godly Isack after his prayer in one good wife found a treasure of good things and in one blessing receiued many Instruction 33 blessings To teach vs that prayer is the proper meanes to pull downe vpon vs aboundance of Gods good things and as Rebecca performed the duties of a vertuous wife in her husbands behalfe so did Isack play the part of discreete and louing husband towards her Gen. 24.67 For it is said that he loued Rebecca and was comforted in her and by her after his mothers death for as I said before out of Siracides the grace of a good wife reioyceth her husband Eccles 26.1.2.13 and doubleth the nomber of his dayes And as it is recorded that he loued Rebecca so is it also Gen. 26.8 that he reioyced and sported with her according to that which the wise man inioyneth saying Eccles 9.9 Reioyce with thy wife which thou hast loued all the dayes of the life which God hath giuen thee vnder the Sunne And the holy Apostle as he enioyneth wiues to be of holy behauiour sober temperate discreete Tit. 2.2.3.4.5 Colloss 18 19 Ephes 5.25 28. chast keeping at home subiect louers of their husbands and of their children so likewise he exhorteth husbands to loue their wiues as their owne bodyes and not to be bitter Instruction 34 vnto them for he that loueth his wife saith he loueth himselfe If a mans wife be of a sweet and gracious disposition then ought the husband to ioyne his sweetnes to his wiues except he meane to shew himselfe a beast yea worse then a beast in being bitter and sowre in the behalfe of his vertuous wife And if otherwise she be of a more bitter vnpleasing disposition then behooueth then he must shew himselfe wise in allaying the sowrenesse and bitternes of his wines behauiour with the sweetenesse of his patient and gentle inclination in labouring to reclaime her by all kinde of faire perswasions and enducements of loue Thus the discreete husband may amend that male-pleasing humour of his wife whereas by vsing bitternes in her behalfe he shall turne his wiues wormwood into gall of aspes and make her ten folde more bitter and sowre then she was at first Thus then in the person of Instruction 35 godly Isack and vertuous Rebecca are all husbands and wiues taught to labour by all meanes to be a comfort and ioy one vnto another Wiues to loue in most entire manner their husbands to reuerence and obey them with all subiection submission of body and minde and to be alwayes a matter of ioy and comfort vnto them and husbands on the other part to make much of their wiues to loue them entierly and to esteeme of them as their greatest ornament their best portion their dearest inheritance their surest helpe their strongest piller their sweetest comfort their richest pearle and in one worde as their most glorious crowne Gen. 25.21 24.63.64 Rebecca was barren for a time but the Lord at the prayer and entreatie of her husband Isack made her to beare Thus Isack as by prayer he had obtained a vertuous wife so by prayer he purchased at Gods hands for his wife the strength and ability to Instruction 36 conceiue and to beare children Wherein we finde that saying of the Apostle verified Iam. 5.16 The prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be feruent Gen. 20 17 18. Abraham was a righteous man and at his prayer Abimelechs wife ceased to be barren and Abimelech himselfe was healed Deut. 9.20 21. Num. 12.10 Moses was a righteous man and at his prayer Aron purchased pardon for his idolatrie and Miriam was cured of her leaprie Num. 16.47.48 Aron was a righteous man and at his prayer the plague ceased from the people Samuel was a righteous man 1. Sam 7.8 9.10.11.12 and at his prayer the Isralites scattred ouercame the Philistims Eliah was a righteous man 1. King 17 17.18.19 20.21.22.23 18.45 and at his prayer he obtained raine after the drought of three yeeres and restored his hostesse sonne to life Likewise at his prayer the two captaines ouer fifty with their fifties sent by Ahaziah to apprehend him 2. King 1.7.8.9.10 11.12.13 were deuoured by fire from heauen and the third captaine with his fiftie at the Prophets desire were preserued Elisha was a righteous man and at his prayer the Shunamite conceiued bare a sonne to her husband being old 2. King 4.12.13.14 15.16.17 31.33.34 35.36 and that after long barrennes whome afterwards he also restored againe to life being dead likewise at his prayer the men that the king of Sirya had sent to apprehend him 2 King 18 2.23.24 was smitten with blindnes And the 42. children that mocked him were torne in peeces by two Beares out of the Forrest The Prophet sent by God to Ieroboam to reproue him was a righteous man and at his prayer