jacob's TROUBLESOME JOURNEY TO BETHEL: Containing a brief exposition, or excellent Treatise of the four first verses of the 33. Chapter of GENESIS: Set forth by JOHN OVERTON, Master of Arts. GENESIS 31. 3. Revertere ad terram Patrum tuorum: & ad cognationem tuam, & ero tecum. AT OXFORD, Printed by JOSEPH BARNES, Anno D. 1586. TO HIS MOST COURTEOUS, AND LOVING FRIEND, MAster WILLIAM BRENT: JOHN OVERTON wisheth grace, peace, & all true fe licitie in jesus Christour Saviour. WORLDLY riches have I none where with to render the show of a grateful heart, but of such menial stuff as God hath lent me, I present & dedicate unto your good name, & friendly acceptation this little book (as the first fruits of my study) entitled, jacob's troublesome journey to Bethel. His brother Esau came against him with four hundred men. Whereby is signified by these two brethren, the miserable troubles between the malignant Synagogue of Satan, and the militant Church of Christ: as also other matter very necessary to be considered in this piece of Scripture. And though it be little in quantity, and in habit sutelike according to the ability of the author: yet when I gladly call to mind, & with no small comfort remember your unfeigned friendships, and favours towards me heretofore at Ilmington, I cannot but be ashamed of myself, that ability doth not afford my hand so much to write, as my heart willeth my tongue to utter how deeply indebted I am to your great courtesy. But considering that your due and full reward is laid up until another day, in an other place, by another man, of all fullness, & ability, Christ jesus the high Steward, and paie-master of all, I am to request you till that time come, which I trust shall not be long, to accept my good heart, which in all possible duty is and shall be yours bounden to command. A small reward for such benefits, I confess, yet as kind, and dutiful a mite, as the greatest valour of a farther sum. And sith that the most precious jewel in this world, which man can show, or give to man, is unfeigned love, then truly the love that creepeth when it cannot go, is aswell to be accounted of, and esteemed, as love, nay perhaps the rather than when it carrieth a higher look, and a loftier countenance: for to say the truth, benefits which are liberal for the gift, & grateful for the repay, are in that respect said to be great, or little, as the affection of the heart is great or little. But weighing my unhability, I am forced to say with Virgil: Grates persoluere dignas non opis est nostroe. This consideration therefore, as also your zeal in religion, and love of learning, did altogether move me to pen this work. And in this treatise is this especially to be observed, how jacob, whereby is signified the Church of Christ, hath been maliced, & grivouslie burdened by Esau, the malignant Church, from the beginning. All places are so fraught and full of examples hereof, that we need not experiments from far. Only the Church of Rome in this place shall serve us in steed of many: which as long as she was under persecuting TYRANTS, and sharpened as it were upon a grinding whetstone, she was found, and truly called the only nurse, or mistress of all godliness, and continency: in whom all the gifts of Christian religion, and honest life did most abundantly excel, & most brightly shine. But afterwards (the case being quite altered) she began to malice jacob, and to lay grievous burdens upon his shoulders, chief, when in steed of danger, persecution & vexations; Riches, pride, sumptuousness, & alielenes their companion came in place, & crept into the Church. And when as Bishops in steed of martyrs began to be persecutors of Martyrs themselves: and the strength, and force of the gospel decayed, & weakened more & more, into what wickedness & abomination that church did run, & fall, let every one consider, & judge with himself: I am not able sufficiently to express it according to the indignity, & heinousness thereof. This example, and note (by the way) shallbe sufficient for my purpose, especially, for that the matter appeareth so plain, and manifest in all the books of the godly. And thus submitting myself & this small treatise unto your friendly protection, & wont favour, referring the faults rather to the simpleness of my skill, then to my willing mind, and wishing you as great pleasure, & liking in the reading, as it hath been some pain, and travel to me in penning: I commend you to the direction and guiding of God his holy spirit, who grant you prosperous success in all godliness. From my study at Welsborne, the first day of April, 1586. Yours with all dutiful endeavours, ever at commandment: JOHN OVERTON. GENESIS XXXiij. 1 And as JACOB lift up his eyes, & looked, behold ESAV came, and with him four hundred men, and he divided the children to LEAH & RAHEL, & to the two maids. 2 And he put the maids and their children foremost, and LEAH and her children after, and RAHEL and JOSEPH hindermost. 3 So he went before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother. 4 Then ESAV ran to meet him, and fell on his neck, and embraced him and kissed him, and they wept. IT hath been ever a thing common in the world, and not so common as noisome, to all estates, that pride, envy, & covetousness, Envy, covetousness, and pride, soweth discord in the world. should sow discord among the sons of men, to stir up not only princes against princes, but also one brother against another. Whereof although 1. Reg. 1. 5. there be many examples extant sufficient to instruct them that have any docility, yet there is none of more importance than this of jacob, & Esau, set down by Moses. for in it who list may behold (as in a glass) the most lamentable garboils between the malignant synagogue of lathan, & the militant church of christ. The two principal causes of the hatred The causes of the hatred of Esau against jacob. of Esau against jacob, is not unknown to them which have indifferently been conversant in the scriptures, namely the loss of his birthright and blessing, wherein Gen. 25. Heb. 12. none was to blame but himself, which contemned the one, and by prevoking his mother, through his strange wives, was forestalled of the other. In this portion of scripture the meeting Gen. 26. In what array jacob put his family. of these two brethren is prescribed, & in what array poor fearful jacob, put his company to entertain that savage knight his brother Esau, honourably using this courteous & humble demeanour as an ordinary mean offered of the Lord, for the appeasing of his brother's wrath. Although there be no great felicity in The holy ghost is not tied to a method. divisions where the holy ghost is not tied to a Method, yet because this piece of Scripture is in a manner divided to our hands, let us by God's help in this our explication, stand upon these four points only. In the first place the injuries & miseries of jacob, & so of Christ's Church at these Gal. 1. 16. days, whereof jacob was then a figure, & the pomp & power of Esau: & so of the synagogue of Satan, which in our time, Esau did then represent, & to be noted out of these words: And jacob lift up his eyes and looked, behold Esau came, and with him four hundred men. Secondly the disposing of jacob's family, is to be observed, because of his discretion, The disposing of jacob's people. in these next words: And he divided the children to Leah & Rahel and the two maids, & he put the maids & their children foremost, and Leah & her children after, & Rahel & joseph hindermost. Thirdly we have to consider the courage, devotion, and humility of jacob, in The devotion, courage, and humility of jacob. this meeting, in this third verse: So he went before them, and bowed himself seven times, until he came near to his brother. Fourthly is set forth the unlookedfor loving meeting of Esau & the joy of them The loving entertainment of Esau. both in this fourth verse. Then Esau ran to meet him, & embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. The first part. COncerning the first, we have to consider The fear of jacob. Gen. 32. of these words, jacob lift up his eyes and looked, the miserable plight that jacob was in, which looked ever among when Esau should lay bloody hands upon him, and that the fear of his power, which was a little before reported to him by the messengers, had smitten him to the heart, before he saw them, which made him (no doubt) with terror to look up so often, so as he might see, when he came, whom he most necessarily met, for it was in the way to Bethel, whither God had commanded him to return: neither had he forgotten Goe 31. his Mother's advertisement when she sent him from home, that his Brother Esau was comforted against him, meaning to kill him: which caused him greatly to fear the invincible tyranny The tyranny of Death. of death, which he thought to be at hand. For here, by the way, we may note, how Death is daily ranging, & raging in the world sundry wales: the power and force whereof which of the patriarchs or monarchs of the world was once able to withstand: no not the dreadful Majesty of Kings or Keasars' could not at any time have her at beck or check, no crafty conveyance or drift in Law, could cirumvent her, no worldly wealth could bribe her, nor no Pharisaical holiness, Religion of Bishops, Monkish austerity or prayers of Priests could ever entreat her. No citizens policy or handy crafts labour could banish her of house or Town. Finally no strength of nature, no reason of man could at any time resist or give her the foil. This force, and great fear of death being strooken into jacob, knowing the malice of his barbarous brother, not unfournished with the power of vengeance; It seemed good reason that it moved him to look up so often, but here he showed his great infirmity, jacob fainted in gods promises. Gen. 32. 28. who did not stick to the promise of God, which he had received assuredly, Cum hominibus proevalebis, that he should prevail with men, but did as it may be said, so much faint by lifting up his eyes to his Brother's power, which should have been fastened upon the covenant of the Lord, with whom he prevailed: not that we condemn his forecast, and vigilancy in foreseeing the danger that was like to ensue, but that it was likely, that this often lifting up of his eyes, and his looking so longlie, proceeding from a doubting and quailing heart, which should have been established in the oath which GOD swore unto his Grandfather Gen. 22. & 26. 3. The promises entailed to jacob, spiritually. Abraham, and his father Isaac, which was as it were entailed unto him spiritually, in the decree of the Almighty, which decree his Father could not alter, as well as he loved Esau, For so often as we distrust gods promises Goe 25. 28. when we have used the ordinary mean, we derogate from the glory of God, by calling his credit in question, through our infidelity, which deserveth no pity at his hands, but to ye forsaken. Take Goe 3. 12. We must beware of unbelieving hearts. heed therefore, that we have no evil and unbelieving hearts to departed from the living God, by lifting up our eyes, and looking still with faithless fearful hearts upon the violence of Esau, since God hath said to the maintainers of equity, Non derelinquam ie, nec deseram josua. 1. 5. te, I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee. We will proceed to the exposition of the other member of the first part, before we go farther, that in the explication they may be used jointly. That which followeth therefore containeth the pomp and power of Esau: And behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. The word john. 1. 36. Behold, betokeneth demonstration. As john Baptist pointed at Christ passing by with his finger saying, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. here is noted unto us, that jacob described Esau a far off coming before he met him: which he might the better do, because he came with so great a company, which did await upon him. Moreover this word Behold in the Scripture prepareth attention to some strange matter which ensueth. Such Recorick used God's Angel, when he would declare that Elizabeth being both Luke. 36. old and barren, should bear a son: to both these uses it serveth in this place. It followeth, Esau came & with him four hundred men. This great retinue Esau's retinue was of his sons and kindred. of his, as may appear else where, was of his sons & kindred, which had increased unto him of his Cananitish wives among the Hittites, men of great account, Goe 26. 