PROTOTYPES, OR, THE primary PRECEDENT PRECEDENTS OUT OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS. Showing, The Good and Bad things They did and Had Practically applied to our Jnformation and Reformation. By that faithful and painful Preacher of God's Word, William Whately late Pastor of Banbury. Together with Mr. WHATELYES' Life and Death. Published by Mr. Edward Leigh and Mr. Henry Scudder, who were appointed by the Author to peruse his manuscripts, and printed by his own Copy. Vivitur Exemplis. Praecepta ducunt, Exempla trahunt. 1 COR. 11.1. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. EXOD. 23.2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. 1 COR. 10.11. Now all these things happened unto them for Ensamples: And they are written for our admonition. LONDON. Printed by G. M. for EDWARD LANGHAM Bookseller in Banbury, MDCXL. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR, THE WORSHIPFUL THE ALDERMEN AND BURGESSES, AND THE REST OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN AND PARISH OF BANBURY. Right Worshipful, etc. AS I could not but congratulate my own and your happiness in the enjoyment of your worthy Pastors' labours, so both I and many other Christians do now condole your misery in the loss of the good Author. The greater your happiness was, the greater now is your misery, and I fear many of you prized not the blessing so much as you should have done, and that you knew not the greatness of the benefit so well by the fruition as now by the want of it. At Banbury even amongst you was your Pastor borne and bred, and there he lived and died. Ministers are called Incumbents, so was he being diligently resident in his place, they are styled Lights, so was he, like a candle or lamp which spent himself to give light to others. He spent his means and strength amongst you, and as himself in his sickness said, He sought not yours but you. Of all the Ministers that ever I knew so experimentally, he was the most unblameable in his conversation. I had the happiness to live almost a year with him in his house, near four years under his Ministry, and to be esteemed by him one of his faithfullest friends, I have cause to bless GOD for him whilst I live, since it pleased him by his means, not only to reveal many saving truths unto me, but also to set them on with such power, as I hope I shall never forget them. Oh, with what life and zeal would he both preach and pray! and how strict and watchful was he in his whole life! being (as every good Minister should be) Blameless, Sober, Just, Holy, Temperate, 1 Tim. 3.2. Tit. 1.8. of good Behaviour, given to Hospitality, apt to teach, a lover * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. will bear both readings. 2 Tim. 2.15. of good things and good men. He studied to approve himself unto GOD, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of Truth. 1 Tim. 4.12 1 Pet. 5.3. Tit. 2.7. There are two singular virtues in a good Example. He propounded to you the Examples of holy Writ, and was himself whilst he lived, an Example and Pattern of all good works, If that saying therefore of Augustine's be true, So many as a man shall edify by a good Example, 1 It may profit a world of people. 1 Thes. 1.7, 8 2 It is lasting and may do good for a long time after. 1 Pet. 3.5, 6. M. Harris at Hanwell. for so many he shall receive a reward of a blessed life, than surely he hath now received a full reward for all the good he did by his holy life, unto those with whom he conversed. In a word, he was a most pious and accomplished Divine for his ministerial parts and pains (as one of his near Friends said truly) he might sooner be envied than matched and equalled; being in this like Saul, higher than his brethren by the head. He was well skilled in both the Original tongues, being able to render the Text out of his Hebrew Bible or Greek Testament to another in our mother tongue, as familiarly almost, as if it had been English. For the Arts, he was a good Logician, as his exact Analysis of the ten Commandments showeth, a good Philosopher, as his Sermons in manuscript on the 104. Psalm do witness, a good Rhetorician or Orator, as his printed Treatises abundantly testify. He had words at will and could readily and aptly express himself in his Sermons, which gift of Elocution is requisite if not necessary for a complete Divine. He had by long * He was a Preacher at Banbury above thirty years. Experience gotten the art of preaching, and he wrote a tract concerning that subject; he had an excellent faculty in characterizing or fitly describing a virtue or vice, or any other thing, and though he had no common-place-booke of his own, yet he could treat of any subject, I might also extol his other endowments, and without danger of exceeding magnify him for his strong natural parts, his solid judgement and tenacious memory, and commend some virtues wherein he excelled to your imitation, as his Humility, mercifulness, Beneficence, laboriousness and Diligence * He went over in his preaching the whole Book of judges, both the samuel's, the 1 Kings to the 11. C. or thereabout, all the Psal. to the 106. & the whole Gospel of job. besides all the principles of Religion often. in his Calling, and then also show how comfortably he died, being full of heavenly speeches and godly Exhortations. Therefore I pass from himself to this Opus posthumum, this first work of his which since his death came to light, viz. Sermons on all the Examples or Historical part of Genesis, which Book containeth a brief and short Story of the things done from the beginning of the world to the death of Joseph, for the space as it is thought by some of 2309. years, by Doctor Willet of 2368. years. Examples are not unfitly compared unto looking-Glasses, wherein one may behold as well what to eschew, as what to follow: So you should follow the Faith of Abraham and Obedience of Isaac, but eat their lying and dissembling; follow Noah and Lot in their Righteousness and Zeal, but shun their drunkenness and incest. And because an Example of a Person living amongst you may be more prevalent with some then the Examples of others though singularly holy whose virtues they only read of (as a Sermon delivered, Viva voce, doth more affect then the same read out of a Book) So walk therefore as you had him for an Example, and be you followers of him, as he was of CHRIST, in the Graces before mentioned and all holy conversation. Remember him who had the rule over you, Heb. 13.7. who hath spoken unto you the Word of GOD, whose Faith follow and Charity too; for Master Whately was the most bountiful Minister to the poor I think in England of his means, your Consciences will witness that he hath often pressed and urged this Duty upon you, and as he was earnest in persuading his Hearers to beneficence, so he practised the same Himself, entertaining some poor widows or necessitous Persons weekly at the least at his Table, and giving the tenth of all his Estate that way, and see how GOD blessed him for the same, his Estate (as himself told me) prospered the better after he took that course, and in his sickness he comforted himself with that Promise, Psalm 41.1, 3. Blessed is he that considereth the poor, the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing. O follow him therefore who by Faith and Patience inherits the Promises, let his good Example and wholesome Instructions provoke you to all holiness, that you also may partake with him in that happiness of which he is now fully possessed, Your true Christian Friend, Edward Leigh. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. Reader, AMidst the numberless number of Books wherewith in this scribbling age the presses are oppressed, there is scarcity enough of such as are useful and profitable. As therefore the Art of Printing was a happy invention for the propagating of learning, so surely we are beholding to those who write such things as are worthy to be published: Since (as one saith) He that speaketh profiteth for an hour, but he that writeth profiteth for ever. This subject thus handled by this worthy deceased Author is an unbeaten tract, few (if any) having gone over the Exsamples of Scripture in such a doctrinal and practical way both. It seemed to me in the preaching both pleasant and profitable; Own tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. pleasant in regard of the explaining of divers stories; profitable in respect of the particular application of all, He being (according to his manner) large and lively therein. Had it pleased God to have continued him in life, until he had finished all the Examples of either Testament, such a work from so able a Divine would have been of singular use. But he was Frumentum Dei, as Ignatius said, by Mortification and Self-denial, He was made clean bread for Christ who was the bread of life for him; God therefore hath gathered this wheat into his garner, Mat. 3.12. and he now rests from this and all other labours. We think fitting also to give others to understand, which be M. Wheatelyes own works done by himself, and such as they may account genuine, viz. those only which come forth either in our names, viz. EDWARD LEIGH, HENRY SCUDDER, or with an Epistle at least from one of us. You may observe in the beginning of this Treatise, what was M. Wheatlies' constant method in handling the Examples. In each person he considered three things, His Birth, Life and Death. In his Life he observed his carriage and behaviour in respect both of the deeds he did, good, bad, indifferent and doubtful, and the things which befell him, either prosperously or adversly, in benefits or afflictions. This shall suffice in brief to premise concerning this Work, and so wishing thee much benefit by the same, I rest Thy hearty Wellwisher, EDWARD LEIGH. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF Mr. WILLIAM WHATELY, LATE Minister of the Word at Banbury in the County of Oxford, written by Henry Scudder Minister of the Word at Collingborne-ducis, in the County of Wilts. IT hath been a commendable use in the Church of God from the Primitive times down to us; that the lives of some or other (especially of the more famous Ministers and lights therein) have been written by men who best knew, and had learned what their lives and conversation was. This they did not only to vindicate their names from the slanders of the wicked, who will speak evil of all that oppose their evil ways, and also that the dead might be duly honoured; but chiefly that the living by their good Examples might glorify God for them and be edified. This writing and printing the lives of worthy men, is like the engravings with the point of a diamond, raising up for them an everlasting monument; upon which the light of their Faith and good works is made to shine before men, that seeing their Faith and holiness they may follow them; and may also praise God for his graces in them, and for the good which hath been done by them, and so glorify their Father which is in Heaven. I have been earnestly entreated to write the Life and Death of M. William Whately, late Pastor of the Church of Banbury, I was made choice of the rather, because of that intimateness of Friendship which was between us, and because of our long acquaintance, being of the same time in the famous University of Cambridge and of the same College and Chamber and having the same Tutor; and afterward when we were both placed in the Ministry we lived sometime together in one house, By marriage of sisters. and a great while near one another, and were also nearly allied I know none that had like means to know him more thoroughly then I. I have therefore not unwillingly set pen to paper, and do here in all plainness and sobriety of truth reckon up and report his life and death in a short sum, that those who will may read and make their use of it. For in many things he may be a lively pattern to us his brethren in the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ; and the like in many things for the imitation of all that desire to live godly in Christ jesus. This M William Whately was borne at Banbury a burrow Town very well known in Oxfordsbure. M. Thomas and Mistress joice Whately. His Parents were both of them forward professors of the Gospel of Christ, and of the power of Godliness and Religion, according as it is now mainetained in the Church of England. They were both of chief note and place in the Town, his Father being oft Major, and a long time a standing justice of Peace in that Burrow. His Mother was a rare woman for natural parts; but chiefly for Piety, Diligence in her Calling, Frugality and mercifulness to the poor. She was a right Lois or Eunice in breeding up this her Son (as she did her other Children) in the Knowledge of the holy Scriptures from a child. His Parents trained him up in his younger days to learning, setting him to the best Schools that were in those parts, where he profited in learning (as also he did in the University) above most of his equals in years. This he did by reason of the Excellency of the natural parts which God had given him, namely, a quick apprehension, a clear judgement and a most happy memory. His ripeness in Grammar learning in Latin, Greek and Hebrew was so early that about the fourteenth year of his age, he was sent to Christ's College in Cambridge; where God provided him and me a * M Thomas Pot Tutor, one of a thousand for Piety, Learning, Diligence in reading unto, and in a most loving and wise care of governing and godly instructing of his pupils. In the University he was an hard Student and quickly became a good Logician and Philosopher, a strong disputant, and an excellent Orator. He delighted much in the study of Poetry and the mathematics. He was a constant hearer of M. Doctor Chaderton and of Mr. Perkins who at that time were famous Preachers in Cambridge. And it was our Tutor's manner to cause all his Pupils to come to Prayers into his Chamber every evening, and he called all the under graduates to give account of what they had heard upon the Lord's day, and when any of us were at a stand and nonplus, he would say Whately, what say you? then he would seldom fail, but repeat as readily, as if he had preached the Sermon himself. By this he did win our Tutor's love, and our wonder at him; but (such was our pride) he gained our envy of him His Father (whether because he was not resolved what calling to breed him to, or for what other cause I know not) after that he had with credit proceeded Bachelor of Arts, he took him home, where he abode some good time, yet applying himself unto his studies. While he remained at home with his Father he married the Daughter of one Master George Hunt, the son of that tried and prepared Martyr john Hunt mentioned in the Book of Martyrs, who was condemned to be burnt for Religion, but was saved from the execution thereof by the death of Queen Mary. This Master George Hunt was bred up in the Famous f●ee School of the Marchant-Taylers in London, and afterward by the encouragement of Master D. Humphrey (by occasion of a visit of that School) and by the furtherance of M George and Mr. john Kingsmells, and by the exhibitions of Bishop Pilkinton (all which for their honour sake I name) he was called unto, and mainetained in that worthy Foundation of good Learning, Magdalen College in Oxford, till he was Fellow of that House, where he continued till he had borne the offices of Deane of Arts and Dean of Divinity. Afterwards by the means of those worthy Master Kingsmells, he was preferred to the Church of Collingborn-ducis in the County of Wiles. where for the space of fifty and one years and five months he lived a sound and constant Preacher of the Word, and was of an unblameable and holy life, even until the oil of his radical moisture was spent, and the candle of his life of itself went out, in a full and good old-age, after a long and joyous expectation, and longing for his blessed change, which was in the eighty and third year and fifth month of his age. This Master George Hunt (after that by importunity he had got this his son in law to make trial of his ability to preach) he overperswaded him to intend the ministry. And thereupon he entered himself into Edmund Hall in the famous University of Oxford, and took his Degree of Master of Arts. Not long after he entered into the Ministry, and he was presently called to be a Lecturer at Banbury which he commendably performed above the space of four years, and then was called to be Vicar of the same Church, which office he faithfully discharged near thirty years till he died. The abilities wherewith God had endued him for his work of the Ministry were more than ordinary. For he was of a quick understanding, of a clear and deep judgement, of a most firm memory, and of a lively spirit. He was naturally eloquent, a master of his words, having words at will. He had a most able body and sound lungs, and till some years before his death, he had a most strong and audible voice. And according as his matter in hand, and his auditory needed, he was both a terrible Boanerges, a son of Thunder, and also a Barnabas, a son of sweet consolation. And which was the crown of all, God gave him an heart to seek him and to aim at the saving of the souls of all that heard him. His speech and preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power. He was an Apollo's not only eloquent, but withal mighty in the Scriptures. He like some of the Ancient Fathers was as occasions fell out sometimes an every day's Preacher. He preached ordinarily in his own Church twice each Lordsday, and catechised for above half an hour before evening Prayer, examining and instructing the youth, and once a week he preached the ordinary Lecture. He was much against all such preaching as was light, vain, scenical, impertinent, raw and indigested. His preaching was plain, but as much according to the Scripture and also to the rules of Art, and of right Reason, as any that ever I heard or have heard of. In conference he hath told me what he aimed at, and what use he made of the Arts, and what rules he set to himself in the studying of his Sermons, which was as followeth, That he might better understand his Text, he made use of his Grammar learning in Greek and Hebrew, in which tongues the Scripture is written. Also he would use the help of Rhetoric to discover to him what forms of speech in his Text was to be taken in their primary and proper signification, and what was elegantly clothed and wrapped up in tropes and figures that he might unfold them, and see their naked meaning: Then well weighing and considering the context, he would by the help of Logic find out the scope of the Holy Ghost in that Scripture. He would endeavour when he began to enter upon the preaching of any Chapter, to Analise and take the Chapter into its several branches and parts. Then he would if it were a doctrinal Text, note the Doctrine as it lay in the Text and so prosecute it. Or if the Text consisted of illustrations or circumstances of some principal truth there prosecuted; he would then gather from some notable part or branch of his Text, an apt Doctrine, or Divine Truth which should so immediately follow, that the Truth observed in the Text should be the argument or middle term, whereby in a simple syllogism, he could conclude his Doctrine. Next, he would seek for apt proofs out of Scripture to confirm it. Fewer or more as he thought best, which done, because other arguments according to Scripture and right Reason are forcible to convince and confirm reasonable men in any truth, he would find out Reasons of his Doctrine, but he aimed that they should be strong Arguments, or middle terms by which he might likewise Sillogistially conclude his said Doctrine. Then according to the nature of the Doctrine, and the need and aptness of his Auditory; he would as from an infallible consequent of his Doctrine by way of Application, confirm some profitable Truth, which yet by some might happily be questioned, or else convince men of some error, or reproove some vice, or exhort to some Duty, or resolve some doubt, or case of conscience, or comfort such as needed Consolation. In all which sorts of Applications he did make use of more or fewer of them as there might be cause, and he would be careful that his Doctrine should be the Argument or middle term whereby he might sillogistically conclude the main Proposition of any of his said uses: And if the reproof or exhortation did need pressing home upon the conscience, than he would study to enlarge his Speech, showing motives to induce to such a duty; and also dissuasives from such a vice, taking his Arguments from duty to God, decency or shamefullnesse, pleasure or pain, gain or loss. And here again he would use the help of Rhetoric, but all for the most part in a concealed way, without all affectation. And sometimes he would show the effectual means of attaining of the Grace and power to perform the duty to which he exhorted. And sometimes likewise he would show the remedies against such or such a vice from which he dissuaded, as may be seen by his Sermons already extant. Also when he thought it was needful to discuss and handle any common place or head of Divinity, he would do it very judiciously, fully and most profitably. Though he had but an ordinary study of books for such an accomplished Divine, yet he was one who had read very much. For he would read most swiftly, yet not cursorily, for he could give an account of the substance and most remarkable particulars of what he had so read. He had also always when he pleased the benefit of a Booksellers shop, which caused him to forbear to buy many Books. Though he preached so often, yet what he preached was before well studied and premeditated. He usually did pen his Sermons at large; and if before he preached, he had but so much time as to read over what he had written, and to gather it up into short heads, he was able if he thought it fit to deliver it in public well near in the same words. It pleased God to put a seal to his Ministry in the conversion, confirming and building up of many thousand souls by his means in the whole course of his Ministry. He was a most diligent visitor of the sick people that were under his charge without respect of Persons, after that it came to his knowledge that they were sick. He was a ready Peacemaker amongst his flock that should happen to be at variance. He abounded in works of Mercy, he was a truly liberal man, one that studied liberal things; for he would seek out to find objects of his mercy, rather than to stay till they were offered. He did set apart and expended for the space of many years for good uses the tenth part of his yearly comings in, both out of his temporal and ecclesiastical means of maintenance. He had an heavenly gift in Prayer, both for aptness and Fullness of Confessions, Petitions, Supplications, Intercessions and Praises, as also for readiness and copiousness of apt words, together with Fervency of Spirit to pour them out unto God in the name of Christ in the behalf of himself, and of all those who in Prayer joined with him. He had this singular ability that in his Prayer after Sermon, he could collect into a short Sum all which he had delivered to his Hearers and make it the matter of his Prayer to God, to the end they might be inwardly taught of God, and become Believers and doers of what was taught them. Likewise when he had read a Psalm or Chapter in his Family, he was so well seen in the Text, and of so good a Judgement, and of so choice a memory that though the Chapter was part of the Ceremonial Law, or in the books of Numbers, Chronicles, and hardest Prophecies, he in his Prayer would discover the scope and meaning and chief notes of Observation, and their use, in such sort, that ofttimes when I have heard him, I have much longed that I could call them all to mind; For I found the matter of his Prayer to be a better Commentary of that Chapter, with apt observations and applications for use, than I could find in any Author that I had read, who had written thereupon. His manner was daily Morning and Evening to call his Family together, and to read a Psalm or Chapter in the Scriptures, and to pray with them and oft to catechise them; besides his constant Prayer Morning and Evening with his wife and also constantly alone by himself. He did set a part private days of Humiliation for his Family upon special occasions, and oft times before their preparation for their due receiving of the Lords-Supper. At which times he did exceed himself in pouring out his soul to GOD in most abundant and most free Confessions of sin, and expressions of Sorrow for sin, with tears and with earnestness of Petition for pardon and grace, and for the good of the Churches of God, but for our whole State and Church of England more specially and particularly. He was much in days of private Fasting and humbling himself before God alone, that he might make and keep his peace with God, and obtain more Grace to keep more close to him, and to walk more evenly with him, and that he might the better keep under his body, and bring it into subjection (following the Example of the Apostle) lest having preached to others he himself should not live answerable to his Doctrine without reproof, knowing that Ministers ought to be unreprovable. He was so much in this that it is thought by such as knew him best that it impaired the health of his body, though it made much for the good of his soul. He was very able and very ready to confer with, and to resolve the doubts of those many who in love and desire of information came unto him. He bore a tender love unto, and had a conscionable care of that great people over which God had made him overseer. For, although his mainetenance from them was but small in comparison, and unkindnesses and discouragements many and his offers of greater preferment in the Church in respect of outward mainetenance were oft and importunate; yet he would not be persuaded to leave them. Yea though once for reasons which suddenly took him, he did promise to accept of another charge, yet within a while he entreated me to tell that Person to whom he had promised, that he had better thought of it, and did desire to be released of his Promise, and that out of Consideration of that great people which he should leave, saying, that if he should accept of that lesser charge, when he should come into the Church amongst them his heart would in yerning towards his other people, ask him what he did there. He was duly inquisitive after the affairs of God's Church and people, and according as he received true intelligence of their weal or woe, so he had his sympathies and Fellow-feelings with them in either of their conditions He was much grieved and troubled when he saw that difference of opinions, and thereupon strangeness, distractions and rents to arise and be made in the Church amongst brethren professing for the main, and in fundamentals the same Truths. He signified so much to me with bewailing many times. He was judiciously charitable to any that should differ in some opinions from him, so long as he saw that they agreed with him in the main and Fundamental Points of Religion, and were diligent to inquire after the Truth, and saw also that they did indeed show the Power of Godliness in their lives. He could and did highly esteem them, love them, and converse Christianly and familiarly with them, and that because (although he thought they were in an error, and he would in private and public endeavour to reclaim them) yet he was persuaded that their desire was to seek Christ, and that they had an aim to know God aright, and to serve him in sincerity. Notwithstanding all this good which according to the truth hath been said of him; it must be remembered that he was a man and not without his imperfections and frailties. For what man is he that liveth and sinneth not. And as it is also said, In many things we sin all. It is usual with God that men of the greatest parts and gifts should be exercised with some or other inordinate affection to be mortified, and some strong temptations, to have some thorn in the flesh, or some or other messenger of Satan (as the Apostle had) to buffet them: Else they would be exalted above measure to the slighting, contemning, and condemning of their brethren, and other men would have too high an opinion of them, half deifying them, despising those who are no less holy, but not so excellently gifted as they. There was nothing which did more evidently discover truth of God's grace in this man, then that which was occasioned by his slips and strong temptations; For these made him more watchful over himself, than otherwise he would have been; It made him more humble and more to loathe his original corruption and sinful nature, and bewailingly to cry out with the Apostle, O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this Death. And that because he was (as other the dear servants of God are) most sensible of the captivity and bondage which sin would strive to hold him under, sith that when he would do well, evil was present with him, and made him sometimes to do some things which in the bent of his soul he would not have done. This served to make him more humble in himself, more earnest in prayer to God and more pitiful towards others in whom this sin remaineth and dwelleth (even after conversion) which (as the Apostle saith) is a weight and doth easily beset them, to hinder them in their Christian race. And this I am assured off, that he would be the first espier of those faults of his when the world could not nor did take notice of them, having no peace in himself until he had with all speed and earnestness, sought and regained pardon and peace with God. He may be a pattern to all in receiving admonition from any that should in love mind him of his fault. He was glad when any of the righteous smote him and would take it well, not from his Superiors only, but from his equals and far inferiors. He had learned with David to bless God that sent them, and to bless the advice, to follow it, and to bless the party and thank him that gave it. He would entreat such, as he hath done me in particular, not to be wanting to him in this Christian office of Love; and he would really show more testimonies of his love to such afterwards then ever formerly; which is a sure argument of uprightness. A most reverend Divine who had known him from his infancy, and had often conversed with him, gave testimony of him to this effect unto me and others when lately he spoke of him by occasion of the mentioning of his sickness. His latter days were his best days; for in the judgement of those who could judge spiritually, he grew exceedingly in humility and in spiritual and heavenly mindedness, his last works were his best works, arguing him to be of Gods grafting, and planted in the house of the Lord. Lastly, he had a most happy and comfortable success of his conflicts against sin▪ For a good while before his sickness and death he did with Comfort and Joy make known to his dearest friend that God had given him victory against his greatest corruptions which had for a long time kept him in continual exercise. About eight weeks before his death a great fit of inward and short coughing and extreme shortness of breath did cease upon him, in so much that those who came about him feared that he would presently have departed. This fit being over, much weakness continued, yet he preached divers times, until that his increasing weakness did disable him. In the time of his sickness and weakness he gave heavenly and wholesome counsel to his people, neighbours and friends that came to visit him: giving particular advice to his wife, children and servants respectively according to their place and condition as they oft came about him, thus he did oft so long as he was able to speak unto them. His Christian speeches that concerned all, tended to this, that they would be careful to redeem the time, and to be much in reading, hearing and meditating of the Word of God. That they would be much in Prayer, much in brotherly love and communion of the Saints. And that they would be careful to hold fast that which he had taught them out of the Word of Truth. And that while the light and means of Salvation was to be had, they should not spare pains nor cost to enjoy them. He was oft in his sickness upon the painful rack or torture of inward snatching and convulsions, which sometimes left him, but (three or four days before his death) they returned and increased upon him; all which he bore exceeding patiently. He was much in ejaculations and short prayers and lifting up his heart to God in the behalf of the Church and State, and for himself also, which he was most frequent and earnest in, a little before his death. In the time when a brother of his (not only in the common bonds of Christianity, but also by alliance, and a brother in the Ministry) was praying with him and for him to this effect, that if his time was not determined or expired that God would be pleased to restore him for the good of his Church, or if otherwise that he would put an end to his pain if he saw good; at the hearing thereof he lift up his eyes steadfastly towards Heaven and also one of his hands (he being not able to lift up the other) and in the close of that prayer gave up the ghost, shutting down his eyes himself, as if he were fallen into a sweet sleep. He lived much desired and died much lamented. Thus a great, a good and merciful man, a chariot and horseman of Israel is by Gods own hand fallen and taken away from the evil to come, and is entered into peace, and rest in his bed of everlasting pleasures and joys, enjoying the fruit of his Faith in Christ, and of his walking with God in uprightness. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of the Saints though the wicked regard it not, but are glad of their absence. But the living indeed they must, and they will lay it to heart, and will prepare and long for their own dissolution, that they maybe more immediately gathered to Christ the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, expecting and waiting for a blessed Resurrection of themselves and of all that die in the Faith of our Lord Jesus, to whom be ascribed all Might, Majesty, Dominion and Glory, both now and for ever more, Amen. This Man of God and faithful Minister of Christ, departed this life upon Friday the 10. of May, Anno Domini, 1639. near the end of the six and fiftieth year of his age. Feb. 25. 