partridge semblably the vnrighteous person gleaneth in other mens fields and reapeth the harvest of poore men but in shorte time they will flie away for riches haue wings or they wil stād him in little steede yea they shall rather make against him then for him Now that I may come to the frailty of Isaac having first concluded by the testaments of men which are ordained to end strife among the sonnes of men that the testament of God is appointed to end all contention in the family of God albeit our adversaries the enemies of light and dependers of darkenes bewraying the diffidence of the cause the hard opinion they conceiue of the scriptures doe affirme and avouch the contrary Wee say with Optatus an auncient learned and godly father that we know that Christ hath dealt with vs as an earthly father is woont with his children who fearing lest they should fal out after his decease sets down his wil in writing vnder witnesses if there arise any debate amonge the brethren they goe to the testament he whose worde must ende our controversie is Christ let his will be sought in his testament we are brethren why doe we strive Our father died not vntestate hee made a testament and so died Men do strive about the goods of the dead till the testament be brought they yeeld to have it opened read the iudge doth harken the counsellers are silent the crier biddeth peace the people are attentive that the wordes of the dead may be read and heard He lieth voide of sence and feeling in his grave and his wordes prevaile Christ sitteth in heaven and is his word gainsaide Open it let vs read it we are brethren why doe we strive Let our mindes be pacified our father hath not left vs without a testament he that made the testament is living for ever Hee doth heare our wordes he knoweth his owne words let vs read why doe we strive Yea wee say with that chosen vessell Saint Paul that the testament of God is not only profitable but sufficient and perfect insomuch as if Paul himselfe beeing an excellent Apostle yea if an Angell from heaven should preach any point of faith or rule of life I say not against but beside the scripture let him be accursed The divines of Lovain do cūningly expoūd besides the Scriptures to be ment against the scriptures if these men were Doctors of the Arches we should have profounde lawe for so a coosening fellowe might claime 1000. po of a dead mans goods who had bequethed him a legacy of 20. sh the iudges might adiudge at him with safe consciences as not against the testament albeit besides the testament nay they might doe this vniustice to man with far better reason then the Papists doe that dishonour to God by howe much the testament of God is far more absolute then mans and more sufficient to finish al controversies more perfect to direct in faith and obedience Our duty in Christ Iesus is faith working by love faith embraceth soūd doctrine love requireth a godly life soundnes of doctrine is held if truth be taught and falshod refuted godlines of life is kept if a man fly from evil and follow good The holy scripture teacheth the truth improveth errour correcteth iniquitie instructeth to righteousnesse and so containeth the whole duety of man yea even of the man of God in whom greater perfection is required But this wil not they see who being blinded with affection and banded into faction doe labour to dishonour Gods word and to bewitch mens soules seducing the ambitious with promises of honour the simple ignorāt with ostētatiō of learning who cōceive their hypocrisie to be piety their superstitiō to be religion their falshood to be faithfulnes their traditiōs to be Gods cōmandemēts their indulgences to be Christs pardōs their holy father to be Christs Vicar vpō the earth But to returne to Isaac his infirmity The spirit of God sheweth that whē he was old his eies began to be dimme he could not see he was fully resolved and determined to blesse Esau his sonne whom he should have had in detestation because he enstranged himselfe from God and as much as lay in him made the promise of salvation of no effect For what might have become of the Church of God if the stocke of Abraham had ioined with the Canaanites Isaac therefore ought more to have beene touched seeing his sonne to bee so prophane he not only offendeth in not vsing fatherly severity and correction but he so doteth on Esau that by his will this prophane monster should enioy the blessing of God He was no doubt the minister of God and a singular Prophet and led an Angels life among men and yet nowe beeing ledde by his blinde affection having the charge to blesse the chosen of God he dealeth as if himselfe were appointer and author of the blessing God had done him that honour to make him his minister in blessing as to say I wil blesse whom I thinke good but the testimony shal come out of thy mouth thou shalt be my messenger I commit this to thy credit charge as to the warden and keeper of my promise that which thou