34. dukes, and nobles of the earth, living nevertheless of the spoil, as many do, which bear their heads full high at this day. In our judgement it may be thought that Moses' mentioning-foure I undred men doth closely distinguish between the warlike marching of Esau, and the wearied traveling of silly jacob, which was cumbered with Women, Children and cattle, in his journey. But to come to our purpose, we see here the misery of jacob, and the pomp, and power of Esau, to be considered. Esau martcheth The misery of jacob, the pomp of Esau. forwards, with what purpose we know not: save that a man may conjecture by the circumstances, that he came with a purpose of revenge against his brother. For that rictous assembly would have made ante man in jacob's case to suspect no less, especially considering the place whence he came, even from among the Heathen. It was very like that he returned Esau came from among the Heathen. from thence more deformed, then reform, concerning his malicious mind: As many of our countrymen have done from the other side of the Sea, feeding vain men's fautasies with Italian graces, Spanish fashions, and french courtesies, and very serviceable in speech, A Vostre commandment Monsieur: & are therefore become a byword unto the Devils in carnate. world to be called Devils incarnate. To let pass that whereof we have no certainty, this troop of men was easily able to overmatch the weary, and weak company of jacob: and who would think now, seeing the great inequality of their states, but that the birthright and blessing which jacob had received above his brother Esau, was a mere mockery: This no question, is the judgement The judgement of the flesh Rom. 9 8. of the flesh, which esteemeth things according to the outward show: but jacob's promise was spiritual, with which he held himself well apaied, neither held he himself beguiled, if it were fulfilled in his posterity, as shall be showed in more due place. In the mean while though jacob be despised, let us learn with wise hearts, to esteem of things as they are. For God is not as man: if he promise, he promiseth to the heart of Man. And without faith no man is capable of his promise lawfully, but shall be accountable for instruction. This ever hath been the condition jacob, meant by Christ's church despised. of jacob, which is to be meant of God's Church upon earth, to be vile in most places in the eyes of the world, to be an underling, to be tossed from post to pillar in all the members of the same, which might be proved by many testimonies and examples, from Abel to Christ, and from Christ to this day: but it were to carry sticks into the wood, and to set up a candle where the sun shineth. On the other side, Esau, whereby is meant, the Esau termed the devils Church. devils Church: for we purpose to dwell a while in both the branches of this comparison: for in such matter of teaching we have the Apostle Paul for a warrantic; Gal 4. 24. The congregation of the wicked are mighue. and therefore we may say, that the congregations of the ungodly are mighty, the world goeth on their side, they eat the fat of the land, they have the best preferment, and offices, they live at ease, they ail nothing, & yet they can scarce afford jacob the bare breathing of the air. In Sam. 2. 7. this world they suffer no pleasant thing to pass by them untasted, their kine cast job. 21. 10. no Calves, their Children dance in the streets, they drink wine in carved bowls, Amos. 6. 4 5. 6. 7. they stretch their limbs upon beds of ivory: But none of them remember the calamity of joseph. jacob is maliced, yea jacob maliced. Esau will come against him with four hundred men. It was so then, and is so now: we have justified our fathers in all their cruelty. God's Church is made a Stockfish amongst them, & her Children are sent home by weepeing Cross. It is 1. Cor. 1. 26. no marvel therefore that Paul saith, Not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. And here by the way we have to look in jud. 3. 7. The wrath of God against the Church of the Israelites. (as in a glass most clear) how the church of the Israelites forgot the Lord their god, & served served Balaam & Astaroth, & therefore the wrath of the lord was kindled against Israel, & he sold them into the hands of Cusan King of Mesopotamia. Again jud. 4. the Church of the Israelits did wickedly in the sight of the Lord, and therefore the Lord sold them into the hands of jabin King of Canaan. God and his Christ be as mighty & strong at this hour, as when his word was preached in the Churches of Goletta, in Tunes, in Cyprus, in Rhodes, in Constantinople, in judea, in Macedonia, Ponthus, Bithynia, Cicilia, Phrygia, Greece, Egypt, and the ends of the world. But Esau came against jacob with four hundred men, and defield Christian men's hands, and filled their fingers full of iniquity, their lips spoke untruths, & their tongues uttered wickedness, Esau & his company have made Esah hath made christians forget God. christians to forget the lord, & served Balaam of Rome, & Astaroth of Florence. They be either superstitious idolaters, or Godless and thancklesse Epicures, and worldlings. Esau his company came against jacob to pray, and spoil, to fill the land full of Usurers, bribers, and extortioners, and the Sea full of Pirates, and robbers: therefore the Lord hath hid his face from jacob, to be meant the Church of Christ, and hath sold into Esau the Turks hands, not only Constantinople, Christian kingdoms subdued by the Turk. Cyprus, Goletta, Moldavia, Bulgaria, Hungaria, Strygonyum and Buda, but also hath opened thereby to the Turk, Christendom both by Sea and by land. No great journey hath the Turk from Buda to Saxony, and Demnarke: and how nigh the Danes, and Saxons be to The Turk hath no far Journey to England. England, Englishmen should remember. No great Journey hath the Turk, from Goletta to Spain: and how nigh Spaniards be to England, Englishmen cannot forget. Yet jacob's family in England wanteth not a Captain and head, but hath a good and gracious governor, We have a gracious captain and Head in England. whom God preserve with God's word and Sacraments, Peace, plenty, and all good things. But it was not enough for the Israelits to say, Templum Domini: nor for the jews, Domine, Domine: nor for the Romanists, The Church, the Church: nor for us, The Gospel, the Gospel: but we must do works worthy of the word, and worthy of the Gospel. Ferte igitur fructus, bring forth therefore Ma. 3. 8. the fruits etc. Well, we read that Esau came against jacob, and with him four hundred men. Whereby we gather, that the congregation of the wicked and ungodly are many and mighty, they have the world at will, they remember not the misery of joseph, and joseph's misery forgotten. jacob is maliced. And can this great wickedness escape vengeance: no truly. For whosoever is guilty, & so persisteth, shall hear his own condemnation. The very ground groaneth under the burden Esay. 26. 21. of Tyrants, and shall disclose her blood, and hide her slain no more. And here we have to consider, how much of her own blood and of the blood Rome came by her regiment by shedding of blood. of strangers did Rome shed before she came to the regiment, and rule of the world: but the blood of God's Martyrs which they have persecuted crieth for vengeance to God, even as the blood of righteous Abel, which was slain by wicked Kaine, Oh God of heaven never plague us again with that infernal Synagogue of Rome: if there be any Christian heart do wish it, God open that heart to the sincere acknowledging of his Gospel, and Rome could continue her persecution no longer than God had appointed. the embracing of his mercies in Christ Jesus. But when the time of their tyranny and persecution was ended, no longer or farther could they go, as the captivity of Babylon was appointed to continue threescore & ten years, & so to cease. And when Rome had aspired to the rule and government of the world, what shameful oppression reigned on the earth, their own Chronicles make mention. This did the Prophet Esaiah foresee, saying, Quid vobis accidit, atteritis populum meum, & facies pauperum commolit is? Esay. 3. 15. What have you to do, that you beat my people in pieces, and grind the faces of the poor (saith the lord?) Audite quoeso capita jacob, & Duces Israel, nun vestrum Mich. 3. 1. erat scire judicium? Hear, I pray you, you heads of jacob, and you Princes of Israel, should not you know Judgement's But they hate the good, and love the evil: they pluck off the skins from them, & the flesh from their bones, they chop them as small as flesh to the pot. These were the complaints of Isaias & Micha in their times. If they had lived with us, what The complaint of the prophet Esay, and Micha. shall we think we should have hard at their hands? jacob having experience of his brother's malice, lifteth up his head fearfully, looking still for more anger: For the Child feareth the fire. David after Saul had darted his Javelin at him, fled from his tyranny. And gods 1 Sam. 18. 11. & 23. 43. God's church persecuted looketh for greater troubles. Church amongst us having already sustained many great injuries, lifteth up and looketh with great fear & trembling for sorer oppression. But least any man should think that she complaineth & lifteth up her eyes without a cause, let us consider by these few particulars, the wrong that is done to Israel. The souls of the people are most precious jewels & tenderly to be kept (for Acts. 20. 28. The souls of the people being precious jewels are betrayed. they cost christ his life) they are neglected, nay they are betrayed into the hands of the Devil. Although Esau himself (I mean the Pope) be banished by a most noble & virtuous prince, yet the stink that he hath left behind him hath to this day infected many. There are some that deny him in word, Unfaithful protestants. Ephe. 4. 18. and yet build up his kingdom: For is not ignorance the pillar of his kingdom? Hath not the blindness of our hearts been the chiefest weapon, with which he hath driven so Ignorance the pillar of the Pope's kingdom. many of us before him, as Oreu to the slaughter? Why then is jacob (we mean gods Church) with dumb dogs, I mean dumb Devils, so injuriously burdened: I call the ignorant, & dumb ministers, dumb dogs, & not I, but the Prophet Isaias. Esa. 56. 10. And we call the ignorant usurping Ministers which fill up the measure of their sins, with licentious life, dumb Devils, which cannot be cast out, without fasting, & prayer. God's church burdened with dumb dogs. Mark. 9 29. For wherein are they not become unto us in steed of Belial? Alas, alas, poor jacob, how dost thou mourn in thy ashes: why do men call thee blessed, since thou art yet subject to the oppression of Esau? Let us mark, I pray you, the power of these Traditionaries: Esau hindereth the reformation of jacob. they come out even to the number of 400, to hinder the reformation of jacob: and if any be desirous to know the cause why, Demetrius the silversmith shall answer for them all, Sirs you know, by this craft, we have our goods. Acts. 19 25. Let Esau's Traditionaries descend into the consideration of their Canons, which they so mightily defend, then shall they perceive in steed of reforming malefactors, discipline bought out, and Discipline bought out for money. Hose. 4. 8. so in the corruption of their consciences, making merchandises of sin, Peccata populi mei comedunt, They eat up the sins of my people, & lift their hands to iniquity. And is this the friendly entertainment of jacob? With what face dare they look upon the Sun, which have let souls to farm to the Devil: Let us speak the truth, and lie not: we stand even now in the presence of God, who will not suffer us to escape unpunished, if we speak of the root of bitterness like Esau Heb. 12. 15. Ios. 7. 15. A excommunicate thing in the land. It is said, there is a excommunicate thing, and before that excommunicate thing be taken away, we shall not be able to stand against our enemies. what is that pyonder Antichristian Esau, & that foul Dragon Re. 9 10. 11. Abaddon of Rome with his locusts. Abaddon with his locusts hath left his tail behind him, and is not the sting in the tail: That is true, the wounded of God's people shall show you. That which superstition cannot do because it is in a great part weakened, (the Lord have the glory for the same) Satan hath committed Satan's authority. to the spirit of Ambition, & Covetousness to accomplish. The time was when jacob came in the name of Esau, & Gen. 17. 18. was blessed, but now is Esau stopped in with the smooth hands of jacob, and is Esau blessed, jacob cursed. cursed. The time was when many seemed to melt at the misery of Zion. The time is, when the self-same men, lie frozen in their Zoph. 1. 