1639. Imprimatur, THOMAS WYKES. Banburies' Funeral tears poured forth upon the Death of her late pious and painful Pastor Mr. William Whately deciphered in this Sympathising Elegy. I am that Orbin which of late did shine An heaven enlightened star with rays divine, Which did arise within me and dispense Light, life, heat, Heav'n-infusing influence, And went before me, steering right mine Eye Unto the very place where CHRIST did lie. He was a Cynosura in my motion To Heaven's bright haven on this world's vast Ocean; Or as the Egyptian Pharos to descry The rocks of sin and error to mine Eye. He was my Glory, Beauty, Consolation, My very soul, I but the Corporation. I would go on with bleedings to recite, His and mine own sad fall, but I can't write, Throbs shake mine hand, and grief my sight destroys, And when I speak, ah! tears do drown my voice: Yet will I sigh, and give my sorrows penned Within my breast, by mournful breathe vent. Come then speak sighs, write tears, and sadly story, The dark Eclipse that hath befell my glory. My Star is fall'n, and Heavens did so dispose, That there he fell, where he at first arose: The Stars above us thus their races run Returning thither whence they first begun. But did I say he's fallen? Stay me there, He is translated to an higher sphere, Where (though to th' world he is obscured) he may Shine forth unvailed in a purer ray, Fixed to an endless rest in heavens bright throne, Above all starry Constellation. But ah, alas Death hath disposed it so That his rise proves my fall, his weal my woe: His weal my woe? strange! what a change is this? My welfare was but now in wrapped in his: But thus Death innovates; and did he not Tell me that he Commission hath got, And warrant for his fact from heavens great King I would have brought him into questioning; Ah death what hast thou done? Dost thou not care To make a breach which ages can't repair? So rare a Frame in pieces for to take Which Heaven and nature did combine to make A Masterpiece? For who did ere behold So sound a spirit in so strong a mould? Heaven's treasure which within his breast abode Was by his liberal tongue dispersed abroad. All Graces gave a meeting in him, even, To make his breast a little map of Heaven. His lips distilled Manna; and he stood Not so for church-good as the Churches good. His voice it was a trump, whose sound was made With breath divine which it from Heaven had. His life a daily Sermon, which alas, Methinks was measured by too short a glass. Ah Death though Painters give thee holes for eyes Yet thou canst see to take the richest prize, To hit the fairest mark; yet I suspect It was my sin which did thine hand direct: My light had I improved it well for gain Would have remained, else lights shan't burn in vain. Yet sure he is not dead, for why? I find Him still surviving, in my breast enshrined; And who can say that he's of life bereaven That lives in's works, inpious hearts in Heaven? He's but a sleep, by death undressed, not dead, Or hath but changed his dress; for he in stead Of these sin-staind rags of mortality Wears a pure robe whose length's eternity. M. B. EXAMPLE. I. OF Adam and Eve. AS all other knowledges are conveniently taught by Precepts and Examples; The Preface to the ensuing Treatise. so is that best of knowledges, the art of living holily. Hence it is that as I have instructed you to my poor ability in the Law and the precepts of good life, so I do now intend to set before your eyes the Examples recorded in Scripture of Men, both good and bad, that by observing the swervings of the one, and the right walking of others, you may better keep your own feet in the straightest paths. Only concerning Examples, you must know this thing in general; that no Example at all hath the force of a precept either to bind the consciences of men to any thing as a duty, or to restrain from any thing as a sin: Bare Examples bind not. because the knowledge of sin is from the Law, and where there is no Law there is no transgression, and our care must be to walk in God's ways, not in the ways of any man whatsoever. But Example prevaileth alone to persuade the will as a fit argument of Exhortation or Dehortation, not as an argument to prove a thing needful or sinful. Seeing then my duty is to persuade you to all goodness, and to dissuade you from all evil, and the Examples of Scripture are undoubted and certain, and they offer themselves as it were unto the senses, and so more work on the will to allure or deter: I think it a convenient means of helping you in all righteousness and against the contrary, to make a collection of those Examples of good or bad things which are left us upon record by a divine pen, and I will range these Examples according to the order of time wherein they lived, so far as I can inform myself thereof by the Word of God. And I will begin with Adam and Eve, and put them both together, because their good and evil was put togeher in practice thereof. The Method observed in handling all the Examples. The Method I intent to take in each person is this, I will consider his Birth, Life and Death, and in his Life I will look to his carriage and behaviour in respect of the deeds he did, good, bad, indifferent and doubtful, and the things that befell him, either prosperously or adversely, in benefits or afflictions. Now for Adam and Eve because they were the first fountains of mankind, and therefore could not be borne in the same manner as others be (for he that is borne must have a Parent, and he that hath a Parent was not the first man or woman, because his Parent was before him) therefore I cannot tell you any thing of their Birth, Nothing can be said of Adam and Eves Birth, but of their entering into the world. but of their entering into the world by another way, which was to them the same in effect, that our begetting and birth is to us. I will inform you according to the Scriptures, for it much concerns us to understand our original and to know certainly how mankind came into the world. Know then in sum, That God made Man of the dust of the earth, Gen. 2.7. and breathed into him the breath of life and man became a living soul. Here is in brief the Creation of Adam (now Adam signifieth red Earth, Adam what it signifieth. because his body was made of such kind of Earth) and concerning Woman it is noted that God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, 21, 22. verses of the same Chapter. and then took one of his ribs, closing the flesh in steed of it, and framed it into the body of a Woman, in which also he placed a reasonable soul. Concerning this Creation of Man, you must first inform yourselves of the necessity of it. The Creation of Man was necessary. It must needs be granted by force of reason, that there must be some first man, seeing otherwise there must be infinite men, There must be first Man, and why? because a number without beginning must be also without end, in as much as there is the same reason of both, that which caused men without beginning, did cause them necessarily, and therefore it must cause them for ever; now all reason agrees to this truth, Non datur infinitum actu. that there cannot be an infinite number, seeing to a number still one at least may be added. I mean it of actual numbers and actual infiniteness, so we reason thus, either an infinite number of men, or some first man and woman, not the former, therefore the latter. And if there must be a first man and woman, either they came by chance and without any maker, which is so absurd, that no man can choose but hiss it out, or else they were made by some agent or matter that had a being before them; and if so, then either as Heathen Theology tells, they grew out of the mud as frogs do in some Countries, or else were form by God as our Theology teacheth, and let every man that hath his right wits about him, judge in himself whether of these twain is more agreeable to reason, and more likely to be true. So man was created by God, The time and matter of man's Creation. now about his Creation, the time and matter of it is to be noted. For first man was not created till the sixth day when a fit place for him to dwell in, and all necessary furniture for the place, and all needful servants and attendants were before provided for his use. God saw it not fit to bring man into the world, before it was garnished and stored with all contents useful for him. And then man was made in the first place and woman after him, to show that man is the superior in nature, woman was made for man and not man for woman, therefore was man made first and woman after, and so doth the Apostle reason in two places where he handles the difference of Sexes, 1 Cor. 11.8, 9 1 Tim. 2.13. So you have this cleared, how man came into the world, and how woman; but you must observe more particularly the different matter of which they were made, and the parts of which they consist. Man had a body and that was made of the dust of the earth, Why Man was made of the dust. Gen. 2.7. to teach him Humility, but he had also a soul and that was breathed into his nostrils, that is, infused by God, wonderfully and immediately put into man's body, it is called a breath of life, and after a soul of life, that is, a soul which procured breathing and living, nothing is harder for a man to conceive of then the nature of his own soul next the nature of God and Angels, for the former is much more hard to comprehend, the latter equally difficult at least, and it should be unto us a matter of great abasement that we cannot tell what to make of ourselves that is, of our souls, that it is we know by the effects it works in the body and the absence of these effects, and the following of contrary effects when it is departed from the body, and this is all we know in a manner, only we may gather by discourse that it is a substance incorporeal, because itself doth inform the body, and one body cannot in reason be fit to inform another. The Scripture also tells us certainly that it is an immortal substance which must return to God that gave it, It is hard to understand the nature of the soul. and reason subscribes to this truth, because finding the soul a thing simple, it cannot conceive how it should be corrupted; O how ignorant are we and what cause have we to be puffed up with conceit of our knowledge, seeing so much blindness doth now possess our minds, that in a manner all we have to say of our own souls and spirits, the best part of us, is this, that we cannot tell what to say. As for Evah she also consisted of a body, Eves body was made of a rib, and why? and that was made not of earth, but of a bone of her husband, to instruct her and him both of their duty, that she should acknowledge her subjection unto him as being taken out of him, and helpful to him as being made of a rib an helpful bone in his side, and to instruct him that he should account her dear unto him and make precious reckoning of her, using her as in a manner his equal, as being a piece of himself and extracted from his own side. Now a woman also hath a soul, an immortal spirit to make her a living and a reasonable creature; for where sin is found there is a reasonable soul, because none other is capable of knowing and consequently transgressing a law made by God, but woman was in the Transgression, that is, she sinned, and sinned first before Adam, A fond conceit that women have no souls and the original of it therefore she had a soul and a reasonable soul, and they seem to have been wilfully blind, that whether out of the silence of God in not mentioning the breathing of a soul into Evah, or upon what other mad conceit would needs make themselves and others believe that women had no souls. I conceive it was the device of some brutish and sensual man, that by instilling this most absurd conceit into that Sex, would fain draw them to commit all licentiousness with boldness, for if they have no souls it could be no fault in them more than in the bruit creatures to give over themselves to all sensuality and libidinousnesse. You have heard Man's beginning know now his life, and herein consider his behaviour and the things that befell him; Their life. his behaviour bad, good, indifferent, doubtful. Their bad carriage. The first sin of our first Parents. Gen. 2.16.17. Their bad carriage stands in two things. Their first sin whereby they fell, and their following sins which they added after their fall. The first sin was the eating of the forbidden fruit; for you shall have it recorded that the Lord having placed Adam in a garden to dress and keep it, spoke to him in this wise. Of all the trees of the garden thou mayst eating eat, that is, thou mayst lawfully and with mine allowance eat, it was at his choice to eat of what kind he pleased, and if it seemed good unto him to forbear eating of any he might forbear, then follows a prohibition of one kind of fruit, viz. of the tree of knowledge of good and evil which is in the midst of the garden thou mayst not eat, that is, you shall not lawfully do it, in regard of natural power he had ability to eat and not eat of that as of any other, but God did take away from him the moral liberty of eating of it, and by his authority saw good to abridge his liberty, and this alone to make it appear to Adam, that he was an absolute and a sovereign Lord over him, and had full power and authority to forbid him what he saw good to forbid, and to command what he saw good to command. So the Lord did here call Adam to a profession of his absolute subjection to God his Maker, and of God's absolute right to himself and all other creatures: and to this prohibition he subjoins a threat of death, In the day that thou eatest it thou shalt certainly die, in dying thou shalt die. Doubtless the Lord meant this of both deaths natural and spiritual, and it is to be interpreted, thou shalt become subject to a natural and to an eternal death, thy body and soul both shall be made in their kind mortal. Thy body subject to such putrefaction and distemper as shall cause it to be an unfit receptacle for the soul, and thy soul subject to such sinfulness and distemper in its kind, as shall make it unfit to hold any fellowship with God, and so thy soul shall be separated from thy body, and both from God the life of thy life; in this same phrase is the wicked man threatened by the Prophet at God's appointment. O wicked man thou shalt die the death, that is, most surely die and be damned. The Lord did not mean that natural and eternal death should instantly follow upon their eating, but obnoxiousness to both, and some degrees of both should follow instantly, and at last the consummation of both, with an implicit exception of his grace in Christ in pardoning him. Lo now Adam had from Gods own mouth an express and plain Commandment, wherein he was directly forbidden one and but one tree, with warrant for the use of all the rest, and a plain and express threat of death to begin to ensue immediately upon his eating. And this Commandment, either God himself, or else Adam had made known to Evah, for you hear that she doth both allege it and oppose it to the Serpent's temptation at the first. Now this Commandment so plain, so easy, so equal, that he could not be ignorant of it, nor incur any inconvenience by yielding to it, nor pick any exception against it. This Commandment which both of them knew full well did they transgress, and that very speedily. How long Adam continued before he sinned is not revealed. How long they continued free from the sin, I know not, because I find it not revealed and will not conjecture; because the not revealing it by God makes me think it is not to much purpose to know. If the first act of eating were that of the forbidden fruit, it is a great aggravation of their sin, that they transgressed God's Law in a manner afore they did any other thing, if they stood any while it is a great aggravation, that after much experience of God's bounty they would be bold to offend him, and taste of the forbidden fruit after the feeling of the sweetness and goodness of other fruits: but it was not long afore they did eat, and it was likewise done upon a poor motive, the temptation of a base Worm, and it was yielded unto without much resistance, for not many words passed them before Eve had condescended. You have the Story of this sin in Gen. 3.1, etc. where is first the Tempter, a Serpent, the most * The Hebrew word is ambiguous. The fall of our first Parents described naked or subtlest of all beasts; then the temptation in the matter of it and the success. The matter, The Serpent said to the Woman, hath God indeed said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden, in which he would make Eve either doubt of God's Commandment, or else be discontent with it, as if he had dealt niggardly with them in not permitting them to eat of every tree, or as if the forbidding of this were as much as if he had prohibited them all the trees, intimating that this was as good as all the rest, and the not giving them this as much as the denial of all the rest. Then the Woman's answer, telling him that he had allowed them all the rest and forbidden this alone, and that on pain of death; then the Serpent's reply, in which he contradicteth God's threat, that the Woman might not give credit unto it, for he tells Evah, that they should nor certainly die, yea not only so, but that God knew well enough how eating of that tree would procure to them an increase of knowledge, than the success of the Temptation is, that she believing the Serpent and conceiving that she should gain knowledge by the eating and considering the beauty and pleasantness of the fruit, did not alone eat of it herself, but also gave her husband, persuading him also to feed of it, which he at her persuasion did. Thus was the first Commandment utterly transgressed, which so soon as it was done they began to have sense of their nakedness, and sewed figleaves together to make them aprons for the covering of their nakedness, which now began to appear shameful unto them. Divers sins followed the first sin. This was their first sin, upon this followed divers other sins, viz. their running away from God, and hiding themselves among the trees, as if it had been possible for them so to have escaped his sight, and then excusing their fault, he by laying the fault partly on Eve which gave him, and partly upon God which gave her to him, and she upon the Serpent which had seduced and beguiled her. So they had done evil and sought to hide their sin instead of confessing it and humbling themselves, for so sin blinds the mind, hardens the heart, drives a man from God and sets all the mind out of frame, estranging the soul from God and causing a man to be filled with slavish fear that makes him fly from his presence. This sin brought terror of conscience, from whence of necessity followed sinfulness and mortality. This is their bad carriage. Their doubtful and indifferent behaviour. Doubtful and indifferent may seem to have been their making of them aprons of leaves, for that showed some shame and desire to hide their shame. Their good carriage. Evah why so called. Now follow the things that were good in them, viz. their embracing of God's goodness, and turning to him by Faith and Repentance after the promise, intimated in the giving Eve the name of Evah or Mother of all living, as much as if he had said, though we be all dead by this sin, yet we shall live by the promised seed which Evah shall bring forth, and then Evah giveth the name of Cain to her first son, saying, I have obtained a son the Lord, or of the Lord, perhaps expressing her hope that Cain was that son the Lord which should bruise the Serpent's head, and after calling the second son by the name of Abel, to signify their submitting themselves to the crosses and miseries which they felt, and after bringing up their sons in a calling, the one a Shepherd, the other a Husbandman, and in teaching them to worship God and to bring gifts and sacrifices to him, the one of his sheep, the other of the fruits which the land did afford. Their benefits 1. Before their fall. Now consider we the benefits God had bestowed upon them before their fall, the making of them after his own Image, in knowledge, righteousness and true holiness, with a most beautiful, strong, swift, healthy and comely body, free from all danger of sickness, death, or other misery; giving them dominion over all creatures, planting so excellent a place for them as Paradise, and granting them the use of all the trees, and that of life, and putting on them so pleasant a service as that of dressing and keeping the Garden, besides the hope and assurance of Eternal life upon condition of their obedience, of which Paradise itself and the tree of life were signs unto them. For if we should live the life of glory by obeying the Law, so should they have done seeing they also were under the same Covenant of works that we be under. Now after their sin God bestowed divers benefits on them. 2. After their fall. The chief was the promise of a Saviour, viz. The seed of the Woman to tread on the Serpent's head, that is, to destroy the Devil, and the works of the Devil, and to deliver them from the mischief which Satan sought to bring upon them. By which words he did make the Covenant of grace with them and their Posterity, providing a remedy equal to the disease, and the means of revealing it to all, in that be manifested it to them that they might teach it to their children, and so one to another till all knew it, and then making them Breeches and continuing their life, and granting them children. These be the benefits. The miseries they felt were pronouncing a curse upon them, Their Crosses. adjudging them to an inavoidable necessity of natural death, to much sorrow in their life, he by tilling the ground (which should bring forth ill things to him) and that with sweat and labour, and she by bearing children in sorrow, and by being compelled by subjection to her husband; then by casting them out of Paradise, debarring them the tree of life, and giving Cain over to kill his Brother better than himself, which must needs be an heavy cross to them, which God did somewhat mitigate by giving them another godly son, even Seth. This is their life, their death follows. Adam lived 900. years, and for Eves death, Their Death. it is not mentioned how long she lived, Why the length of any Woman's life except Sarahs' is not mentioned in Scripture. for God hath not thought it fit to tell us the length of the life of any woman except Sarah in Scripture: upon what consideration it is hard to guess, but sure it is to humble womankind, that because they were first in bringing in death, deserved not to have the continuance of their lives, recorded by Gods pen. So have I briefly run over the first man and the first woman. And now I will make use of all. First from their Creation, The uses of the whole. and the benefits bestowed upon them in and after their Creation; let us learn to acknowledge God to be our Creator, the Fountain of our being, and to submit ourselves wholly to him in all things, seeing we have received our being from him; for in making them he made us in them, and whatsoever benefits he gave him in Creation, he gave them to us in him, Omnes nos eramus, ille unus. seeing if he had not cast them away we should not have wanted them. We must not less praise God and be less thankful for that happy estate, because Adam forfeited it; for his naughtiness in sinning cannot diminish the goodness of God in granting to him and his so great a heap of pleasures here with certainty of Eternal life after. Do you not see that God made us all to happiness and life in our first Parents, fitting all things, so that he might have stood and delivered over all those benefits unto us. Let us not murmur against God for the punishment justly inflicted upon us in them and on them for the sin committed by them; especially we must praise God for the promise of the seed of the Woman which now God hath performed to us, by whom salvation and life was offered and tendered to all, so that by the second Adam all might have received happiness as they lost it by the first, if the fault had not been and were not merely in themselves, that have been and are careless of God's goodness neglecting to consider of his mercy, to believe in him and to turn to him. Secondly, in Adam's sin let us all see our own sinfulness, and our mortality and misery in his misery, Rom. 5.12. For by one man sin came into the world, and by sin death, and so death passed over all. This sin is our sin after a sort, we must lament it and bewail it, and be humbled for it, and in the sense of our wretchedness run to the promised seed to deliver us from sin and death, and to repair the Image of God in us by the mighty work of his Spirit, which is as easy for him to do as to create us just at the first, and which he will as certainly perform for us if we seek it as he did then in our first making. Again, let us learn to hate and loath sin and Satan, not to hearken to his suggestions, but to believe God's threats and submit to his Commandments, let the husband resolve not to obey the voice of his wife against God, let the wife take heed of drawing her husband to sin, let the husband rather reform her then be corrupted by her. O beware of thinking to get any thing by doing wickedness, disobedience will bring nothing in conclusion but misery and unhappiness. Let us take heed of flying from God and of excusing our faults and casting the blame upon others, chiefly upon God himself, as Adam did, but let us rather confess, lament, and trust in his mercy, and implore it, then daub and dissemble, and think to escape by frivolous shifts and extenuations; We should not be proud of apparel. and especially learn not to be proud of apparel which is no better than a badge of our wicked rebellion and of our shameful nakedness. Let us be the better for the things we know concerning Adam and Eve our first Parents. Again, let us be careful to follow them in all good deeds which they did; O let us repent and believe in Christ hoping for life by him according to the Covenant of grace, as they did when they had broken the Covenant of Works. For by trusting in Christ we shall go to Heaven in the way of Evangelicall obedience, standing in a resolution and endeavour not to sin, and a careful humbling ourselves and seeking pardon when we fail, as sure as they or we should have done in the way of Legal obedience, if they and we had remained innocent; and God will as surely enable us to this Evangelicall obedience, if we seek to him for grace and the renewing of his Image in us, as he had enabled him to Legal and exact obedience. In truth Christ hath made the way to life eternal as easy to us in the path of the Gospel, as it was to him in the path of the Law, for we have grace to keep us from loving and serunig sin as sure as he had power to abstain from committing sin. Say to yourselves, Adam's sin shall not damn me, if in sense of the misery which it brought upon me I can fully seek to Christ the promised seed. Further, let us follow him and her in that was good in both. How did Adam accept his wife, saying, This is flesh of my flesh, and she shall be called Evah, and a man shall forsake Father and Mother and cleave to his wife; O you husbands love your wives as your own flesh, cleave to them above all, and forsaking all other, keep you only to them. You wives be content to be subject to your husbands, as it is sure Evah was before her fall at least, and probable after too, for we read of no brawls betwixt them. O join together to bring up your children well, first in some honest calling, then in the knowledge of the true God and care of worshipping him. I say teach your sons and daughters things necessary for their profitable and holy living in the world; bring them not up in idleness and ignorance, but so carry yourselves to them, that it may not be imputed to you if they prove wicked, and be thankful to God for your children, and learn to rejoice, especially in their goodness, as Adam and Evah did in Seths'. Learn of your first Parents to be good Parents, and follow all the things that were good and commendable in them. Again, from their afflictions, learn to prepare for afflictions, and to make a good use of them when they come, if you think to live in this world without briers and thorns, without sweat and labour you are much deceived. Crosses are assigned to us as just chastisements for our sin; we must to dust, let us expect misery and death, and labour to make ourselves fit for crosses. It was Gods great goodness that he would not suffer Adam to remain in Paradise and to joy the tree of life. For had he lived in so much pleasure as that place would have afforded, and had he found all the creatures as good and comfortable to him now after his fall when his nature was made sinful, as when it was sinless, O how greatly would his sin have grown through the fatness of that over delightful estate, even as weeds do in a rich and unmanured soil. Sure had not God sent a curse on the earth, and inflicted grief and misery upon man, he would never have repent, never have conceived of his spiritual misery, never have turned to God and sought God; so that as it is a mercy in the Physician to make the patient sick with a medicine, so it was in God to send these afflictions on us. Let us not therefore flatter ourselves in vain conceits of living merrily, but let us prepare for afflictions, which all must in some degree meet withal in their several callings. It was the voice of an Epicure in the rich man, that said, eat and drink and take thine ease; Ede, bide, lude, etc. we should say to ourselves rather, sin hath made me subject to divers crosses, and I will labour to receive them patiently from God's Almighty hand, if he think it fit to exercise me with them. Especially you that are Parents of children, look for crosses in your children; think this boy may prove not an Abel, not a Seth, but a Cain, a wicked and a sinful Cain, a hater of goodness, and fugitive from God. Let me take heed therefore that I do not overlove him, that I do not cocker him, and as it were mar and kill his soul by over-cherishing his body. If we find ourselves apt to overprize and overlove our children, we must moderate those passions by such meditations, and if we find ourselves apt to overgrieve for their death, we must tell ourselves, Ah might not their lives have proved much more bitter to me then their death can; who would not rather bury a son young then live to see him prove a Cain, and who can tell but his son for whose death he takes on with so much excessive sorrow, may not fall out to be as wicked as Caine. If any say I hope not so, I answer him, where be the grounds of his hope? did not our first Parents hope as much think you? Sure Evah giving Cain a name showed that she had good hopes of him when he was borne, yea those that have good and godly children must prepare to be crossed in their afflictions. Hast thou an Abel, a godly child, O make thine heart ready to hear that some wicked hand hath knocked him on the head, perhaps his own Brother, that some violent death hath seized upon him and taken him away before his time, and labour to be willing to yield to God's hand if he will so cross thee, for why shouldst not thou stoop to as heavy a burden as that which Adam and Eve did bear in the beginning of the world. For the death of good children, yea their miserable and untimely death, and for the wickedness, yea the notorious and unnatural wickedness of other children, let every man prepare himself, by looking upon the example of Adam and Eve, that suffered these crosses, yea let every godly man learn to prepare for persecution from all Caines, but that we shall treat on when we come to Abel's example. But Brethren we must not only prepare for crosses of this kind, but we must also make a good use of them when they come, that is, we must turn them into medicines as Physicians do some poisons, causing the sorrow which they will work in us to become a medicine against our sins of which they be the proper and natural effects. When you meet with crosses and calamities, say, now I see God's Justice and God's Truth, now I see the hatefulness and hurtfullnesse of sin, and therefore now I will mourn, not because I am crossed, but because I have deserved this cross, and a worse too, and so frame to confess and bemoan the sin, and to supplicate for pardon and help at the hand of God in the name of Christ, especially look to those sins to which your crosses have some reference and respect. Are you crossed in your goods, think if you did not overlove them and get them unjustly, or if in your children, see if you did not overlove them and cocker them, and so in all things of like kind. In what God smites you, see if you have not in that sinned against him, and so frame to lament your sins and to seek help against them. This will help to make your cross easy and quickly to remove it, this will cause that you shall be gainers even by crosses. When we see the ill deservings of sin and the perfect righteousness, yea the goodness of God in calling thus to repentance; happy are they that be so afflicted and so taught in God's ways. And Brethren let me yet make one use of Adam and Eves great sin, to warn you, that you take heed of presuming of your own strength, and of boasting that you will never commit such and such a sin, for if these two in their innocency could not escape when they neglected to sue to God for strength, O how much more shall not we stand if we adventure to brag and boast, and promise much of ourselves, but when sin begins to gather upon you, and Satan to tempt, then fly to prayers and to requests, and to the threats and Commandments, and apply those threats, and pray God to enable you to keep the Commandments, then shall you do so well as you can wish, else large promises will bring forth nothing but sorry performances. Thus should Eve have done, and then she should have had her prayers granted, and her faith established, and escaped the fault. And as I think the first of all the faults of Evah was, Eves first fault. that she was led away by the wary speeches of the Serpent (by which he sought by step and step to descend to this solicitation,) that then she did not revive in her mind the consideration of God's presence, and of her dependence upon him, and of his readiness to give her help on her seeking it, and of her own imbecility as being a creature, to stand without continual support from him. For sure the Moral Law lay upon Adam and Evah as well as upon us, and they ought thus to have behaved themselves in temptation; here therefore I say was her first failing. For we must not think that there was no sin precedent to the actual eating of the forbidden fruit, yea her being enticed and drawn away to distrust God's Truth, to deny his threats, to affect knowledge against God's allowance, and to be bold to sin, when she conceived that no danger would grow from it but much benefit: all these were faults and preparations to the great actual fault. Indeed it is probable, that if she had taken herself in these slips, and set herself and graces on work to have resisted them before they had come to such an head, that then she should not have been corrupted by them, so as to fall into sinfulness and mortality, because the Lord had limited the threat of death to actual eating: but howsoever these things were faults in Eve, and now we must learn therefore not to presume any thing of ourselves, but to confess that if we do not seek to God for his sustentation and so obtain the same from him, we shall surely be overcome to commit any sin though never so grievous. But again, we must be encouraged to repent of sin and to crave pardon of it, any greatness of it notwithstanding, for even this sin of our first Parents is to them pardoned. This first and grand sin, The greatness of our first Parent's sin. the sin of sins, that did inwrap in it all the blasphemies and Idolatries, etc. of all aftertimes, and was as I may so speak in power all sin, even this sin is forgiven; Adam which cast all into sin, out of Paradise, and out of Heaven what in him lay, even this Adam is in Heaven himself, yea Eve that drew Adam to it, and persuaded her husband to the committing of so monstrous a Trespass, to the poisoning of him and all his; she is pardoned, she is in Heaven. As God set forth the riches of his Mercy in pardoning so vile and capital a sinner as Paul was, that in him he might show an example of all long-suffering; so hath he set forth the abundance of his Grace in Christ by remitting the fault, and saving the souls of these and these sinners, which did not what they did in false zeal as Paul, but in wilful unbelief and rebellion. Wherefore let no man doubt of obtaining pardon by the grace of God in Christ, because of the greatness of his sin. For if by the offence of one many be dead, much more shall the grace of gift, and the gift by grace abound unto mercy; and if in Adam all die, that is, be made subject to death, so in Christ much more shall all be made alive, if they trust in him and turn, if death reigned by the first Adam, much more shall grace reign by the second Adam; If, by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, much more by one man's obedience shall many be made righteous. It is an extreme disvaluing of Christ's righteousness, and under-prizing of God's mercies in Christ, if any greatness of sin hinder us from seeking to God for pardon and trusting to find it. If we should be appointed to deserve remission of our own sins every man for himself, than a man might hope to get out of little sins but not out of great, and so greatness of sin might dishearten him: but seeing it is Christ the Son of God as well as Man, that hath satisfied at once for the sins of all, by being a Propitiation for the sins of the whole world, now it is too too great a weakness, and too too palpable an ignorance of Christ and disparagement to him, to doubt of pardon, because of the greatness of sin, and that we may assure ourselves, lo Adam and Eve saved, a couple that let in the floud-gares to all sin, and that in committing so great a disobedience, did commit at once all the sins of all the world. There cannot be thought any offence greater, for the time, place, persons sinning, occasions of sinning, helps against sin, Commandment transgressed, no nor the matter of the sin neither. For though the thing materially considered were but eating an apple, a plum, or whatsoever fruit it might be, yet that apple was as it were a Sacrament, a visible profession of their care to forbear all sin by forbearing it, and so the taking of that was a worse sin than if it had been very actual adultery or murder, as if a man should take the Sacramental bread and give it to a dog, or cast it into the fire, or trample it under feet knowing it to be the Sacrament, sure he were as vile and far more vile an offender, then if he should lie in wait at his neighbour's door to deflower his wife, or to murder himself or any of his household. Now therefore take heart to run to God penitently for pardon in Christ, and be sure of success. And if greatness and multitude of sin offer itself to discourage you and to damp your hopes, refer yourselves to Adam and Eve, and say, their one sin was more in badness then all my sins, and yet they were pardoned upon their repentance, and so shall I, and then even violently breaking through all objections, give over thyself to sorrowful confessions and supplications and thou shalt be pardoned. If any say my sin was worse than Adam's, for I have sinned against the Holy Ghost; I answer, if thou hast sinned against the Holy Ghost, repent and thou shalt be pardoned, for the cause why that sin cannot be forgiven, is not want of mercy in God or merits in Christ, but such abundance of hardness in them, that they will not seek to God for pardon or for grace to repent. Wherefore I say again look on thy first Parents, that how bad soever thou be'st were causes of thy being so bad, and promise thyself pardon upon repentance, because they are pardoned, and hope to be penitent if thou endeavour and seek it, because they were helped which were as vile sinners as thyself. THE SECOND EXAMPLE. OF Caine. NExt after Adam and Evah, the Scriptures propound unto us the Examples of Cain and Abel, two sons of those Parents. First, we must speak of Cain, who being the elder Brother was yet the worse man, for the Lord hath never accustomed to give his graces according to the privileges of age, that the gift may appear to be free and gratuitous, not at all deserved by any thing that the man may find in himself. Now speaking of Cain, we must handle his Birth and Life, for it hath not seemed good to God to tell us any thing of his death. His Birth we have, Gen. 4.1. Cain's Birth. Adam knew Evah his wife and she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Cain, or a possession: saying, I have obtained a man of the Lord, or, as it may be translated, a man the Lord, perhaps expressing her conceit to be, that this son of hers must be that man who was also to be God, that should redeem herself and all men from the mischief which the Serpent had brought upon them, but if she had any such hopes she had much deceived herself, for God doth seldom make such haste in granting so great things immediately after the promise, he chooseth rather to exercise the faith and patience of his people in waiting some good and large space of time for the performance of the promise. Cain's carriage 1. Good. 1. He had a calling. The commendation of husbandry. Now concerning this man we will note first his carriage and behaviour, than the things that befell him. In his carriage some things are for mattrer good, some things altogether evil. That which is good is, that at his Father's appointment and education he betook himself to a needful trade of life, for so it is said, Cain was a tiler of the ground, that is, he gave himself to Husbandry. This calling as it is very useful, for even the King is served by the land that is tilled, so it is you see a very ancient calling, it is full of pains and full of profit, much increase (saith Solomon) doth come by the labour of the Ox, but where no Ox is the crib is empty. You see it hath the precedency of the Shepherd, for the elder son was assigned to this trade as the most necessary. Wherefore me thinks they do not show themselves to be of the same mind with Adam, that are still ready to pull down tillage and set up pastorage, as I may call it. Indeed pastorage gives most private gain to one or two men, and therefore they that are led more by self love then by charity or the love of mankind, are more affected to it; but surely God's pleasure was in making the World to make provision for a multitude to live in convenient abundance, rather than for a few to live in excessive riches. Howsoever you see this is good in Cain, he embraced a calling and lived painfully therein, for he was tilling the ground, he did not alone take upon him the name of a Husbandman, but did exercise himself in the works of that calling. 