue thy Lords house and thy Lordes Wiues into thy bosome gaue thee the house of Israel and Iudah and would moreouer if that had been too litle haue giuen thee such such thinges wherefore then hast thou despised c. Still proouing the greatnes of sin by grace and fauour vouchsafed before So here Ruben being vouchsafed of God to be his fathers first borne his might the beginning of his strength the excellencie of dignitie and the excellency of power yet sinning in this sort his fault by these fauours was made most great and therefore his dignitie and the sequels of his dignity most iustly translated otherwise As the birthright to Ioseph the priesthood to Leui and the Kingdome to Iudah Read Deuter. 33. verse 6. Iud. 5.15 16. Take we heede then of sinning euer but especially when our consciences tell vs God hath beene gracious gracious vnto Bodye and gracious to Soule gracious to our selues and gracious to our friendes For this is as the dignitie of Ruben which shall increase our offence and iustly plucke downe from the hand of God a verye sure and certaine punishment vppon vs and happily euen also vpon our posterity as here in Rubē whose whole ofspring was depriued of honor There is not one of vs but hath receiued mercy from heauen in verye great measure if wee bee aliue within to feele it Therefore not one of vs but euen in this respect bound with a carefull hart to auoide the thing that offendeth God And happy wee if wee will doe it remembring Ruben here and his fearefull losse his dignitie being gone as his Father sayth 2 Simeon and Leui brethren in euill the instruments of crueltie are in their habitations Into their secrets let not my soule come my glory be not thou ioyned with their assemblye for in their wrath they slew a Man and in their selfe will they digged downe a wall Cursed bee their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell I will deuide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel To the selfe same ende tendeth this punishment inflicted vppon these two brethren that the former did euen to humble themselues in themselues and to teach posteritie how God hateth euill The Papistes prattle of poena and culpa that the punishment satisfieth for the offence c. But farre otherwise doth the Word instruct telling vs euer that punishment is not imposed to make satisfaction for that onely doth Iesus Christ and his stripes but to purge the hart from all hypocrisie humbling it faythfully and vnfaynedly and to stirre vp to repentance for y e time passed as also to carefulnes for the time to come keping both body and soule in a godly feare as it were with a bridle Therfore saith the father as you haue heard before Quod patimur vnde plangimus medicina est non poena castigatio non damnatio That wee suffer punishment it is a medicine not a punishment a correction not a damnation Non enim de peccatis sumit supplicium sed in futurum nos corrigit For God doth not take punishment of our sinnes forgiuen but chastiseth vs fatherly for the time to come Marke also in this place how fully how plainly how faithfully Moses layeth downe to the world in writing y e shame reproch of the tribe he came of of his father Leui which certainly declareth the power of Gods spirit ruling ouerruling in these writinges and that of him from him not from flesh and bloud they are proceeded for flesh nature would haue couered these blemishes in his auncestors 3 Thou Iudah thy brethrē shall praise thee thy hand shal be in the neck of thine enemies thy fathers sonnes shal bow downe vnto thee Iudah as a Lyons whelp shalt thou come vp from the spoile my sonne He shal lie down couch as a Lion as a Lionesse who shal stir him vp The scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a lawgiuer from betwixt his feet vntil Shiloh come the people shalbe gathered vnto him He shall bind his asse fole vnto the vine his asses colt vnto