12. The misery of Zion. dregs in Babylon. When the kingdom of Satan began to increase after the decease of Godly pastors in the Primitive Satan's kingdom increased. church, idle and profane men usurped the place and took to themselves condemnation by violence. These men being both unable, and unwilling themselves to execute their office in teaching the people, put over their charge to stocks and stones, & dumb Idols. To this end Gregory's error pleased them well, That Images are laymen's books. Pope Gregory his error. Thus wrapped they men's hearts in ignorance, & with the price of their Idolatry The papists enriched by Idolatry. built them Palaces, which threatened the heavens. Consider therefore, that Erercise, and diligence, in hearing, & reading of God's word taught, or preached, bringeth men from ignorance, And again Erercise & diligence causeth men to have a credit in Religion, whether it be true or What bringeth religion into credit. false: for it never taketh place and root in the people without diligence, as it is to be perceived in the Acts & gests done in the time of jeroboam, & Roboam Kings 3. Reg 12. The Mass brought into credit. of Israel & juda. What brought the mass and all other Idolatry into estimation, but daily saying & preaching thereof, with such laud and praise, that the most ignorants known what a Mass was worth? Fifteen Masses in a Church were not enough for the priests of Baal to be said daily: And should one Sermon in a day be too much for a godly & evangelical Minister? But here some will say, labour is left and men's businesly undone. Surely this is ungodly to be spoken: The sayings of the ungodly. for those that bear the people in hand of such things, know very well, that there was neither labour, cares, needs, necessities nor any thing else, that could heretofore keep the from mass, though it had binsaid at four of the clock in the morning. Therefore we may perceive the people were contented to lose more labour, and spend more time then, to go to the Devil, than More labour spent to go to the Devil, thá to come to God. now to come to god: wherefore where daily prayer is said, not only in churches, but also in private houses, the Parents, Masters, Children and family shall find advantage and gain thereby at the years Daily prayer in private houses. end, though they hear daily a sermon, morning and evening prayer every day in the weak. Thus did Adam serve god, after he was Gen. 4. Adam served God. called to repentance, and in steed of a minister, did teach his children, and family, first to know their saviour, and to serve god, in true faith, as witnesseth the oblation of his obedient son Abel. Seth and Enoch Seth & Enoch called on god. Gen. 5. Heb. 11. Gen. 6. Noah the preacher of righteousness. in like manner served God, for it is written of them, that they began to make invocation to the name of the Lord. Noah with his children & family was not only saved from drowning, but hath this true title to be called the preacher of righteousness. What should we speak of Abraham, Isaac, jacob & Loth, which made invocation Gen. 11. 12. 47. Heb. 11. jacob & Loth preached gods word. to the name of the lord, and in steed of preachers, taught the word of god themselves, and retained the true faith surely grounded upon the said word, and by good example of life, and doctrine, left the same to their families & posterities: but when, as we have said, in the kingdom of Satan profane men usurped the places of godly men, in the primitive Church, and had wrapped men's hearts in ignorance and Idolatry, men's hearts were wrapped in Idolatry. they maintained Esau's Traditionaries with the gains thereof: but now (thanks be given to God) in these latter times we have eased jacob's shoulders of such burdens, and have well purged our Churches from such abominations. But yet must it needs be said, that Many ignorant ministers of the meanest sort. Reg. 12 31. there are put in the places of godly pastors many an ignorant, & dissolute person: and our ministers for the most part, are as the priests of jeroboam, even of the lowest of the people. And this we have done, lest we We love not to have our faults reproved. should hear hard things, lest our ambition, and covetousness should be reproved: and why should we not speak plainly and tell the truth: for filthy lucre sake we have committed Sacrilege, nay we will say Sacrilege for Lucre sake. Souls murdered. more, we have murdered the souls of our brethren. Will any body put us to our proof: Who will then seek for reformation when it is proved: Many are patrons of benefices, & they Benefices sold to Symonistes for money. sell that for money to them that will give most, among the wicked Symonists men of little account, less understanding, & least conscience of all: & yet they say we are no Church Church-robbers. robbers, and we murder no souls. Noblemen and men of worship (or else they bear lies) writ their letters unto the Bishops for admitting of unworthy persons to the ministery, yea such as are of Unworthy persons admitted to the ministery. the worse, and base sort, far unmeet for that calling: neither learned, godly, or zealous, but covet the rooms of godly pastors, to lead an idle life, and for covetousness Christ's Church fraught with unlearned hirelings. sake they may be well termed good cheap hirelings. jacob's church is at this day so fraught with them, that the learned which desire the office to set forth the glory of God, and the edifying of his people No place for the godly and learned in Christ's church. in the right knowledge of his word, can have no places to increase their talents, unless they will be hirelings for ten pounds by the year, although the living be worth to the parson or farmor, and hundred pounds by the year. The common people say, that Spiritual men have too much, they keep no The murmur of the people against the spirituality. hospitality, they neither preach nor teach after they have livings, they become covetous. They ware rich, & will not arise out of their nests, which they think they have built in a rock. Those that should Psal. 74. 9 be overseers of these, lie idle, not looking to their charge, they send forth many to wait upon Esau, but few to wait upon jacob. They which have the places of punishing sin, have learned their lesson of the horsle aches two daughters. A man Pro. 30. 15. may travel some way, & find not a preacher Preaching decayed. in fifteen Parishes, nor yet any Minister able to expound fire words of the Scripture. Have we not then just cause, to take up the old complaint of Moses Exod. 32. 21. against Aaron? what did the people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great sin upon them? All these miseries of jacob not withstanding, cast up your eyes about, and you shall see a pomp like the pomp of Esau. What they were in times past, that maketh no matter to us: God Gal. 2. 6. Ezech. 33. 12. accepteth no man's person, their old works are forgotten. If they discontinue I say many of them now, whether of jacob or no, we can not tell. The Lord knoweth who are his. But this we are sure of, they lift up themselves against Israel, muzzling the mouth of the Oxen that tread out the corn: and coming out 1. Cor. 1. 9 Psal. 9 12. with four hundred men, some dumb dogs, some filthy Canaanites, which The proceed of jacob hindered. have cast in their lots among thieves, to hinder the proceeding of innocent jacob. Will not God have all these things in mind, when he maketh Inquisition for blood: Can not he judge through the job. 12. 13. dark clouds? Yes, yes, God hath not so conteinned the lifting up of jacob's eyes, nor colerated the ways of the scornful, that he should return to visit them, and take them as he findeth them. Nevertheless let us pray for them, even the prayer of the Prophet, Give them, Lord: What Hose. 9 14. shalt thou give them? A barren womb, and dry breasts: Let the children perish for the sins of their fathers. As for Esau himself, let him drink, and be drunk, and stumble, and fall, and rise no more. It is little enough that to some we seem more sharp, than the matter requireth. But I would to God we were more touched with the ruin of jerusalem, that jacob, I mean God's Church, might find redress for these injuries. Who is he amongst men, or what is A similitude of the church. his name, which having one only daughter, most virtuous, & most beautiful, adorned with most excellent qualities, the staff of her father's comfort, being betrothed to a worthy king of great estate, would not be drowned with tears, and swallowed up with unmeasureable sorromes, if she were violently taken from him, and given to a miscreant bastard, jothsome and deformed person, being infected with all manner of most filthy, and contagious diseases? And is not this the case of god's church? How glorious is the Psal. 45. 15. Eph. 5. 27. 2. Cor. 11. 2. Christ's church committed to the ministers charge 1. Sam. 4. 11. kings Daughter within? She hath neither spot nor wrinkle: she is betrothed to Christ: And by procksie he hath committed her to the charge of his true ministers. But lift your eyes, & look, behold, I say, & weep. For the ark is taken from the Leuit: the spouse of Christ is committed to the hands of filthy, unclean, and brutish persons: revelat. 9 3. juskish locusts are engendered of the smoke of bastard discipline, which are as thorns to our eyes, and scorpions to out sides. The sheeprives stand by, and look on, yet none of them stretcheth forth his arm to pluck the lamb from the Eagle, nor the Turtle Dove out of the hand of the Psal. 74. 19 beast. And now we beseech you give sentence, are the tears of Israel as the tears of an unconstant woman? Or hath be not just cause to complain? But to what purpose are the injuries of the Church laid before The injuries of the church laid before us, you, & compared with the injuries of jacob? Forsooth to this end, that like as the injuries already offered to jacob, made him to fear farther violence, & therefore to lift up his eyes, and look when Esau came: So it might appear that the injuries offered to God's Church may justly make it to fear farther vengeance from God, and violence from men: and therefore to lift up their eyes, and look when the Pope himself shall come. For let him come A number of the Pope's knights dubbed to maintain his kingdom. to morrow, and we have dubbed a number of dolts for his purpose: He shall need to alter neither the men, nor their orders: and if we have made idle pastors, hath not God's church reason to lift up her eyes to see, when the Idols themselves shall follow? If we varnish his styrrops, will we neglect his saddle? If we be so desirous of his discipline, will we make dainty of his doctrine? The Turk keepeth himself to his Alcaran, the jew to his Talmud, or Kabala, & the Pope to his Portuise. But if god's The true church of god accused of singularitic. church cleave to the singleness of the word, refusing mixture, and seek a service and administration thereafter, she is then accused of singularity, How say you now? do not these things give jacob good cause to lift up his eyes and to look when Esau should come with four hundred men? Believe me, believe me, if any Magistrate should go about to colour these things, but not with the covering of gods spirit, and say, what maketh this to us? we may very well say again, What make they then in the places of government in the Church of Christ? Therefore let the godly lift up the eyes of their hearts to God, and pray unto him, from whom nothing is hid, that there may be a zealous reformation of jacob's troubles, We must pray for the reformation of Christ's Church. and griefs, which is to be feared will not be, unless we cease from carnal gospelling, oppression of the poor, covetousness, earthly minds, fleshly justs, and not to be wise in our own selves, but to seek to be wise in the lord. For he is the opener and mollister of all hearts which he turneth. Knock therefore, that the lord may open, seek that you may find, but see that you knock, and seek aright. The same god that opened the bowels of Moses towards his brethren, give all his elect pitiful hearts towards poor jacob, yea & to our own souls, that we may in simplicity and rightness of spirits, tack our powers to the highest pin, for the advancement of god's glory. Let this suffice We ought to lament the miseries of Christ's Church. for the first part, concerning the injuries and miseries of jacob, and the pomp and power of Esau: Now followeth the second part concerning the disposing of jacob's family contained in these words. The Second part. 2 And he divided the children to LEAH and RAHEL, and to the two maids: and he put the maids and their Children foremost, and LEAH and her children after, and Rahel, and joseph hindermost. Here is first to be considered and observed that difference which is The differece between the faithful & the unfaithful. Gen. 31. 