2. Was outwardly religious. Secondly, Cain was religious too, at least in respect of the outward acts, for in process of time he brought a gift to the Lord of the fruit of the ground, he worshipped God by offering something to him of that which by his goodness and blessing the earth did bring forth unto him. The Lord will be served even with our costs, with gifts, with rendering him back again something of that which himself hath given us. He commanded Israel not to appear before him empty, but to bring free-will-offerings and heave offerings of their hands. God loves not an empty worshipper, he is liberal to us, he would have us also liberal to him, we receive much from him, he looks to receive something of us, that so we may actually acknowledge him to be the giver of all. He is not contented that the mouth worship him in prayers and praises, nor the ear in hearing and attending to him, nor the body in bowing itself to him, nor the hands in lifting up themselves, but he will be honoured with our goods, as Solomon saith, Prov. 3.9. even with our substance. For though he hath not now commanded any thing to be burnt upon the Altar, having abolished all Sacrifices by sending his Son, to offer up himself in Sacrifice for our sins, that he might take away our sins by that one offering once for all; yet now he hath appointed such a worship as cannot be maintained without cost, in regard of the persons attending it and the instruments of it, and he hath now appointed them to reap our earthly things in his steed, which in his steed do sow unto us spiritual things. Mark this then as a thing in itself good, to worship God and to worship him with giving a gift unto him, as also in the Psalm he saith, bring presents to him that ought to be feared. Further, 3. Built a City it was a lawful and good thing in Cain even after his great sin committed, that he built a City, for surely to take order for the replenishing of men with people, and the commodious habitation of men borne into the world, is a good and commendable thing in itself, though men may easily and often do transgress much in the manner of doing it. Therefore the Lord saith, Esay 58. 12. in commendation of his people and in way of promising a great benefit and honour. There shall be of thee that shall build the old waste places. Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations, and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in. Surely, if to build old wastes and repair decayed places that they may stand to many generations be a praise, as you hear from the Prophet, then to build new that were not built before, that also is a good thing and laudable. This therefore must be noted as a good thing in Cain, that he gave himself to build a City. Lastly, 4. Had but one wife. that is good in him, that he was the husband of one wife and did content himself with the first institution of marriage, not corrupting it with taking variety of women to one and the same man at the same time, as God had made but one Eve for Adam, and said, a man shall cleave to his wife, not to his wives, and they shall be one flesh, meaning, the● two, not three or four. Some are of opinion that in the beginning Evah at every burden bare twins, Some think Eve still bare twins. and so there came into the world together a man and a woman, whether this was so or not I cannot affirm, but it may seem probable, because the Holy Ghost makes not much mention of the bringing forth of any woman before the flood, therefore it may be thought that their birth is comprehended in the narration of the birth of the more worthy Sex, and that together with man they were conceived and and borne; but whatsoever became of this conceit, it is evident Cain had but one wife, and that is commendable in him. And this is all that I can pick out of the Story that is good in this bad man, for even in a bad man also may be found many things that for the matter of them are very good. I proceed now to set forth the evil of Cain, 2. Cain's bad carriage. 1. In general, He was a wicked man. who was an unsanctified man, as witnesseth S. john, 1 Epist. 1.3. He was of that evil one, that is the Devil, a child of Satan he was notwithstanding all that good that he did. A man unsanctified therefore may be painful in his calling; a man unsanctified may worship God and bring him gifts; a man unsanctified may build Cities; a man unsanctified may live honestly with his wife. Neither must any man conceit himself a child of God because he can truly affirm of himself that he doth these and many other good and commendable things. This is no more than may be found in a Cain who was of that evil one. Cain's faults in particular: 1. He was an Hypocrite. But let us look into his vices and faults. The first and worst fault is, he was an Hypocrite, one in whom hypocrisy ruled, for had he not been such a one, the Lord would not have forborn to show the same respect to him and to his gift that he showed to his Brother Abel and his gift. God is not an accepter of persons, he doth not regard one sincere man and neglect another that hath the same sincerity, but he hears all that call upon him in truth, as saith the Psalmist: and in every nation those that fear him and work righteousness are acceptable to him, seeing then God did not testify of his gifts, What an Hypocrite is. they were but the gifts of an hypocrite. For an hypocrite is he which contenteth himself with a form of religion, in performing the external acts of it and is not sanctified by it, hath not the dominion of sin broken, hath not the image of God renewed in him, hath not the divine nature bestowed upon him, nor cares nor seeks to have it, but contents and satisfieth himself in these external devotions. Whosoever is careful to come to God's Ordinances, to pray, hear, read, receive the Sacraments, and the like acts of religion, and doth so carelessly, overly, and negligently perform them, as not in them to seek and attain true sanctity and recovering out of the snare of the Devil and power of sin, (for these effects of true religion are not denied to any in and by those ordinances but to those which neglect to serve for them in and by these Ordinances) he is a very Cain that is, an Hypocrite. Hypocrisy is a fearful sin, and this was Cain●● first and worst sin, that he was an Hypocrite, he performed indeed ●●e outward work of religion, but performed it not out of faith and with a desire thereby to do true honour to God, and to give himself unto God, and ●o get grace from God to make him his, but barely out of custom o● respect to his Father's authority who had so trained him up, or out of a kind of imperfect natural devotion, that he might seem to himself good, and nourish in himself good hopes of escaping Hell and getting Heaven: Notwithstanding his taking leave to himself to commit other sins which liked him, or such other like corrupt and mere self respecting ends, as credit with his Father and Mother and the rest of his Brethren and Sisters; the Lord that saw deeply into Cain's heart and found it filled with guile, that it did not draw near to him when his body did, would at first make it appear, that it was not possible to deceive him by disguises, and therefore by not showing any note of respect, did plainly discover his utter dislike of such mere outside service as he hath also done at other times, saying, that those which draw near to him with their lips and have their hearts far from him, do worship him in vain, and that if any man seem to be religious alone, his religion is in vain, and that he is not a jew which is one outwardly. The second sin of Cain follows, 2. Was vexed at his punishment. that when he perceived that God had not respect to him and his sacrifice, he was wrath and his countenance fell, he had a furious inside and a dogged outside, whereas he should have looked into the cause, he only chased at the thing. This is a fearful sin, when a man is punished, to be vexed at the punishment, and not take care to see and reform the sin which causeth the punishment. This is to accuse God as the Author of the evil, and not himself, and so to justify himself above God; this is to show a predominancy of pride and blindness, that out of an high opinion of himself hath his mind muffled as it were from seeing his own faults, it is to show that he serveth that sin which punishments cannot make him humbly to confess; and this wrath and fall'n countenance was procured through envy against his Brother; for he did not only vex himself because his one Sacrifice found no approbation, but also hated his Brother, because his was accepted, as appears, because God in reproving his sullen and dogged looks, doth tell him instantly, that unto thee shall be his desire, that is, I know Cain what aileth thee, thou art wrath against thy Brother, and hatest him, because he is more regarded by me then thyself, but know that I intent not to take away the superiority which thine age gives thee, he shall be thine inferior in respect of government, though he be better than thyself in virtues. Thou shalt be the ruler of the Family after Adam and not he. The government of the World domestical. For at that time the government of the world was only domestical, and the elder Brother was the chief Magistrate under and after the Father. So envy ruled in Cain, discontent festered to an hatred of his Brother, because he thought his Brother had more respect than himself, and so that his Brother hindered him from being accepted. Envy a great evil. This envy is much condemned. It is said, Envy not sinners, much less the righteous, and S. Paul saith, Gal. 5 26. Let us not be covetous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another, noting vainglory to be the root on the which envy grows; and Solomon saith, Who can stand against envy, noting it to be one of the most unreasonable faults that is, as hating a man because he is not as miserable as himself, or at least because he is more happy than himself. This is a second fault of Caine. A third is, 3. Did not mend his fault though he was gently admonished by God himself. that when God himself did gently and duly admonish him of his fault, and sought to assuage his hatred and his wrath, yet he did nothing at all reform it, but rather grew worse, showing that envy carried him away still, and he did nourish and foster, not oppose and resist it. For God came and showed him good reason, both that he should not be angry at his not being accepted, and also that he should not have a grudge against his Brother because he was accepted, for if thou do well, saith the Lord, shalt thou not be accepted, that is, not thy Brother is an impediment to any respecting of thyself and thy Sacrifice, but thine ill doing. Thou servest me with outward service, but thou art a bad man and livest not well, therefore must not I regard thy service, for I tell thee, my pure nature is such, that if men be of sinful lives and wicked, their prayers and oblations are so far from pleasing me, that they be abomination to me: therefore do I not care for thee nor thy religion, so long as thou continuest impenitent, and a wicked liver, but if thou frame thyself to do well, to repent and amend thy life, and live holily, then also shalt thou be accepted, as if he had told him, that he ought to amend his life, and might so set himself about it, as to obtain help and power to do it. For even to any reprobate may any man say as much as God to Cain here, there is no necessity of thy being cast off by God, set to amend thy life, and he will take thee into favour, and then should he also be taken into favour, and his gifts regarded. For though the Sacrifice of sinners be odious to God, yet the prayer of the upright is his delight. So no cause of Cain's wrath and envy, seeing the cause of his Brothers being preferred before him is his own naughtiness, not any partiality in God nor tricks that his Brother had used. Again, there is no cause he should hate his Brother, who should still continue an inferior in subjection to him. All this notwithstanding uttered by God himself, yet Cain continued his sour looks and bitter thoughts against his Brother, only because his Brother was better than himself, and had received more approbation and acceptation from God than himself. Note this fault, he would not be amended by words, he hardened himself against an admonition. 4. Murdered his Brother. A fourth and a worse fault was, he spoke to his Brother and got him into the field out of company (for no doubt there were more men and women in the world though we do not read of any more) and there he knocks him on the head (with what weapon it is folly for us to inquire) but sure his tools of husbandry yielded him fitter help to do it then the jawbone of an Ass, But with what weapon is uncertain. which some will needs think to have been used. So his envy and hatred boiled so long, and prevailed so much in him, that it makes him dip his finger in blood and in the blood of his own Brother; notwithstanding the greatness of the sin in itself and great torment that would ensue thence unto his Parents. Moreover, Murder that is Cain's sin, and with this sin of murder is joined fraud and guile, and fearing man more than God: for he spoke to him and got him out, and then rose up against him, when they were together alone in the field, so it was a pretended and premeditated murder, he used words of kindness, at lest which did not show forth any ill intention, for than would not Abel have gone with him, and having him in a solitary place where no man could see him to discover or hinder him, there not regarding God's presence, he took away his life and spilt his blood on the ground. You see Cain's fourth sin. 5. Did not repent of his murder. The fifth was he did not repent of the sin when he had done it, nor of himself ran to God with humble confession, nay when God came to bring him to repentance, than he stood in denial of his fault, and was angry with God for going about to charge him with his Brother; for when the Lord came and asked him where his Brother was, he made answer that he could not tell, lying to God himself you see, and showing himself to be altogether ignorant, or at least heedless of his Allseeing eye, and in a kind of discontent ask the Lord, why he should ask of him, where Abel was, seeing no man had ever appointed him to be Abel's keeper. Here is a fearful sin not to confess a sin committed, but to lie and seek if he could to hide it from God by denial. So that Cain was grown worse than Adam, he only excused the fault, he denies, saying, he could not tell what was become of him whom himself had murdered, so denying in his heart that God was present in all places and saw all things. So his heart was hardened in wickedness, and he was grown a despiser of God, a denier of his Omniscience, and he had made himself quite impenitent. Impenitency in his sins, that was another of Cain's faults. Instead of falling down and saying, I have sinned, he saith, I have not done it, thou dost unjustly in ask me such a question, like the Pharisees, that after they had killed Christ, were so far from repenting, that they seemed to take it in high disdain, that the Apostles would seem to bring that man's blood upon them. Mark this sin, I say mark it, he hides his sin, denies it, will not go to God with humble confessions and supplications. This is to be a Cain, to commit great sins, and continue remorseless and unrepentant, not regarding to confess no not to God himself, though God use means to make him see and confess. Now another fault is, 6. He muttered and despaired that after God had censured him for his offence, he grumbled and despaired, for his speeches carry an impression of both these vices, and are uttered, so that they will bear both renderings, My sin is greater than can be pardonad, or, My punishment is greater than I can bear. So Cain was possessed with a mixture of desperateness and murmuring, he denies God the honour of his mercy in not conceiving him able to forgive that sin, therefore he thought it in vain to confess and ask pardon and so forbore to do it, and he thought the punishment unjust and too severe, as being more than he could bear, as if God in punishing an unpenitent sinner should look not what the sin did deserve, but what the sinner could undergo. Whereas punishment must be proportioned to the greatness of the fault, not the strength of the offendor. He should have cried out of the greatness of the sin, not of the punishment, he should have confessed the greatness of God's mercy, but he mutters against him as both unjust and unmerciful, and so reputes not but repines, complaining that God had laid him open to all men's injuries now, so that every one might kill him. This is a Cain, a man so hardened with sin that he can neither submit to God's justice nor implore his mercy, but denies the one, and calumniates the other, and so persists impenitently. 7. Persists impenitently in his sins. For that is the last of all his sins, he goes away quite from God and his Father, ceaseth to continue a member of that family, and of that Church, gives over all outward shows of religion, turns mere worldly and earthly, and seeks to ease the smart of his conscience by building and bustling in the world, declaring a piece of vain glory too, by calling his City after the name of his firstborn, as it were boasting of it, that he should have his son the Lord of a City of his own name, Henoch of Henoch. A fearful offence to persist still in impenitency, to cast of all show of religion, to excommunicate himself out of the Church, and bury himself in vanity and worldliness, so to stifle his own conscience and deaden his own heart more and more. 3. His prosperity and adversity. Now I have done with Cain's carriage good and bad. I come to the things that befell him, good and bad. 1. His benefits, had posterity and lived a long life, and was preserved from the violence of all men. First good, you see God gave him a son and son's son, and continued his life along time to give him space of repentance, and set a mark upon him to save him from the violence of all men, threatening to punish him sevenfold, that is, seven times as much as he had hurt Cain if any should kill him. Seeing it pleased not God to tell us what this mark was with which he noted this prime murderer; it is fondness in us to weary ourselves with conjectures; some think it was visible to all men, but what I know not, nor I am sure can any man else tell, but it was the goodness of God to secure him of life who had deserved death, for the Law of putting the murderer to death was not yet, and God would not put Adam to so hard a task as killing his own son, but would show himself to be above Law, in forbearing to do that which he will not suffer a Magistrate to forbear, even putting to death of a wilful murderer; yea, it was the great goodness of God to give him health and many children, and children's children, and to grant him riches and prosperity in the world abundantly if it had been possible to have drawn him to repentance, 2. God vouchsafed him means to keep him from sin and to draw him out of sin. yea it was a great benefit that God came gently to admonish him of his inward malice, if it might have been to have hindered the breaking of it out into murder, and after it was done to come again with this gentle second admonition, if it had been possible to have melted him and have drawn him to submissive humiliation. So God vouchsafed him means to keep him from sin and to draw him out of sin, and time long enough to make use of those means, and many benefits to allure him to make use of them, thus good is God even to sinners, and impenitent sinners, to offer them means of repentance and acceptation upon their repentance, and vouchsafe them store of good things for a long time, notwithstanding their obstinateness in refusing to repent. 2. His crosses. Now lastly, let us consider God's punishments, viz. the evil things he met withal. The first is sentencing him for his fault, 1. God aggravates his fault and sentenceth him for it. and laying open the greatness of it in saying, What hast thou done, thy Brother's blood cryeth to me from the earth which hath drunk it in at thine hand. Secondly, he curseth him from the earth, that is, 2. Curseth the earth to him. in respect of the earth which shall not be half so fruitful to him as before, nor yield its increase as it had done, for he doth not mean simply it shall yield no fruit, but nothing so much nor so easily. Lastly, thou shalt be a fugitive, a runagate, that is, 3. He was full of terror. a man full of unquietness and terrors, that canst have no rest nor peace in thine heart, nor any content any where; yea, it signifieth a giving him over to cast off all goodness, and leave him to himself to forsake his Father's house, and so a selling him over to profaneness and utter impenitency. Thus we have done with Cain's life, Cain's death not mentioned and for his death the Scripture vouchsafes not to mention it, nor how long he lived, but he lived a long time even to see the sons of Lamech, who was the sixth generation from him, and vaunted that if God would so avenge Cain, he would be avenged more, by which speech it is very probable that Cain was then alive. So we have spoken all we have to speak of Caine. Now I will make some use of all. First, from that that was good in Cain, The use of all. I pray you learn at least to be as good as so bad a man was, and therefore may sure be attained by natural endeavours. You see Cain did not give himself to run idling about the world, but submitted to his Father's government, so far as to give himself to Husbandry. O let no man turn himself into a cipher, nay into an excrement that lives in the world to no purpose, yea to bad purpose; for he shall not but do naughtily that will do nothing, set yourselves therefore to have and to follow some calling and employment. Live not like those playful creatures, imperfect pictures of men, but of such men the fitrest emblems, like apes and monkeys only to skip up and down and to make sport, but live to bestow yourselves in some profitable vocation for your own and the common good. If any say Cain was necessitated to it, because there were no other to till the ground for them he being Adam's firstborn. I answer, first, I desire you should live somewhat better than Cain and do good out of choice, which perhaps he might do out of necessity. Secondly, I answer, that though you be not necessitated to any calling by want, yet wisdom and a good conscience bind you, for must you not submit to that of God, In the sweat of thy brows shalt thou eat, and to that of the Psalmist, he shall eat the labour of his hands, and to that of Paul, which condemns the inordinate walkers which wrought not at all, and is it not wisdom to forbear walking on a thorn hedge, which Solomon saith the idle man doth? and to prevent many occasions, as the having no calling, and being careless of it will surely bring. I say again then, be as good as Cain, have and follow some calling. Again, look that there be some at least outside of religion in you, worship God and be not so much lovers of money as not to give him something, even to be at cost for his worship in such kind as cost is now needful, as they were to perform a worship then required the cost notwithstanding. Be not profane to neglect God's Worship out of slighting it, be not niggards to put of God with as little as you can, but give him of the fruits of your ground; and now know that that is given to God which is given to the maintenance of his Ministers which perform his Worship, and other instruments necessary to the performance of it, as a fit place and the like: O be as good as a Cain, nay willing to be at cost in God's Worship and for it. Also satisfy yourselves with one wife, for Cain did so, he knew his wife, wives he had not. Yea, be builders up of your families by thrift and husbandry, for so could Cain, not pullers of them down by riot and unthriftiness: say to thyself, How shall this first of all bad men rise up in judgement against me, if I cannot frame myself at least to be as good as he was? A man should even blush to think what is the eldest son of the Devil more virtuous than I am, O how bad a man am I then. Secondly, we must make some good use of that was bad in Cain, which is double. First, to take great heed to ourselves to mortify those vices, and shun those sins which we find related of him. Cain was a very Hypocrite, a man that contented himself with the outward acts of God's Worship, but was not Sanctified, did not frame his heart to please God and set himself to do well. O take heed to yourselves that you be not such, but labour to present your hearts to God, and in all his services to offer your souls and bodies to him, and not alone the external service, seek in and by the duties of religion to be made new creatures. Join care of a good life in your whole conversation with your outward devotion, than you shall not be Hypocrites, but uprright. Beware of Hypocrisy, find out itself and its ill effects, lament them, confess them, pray against them. Be afraid lest you should prove Hypocrites, cry to God to keep you from being such, and to make you sincere. An Hypocrite is apt to run into all sin, nothing is accepted from him, he is apt to fall away into open profaneness, and to be quite cast of by God for his sins. The signs of an Hypocrite. And you may see in Cain what be the signs of an Hypocrite. 1. Envy at those that be better than himself, and even hating them because they have better esteem then himself. 2. Not striving to reform his sins when he is admonished, nor confess them to God, and craving help against them, but rather persisting in them and denying them. 3. Chase at admonitions. 4. Casting of at last all care of religion. 5. Murmuring against God for the greatness of his punishment and so despairing of his mercy as to run away from him. O beware of all these signs of prevailing Hypocrisy, and do as Cain should have done. Strive against guile, set against envy, labour to profit by God's admonitions in his Word, though he come not now in person to admonish you. If you have sinned confess it to God, stoop to his Justice, confess him righteous if he destroy you. Hold fast a persuasion of the possibility of having your sins pardoned how great soever, and a hope of finding pardon at least in such a degree as may make you run penitently to God and boldly to crave pardon. And most of all, take heed of growing utterly impenitent out of despair, and go not about to bury yourselves in the world and so to ease the torments of your consciences, but by humble falling down before God, seek for mercy which will indeed refresh you. Profit yourselves by the lamentable and tragical story of Caine. And above all, take heed of letting envy proceed to that height as to carry you into actual murder, but resist and oppose it, and cast it out of your hearts, that it may not bring you to be spillers of innocent blood, that is a crying sin, and you see what torment and hardness it is apt to bring upon the committer, chiefly if the cause of hatred and envy be goodness. Again, bless God heartily for preserving you from envy, from murder, from hypocrisy, from muttering, from despair, from open profaneness, from mere and prevailing worldliness. For we have the same nature that Cain, the same corruptions, full of pride, full of hypocrisy, full of ignorance of God, and apt to be bold to any evil if we may conceal it from men. We who have the selfsame bad nature, if God have preserved us from so mighty prevailing and breaking forth of corruption, let us not lift up ourselves above others, but give the glory to God, and be satisfied with the comfort, not daring to take the praise unto ourselves, each one of us in his kind would be as bad as Cain, if God had in like manner left us unto our corruptions and the temptations. O that we could be humbly thankful for our preservation from such soul sins and crimes. Now let us remember Cain's miseries and crosses, and let us affright ourselves from sins by them. Think, would I have God make me a fugitive and a runagate, fill mine ears with the voice of terror, and make a dreadful sound possess mine heart always, curse the things I take in hand for my sake, as he did the earth for Cain's sake, deliver me up to gross sins, to hardness and utter profaneness, to impenitency and despair, and a mere forsaking of God and Apostasy; then let me not be an Hypocrite, let me not mock God with shows, let me not slight reproofs not caring to amend. Let me not hide my sins and allow myself to do evil in secret, fearing man's eyes more than Gods. Let me not mutter against his Justice, let me not deny his Mercy. Let me not run into the sins of Cain, which by degrees procured to him this mischief. Hypocrisy brought forth rejecting his service, not profiting by that chastisement brought forth discontent and envy against his Brother, not harkening to reproof to resist envy, brought forth murder, not confessing and lamenting that, but hiding it, brought forth God's judgement to make him a fugitive, not stooping to that, but murmuring, brought forth despair, and that utter Apostasy and profaneness. Beware of these sins which you see so fearfully punished, and affright yourselves from these faults by the miserable effects of them in Caine. Take great care that sin make not such a progress in your souls, till it utterly separate you from God, as it did Caine. We have more and clearer means than Cain, besides his evil to be our warning; if we prove as bad as he, we shall far much worse, because of that aggravation of sin which it will receive from this consideration. Tremble to think of yielding to Hypocrisy, envy, murder, muttering, despair, etc. fly from those ways which brought Cain to ruin. Yea learn thankfulness to God, that he hath not laid such miseries upon you as upon Cain, viz. a terrified conscience and a curse upon your estates that can afford you no comfort, and an heart possessed with desperate fancies and impatient risings against God. These be fearful evils, we also have deserved them, but God hath not inflicted them upon many of us. O let our hearts rejoice in his goodness that hath delivered us, and let us make use of his patience to draw us to repentance, that we do not pull the same upon ourselves hereafter. Lastly, from Cain's benefits, I pray you learn to see the bounty of God which gives great outward benefits to the worst men, thereby assuring yourselves that he will provide well enough for you that are his own people. Will he preserve Cain from being slain and not me that desire to fear him? Did he offer mercy to Cain if he would do well, will he not accept me that desire to do well and to turn to him? Did he give Cain a City and children, will he not give to me things needful for me and mine? God's mercy to the worst must make his people certain, that no good thing shall be wanting to them. Again, you must learn not highly to esteem these earthly things. Did not Cain even after his cursing and casting off yet flourish in worldly things, beget children, build a City, see his children's children gallantly maintained in the world, growing in arts and riches? Surely there is no cause of being good in our own eyes, because we have gotten that which a Cain may get. We must not be so foolish as to flatter ourselves in a conceit that God is our God, because we meet with such drossy benefits and mean favours as a very reprobate, and a fugitive may have in abundance. Indeed if God give these things with an heart to make use of them, to do good to others, to be thankful to God, to be moved to repentance, and to grow better, and be drawn nearer to God, and more careful of obeying and worshipping him, this is a sign of his special favour, otherwise to have such things as these and still continue in impenitency and to grow worse by them rather than better, is a proof that a man is fatted to destruction, rather than God the giver of these things doth favour him. * ⁎ * THE THIRD EXAMPLE. OF ABEL. I Have done with Cain the elder Brother, I come to Abel the younger Brother, and as it is likely the next after him. Abel what it signifieth. His name signifieth vanity, which is all one with unprofitableness, or inability to make happy. It is the same that Salomon's long experience made him to impose on all earthly things, which he calls vanity of vanities, as well he might, because in seeking to find felicity in them, he was utterly disappointed and after a long inquisition met with nothing but vexation of spirit. By this time like enough Eve had learned the vanity of all earthly things, and by name of a son which before she called a possession, but now calls vanity, for that children also be but a possession of vanity as well as other things. Of Abel let us consider his birth, life and death. His Birth is plainly set down by the authors of it, His Birth. Eve and Adam, for she conceived again and bore a son and called his name, etc. but the time of it as also of the elder Brothers is uncertain. We know not how long they lived without children, whether she began to be fruitful instantly upon the fall, or that God held them a little under barrenness, to make them beget a child by their prayers to God for that blessing, as well as by the faculty of generation planted in nature, I cannot affirm: but such a son she had. Concerning whose life observe we, 1. His virtues and good deeds. 2. His faults. 3. His benefits and afflictions. His virtues. 1. Was painful in his calling. His good deeds are here set down, he was painful in the calling of a Shepherd, for so it is said, He was feeding a flock, meaning not alone that he had undertaken this vocation, but that he did also painfully discharge it. The Shepherd's calling is now a necessary calling as well as the Husbandman's, though not equally necessary: but we find in experience, that it is a calling subordinate to Husbandry, for that the profitable sheep is not alone beneficial for her flesh and skin, but also for her soil, and that in such degree profitable, as in many places they could scarce have any corn growing by their art and pains in Husbandry, if the sheep's dung did not fat the ground. And this is I conceive one of the best uses of the sheep when she becomes attendant to the place. O that this simple and harmless creature might not be changed into a most ravenous and devouring creature, through the rapine and avarice of those men which think all too little for themselves, and had rather dwell alone or amongst beasts then amongst a number of Tenants, and as the members of a Towneship or a Church. Now the world is turned quite upside down, in this time Cain killed Abel, spoke to him, and having him in the field rose up against him and slew him; but now Abel killeth Cain, speaks to him roughly or fairly, I cannot tell, but drives him quite out of the places where he did once inhabit. I mean the Shepherd doth eat out the Husbandman. But you see that as well Abel as Cain was painful in his calling, and was brought up in some external and worldly business, wherein he might serve God, advantage the world, and exercise and profit himself. Surely true piety and godliness will very well accord with diligence in a calling, and it is but men's mistake if they think that their vocations hinder them from the true Worshipping of God; Abel as well as Cain had his trade of life. The miserable corruption of our nature will turn all things into occasions of hurt and mischief, and make them means of interrupting us in good ways, but else a calling duly followed by exercising the graces of God's Spirit, and humbling and taming the flesh, and well employing the thoughts, and preventing many temptations and opportunities of sinning, doth greatly further our growth in piety, and is far from being any just hindrance unto it: we must therefore mark this in Abel as well as Cain, and be careful to imitate it. All you that have children to educate, bring them up to some calling. Let them be as members not excrements in the body of humane societies. It is good to have a calling and be faithful in it. All you that are already come to such a state as you can discern between good and evil, apply yourselves to some calling, some work of body or mind, some constant and settled employment in some lawful actions, tending to the common good and your own, that you may be sure as S. Paul saith, to labour if not with your hands, yet with your heads the thing that is good, that you may have to give, and that you may not be counted inordinate and unruly walkers, not working at all but being busy bodies, workers round about as the word signifieth, do nothing but fetch frisks and vagaries through the world. O expose not yourselves and yours to so much misery as to have nothing to do. An empty vessel is fit to receive any liquor that is poured into it; the Devil will put you on evil employments, if you do not bestow yourselves on good: A bird that sitteth still on a tree is easily hit with a piece or crossbow, but it is hard to take the flying bird. It is easy for Satan to entangle with his temptations the Idlesbee, but hard to fasten on the man of employments. The Lord commends and rewards diligence in a calling, and bids know the state of thy flock, and bids men go and learn of the Pismire, and discommends idleness and sluggishness, and threatens him that follows the idle. Let good Abel teach you faithfulness in your calling. Cast away sluggishness and unthriftiness, wearing out your bodies in vanities and worse than vanities, and set yourselves to some such work as may make you able to answer the question of God and your Master when he shall call you to account for the laying out of so precious a thing as time. But secondly, he was religious and devout, 2. Was religious. he brought of the fruit of his flocks, yea of the firstlings and of the fat thereof. He did bring to God one of the best and fattest of his Rams, or Ewes, for Weathers were not for Sacrifice, and no maimed thing was to be offered on God's Altar. It is not observed of Cain, that he brought of the first fruits and best of his corn or other grain: It is likely that the Holy Ghost would have done this office of a faithful Historian, and have given Cain his due by telling the quality as well as the matter of his offering, if it had been as well qualified in this respect as his Brothers. Wherefore when he commends Abel's offering, because it was of the choice and fattest of his flock, it may be well thought in forbearing to say any thing in like commendation of Caines, that he took no great care, whether it were of the best or not, and therefore we may well conceive that one cause of Gods rejecting Cain's Sacrifice was, because he did not bring of the best of his fruits, as one cause of his accepting Abel's was because he did bring of the choicest of his flock, not that God looketh to these outward things, but to the mind of the doer, which for the most part (if necessity hinder not) doth show itself in the value and worth of the gift. He that loves God will bring him as full a Sacrifice as he can, he that loves him not will give him as lean a Sacrifice as it may stand with his credit to give. A man whose heart is not upright with God will be at as little cost with him as is possible. A man that is upright with him will enlarge his bounty towards him, you shall see in Mal. 1.13. that God refuseth the Sacrifices, because they were halt and blind, the worst and refuge of all, and he curseth the deceiver that hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing, and verse 8. he saith, Offer it now to thy governor will he be pleased with thee and accept thy person saith the Lord? The Lord knows that niggardliness towards him shows want of love and faith, but freeness and bounty shows truth of love and of faith, and because he looketh to the heart, therefore he liketh that gift which comes from a loving and faithful heart, and hates that which comes from a contrary heart. Learn therein to imitate Abel, bring to God the best things you have, he must have the fat, the fat I say of your herds or flocks. The chiefest of your affections must be his, and your affections must show themselves in action. You must be willing to serve him with a costly service, and be ever of David's mind that said, I will not serve God without charge. Now these two things you have in the Text of Abel, two other things you have in another place, Heb. 11. He offered a better Sacrifice than Cain by faith. 