Ieroboams hand being first dried vp was restored 1. King 13 6 So great is the force of a righteous mans prayer It openeth the windowes of heauen to giue raine after long drinesse and the wombe of women to beare after long barrennesse As the Apostle saith through God I am able to doe all things So through prayer is the righteous man able to obtaine all things And as Isack had his recourse vnto God by prayer Gen. 25.22.23.28 to make his wife fruitfull so She hauing conceiued and feeling the children in her wombe to striue together it is said that she went to aske the Lord concerning the meaning of Instruction 37 that matter Wherein men and women are taught in euerie difficultie to haue their recourse vnto God by prayer for this hath been alwayes the custome of Gods people both women and men It was reuealed vnto her that the elder should serue the yonger and that Iacob should be more acceptable vnto God then Esau and therefore the holy woman loued Iacob more then Esau Gen. 27.6.10 and by her counsaile and prudence he got the blessing from his brother Esau for whome the Lord blesseth and loueth shall be blessed and loued of the best men likewise And when as Esau in reuenge had intended to slay Iacob Rebecca which by interpretation is asmuch as contention hindered did indeede and in effect answere vnto her name and therefore to Instruction 38 hinder this mortall and bloudy strife betweene her two children she sent Iacob away to Haran to her Brother Laban there to tarrie vntill Esaus fiercenes were asswaged Gen. 27.41 42.43.44.45 In which doing Rebecca as she bewraied both her wisdome and her peaceable disposition So hath she left vnto all women wiues and mothers an example of imitation to preserue peace and to preuent strife and contention amongst her children and seruants Happie then was godly Isack to haue receiued at the Lords hands such a vertuous wife and peaceable wife as was Rebecca for a peaceable woman and of gaod
wife is the ornament of her house but the bountie and wisdome of a wife buildeth the house Prou. 14.1 for a wise woman saith the wise man buildeth the house but the foolish destroyeth it with her owne hands Prou. 31.10.16.26 And king Lemuels vertuous woman as she openeth her mouth with wisdome hath the law of grace in her tongue so she considereth a field and getteth it and with the fruite of her hands she planteth a vinyard Likewise it is recorded of Rahel and Leah that they twaine builded the house of Israel Ruth 4.11 Rahel then did not eate the bread of idlenes neither when she was maried nor yet when she was a maide she was not like those careles women described by the Prophet Isay Isai 32.9.10.11.12 13.14 Pro. 31.10 to 31. but rather like the vertuous woman described by Salomon Being maried she did take paines in ouerseeing the worke of her seruants and disdained not to worke cheerfully with her hands and being a maid she was employed in keeping of her fathers sheepe leauing an example Instruction 53 to all matrons and maides to flie idlenes As her calling was to keepe sheepe so her name signifieth a sheepe so that her verie name serued to put her in remembrance of her calling But chiefly to shew her how that she should endeuour to be like vnto the Instruction 54 sheepe in innocencie and harmles simplicitie and therefore our Sauiour Christ doth compare often his followers to sheepe Vnto his Disciples he saith Mat. 10.16 beholde I send you as Sheepe in the midst of Wolues be ye therefore wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues Ioh 10.1.2.3.4 11 14.15 And of al his elect children he saith that his sheepe heare his voice and that he calleth them by their name and leadeth them out and goeth before them and that they follow him and know his voice and that he himselfe is the good shepheard that giueth his life for his sheep Rahel and Leah Iacobs two wiues were barren for a time but it is said that in end God remembred and heard them God may seeme for a time to forget his children and not to heare them but in end they may be sure to be both remembred and heard Not that God doth at any time forget his Instruction 55 children indeede and not heare their requests but that somtimes he doth carie himselfe to our apprehension and feeling as one that is subiect to forgetfulnes and not willing to heare what we say or sue for at his hands and that he doth euen for our good for so it pleaseth him to exercise vs and to stirre vs vp to greater feruencie and earnestnes in prayer Likewise the delay of a benifite sweetneth the same when it is obtained That good thing which hath beene gotten with great difficultie with much adoe and after long delay is by many