1. found between the unfaithful & them that fear god with a confidence assured in his promises. For although jacob, otherwise feared the violenee of his brother Esau, and bewrayed his infirmity, even after God had comforted him, by an host of Angels, and had given him victory in wrestling: yet was he not amazed nor blasphemed Psa. 5. 5. & 62. 4. god, like the wicked, with curses and most terrible oaths, of all forts: against who the prophet David crieth out saying: The wicked blaspheme god, swearing cursing, and lying. The unrighteous shall not stand in thy sight, O lord: thou hatest them that work iniquity. Thou shalt destroy all them that speak lies: but how much more likely is it, that the lord will destroy all them that speak blasphemy, and abuse his holy name: Saul verily blasphemed the name of the 1. Reg. 28. 8. Blasphemers punished. lord, because he called not upon his name in his extreme misery, and trouble, but asked counsel of a Pithonisse, was compelled to kill himself with his own hand, after he had seen his people down right slain by the philistines his enemies, and his sons lie dead in the midst of the people. Ananias & Saphira his wife, lied to the Acts. 5. 3. 10. Liars punished. holy ghost, and falling down suddenly to the ground, go with shame enough to the devil of hell. Senacherib sweareth & blasphemeth 4. Reg. 18. 30. the name of the eternal God, before the walls in jerusalem: but anon after he for his labour was bearest of his puissant army, and in his own gods temple shot thorough by his son. jehoachim and Zedechias both kings of juda, and blasphemers of gods name, 4. Reg. 24. 20. 4. Reg. 16. 9 & 10. are taken captives, & slain by Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon. Achas, jesabel, and the priests of Baal are clean wiped by King jehu, because that they under the colour of God & godliness, persecuted the true religion. The man that blasphemed the name of levit. 24. God, was overwhelmed with stones to death. The which examples of holy scripture, as they are terrible, & dreadful, so are they written for us, to consider, that not the least part of our calamities at these days do happen unto us, because of our detestable lying, cursing, & horrible oaths, which few magistrates, parents and masters do go about to redress as they should do. Magistrates & Parents must punish blasphemers. Many blasphemous people in these days. Wherefore the name of the living god is blasphemed with passing deep, and horrible oaths of all sorts, and of all ages, so that it is verily to be thought from the beginning of the world, was there never such blasphemous people, as are in this wicked age of ours: and therefore are we vexed with unspeakable and endless troubles. The plague never goeth from the house Eccle. 23. 12. of swearers: For God is true & cannot lie, which saith, That they shall not escape Exod. 20. scotfree, that take his name in vain. We should then be so true, one of us to another, and careful to say the truth, that our communication should be yea, yea, nay, nay. For whatsoever is more than this, is sin. Mat. 5. The men of our time do not only take the name of God in vain, but do of malice blasphemously defile it. It were therefore very godly, not only that the magistrates, but also parents, and masters, in every of The duty of householders. their private houses, would look to this horrible abuse of god's name, and sharply punish those that are accustomably given to swearing, cursing, and lying: and sincerely by good example & living, set forth the true worship of god among their people, over whom they have charge: Or else, if this may not be obtained at their hands they will be no worse nor godless than Caiphas: who when he hard as he thought Caiphas. Mat. 26. Mark. 14. 10. 18. Luk. 21. blasphemy against the name of god, rend his clothes and cried that the blasphemor was worthy to die. For assuredly unless Christian magistrates, and governors of families do not very earnestly punish the ungodly householders worse than Caiphas. offenders herein: it cannot otherwise be said, but that they are a great deal worse than that wicked Caiphas. But now to come again to the effect of our matter, we may well perceive, that jacob although he was put into a jacob in his crouble blasphemeth not God. great fear and agony by his brother Esau's coming against him with four hundred men, yet did he not by any means blaspheme god. or was amazed like the ungodly: but behaved himself wisely. descreetly & prudently, in disposing of his family, for the best safety and advantage, if aught had betid him more rigorously: whereas the wicked in time of peril are at their wit's end, & stand amazed like stocks, job. 18. 11. or else are driven into such brutish passions, that they be wray their fearfulness, (so far separated from discretion) that they never had any great strength. Example hereof we have in Ahas, and his people, who at Pro. 24. 10. Esau. 22. the report of the coming of Aram against them, are said to be moved with fear like the leaves of a tree shaken with the mind. It is true that the wiseman saith, Blessed is he that always maketh himself prover. 28. 24. afraid. For if we acquaint not ourselves with mortification, and set before We must acquaint ourselves with mortification. us the terror of God, to be exercised and humbled in the time of peace, and quietness, it is to be feared, lest when the storms of affliction beat upon us, we be so affrighted as much some strange thing, that we shall not only be beereft of patience, the Patience the principal exercise of faith. Deu. 28. 29. principal exercise of faith, whereby we possess our salvation: but also be disabled to use the ordinary means, set before us for our delivery, without the which we shall not be able to escape the violence of our enemies. Moreover if this disposing of jacob's family be considered, as occasion willbe given by & by, we shall perceive the doubting of the man which we speak of in the beginning. And these infirmities The infirmity of the Fathers not to be excused. Gen. 30. 4. 10. of the fathers we must not go about to excuse, neither in this, neither in that, he begat children of Bilhah and Dilpah, his wives maids, whereof mention is made, nor yet in his plurality of wives, lest that I should justify a piece of clay, and besides that prefer injury to many. Yet in one respect (although I rejoice not in their sins) since God hath so ordained that their Salvation consists only in God's mercy. 1. Cor. 9 10. salvation should consist in mere mercy, we may rejoice that they fel. For example of god's mercy, for in raising them which fell in the beginning, is a staff to hold them up, which are now bowed down with their infirmities. Not that man should wound himself in hope of this salve, but that those which are already wounded and know it, might not be to seek of the Chirurgeon. But to come near to our purpose, jacob jacob's discretion, and his wisdom not in flesh nor blood. not withstanding the fearfulness of his heart, yet showeth he great discretion, and wisdom in ordering of his business, as one purposed to use the best ordinary means that was offered, & to leave the rest to the lord, And whence had he this staidness & wisdom in so trouble some a time: certainly neither of flesh nor blood, but by the gift of God, without which no man can stand upright in the evil day. We read in this former chapter how he prepared himself to this purpose with Man nothing without god. Gen. 32. 9 jacob prepared himself with humble prayer. fervent and humble prayer, for that is the tower of the faithful, and the very ordinary way, & means, whereby god is moved to help us in our necessities: & they which seldom use it, provide evil for their faith. Surely the good success, that the Lord gave jacob here (after the said prayer) should encourage us to enterprise nothing before we have first craved the direction of our god, and so much the rather, by this example, because it appeareth by the tenor of this prayer and the politic disposing of his family being compared with that which followed, and succeeded, that God God gave jacob more than he asked. Psal. 79. 13. gave him more than he durst either ask, or look for, so plentifully received he, his prayers rewarded home again into his own bosom. Our lesson by the way is, that when we have poured out our spirits before God, craving any thing at his hands, We must rest in gods providence. we must so rest in his providence, that we do nevertheless use the ordinary mean, & not lie still presumptuously tempting the Lord, as the manner of some is. Thus did josua. 7. josua work the will of the lord in his battle, & the fruit of his labour was the fulfilling of his prayer. Yea when we have an assurance of that we ask at the lords hands, yet the example of Elias teacheth us 1 Reg. 18. 24. Prayer doth exercise our faith. to pray still, that our faith be not dull, & idle. The conclusion of this note is, that if we will not have our wisdom to fail us, when we most need it, let us not forget in the In our troubles we must put the Lord in mind of his mercies. searefulnes of our hearts because of our infirmity, to put the lord in mind of his mercies, lest when danger is laid upon us, our shadow of wisdom be scattered into the clouds, & we crushed under 〈…〉 Further more here is 〈…〉 care & love that this holy Patriat 〈◊〉 The christian love and care of jacob towards his family. had towards his family. The malice which was in Esau, he knew well, was but against his own person. And therefore if his tender love towards his wives, had not greatly prevailed which him, he might have taken his flight to escape from the hands of Esau: But he as a loving, & faithful father of a family, did not only carry by it, but also put them in such array, as might best beseem the entertainment of the lord Esau, or rather might best serve for the safeguard of come of their lives, which was kindermost, by taking their flight, if Esau should assault the foremost. This christian love jacob's love to his wines, is wanting in many husbands in these days. of jacob to his wives, & the godly care towards his family, is wanting in many in these days, which range abroad not for any danger that driveth them, but they go to seek it. If one that were in authority should examine many of our young gentlemen, which have bound them to the unseparable knot of holy marriage, what is the cause Vain travel. that english ground cannot bear them: why some of them shake the buckler in Paris, & some other walk the streets in Venice: & Like husbamnd 〈…〉 〈◊〉 they can give as good account of it, 〈…〉 wives which they have left behind them, can do of their unchaste behaviour in England. But such marraige is no more honourable than whoredom. And here by the way we may well consider, The ungodly attire of women. that jacob's wives were not apparelled, like to our wives in England in these bay, more like Maskers, than Matrons, with heads compassed like to Rams Horns, and frilled hairs, more meet for sparrows to make their nests in, than for christians to wear. If they were well disposed to read the scriptures, they should learn what Saint Peter speaketh of womenlike apparel, saying: That women's 1. Pet. 3. 3. 4. 5. 6. apparel should not be outward with broided hair, either in putting on of gorgeous apparel. But let the hid man which is in the heart, be without all corruption of a meek and quiet spirit, which spirit is before God a thing much set by. For after this manner, did the women in the old time which trusted in God, attire themselves, being obedient to their husbands, even as Sara obeyed Abraham & called him Lord. Cyprian that godly martyr writeth this Cyprian speaking against the unseemly attire of women. of women, saying. Qua sericum & purpuram induunt, Christum induere non possunt. Women that advance themselves in putting on silk, and purple, cannot lightly put on Christ. And again, Foemine crines suos inficiunt malo proesagio, capillos enim sibi flammeos auspicari non metuunt. They which colour their heirs with red & yellow begin to prognosticate of what colour their heads shallbe in hell. And farther he saith, Qui se pingunt in hoc seculo, aliter quam creavit Deus, metuant, cum resurrection is venerit dies, ne artifex creaturam snam non cognoscat. They which love to paint themselves here in this world, otherwise than God hath created them, let them fear, lest when the day cometh of resurrection, the creator will not know them. And for these and the like abuses the lord both punish our sins, one with another. We may here in like manner object the example of jacob with the peevish Papists, which upon forged pretence of conscience, have left their Nature soil, their wives, their children, their families, and have broken their obedience to their true, lawful, and christian Princess: and when England is to hot for them, are run to roost at Rome. If jacob had fled, he had fled from Esau, a tyrant. But they in fleeing 1. Sam. 15. 