3. He offered in faith. He offered in faith, and that caused him to bring a better, that is, I suppose he means there, a more costly Sacrifice of better worth and value, of more price and cost, not the cost but the faith that made him willing to be at the cost, and the cost alone as it was a fruit and sign of the faith did content God, and made the Sacrifice acceptable. Let us learn therefore to do all we do in faith. The faith that good Abel had was the same that after is commended in Henoch, he was persuaded that God was and was a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, it was such as that which the Apostle there describeth, it was the evidence of things not seen and the substance of things hoped for. It was such an apprehension of Gods being and goodness to true Converts, and such a persuasion of his will to give him the future invisible things hoped for, as made Abel serve God in the course of his life in righteousness, and not alone for a time to come to the Altar and offer Sacrifice. Sacrificing was a profession of their own guiltiness, submitting themselves to the Justice of God, as men worthy to die and be burnt, as that beast or other thing to be burnt, but withal of their hope that God would pardon them for his goodness sake through that true Sacrifice which was to come. And he that offered Sacrifice without this faith of Gods accepting him for his mercy sake, and without acknowledgement of his worthiness to perish, did not please God, and all our Sacrifices must be done in faith, now more distinct, because we have a fuller revelation, we must do all we do in faith, not alone a persuasion of the lawfulness of what we do, but also an endeavour to trust particularly for our acceptation both of persons and Sacrifices in Christ, not in the worthiness of ourselves or of our works. He that hath this faith, he and his services shall please God, he that hath it not cannot please God whatsoever he doth. Let me therefore commend unto you the care of searching into your hearts, whether you have this faith or no, viz. that you believe yourselves in yourselves to be miserable sinners, but confess that Christ Jesus is a perfect Saviour, and therefore even trust upon God's mercy in him for grace and salvation. But the Scripture saith, that Abel was righteous, and saith, 4. Was righteous. that he obtained witness that he was righteous. Where hath he that witness? Partly in that God testified of his gifts by accepting them (for he accepts nothing but that which comes from a righteous man, he heareth no sinners,) or more fully from the mouth of our blessed Saviour, who calleth him righteous Abel. Note therefore that Abel was a righteous man. The Scriptures give infinite comfort and commendation to the righteous man. Now there is a righteousness of the Law and of the Gospel. A twofold righteousness of the Law and Gospel. Gal. 2.16. Rom. 3 10. Job 9 31. A righteous man by the Law we shall find none in all the world, for S. Paul telleth us, that by the works of the Law no flesh shall be justified before God, and that there is none righteous, no not one, and job saith of himself in this sense, that if he went to justify himself, his own clothes would defile him. This righteousness standeth in an exact conformity to the Law of God in that a man hath not committed, neither is prone and inclined to commit any of the things which the Law doth forbid, nor hath not omitted nor is not prone to omit any of the things which the Law doth command, but is utterly free from all sin of omission and commission, and hath perfectly fulfilled the Law in all points and degrees. Such a righteousness since Adam's fall was never found, but in our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. Gal. 2.21. Therefore the Apostle saith, If righteousness were by the Law Christ were dead in vain, he meaneth, that if God appointed us now to come to Heaven for Christ's sake, upon condition of our perfect fulfilling the Law, it would be to no purpose, for we should not be saved by his death; and after he saith, that the Law concludeth all under sin, Gal. 3.22. that the promise through the faith of jesus Christ may be given to them that believe; and before he had said, Gal. 3.21. If there had been a Law given which could have given life, righteousness had been by the Law, so that there was not a Law given that could give life, and therefore the Psalmist confesseth, that in God's sight there is no flesh righteous, Psal. 143.2. and S. Paul durst not stand to this righteousness which was his own by the Law. This Legal righteousness it would justify if we had it, but we have it not, for we lost it in our first Parents, in whom all sinned and all died, all were made sinful and mortal creatures, and a sinful mortal creature cannot possibly perform such a Law, as was given to a sinless and immortal creature. Therefore we must find out another righteousness by which some men may be called righteous, and by which Abel was righteous, seeing that by this righteousness the Scripture testifieth, that neither he nor any other can be made righteous. This is the righteousness of faith, the righteousness of the Gospel, the righteousness of God, the righteousness which is by the faith of Jesus Christ, even the righteousness of God without the Law, and the righteousness which is by the faith of Jesus Christ. A double righteousness in the Gospel. 1. Imputed. Now there is a double righteousness taught in the Gospel. The one is made ours by imputation and is not ours by inherency; we never performed it ourselves, but another performed it for us and we have it imputed to us: It is by S. Paul described thus. A righteousness without works imputed to the happy man, not simply without works, for that is impossible, because the Law cannot be fulfilled but by working according to its direction, and unless the law be fulfilled there is no perfect righteousness, but a righteousness without any works of ours, and therefore without the Law too, for the Law accepteth of no righteousness but that which is wrought by ourselves, Rom. 4.3. as it is said of Abraham, that he wrought not but did trust in him that justifies the ungodly. Abraham wrought diligently and plentifully, how then can it be said that he wrought not? he meaneth that he did not work that by his own works he might attain this righteousness. By this righteousness alone we are justified. It is the perfect and exact righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ accepted for us and put to our reckoning. For he was our surety, he took our nature, he bore our sins, he fulfilled our duty and bare our punishment, and so satisfied God's justice in our room, and is become The Lord our righteousness. This is the one righteousness commended to us by the Gospel. To this and this alone we must cleave for the obtaining of remission of sins and life eternal at the hands of God. By merit of this are we pronounced just by God at his heavenly Tribunal, and in the judgement of our own consciences, and hereafter shall be so pronounced openly at the last day, to this S. Paul cleaved. This the Gospel taught, for therein is declared the righteousness of God from faith to faith. 2. Inherent. But the Gospel telleth of another righteousness that is a companion of this, always at the same time and by the same means given that this is given, and it is a quality inherent in us and wrought in us by the Spirit of God, and floweth immediately from our faith. The Apostle S. Paul doth describe it plainly, saying, that We must count ourselves dead unto sin but alive unto God, Rom. 6.11. and then saith. We must not yield our members as weapons of unrighteousness unto sin, but as weapons of righteousness to God, Verse 13. and saith, We are become servants to righteousness, Verse 19 and that we must yield our members servants unto righteousness, and again, must reign by righteousness unto life eternal. It is not the cause of our life but the way to it. Via ad regnum, non causa regnandi. Bernard. It is a virtue wrought in us, by which we are made able to strive and endeavour, and desire to keep the Law. A man till he be justified by faith and reconciled to God, is estranged from the Lord and from the life of God and is an enemy in his mind, and is dead in sins, and loves sin and will not leave it, and out of a stiff and strong bend of will to sin cannot but serve sin, and will and resolve to continue serving it in one kind or other. Now this is also a righteousness of the Gospel, and it differs from that of the Law in two things, 1. In regard of the degree, it is imperfect and defective, failing in many things, but it is upright and sincere, allows not its failings, but with an upright desire striveth to perfection, and is still labouring against its imperfections. 2. It differs from the righteousness of the Law in use; for the Law doth require this righteousness as an accomplishment of the Covenant of works, to justify us before God by the merit and worth of it; but the Gospel requireth this as an act of obedience alone to show our thankfulness, and to prove us truly justified before God, because as it is said, Gal. 3.21. There is not a Law given which could give life, seeing that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, Rom. 3.23. and whosoever goes about to put this righteousness into the use of justifying him before God, I mean of attaining eternal life and remission of sins from God by virtue and worth of it, that man cannot but be damned, because he cannot have the imputed righteousness and the inherent both for that purpose. If he trust to Christ's righteousness he cannot trust to his own, if to his own he cannot trust to Christ's, seeing S. Paul opposeth them as things contrary, saying, not having mine own but Christ's, Phil. 3.9. which were weakly spoken, if a man could have both to the use of justifying: yea he saith, He that will be justified by the Law is fallen from grace, Gal. 5.4. and Christ is become of none effect unto him; and by the Law he seeks to be justified that seeketh to be justified before God by doing this and by his own working. Now of a man that is thus righteous, Three signs of a righteous man. Psal. 119.48. Psal. 119 5, 6. there are three sure plain and evident signs. 1. He desireth to know and do all that God revealeth to him out of his Word. I have lifted up mine hands unto thy testimonies which I have loved, and O that my heart were directed to keep thy righteous judgements, then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commandments. 2. He confesseth and bewaileth before God his failings and errors, that break forth in him quite contrary to his purpose and desire. Psal. 51.4. Prov. 28.13. Zach. 1 3. Against thee have I sinned, and He that confesseth his sins, etc. And if you turn to me I will turn to you, for If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, 1 Joh. 1.8, 9 But if we confess our sins he is faithful, etc. 3. He resteth wholly upon the mercy of God in Christ for pardon of his failings and acceptation of his endeavours: So saith john, If any man sin, 1 john 2.1. we have an Advocate with God jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the Propitiation for sin, and Abraham believed in God that justifieth the ungodly. S. Paul would have the righteousness which is by the faith of Jesus Christ, I beseech you look that you be so righteous men as Abel was, else you shall never be saved. For even Balaam saw, that only the righteous should be saved, and therefore he wisheth, Numb. 23.10. Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his. No sins of Abel mentioned in Scripture, and why? Now we have the good of Abel, we should speak of his evil, but we have none to speak of. For the Holy Ghost hath not told us of any evil that he committed, not because he had none, but because his life was so short, and withal so good, that the Lord saw it not fit to make mention of any, and surely though the Scripture do report the faults of other godly men, yet it seems here to set forth Cain and Abel as the two seeds, the one of the Woman, the other of the Serpent, and therefore of the good seed mentions no faults, because in him God saw none, that is, would not impute any. Now let us consider the things that befell him, 1. Good, 2. Bad. 3. His prosperity. 1. God had respect unto his gifts. The good are two, first God had respect unto his gifts. Secondly, God gave witness and testimony of his gifts. He had respect unto them for the present, he gave testimony to them both at that time and also after by the pen of Moses and by the tongue of our Lord Jesus, calling him righteous Abel. 2. Gave witness and testimony of his gifts. We cannot affirm any thing concerning the means by which the Lord did express the liking of Abel and his Sacrifice, but that it was by some sensible and evident sign discoverable by Cain as well as by himself, Cain's doggedness stirred up by it doth clearly evince. The Lord hath respect unto his true hearted servants, that worship him in truth and in faith, and are truly righteous, he hath respect unto them and to their Services; he likes their persons, loves their works. Pro. 15.8. Psal. 11.7. The prayer of the upright is his delight, saith Solomon, The righteous Lord loveth righteousness. God doth to his faithful children sooner or later evidently discover his approbation and liking of them and their works, as David prayeth, Accept the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, Psal. 19.14. yea he doth make known this his favourable acceptation, by which as it is in the Psalm, he accepts their burnt Sacrifices, that is, all their holy services, he makes it known by the comfortable testimony of the Holy Ghost, 2 Cor. 1.12. as Paul saith, This is my glorying, the testimony of my conscience that in simplicity, etc. When God's people walk in God's ways, he causeth his Spirit to witness with their spirits, and their spirits to witness to them, that themselves and their ways please God, by which their spirits are refreshed and comforted against all the taunts and opprobries of sinners and scoffers. And this is a sufficient recompense to all our labours and for all our sufferings that God accepteth us. If he accept us, what need we care though the world deride and scorn and hate us. O let those that have seen God thus vouchsafing to respect them, comfort themselves in that, yea I shall not need to give them such advice, this apprehension of God's gracious accepting us is a thing so sweet and delightful, that the people of God which have enjoyed it, will prefer it before the approbation of all men. For whom he thus respecteth, them will he likewise approve in the face of all the world, and therefore bear testimony to their works, even at the last day; yea the light to which he that doth well delighteth to come, that will make it known that his works be wrought of God, john 3.11. If God's Spirit within, if God's Word without do testify of your deeds, that they be wrought in God, how easy a thing is it to sleight and despise the false and foolish censures of the world? But now come we to the evils that he suffered; 4. His adversity, was hated and killed by his Brother. for God's people must suffer evil for well-doing, his Brother hated him, laid a train for him, slew him. Abel was the first Martyr, the first man that died for goodness; he was God's first; Witness, as Steven was Christ's. Those that will live godly in Christ must suffer persecution, 2 Tim. 3.12. and of whom, even of the dearest friends they have in the flesh, and how far even to the lying in wait for their lives and taking the same away. The Lord would have the first blood that was spilt, spilt in his quarrel, in his holy quarrel, in standing for righteousness sake, that we which follow after might learn to stick close to this cause, and not to fear to lay down our lives for it. S. john tells us, no wonder if the world hate us. The world is the number of unsanctified men in the world, these will hate such as Abel the righteous, yea if Father be unrighteous and Son righteous. Brother righteous and Brother unrighteous, Husband righteous and Wife unrighteous, the Father, Brother, Wife, will hate and malign the child, the Brother and the Husband. God hath put enmity betwixt the seed of the Woman and of the Serpent; good and bad are of two contrary natures, what the one loveth the other hateth, and contrarily, this contrariety in disposition will breed contrariety in affection. He that is Cain, a formal Hypocrite and satisfieth himself with a bare outside service, will hate him that worshippeth in spirit and in truth, Gal. 4.29. They that are after the flesh will persecute them that are after the spirit, and all that will live godly must suffer for it. Prepare yourselves to meet with the same measure that Abel met withal; you had need of patience saith our Saviour. Be not discouraged at the hatred and ill usage of wicked men, but have respect to the recompense of reward, look to the end of your faith, set the joy before your eyes and fear not any of these things that you may suffer. An overtender spirit is not fit to be Christ's Soldier, if you will reign with him you must be crucified with him. Arm, arm my Brethren, arm, you are in the battle, you must expect knocks, but be not dismayed, the victory shall be yours. God will so establish you that you shall not be driven out of the way of righteousness, by any thing that Satan can do by the world: and he conquers that keeps close to the ways of righteousness what ever he suffer. We have done with Abel's life, we bring him to his death, His death. at what age we cannot show you, but in what manner and by whose hand we can tell you. Here is a tragical narration, the murderer a bad man and a Brother, the murdered a good man and a Brother, and the quarrel goodness, and the manner sudden and unexpected and violent. Flesh and blood perhaps would find fault with God, why did not God protect Abel when the world had so few Inhabitants? was it not pity that one should be taken out of it so untimely and in such a manner? and much more was it not pity that the more godly and the more useful should be so soon bereft of life? It is a thing that a shallow wit is ready to implead God for. But God is such a ruler that will order things according to his own perfect wisdom. It shall be worse in outward respects with the good then with the bad, the sinner shall outlive the Saint, and flourish in the world when the other is rotting in the grave, and why so? that God may teach them hereby to look for happiness in another world that is to come, that they may expect a better and enduring substance in Heaven. 1 Cor. 15.19. If in this life only we had hope, we were of all men the most miserable: but, We are dead with Christ and our life is hid with God in Christ. Col. 3.3, 4. When Christ shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory. We must not therefore be offended at the miseries which befall the godly in this life, but cause our minds to look beyond the world unto the future recompense. God were not just towards his people, if there were not another world where they shall have their portion, as the worldly minded have their portion in this life. Abel's death was violent and sudden. Now concerning Abel's death, consider we that it was violent and sudden, whereby we must be taught to walk always ready for death, and to look for it in every place by such violent means as ourselves cannot foresee in particular. Who knows when or where he shall die, how soon, and by what means he must leave this world afore he be aware. Labour therefore to prepare for death every day, get faith, get repentance, get new obedience, get your sins pardoned, and yourselves sanctified, that if death come suddenly, yet it may not be sudden to you, because you have made yourselves ready for it, if we be thus fitted for death happy are we though it come without giving warning, but if we have not so fitted ourselves, we shall be most miserable though our death be long and lingering, and come not with any violence. Yea we must learn to be thankful to God for his goodness in protecting us against the rage of evil men, that they be not able to cut us off in the midst of our days, as they would do if God did permit us to fall into their hands. No good man that liveth but some Cain or other would soon dispatch them out of the world, and do the same thing for them that Cain here did for Abel, for the sinner hateth the righteous and gnasheth against him with his teeth, but the Lord will not give him into his hands. It is a divine providence that maketh the godly dwell in safety in the midst of their enemies, and walk in a fiery furnace and yet not be burned, and lie in the den of Lions and yet not be touched by them. Now therefore let Abel's example put you in mind to be ready always for death, and to observe the goodness of God in saving you from the hands of sinful men and spirits, that they cannot destroy and devour as their malice and might would cause them to do, if God did not encompass you with his favour as with a shield. We have done with Abel, Cain's posterity. the next to be spoken of are Cain's posterity, of whom little is spoken, because the Lord intended a very short story, Cain begat a Son and called his name Henoch, at the same time he was building a City and called it Henoch. The word signifieth to initiate, dedicated or teach, perhaps because he left the City to his Son to finish and to dedicate, himself not being able to do it, because of his distempered conscience which made him wander as a fugitive. This Son begat a Son also and called him Irad, Irad what it signifieth. the word signifieth (I think) a City of one that ruleth, of the Hebrew words Gnir that signifieth a City, and Rad that signifieth to bear rule, because belike he had finished that City, and hoped to leave it to his Son to rule in it. And this Irad begat a Son and called him Mehuiael which signifieth one that is destroyed or blotted out by the Lord God, perhaps because God had laid sore punishments upon them at that time, their sin increasing against him. This Mehuiael begat Methusael, which signifieth, one that asketh after, or requested his death: it may be, because then men were so afflicted that they grew weary of life. (* ⁎ *.) THE FOURTH EXAMPLE. OF LAMECH, etc. THE root of Womankind were Adam and Eve. The branches were, 1. Bad, Cain and Cain's posterity. 2. Good. The first stock, Abel, the second Cain and his posterity. Now the lineage of Cain is set down in the sixth generation, mentioning only the eldest in a direct line. Adam had Cain, Cain Irad, he Methuiael, he Methusael, he Lamech, Lamech had two wives, one Adah, the other Zillah, Adah had jabal and jubal, Zillah had Tubal Cain, and a daughter called Naamah, she is the first woman named after Evah, perhaps, Naamah why so called, the first woman named after Eve, and why? because she was a woman of great power and name in her time, for her name signifieth fair, or sweet, or pleasant, or beautiful, and it seems that in those time's beauty began to be much set by. Now for Lamech we must observe his faults, I mean of his behaviour, and the benefits he enjoyed and the misery that befell him. His faults are, 1. Lamechs' faults, His Polygamy, the first beginner of it. He corrupted the ordinance of marriage by taking two wives; God at first made but one man and one woman and joined them together, and Adam said, they shall be one flesh, signifying that he conceived it to be the will of God, that one woman should serve for one man, and adds, A man shall forsake Father and Mother and cleave to his wife, not wives. But this man would not satisfy himself with God's appointment, his lust (in all likelihood it was his lust, for what other cause should move him I cannot conjecture) would not be contained within the bounds of lawful matrimony. He dares add a second wife and so bring into the world a painted whoredom, a guilded adultery, a pretended marriage, but indeed a very breach of wedlock. For our Saviour Christ telleth us, that he which putteth away his wife and marrieth another commits adultery, and if that be true as we must confess, Luke 16.18. for his authority sake that spoke it, then without all question he that keepeth his former wife still and will needs take another to her, is guilty too of committing adultery. The reason is clear and cannot be denied. For if it were not adultery to have more women than one at one time, than the taking of another wife upon a causeless divorce should not deserve that odious title, and if it be so, polygamy must needs take the same title to itself. This was therefore a grievous audaciousness in this wicked man, that he would leap over the poles as it were which God had fixed. The thing was naught, and his doing it first before others made it worse in him, and made him guilty of their faults that after followed it upon his example. For indeed it was quickly taken up and practised in the world, insomuch that it continued to the time of Abraham, and was practised also by him as a thing not reputed sinful. For when sin hath gotten years and examples upon its back it doth many times cease to be counted what it is, and goes under the repute of a lawful thing, though it be in itself even somewhat evidently unlawful; because partly the mind of man corrupted by the pleasing or profitable effects of it, is willing not to think it sin, and the judgement is easily sweyed by the will, and partly because the example of men doth work too much to draw unto evil, as an heavy thing is easily cast downward. 2. His revengefullnesse. Now to polygamy he addeth a notorious revengefullnesse. Having married a couple of women, it seems he found some distempers in them and therefore to calm and over-awe them a little, he falls to breath out revenge with violent threats, saying, that he would kill a man in his wound, or for his wound, he means because of wound received, and a young man for his hurt or bruise, he means because of a bruise or stripe given him, yea he goes farther and adds, that if Cain should be avenged sevenfold then he seventy times seven fold. If any man whosoever he were should hurt him, he should die for it, yea were he never so young and lusty a fellow that should offer to smite him, it should cost him his life, and he would proceed to an higher degree of revenge, then that which God himself had appointed to Cain's murderer, viz. he would be revenged seventy times seven times more, What it is to revenge. that maketh in all almost five hundred times as much more, here is passion and pride in all extremity. To revenge is to render evil for evil, to revenge a thing seven times is to inflict a thing seven times more grievous upon a wrong doer then that which he did to another, to revenge seventy times and seven is to lay an evil 490 times more heavy than that received. The Lord of Heaven hath cause, because he hath authority, to enlarge his punishing justice, and to execute a threat of seven times revenge, because after such a threat to commit the fault makes it seven degree more faulty, as being an audacious despising of his anger, and a very setting his threats at naught, but for any man to exceed measure so far in punishing though he were a lawful Magistrate, punishing the malefactor at the complaint and instance of the wronged person, it were a great offence. How much more than for a private man so far to exceed all degrees in respect of a wrong done to himself. Sure he that threatens to be revenged 400 times more than Cain, conceived himself to be more excellent than Cain 400 times, for according to the measure of the party's worth that was wronged, must the revenge be increased. O how proud a man was he! that durst so far prefer himself above his great grandfather's Father, for so was Cain, who being then alive and departed from under the government of Adam, was now the King of all the sons that descended from him, during his life, and the Priest too, for Kingdoms and Priesthoods in those first times went to the eldest of the family by succession. These were chief Rulers in matters civil and religious. He was therefore a very haughty minded man, and a very passionate angry man, and so a very revengeful man which springeth from pride and and passion. These be his faults, yet see how good and patient the Lord shows himself unto such a wretch, for he had two sons by one wife, His benefits, he had children and a son and daughter by the other, God gave him the fruit of marriage, though he were the first that so shamefully abused marriage, for God doth not instantly stretch forth a punishing arm against an offender, and these sons of his too were very active and profitable men, of good parts and account, as appears by their inventions mentioned in the Text. 2. His crosses, he led an unquiet life by reason of his wives. But yet he is not left quite unpunished, for his life was unquiet, as appeareth by his threatening and bragging what he would do, for such kind of threats be but boastings of the future time. It is not to be doubted of but that his two wives, what by the brawls which would fall out betwixt them and their children, and what by the stirs that they would make with him, each to have him take her part against the other, made his life uncomfortable, so that he was fain to see if he could make the matter a little better by big and violent words, to keep them in awe by fear whom duty could not order. Now this is Lamech. Let us make some use of his Example, The uses of all. even to blame ourselves for having committed, if we have committed the like sins to his, that we may be drawn to repentance which he was never so happy as to perform. Secondly, to arm ourselves against those sins, and to abound in the contrary virtues, for so it is our duty, as Bees do honey out of weeds, to gather good out of bad Examples. Come hither then and let me examine you in God's name. Is there not any amongst you that hath violated marriage worse than Lamech. He did sin by taking two wives. The Laws would punish you for following him in that, and would not suffer you to keep two women under the name of wives, have not you therefore fall'n to flat and downright adultery. If so, repent of this enormity; The Lord will not suffer the transgressors of his Covenant to bear it free if repentance do not stay his hand. Yea have not some of you been Lamechs' in making the first breach into a sin; Inventors of evil things, S. Paul calls them which are the first which do them, that run into them not induced by any former examples, but carried by their own corruptions, and so by going over the hedge, induce others to follow them: such sinners be the more grievous before God by how much they show a more impudent disposition, that dare lead the way to wickedness, and make themselves captains and ringleaders to so vile and mischievous a thing, and such sins do call for a larger measure of sorrow and humiliation. Again, have none of you been passionate, angry, and full of threats, working in proud wrath as Solomon calls it, and as here, you may see wicked Lamech doing with an angry voice, and a countenance suitable thereto. You may be sure he calls upon his wives to leave their brawling and let him speak, and then blusters out these words, that he would kill the man whosoever should wrong him. Are not there some men among you so mad and furious, that they threaten blood and death to any that shall wrong them. O this wrathful and angry roaring as I may call it, is a sign of much folly and pride, and therefore do not please yourselves in it, as they do most times that are given to it, but abhor it, and judge yourselves for it, and humbly acknowledge to God, that you have deserved his wrath for showing your own wrath so immoderately. And lastly consider, have you not been revengeful men? that would take no wrong but return death and slaughter for a stroke, a wound, and seven yea twenty, and if you were able an hundred blows for one, yea death for a word speaking, and a great evil for a little. Revenge is a great sin. Brethren, revenge is a fearful sin; there are two ways of revenge, some do compass it by main strength, presently and openly if one wrong them, they rail or strike and lay about them, as it were an angry Dog or Bear or other Beast, others be more still in their revenge, they lay it up in store and set it on the score till a fit opportunity come, and then they pay him home with the like and more that hath wronged them, both these revenges be naught, and it is hard to say whether is the worse of the twain: the one hath more craft, the other more fury, both show an heart destitute of all meekness and charity and faith. If you have found yourselves so disposed, until you repent you shall be sure to find God as bitter against you. He will be revenged of the revengeful. He will be an enemy to him that will fight and keep a stir if he be touched or wounded. Do not count it valour to give stroke for stroke or wound for wound, or blow for blow, it is an hellish valour, it is not manhood, it is dog-hood, or I may term it beare-hood, it is brutish, so will a Lion or a bruit creature. It is not courage but outrage, it is not fortitude but mere fury. And yet alas where shall you find breasts that do not bear the stamp of Lamechs' words within them, that perhaps be not come to such an high degree as he was to revenge 490 times, but are come to that, that they resolve and purpose, if a man wound them, they will wound him again if they can, if any man strike, they will do the best they can to strike him again. Beloved, he in whom this sin reigneth, is a wicked man though it be not of so high a growth in him as it was in this wretch. He that holdeth this purpose, I will requite blow with blow● wrong with wrong, he is not a true Christian, for he doth not overcome evil with good, but is overcome with evil. He is a man that lives allowedly in a sin as bad in God's account as theft or whoredom. Revenge in God's account is a sin as foul and fouler than lust or injustice. I beseech you examine yourselves, and if you have found yourselves carried away with revenge, and resolve to be so still, take notice that you be too like to Lamech to be the children of God. Mat. 18.22. Our Saviour commands us if our neighbour offend to forgive him till seventy times seven times, I think alluding to this very speech of this here in the Text, and intending to teach you to labour to abound in patience, meekness, and forbearance, as much as he abounded in proud revengefullnesse. If any say, why then I shall expose myself to all manner of wrongs. I answer, first, if one should do so, better suffer all manner of injuries from man, then to have God enter into judgement with him for all his sins. Secondly, I answer, that God hath the rule of things, and as the sheep must dwell in safety not by their own sturdiness, but by the care and diligence of the Shepherd, so must God's people enjoy freedom from wrongs not by their own violence but by his protection and wisdom. And lastly, I say if the wrongs be notorious and such as it is not fit to suffer, God hath put the sword of revenge into the Magistrates hands, and so far as the heart is not embittered with Malice, but seeketh alone his own defence and safety without triumphing in the smart of an enemy, it is very lawful to seek him for rescue. So have we done with Lamech, Lamechs' three son's inventors of Arts. we go on to his three sons that were profitable persons and inventors of good arts, at the least perfecters. The one perfected that part of husbandry which consists in feeding cattle and making tents to shelter both the Shepherds and the sheep, that with those movable habitations they might be able to drive their cattle from place to place for the best pasture. It is likely that before his time they were fain to be content with the shade of the trees, or with some cave under ground, or a few turfs put upon some sticks of wood which they had made a shift to get into the ground or some