degrees more deare vnto vs then if it had beene gotten with ease and at an instant Gen. 29.31.32 30.17.22 The Lord at last remembred heard Rahel Leah which did both of them begge children at his hands For it is the Lord that openeth the windowes of heauen being shut to giue raine 1. King 18 1.41.45 to make the earth fruitfull and it is likewise the Lord that openeth the barren womans wombe to make her the ioyfull mother of many children 1. Sam. 2.5 Psal 113.9 128.3 so that she is made as the fruitfull vine on the house sides and her children stand like Oliue plants round about the Table And as it is said that God remembred Rahel and Leah when he deliuered them from barrennes so is it also said that he remembred Noah Gen. 8.1 when as he made the waters to cease vpon the earth he remembred Abraham when as he deliuered Lot at Abrahams request Gen. 19.29 from the destruction of Sodome and he remembred Ismael Gen. 21.17 when as he deliuered him from extremitie of indigence and nourished him in the wildernes being cast out together with his mother Hagar out of Abrahams house And he remembred Iacob being in tribulation Gen. 35.3 by reason of his brother Esau and deliuered him from his hostilitie and feare Lastly thus he remembred Anna when he deliuered her from barrennes 1. Sam 1 11.19 Iob 14.13 42.10.11.12 and made her to beare So we see that the Lords remembrance is alwayes conioyned with deliuerance from some Instruction 56 euill Yea not only doth God when he remembreth deliuer from some euill but he also bestoweth some good as may appeare by these foresaid examples and by the example of Iob. So that whosoeuer he be that serueth God and sueth vnto him he may assure himselfe at first or last to be heard and not to begotten for euer Princes may sometimes forget their seruants and suiters but God neuer forgeteth his Psalm 22. 25. 27.2.8.9.10.11 28 6.7 30.10 11 31.12.14.16.21.22.23.24 32.6.7.10 11 33.18 19.20 21. 3â— 4.5.6.15.17.18.19 37.6.7.34 40.1.2.16 17. onely it behooueth vs with godly Dauid to waite patiently vpon the Lord and to hope in him though for a time we seeme to be forgotten with Dauid as a dead man out of minde yet we shall finde by experience with Dauid that the eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares open vnto their crye That he is neere vnto them that are of a contrite heart and will saue such as be afflicted in spirite And that though he hide his face from vs for a while so that we say in our hast loe we are cast out of his sight yet ere it be long he will turne our mourning into ioy Loose our sacke and gird vs with gladnes heare the voice of our petition and shew vs his maruailous kindenes deliuer vs from our troubles and compasse vs with his mercie establish our hearts Iob. 8.21 and fill them with his good things Psal 27.10 with gladnes and ioy For though our fathers and our mothers should forsake vs and forget vs yet the Lord will gather vs vp saith the Psalmist O how much better is it then to trust in the Lord rather then in Princes or yet in our naturall Parents Let eche one say then with Dauid Psal 130.5.6.7.8 I haue waited on the Lord my soule hath waited and I haue trusted in his word my soule waitch on the Lord more then the morning watch watcheth for the morning Let Israel waite on the Lord for with the Lord is mercie and with him is great redemption Psal 118.8 9. As it is better to trust in God then in Princes so is it better to waite on God then on Princes For want who will Gods waiter shall be sure not to want his rewardes Psal 37.34 Waite thou on the Lord and keepe his way and he shall exalt thee and thou shalt inherite the land saith that good waiter on God godly Dauid
THE MIRROVR of Religious men and of godly Matrones EXHIBITED IN THE GOLden Legends of these six famous and faithfull Persons Abraham Sara Isack Rebecca Iacob Rahel Very comfortable to be read of all the sonnes and daughters of such faithfull parents according to the promise for the rectifying of their liues and the confirming of their faith By I. M. Master in Arts. LONDON Printed for E. White and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the gun neere the little north dore of Pauls 1611. TO THE RIGHT HONOrable Bruce-sprung noble Lord IOHN Lord Harington Baron of Exton and to the right noble and worthy the Lady ANNE his wife and the most vertuous Gouernesse of the moste gracefull yong Princesse Madam ELIZABETH Infanta of Albion all heauenly and earthly happinesse IT is the custome right honourable of such as set or send out any worke to publike viewe to make choyse of some worthy Person for the patronizing thereof So that I being about the publishing of