10. 1. Reg. 11. 4. are become like to jeroboam, which fled from peaceable Solomon, to the Egyptians. But they have a vow in Hebron like Absalon a traitor to his own father. And can there be a more unconscionable act, then to break the loyalty of true subjects towards so loving a princess, & to make themselves slaves to a infamous stranger? we may marvel with what forehead they may plead conscience any longer. The manner, why Moses doth so diligently report the order of this array, is, that we might understand whom jacob was most jacob desired to save some. desirous to save (if any danger had been) for the foremost were in most danger, and likest to be slain first, if Esau had drawn Gen. 32. 8. sword against them: and therefore he declareth that the two Maids with their children were put in the Fronttire, and Leah, and her children next, and Rahel & her children hindermost. Only this note is here to be given, that when he thought to provide for the escape of some, joseph joseph most precious in jacob's eyes. his youngest son, and the only son of Rahel was most precious in his eyes, and (no doubt) he was comforted in the hope which he had of him, even when he was yet but a child: and therefore placed he him with his mother hindermost, that he might escape with the first. Our instruction out of this example is twofold. First we learn not to We must not be desperate in troubles. cast off all care of business, though things go not forward as we would have them, for that were to be desperate: but to do the best we can to save some, though there be no hope to save all. jacob looketh not to save all, yea, he feareth to lose the most part: yet doth he not set all at six and seven, as one without care, or counsel; but hath a respect to his posterity after him, jacob hath a respect to his posterity. Ios. 14. 23. expecting to himself nothing but present death. Likewise Moses, although the Lord told him flatly, that none of the people which he brought out of Egypt should enter into the land of promise, but Caleb and josua, thought not he had lost his weary and long travel among the rest. For he knew that in time God could accomplish his promise, much unlike to those peevish spirits, which if the Lord follow not their Peevish papists. humour, bid him take all (as it is in the proverb.) And the prophet showeth, that the isaiah. 1. 9 reserving of a remnant maketh us that we are not destroyed, as Sodom, nor consumed Sodom. Gomorrah. like Gomorra. Our other lesson is, that they which are guides, especially governors which should be as noursefathers and nurse mothers: not to put the weakest governors should be nurse fathers and nurse mothers. to the worst, but to provide carefully for joseph. But now the days are come again that joseph is carried away from his father, & sold into Egypt by his brethren, where they cast him into prison. Notwithstanding his blessing which his father jacob gave unto him, was also repeated by Moses, as he then had a carnal fruition of it, so shall be in the latter times (in his posterity) obtain a spiritual possession of the same: Namely, the blessing of God, which dwelled in the bush, shall be upon the Gen. 49. 26. Deut. 33. 16. head of joseph, and upon the top of the head of him, which was separated from his brethren. If it be demanded why judas Why judas was not placed hindermost. was not rather placed hindermost for his safety, seeing that the sceptre was his by promise, and seeing that of his tribe should come the Messiah as appeareth in his prophesy upon his death bed, the answer is Gen. 49. 10. easy, for as per this was unknown to jacob himself, who had not the revelation before he was towards his death. Now to the last note of this second part: you shall observe the notable government of jacob, how reverend a father of a family we may gather him to have been, by this place, and of how great The notable government of jacob. authority in all his household. You have hard how they all went in great danger of their lives. In which cases every one of us, is given to shift for ourselves, though it be to the breach of obedience. It is marvel therefore, that they strove not who should go hindermost, and that every one coveted not the place of most safety. Surely in that they were obedient, & stood in such array as he thought good to set them, there is a notable precedent unto us of his prudence, & authority, which had trained them up to this tractableness: and in them commendable A notable example of obedience. obedience, which quietly kept their places assigned without brawling or contention. The like example was notable before Gen. 17. 23. Abraham's family obeyed him. 1. Reg. 2. 3. 4. in his grandfather Abraham, to whom all his servants obeyed and were content to have their foreskins cut, which was a grievous wound in the flesh, when circumcision was ordained. Contrariwise Eli the high priest his two sons Hophni Elies' sons obeyed him not, and are slain. and Phinees, because they obeyed not their father's monition, when he rebuked them for their wickedness, for lying with strange women, which waited at the door of the tabernacle of witness were both slain by the Philistines their enemies. Ely also Elie plagued for not correcting his sons. himself because he did not sharply punish and correct his sons for their wickedness, & disobedience, but did seem to wink at their sins, saying, Sons, how is it that I hear such report of you, that ye make the lords people to trespass against him: What became of Ely for omitting punishment? Surely when he hard the ark of the Lord was taken by the Philistines, he fell from a stool and broke his neck. Hoc scriptum est ad nostram doctrinam: These things are written for our learning: And Parents must be reverend, to be reverenced. that masters, and parents should learn by the example of the two godly fathers, to be reverend, that they may be reverenced: and by Ely and his sons to minister sharp discipline for notable offences. And let them both by nurture, example and discretion, go in and out before their family, that they have them obedient in all the will of the Lord. For it must be observed, that because both Abraham and jacob went Gen. 18. 19 Abraham and jacob did gods will. Num. 22. 23. about the will of their God, therefore they inclined the hearts of their family to obedience. Otherwise, the very Ass, whereon Balaam road, was disobedient unto him, because he went about wickedness, & himself disobeyed the almighty. Thus we conclude this second part, wherein we have noted the discretion, and staidness of jacob, whereby the danger not withstanding, he feared not like the faithless Mammonists, the infirmities of the fathers not The Mammonusts' fear. to be excused, the preparation of jacob by prayer, the love towards his family, and how he sought to save some, not hoping to save all: how he tendered the weakest, and his authority and government in his family. The lord power a great measure of his spirit into the hearts of our guides to dispose the family of jacob discreetly for the preservation of Innocent joseph. The third part. The third part is containing the courage, devotion & humility of jacob in his meeting of Esau. 3 So he went before them & bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near unto his brother. In the first member of this sentence where he saith (so he went before them) Moses in this doth declare the courage of jacob, which like a good captain led them the way cheerfully. In the second jacob a good Captain, goeth before his family. member when it is said, To have bowed to the ground seven times, is set down his devotion towards god, & his humility towards his brother. In every one of these we see nothing, but that which beseemeth so great a Patriarch, as jacob jacob did that which beseemed a Patriarch. was. First therefore you hear how he set himself foremost in the rank, least by his fear, and towardliness, the rest should be discomforted. After that the prophet David David slattereth himself in the flesh. had put affiance presumptuously in the flesh, flattering himself in his ease, that he should not be moved for ever, he was compelled to confess that when God had hidden his face he was troubled, & to sing this new song: Lord of thy good pleasure Psal. 30. 28. thou hast established strength to thy mountain. That is to say, before & fastened my Ancre upon my present wealth & peace, or I spread forth my sails at my merigales of wind, I presumed upon myself. and depended not upon the free favour of God: therefore in so doing the Lord by withdrawing his countenance taught me, that my courage was but fool hardiness, and in mercy showed me a more sure hold, where to trust, even his mountain, to which his good pleasure he hath established strength. Now jacob (we know) submitted jacob depended upon god's produidence. himself wholly to God's providence, being ready at all times to resign into his hands whatsoever God had bestowed upon him. With this faith therefore Faith looketh God in the face. which ever looketh God in the face, who performeth that he promiseth, he goeth boldly and courageously before his people. And surely if we have faith, we are not afraid, Mat. 8. 28. Rom. 5. 5. and if we hope we are not ashamed. For the grimly countenance of the tyrants upon earth whom we behold with our bodily eyes, are not so terrible unto us, as the Lord of hosts is comfortable, whom our faith, which is our spiritual eye, beholdeth, armed for our defence in the heavens. But in this courageousness, jacob hath companions but a few, for the heads of the people and governors of the earth, are content to erceed others in wealth and ease, and from There is no bridle can keep us from covetousness. Esau coming, we shrink back. the lururious pomp of this world, there is no bridle to pluck them back. But when Esau cometh, they are content to lose their place of dignity, they strain courtesy there, who should go foremost. This is true in the governors, this is true in the priests, they care not who go before them, when any danger is at hand. But if there be any time at the length in which they may cease to be apprentices to the Devil, let them not stop their ears against the great pastor of the flock, which saith, That joh. 10. 11. a good she epheard giveth his life for the sheep. After the decease of Moses which courageously went before the people through a roaring wilderness, his servant josua was raised up to continue their conduction: & because he had many barbarous Giants to subove, and perilous exploits josua. 1. 5. 7. 9 to achieve, the lord driveth him for wards often with this commandment, Confortate, & Heb. 12. 13. roborate valde. Be strong only be strong. And that he might make straight steps to his feet, lest by halting he should turn out of the way, he setteth this promise before him: Non derelinquam te, ne que deseramte, The promise of God to josua. I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee. And the same arm of God, which then smote the proud and confounded his enemies before him, which cut Rechab, Rechab. 2. Reg. 4. 12. and wounded the dragon, shall in our days also wake up, if we will be strong in God's strength, to scatter Esau, and his four hundred men before us, as chaff before the wind. But the same exclamation, which was wont to be in men's mouths at the death of the faithful prophets agreeth too well with our time. Oh the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen of the same, for the true prophets decay, and their prayer 〈◊〉 Reg. 13. 14. and prophesy was of more force than all our warlike munitions, and whose spiritual courage was more mighty than the sturdines of the flesh. As for the most part which remain, they are turned backward, they are like to the sluggard which saith: There is a lion in the street: yea many will rather lead the dance to iniquity. The courage of jacob was built upon jacob's courage built on faith. Heb. 11. 