pronouncest shal be autentike and I will ratifie it in heaven God had done him this honour and yet hee suffereth himselfe to bee so snared in ignorance and seduced by affection that hee swarveth quite contrary from that which his office required and here the Lord wil teach vs that his counsell against mans purpose shal have his effect The Priestes in the lawe did not only offer pray and teach but they blessed the people as figures of Christ The Lord communicateth his benefites and blessings vnto vs by the handes of his ministers Blasphemous are the Papists who affirme that a mortal man may dispose of Gods blessings and graces at his pleasure And cursed are the Anabaptists who refuse the ministery of men and will be taught immediatly of God most fondly refusing inferiour meanes and with wings mounting above the cloudes is not God sufficient say the Anabaptists to instruct vs Is the holy ghost in the handes of men to bestow What neede all this preaching To what ende serveth so much reading Canne not God inspiring vs touch our harts without having our eares so battered with the tongues of preachers but doe not these fantasticall spirites know that God will vse the service of men and yet not be tyed to them Doe they not know that God hath ordained that faith shall come by hearing Knowe they not that Christ hath given some to be Apostles some Prophetes some Evangelists Ephes 4. some Pastores and teachers for the gathering togither of the Saintes for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ how long to endure till we al meete togither in the vnity of faith knowledge of the sonne of God into a perfect man And vnto the measure of
affirming himselfe to bee Esau the eldest and dearest sonne in pretending the providence of God working for him in offering his father meate and drinke as also by Isaac his errour in iudging rather by his hands thē by his eares In the substitution of Esau the spirit of God sheweth the person that is blessed with a secondary blessing and the person that blesseth In Esau who is now blessed with a kinde of blessing first wee see his importunity to have a blessing which appeareth in wordes and weeping secondly his hatred against Iacob because of the blessing Isaac being astonied beyonde measure first confirmeth the blessing to Iacob perceiving nowe at length that it was Gods determination and that any man could not a good man shoulde not hinder it he laboureth not wilfully to alter it but willingly yeeldeth to Gods pleasure though it were at first contrarie to his will Secondlie hee being overcome with Esaus teares pronounceth on earthly and corporall blessing to that carnall and vngodly man In the event wee see the exile of Iacob he hath not the principall blessing without a speciall crosse Secondly the motives which his mother vsed that hee shoulde departe first by shewing him his daunger secondelie the meanes howe to avoide it In the looking glasse of this historie I see two notable images represented to our view the first is the frailty of man the seconde is the faith of Gods children besides many other advertisementes both pleasant and profitable which I will pointe at by the waye The frailtie of man is set downe in the purpose of Isaac and in the practise of Rebecca The frailtie of Isaac is mentioned in the foure first verses the infirmity of Rebecca in the discourse of the fact till the 29. verse The faith of Isaac Rebecca and Iacob is manifest throughout the historie albeit it be somewhat darkened with the blinde affection of the one and the indirect meanes of the other Thus oftentimes by the interposition of the earth and carnall thinges the sonne of righteousnesse is eclipsed in the most deere Saintes and servauntes of GOD. In this historie wee learne the indubitable truth of GODS promises and the continuall care hee hath of his Saintes and that hee so fulfilleth his woorde that it commeth to passe beyonde mans expectation Iacob is never so neere his fathers blessing as when hee seemeth to be out of hope of a blessing and in feare of a curse Againe Esau was never so sure of the blessing as the day that he lost it Iacob was never so doubtful as that day hee had the blessing nor Esau ever so certaine in his opinion as that houre that hee lost it Pro. 21 30. No humane counsel canne alter the counsell or interrupt the covenaunt of GOD. They which the Lorde will advaunce shall be advaunced The Lord suffereth the iust other whiles to fal to'erre to be deceived partly that they may know their own weakenes partly that they may have the more compassion on others Moreover the Lorde revealeth that sometimes to the lesser which hee doth not to the greater as to Rebecca not to Isaac Isaac perceiving the favour of God to bee the best inheritance that his son can have is careful to blesse him before he die This good man is pure cleane yet not so but y◠he hath neede that his feete I meane his affections be washed Ioh. 13. That holy Matron Rebecca remēbred the