certaine Essayes and Meditations of mine morall and diuine and among others of this present Pamphlet I began to bethinke my selfe of some conuenient Patron for the countenancing thereof And in end after that I had considered of the nature and kinde of the Subiect sufficiently and had weighed with my selfe the greatnesse of your humanity both towards Schollers and my Countrymen I was emboldened so much the more to publish it vnder the combined splendor of your vnited illustrious names In it one may see as in a cleere Mirrour or christall glasse a plaine and liuely representation of the sayth pietie and deuotion of the vprightnes charity compassion of the Temperance sobriety and moderation and of the diligence industrie honest conuersation of the godly Men and Women of olde namely of the six famous faithfull persons therein more particularly painted out In whose golden Legends I hope the sharpest-sighted shal not espie so much as the smallest spice of any fained fiction falshood or he the which thing no doubt many will deeme and esteeme a great rarity in a golden Legend In it one also may see a perfit patterre and picture of a perfit Seruant of God Man or Woman together with an exemplary proofe of Gods bountifull requiting and liberall rewarding of them for their seruice Therein likewise is as it were in a visible manner expressed to the eye the exceeding great care that Almighty God hath of his children euen of all such as doe commend their estate and commit their affaires vnto his fatherly prouidence Finally this little Mirrour doth afford diuers moral obseruations and instructions to the number of 68. touching the chiefe duties that men and women owe vnto God and likewise one vnto another namely such as doe mutually concerne husbands wiues parents and children maisters and Seruants Considering then that the nature of it is such and that it may serue somewhat for the furtherance of men and women chiefely those of the yonger sort in the exercise of soundnes of beliefe and of sincerity of life I am so much the more bold to implore your worthy Patronage therein and to pray your honours in the behalfe thereof to answere vnto the signification of your two christen names which doe import Grace and gracious and euen to grace this meane Testimonie of a dutifull minde with your gracious acceptance The which fauour if it shall please your honours to afford me I shall be encouraged to be a-about the shewing of some more ample signification of mine obseruancie towards the honour of your names And thus wishing in the meane time vnto a gracefull IOHN and ANNA such felicitie hap and honour as hath befaln vnto ABRAHAM SARA ISACK and REBECCA IACOB and RAHEL whose godlines and vertuousnes ye doe so happily imitate I rest Your Honours deuoted to all humble duties IAMES MAXWELL A SVMMARIE VIEWE of the chiefe contents of this present Legend-booke I. OF obedience vnto the Lords voyce page 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. II. Of faith in God of the wonderfull effects thereof 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. III. Of the religious care that should be in Parents for their children and in Masters mistresses for their seruants p. 12. 13. 14. 139. 142. 143. 144. 145 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. 151. 152. 153. 154. 155. 156. 157. 158. IIII. Of the qualities of a good Seruant P. 14. 15. 16. 17. V. Of the charity pitty compassion equity and peaceable disposition that ought to be in christians P. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 70. 71. 92. VI. Of Gods blessing and rewarding of such as serue him and waite on him p. 3. 25. 26. 27. 28. 57. 58. 59. 65. 66. 67. 68. 76. 107. 116. 119. 120. VII Of Gods raising vp of the despised and of his casting downe of the despisers p. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. VIII Of the subiection modestie and shamefastnes that ought to be in Christian women p. 52. 53. 79. 80. 81. IX Of Beauty and Bounty in women p. 54. 55. 56. 57. 71. 72. 109. 110. 111. X. Of Gods presence assistance in the time of the godly mans aduersity and affliction p. 66. 67. 68. 69. 101 102. 123. 124. 126. 127. 130. 131. 132. XI Of diligence and industrie that ought to be in Christian men and women p. 73. 74. 104. 105. 106. 111. 112. XII Of the humility and humanity that ought to be in Christian men and women p. 75. 133. 134. XIII Of the heart-fasting that ought to be in such parties as are about mariage before that they be hand-fasted p. 76. 77. 107. XIIII Of parents and friends blessing and well aduising of the married couple p. 78. 79. XV. Of the excellency of a vertuous wife and of the great account that her husband should make of her p. 82. 