2. & 12. 1. jacob a pattern of christian courage. faith, therefore is he reckoned in the number of those fathers, whose steadfast belief the Apostle saith, Hath compassed us with a great number of witnesses. Well we see a perfect pattern of christian courage: the commandment of God was of more force in him, to make him obey, than the peril that was instant to make him afraid. There was no other way to bethel Gen. 13. 13. whither he was commanded to return, but by Esau: should be therefore contemn the voice of God which said, I am the god of Bethel, where thou annointest the pillar 〈◊〉 no: If God have said go to Bethel, we may not stay in Padam Aeran, though Esau with four hundred men stay in the way, (as we shall find them in the right We must obey God's word. way) yet must we go to Bethel. Obey the word of God, he is the God of Bethel, It followeth that jacob bowed himself jacob's devotion and humility. to the ground seven times until he came to his brother. Here in these words (as we have said before) is comprised the humility and devotion of jacob. For it is probable, and it is the judgement of many, that all this courtesy was not given to Esau alone, but that he also in the way devoutly did humble himself before God. This devotion as it is at all times most requisite, so do we then most use it, & feel the most fruit of it, when any danger hangeth over our heads, and we know by experience, as many as have not put away the feeling of God's spirit with both their hands, that we are apt by nature to gather pride unto ourselves in the time of prosperity. And we then forget god most, when In prosperity we gather pride & forget God. be poureth his benefits most beneficially upon us. Therefore both the lord gather by the flitting of his children by afflictions, to set an edge upon their prayers, that they may be keen to cut the clouds and come before him. Some that are not of Our earnest prayers cut the clouds before God. the stubberner sort he humbleth in spirit, and maketh them to go forth sowing in tears, when he seemeth to bend the brows of his judgement upon their terrified consciences. Others that are more unruly, he correcteth with the rods of men, and tameth Terrified consciences. them with outward punishment, teaching them devotion in the school of affliction. Finally there is no dispensation given to any of God's children. For the apostle both set down appossitive law. As 2. Tim. 9 10. many as will live godly in Christ jesus, must suffer persecution. And when we see the fruit of affliction in the person of jacob, even devotion, and a religious care of godliness, whereas to many of us, our ease & fullness of bread hath brought forth contempt and security, which of us having a spirit any thing better than the spirit of a Pagan, will not wish rather to abide all God correcteth whom he loveth. his life under the correction of the Lord, the corrector of them whom he loveth, than by wallowing in such prosperity, which many are not able to wield, to become like a horse or mule, which hath no understainding? Psal. 32. 10 The prophet David bringeth in himself for an example, to confirm this doctrine. Before I was afflicted, (saith he) Ps. 119. 67. 71. I went astray, but now I keep thy word. And a little after, It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn thy statutes. For this cause, ought we all to lift up our weak hands to God, that our true repentance may turn away his anger. In which he threateneth to make our sun to go down at noon, because he hath Amos. 8. 9 found us in the number of those, of whom Moses prophesied thus in his song: He Deut. 32. 15. that should have been upright, when he waxed fat, spurned with his heel: thou art fat, thou art gross, thou art laden with fatness, therefore he forsook the God that made him, and regarded not the strong God of his salvation. Questionless, if Moses were now alive, Devotion in prosperity is the sister german to the papistical daughter of ignorance. to stand by, & behold our insolency, he could not have met more iumply with our sin. This is even the devotion that our prosperity hath brought forth. sister german to the papistical daughter of ignorance. But how much better were it, if we would in the days of our peace, draw our sleepy souls with violence to the tribunal of god? Then should not our devotion betied to affection, neither should our righteousness be like the dew, & the morning cloud. And there we have to learn, that if god should never touch his child rem, whom he loveth which the rod Without affliction we forget God. of his fatherly discipline, but to take the bit between their teeth, & so to run forwards & never to be plucked back, but as it were, always to fill the belly like glutton's which delicate meats, the ears full of music, to flow in wealth, to excel in authority, to flow rish in honour, abound with friends, richly apparelled, guarded which routs of serving men, The vanity of the world and worldlings. had in admiration & reverence in the face of y world: but what then alas, shall become of our miserable & wretched souls: therefore let us look, what is done in our inward world, let us open I pray you the secret & inward eyes of our hearts, them shall we well understand, that there is a far other world than this, where far greater riches, & richer treasures are found of them, who seriously We must look for the world to come. & heartily travel to seek them out. Wherefore we must not murmur against god for his loving correction, when we set greater force by the pleasures of this world, than the observation of his will & commandments. Now concerning the humility of jacob to his brother, it is evident in his obeizance which he made to him. In that he bowed himself before him, it was the manner of the people that dwelled Eastward (among whom jacob had been to be courteous in such jacob used the courtesy of people that dwelled Eastward. kind of curtsy, in bowing themselves down before great personages. This example serveth us that jacob held the patience of hope: & because he believed, therefore he made no haste but was content to be bumbled to him, over whom his father in his prophetical blessing had ordained him Lord: not Gen. 27. 29. because he disinherited that which his Father had spoken, but partly because he understood it spiritually: & partly because the time was not yet come, in which the kingdom of Israel which was of jacob, should exercise that dominion over the Edomits, The Edomies were Esau's posterity. which was the posterity of Esau. And although the wicked do usurp the blessing of gone upon the earth the lawful use whereof Heb. 1. 2. christ hath restored to none but his brethren: yet the children of god are so lifted up which the riches of their hope, that which an holy concempt they vouchsafe not to give at tendance upon this world, where they have Heb. 3. 13. no abiding City, but lay for the world, where they look for one to come. Thus shortly have we performed that we promised in the beginning. But before we go farther, we have one The promises made to the fathers. Gen. 27. 29. thing here to observe, concerning the promises made to the fathers. Isaac said, Be thou lord over thy brethren: and let thy mother's children honour thee. But for all that, jacob stowyeth low to Esau's foot. Likewise to Solomon, it is said, Thy throne O God is for ever and ever. But Psal. 45. he is no sooner dead, but ten Tribes are rend from his son, & given to a stranger: 1 Reg. 11. 31. and within 419 years after his posterity were captives in Babylon. So christ promised to ratify the doings of Peter, but Mat. 16. 19 Gal. 2. 12. 13. yet the spirit of God, which spoke in Paul, withstood him to the face for his dissimulation. Notwithstanding in all these promises, the word of the lord standeth firm, and his truth reacheth to the heavens. In The word of God standeth firm. Many of the father's bare the person of Christ. the scriptures many of the father's bare the person of Christ and of the church, and in Christ or his church those promises the fathers saw then no otherwise, than Abraham saw the days of christ, that is spiritually. Concerning peter's promises, I Aug. in Psal. Peter's promises. am of Augustine's judgement, that many things are spoken to Peter, which have not their full sense, but being applied to the whole Church, for the authority of the keys, where of the Pope boaffeth, pretending joh. 20. 13. Greg. lib. 4. senten. succession from Peter, As it was given to Peter by name, so was it also given to the rest of the Apostles generally without respect of persons: and so to them only which persist in their doctrine. As for the Heb. 1. 8. Solomon was a figure of Christ. eternal throne promised to Solomon, the Apostle to the Hebrews showeth that it both properly belong to Christ, of whom he was a figure. And as touching jacob whose example we have in hand, the promise of his sovereignty was fulfilled in David's days. 2. Reg. 8. 20. from whose times the Edomites continued in subjection, till the days of jehoram: in whose time, they rebelled for the sins of the people. The Apostle minding Heb. 7. 9 to prove Melchizedech, of whose order christ was a priest, to be above Levi, to whom tithes were due, reasoneth thus: The Priesthood of Melchisedech abouc Levi. To say the truth, Levi also which received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham, for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizech met Abraham. Even The Edomites worship the offspring of jacob. so may we reason in this promise in the respect of Eau, that since the Edomites which came out of the joins of Esau did worship the offspring of jacob: therefore Esau did worship jacob, as Levi is said to have worshipped Melchizedech. Nevertheless, to the outward appearance, jacob is bowed down before his brother, and disdained not, for he looked for the things he saw not. And surely would to God, we had the humility of jacob, jacob's humility proceedeth of hope 1. Pe. 4. 1. which proceedeth of hope: for what though we be wronged of Esau! What though the wicked do assault us injuriously? Have we not learned that therein is our conformity Math. 11. 29. with Christ, who saith, For I am weak and lowly in heart? What though our bodies be made even with the ground, so that the wicked go over us, and plough long furrows upon our backs? What is all this to the injuries of him, which nevertheless triumphed in patience? Only let We must stand to the defence of the truth. 2. Ti. 2. 24. 2. Ti. 2. 2. The servants of God must not strive. us consider where about we were: if we stand in the defence of the truth, there is no ground to be given, but in all this, let us hold fast the rule of the Apostle: The servant of God must not strive, but must be lowly minded. Behold in this one man, a lively pattern of long suffering, faith, discretion, and humility. He awaiteth the Lord's leisure patiently, for the accomplishment of his promise. He believeth that he shall have dominion, his present subjection withstanding: he disposeth his family, and doth homage to his Brother. And he lost nothing by it. For it is possible, that many of Esau's retinue, did seek more after ambition, and vain glory, than after the honesty of themselves, or their Lord: As diverse sycophants, sycophants. about great men do at this day, upon report that jacob should be Lord over their Lord. The which thing Esau had determined to prevent, by making havoc of him, and all his, had not the Lord used the humble submission of jacob, as a mean, not to make them believe the prophesy, whereby their outrage was stayed. How ever it he, humility was in him a great virtue, By humility we draw nees to Christ. and most excellent: and it is that, wherein we draw near to the image of Christ. The Lord therefore of his mercy grant that we may imprint this lesson deep in our memory, that the nearer we draw to the Lord, the more we be displeased with ourselves. The Fourth part. NOw in the fourth part remaineth the bulooked for loving meeting of Esau, and the joy of them both are described in these words. 4 Then Esau ran to meet him, & fell on his neck, & embraced him, & kissed him, and they wept. Moyses' having declared how jacob The success that god gave to jacob. bowed himself before his brother Esau, proceedeth to them diligently by circumstances, what success God gave to his devotion and humility, by mentioning the running of Esau to his brother, his embracing him, his falling upon his neck, his kissing him, and his weeping with him. Here we have found the wise man Pro. 15. 