promis which was made 40 years before we scarce remēber the promises of God which he made lōg since but repeated yesterday vnto vs. Rebecca instructed her son above all thinges to seeke that excellent blessing we instruct ours how they maie live here but not how they may live for ever Rebecca woulde not have Iacob in anie wise to marrie with the Canaanites we bestow our childrē on popish Canaanites and are mingled with them Rebecca knew that her husbande erred yet she doth not insult over him shee doth not withstande him shee is officious towardes him but among vs if any man erre never so little yee shall have them that wil tel it at Gath and proclaime it in the streetes of Askalon that the daughters of the Philistines may reioice and that the children of the vncircumcised may triumph We may see in this historie that Iacob feareth to lie though it be for his own and to obtaine a notable blessing hee staieth hee staggereth he doubteth but there are many that say they are Iacobs who make no bones of lying of deceit and faining never fearing a curse as Iacob did though they seeke other mens right Iacob his owne In Esau wee have an expresse image of worldlinges and Atheistes first in his incontinency of body in taking two wives secondly in his profannes of minde in matching with Canaanites thirdly in that hee grieveth his parents with his vndutifulnes fourthly in that hee was a hunter it agreed well with his quality who hunted for worldly things fiftly in that hee tarried so long that he lost the blessing he came but a minut to late but yet two late the worldelings doe repent to late the foolish Virgins come when the bride-grome is entred the rich man in hel would faine have one drop of mercy who delaied to accept of it while it was so ful and freely offered vnto him vppon the earth Esaus will hunte so long for the honoures pleasures and wealth of this worlde that they will come shorte of the blessing of GOD. Esau weepeth for an outwarde blessing not caring for the inwarde and spirituall blessinges of GOD so the worlde lings if they faile of these outwarde transitorie blessings then doe they houle and crie out with Esau hinc illae lachrimae the losse of the gospell the losse of GODS favour the losse of christian vnity the losse of many spirituall and eternall blessings will not so much grieve the Esaus of this worlde as to be deprived of one carnall blessing Now that yee see the summe of the history before I come to the frailty of Isaac I cannot but commende vnto you a lively image of his faith in this his last will and testament This disposing of his earthly thinges and this pronouncing of the blessing of God to his sonne after him was a voluntary resigning vppe and giving over of all worldly goods with a resolute preparation of his minde to die and to bid this troublesome life adiew resting himselfe wholy solely reioicing in a holy a heavenly hope of an eternal mansion which God had provided for his chosen Abraham his father before he died to testifie his faith to God and to prevent all occasion of strife betweene his children bequeathed to the rest sundry giftes but the inheritaunce hee behighted Isaac Genes 25. Iacob before his death gave evident testimony of his faith to God and love to his Church when he tooke order touching the place of his buriall when hee exhorted his children to concord and vnity when hee
graces of God shoulde employ them to the honour of God and benefit of our brethren Let vs remembring Isaac his frailty and fal shake off all security of the flesh and be the more fervent in praier and watchful in weldoing that we be not overcome of our affections Thus the secure are taught to awake and watch and the holy are warned not to presume of their strength seeing Isaac hath fallen The afflicted that are terrified with the sight of their sins have this example written for the comfort of their consciences O thou afflicted and tossed with tempest that hast no cōfort Esa 54. behold c. This is vnto me as the water of Noah c. Finally we learne that the examples of the best men are not at al times and in al thinges to be followed that there is no man so perfect but that another may say vnto him phisition cure thy selfe Thus having seene the frailty of Isaac in that he was led by a blind affection let vs see in few words into the pollicy of Rebecca who by indirect means got Iacob the blessing As there was a general principle of faith in Isaac his mind whē he blessing his sonne sealed the assurance of the holy ghost and the right of the inheritance vnto him so was there in Rebeccaes minde when by her subtile practise shee procured the blessing to Iacob Albeit shee coulde not rule her husbande by wholsome counsell yet this was not the best waie to circūvent him with such a deceit why doth shee not patiently expect and wait till God performe his promis vnto Iacob she knewe his decree was immutable his promise infallible and therefore shee doth ill to obscure the heavenly