83. 84. 88. 93. XVI Of the feruent loue that ought to be betweene married folkes p. 85. 87. 88. XVII Of the great efficacy of the righteous mans prayer p. 88. 89. 90. 91. XVIII Of Gods loue and fauour and of the great efficacy thereof p. 95. 96. 97. 124. 125. 126. XIX Of the patience innocency and modesty that ought to be in Christians p. 98. 99. 100. 102. 103. 112. XX. Of Gods remembring of his children after a seeming forgetfulnes p. 113. 114. 115. 116. 117. XXI Of the Christians patient waiting on God and of the good issue thereof p. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. XXII Of the thankefulnes that ought to be in Christians towards God for benefits receiued p. 121. 122. 138. 139. XXIII Of the care and charge that Gods Angels haue of the afflicted and godly p. 127. 128. 129. 130. XXIIII Of Christians acknowledging of Gods gratiousnes and of their owne vnworthines p. 135. 138. XXV Of the great vanity of Idols or shop-Gods of golde siluer p. 140. 141. 142. ERRATA Page 8.
many nations dignified him with the title and stile to be called the father of the faithfull the freind of God Rom. 4.17 Iam. 2.23 Abraham was a great father of many people saith Ecclesiasticus in glory was there none like vnto him Ecclus 45 19.20.21 He kept the law of the most high and was in couenant with him he set the couenant in his flesh and in tentation he was found faithfull Therefore he assured him by an oath that he would blesse the nations in his seed and that he would multiplie him as the dust of the earth and exalt his seede as the stars and cause them to inherite from sea to sea from the riuer vnto the end of the world 1. Sam. 2.30 Them that honour mee I will honour saith the Lord. Abraham honoured and Instruction 12 magnified the God of Israel and therefore God honoured him and made him the father of the most honorable on earth Abraham blessed the Lord deuoutly at all times acknowledging all blessednes to flowe from him and God crowned him with aboundance both of spirituall and temporall blessings Among other he blessed him with a vertuous and godly wife whose faith towards God and obedience towards her husband are both of them highly extolled in holy scripture Heb. 11.12 Through faith saith the Apostle Sara also receiued strength to conceiue seede and was deliuered of a child when as she was past age because she iudged him faithfull which had promised The tenure of which promise is set down in these words Gen 17.19 18.10.11 12 13.14 and 21.1.2.3 Sara thy wife shall beare thee a sonne and thou shalt call his name Isack and I will establish my couenant with him for an euerlasting couenant and with his seede after him And as the Lord promised her a sonne so he performed his promise and after long barrennes Instruction 13 made her to beare euen in her olde age To teach the sonnes and daughters of faithfull Abraham and Sara not to tie God vnto the strict order of nature nor to measure his power according to the ordinarie ability of naturall causes For God as he is the Lord of Nature she his hand-maide so can he worke both without her and with her aswell without meanes and contrary to meanes as with or according to meanes Gen. 16.1.2.3.4 Sara was despised in the eyes of her hand-maide Hagar for her barrennes But the Lord at last comforted and cheered vp sorrowfull Sarai and turned her sadnes into gladnes and her mourning into mirth he euen changed her name Gen. 17.15.16.19.21 and the inability of her nature both at once Sarai thy wife said the Lord to Abraham thou shalt not call Sarai which is asmuch as my mistrisse or dame but Sarah shall he her name which signifieth a Princesse or mistris of many and I will blesse her and will also giue thee a sonne of her yea I will blesse her and she shall be them other of Nations Kings also of people shall come of her Sara I say was barren and despised for her barrennes euen at the hands of Hagar her owne hand-maide But the Lord remembred her in end and remedied both these euills he made her the mother of Isack euen the happie mother of a most happie sonne for with him the Lord did establish his couenant and so tooke away her barrennes and reproch yea more he made her the honorable Grand-mother of Kings and of Queenes and so not onely tooke away her despisement but also heaped much honour vpon her head and the insolent hand-maide Hagar who before had despised her daine was turned out a doores with her mocking sonne Ismael Gen. 16.4.5 21.9.10.11.12 13.14 Instruction 14 Hence we learne two notable lessons one is that such as God hath imparted any excellent quallitie vnto or bestowed vpon any