1. as good as his word. That soft and gentle answers and lowly demeanour, breaketh anger. There is no cause why any man should Esau his affection. call Esau's affection towards his brother in question, before that the lord, which can turn the streams backwards, and check God turneth all things at his wil the raging of the sea, that it swell not above his pleasure, had mostified his heart, and brought him again for a time to that natural love of a brother, from which, otherwhiles both before, and after he had very barbarously degenerate. With so much the more admiration, let us note this great alteration: How God turneth the hearts of the ungodly. A cruel envious tyrant to become gentle, and loving. But to whom: even to him whom he purposed to murder. Before he came marching against him with four hundred men to destroy him & his: Now he runneth to him, that he might prevent him with Brotherly greeting. Before he went to stretch forth his hand to take him by the throat: now spreadeth his arms abroad to embrace him. Before he would fall upon him to kill him: & he now falleth upon his neck to kiss him. At the first, he wept for cursed heart (like a woman) when he had lost his blessing, and afterwards knitting his frowning brows against his brother (as the picture of envy:) But now between sorrow, for their falling out, and joy for their pure meeting and reconcilement, he falleth forth into weeping. The good nature of Esau was not of himself. The triumph of virtue over vice. And truly here we have to note, that this came not of the good nature that was in Esau, but was the only working of the lord, & the triumph that virtue hath over vice: that wheresoever she is most hated, there doth she sometimes show herself. And this is the great punishment, that God bringeth on the wicked: Even as the Poet saith, Virtutem ut videant, intabescantque relicta. Virgil. That though they jove not virtue, nor cannot like to follow her: Yet shall they pine away with a longing desire after her. And this I am sure striketh deep Virtue woundeth the conscience of the wicked. & woundeth the conscience of the wicked, that though they have set their hearts as hard as an adamant stone, and made their faces, like flint to do all kind of mischief: Yet God by his great mercy and grace, worketh throughout their consciences, mollifieth their hearts to godliness: And so doth cause them to confess sometimes that the way of virtue is best. As for example. There was never so unpure and dissolute an adulterer, but he hath said sometimes, The chaste body is best. There was never so great, and cruel a murderer, but sometimes he calleth to mind that God hath commanded him: Thou shalt do no murder. Exo. 20. There was never so blasphemous, nor vile a swearer, but sometimes he hath treambled at god's majesty. There was never man so proud, & ambitious, but sometimes he remembreth that he is but dust, & ashes. There was never such an usurer, nor covetous wretch, but sometimes he thinketh his Gold & silver shall canker, and ja. 5. 2. the rust of it, shall be a witness against him. There was never so riotous a person, sumptuous, & prodigal, but sometime he condemneth his own doing, and saith with the prophet David, Psa. 37. 12. The unrighteous man borroweth & payeth not again. What should we say more: For as it is in a wicked life, even so likewise in a corrupt religion. Truth that is strongest, Truth in religion forceth the papists to confess her. Merits. and overcometh all, in religion forceth the enemy to confess her. For their was never papist, that so magnisted merits, and talked of his works of supererogations, but sometimes in his conscience he would surely confess, That when he had done all, Luk. 16. 17. yet he was unprofitable. There was never any so great an enemy to faith, but when his conscience was touched with the grief of sin, he would cry aloud, Faith alone doth justify. There was never papist Faith alone justifieth. Fleshly worshippings. (I am sure) yet so drunken, that made so much of all his fleshly worshippings, of organs, & singing, of altar, and altar clothes, of frankincense, sweet smelling savour, of banners, and streamers, of goodly tunes and melodies, of silver crosses, & chalices, but he hath said sometime: Who requireth isaiah. 16. 12. joh. 4. 13. these things at our hands? The true worshippers do worship in spirit and verity. There was never papist, in so deep a sleep of pardons, and purgatory, but he hath Pardons, and Purgatory. surely said, such weak engines can break down, but paper walls: And such cold water, can quench but painted fires. There was never Pope, nor general General counsels. council so desperately bend to set up worshipping of Images, but their own hearts have often cried within them: They have Psal 115. 5. Images. mouths, and speak not, they have eyes and see not, they have ears and hear not, they have noses and smell not, they have hands and handle not, they have feet and walk not. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them. There was never papist so blinded Papistical superstitious Transubstantiation. with the great absurdity of transubstantiation, but some times seeing the wine in the Chalice, he hath vin afraid to say, By this, & by nothing else, let my sins be washed: & seeing the cake in the priests hands, Thou alone hast redeemed me, & alone by thee I look to be saved. This much we have spoken to that intent, we may see the working of the lord in the hearts of all his enemies. Refuse him, how they will in life, or religion, Papists do strive against God and his word. they carry day and night, a witness in their breasts against themselves, that they rebel & strive not against flesh, & blood, but against God, and the truth of his word. Truly so may we see how god wrought in the heart of Esau, howsoever men talk of the force of nature. We cannot impute it to any thing, but to the miraculus doing of the lord: Who, though we be in the bottom of the sea, can command the water, isaiah 45. 15. that it shall not drown us. And, though we Hos. 2. 18. go through the fire, can keep us from burning. To this purpose speaketh the Prophet in the person of God: I will make a covenant for them with the wild beasts, Hos. 2. 18. and with the fowls of heaven, and that which creepeth on the earth, and I will break the bow, and the sword, and the battle out of the earth. And if he have taken an oath of his dumb creatures, that they shall not do his chosen harm, much more shall he incline the heart of one man to be loving towards another. Notwithstanding, Esau's gentleness was but a violent motion. this was but a violent motion of Esau, & therefore endured not. For afterwards be slang away from his brother, and the spirit of envy returned unto him, and possessed Gen. 36. Math. 12. 45. him as before. It is nothing therefore, that many fond worldlings boast themselves (if they have but one sparcke of humanity) seeing they are carried about like waterles clouds, and have no continuance The wicked continue not in goodness. in that which is good. When David both by word & deed, had witnessed his innocency towards Saul, At 1. Sam. 24. 17. David's innocency towards Saul. what time he let him escape alive out of the cave of Engeddi, only cutting off the lap of his coat: the envious tyrant, which persecuted him, being convinced by open Saul weary for his injury done to David. testimonies of his injury, lift up his voice & wept, acknowledging his fault, which sought after blood without a cause. Such is the power of God's spirit, which expresseth itself in the Godly, that the wicked many times are overcome by their virtues, whom they hate to death. Esau by all likelihood supposed (for such is the manner of the wicked to think all men like affected The wicked think all men like to themselves. to themselves) that jacob presuming upon his father's blessing, would have behaved himself stoutly, and disdainfully towards him; and therefore he prepared to encounter with him. But when he drew near and perceived his humility, he was enforced with tears to run, and embrace him. And How we must deal with the froward. learn we here, to deal with the froward discreetly. For, the maintenance of christian concord, what greater foison could jacob have of his humble, & lowly mind: his desire was only to escape alive, out of the hands of his brother: but the lord did more for him than he desired. Behold Esau, in what taking he is, he runneth, he embraceth, & he weary. But how now Esau: The perplexity that Esau was in. how cometh this to pass, that you are so kind upon the sudden: Is this you, which a little before was ready to burst with envy? I perceive, it is the lord, that keepeth the keys of all hearts, he openeth and The lord keepeth the hearts of all men to do gods pleasure. Gen. 30. 26. shutteth at his pleasure. This roas the blessing, that a little erst, god gave to jacob, Thy name shallbe called jacob no more, but Israel: because thou hast had power with god, thou shalt also prevail with men. And now you see, he prevaileth with his brother so mightily, that a heart of flint is turned into A field won without bloodshed. a heart of flesh. The glory of a field won by shedding of blood, had not been comparable to the triumph of this victory, this was indeed to prevail with men. So truly said our saviour: When all things are Mar. 13. 31. turned topsy-turvy: yet the word shall not fail, but be accomplished. But to return a little to the unstableness God maketh the wicked instruments to work his pleasure. of Esau, we see how the lord can make the wicked, instruments to work his pleasure, maugre their beards, though in their own kind they set up their uristles against him. Esau showeth himself wonderful courteous Esau courteous to jacob. Nu. 40. 18 20. Esau's posterity molesteth jacob's children. to jacob, but his posterity would give his children no passage in time of their misery. Wherein it appeareth, that he had rather suborued them to malice, than erhorted them to peace with his brother. The egyptians which lent to the Israelits (by Gods working) their Jewels, & their Exo. 12. 35 30. The overthrow of the Egyptians. raiment, within a while after, God hardened their hearts, were turned against them to pursue them, till the Lord overthrew them in the midst of the sea. The same people which would have made christ a king, & which strewed their joh. 6 15. garments in the way when christ passed through the streets, and greeted him with Hosanna: the self same people, within a Mark. 12. 8 9 short time after, were ready to stone him to death, and cried, Crucify him, Crucify Io. 10. 31. him, which had never offended them. Thus the inconstancy of the wicked betrayeth The unconstancy of the wicked. itself: they think they have done God high service, when they have left one or two shows of Christianity, though they return to their vomit. But we have not so learned christ Jesus: Esau hateth, Esau loveth, and Esau hateth again. Nevertheless, although that the confidence, The friendship of the ungodly is like the house of a spider. which is put in the friendship of the ungodly be like the house of a Spider, yet herein the loving providence of god showeth itself, when he giveth poor jacob a time of intermission from his tribulations and persecutions. And his name is so much the more to be glorified in this, because where jacob looked for nothing, but thistles, he gathered sigs: & when the danger was most dreadful, the lord as it were The lord doth work by impossibilities. upon impossibilities, that the knowledge of his power might be graven more deeply in our breasts, replenished his heart with joy, and gladness. And that their condemnation may be just, to whom be giucth no grace to believe. After that the Jews had been threescore and ten years prisoners under the Psa. 126. 4. David's prayer for the jews. king of Babel, the Prophet prayeth, That the lord would bring again their captivity, as the rivers in the fourth: Showing that he which maketh waters to flow so abundantly, in barren and dry places of the wilderness, which to us seemeth unpossible, was also able to deliver his people from the bondage of their enemies. Oh We must fear the lord with a holy fear. that we feared the lord with a holy fear, and that we were right humble before him like jacob. Then should Esau have no power to hurt us, though we were as a brand, half burned: yet should the Lord pluck us out of the fire, and make us grow When we think god far off, he is most nigh to us. to the bigness of a forest. Then, then should all the creatures of god cry truce with us, when we do not deny the power of godliness, to be of one, and true religion, professing christ rightly and his Gospel, extending We must have truce with all men. the same by our Godly life and conversation, and to become as members of one body, whereof Christ is head. And as saint Paul did write this doctrine to the We must all be members of one body. 1. Cor. 12. 