such like. But he considering better of the matter, invented the way of making linen cloth and so with fitting that upon poles with pegs and stakes to keep of great storms and heat, yea by this means they could carry their houses with them whither soever they had occasion to travel for pasture sake, and this kind of fleeting life, dwelling in tents and following cattle continued to Abraham's time and long after, yea it was the commandment of jonadab to the Rechabites that they should always live so. Jer. 35. This therefore was a commodious and beneficial invention, and it is for his praise that first devised it, much is owing him by those that coming after have enjoyed the benefit of his devices. jubal the next Son of Lamech, he was a man not given so much to toilsome profit as to merriment and sport, he was a lover of music, and he perfected the art of making Organs, and you must understand, playing upon them too, for to what purpose would he find them out but to play on? This is a lawful invention and good and comfortable. Cheerfulness and Mirth so that it be moderate and well guided for the circumstances, is a lawful thing, whether Music by voice or instrument, whether wind instruments or other hand instruments. It is a very good and lawful thing to solace one's self with music, and a warrantable recreation, so that it be not abused, and he that first found it out is to be counted a benefactor to mankind. But the last named, he was the most profitable inventor, he that found out the art of iron work, he was an excellent Smith. This was Tubal Cain, thought to be the same that the Heathens called Vulcan. Smith's are a necessary calling. Their art is helpful to all other Sciences both for peace and war, to them belongeth the making of all the necessariest instruments of husbandry, of all sort of tools for other trades and of arms also for the Soldier. No part of man's life can be without iron work. A knife, a key, an hatchet, a fork, a saw, a mattock, a sith, a raking hook, a chezill, a sword, a spear, a shield, an helmet, who can reckon up the things that Smiths do make for man's use. This was therefore an exceeding fruitful invention, so much the more to be commended by how much it is more wearisome and laborious, for it is you know a strong labour in some things and a curious in other things, and much of it is much annoyed with heat about the fire. And thus hath God stored the world with needful arts, by means of Lamechs' sons that were it seemeth unsanctified men. The uses of all. We must make some use of all this, first, to be thankful unto God that hath imparted to some men such good wits and understandings that they were able to find out and perfect those several Sciences and Callings, for how toilsome and uncomfortable would our lives be if we did not enjoy these helps and comforts. Even this natural ability is from God and deserveth thanks from us. Again, men must set themselves to be profitable to the world, by either inventing or adding to the inventions of others in any kind. It is good to do something for which the world may be the better, and not to come into the world merely as rats and mice only to devour victuals and to run squeaking up and down. Be you followers of such, if you cannot invent and perfect an art, yet learn and follow some that is already invented. These men were not idlesbees, do naughts; O be you as good at least as these sons of Lamech, only labour to be so moderate in following and using all these earthly things, that you be not earthly minded thereby, but may become careful of things that pertain to the soul and to another life, as well as of those that belong to this present life and to this body of clay. It is good to use the world but not to love it, to set our hands on work about the things of it, but not to set our hearts upon it. This is a baiting place and not a place of habitation, we make a journey through this world, we do not dwell in the world. O let our minds and desires and wishes be in Heaven, and let us do those outward things with reference unto Heaven, that by profiting men and serving God in a calling, we may make our way to Heaven the easier, and our wages there the greater. And so much for the lineage of Caine. Now we come to another offspring of Adam. If is not to be thought that he remained childless till the birth of Seth, or that God would smite him in that newness of the world with so long a barrenness, or that he so long forbore society with Evah. As it is said, that he lived an hundred and thirty years and begat Seth, Gen. 5.3. so it is said, he lived long after and begat sons and daughters; therefore it is likely also, that in that hundred and thirty years before he begat sons and daughters, but because the Lord intended to draw out the lineage of Christ, therefore he lets all the rest go and fastens alone upon Seth, of whom the promised seed was to come in a direct line: Of Seth than we must speak. Seth little said of him. His Birth gladded Evah and Adam too no doubt, because they understood by revelation from God, that he should be a godly man. Therefore he is called Seth, that is, he hath appointed, because saith Evah, Gen. 4.25. God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew. Lo it is an hundred and thirty years after and yet she hath not forgotten the murder of Caine. The infamy of a sin will cleave long to a man's name, and the grief of a cross if it be a stinging cross indeed as this was, will lie long upon the soul. But why saith she a seed instead of Abel, it may be it was, because she saw little piety and goodness in the other sons and daughters: none of them was like Abel in religion and godliness. But for Seth she understood that God would make him as good a man as Abel, and therefore she rejoiceth in him, for a good Parent is little gladded in children, if they prove not pious and godly children, Gods children as well as his or hers; wherefore those children that would glad the hearts of their Parents, must see themselves to follow the ways of virtue, that their aged Parents may have joy in them. Now of Seth nothing is said, but that he begat a Son at an hundred and five years old, as the next Chapter shows, calling him Enosh, that is, sorrow or grief, because of the many griefs and sorrows to which men are subject in this life. Well may man have the name of sorry given to him, so full of miseries is he as job spoke long after. Gen. 4.26 Only it is added, that in Seths' days men began to callon the name of the Lord. It may be rendered (some think) the name of God was profaned in calling on, that is, men grew then very profane in a careless abusing Gods public Service and Worship. Others thus, than it was begun to call on the name of the Lord, that is, men began more publicly and religiously and openly to call on the name of God, to profess true piety more carefully in public assemblies. It notes in the former sense a growing worse of the times, in the latter a growing better. I am in doubt whether sense to fasten upon, I think rather of the twain it is a taxing of the public profanation of God in abusing his worship, because it follows immediately upon the giving of the name Enosh, sorrowful, miserable, mortal man, as a reason of that name, why did his Father call him so, because God's name than began to be profaned in calling upon, men grew more and more careless and remiss in God's service, and did it in so bad and negligent and indevout a fashion, as it was rather a profaning then a worshipping or honouring of his name. And this seemeth the rather to be the meaning, because there is little reason to think that Adam and Seth did not long before this apply themselves to the careful worshipping of God in their assemblies, and to take all good means to save themselves from the corruption of the Kaynites. Or it may be rendered, than it was begun to call by the name of Lord, that is, men began then to have that name given them of the sons of God, and this I like best of all the three, because in the beginning of the sixth Chapter (which continues the story, and the fifth Chapter is but a digression put in to show the age of the world at the flood) it is said, the sons of God saw the daughters of the sons of men. Whereby it is apparent, that to the men that professed true religion with Adam and Seth the name of the sons of God was given, and to the rest the name of the sons of men. The professors of the true religion were called sons of God, that did worship the true God after the manner that God taught by Adam. The other were called sons of men, that gave themselves over to worldliness, and vanity, and profaneness; for my part I suppose that before the flood there was no Idolatry, because the Holy Ghost would not have omitted the taxing of that sin as well as those it doth tax if it had been then used in the world. But let us take the words to mean, than it was begun to call on the name of the Lord, and then it shall be added as a commendation of Seth, that in his day's religion began to flourish more than ever before, by his diligence joining with his Father Adam, much more respect was had to piety, and greater numbers of men embraced the profession of piety. And this aught to be the care of every good man to further the progress of true religion, and to cause the name of God to be faithfully called upon of many. Now of the rest of Adam's seed there is a Catalogue made in the fifth Chapter of all the ancient Fathers, from the first man Adam to Noah, in whose days the flood fell out, by which it appears of what standing the world was, when it was grown so corrupt, that the Lord could no longer endure the manners of it. And in this Catalogue the Holy Ghost takes this order; 1. He shows of what age every one was when he begat his eldest son. How many years he lived after the birth of that son. 3. How old he was when he died. The number of the persons are in all ten, Adam, Seth, Enoch, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Iared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. Adam at a hundred and thirty years begat Seth, and after lived eight hundred years and had more children in that time, and died aged nine hundred and thirty years. Adam was in truth the eldest man all things considered, for though Methuselah outlived him thirty nine years (for he was nine hundred sixty nine years, and Adam but nine hundred and thirty) yet Methuselah was borne an infant, Adam was made a perfect man the first day, and in those times a man was but a child at thirty nine years, for no question they would give their minds to marriage in that newness of the world, paucity of men, and plenty of ground so soon as they were fit for it. So Adam's perfect estate at the first countervailed the living of forty years and more. Seth he lived a hundred and five years and begat Enos, and living eight hundred and seven years begat divers more children, and ended his days at nine hundred and two. Enos lived ninety years and begat Cainan, etc. as you may read in the story. Nothing is mentioned of any one but the length of his life, the time when he had his first son, and that he had more sons. Henoch. Only of Henoch it is noted that he walked with God, that is, lived a most holy life and that he died not at all, but was translated after he had lived three hundred sixty five years. The Lord shortened the days of his pilgrimage, and rewarded his singular piety with taking him up to Heaven, soul and body immediately without dying. He was changed without any separating of his spirit from his body, and in him we have an example what should have been the course that God would have taken with all men if man had continued in the state of innocency, viz. he should not have died, soul and body should never have departed one from the other, but after a man had proceeded in godliness, till he had gotten so large a measure of it, as in this life he could (for though Adam were perfect habitually yet not actually, I mean though he had an ability to attain perfect knowledge of God and the creatures, yet he had not yet actually gotten all such knowledge as he was to get both of God and of the creatures) then should he have been translated into Heaven to see God immediately and to know him better than in this life he could be known. Sin entering caused death, had not that come in we should have gone to Heaven without death as this Henoch did. Now out of all these things written concerning these Ancients the direct parents of our Lord, we gather this, that death is common to all, and how long soever a man lives at last he must leave the world, and therefore we learn two things principally. First, to prepare for death, that whensoever it befalleth we may change for the better not for the worse, and this preparation for death must be not alone a little before it comes, or at the hour of its approach, but in the whole course of our life by beginning early to repent and continuing daily to turn and renew our repentance, that so we may get an assurance of our being taken from earth to Heaven: for he that begins unfaignedly to turn to God and so continues, he shall surely be saved, and for the most part shall obtain before his departure hence an assured apprehension of his salvation. Therefore he must (as Henoch did) walk with God in a continual care of obeying him, and labouring to hold fast a constant persuasion of his favour and love to him in his Son, for it is testified of Enoch, that he pleased God, Heb. 11.5. so that what in Genesis is called a walking with God, that S. Paul calls pleasing of God, and also that by faith he was translated that he should not see death, even by his believing and resting upon God's mercy, for so it is said, he believed that God was and was a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, which finding himself to do, he resolved that God would reward him: So must each of us walk with God, constantly resolve and endeavour to please God in all things, and retain in ourselves an assured peaswasion, that God will graciously accept and reward us in Christ, with giving us life eternal and causing us never to see the second death: though we must not be freed from the first, for that was the special privilege of Enoch and Eliah, and was never granted to any other that we read. Labour therefore to hold fast in your souls a firm persuasion of God's love to you in Christ, and withal a firm purpose of pleasing him in all things. Let sincere truth of obedience be joined with a firm persuasion of God's love, and the firm persuasion of Gods love be joined with a sincere endeavour of obedience, than death shall never come amiss, than you are always ready for it, So David faith; Psal. 119.166. I have hoped in thy salvation and done thy Commandments. So than if we would be ready for God we must do two things. Turn to him and walk with him. To turn is to begin to walk with God, to walk with God is to continue to turn to him. O ye that have not begun to turn do it to day, turn now, call to mind your former evil ways to judge yourselves for them, to lament them, to seek of God in Christ forgiveness of them and power against them, and labour to rest yourselves upon his goodness in Christ for pardon and help, and so have you made your peace, then keep your peace by a constant endeavour to please God in holiness of life, and a constant renewing of your assured persuasion of his love. O happy man he that can so fit himself for his latter end. Brethren let the mention of the deaths of so many aged persons, make you careful to prepare for death; you that be young do it, because death takes away young men as well as old, and you that be old do it, because you may meet with it very suddenly, and must needs meet with it afore it be long. Again, you see these long-lived men here, wrestling with the corruptions of the world and their own, some a longer time and some a shorter, but all in comparison of ourselves a great while. The longest lived man for number of days was Methuselah who lived nine hundred sixty nine years, but for perfection of life Adam, who lived a perfect man nine hundred and thirty years. The shortest lived of all the patriarchs was Noah's Father, Methuselahs' Son, Lamech, for he lived seven hundred seventy and seven years, and died the year before the flood, a little before his Father Methuselah, who lived till that very year that the flood came and drowned all, and was taken away that he might not see the flood. Now why did God lengthen out the days of the patriarchs? Why the patriarchs lived so long. I answer, chiefly to maintain the knowledge of God and true religion in the world, that by the long life of one godly man, the truth which then was not put in writing, but by word of mouth delivered from man to man might be kept more pure and undefiled. Adam lived till Methuselah was two hundred forty and three years old. Methuselah lived till Sem the Son of Noah was one hundred years lacking two; so that Sem talked with him that had talked with Adam, who could acquaint him with all things concerning the creatures, the fall and the promised seed out of his certain knowledge and experience, he had been made of nothing, he had seen all perfections, and Methuselah could tell it to Sem, and Sem lived to see Isaac borne and a Father. So that Isaac might speak mouth to mouth with him that had spoken with him that had spoken with Adam the first man that ever was. Was not this a notable confirmation of his Faith. THE FIFTH EXAMPLE. OF The Old World. We have propounded particular Examples unto you hitherto, as also the Scriptures have done. Now following them, we must set before your eyes the Examples of an whole multitude, even of an whole World, full of men and women, that gave themselves to work wickedness before the Lord. It is called in Scripture, the old World, 2 Pet. 2.5. and the world of ungodly. In the space of a 1656. years the generation of mankind was grown to that height and exorbitancy of wickedness, that the patience of God could no longer endure them. Now concerning this Old World we will show you three things. 1. Their sins. 2. The goodness of God to them notwithstanding their sins. 3. The severe punishment that fell upon them at the last, and so will make use of all. The sins of the old world. 1. In general. First, for their sins, the Holy Ghost sets them out in general, and more particularly. In general, the sin of man is said to be great, Gen. 6.5. and that every imagination of the thought of his heart was evil and only evil and that continually. Secondly, it is said, Verse 11. that all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. So their naughtiness was remarkable in these two respects, it was exceeding heinous and grievous in that they committed great and fowl sins, in great abundance with great wilfulness, and gave themselves to add sin to sin, doing nothing but plodding and contriving wickedness, They all were given over to sinning, except some in Noah's house. and then all men gave themselves over to the same bad course; you could not find a man that made scarce a show of goodness out of Noah's house. When all consent together to sell over themselves to work iniquity, and grow past shame or fear, running into most grievous and notorious sins with greediness and wilfulness, this is very offensive to Almighty God, and will certainly provoke his wrath to bring upon them some fearful and heavy punishments. Divers reasons may be thought of that caused this exceeding great growth of sin in those times. Why sin was so great then. 1. The long life of men, for let an unsanctified man continue long, and he will grow more and more sinful the longer he continues. Sin by frequent exercise grows more and more violent and headstrong. So living a great space of time they grew above measure naught. 2. They had strong and able bodies together with health and ability to enjoy the things of this life. 3. They had great peace in regard they all lived under a paternal government, the agedst in the family still being acknowledged the governor of the family, and they had all one language and so no great cause of controversy, and one religion too, it is like, seeing the patriarchs lived so long, that they were immediately taught of God, save that they degenerated to profaneness and the most became of no religion, and so did not war with the contrary little party, unless it were with jests, scoffs and contumelies. Long life, great strength, great peace begat great wickedness. 2. In particular. But more particularly the Lord takes notice here of their 1. Unlawful and carnal marriages, 2. Of their violence and oppression. And our Saviour telleth of their great worldliness, Mat. 24.37, 38. that did sell over themselves to temporal dealings, and cared nothing for better things; and S. Peter tells of their obstinacy in sinning, and their not believing nor regarding, 1 Pet. 3.20. they were disobedient whilst the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah. Mat. 24.38. Yea our Saviour telleth of their notable unbelief, that did not give any credit to God's threats, nor knew of the flood till the waters came and drowned them. All Noah's preaching prevailed nor to make them take notice of the judgement that hanged over their heads. God's mercy to them. The mercy of God towards them appeareth, in that he gave them a large warning, a hundred and twenty years to repent, in which his Spirit continued to strive with their wickedness, God taketh to himself the similitude of a man, who being greatly displeased with the ill carriage of his Inferiors, is fain to strive with himself to keep down his anger, that it raise not up itself against them in excess and over-suddenly. The striving of God's Spirit is a patient continuing to use the means of reclaiming sinners, to see if it be possible to win them, God's bounty taketh pains as it were to break man's sinful heart. So God resolved to continue striving but for a hundred and twenty years, and all that while he determined to continue this course of gentleness, and withal he used in that time the ministry of Noah, 2 Pet. 2.5. who was therefore called a Minister and Preacher of righteousness by S. Peter, that he might reduce them to some repentance and amendment; therefore is it said, 1 Pet. 3.20. The long-suffering of God waited in Noah's days, and in all this space they had great outward mercies. Yea there were men of great stature borne which proved also men of great renown for wealth, riches, honours and outward eminencies, so that they felt no manner of punishment almost in earthly things, but were reserved to that great and heavy punishment which waited for them at last, even to the deluge or flood of waters. God made all the great deeps to break up, Their punishment. and the springs to overflow, so that the waters gushed up from the ground, and then opened the windows of Heaven, and caused all the waters from above to fall down, till at length the rain continuing for the space of forty days, The Deluge. and the waters finding so violent an issue upwards, the whole earth and all the highest mountains were covered with water fifteen cubits, that is, a cubit being counted for half a yard, seven yards and an half high, to the cutting off of all the sons and daughters of Adam, and of all the birds and beasts that could not live in the water, save those few that were in the Ark with Noah, who besides his preaching by the sign, of building the Ark did warn them but all in vain of the following flood. So you have the sum of the story of the old World in their sinfulness, and God's forbearance for along time, and God's severity and their misery at the last. Let us make due uses now of all. The uses of all. For the chief thing in such stories as these is to make a good use, because these are set forth for an Example to them that shall hereafter live ungodlily. For their souls also perished eternally as well as their bodies, for anything that can be learned out of Scripture to the contrary, except that we may conceive, the Lord might be merciful to the souls of infants, that were not of age to make use of the means that should have brought the rest to repentance, nor did not run to the same extremity of wickedness, unless I say we may hope in charity that God would show compassion on the souls of these, the men of years perish soul and body both. Now what uses must we make, 1. Of their sins, 2. Of God's patience, 3. Of God's severity. Of their sins we must make divers uses. First, to take notice of our own corrupt nature that is ready to grow so extremely naught. For we also are the posterity of Adam, and have the same corruption of nature that these had, and our imaginations and the form and frame of our hearts and all our thoughts will be only evil continually, if God give us to ourselves, and there is not one of us that would not grow unjust, voluptuous, worldly, violent, and most extremely wicked in every kind of wickedness, as occasion would offer itself, if the Lord did not hold us back, either by restraining or sanctifying, or both. To him let us give the praise of our being restrained or sanctified, and let us confess his goodness that doth not give us over to all licentiousness, to commit all wickedness with greediness. An hearty praising of God for delivering us from notorious sinfulness, is a testimony of some grace. Man's heart is apt to turn such freedom into matter of swelling and self-conceitedness, if our less badness makes us more thankful and humble not haughty and arrogant, it is a sign of some truth of goodness. But innocency joined with swelling, lifting up ourselves and despising others, is no better than that of the Pharisee. This is the first use of their sin. The next is to teach us to take heed of such wickedness, that great sins may not grow common, but that there may be some to oppose the rest, some to mourn for the rest, and to take care of keeping themselves unspotted in the world, that so great and public punishments may be kept back. Let us every way strive to cause that sins grow not huge and universal, that they come not to an high degree and to commonness, so that all join in them; for then likely some great and heavy calamity must ensue. With us sins do grow very great, great faults are committed by many, but yet we are to praise God that all flesh hath not corrupted their ways, there be some though but few in comparison of the multitude, yet I say some, that set themselves against the great and common iniquities, which may give us some hope, that the Lords chastisements shall follow us only for reformation, not for utter extirpation of the Nation. Let us all use our best diligence to hinder the greatness and commonness of sin, that we may prevent destroying and all-devouring blows. A third use from their sins is that we be careful to avoid these particular sins, or to repent of them and to reform them, if we have committed them. 1. Take great heed of making carnal marriages with persons sinful and wicked for beauty's sake, or any such carnal respect. For if it offend God that men be lewd to take wives void of true religion and piety because of their fairness, then surely to be so far overruled with gain or any other earthly consideration, as for these things sake to make matches with carnal and naughty men must needs offend God. Let no man do so therefore, let piety I say piety be the matchmaker, let beauty, riches, and all such things come after in the second or third place, and let no man for any respect of face, fair state, etc. marry themselves to foul conditions, foul manners, false religion, wicked conversation. Surely that which sways a man most in matrimony, sways him most in his whole life, this being one of the main matters that concern him in his life. If godliness and religion be not of force to command us in this thing it cannot be conceived that we have any sound knowledge of it, and if outward things sway us most here, they have the sovereignty and dominion of our hearts. Show yourselves spiritual in choice of yoke-fellowes, if you will enjoy the comfort of being so in good earnest and in sincerity. And if any have done otherwise, O let them be much humbled, it is a great fault an hazarding of one's self to destruction or of his children, a sign that one doth not rightly know neither sin or goodness, if in this matter wickedness cannot disgrace all other things, and virtue overbalance all other, and therefore if God have made such a match very dismal and unhappy to any one, and that they have found these things unable to give content, and with these they have been turned aside from the right way; let them acknowledge the justice of God and turn the punishments into a means of unfeigned repentance for the sin. It is just with God to cross men's false opinions of things, and make them meet with wretchedness, where they did falsely and unwarrantably promise to themselves contentment, as they do most times in such kind of ill made marriages. If any good man have so transgressed, he is now called to repentance for it, by God's hand crossing, and God's Word warning him. Again, beware I pray you of the next sin, viz. unjustice and violence, that is, taking away the goods of others by strong hand, whether by manifest violence, or by violent wresting and abusing of law through strength of wit, or purse, or both. To take away that from another by any manner of strength which is his in right that is violence. God hath often in his Word spoken against this, Violence what it is. A great sin. for the waters of the flood have not yet washed it out, but it hath place in the world still. Those that are stronger than others will wrench and pull, and make a shift to tug all they can unto themselves, though they have no right unto such things, covetousness and greedy desires beget oppression to satisfy such an unsatisfiable desire; David complains, Psal. 55.9. that he hath seen violence in the city, and Psal. 11.5. Him that loves violence his soul hateth. By violence men tread underfoot the light of nature, and bury their reason in passion and under it. It is the property of beasts to be lead by will and passion, what they desire to have if they can possibly get it by any device or power they will have it, rules of right they acknowledge none nor can acknowledge, because they want reason, which is the sole distinguisher betwixt right and wrong. But man that hath reason which can set down limits and bounds to every man's possessions and benefits, should follow his reason and not take so much as his hand can reach and pull unto itself, but alone that which he finds the rules of equity to give him. He that doth otherwise doth infinitely trespass upon God's Royalty over the whole world, for he doth not carry himself in this great family according to the will of him that is the sole maker and master of it, and so lives as if himself were Master and chief Lord, and not bound to any rules but those of his own will. Violence therefore is a grievous sin. It will bring God's curse, and anger, and hatred upon the committer. A violent man is odious in the world and in Heaven too, his love of himself makes him injurious to all, and therefore also loathsome. Fly violence therefore either of hand or head, and take nothing but what in true right you can prove to be your own, and if you have gotten any thing by violence, repent of it, and rid your hands of it, else the hand of God shall be heavy upon you for it, he will bring your violence upon your own pates. And know I beseech you, that as there be two sorts of violent beasts so of men. You know there be Lions, and Bears, and Tigers, and great creatures that prey upon the weaker as upon the Sheep, the Cow, etc. and then there be little beasts too that prey upon the lesser, as the Weasel on the Mouse and on Chickens, and such like that be lesser than themselves. So there be two sorts of violent men too, the great and wealthy man, and the poor and meaner man. The one can bear out his violence openly, and doth it in greater things. The other doth it more closely and in lesser things, but both will have what equity doth not give them by one or other shift or wile, or act of his hand. And truly as great wickedness is found in poor men this way as in the wealthier. He that is as bad as his place will suffer, is as wicked a man as another that in higher place is more apparently wicked. Give the Weasel the fangs and limbs of a Lion, he will do as much mischief as a Lion. Therefore the poor robbing the poor is compared to a sweeping rain that leaveth no food, Prov. 28.3. and none more violent than these little violent ones when they can tell how to make way and bear out their violence, will not you see it evidently in the boldness of the poorer sort to steal corn at this time of the year. He that will pull a piece of ones sheaf from him, if he were a great Prince of name and power, would pull his whole living from him. Beware therefore of those unjust ways of getting which are under your hands, and in your powers incident to your places, repent of them, eat them, and forbear them for conscience sake, that you may not provoke God's wrath against you. Further, the men of this time were extremely worldly as our Lord Jesus noteth, they sold over themselves to the world, and cared not for Noah's preaching, nor for any thing that might concern their souls, but sold over themselves to earthly dealing as you read in Luke 17.26, 27. O be not many of you such, are not your hearts fully possessed with all earthliness. Do not you set yourselves altogether to the things of this life with the mere neglect of that which concerns a better. Surely those that do so are in heart Atheists, they do not thoroughly believe that immortality of the soul, nor the being of another world. For were every man's heart fully persuaded that his soul should continue for ever in another world either in eternal weal or woe, it were not possible for him not to consider of the estate to come as well as of the state present, if we did as well know and believe that there is an Hell and Heaven, as that there is an earth and in it misery and welfare, we could not but be as studious to get the future happiness and escape the future misery as the present. I pray you therefore strive against that sin of the old World, viz. giving up yourselves excessively to the world, and put yourselves in mind of a world that is to come, and mind the things that are above and set your affections on them. If you so perform works of God's Worship, as that they wean you not from the world, you do them but hypocritically, you have alone the form and not the power of godliness. Though a man use not violence, yet if he be excessively worldly the Word of God is choked in him, and will not bring forth the fruit of eternal life unto him. Another sin of the old World is, 4 Disobedient. 