oracle with a lie but see the earnestnes of her faith accompanied with an vndiscreet zeale shee adventureth to provoke her husband against her to make mortal hatred betweene the brethren and to bring her sonne Iacob into present daunger Behold what a rash and inconsiderate zeale will doe Here we see that pure and sound knowledge doth not alwaies shine in the mindes of the godly but the small light that sheweth them the way is obscured and darkened with many clouds of ignoraunce and mistes of affection The Lord bestoweth on man the gift of perfection knowledge truth as it were a beame of the sunne into a house of clay to give vs light warmth howbeit this beam though the more the sonne of righteousnes ascendeth commeth daily neare vnto vs the greater light warmth it yeeldeth yet it doth not overshine vs all with ful light of truth and heate of holinesse as long as wee remaine in these houses of clay A Christian man or woman hath the beames of the sunne but as in a house not in the open heaven sometimes it is shaddowed and made dimme with darkenesse sometimes it wareth faint through colde To bee short a generall faith hath the preeminence in the Godly as in Isaac and Rebecca and Iacob so that they either swarve out of the way or stumble in the way but whereas Gods election stoode neverthelesse firme nay whereas hee executeth his counsell and effecteth his purpose by the subtelty of a woman by this meanes hee procureth to his goodnes the whole praise of the blessing In the dimnes of Isaac his sight there are two examples of Gods providence the one generall the other special General in that olde men are deprived of their sight before they dye that by howe much lesse they knowe these outwarde thinges they may have the more knowledge of inwarde and heavenly matters And so in the very defect of nature the worke of Gods providence appeareth Speciall Prove 17. vers 1. in that by the occasion of the dimnes of his sight the blessing was conferred on Iacob Isaac shall loose his eie sight but Iacob shall have his right in the blessing This good father maketh his choice of his meates after the delight of his cast and this may the godly doe with thankesgiving to the God who hath not made the honie-combe for Drone-bees But yet ease and fatnesse staieth the floolish Pro. 1. and the prosperity of fooles destroieth them Wo bee to them that are at ease in Sion c. They are glad of their own ease but not sorry for their brothers disease they are glad for their owne prosperity they are not sorry for Davids adversity they are glad of their owne dainty fare but they are not sorry for the penury of Michea who is fedde with the bred of teares Amos. 6. with the waters of affliction they are glad of their own glory these weigh not the contempt and slaunder of Ioseph but as some doe sacrifice the fattest to God belly without either feare of Iehova or care of Ioseph so some having got much by vnlawfull means have no power to spend it vpon themselves as Salomon witnesseth that the deceitfull man rosteth not that he took in hūting And without peraduenture even olde Isaac permitted Esau to hunt to much to far chiefely to satisfie his curious appetit The Saintes of God are not Angels but if they labour not to live Godly they are not Saintes See the providence of GOD for Iacob that Isaac doeth not immediatly blesse Esau but sendeth him for venison promising him the blessing at his returne but God disposeth it according to his good pleasure Iacob is outwardly turned into Esau smoth Iacob into rough Esau but in out daies the rough Esaus of the world the mighty hunters the prophane Machiavelists are turnd outwardly into Iacob but al is for some outward blessing for Iacob wil be Iacob stil and Esau wil be Esau It was culpable and blame-worthy in Rebecca to fashion Iacob otherwise then hee was by nature yea to doe it to deceive her husband and to cause Esaus garmentes to be worne to his owne losse If these meanes of fraud lying and fatning be not agoed cause and aright agreeing with the counsell and will of God who can excuse the wicked in these daies who in vnlawful matters vse vnlawful meanes as in altering their childrens if not their sonnes yet their daughters faces favours by painting and other vanities yea in making them to put on straunge mōstrous attire meeter for Giantes then gentleweomen in deceiving they passe not whō in vsing a mans own knife to cut his own throate I may cry out with Michea trust not in a friend c. S. Augustine noteth two misteries in this history the one is that vnder the goates skinnes and apparell of Esau holy Iacob was blest so Christ vnder the shape of a sinful man deserved the blessing beeing made sinne for vs. The second mistery is this that albeit the minister of Gods word Sacraments be the instrumēt of God whilst he ministreth these thinges yet hee cannot apply Gods graces after his owne will but after the will and purpose of God But we may most fitly allud to this historie