And heere againe in this good seruant Instruction 6 Eliezer are all seruants taught to doe all diligence and to vse all fidelity and consionable carefulnes in doing of their maisters affaires But to returne from the man to the maister as Abrahams faith was not a dead or idle faith in the behalfe of God for we see it wrought by obedience Iam. 2.21.22 Galat. 5.6 and pious liuing in Gods behalfe so likewise was it not dead or idle in the regard of man but wrought by charitie Gen. 18.1.2.3 4.19.3 equitie and loue This appeareth by his hospitality for he was wont to sit at the doore of his Tent to inuite strangers and to bid the poore into his house So that on a time he receiued Angels for his guests at vnwares And the like did his brothers son Lot Whereupon the Apostle to the Ebrewes Heb. 13.2 giueth out this exhortation Be not forgetfull to lodge strangers for thereby some haue receiued Angels into their houses vnawares Instruction 7 If then the father of the faithfull had this godly custome to sit at his doore to bid the stranger and the poore into his house how vnseemely and vnsoundly a thing is it for the sons and daughters of such a father to be so farre from bidding or bringing them into our houses as not to receiue or entertaine them when they come but euen to chase them away from our doors The world is now adaies grown so Keycolde in charitie that if the verie Angels themselues should come downe from heauē into our houses as of olde it seemeth we would be more ready to bid them to be gone then to harbour them with Abraham and Lot But heare what our Sauiour saith If ye were Abrahams children ye Ioh. 8.39 would doe the workes of Abraham Abraham was likewise full of tender hartednes pittie and compassion toward the miserable and afflicted whence it came to passe that he not onely deliuered Lot from captiuitie Gen. 14.12 16 18.23 being taken and spoiled by Chedar Laomer in the ouerthrow of Sodome and restored him againe to his owne but he also prayed very earnestly vnto Instruction 8 God for the sinfull people of Sodome Whereby the children of Abraham are taught to comfort the comfortles to pittie the oppressed to deliuer the distressed to aide the weake to ransome and redeeme the captiue and to pray for the conuersion saluation of all men be they neuer so wicked Yea Abraham prayed also euen for such men as had don him wrong Gen. 20.3.7.17.18 as for king Abimelech and his houshold when as the Lord had plagued them for taking away Abrahams wife from him Giuing Instruction 9 vs therein an example of praying euen for our ill-willers and enemies according to the commandement of our Sauiour Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you Mat. 5.44.45 doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you that ye may be the children of your father which is in heauen for he maketh his sun to arise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and the vniust If we be the children of Abraham we will do the workes of Abraham and if we be the children of God we will doe the will of our Father which is in heauen Abrahams peaceable and milde disposition appeareth in that Gen. 13.5 to 12. when as the land was not able to beare him and his brothers sonne Lot to liue together by reason of the great increase of their store he to auoide contention and strife parted company very louingly with Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee said Abraham to Lot betweene thee and me neither betweene mine Heard-men and thine for we be brethren Yea Abraham to purchase peace resigned his owne right and bid Lot choose what part of the land he did most like Instruction 10 Teaching thereby all his children to auoyd all occasions of wrangling and contending with their kins-men neighbours friends and rather be content to loose a part of their owne then enter into quarrell with them for that which iustly is theirs To which purpose Ro. 12.18 the Apostle exhorteth all Christians to labour by all meanes to haue peace with all men The good christian then after the example of his father Abraham will shew him-selfe alwaies peaceable that is a louer a maker and a taker of peace He will cut off all occasions of contention as much as he can and he will say vnto such a one as would be at debate with him let there be no strife nor debate I pray thee betweene thee and me neither betweene any of ours for we be brethren we be Christians euen children of one father seruants of one Lord fellowes of one Baptisme followers of one faith and members of one militant Church And in so doing we shall be called not onely the children of Abraham but euen the sonnes and daughters of the most high euen of the God of Abraham Mat. 5.9 As Abraham was peaceable so was he likewise equitable and iust he would not receiue at the hands of Ephron the Hittite a field which he had offered him freely to burie his wife Sara in Gen. 23. but would needes giue him the price thereof euen foure hundred sheckles of Siluer What shall we then say Instruction 11 of violent oppressours and possessors of other folkes rights of robbers and wrongfull with-holders of that which appertaineth to other men how can such vnreasonable and vnequitable vsurpers and encroachers claime to be called or accounted the children of righteous Abraham If they were Abrahams children they would not take another mans goods for nought although being offered them by the owner much lesse would they violently bereaue a man of that which is his owne or yet with hold it from him they hauing it in their hands And if such men cannot claime to be Abrahams children how can they make claime to any part or portion in Abrahams bosome seeing the man that would repose in Abrahams bosome after this life Luk. 16.22 25. must heere in this life harbour in his heart and beare in his bosome Abrahams liuing faith which was made perfite through workes Iam. 2.21.22 wrought by obedience equitie righteousnes charitie and loue But did this godly and religious disposition of Abraham want a reward No truly I will make of thee a great nation said the Lord and I will blesse thee Gen. 12.2 3.7 15 1.2.3 4 17.1.4 18.1 and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing I will also blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed feare not Abraham I am thy buckler and thine exceeding great reward The Lord honoured him often with his presence in appearing speaking vnto him he made him of Abram Abraham of a father the father euen the father 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