1 Pet. 3.20. The flood came upon them and they knew nothing. they abused Gods long-suffering and Noah's preaching, and got no manner of knowledge of the long threatened flood, nor no care of amending their lives. This is a fearful thing to get nothing by God's patience or by the labours of the Ministers whom he sends to teach and warn us. This shows that the Devil ha●h blinded their eyes, that sin hath hardened the heart, and that a man hath given over himself to the servitude of some lust: this is a great wrong to God's goodness and authority both, and it brings severe punishments, for in aggravating the sins of men it must needs aggravate the punishment also. O brethren consider of yourselves if you be not guilty of this sin. How long hath God been striving to pull you out of your sins. How much patience hath he showed; how much teaching have you heard, and yet alas the old World got as much by God's kindness to them as you do and you no more than they. Many of you know nothing of your miserable estate. As little be you acquainted with the truths you are taught every day, as they were with the flood that came upon them, as little doth our preaching prevail to work you to amendment, as did the preaching of Noah with them. We may well comfort ourselves in this, that our success is no worse than Noah's, and also lament that it is no better. Indeed you have not had so many years preaching as the * 120. old World had, but consider it with the proportion to your lives and you have more. Then men used to live some seven, eight, or nine hundred years. Lo God gave them a Preacher a long time, and at length determined the very year of the flood, it shall be a hundred and twenty years hence, and so from year to year less as the years went up. Ye have lived and died (many of you that be dead) under the Ministry. Indeed we cannot tell you the year of your death, or bring you tidings of a flood of water to overflow you altogether, but of a river of fire and brimstone to overflow and overwhelm you one after one we can tell you from God, and you fear this flood of brimstone no more than they did that flood of water. O repent of your long impenitency and miserable unbelief and wilful ignorance of God's threats, and other things that are continually taught you out of the Word. And now cease to imitate this world of ungodly men, but apply yourselves to fly from the wrath to come and from the vengeance that must overtake all wilful sinners. I beseech you lay to heart the things you hear, take notice of them, believe them, and set yourselves to amend your lives and cast away all your sins, which this old World did not but should have done: be better I say be better than they were, and let their wickedness teach you some goodness. When will it once be that you will know and believe the threats of God and his promises? when will it once be that you will submit yourselves to those that are as Noah was, Preachers of righteousness, and seek to get the righteousness of faith, which Noah would not have gotten himself, if it had not been the same that he preached to others? Now I pray you at last to exceed this generation of wicked men. And these uses you must make of their wickedness. Now of God's patience towards them in giving them all outward prosperity and long deferring the execution of his wrath, and sending Noah by preaching and building the Ark to draw them to repentance; learn first to praise God for the like long-suffering to us, and using the like means to bring us to repentance and to life eternal. It is the same God that ruled the world at those times who ruleth us also at this time, and he discovers the same virtues in his governing. O how patient is God now also? how great care doth he take to lead us to repentance also? How many outward benefits have we? This goodness of God towards them that perish, whereby he took such order and care for them, that they might have escaped perdition if they would have made use of his means is not sufficiently heeded nor observed. Might not the world then have escaped both drowning and hell too, if they would have harkened to Noah and believed him, and followed his instructions. Did any thing but their own wilfulness and heedlessness shut them out of the Ark and out of Heaven, and thrust them down into the Deluge and into Hell? Brethren, God magnifies his mercies to the vessels of wrath, he doth labour to bring them out of their ill estate, he hath not ceased for many years to entice them to repentance by his long-suffering. Certainly this should magnify God's goodness to us and make us to applaud him exceedingly, and acknowledge the brightness of his Justice in their future destruction. O how just was God in the drowning of these men? is he not as just in the damning of the sinner now? Lord be thou praised for thy mercy and forty justice, and let the one serve to clear the other, and both to commend thee. Again, I pray you now the the second time to make a good use of God's clemency to you. He sent but one Noah to all the world, who yet is said to condemn the world. He sends amongst you to every town almost one to tell you of the judgement to come, and to stir you up to repentance. Now be entreated to hearken and obey, and to get you to the Ark. Brethren we do here in God's name offer you assurance of pardon of sin, and freedom from hell and death, if you will accept it, O let not our preaching be in vain. Come, come into the Ark, come into Christ by true faith, into whom you are come by Baptism in respect of outward profession. The Ark was a figure of Christ, and Baptism is as it were the Ark: O labour for the true Baptism with the Spirit that you may shun and escape the Deluge of God's eternal wrath and vengeance. Let us not preach to you in vain as Noah did to the old world. And present to yourselves the hideousness of that plague, O how did men's hearts ache within them? how did horror take hold upon them, when they saw the water's rage so furiously? O now did they find that in experience which they would not believe by Noah's preaching! What crying, what roaring, what lamentation did fill the Cities and Villages? they did not die of a sudden as in the overflowing of the Sea, but they died by degrees, they had time to get up upon hills and trees, and to foresee and fore-feare their choking by waters afore it came, and to see the Beasts many perishing before them, many looking for the same ruin with them. Doth not this flood pertain to you? Doth not it pertain to you also? Do you not here see, 1. The Omnipotent power of God, and his absolute and sovereign command over all creatures. The Sea and Springs are his and will break out upon us. The Clouds and Waters above are his and will fall down upon us to revenge his quarrel. He is Lord of Hosts, O plant in yourselves an holy fear of him, and say to yourselves, shall he threaten and not perform, who hath the whole world at hand to be serviceable unto him. If we would represent the Lord before our eyes according to his fearful greatness, so as to make us tremble and depart from sin, happy were we. Doth not Christ send us to the old World, and doth not Peter also mind us of this destruction by water. Surely the Lord is a terrible God still, he is now as terrible, as he showed himself then in the overthrow by waters. Again, you must in this plague see the justice of God, his will to punish sinners by inflicting great evil upon them, that so you may yet make the fear of him the more steadfast and more effectual, for as he is of power to crush the highest and stoutest and those of greaest power in the world, so he is resolved upon this course, and will surely declare his excellency by making them smoke with most heavy calamities, that dare advance themselves against his authority. See here how severe God is, he will not spare the wicked, he will not hold them innocent, though he defer many days, yet will the heaviness of the stroke answer the delay. The flood was long a coming, but being come it's furious and irresistible, and wipes out all the sons of men sparing none. The Lord can find in his heart to execute hideous evils upon sinners. Let them if they please fancy a God wholly consisting of mercy, they shall find him such as his Word describeth, not as they themselves have counterfeited, he will recompense vengeance on his Adversaries, he will not pity their cries nor groans. He will not be melted with their complaints, but utterly destroy them according as his Word hath spoken. Behold also the equity of Gods proceeding, he answers their sins with the kind and measure of punishment. Great sins and great waters. All flesh corrupted with sin, and all flesh cut off for sin, the earth filled with violence and now filled with waters. None took care to forbear almost any sin but Noah, and none escapes but Noah. No multitude of sinners can save them out of his hand, as all sinned so all perish. This great and heavy judgement should be often in our thoughts, 2 Pet. 2.5. we should think thus, if God spared not the old World neither will be spare us. It is S. Peter's inference, and it is a great sin in us, that we do not often put ourselves in mind of these things to frame ourselves to humble obedience. If any say, but God hath promised never again to destroy the world by water. Gen. 9.11. I answer, true, but he hath never promised not to drown sinners, neither hath he promised not to punish them with punishments as fearful as this of perishing by waters. God hath great variety of weapons to wound his enemies; if he hath renounced the use of one, he hath others enough to take up for that purpose. And Brethren, I pray you take notice of what S. Peter tells us of, That as the world that then was did perish being drowned in the waters, 2 Pet. 3.6, 7. so the world that now is shall perish by fire, for he telleth us, that it is by the same word reserved for fire kept in store against the time to come. Judas verse 14. The Prophet Enoch foretold of that great day before Noah foretold of this deluge. That day is longer before it come, but it shall be more terrible when it comes, 2 Pet. 3.10. for the heavens shall pass away with a noise, as the holy Apostle tells you. Now as the righteous Noah showed a way how to escape that water, even repent and get into the Ark, so we show away how to escape that fire, repent and turn unto the Lord, otherwise when he shall come in flames of fire, you shall receive the judgement of eternal destruction from before the presence of his glory. Brethren, I beseech you so to ponder upon that great misery which fell upon the old World, that you may be the better for knowing all the passages of so strange a story. It was the first remarkable judgement. No general calamity that we read of did come upon the world till then. The first and last acts of justice will be most severe, and the last likely severer than the first. The Lord gave to the men of this old World a very long life, and very great outward benefits, and showed to them exceeding great long-suffering, why so? but because he would first, as he delighteth to do, prove men with benefits. As if he should have said, I will prove Adam's sons with the fruits of my favour. They shall have time enough to repent, some eight or nine hundred years, and they shall be alured by all prosperity, nothing but comforts shall come upon them for a long time, but if they will not profit by this gentleness, I will shorten their lives by half, having taken away all those fearful sinners by a flood of waters. You see God's displeasure against sin, O at last profit by it and learn to be righteous, there is no way to escape God's judgements, but by following after righteousness, this course take, and you shall be safe. (* ⁎ *) THE six EXAMPLE. OF NOAH. ONe godly man is worth a whole million of sinners, as appeareth in that the Lord made more reckoning of one Noah then of all the world of the ungodly. Having laid before you the bad Example of that most wicked generation which lived before the flood, I will now speak of one godly man which lived in the same times with them, and saw them all swept away with the bosom of destruction. His name was Noah, the word signifieth rest, and we have a reason given us of imposing that name by his Father, Noah what it signifieth. Gen. 5.29. This same shall comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed. It is somewhat doubtful how Noah was a comforter to the godly Patriarches In respect of their troubles of all kinds, both those they took in striving against the bad men of their times, and the common labours of life in regard of the curse that was gone out against man's sin. The most probable opinion is as I think, that because he was a Preacher of righteousness, and did more largely and plainly denounce God's wrath against sinners, and his blessing to the godly (for a Preacher of righteousness must needs do both these things) therefore he gave much refreshing to the souls of the godly, and made all their labours easy. Even as now if God's people have a painful Minister amongst them, that ceaseth not to acquaint them with God's mercy and justice, and to revive the remembrance of Heaven and all the Promises in their hearts, they live much more comfortably, than any outward thing without this help could make them to live. So it was in those times also with those godly patriarchs. Again, as it would be a great comfort to good men now, if any man were sent by God to assure them of the last day of judgement, for they would even lift up their heads and rejoice: so Noah in telling of the flood which to that world was a kind of judgement-day did greatly solace the spirits of the good against all their sorrows. His Birth. Now this Noah was the son of Lamech the son of Methuselah in the 1056. year of the world. He was the tenth after Adam inclusively, borne after. adam's and Seths' death, and Henochs' translation, and lived to see the death of Enos, Kainan, Mahalaleel, Iared, Methuselah and Lamech. This is all we have to say of his Birth or entrance into the world. His life. Now concerning his life I pray you consider four things, 1. His goodness. 2. His bad deeds. 3. The sorrows and miseries he met with. 4. The benefits God gave him. And let us make use of all as we go along and so come to his death last of all. In which 1. His virtues. 1. In general. Was a perfect man and walked with God. Gen. 5 22. Heb. 11.4. First for his goodness, it is set forth in the Scripture generally and particularly. In general these three things are affirmed of him, Gen. 6.9. He was a just man and upright, or perfect, and walked with God. Before it is affirmed of Henoch that he walked with God, and the Scripture told us also of Abel, that he obtained a divine testimony that he also was just, and job is said to have been a perfect man, yea it is added by way of amplification to his goodness that he was a just man and perfect in his generations, that is, in his own time, in those most sinful days when all were naught. Noah was good when all had corrupted their ways, he was sincere and upright in his ways. For this is the truest commendation of virtue, when it keeps a man unspotted of those evils which are every where practised in the world. Let us now request you to consider of yourselves every man whether he be a Noah. Surely none but Noah's shall be admitted into the Ark, and escape the waves of destruction: none but Noah's shall find favour with God, and be delivered from eternal death. Whosoever cannot approve himself to be such a one as this good man, let him never dream of coming to Heaven. But who is a just man? who a perfect? who walketh with God? Who is a just or righteous man. I answer, A just man is first he that renounceth his own justice which is of the Law and embraceth the righteousness of faith, even the righteousness which is of God by faith, relying wholly upon the merits of Christ and God's mercy in Christ, for pardon of his offences and acceptation of himself and his endeavours to salvation. The Scripture witnesseth that Noah was an heir of this righteousness, Heb. 11.7. And this is that that must be first found in every man. He must see and confess his own unrighteousness, and utterly disclaim his own righteousness as knowing that it is no better than a menstruous rag, in respect of his justification. Do you this my Brethren? Are you made to see yourselves grievous sinners, such as in yourselves must needs be damned, and cannot possibly be saved by the worth and merit of your own goodness. Secondly, a righteous man must stay, rest, depend on, believe in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, labouring to build up in his own heart a particular persuasion and assurance, that the Lord of Heaven will accept him as perfectly righteous in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ his Son, and that alone, Rome 4. for so was Abraham made partaker of that blessedness, which stood in the imputing unto him of righteousness without works, and Abraham is the Father of the faithful, as he was justified so must all we be justified, and no otherwise. See into yourselves, do you rely upon our blessed Saviour the Lord Jesus for pardon of your sins? or do you waver from him or stay upon any other besides him? Lastly, a righteous man must himself also work righteousness, and give himself to be a servant of righteousness, that is to say, he must resolve and endeavour to leave every sin by God's Word condemned, and to do every duty by God's Word commanded, and that also for God's sake with reference to him, and out of a desire to please him, that is, to keep his favour. This is a righteous man. He strives in all things to please God according to his Word, but finding his defects bewails them, and resteth alone on God's goodness in Christ for pardon and salvation. If you be such, then are you Noah's indeed and shall surely be saved, if not you be but dissemblers, and no show of religion shall save you from destruction. Therefore all of you that are not such, I pray you feel your unhappiness, you are not good enough to go to Heaven yet, whatsoever you have imagined of yourselves. Therefore also now seek to be such, begin with lamenting your unrighteousness before God and craving pardon and help, and so proceed to pray for and endeavour after all the things before prescribed. Be the better for Noah's example. Let not this story be preached unto you in vain: you know Noah was one whom God loved, whom God hath saved, study to be such as Noah. What riches he had, the Scripture takes no notice of, but righteous he was, study you to be such and be happier than all riches can make you. And especially I pray you labour to follow Noah in this onething, to be good in your generations, in those things I mean wherein your present times take general liberty to be nought, that so you as Noah may at once glorify God and condemn the world. What evil things all do commit those do you forbear, what good things all do neglect, those be you more careful to perform. Many things are grown into common fashion, swearing, pride in apparel, formality in religion, covetousness, monstrous fashions, misshapen long hair, O be ye in these things careful to avoid the corruption which is in the world. Many good things are grown quite out of all fashion almost, constant reading God's Word, holy conference, keeping a treasure or purse for God in your houses, meditation of God's Word, and careful sanctifying of the Lords day. O strive to perform these duties. He that is good alone according to the common strain is hollowly good, we must be pure of those faults which are allowed almost of all. 2. His virtues in particular. 1. Was a Preacher of righteousness. 2 Pet. 2.5. But let us consider the particular good things noted of Noah. First, S. Peter testifies of him, that he was a Preacher of righteousness, meaning of that righteousness whereof he was also an heir and practiser. All you cannot be Preachers of righteousness by special office as Noah was, this belongs alone to us Ministers, and O that we could learn to be like Noah in our places, continuing faithfully to teach men the will of God and call them to repentance, and to true righteousness in Christ and good life in themselves. Surely Noah had slender encouragement, Isa. 49 4. for we do not read of any one man that heeded his Preaching, he if any other might complain that his labour was in vain, and that his time and strength were spent to no purpose. We that are Preachers must imitate him in a patient discharge of our duties, what if God do not vouchsafe to work with our labours? to bring men to righteousness, shall we be disheartened? No no, but following this good man, continuing to do Gods work and look for our reward from him. And again, I call upon you for great thankfulness to God, for that he hath set many Preachers of righteousness amongst you in this Kingdom, and hath vouchsafed to hold me in this office amongst you for these thirty years or thereabouts, I have Preached righteousness among you according to that measure of knowledge and utterance that God hath vouchsafed me. O let me have some better encouragement from you then Noah had from the old world, and indeed I have had, and I bless God, and I bless those among you from whom I have had it. Some of you have been careful hearers to the preaching of righteousness, and have turned your feet into the paths of righteousness. The Lord establish you in those happy ways for ever. And one thing now I beseech of you, that you be suitors unto God to raise up to all the places that have not Preachers, and to continue to them that have such as Noah was, Preachers of righteousness, which themselves also will practise; especially, I require you not to forget yourselves in this town, but make it one part of your daily supplications to God, to grant you a succession of Preachers of righteousness when myself must leave you, God knows when, O Lord let there never want so long as this Town and Church standeth, a faithful Preacher of righteousness to supply this room in which I now stand amongst you this day. But secondly, Noah is commended for his faith. 2. Had faith Heb. 11.7. By faith Noah (saith the Author to the Hebrews) did, etc. you must all labour to get this same faith. This is the grace of graces commended in Abel, in Henoch before named, and now in Noah, without which we cannot possibly please God. But what is this faith you will ask me? I answer, I will show the nature of faith unto you: What faith is. It is that grace by which a man assents to all that God speaketh for the authority sake of the speaker. This is the nature of faith in general. Under it is comprehended that which is called justifying faith, being an assent to the Promises of the Gospel, or of the new Covenant upon the same ground. This assent is double, first general to the word generally spoken, and particular to a particular conclusion duly deducted thence concerning ones self. And whosoever doth truly assent to the general, must needs assent to every particular concluded under the general, because the contradiction of an universal proposition is made by a particular contrary to it, and the general is accounted false if it may be denied or be denied of any particular, for Example, if I say all the twelve Apostles were godly men, and another say one of them as judas, was not a godly man, though a eleven were good, yet because this one was not so, he hath showed that proposition to be false. Now then, mark that faith yields a double assent: First, to the thing generally spoken: Secondly, to the particular conclusion contained therein and thence deduced, and this assent must be grounded upon the bare authority of God the speaker in respect of his perfect and infallible truth, because it judgeth him faithful, therefore it esteems his words true, not because it can see reason for things in his own discourse and understanding. This is faith, for example, God said to Noah there shall be a flood to drown all the world, there was no reason to think it should be so, Heb. 11.7. but God said so (warning Noah of things not seen as yet, as the Apostle speaks) and therefore Noah was verily persuaded, that there should come such a flood to destroy all mankind. Again, God promised Noah that if he would build an Ark, God would save him and all his family, and all that would come with him into the Ark, There was no natural likelihood for this neither, for in such a flood an Ark or the best ship in the world could not keep men safe, but that with the fury of the waters they would have been dashed against some rock or other, and wracked, yet God said so to Noah and he believed it for himself and his family. This you see was Noah his faith. And I call upon you to consider, whether you have this faith or not. Do you assent to all the narratiions, promises, threats of God's Word, even because God the Author of it is true and do you assent to the particular conclusion concerning yourselves in that general contained. The Lord threateneth in his Word, Gal. 3.10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things, do you believe this general, and the particular that will follow from it, but I have not continued, etc. therefore I am cursed. Again, the Gospel saith, all that do not repent and believe shall be damned. Do you believe this? and do you believe the particular contained under this? I do not repent and believe the Gospel, therefore I shall be damned, or contrarily I do repent and believe, therefore I shall be saved. Search what authority God's Word hath with you, if you deduct the particular from the general in every point, than you do believe the general, else you do not. And alas how manifest is it that most men have no faith but alone say they have as S. james speaketh, and beguile their own selves. The threats of God's Word and his promises are of no value with most men, they do not persuade themselves, that any of those evils shall be performed against them which the Scripture denounceth against such sinners as they be, nor that any of the promises shall be performed to those that perform the things contained in the promises. If they see natural likelihood of any good or evil they can be persuaded it will come, but if there be no proof but a bare promise or threat out of the Bible, they make no reckoning that that good or evil will come ever a whit the sooner. Now I pray you see and lament your unbelief, it is the root of all sin, neither can any sin be found to rule farther than this ruleth, and I pray you cry to God to work faith in you by the Word you read and hear, for no good at all can it do you if it be not mixed with faith. And if any man have such faith in God's Word indeed and not alone in profession and show, happy is that man, for he shall be sure to find the like acceptance of God that Noah, he that hath this faith must needs be in Christ and Christ in him; for where God's Word dwells, there himself dwells, and the Word of God dwells in men by faith. 3. He was moved with fear. Heb. 11.7. A third thing in Noah is noted by the Author to the Hebrews, that he was moved with fear, you see he feared God's threats, he was afraid lest he should be drowned with his family among the rest, if he did not obey God and live virtuously and build the Ark at God's Commandment, and indeed if he had not done so he should have perished with the world: as whosoever lives wickedly shall be damned, this is a threat, he that hath true faith will not deceive himself with vain words, and say, I am elected, I am a believer, I shall be saved though I take liberty to sin, but he will fear and depart from evil, and use those means of escaping destruction which God hath appointed. So true faith will undoubtedly work such a fear of God's threat, as will make a man depart from evil, because it brings a lively apprehension of danger and much evil before his eyes if he sin, and therefore cannot but work fear, I mean a fear of caution as they call it, whereby a man is made wary to shun and escape the evil. There is a passionate fear whereby the heart is perplexed, the joints shake, and such natural bodily accidents do follow it. This fear ariseth from the bodily presence or imminent danger of some sensible evil, and Noah did not so fear the flood. A double fear There is another rational fear as I may well name it, by which a man apprehends an evil thing to come, so as he is made careful to shun, prevent, and dares not bring it upon himself. And this fear looks on things a great way off, long before they offer themselves to the senses, and such was Noah's fear. And such a fear faith will evermore bring with it. It will cause that a man shall not dare to do the things forbidden out of an apprehension of the greatness and extremity of the danger that will arise. Now look to yourselves my Brethren, do you fear God's threats, do you fear the curse of the Law, the wrath of God, hell fire, damnation, with such a fear as makes you use the means to escape these evils, and makes that you cannot be bold to do the things against which the Lord speaketh these things. If you brag of faith in God's promises and have not faith in his threats, your faith is a vain fancy, and a mere painted or dead faith, for no man can credit any thing which God speaketh if he do not credit all so far as he knows and considers it, because God cannot be deceived in any thing. And if you say you believe God's threats and do not fear, I say again, be not moved through fear to do the things by which you might escape those evils threatened, even to forsake the sin and repent, certainly you deceive yourselves and do not believe. Now it is most evident, that most men entertain God's threats without any fear. They are not affected at all with the hearsay of these evils, therefore it is sure they have no faith. See your want of faith by the absence of this never failing effect thereof, and cousin yourselves with a shadow of faith no longer. And now pray God to plant in your hearts such a fear of his threats as hath been said. It is a most wholesome thing to have the soul overawed with apprehension of the evils which God denounceth against evil-doing, and to be thereby kept down, so that it hath no courage to lift itself up to naughty deeds. Blessed is he that thus feareth always, O that you would work out your salvation in this fear and trembling, O that the same mind might be in you that was in godly job! who said that terror from God did keep him from doing any wrong to his servant, and that of the holy Apostle S. Paul, 2 Cor. 5.11. who said that knowing this terror, he did persuade men and was made manifest to God. Let those threats, if you live after the flesh you shall die, Rom. 8.13. and those that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 6.9. Col. 3.6. and for these things sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience, and many the like be often in your minds, let them awe you and hold under the strength of your corruptions, causing you to deny yourselves all unlawful profits, pleasures and effects of sin, and to cross your own wills, and to set yourselves to do the things that are most contrary to flesh and blood. Prov. 8.13. The fear of the Lord is to depart from evil, this fear of the Lord is the beginning of true saving wisdom, to them that thus fear are all the promises of the Gospel made, Psal. 34.9. yea it is in one word said, those that fear the Lord shall want nothing. Never think that your faith is right and good if it do not produce this fear, for faith must acknowledge God to be faithful in all his words, threats as well as promises, and this grace is that which being planted in the heart of man, doth keep him from falling away from faith, doth preserve the soul to salvation, by working in it this good and virtuous fear of damnation: as faith kept Noah from drowning by making him holily to fear drowning. 4. He built an Ark as God bade him. Now the last virtue of Noah is, that he built an Ark as God bade him, and furnished it with all food, and went into it at the time appointed, and received in with himself and family all manner of Beasts and Birds that could not live but on dry ground: two and two, male and female of the unclean that were not fit for food and Sacrifice, and 7. and 7. of those that were clean, that is fit for food and Sacrifice, at least for the last. Here is his faith which brought forth obedience to the word of God, in such things which seemed ridiculous to the world, and made him a laughing stock unto all the world almost: Noah forsooth the youngest of the patriarchs, he will needs be thought to have better acquaintance with God, then either Henoch or Methuselah or Lamech or any of his Grandfathers that have lived or do live. None of them could see a flood coming, none of them had a fancy of the world's being drowned, none of them bethought himself of making an Ark, but this fellow hath gotten some new revelation, and he is a building a huge thing like a Chest almost so long, etc. So you think the man is not in his right wits! brethren you easily persuade yourselves, that this good man was laden with these scoffs, and the like behind his back, and like also before his face, and to his very teeth. For wicked wits will never cease gibing at those good things that cross their sense and reason, Yet Noah obeyed, went on, built the Ark, that is, was obedient to God in a thing that made him ridiculous to the world. So will true Faith do, it will make a man obey the Lord in those actions by which he shall make himself a derision to all men almost, and more than a derision, a prey and spoil too. The Obedience of Faith is such an Obedience as will make all men to be at God's beck in acts of that nature as will cause him to be blamed and despised of all the world, as we see in Abraham, in Moses, and in all those almost that are reckoned up in the 11. of the Heb. Because it makes a man firmly and steadfastly to apprehend greater good things and greater evil than those that are seen, and so those visible ones do not sway him and rule on him; for he that sees a greater danger or evil, will easily cast himself upon a far less to shun the greater, so contrarily a good thing. And so much for Noah's goodness before the flood. Now see in and after the flood how he carried himself. Noah's goodness in the flood. He entered into the Ark as God bade him, and committed himself to God's protection trusting on him for safety. Here was no mast, oar, rudder, canvasse or mariners to steer and guide this vessel, a wonder it was that the billows did not cast it over and over, that they did not break the bars by their continued rage, and that it had not perished with all its burden. But in went Noah taking all the Beasts with him, assuring himself to be safe, for so God had told. Here is an excellent act of faith, even to use God's means of attaining the good things promised, and there rest himself without any further carking and perplexity of mind. This was the act of Noah's faith all the flood time, he heard it rain as if Heaven and Earth would come together, he perceived the clouds to be in a fury with the sons of men, the waters raged and roared, and through the windows he might see how all was changed into a Sea, yet there he kept himself quiet, and made account, that himself and his household should do well enough in all this confusion of nature. He had Bears, Lions, Tigers, Wolves and all manner of devouring beasts within the Ark, he was never a whit afraid of such neighbours, but rested himself peaceably upon God's promises. O Beloved that we could do so for our souls, for our estates, for every thing, use God's means, and then promise ourselves the wished effect, and trouble ourselves with no further fear and dismaidness as S. Peter saith, 1 Pet. 3.6. doing well and not being dismayed with any fear. O how happy would our lives be in the midst of a deluge of dangers, if we could thus enter into our closerts as it were, and shut the door: I mean use God's means and rest on him. Again, Noah continued in the Ark till God bade him come out, he perceived the waters to cease raging, he discovered the tops of the mountains: he sends out the discoverers, the Raven and the Dove, and learns by them great abatement, and he sees with his eyes all day when he had removed the top of the Ark, yet he stirs not out till God bade him go out, who had bidden him go in. So must you do my brethren, you must tarry in the Ark as it were so long as God sees fit and not make haste out of it of your own heads. Be so long in affliction as God will have you, go not out till he lead you out, you may wish the time of deliverance, and send out the Raven and the Dove, use the best means you can to help yourselves, especially by prayers to God, and you may remove the covering of the Ark, you may look round about by faith, and with joy see your deliverance coming forward, but keep this as a certain conclusion, not to stir out of any estate though never so troublesome, till you have good warrant from God going before and guiding you. Now at last see what good Noah did after the flood, Noah's goodness after the flood. he built an Altar to God and offered sacrifice in thanks for his deliverance, and in a desire to frame his household to true piety, and to establish the worship of God amongst them. O let each of us learn carefully to acknowledge God's goodness in great deliverances, and to offer him the sacrifice of praise, if he have safe guarded us from the raging floods of adversity and calamity. And let us be careful to establish and set up the worship of God in our families, and amongst our people publicly and privately every way. Build God's altar, offer God's sacrifices, I mean exercise God's religious worship, pray, hear, read, meditate, come to the Sacraments: set not Gods ordinances at variance. Do not pick quarrels with anyone of them, exalt not one to depress another, let them all go together in their times, and especially perform the true meaning of these sacrifices. Offer up the sacrifice of Christ in a perpetual renewing of the memorial thereof in your souls to God and renewing of your faith in it, offer up the sacrifice of a contrite spirit and broken heart, sighing daily for daily sins and infirmities, offer the sacrifice of earnest prayers for all good things, and of hearty praises for what we have received already, and offer up yourselves to God by him to be sanctified to do him faithful service in all holy obedience to all his holy laws. Be truly, heartily, uprightly religious and devoute in your whole lives. But next, Noah planted a vineyard, he fell to husbandry, for my part I doubt not but that God had made vines from the first, and that though we hear of no vineyard, yet there might have been store of them. But howsoever Noah set himself to his calling, to husbandry. O let us every man follow him and give himself to his husbandry and his vineyard, the tradesman's trade is his vineyard, every man's calling is his vineyard, be like Noah fall to planting and dressing this vine. Abhor idleness, have some vineyard, O how miserable is he that hath nothing to do? O how unhappy a thing is it to be in the world as a cipher in Arithmetic. But lastly, Noah is a faithful Prophet, and pronounceth God's curse even against his own sons, herein he becomes to us a pattern of fidelity in the calling of a Minister, even to denounce all things that God puts into our mouths against all persons, how near and dear soever they be, and so of all Governors, to punish their inferiors without partiality, whatsoever their offences be. Noah's sins. And thus you have Noah's goodness, of his badness we have something related too. 1. He was drunk. First, that he drank of the wine which he had planted so over-liberally, as that he was drunken, in his drunkenness discovered his nakedness, being besides himself with excess of wine, he had not care to keep those parts covered which nature would have to be concealed. So his Son I'm finding him lying in this immodest fashion, was scandolized and drawn into a great offence. Here we learn to take heed of drunkenness, and of all immodest carriage, which being bad in case of drunkenness, must needs be worse when a man is sober and hath ability to consider better what he doth, and to refrain from such unseemly deeds. Brethren, if any of you have been drunken, if any have in his drink or otherwise perpetrated immodest and lewd acts, I beseech you learn of Noah to repent of it, and be assured that upon your repentance you shall find pardon. And I pray make not your souls bolder to persist in drunkenness, by abusing Noah's example, for he offended but once this way, and through weakness it may seem, in that being desirous to refresh himself after so long pensiveness in the flood, he was freer than was fit. Let not his once offending out of weakness make you bold to do the same sin 100 and 100 times, yea be you more careful to avoid that trespass which sped so ill with Noah. Drunkenness will make every man discover his nakedness, if not of body yet of mind. There is no crime so notorious, but the drunken man will cast himself into it, if occasion offer itself, as we may see also in Lot. Wherefore know ye that a good man may be overtaken through infirmity with some such gross sin, but he will not wallow in this mire, he will not allow himself in the practice of it, and give over himself to be drunk day by day, week by week. And as for these gross external acts of evil, you are to be so much more careful to avoid them, by how much God hath given you more power to forbear them, for a man hath power if he will to forbear drinking, and therefore if he do not leave this fault, it is because he will not, and the custom of sinning doth make the will so enthralled to evil that a man will needs do it, not needs must do it, whither he will or no, which is so far from excusing the fault, that it aggravates it exceedingly. Yea beloved take heed of all immodest and undecent carriages, by discovering the shameful parts: for if this were a sin in a drunken man, that had not understanding to know he did amiss, how much more in a man that is sober which knows he doth evil and will do it. Now you have Noah's faults and his virtues. Look upon his crosses and his benefits. His crosses were besides the common miseries of man's life which he suffered together with others, First, Noah's crosses 1 No man regarded his preaching. he spent his time in vain Preaching and no man regarding it. Secondly, he lived to see all mankind destroyed and to behold a fearful deluge, 2 He lived to see all mankind destroyed and for a whole year and more (for the flood began on the second month and seventh day of his 600 year, and he came not out of the Ark till the twenty seven day of the second month of his 601, year) he was as it were imprisoned in the Ark, shut up amongst the beasts and other creatures. Thirdly, 3 He had a wicked son. he had a graceless wicked son and was put himself to pronounce a curse against him with his own mouth in the name of God, for he did it not out of anger or distemper, but as a Prophet in the Name of God and by his instigation and authority. 