12. Corinthians: Even so he speaketh to us of England. As the body (saith he) is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: even so is Christ also. The church of England as one hath many members. This body of Christ his Church in England is one, and hath many parts, English men, Scotishmen, Dutchmen, Spaniards, Italians, Noblemen, Ministers, Lawyers, Merchants, Farmers, Artificers, labourers, and Poorfolke. And though they be many, yet are they but one body, which by one spirit, are baptized into one faith: Whether they be jews or Grecians, bond or free, Englishmen or any other of the afore named. If all were Nobles, where were then the If we were all of one vocation, there were no common wealth. Preachers: If all were Preachers, where were then the Lawyers? If all were Lawyers, where were then the Merchants? If all were Merchants, where were then the farmers, the poor and the labourers? One of these cannot say to another, we need you not, lest there should be division in the body. Noblemen, Gentlemen, & Lawyers should not say, these Ministers have too We must not despise one another. much, they keep no hospitality, they neither preach, nor take pains after they have gotten living, they eat of the milk, Idle ministers & Preacher's reproved. & clothe themselves with the wool, they become too covetous, not seeking to feed the flock of christ whom they have charge of. Ministers & Lawyers, & others should Ungodly and unbrotherly cruelty. not say, many of these great men, & gentle men, their partners & servants, do take away, & withhold many men's freeholdes, Coppyholdes, and Leases, goods, and chattailes at their pleasure. Take away goods by sea of Englishmen and others, Papists and Protestants, such as come next to hand. They maintain & set forth Backward papists in religion. Such as are of no religion. such as are backwards in religion, and look every day for Mariana tempora. They are of Esau's decinue, making no account of religion: all is one to them, if they serve their present turn. Noblemen, Ministers & others should not say of the Judges, and Lawyers, that they do nothing but talk, and take money, defend bad causes for money, pervert judgement Laws wrested by crafty Lawyers for lucre-sake. & justice, for rewards, make Laws doubtful, that they may expound them as they will: & pick holes in good Laws, to make strife, & debate; for increase of gain and lucre. Rich men should not say of The rich ought not to revile the poor. The poor ought not to speak all of the rich. poor men, they be idle persons, Rogues, Uagabondes, Darlotes, burn them in the care, hang them. Nor poor men should not say of Rich men, these Cluttons do nothing but eat and drink, they have many farms, many Lordships, many houses, their hawks, and their hounds, they spend more than many a good body. They take such great fines, and rents. They spare themselves and their friends, and so wring the poor subject in subsidies, tars, and such like payments: that they be forced to live miserably. Though faults be faults, and never Faults to be corrected in subjects. Freedom of speech dangerous to religion and government. so true, in respect both to be spoken of, and corrected in subjects of any degree, by love and charity: Yet this late freedom of speeches at tables, and such other private places touching the states, may grow dangerous to religion & government. And surely even as that famous Demosthenes' oration to the Athenians. Drator Demosthenes did say in an oration to the Athenians, When the field is lost, the Captains blame the soldiers, and the soldiers the Captains; the forward, the rearward: and the Battle, the wings. But if every one that blameth his fellow We reprove others when we are most blameworthy ourselves. had done his own duty, all had been well. And so if such Noblemen, Gentlemen, & others, as blame Ministers, Preachers, & Lawyers: such Merchants and farmers, as blame Noblemen, Gentlemen & others: and such rich as blame the Every man must do his own duty. There are many godly and virtuous poor in England, would every one do his own duty, all would be soon well. For God be praised for it, there be many good Noblemen, and Gentlemen, many learned and godly Preachers, many zealous of all vocations, God be praised. The godly being joined together in amity, the wicked cannot hurt them. and virtuous Lawyers, Merchants, Farmers, and others; the which if they would thoroughly agree together, and help one another in their vocations, and callings, all Esau's Canonists & Traditionaries, & other had persons of each degree, would soon either be reform, or driven away, allothed and oppressed should be at liberberty, superstitious A Egypt would be religious juda, the ruinous walls of the Church would glister with the Law and the Gospel, jacob and his family should have a free and quiet travel to Bethel, the people of God would be brought again from Ephraim to Beersaba, from vice and error, to the virtue and truth of the Lord God of our fathers, the Apostles of Christ, and his blessed Martyrs. But alas, the posts of Christian concord The posts of Christian concord defaced. and amity, be digged up, the rails broken, and the pales carried away. So that poor jacob, and his family, are in great danger. Esau cometh against them with 400 men. So that it is not for Matth. 6. 22. nought, that Christ saith, The light of the body is the eye, than it is not hard to discern by the strangeness of our steps, the blindness of eurcies. For if our eyes were Hippocrites say they jove the lord, and hate their brother. single, I mean if we were not hippocrits, we would not say, we loved the lord, & pet hate our brother: Neither would we fill the mouths of our enemies with laughter, with this woeful dissipation, in which we are divided against ourselves. The death of Saul and jonathas was 1. Reg. 31. 5. 2. Reg. 1. 20. David his sorrowful song for Saul and jonathas. the joy of the uncircumcised Philistines. Wherefore David sang sorrowfully: Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it in the streets of Ascalon, lest the Daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the Daughters of these uncircumcised triumph. And what shall we say? Is it not enough that we have changed the covenant of our God, The enemies of christ laugh his gospel to scorn. 1. Cor 3. 3. Saint Paul rebuketh the Corinthians for dissenuons. Mark. 3. 24. vulesse we make the enemies of Christ's cross to laugh his gospel to scorn? Saint Paul when he hard of contentions among the Corinthians, asked them earnestly thereupon: Are ye not carnal? and it is vehemently to be feared, seeing that eur controversies have passed the bands of charity, lest we also be carnal. And it must be true that Christ saith, Omne regnum in se divisum desolabitur. Every government divided within itself shallbe overthrown. jacob and Esau run together and meet one another, lovingly. But we with all the rancour of our unquiet hearts which boil over to the offence of many, run a silder: one sort giveth no place to the truth, another Our abuses declared. raiseth slanders to strengthen the wrists of discord to our shames (we may speak it) the peace of the church is broken. jacob & Esau embrace one another, but we disgrace one another, rejoicing in their How we backbite one another. transgression, over whom we have power to insult. jacob & Esau kiss one an other, but we kick one another. They weep one upon another's neck, but one of us scorn another behind his back. And now I pray you tell me: Is this the fruit of christianity? Is this the meed of 28. years labour, to make the sun a witness against us, by suffering The Sun a witness against our wickedness. Eph. 4. 26. Gal. 5. 15. Enme causeth us to be consumed one of another. Mat. 6. 12. How we do abuse the lords prayer. it to go down upon our wrath? Let us take heed (being warned of the holy ghost) lest while we bite one another, we be consumed one of another. If we seek not to have peace with all men (as much as in us lieth) our daily prayer is that god's vengeance may light upon us: seeing that forgiveness of sins we crave of the lord, is according to the proportion of the forgiveness, which we extend to them that have offended us. If therefore we have any bowels of compassion in us, if there be any spark of charity raked up in the ymbers of any Phi. 2. 1. religion towards God, any loyalty towards his church, or any christian sobriety, temperance or lowliness in ourselves, let us now cry truce, let us meet together in charity, let us embrace together in godly We must now cry truce and be in love and charity with all men. unity, let us meet together in true penitency: Let us all (as one man) return to the lord, that he may turn to us, & remember our wickedness no longer. The lord in the treasures of his rich We must pray for all magistrates. mercy make the day star to shine bright in the barts of the magistrates, & shape the hearts of the people to all godly obedience, that jacob's wrongs may be righted, & the tyranny of Esau may be suppressed: that the family of jacob may be discreetly disposed, We must pray for the concord & unity of the church. that his christian courage may not be abated, that his devotion & humility may be sound & perfect, that his godly atonement may be accomplished. So that a christian concord being wrought in all sincerity and simplicity, of God's eternal tesTament, we all (as many as purpose to lift up pure hands without wrath or doubting) may one with another run with patience to the eternal throne of grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. A PRAYER AGAINST the enemies of the Church of Christ, under the borrowed name or speech of JACOB. O Eternal God and most mighty shephcard of Israel, which commandest jacob thy Goe 31. 3. servant to return out of Mesopotamia to Bethel the land of his fathers, and to his kindred, promising to be with him, and that he should prevail Goe 32. 8. with men: the which thy commandment he obeying, didst according to that thy promise cause him to prevail with Esau his Brother, who came against him with four hunndred men, thinking to have overrun him & his family. But thou having the keys of all hearts to open, and shut at thy pleasure, dost miraculously, and as it were by impossibilities make the stony heart of the most cruel, to become a heart of flesh, and the wicked to do thy will: we therefore thy servants, O thou god of Bethel, do lift up our eyes to the throne of thy majesty with an holy fear & faithful hearts, most humbly beseeching thee to look down with thy merciful eyes upon jacob (we mean thy Church) that that excommunicate & Antichristian Reuc. 9 10. 11. Esau (we mean the pope) that foul dragon Abaddon with his locusts, Traditionaries, Symonistes, and dumb dogs, and all idle hirelings which are careless of thy family, may be rooted out of thy vineyard, who go about and practise by all possible means to deface and hinder the proceed of jacob & of thy faithful servant, our gracious Queen Elizabeth, whom thou hast set to govern and reign over us, to set forth & maintain the preaching of the gospel of thy son Christ jesus, & to place in the rooms of Godly Pastors, dumb dogs, Traditionaries, isaiah. 56. 20. and idle hirelings, which shall seek to fill their bellies, & not caring to feed the beloved flock of thy son Christ, whom he hath so dearly redeemed, with his own precious blood: & also to break in sunder the unity, and concord of thy catholic church, and this common wealth, which the godly learned compare to a defece, about which there be posts, pales, and rails, that so long as they be fastened the one to the other, so long they keep in & out all things accordingsly: but if any of them be pulled away or broken down, the rest are more easier to be overthrown: So that the wild boar Psal. 70. 13. of the wood, and beasts of the field may have their way to root it up, and eat the grapes of the vineyard. Power out therefore, O omnipotet god, upon thine elect, that as members of one body, whereof christ is the head, we may profess 1. Cor. 3. one true faith and religion agreeable to thy most holy words, having pityiful hearts towards poorlacob, yea & to our own souls, we may also with jacob's humility, simplicity, and uprightness of spirits rack our powers to the highest pin for the advancement of the glory of god. To whom be all honour and praise both now and ever. Amen.