the Sonnes and Daughters of faithfull Abraham and Sara may beholde cleerely as in a christall glasse of how wonderfull great vertue and force godlynes is it being able to procure a blessing at Gods hands not onely to the godly man himselfe but vnto others also euen vnto such as the godly man either prayeth for or yet reapeth any benefite by Thus God blessed and prospered Laban for Iacobs sake Gen. 30.37 39.2.3.4.5.6 so long as he soiourned with him in his house And thus he blessed Putiphar the Egiptian for Iosephs sake and made his blessing to rest vpon all that he had in the house and in the field And thus no doubt but he will blesse all such as the followers of Abrahams saith Iam. 2.21.22.23 and the workers of his workes for these two God hath conioyned together and therefore man must not seuer them shall recommend vnto God in their prayers The golden Legend of ISACK and REBECCA ISack the Sonne and heire of faithfull Abraham and Sara Gen. 17.15.16 17 18. 18.10.11.12.13 14. 21.1.2.3 25 5 26.25 as he was consecrated to the Lord in his verie childe-hood so was his whole life nothing els but a reall and an actuall sacrificing of himselfe vnto the Lords seruice he walked in the wayes and foot-steps of his father and followed the trace of his faith pietie charitie equitie and vertuous liuing He succeeded aswell to his goodnes as to his goods to his godlines no lesse then to his golde wheresoeuer he spread his Tent there did he not faile to erect an Alter vnto the Lord and to call vpon his name Wheresoeuer he had his chamber there God had his Church yea his Tent was a verie Tabernacle his bed-chamber was as a chappel dedicated to the seruice of the God of his father Instruction 22 Abraham VVhereby all the children of Isack according to the promise are taught to worship God not onely publikly in the Church but also priuately in their secret chambers Both which duties the sweete singer of Israel doth ioyntly mention in the fourth Psalme and recommendeth them to our practise The priuate deuotion in these wordes Psal 4.4.5 Examine your owne heart vpon your bed and be still and the publick in these offer the sacrifices of righteousnes and trust in the Lord. VVhereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that no place whether priuate or publicke is to be thought vnfit for the practising of holy duties for Gods worship as it should be publickly performed in the Church according to that of the Psalmist Psal 22.22 25. 111.1 In the midst of the congregation wil I praise thee so must it not be neglected priuatly in the chamber according to which it is written of the Prophet Daniel that he went into his house Dan. 6.10 and hauing opened the window of his chamber that looked toward Ierusalem he kneeled vpon his knees three times a day and prayed and praised his God These two priuate deuotion publicke adoration God hath conioyned and therefore man must not seuer them They are as the two hands of our christian profession the publicke is as the right hand the priuate as the left the want of either maketh a maimed christian And as no place is vnfit for Gods seruice so likewise no time whether morning or euening night or day It is a good thing to praise the Lord Psal 92.1 2. and to sing vnto thy name O most high to declare thy louing kindnes in the morning and thy truth in the night saith deuout Dauid Psal 119.62 and againe at midnight will Irise to giue thankes vnto thee because of thy righteous iudgements Heare my voice in the morning Psal 5.3 O Lord for in the morning will I direct me vnto thee and I will waite And to the same purpose Siracides saith Eccle. 2.28 39.5 that we ought to preuent the sunne rising to giue thankes and to salute the Lord before the day spring The wise man saith he will giue his heart to resort early vnto the Lord that made him and to pray before the most high for his sinnes Psal 55.17 Euening and morning and at noone will I pray saith godly Dauid and he will heare my voyce Isack waited on God Gen 26.1.2.3.4.5 inuoked him and walked with him And therefore God was with him and prouided for him in the time of famine which was in the land he honoured the Lord and the Lord honoured him with his presence and appearance For he appeared vnto him and bid him dwell in the land of Gerer and promised to blesse him and not him onely but also in his seede all the nations of the earth As he was religious and godly farre aboue all other so was God with him and blessed him farre aboue all other He both preserued him in the time of famine increased his substance and store So that when as he sowed in that land he found in the same yeare an hundreth folde by estimation He waxed mightie and still increased till he was exceeding great Gen. 26.12 13 14. As he was great in faith and in godlines grew daily so did he encrease from day to day in his familie and goods For he had flockes of sheepe and heards of cattell and a mighty housholde Gen 26.14 15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22 And though that the Philistims among whome he liued did enuie him and vex him by stopping of his welles and in end draue him away after much strife yet the Lord was alwayes on his side The Philistims were his foes but the God of Israel was his friend and the man that hath God for his friend is strong enough to withstand all his foes be they neuer so furious Isack when as he was resisted by men was assisted of God Gen. 26.23.24 for when as he was thus afflicted by the faithles Philistims God who is faithfull and true and who loued faithful Abraham and his seede appeared vnto Isack the same night in Beersheba and said vnto him thus I am the God of Abraham thy father feare not for I am with thee and will blesse thee and multiply thy seede for my seruant Instruction 23 Abrahams sake Happie is the man who with Isack hath the Lord with him and blessed is he whom the Lord blesseth for he needeth not to be affrayed neither of famine nor infection nor yet of foes Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high saith the Psalmist shal abide in the shadow of the almighty Psal 91.1.2.3.4.5.6.7.10 The Lord will deliuer him from the snare of the hunter and from the noysome pestilence he shall not be affraid of the feare of the night nor of the arrow that flyeth by day There shall none euill come vnto him neither shall any plague come neere his tabernacle If God be on our side what matter is it who be against vs For what better is their oposition then a blowe with a bended