4. Lived to see his offspring naught. Lastly he lived to see his offspring after the flood grow very naught and suffer fearful punishments. He saw the building of the tower of Babel, the dispersion of men from Babel, the halving and quartering of men's ages, the universal overspreading of idolatry, in so much that Abraham's father Nahor and Terah did not escape it. Josh. 24 2. These crosses did Noah suffer. Buckle yourselves to crosses, and be thankful if you have not felt so grievous evils and universal as those of Noah. We should make our own miseries more tolerable by comparing them with the greater miseries of better men than ourselves, that have gone before us in the like and worse. Have you lead children? so had Noah. Do you labour in vain in your places? so did Noah. Doth the world run all to wickedness? so did it in Noah's days. Again let us fear to fall into those sins of his which did bring upon him great misery. Be not drunk lest you become a scandal to many through your evil carriage, and lest God set you to some work as contrary to your good like as it was to Noah, when he was fain to pronounce a curse against his own child. Now go and think of the crosses of Noah to fright thyself from sin. His benefits. 1 He found favour with God. And last of all consider his benefits, 1. He found favour with God, that is, God made known his love and kindness to him, made him know that he loved, liked and accepted him to life, so it is testified of divers others. Now labour to be good, encourage yourselves in piety, with God you shall find favour, he will make manifest his love and kindness to you though men seem to disfavour you, and the love of God is a thing so precious and comfortable, that it may well overweigh all the anger wrath and displeasure of men. If God favour you no matter who hateth you, and this all God's people may be said to find, by walking in the ways of righteousness with Noah, for God is not an accepter of persons. 2. He was directed by God to a way of saving himself from the flood with his family Again Noah was directed by God to a course of saving himself from the flood with his family and many other creatures, and accordingly did escape the common destruction. This is a special favour of God to deliver his people from common calamities, especially that eternal destruction of hell fire that must overwhelm the world. This benefit God will give to all his Saints, and safety also from common calamities when the time serves, and so far as is fit, if they strive against the common sins by mourning and oppose the same. God will be an ark unto them in the midst of a deluge, and they may triumph as David, Psal. 46.2, 3. I will not fear though the waters rage, and though the mountains he cast into the midst of the sea, as than they were. Let all God's people set themselves resolutely against common sins, and God will preserve them from common judgements. 3 The Lord accepted his sacrifice. Thirdly, The Lord accepted his sacrifice, and resolved he would not drown the world anymore, and made a covenant with Noah and all creatures, confirming it by the rainbow, as a sign thereof. So God did show his goodness to Noah, and gave him dominion over all creatures, and power to eat flesh, which before God had given them no warrant to do, and therefore I suppose the godly did not usually unless in sacrifice if then. And herein the Lord was gracious to Noah, that for his sake he made a covenant. And he was a figure of Christ in whom the Lord did make a covenant with all mankind, than the second time, not to destroy them with eternal destruction, if they would trust in his mercy, and repent of their sins. For this temporal covenant was a shadow of that eternal, into which all mankind was again admitted through Christ that was to come. But they did soon cast of this covenant in running to other gods, which may seem to be the only sin that then did cast the committers quite out of the covenant, other sins did keep them from enjoying the good things of the covenant; but this did cast them out of it altogether, so that having run into that they were no longer in the covenant. Now see Gods grace more fully to us, that hath renewed this covenant which is in Christ more evidently, and take we heed of casting ourselves out of it again, by following strange Mediators and Jesusses, as I think the Papists do. Whosoever doth seek to any other merits but only those of Christ, thrusts himself out of the covenant of grace, and Christ is become of none effect unto him. Lastly, Noah had two Godly sons, 4. He had two godly sons. and this is a singular favour to give a man a Sem and japhet, if he have a Cam, and that all his sons be not discoverers of their Father's shame. Lastly after 950. years Noah died, Noah's death. and so must we all after not so long a life, O therefore prepare we for the coming of death, that it may not take us away in the midst of our impenitency. (* ⁎ *) THE SEVENTH EXAMPLE. OF HAM, NIMROD, Babylonians. I Have offered to your consideration the Examples of the Old World, I proceed to speak of the World that now is, as S. Peter calls it, 1. from the flood to Abraham, and then from Abraham to the death of joseph, for there the Book of Moses called Genesis is concluded. Now here first I will set before you the bad examples of bad men, than the good examples of good. Of the bad we have Cam, Nimrod, particulars, and the builders of Babel in an heap as it were, and of the good we have Sem and japhet, and the godly posterity of Sem, whose genealogy is noted to show the age of the world till Abram. First I will begin with Ham and note his parentage and life, Ham. for of his death in particular Moses hath made no mention. For his parentage, he was the son of Noah borne to him before the flood after his 500 year. for to that age lived he before he became a Father, His birth. and after that in the whole time of his life he had no more children, God of purpose it may seem giving him but few children, because his mind was to begin the present world with a few, as he did the first with one man, that so his blessing in the large increase of mankind afterwards might be more evidently discovered. But the youngest son was this Ham. His life. Now for his life I mark three things in it. First, the great benefits God bestowed upon him. Secondly, the great sins he committed. Thirdly, the great punishments which God inflicted upon him for his sins. In which 1. His benefits, he was saved in the Ark from the Deluge. First, God vouchsafed to save him in the Ark from the Deluge of waters, so that he perished not with the world, but escaped with his Father and Brethren. It was a special and singular favour, to make him one of the few, that is, eight persons that were delivered from the raging waves, and enjoyed the benefit of a miraculous preservation of that little handful of men, whereof the Church visible did then consist. We see that one was an Hypocrite, a dissembler, a wicked unsanctified man, who though he continued a professor of the true religion, and worshipper of the true God with his Father and Brethren, yet was destitute of true piety and continued graceless, a servant of sin, void of due reverence and charity towards his aged Father, God's Minister and the most holy man of all those times, and served God with them alone in outward form and fashion. For had he been truly good he would not have run into so foul a sin, at least he would not have persisted in it without repentance as he did. See then that the Lord shows a great deal of patience, long-suffering and goodness to hypocrites in the Church, and maketh them partakers of all outward benefits and privileges which are bestowed upon the Church: so did Ishmael live in Abraham's family a long time, and Esau longer in isaac's. So Core, Dathan, Abiram, and the rest of those rebels and murmurers were brought out of Egypt, passed through the sea, saw the miracles, and did eat Manna, and drunk water out of the rock, and were shadowed with the cloud, and conducted by the pillar of fire among the rest of the sons of jacob. And I pray you to take heed by this warning, of priding and pleasing yourselves in this, that you be members of the Church, escape divers punishments, enjoy many mercies, live in good esteem among the godly, and carry away as great credit as any other men in the Church. All this befell Cham a wicked Hypocrite, and at last a damned Reprobate. It is a dangerous thing to flatter ourselves in a bad estate and to cozen ourselves with false arguments, making ourselves to trust upon a false conclusion, and to judge ourselves Gods children and in the state of salvation, upon such reasons as have no verity nor stability in them. You live in the true Church, so did Cham, you live amongst godly men, have been borne of godly parents, have been instructed in the doctrine of godliness, so was Cham: you have escaped great punishments, enjoyed great benefits, and been well reputed of by godly men: all this befell Cham, and all this notwithstanding Cham was cursed and damned and so may you. In after times, the Jews bragged of the Temple of the Lord, and the Temple of the Lord are we, and yet the Lord rejected them and cast them out of his sight. In Christ's days the Jews bragged that Abraham was their Father, for john Baptists warning would not serve the turn to make them forbear such idle boasting of their Pedigree, but our Saviour telleth them that the Devil was their Father; yea judas himself was one of Christ's Family and Disciples and Apostles, and trusted with the bag, and yet a Devil. O therefore beguile not yourselves with ill grounded hopes and build not upon a rotten foundation. If you say unto me, why then you leave us in uncertainty and afford us no sure pillar upon which to ground our hopes. I answer, not so, but I will turn you to some Texts of Scripture that shall give you sure arguments of comfort, from which if you can conclude yourselves God's people, that you are so indeed and not alone in show, your comforts will hold water as it were in the day of death and judgement. jerem 7 5. the Prophet bids them thoroughly amend their ways and their doings and not trust in lying words. Lo thorough and universal reformation of heart and life, that, that is the only sufficient proof of being God's children, and such as shall inherit his Kingdom: all that can be alleged without this is no better than lying words which will deceive, So john did after teach the Jews, Mat. 3.9. Say not we have Abraham for our Father, that Allegation will prove fruitless if it go alone, but what must they do more? Bring forth fruits meet for repentance, that is, frame yourselves to a thorough reformation of your hearts and lives, and so S. john teacheth, He that doth good is of God, 3. Epist of john 11. he that doth evil hath not seen God, whosoever he be that makes so good use of those helps which God hath for that end provided in his Church, as to attain true repentance, true amendment of life, that is, a constant and upright care and endeavour to cast away all transgressions and make him a new heart and a new spirit, resolving in nothing to sin, but in all things to walk according to the direction of God's Word, and where he faileth still continuing to lament and confess it before God, judging himself, and craving pardon and help in the name of Christ, that man shall be saved, that man is a solid Christian, that man is not a Cham, let him rejoice in God as a true member of the Church: but whatsoever else may be either had or done without this bringing forth fruits worthy of repentance, is no more than may be alleged by some Cham or other. Therefore again, I beseech you satisfy not yourselves with other things, but apply yourselves to this amendment of heart and life with all speed and with all diligence. Let Cham be your warning, trust not in lying words. And further, now that you see in the Ark among the eight persons one Hypocrite, who did afterwards evidently discover his hypocrisy, learn to know that there will be such in the Church to the world's end, as were also in the family of Abraham, Isaac, jacob, David, Hezekiah and other good men, even tares among the wheat, and goats among the sheep, and unfruitful branches in the vine, that you may learn as to fear yourselves, so especially to satisfy your own hearts, and not to be offended by the like accidents in your own times. If a man that hath long lived in an orderly course of life and gotten himself the name of a good man, and enjoyed many benefits in the Church, shall afterwards fall quite away from goodness, and manifest himself to have been no better than a Cham, let not this trouble you nor dismay you, neither take you occasion from their wickedness to condemn either goodness itself or good men, as to say that they be all dissemblers, there is never a better in the pack, but improve their fall to the making of yourselves more watchful over yourselves and prayerfull for yourselves: and still love and honour God's Church, though some that profess themselves to be lively members of it, do manifest their guile by their utter falling away at the last. We have done with the goodness of God to Cham in suffering him to live in the Ark. Now follow his sins. ●. His sins. 1. He was a Hypocrite. The first sin which we gather from that which succeeded is this, that he was an Hypocrite, one that contented himself with a bare outward show of goodness, and did not labour for the power of it to humble him, to discover his secret faults to him, and to heal his soul by bringing the Image of God, even the divine nature to him which was also the sin of Cain before, and after too of Esau and of judas, and Achitophel, and many others. Take you heed of this Brethren, take you heed of this. Beware that you be not Hypocrites, satisfied with some external show of religiousness joined with civil conversation of life, freedom from gross sins, and orderly living to the world-ward, but seek after the soule-spirit of godliness, which consists in finding out and reforming the corruption of your natures, and the secret disorders of your inward man. He that so prayeth and heareth, that these ordinances make him see and be humbled in the sight of the filthy quagmire of sin that is within him, by which he is carried from God to himself, and to sin, and the world for his own sake, and labours to have his inside more and more cleansed and reform, and drawn up to God and the things of God, this man is a true Christian. But he that satisfies himself in an outward form of holy duties and of civil honest conversation, not diving to the depth of his heart, this man may prove, and if he mend not will prove a guileful Cham at last. 2. He saw the nakedness of his Father. Gen. 9 22. But now his next sin is, and Ham the Father of Canaan saw the nakedness of his Father. If he had suddenly and occasionally come into the place where Noah lay uncovered, and his eyes before he was aware, had lighted on that object, and he had presently turned away his countenance from it with grief for his old Parents fault, and out of tender compassion, that seeing had been no sin. But the meaning is, he gave himself to stand and gaze upon his Father's unbeseeming carriage and unseemly parts, so as to delight in it, and thereby to stir up and nourish in himself a contempt and slight esteem of his Father. He did not see it with pity and remorse, and make the best of it as of a matter of infirmity, into which the good old man fell unawares: but he beheld it with gladness, laughter, derision, jesting, sporting at his Father's nakedness and misdemeanour. This is a great fault to behold the sins and offences chiefly of Parents and other superiors, and most of all of godly and holy men. Fathers of the Church and of Religion as well as of our persons, I say, to behold their faults with an over-open and a greedy eye, with scorn and scoffs and contempt of them and of piety, and of goodness in and through them. For this certainly comes from nothing else, but a secret dislike and averseness from goodness itself, against which we are glad to pick a quarrel, and are willing to have somewhat to object against it, that we may hinder ourselves from embracing it, and from a gladness also to have somewhat to allege in excuse of our own naughtiness, and for the imboldening of ourselves to persist in it still without fear. It is nothing but hypocrisy, I mean a being contented with a false counterfeit goodness, yea willingness to favour and allow ourselves in our own sins, that maketh us with joy and delight in ourselves and scorn and contempt against them, to gaze upon the faults and ill carriages of the godly men with whom we live, which is also so much the more aggravated, if the reverence which we owe them in regard of their places, and love in regard of their nearness to ourselves, have not been able to withdraw us from such injuriousness. This is one sin of Ham, cursed Ham the Father of Canaan, come and examine yourselves, if none of you have acted Hams part against your Parents, against the Magistrate, against the Minister, against any Christian or neighbour: Have you not beheld the faults of any such with content and gladness in it? have you not been willing to stand thinking of that fault? and to make your hearts thereby bold to despise and slight them, to laugh at them and to censure them. If this have been to a person near and eminent, the fault receives great aggravation by that circumstance, but if it have been done to any Christian man though not of such worth or nearness, or to any man at all, it was a wickedness to be abhorred, showing a most uncharitable disposition; 1 Cor. 13.6. for charity rejoiceth not in iniquity, that is, is not glad to see another commit sin, and withal an heart that is willing to hide its own sins and make them seem little or nothing, and make itself bold to commit them still by beholding other like sins in other men chiefly such as are bound in duty to be, and in reason should be expected to be better then ones self: he always sees the faults of others to some mischievous intention and with some evil affection that looks upon them with an open and earnest eye, as taking king some content in this, that such and such also be bad as well as himself. Now if you have run into such a fault, call it to mind and repent of it, and know that how great soever the crime was, your crime was as great or greater in so beholding, Hams thus beholding his Father's nakedness was worse than his Father's discovering himself. And now I require you to make Ham your warning, do not as he did, but as your own consciences tell you that he should have done. Ask thyself if thou be'st a reasonable man of any judgement, what should this son have done in such a case, should he not have turned away his eyes from looking on such a spectacle, should he not have sighed and mourned, and said, alas, alas, how hath this befallen my poor aged and godly Father, O how was he overtaken with wine that was never wont to exceed himself in food or the like. Should he not have prayed God to forgive him and have told himself in this wise, ah do thou learn O Cham, how weak a thing a man is, and how apt to fall into sin, that thyself mayst learn to be more watchful, and so have cast some garment over the old man to have saved him from further disgrace, if any other person might have had occasion to approach him: Sure you cannot but yield that Chams duty had been to have carried himself thus respectively and pitifully towards his Father, do you as duty bound him to do, not as lewdness and naughtiness prompted him to do. Mend his faults and imitate them not, be reformers and not followers of what was amiss in him: Commiserate the sins and falls of other men, chiefly Parents, Magistrates, Ministers, Aged men, and men of former godly conversation and of virtuous and religious carriage in other things: I say commiserate them, pray for them, lament their weakness and their slips, take notice of your own dangers and so wake yourselves by their offences. But whosoever will contemplate such doleful sights with gladness and insultations, saying, Aha, aha, as David speaketh of his Adversaries, that man will collect boldness to sin and impenitency in sin, and a slighting of righteousness and righteous men from such offences, and so will stumble and fall and destroy himself against those blocks as they may be termed. But I come to another fault of Cham's. He contented not himself to see but must also blab abroad what he had seen, He acquainted his Brethren with his Father's nakedness. and tells it not alone to one, but to his two Brethren that were without and did not see it. He left his Father still uncovered, and gets him out of doors to find Sem and japhet, and so soon as he met with them, reports, no doubt laughingly and fleeringly what he had seen, like enough adding also words to this purpose, to draw them to the like, and bid them go in and they should see such a thing as they would little have thought ever to have seen. But let us satisfy ourselves to take the fault as it is set down. He told the fault and told it to his two Brethren that were without and needed not to have been acquainted with their Father's nakedness, if he wretched whisperer could have commanded himself silence. So you have in him that foul sin of whispering of another man's faults behind his back, Whispering is a great sin. aggravated with the consideration of the persons against whom he sinned, his Father, and towards whom, his brethren both of them, and where, even without. It is a sin and wickedness to scatter abroad the faults of others, and to divulge those matters of disgrace against them, which a man might easily keep close, if he were master of his mouth, and is not bound by any duty to reveal; and especially to blab them to such as else would not know them, and such as might be most grieved and hurt by hearing them. This I say is a sin, it proceedeth either from a twattling laxative humour causing that a man must vent all he knows, and be talking of many things, or else from an uncharitable disposition to the party whose name one tenders not, his person one loveth not. It is hurtful to the speaker, feeding his hypocrisy, making him ready to commit the same or the like sins, and hurtful to the hearer, to infect him or to grieve him, and to him of whom report is made to reproach and discredit him, and withdraw the heart of the hearers from him. It is much aggravated when the thing reported is false and uncertain, taken up upon mere hearsay, and the person of whom I speak, either my Parent, Brother, Friend or Superior, my Magistrate, Master, or of note in the Church, as a Minister, or eminent in goodness, as this just Noah. This was the fault of Cham. I call upon your consciences to find out your sins in the like kind, if not degree, have you not spoken of the faults of your governor's or of others, to others merely to disgrace, or else merely to hold up talk when other matter failed. brethren do not count this a small offence, a talebearer, a whisperer, a revealer of secrets, is no small offender. He doth not walk according to the plain rule of our Christian Religion, do as you would be done to, he doth not bridle his tongue, he doth not walk according to charity. He is injurious to the name of another, and a wrong doer to the whole world, by scattering abroad examples of evil, he shows himself no hater of sin, that loves as it were the smell and favour of it. He is a manifest transgressor of God's Commandment, and at last makes himself odious to those that hear him, and to those that are ill spoken of by him. For the hearer cannot choose but discourse thus, if he spare not another's name, whether will he spare mine in another place, and therefore I have no reason to trust him or be familiar with him, and he whom he hath misreported will hear of it at last, and then he will hate him, as a person treacherous and falsehearted, and cannot but reason thus with himself, so long I have lived by him and so near, so often have I been in his company, he never opened his mouth to admonish me, but in mine absence to do me disgrace he hath not been sparing. It cannot be that he wisheth my good in his heart, that useth not his tongue to do me the greatest good, that is, to reform, but doth employ it to do me the greatest hurt he can, that is, to disgrace me. Therefore if you have been whisperers, see the fault and be sorry. It is a Cham like trespass; And now charm your tongues I pray you, as from all evil language, so specially from telling other men's secret sins abroad, and making that open which might have been well kept close: Whosoever hath made his Brother's faults, especially a Parents or the like, open to any man, if he himself might have kept them from that one without sin, hath committed a sin in so doing. Further than we are moved by the necessity of our duty to reveal other men's offences, we are bound in duty to conceal them, farther than it would have been a sin not to have spoken of them, it cannot but be a sin to talk of them. You must not think, that it is at your liberty to declare your neighbours secret faults, when you will yourselves, you would not have others deal so with you. As we may not lawfully hurt our neighbour's body till some necessity of duty bind us, so neither his name, for the ninth Commandment, at least the fifth requireth to be as chary of that, as the sixth doth to be chary of his body. Cease, cease to be whisperers, above all take heed you be not worse than Cham's, for he spoke nothing but what he saw with his own eyes, O do not you dare to speak what you never saw, but either conjecture alone of your own head, or have only heard of others. Thus we have done with Cham's fault, now let us consider his punishments. 3. His punishments. 1. God cursed him in his son Canaan. God cursed him in his son Canaan, not that himself in person was exempted, but that the curse should show itself most apparently upon Canaan, and that Israel might be more encouraged to go up against the Canaanites, a nation anciently cursed of God, and his curse standeth in this, that he should be a servant of servants, not so much to men, although that also in that was understood and fulfilled, but to Idols, to sin, to Satan. So Cham by discovering his Father's fault gets a grievous curse upon himself and his posterity. O learn to terrify yourselves from this sin, by threatening yourselves with this curse. Shall I provoke God to curse me and my children after me? shall I sow the seed of misery for myself and those that are to come of my body hereafter? Let God's severity upon those whereof himself hath given us knowledge in the word, make us careful to preserve ourselves from their offences, and to that let us both acknowledge our own aptness to the same crimes, and inability to deliver ourselves from them, as also crave at the hands of God the gracious help of his Spirit to preserve us. If any demand. But why should the curse fall on Canaan for Cham's fault? I Answer, The Lord hath all the children of all wicked men so far obnoxious to his justice, that it cannot be a wrong in him to punish the Father in the sons, or the sons in the Parents. So have we done with Cham. Gen. 10. The next bad man of whose badness the Holy Ghost takes notice is Nimrod. He was the fourth from Noah, Nimrod. and thus his genealogy riseth, Noah, Cham, Cush, Nimrod. His name signifieth we will rebel, or a rebel, whitherby chance or otherwise given to him; What his name signifieth. of him this one thing alone is noted, that he began to be mighty in the earth, Gen. 10.8. he was a mighty hunter before the Lord, insomuch that his name gave occasion to a proverbial speech, if any man would describe a violent tyrannical fellow, he would say, as Nimrod the mighty hunter. By hunter here is not meant an hunter of beasts, but an hunter of men, the word translated hunting may well be englished food or prey, and he may be called a man of prey, that is, of spoil and booty. He was the first that affected to erect a Monarchy, The first that strove to erect a Monarchy. and to make himself a commander over men by force and strength of arms, so that his sin, was ambition, usurpation, tyrannising, that is, a violent enforcing men to yield to his dominion, Was as a tyrant and ambitions. whether they would or not, though he had no right or title to command over them, for he was the son of Cham, who was the youngest of Noah's sons, and withal accursed of God to be a servant of servants, and yet he would make himself a commander over others, and we have it noted, what City he began first to erect his tyranny in, viz. Babel, whence it may seem the plague spoken of afterwards did drive him, and yet he left not but went to other Cities, and made his dominion still larger and larger. Learn of him to take heed of ambition and tyranny, I need not to pray you to forbear a tyrannical usurpation over Cities and nations, but take you heed of that degree of tyranny which is incident to men of your rank, even of carrying out your own will against equity and right. A tyrant is an odious name, this mighty hunting made Nimrod infamous, he did openly profess and practise it, which seemeth to be meant by calling him mighty hunter in the sight of God. He cared not for God nor man, but openly and in the sight of God and man attempted to subdue the nations and people round about him, and to make himself a great commander. Put away from you ambition, vain glory, covetousness, violence, and all those sins which are together wrapped up in this one word tyranny; so I have done with these two particular sinners. I go on to set before you a troop of sinners all at once, whereof I conceive that Nimrod was the ringleader, for it was done at Babylon his City which he built, and which he had constituted the head and Metrapolitan City of his dominion. The fault you have set down, Gen. 11.2, 3, 4. viz. The Babylonians. that passing through the country Eastward from the place where Noah lived, and meeting with a very fruitful plain in the land of Shinar, that is, of Chaldea, Their faults. they consulted to make bricks (for that the country afforded not hewed stone,) and to use a kind of natural mortar or slime that abounded in that place in steed of artificial mortar, and so to build a City and a Town that should reach up to Heaven, moved thereto partly out of an ambitious desire of a great name and credit to continue long afterwards, and to spread far and near for the present, to prevent dispersion, which their guilty consciences caused them to fear, though no such thing was yet begun to be executed upon them. Here we must inform you of their sin, which was not simply the building of a City, nor building of it of such matter, but ambition and vain glory, and carnal confidence, and then the punishment of their sin in the dividing of their tongues, and scattering them abroad. First then their sin is a vainglorious erecting of a strong City and an exceeding high tower, joined with a confident persuasion that they should save themselves from any mischief and calamity, by means of their City. The occasion that did further them to this work is, that they were all of one language, and so would easily agree upon a bad thing, and that they met with a fit place, and had fit matter brick and slime, and that they were so fully bend upon it to finish this their tower, that no means was left to stop them, but Gods coming down upon them with some heavy chastisement, I conceive that they had finished, or near finished their City, and were now setting apace and eagerly about the tower, afore the Lord did cross them by that punishment. For seeing Babel was the beginning of Nimrods' Kingdom, and that he could not have finished it after the division of tongues, if he had not done it wholly, or for the most part before, it will follow in likelihood, that they were permitted to settle therealong while, and to finish their City. But when they grew so mad that with a City they would have a Tower, as it were to outface God and save them from dispersion in despite of him, than it was high time for the Lord himself to oppose them. Vainglory, Carnal confidence. Obstinacy. Here there are 3. sins, 1. Vainglory, 2. Carnal confidence, 3. Wilfulness and obstinacy. Vainglory, for they sought a name by an exceeding strong City and high Tower. 2. Carnal confidence, for they imagined to make themselves safe from dispersion and misery, by means of that City and Tower. 