abilitie of nature or of grace that they beware of despising such as God hath not dealt so liberally with Pro. 3.34 1. Pet. 5.5 Iam. 4.6 For God who resisteth the proude and giueth grace vnto the humble will despise the despisers and exalt the despised he will scorne the scornfull and curse such as sit in the seate of the scornfull With the froward Psal 18.26 the Lord will shew himselfe froward Prou. 3.34 saith holy Dauid and with the scornefull he scorneth or will shew himselfe scornefull saith wise Salomon his sonne He that dwelleth in the heauen shall laugh Psal 2.4 the Lord shall haue them in derision As despising Hagar together with her mocking sonne Ismael were cast out of Abrahams house So shall all proud despising Hagars all insolent mocking Ismaels be debarred from Abrahams bosome Wherefore seeing that as the Apostle speaketh we are not Children of the seruant but of the free woman Gal. 4.28.29.30.31 children of the promise after the manner of Isack and not children of the bond woman after the manner of Ismael let vs shew our selues not offerers of despisement and mockage with Hagar and Ismael but rather sufferers with Sara and Isack that we may be partakers of the inheritance with him Instruction 15 The other lesson we learne hence is this that the sonnes and daughters of faithfull Abraham and Sara are taught to commit their cause to commend their afflicted and vilipended estate vnto God who is alwaies wont to be nearest then when as his seruants by reason of the greatnes of their anguish and griefe thinke him farthest off Dauid was so farre despised by his enemies that he calleth him selfe a worme and not a man Psal 22.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.22.23.24 a shame of men and the contempt of the people and one that was had in derision of all and his recourse was vnto God who drew him out of the wombe and gaue him hope euen at his mothers breasts Euen he deliuered his soule from the dogges and bulles of Bashan which had inclosed him about wherupon the holy man resolued to praise the Lord in the mids of the congregation to exhort encourage others to doe the like for he doth not despise nor abhor the affliction of the poore neither hideth he his face from him but when he calleth vnto him he heareth In one word Psal 15.3 such as hope in him shal not be ashamed Wherefore it is good for all afflicted persons to draw neere vnto God It is God as the holy woman Anna singeth in her song that maketh both the barren to beare 1. Sam. 2 5 6.7.8 and the mother of many children to be weake he maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth lowe and exhalteth he raiseth vp the poore out of the dust lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the seate of glory Thus sang Anna when as she had receiued a sonne from the Lord 1. Sam. 6. being before for her barrennes despised in the eyes of fruitfull Peninnah the other of
all things are possible to him that beleeueth and vnto his disciples Mat 21.22 what soeuer ye shall aske in prayer if yee beleeue ye shall receiue it It is not then without great cause that Moses exhorted the people going out to battell Deut. 30.3 to haue faith in the victorie promised 1. Sam. 12.20.21.52 that Samuel encouraged the people to trust in God and that Iehosophat enioyned the people to confide in God 2. Chron. 20.20 and to beleeue his Prophets Good cause had the holy Apostles to desire of Christ to encrease their faith Luk 17.5 and to exhort men to stand stedfast in the faith 1. Cor. 16.13 2 Cor. 13.5 and to prooue themselues whether they be in the faith or no Rom. 1.17 1. Tim. 6.12 and to grow from faith to faith Finally to fight the good fight of faith 1. Pet. 1.9 and so to lay holde on eternall life and in end to receiue the end of our faith euen the saluation of our soules And as Sara is greatly commended for her faith towards God so likewise is she for her obedience towards her husband her mildnesse of spirit and modestie in attire And therefore the blessed Instruction 18 Apostle S. Peter exhorteth all women and wiues to imitate the example of her excellent vertues 1. Pet. 3.1.2.3.4.5.6 Let the wiues be subiect to their husbands that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of the wiues while they beholde your pure conuersation which is with feare whose apparelling let it not be outward as with broyded haire and gold put about or in putting on of apparell But let the Hid man of the heart be vncorrupt with a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by For euen after this manner in time past did the holy women which trusted in God ner themselues and were subiect to their husbands As Sara obeyed Abraham and called him Syr or Lord whose daughters ye are whiles ye doe well Ecclesi 26.35.27 A shamefast woman saith Siracides will reuerence her husband A woman that honoureth her husband shall be iudged wise of all But she that despiseth him shall be blazed for her pride This same subiection shamefastnes and modestie of Sara in her cariage and cloathing the Apostle S. Paul recommendeth very earnestly vnto women in his Epistle to Timothie 1. Tim. 2.9.10.11 As our Sauiour said to the Iewes that if they were Abrahams children they would doe the workes of Abraham Ioh. 8.39 So may it be said of women and wiues as many as be the daughters of Sara they will imitate the modesty Gen 12.11 14. 24.16 26.7 29.17 1. Sam. 25.3.42 meeknes shamfastnes and obedience of Sara It is recorded in scripture that Sara was a faire woman to looke vpon and very beautifull the like is said of Rebecca Isacks wife and of Rahel Iacobs wife and of the verteous and wise Abigaill Dauids wife after the death of churlish Nabal Eccles 36.22.23.24 The beautie of a woman saith Iesus the Sonne of Sirach cheereth the face and a man loueth nothing better If there be in her tongue gentlenesse meekenes and wholsome talke then is not her husband like other men he that hath gotten a vertuous woman hath begunne to get a possession she is an helpe like vnto himselfe and a piller to rest vpon As the Sunne when it ariseth in the high places of the Lord Eccles 26.16.17.18 so is the beauty of a good wife the ornament of her house as the cleare light is vpon the holy candlestick so is the beautie of the face in a ripe age and as the golden pillers are vpon the sockets of siluer so are faire feete with a constant minde The externall beautie of Saras bodie was accompanied with the internall beautie of her minde and in a faire body in her person was lodged a more faire soule Instruction 19 Thus in the example of the beautious and bounteous Sara are all matrons maides admonished to ioyne bountie meekenes and modestie of minde to the beautie of body and vertuous carriage to the well-fauourednes of their outward feature Considering how that beautie without bountie in a woman as the wise man speaketh is as a Iewell of golde in a swines nose Pro. 11.22 12.4 31.30 and that not the beautious but the vertuous woman is the crowne of her husband For fauour is deceitfull and beautie is a vanishing thing but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised House and riches may be the inheritance of the fathers Pro. 18.22 19.14 but a prudent wife commeth of the Lord and he that findeth such a wife findeth a good thing and receiueth fauour of the Lord. And doubtles Abraham who found so many good things and so great fauour at the hands of the Lord he found this fauour this cheife good thing to wit a good wife amongst many other fauours and good things Eccles 26.3.14.15.24 A vertuous woman is a good portion saith Siracides which shall be giuen for a guift vnto such as feare the Lord. Who feared the Lord more then did godly Abraham and consequently what man could there be more worthy of a vertuous wife then hee There is nothing so much worth as a woman well instructed and there is no waight to be compared vnto a shamefast womans peaceable faithfull continent minde And who could be so worthie of such a worthy pearle as the worthiest amongst men the holy Patriarke Abraham the father of the faithfull And as God blessed him with a vertuous and an vnderstanding wife which proued the ioy and crowne of her husband whose death therefore he had great cause to bewaile as he did with mourning and lamentation Gen. 23.1.2 so did he endowe him exceedingly with temporall store â—he magnified and multiplyed him Gen. 13.5.6 24. â—5 36 so that he gaue him in great aboundance men-seruants and maid-seruants siluer and golde Camells Asses Instruction 20 Sheepe and Beeues Wherein we finde that saying of the Apostle verified 1. Tim 4.8 Godlynes is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that which is to come Lastly the Lord hath such an honorable regard of Abraham that according to his promise made to him Gen. 12.3 saying I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee He both cursed and blessed other men for Abrahams sake As he plagued Pharao king of Gerar together with their housholdes for offering to doe him wrong Gen 12.15 16.17.18 19.20 20.3.4 7.17.18 19.29 20.17 27 3.4.5 so for Abrahams sake and at his entreatie he multiplied Isack and deliuered Lot from the destruction of Sodome and healed king Abimelech and all his housholde So effectually was God with Abraham that he was also with others for Abrahams sake Wherein all