3. Obstinacy, because that God himself witnesseth they were so fully bend upon their projects, that except by violence, there was no way to stop them in their attempts. Here be 3. sins in the Babel builders Tower. They gave themselves to earthly mindedness in hunting after a name, and this they would get forsooth, by such a building as the world had never seen the like for greatness and height, and never should see. Vainglory a sin. Be not you vainglorious, studying to do some earthly vain thing, for which you may be talked of far and near, and for a long time. This is vainglory, the vice by which men affect to be famous and much talked of, and magnified in the world for some great earthly matter that they have gotten, for getting a great deal of riches together, for raising their family, for a fine house, for being the first that did such or such a thing or the like. Be not I say vainglorious, let not your hearts affect this foaming froth of men's tongues. Care not for such kind of praises and commendations: but set your hearts upon better things, to get you a name in Heaven, and in earth to be good, holy, just. Praise is a thing which the Apostle commandeth us to follow, but by praise he meaneth praise worthy things, not praise itself further than it is a necessary effect and companion of things praiseworthy. Be good for conscience sake to God, that so you may have, though you seek not after it, good esteem of men and their good reports. This vainglory will so choke all true desire of goodness and all true goodness, that at last it will make you to fall into that high degree of Hypocrisy, as with the Pharisees you shall do all your deeds to be seen of men, and if you do any good thing, shall even lose your reward in Heaven. But again, take heed also of carnal confidence, that is, 2. Carnal confidence is a sin. promising yourselves safety from any affliction in respect of any outward thing. That is carnal confidence, to make one's self believe that he shall continue secure from all earthly dangers in respect of a City, a Tower, a friend, a great estate, or the like. Alas, all these things be vanity and lies, they are the arm of flesh. Trust not in Princes, trust not in Horses or in Chariots, trust not in wisdom, trust not in man. The Holy Ghost doth every where dissuade men from this vain confidence, and pronounceth a curse against them that trust in flesh and tells them that they withdraw their hearts from God. He that conceiveth so well of any earthly thing as to promise himself safety from that, is made careless by that of seeking God's favour, and is so earnest after that, as he will not have leisure to think of pleasing and obeying God, and seeking to him and trusting on him. It is a fearful sin, and yet a common one, hardly can men keep their hearts from committing this idolatry, you must humbly pray to God to discover to you the vanity of all earthly and terrene things, and to show his Omnipotency and All-sufficiency, that so he may be your confidence and your dread. Lastly, beware of that sin of wilfulness and obstinacy, 3. Obstinacy is a sin. that are so bend upon an evil course, as no words nor other like means will turn you from your ill courses, this was the sin of Elies' sons, of Pharaoh, of Israel, of Amaziah. This is a forerunner of mischief, He that hardens his heart against a reproof shall surely come to mischief, let no man stay him. When the Lord sees that words will not serve the turn, he comes with rods, and if the rod will not divert men from their evil paths, than swords must. Wherefore put you on a flexible and tractable disposition, and an heart that will easily be dissuaded from an evil way. Pray to God, pray to him to give you a mind full of light that may quickly discern evil, and an heart full of softness that may quickly be withdrawn from it. Now consider the punishments, God comes down to see, that is, Their punishment. takes notice of their sin and wilfulness in it, and therefore consults with himself, the Father with the Son and Holy Ghost to go down (by the powerful work of his hand) and to confound their languages, and by that means to stop their work and scatter them thence, from which effect the world did call that City Babel or confusion, so instead of great honour and a great name, they gate shame and confusion, and were thence dispersed, from whence they expected safety from dispersion. Thus God catcheth the wicked in their own devices, brings mischief on them from that wherein they trusted for safety, and shame from that from which they expected glory. Yea see here, that God hath strange and unwonted punishments to lay upon sinners, for who would have ever had a dream of such a thing as this, viz. to have them made unable to speak their mother languages, and all of a sudden to speak gibberish one to another. So powerful is God over man that he can take from him, his tongue, his wit, his soul, all things in a moment. The punishment of strange languages is a heavy punishment. It was an heavy chastisement making way to much ignorance and barbarism, and to much war and bloodshed, and to a great estrangement among mankind, and to great toil and labour for the getting of all learning, and causing much error and mistaking in all Arts and Sciences chiefly in Religion, so that next to our casting out of Paradise and to the flood it deserveth the name of the heaviest punishment that the world hath felt, yea in respect of the succession of men it was worse than the flood, that only drowned the men who lived in the present time, this hath drowned in ignorance and error all succeeding times. Let us fear the Lord our God who only doth wonderful things, and can tell how to plague his enemies with heavy scourges. We have now finished the Examples of these bad men. Sem and japhet, their virtues, they covered their Father's nakedness. Gen. 9.23. Look to the good, Sem and japhet, and seems posterity to Abram. Of Sem note his good deed, his reward and his death; for his good deed, it was common with him and japhet, they went backward, and so covered their Father's nakedness, that they might not see it, partly out of modesty, and partly out of filial reverence and respect which they bore unto him. Thus, thus should all good children do, even refuse to see their Parent's nakedness or any thing that might withdraw a due regard and fear of them, any sins or weaknesses of theirs notwithstanding, yea all men should be so truly loving one towards another, as to use the mantle and veil of love to cover a multitude of sins, so as to go backward as it were and not see them. We should what in us lies and so far as duty will suffer, conceal the faults of all men, further than the necessity of healing them and of preventing the mischief that may else follow of them will permit us. Every man would be so dealt withal himself. Who doth not praise the virtuous carriage of these two Brethren. Imitate it, I beseech you chiefly towards Parents, Magistrates, Ministers, keep secret if you can their secret faults, and hide their shame from breaking forth. Nothing is more fit to be covered then sin. It is like a carcase which doth least hurt when it is buried under ground, so far therefore as duty will suffer you, bury, bury it, under ground with it, and let it lie hid under the garment of silence. See it not if you can choose, say nothing of it more than you must needs. Now consider the blessing with which their goodness was rewarded, Their benefits, true religion was continued in their posterity. Sem had God for his God and the dominion of Canaan given him, that is, the true Religion was to continue in his posterity, the Messiah to come of him, and his seed to have the possession of the land of Canaan, and japhet at last was to be brought to the participation of the same Religion with him, by the persuasion of the Gospel. So it is a great mercy to have the true Religion continued in a man's posterity, and to be brought from error unto the truth. Whether japhets' self were a godly man, it is not certain, but in doubtful things it is good to incline to the best side, and to take things in the best part, therefore we will hope that he was so, and with Sem did inherit the blessing in his person as well as after his seed was admitted unto it. And let us now bless God that hath performed this Prophecy, for it is likely that we of these Countries are of japhets' posterity, and now we see the Lord of Heaven be blessed, that God hath persuaded us to accept and embrace Christ and so to dwell indeed in the tents of Sem. But now for the seed of Sem they were these, The seed of Sem. Gen. 11.10. Arphaxad who lived 438 years, almost 200 fewer than his Father Sem, as Sem did 350 fewer than Noah. Selah who lived 433 years, the half alone of the lives of men before the flood, for at the flood God did shorten men's lives by half, to keep them from so great a height of wickedness, as in that long lived age they came unto, and to shorten the toil of the godly upon earth. Heber lived 464, the longest of all but Sem after the flood, it is likely he was a very worthy man, from him the name Hebrews came to his posterity, and endured for many years after. Peleg lived 239 years, about the building of the Tower of Babel, so you see then God shortened man's life one half, seeing them again to grow so exorbitantly wicked. Reu lived also 239 years, just as long as his Father, which is not found in any other that I remember. Serug lived 230 years. Nahor lived 148 years, it may seem that he was the first of the patriarchs that fell to Idolatry, for Laban swore by the gods of Nahor, therefore his life is almost by half as short as any of his predecessors. Then Terah lived 205 years, he fell to Idolatry but repented afterwards and went with his son Abraham towards the land of Canaan, dying in the way, and buried his eldest son before himself, which had not befallen any Patriarch before that we read of. (* ⁎ *) THE EIGHT EXAMPLE. OF ABRAHAM. IT is agreed upon by all, that from Adam to the flood there passed 1656 years inclusively, I mean from the beginning of Adam's Creation. Noah was the tenth from Adam inclusively, Abraham the tenth from Noah exclusively. I mean not reckoning Noah as one. How many years passed betwixt the flood and Abraham's birth, it is uncertain, because the relation of Abraham's birth Gen. 11.26. is set down in such words as have ministered occasion of difference to the Reader. Terah begat Abraham, Nahar and Haran, but at what age he begat each of them, it is not manifested: Some think, that Abraham was the firstborn, begotten at his father's 70 year, some think that he was the youngest begotten at his 130 year, so there is difference of years in the account by this means, 60 years; but I rather incline to them that think Abraham was the eldest son at his Fathers 70 year, for surely if Abraham's Father had been able to become a Father at 130 years, it would not have been said of Abraham's self, that he was as good as dead at a 100 years old. It is improbable, that there should have been so great difference of bodily strength betwixt the Father and the Son. Now from Abraham forward, the Holy Ghost maketh his story more large than that of former times. We shall follow God's pen and propound unto you this Father of the faithful, that by doing his works you may show yourselves his children. In him look to his 1. Birth. 2. Life. 3. Death. Abraham's Birth. For his Birth, he was the son of Terah, borne as some think about the 200th year of the world, some 352 years after the flood, but as some think 60 years sooner, about 1948 of the world, and after the flood 298. His Life. For his life we will consider his carriage good and bad, and the things that befell him good and bad. Let us begin with his virtues and good deeds, and observe him as an excellent pattern of all virtues and goodness, that we may profit the better by considering his life more particularly. Let us see what virtues and good deeds he practised towards God first, and then towards man. His virtues toward God. 1 His faith. Heb. 11.8. First for God, he is commended for faith, Abraham saith the Author of the Hebrews, by faith called of God, etc. and Abraham by faith offered up, so that faith he had, and was called the friend of God, James 2.23. as the Apostle S. james witnesseth, now without faith no man can possibly please God or be his friend. So had Abel as we showed you before, so had Noah, so had Henoch, so had all the godly at all times. This grace is the cardinal grace, the radical grace, that upon which all other graces grow as on their root, and on which they move as the door upon its hinges. Therefore you that would be called the children of Abram, heirs of the blessing of Abram, come and compare yourselves with him, and see whether you be faithful as he was, What faith is. to that end know, that faith is the grace by which we believe things invisible and supernatural concerning another life hereafter. So the Apostle distinguisheth walking by faith from walking by sense or sight, Heb. 11.1. and Faith is said to be the Evidence of things not seen and ground of things hoped for. Reason and natural discourse will inform of things sensible and natural concerning the present life, but the things that are above sense and reason concerning a future life hoped for hereafter nothing doth inform us but faith, and faith is that grace by which the soul believeth such things. Three acts of faith 1. Faith of God, which hath four acts. It hath three sorts of acts in regard of which it is styled by three titles: Faith of God, Faith to God, Faith in God. Faith of God is that by which we believe that there is such a God as indeed he is. All conceits of God are not of faith, but those apprehensions of him which agree to his being and conceive him to be such as himself doth set forth himself to be, and you shall see what Abraham believed concerning him. 1. He believed that this God was one and but one as the Scripture witnesseth of him. He worshipped God, he called on the name of God, he builded an Altar to God, not to gods or more gods, but to one God JEHOVAH. 2. He believed that this one God was True, Omnipotent, able and willing to do any thing that he should speak, viz. that he was All-sufficient and faithful, as S. Paul witnesseth, being fully persuaded that what he had spoken he was able also to perform, and Heb. 11. that he was able to raise him from the dead. 3. He believed that this one God was possessor and judge, and therefore also Maker of Heaven and Earth. And 4. That he was righteous and would do righteousness in punishing the wicked that lived in sin, and in sparing and being favourable to the righteous man that did study to walk before him in a good conversation. Now these be the principal things to be assented unto concerning God. Secondly, Abraham had faith to God, that is, 2. Faith to God he gave consent to all those things that God said, because he said them, which necessarily followeth from his acknowledgement of the truth, power, and All-sufficiency of God: So doth the Author to the Hebrews note, that it was a land which after he should receive for an inheritance. He believed that God would give him that land according to his promise, and he believed above hope in hope, that he should be Father of many Nations, and it is said, that God preached the Gospel unto him, saying, Gal. 3.8. in thy seed (which is Christ) shall all Nations be blessed. He believed that of his seed should come the Messiah which should free mankind from the curse, and make them partakers of the blessing. So he believed God's threats against Sodom, that God would destroy it with fire. Thirdly, he believed in God. 1. 3. Faith in God He trusted upon his mercy in the promised seed, that for his sake, not for the worth of his own righteousness, God would be merciful to him and save him. Rom. 4 3. He believed in God, and this faith was counted unto him for righteousness. He was justified by this faith as the instrument, he did not work, meaning in respect of justification, he did not think to be pardoned and accepted for the works sake, but believed in him that justified those which in themselves be ungodly, by justifying he means, pardoneth their sins, as it is said, Psal. 32.2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin, for the promise was not made to him by the works of the Law, but the righteousness of faith, that is, the righteousness without works as he described it before. Now if you have this faith and all these acts of faith, than you are Abraham's sons, if not, in vain do you lay title to his inheritance. Therefore try yourselves, and if you have this faith then know yourselves happy, if not, you are far from blessedness, you are still under the curse. But secondly, Abraham feared God. 2. He feared God. True faith will bring forth the fear of God, not the passion of fear, nor slavish fear, nor fear of flight, but the fear of caution and wariness, a not daring to offend God, as the Lord himself witnessed of him, saying, Now I know that thou fearest me when thou hast not spared thine only son. Gen. 22.12. Lo, the fear of God is such a disposition of heart to God-ward, out of the apprehension of his excellency and greatness and justice, that will cause a man not to be bold to dare to omit any work that God's Commandment enjoineth him unto, and so not to commit any thing that God condemneth. I pray you consider, have have you this virtuous fear of God? Do your hearts stand in awe of him? so that you fly from the offending and displeasing of him, as from the greatest of all evils; those that have Gods fear before their eyes, they are godly like Abraham, those that have it not, they are wicked, as Abram thought the men of Gerar and Egypt to be; O labour for it, if you have it not yet, get it, if you have it, labour to increase and nourish it by considering his great excellency and great terribleness. 3. Was obedient. A third virtue, Abraham had obedience, that is, his will was thoroughly subject to Gods will in all things, so that he held this resolution within himself, that whatsoever God bade him do that he would do, for which God praised him, saying, because thou hast obeyed my voice, and the Apostle, saying, he obeyed and went out. Obedience is a resolution and endeavour to do all that God bids, because he bids. Some special acts of Abraham's obedience Let us take some special acts of obedience, wherein Abraham did cross his reason, and his affection, and his credit, and his profit, and all to perform the will of God, even therefore only, because God bade him, whom he durst not out of fear and would not but out of love follow in all things. 1. Left his Country at God's Commandment. First, God gave him Commandment to leave his Country and Father's house, to go out into a land which he should show him: A strong Commandment, leave all thy kindred and go into a Country thou knowest not whither, but go from place to place as I shall show thee. Here seemed no reason in this Commandment, but Abraham obeyed it, Gen. 12.1. 2. Lived in tents at God's Commandment. Heb. 11.9. Secondly, when he came into the land of Canaan, he did not build a City, nor an house there, but dwelled in tents as the Apostle noteth, as a pilgrim and a stranger, not having possession in it at all, so much as a foot, God gave him no place of abode, but caused him to wander as himself telleth, Gen. 20.13. This seemed an unhappy and unsettled life, and flesh and blood could not take content in such a kind of living, but because God enjoined Abraham so to live. He submitted himself and did live so, save that only he bought a place to bury in, as being still mindful of his death. 3. Circumcised himself and all the males of his family. A third heavy Commandment he received from God, Gen. 17. 10. and 26. God made him to circumcise himself and all the males of his family, and all that should after be borne when they were eight days old, and he made no question of it: To circumcise was to cut off the top of the uppermost skin of the secret part; This seemed the foolishest thing in the world, a matter of great reproach which would make him, as it made his posterity after, to seem ridiculous to all the world. It carried an appearance of much undecency and shamefullnesse, to cause all his servants to discover themselves unto him. Much more might have been alleged against this ordinance, what good could it do? what was any man the better because he had wounded himself and put his body to that torment? yet for all this, Abraham disputed not, objected not, made no contrary allegations, but presently the self same day took himself and his son Ishmael and all his servants in his house, and circumcised them according to the commandment of Almighty God. Yet a fourth commandment more tedious and contrary to reason and affection then all these, 4. He expelled his wife Hagar and son Ishmael. which was of itself exceeding grievous in his sight, as the Holy Ghost witnesseth, that is, the expulsion or excommunicating of his son Ishmael, and of his mother Hagar, yet when God commanded him to do it, Gen. 21.12. he rose up the next morning betimes, v. 14. and sent away both the mother and the son. But last of all he obeyed a commandment, that seemed to contradict nature and religion, and God's promise, and his own salvation, 5. He would have sacrificed his son Isaac at God's commandment. and the salvation of all men, and the truth and honour of God himself, so that God was said to try him to the utmost in that commandment. It was in sacrificing Isaac, as the Spirit of God not●th. Heb. 11. and Gen. 23. God bade him take Isaac, and not instantly kill him in the place, but go three day's journey, and not knock him on the head and there an end, but offer him for sacrifice. But what was this son, the son of his old-age, the son of his love which was so dear unto him, yea the promised seed in whom it was said, Heb. 11.18. In Isaac shall thy seed be called, and this son he offered after a most melting conference betwixt himself and Isaac his son all alone. Here was an obedience incomparable and unparalable, no man ever did the like except our Lord Jesus Christ, who offered up himself, which must needs be dearer to himself then Isaac was to Abraham. So now mark the excellency of Abraham's obedience, The excellency of Abraham's obedience. he was obedient for the matter in hard and difficult things, for the manner promptly and readily without gainsaying, speedily and presently without deferring, and universally without excepting, without picking and choosing. If you be able to produce such obedience to justify your faith, that it may appear your faith is a working faith, then have you faith indeed and not in word alone: but if your faith be not accompanied with an obedience of the same kind, though not in the same degree, whereby you are able to yield yourselves to God, resolving in all things readily and without delay or murmuring to yield unto him, how are you obedient? how have you faith, such a faith as was Abraham's. All therefore that say they believe as Abraham did, but yet obey not as Abraham did, yea are wilful against God's Commandments, refusing to do known duties, and to leave known sins, that will not circumcise the foreskin of their hearts, nor leave their country and Father's house, nor cast out their Ishmaels', nor offer up their isaac's, all such are believers alone in show and not in deed. Compare yourselves with Abraham, and if your obedience be not like his, I say as before, having the same ground, extent, and properties, it is but a counterfeit faith whereof you boast, and no true faith. Therefore now be earnest with the living God to work in you true subjection to him, and to make you like Abraham his servant: for God that wrought his heart to such flexiblenesse, will and can perform the same for you. Pray him to incline your hearts to his statutes, beseech him to write his law in your hearts, and to cause you to keep his Commandments and judgements and do them. And if you find such an obedience, though not so great, yet that which hath the same ground, and strives to attain the same extent and properties, then take comfort, and be not afraid to call yourselves sons and daughters of Abraham, for Zacheus was the son of Abraham, when leaving his greediness, he could make restitution and give to the poor. 4. He was religious. Now a fourth virtue in Abraham, was religiousness, for it is said of him, that he built an Altar to God, and that he worshipped God, and that he called on the name of God, and that he paid tithe of all he had to Melchisedech, and this is for our learning. We must call upon God, we must profess and practise true religion, we must offer real sacrifices on Christ the Altar, we must also pay tithes of our goods, Gen. 12.7. You have an Altar built to God, a profession of his true religion among the Canaanites, there he called on God's name, that is, performed public worship of sacrificing and praying, one named for all. And v. 13.14. again it is said, that he came to the place of the Altar which he had made at the first, and there called on the name of the Lord. And v. 18. there at Hebron he built an Altar to the Lord, and when God appeared to him, C. 17. v. 3. he fell on his face before God, showing all due outward respect unto him, when he spoke unto him. And C. 14. Melchisedech was Priest of the most high God, and he met Abraham and blessed him, and Abraham gave him tithes of all. I do not think he meant only of all the spoils, though that he did too, but a constant tithing of all he had is meant. This tithing was an acknowledgement of his subjection to Melchisedech, and so necessary to be performed to Christ who is a Priest for ever after that order, who must bless and take the tithes of us. Surely tithing is no levitical ceremony, for it is not originally and primarily due to the levitical Priesthood, but it is due to an eternal Priesthood, even that after the order of Melchisedech, and therefore so far as I see, it must be eternally due, neither can any man lawfully forbear to pay them to Christ, neither can any man receive them in Christ's steed, but he that is Christ's officer to preach in Christ's steed and sow his spiritual things. Now I pray you look that you be religious as Abraham, profess religion, come to God's house, call on God's name. Learn that public prayer is an holy ordinance of God, frequent that, and do not slight and despise it as many of you do, offer up spiritual sacrifices to God. Pay your tithes duly of all, which I know none of you all that doth make conscience of, you think that too dear a price to buy the worship of God with, but why should you not show yourselves subject to Christ's Priesthood as well as Abraham's? If you could make it manifest to be a levitical ceremony, you might think yourselves dispensed with it by Christ's coming; But you cannot show any good reason why it should be so, and here is a good reason it was not so, for it was due to a Priest of another order than that of Aaron, wherefore show yourselves truly religious, by a conscionable setting a part to God the tithe of all you have, as Abraham did. For when here it is said he tithed all, and in the Hebrew the spoils, it is no reason to shorten the wider place by the narrower, but to reconcile both together thus, he paid tithe of all, and also of the spoils, as well as other things. I am in hope to prevail with you for all other things, but in this I have no hope to prevail, because profit pleads against me, and because the thing is controverted and denied by divers. Now when a costly service is questioned, O how hard is it to persuade men to see that truth and follow it. Well I show you mine opinion, and leave it to God to persuade you, but in other things which are not controverted, I pray you to obey as Abraham did, and to show your religion as he did. And so we have showed you Abraham's faith, obedience, fear and devotion. O that we could show the same virtues in our lives. I come to show you next the good carriage of Abraham to menward. 1. His virtuous carriage toward men. 1. He was truly humble. First himself, than others. For himself, I request you to note, First that he was a very humble man, truly humble, one that did esteem himself nothing in comparison with God, and that is true humility, to have a mean esteem of himself out of a true apprehension of God's greatness, and the infinite distance between God and himself, you shall see this in Abraham, because when God came to show him what should become of the Sodomites, and he out of mercy was moved to pray earnestly for them, he saith unto God, I am dust and ashes, O good man, that when he came near to God, he had a sense of his own meanness, and entitled himself no better than dust and ashes. This humility must we also be clothed withal, it is a necessary fruit of the knowledge of God and ourselves, without which we cannot be true Ceristians. It is the cabinet and storehouse of all graces. It allures God to give us grace, it causeth all crosses to seem easy if God will lay them on, it makes all duties appear seasonable. Phil. 1.7. 2 Cor. 12.11. 1 Sam. 24.14. Luk. 14.11. It is a grace by which a man becometh like unto Christ, who humbled and made himself of no reputation. Paul was nothing in his own esteem. David counted himself a flea and a dead dog, and Christ hath said, that if we humble ourselves we shall be exalted. For alas, be we not sinful, and shall we not then be humble? Be we not mortal men, be we not damnable creatures, and shall we not be humble! Beloved, search if you have this grace, that is, a mean esteem of yourselves in respect of your nothingness compared to God, and your sinfulness in yourselves, and if you find yourselves laid low and made vile in your own estimation, this is to be like Abraham. You have the virtues of Abraham in respect of himself. Now in respect of other men, First his family, than others without his family. 2. Trained up his Family in the knowledge and fear of God. For his family, considered generally and specially. Generally, he brought them up godlily and religiously, and taught them virtue and goodness, as is witnessed of him, Gen. 18.19. I know he will command his household to keep judgement and justice, and to keep the way of the Lord. If he had not taught them the good way how should he require them to keep it, and the word signifieth to command and teach both, The Hebrew word is ambiguous. and it is that of which usually the word translated precepts doth come. Abraham then was careful to teach his people the ways of God and to teach them all goodness. He did that to his household, Eph. 6.4. which God hath commanded us, bring them up in the nurture and information of the Lord. For indeed God did bid him circumcise his children and servants, and if he must administer the Seal of the Covenant to them, than he must teach them the Covenant itself, even the whole doctrine of godliness. Brethren, be not a number of you far from following Abraham in this matter? you have not gotten so much knowledge as to be able to teach your people the doctrine of true piety, the way of God, justice and judgement, nor do not strive to get knowledge. And many that have knowledge make no care of communicating. Ah if he that provides not for the family things needful to the body denies the faith, how is he guilty of that fault, which doth not provide for their souls. I beseech you therefore be humbled for your omission of this duty, and set about it now you have helps enough, and may have time enough, if you will redeem time from vanity. Do what God praiseth Abraham for, and what he maketh an argument, why he will reveal to him all that he doth. Again, see how Abraham carried himself to the particular members of the family. First towards his wife: secondly towards his children: thirdly towards his servants. 3. Was loving and gentle to his wife. For his wife, you have a notable example of love and gentleness to Sarah in bearing with her passion and distemper, and imperiousness, as you have it noted, Gen. 15.5, 6. when she flew upon Abraham with a false and vehement reproof, saying, my wrong be upon thee, that is, thou art in blame, the fault is thine, it is long of thee that I am slighted by my maid, she bears herself bold of thee, thou holdest her up in it, and so concludes with calling God to be judge betwixt them. He doth not answer her again with words as hot and testy as hers, but in gentle manner yieldeth to her, saying, thy maid-servant is in thine hand, do with her what thou wilt. This is an honour to him, if he had been put into a rage by her rage then had he been overcome of evil, but now he is a right conqueror and overcomes evil with good, when he continued meek and passed by her distemper and yielded to her passion. Beloved, you that be husbands, I pray you follow this example, I pray you be not bitter against your wives. Be not wrathful to them if you see them in passion, if they take you up falsely and causelessly, and blame you for that for which you are not blame-worthy, bear with them, give them good words, do what you can to satisfy and content them, show love and wisdom both at once. Carry yourselves to them as men of knowledge, not as men of ignorance, and give honour to the woman as the weaker vessel, this is the counsel that S. Peter gives you. 1 Pet. 3.7. Be ruled by Abraham's deeds and Peter's words. It is the greatest honour that a man can show to himself to be able to bear and forbear. A wise man beareth things, Posse & nolle nobile. an unwise man cannot bear. The wife is one's own flesh, a piece of a man's self yea more than a piece. We are commanded to love them as much as our own selves, and to cherish them as Christ doth the Church; O be humbled for any passions or distempers you have showed before your wives, or towards them, even though they have provoked you first: and now beseech the Lord to make you like Abraham that so you may keep your families in peace, even though you have passionate wives. Perhaps you will say, that Sarahs' passion broke out but once, but your wives very often. I answer, first, it is not certain that Sarah was passionate only this one time. She that did fall into other distempers might again fall into this, but if she did not, Abraham that bore this, out of the same reason would have borne them too, if it were a duty to deal thus mildly at one time, it was a duty to do so always. What then, shall a man let his wife bear out her passions still and slight him that is her head? I answer, first, better so, then fill one's self with passion too. And secondly, I answer, a loving, mild, gentle, admonition afterwards, will prevail more to make a woman remember herself, then present rage and bitterness. A drunken man is best cured by rebuke when he is sober, and passion is but drunkenness. You see Abraham's carriage to his wife, now I come to show you his carriage to his two sons. 1. He loved them both very well, 4. He loved his two sons very well. as is evident by his praying for Ishmael, and his taking the matter heavily, when Sarah would have him cast out of doors, but yet he loved neither of them so well, but that he could be content to have the one cast out of his house, and the other burnt for a Sacrifice, and to cut off both their foreskinnes. So Parents must learn to love their children, but with a moderate love, such as that they can be be content to put them to smart, so far as God will have them put to smart, even by just correction to cut off the foreskin of their hearts, yea to part with them, if God will have them banished, or go into another Country, yea to have them die if God will have them die. Such a moderate love which is subordinate to the love of God, we must have and exercise to the fruit of our bodies, and we must show the sincerity of our love to them by praying for them, and the moderateness or our love by being able to punish them duly, and to part with them even by death when God shall send it. O bewail your carnallnesse and unlovingnesse, and immoderate love to them. Inordinate love of a child is a great fault, it will undo the child, it will make him despise and abuse the Parents, it will nourish all vices in him, it is the next way to make God cross a man in him, it makes a child an Idol, pray to God therefore to moderate your love. Abraham provided for all his other children by gifts, and gave all he had to Isaac, as we have it, Gen. 25.5, 6. So must a good Father provide for his children convenient portions, that they may be able to live comfortably, and provide them fit callings, as Abraham did, but make most account of the most godly, and let him be heir whom God hath made heir, even the eldest, unless his wickedness disinherit him, and I suppose that it must be some great wickedness for which a man should dispossess the eldest of the greater part of his estate, yet still the eldest must have such a larger portion as that the younger may have a convenient part for them too. Learn to be ashamed, you that are spendalls, and keep nothing for your children, have nothing to give them: and learn you all to be moderately careful for them, and discreetly and indifferently liberal to them. Let not one have all, the other nothing, let not any of them be thrust off with nothing for the others sake, but be a Parent to all, O be husbandly and thrifty to get and save, and be seasonably liberal to them, yet so, that still yourselves be in such case as not to make yourselves underlings to them. 5. He provided a good wife for Isaac. Again, for Isaac, Abraham was careful to provide a wife, even one of the best he could though he sent far for her, and it may seem he had not much with her, as you have it in the whole Chapter of Gen. 24. Here Abraham is to be imitated, if in any thing concerning a child, he looked to have a good wife more than a rich. O if you that be Parents would do so, how well would it go with many a family? what is he or she, not what hath he or she should be the question? Abraham knew that God would provide a wife for his son, it is probable he had prayed for that mercy and received an answer, he could not else have affirmed it so certainly. You that be Parents, must pray to God to give a wife or husband to your son and daughter, and make piety and virtue the chief matchmakers: If you will ever show your love to be a spiritual love, let it appear to be such to your children, if by any means you will show yourselves affected to them with a spiritual love, let it be in seeking their good really, not imaginarily. That woman shall live happiest, not which hath the richest husband with largest revenues, but that hath the godliest husband, most abundant in virtues; sure a Father should make his daughter's happiness the main end of his choosing an husband for her, or else he is not prudent, for prudence is a virtue by which a man doth work rightly to happiness. I say the same concerning the wife; be you therefore imitators of Abraham here, and be ashamed as our Saviour saith in another meaning, to seek those things after which unsanctified men and heathen do only or principally seek. I should have named one grace more in Abraham towards God, Another grace in Abraham toward God, his Patience. that is, patience, I do not mean so much or only in bearing afflictions, as in a contented tarrying for the promised seed. A quiet waiting till benefits come, and a quiet bearing of crosses that did come, this is patience, a being silent to God and waiting on him: Abraham had waited divers years, no son came, his wife was barren, yet he waited and still continued to hope, that God would give him a son at length according to his promise. See, how you can wait upon God if he defer the performance of his promise, and that without muttering and without fainting. This is an excellent thing to believe, pray and hope still though God defer the accomplishment of his word. Learn this grace, Blessed is he that by faith and patience can inherit the promises, as it is said of our godly forefathers. So Abraham's virtues to God are faith, fear, obedience, waiting or hope and devotion. And to Sarah I should have named another. He mourned moderately for her and buried her honourably, He mourned moderately for Sarah. for he bought a burying place of the children of Heth, that he might inter her with all due respect. So should an husband moderate his affection with discretion, and join discretion with his affection, that he may both show some convenient measure of sorrow for his wife's decease, and also power to keep sorrow within compass both for degree and continuance, and so should wives stand affected to husbands, and all friends each to other, and a decent funeral according to each man's place must be afforded, to testify their good will to the whole person when it lived, by due carriage to that earthy part of it which is left behind. Those yoke-fellowes therefore that are glad or would be glad of each others decease, and care not what becomes of the body of each other, they must be blamed as naughty and unloving husbands, and those that make no end nor keep no measure in mourning must be blamed as overloving and carnally loving. Let us so mourn as to show the thing was dear we parted with, and withal, that we know we have better things remaining with us then an earthly friend. I must now speak of Abraham's good carriage to his servants; Abraham's good carriage toward his servants, to Eliezer his principal servant. There was one principal servant, Ruler, Steward, Overseere of his house, his name is Eliezer of Damascus, Gen. 15.2. Him 1. He loved much. 2. Trusted much, because by good instructions and examples he had through God's blessing made him fit and worthy to be both loved and trusted. His love to him he shows in saying to God (whereby it is manifest that he did not counterfeit, for Abraham was too godly to tell a counterfeit tale to God) one borne in mine house shall be mine heir. Gen. 15.3. Lo a good servant should be very dear unto his master, A good servant should be respected. so that he should plentifully and liberally recompense him (for to say that a servant should be made ones heir if he have no children, that I dare not, but I dare say he should be plentifully and liberally rewarded out of great love. Deut. 15.12, 13 ) The Lord commanded that an Hebrew servant should not be put out empty, but that his Master should communicate to him of his goods, Prov. 27.18. and Solomon saith, that as he that looketh to the figtree shall eat of the fruit thereof, so shall a good servant that attendeth his master come to honour, his meaning is to show, that Masters should not be indebted to their servants, but should respect and prefer them. Those therefore that having good and virtuous servants, shall not show themselves liberal, and courteous, and loving, but quite contrarily, froward, and unloving, and niggardly, are much to be condemned, as men that have not wisdom to consider, how much benefit a man hath by his servants, so that neither could men get riches nor enjoy them if they wanted servants; neither could they be without them in many other respects, and if the servants be good, next to God, above all men he stands most beholding to them. His life is in their hands, his goods are in their hand, and to speak as the truth is, he is more indebted to them then they to him. A servant might more easily shift for himself without a Master, than a Master live as he doth without servants: wherefore I commend unto you all humanity, love, courtesy towards your servants that be good and faithful, such as fear God and do their duty in such sort as humane frailty will permit unto yourselves. Labour to bring your servants to be religious, and trusty, and diligent, and if they be so, show all good will to them and encourage them in their duty by loving entertainment, especially seeing now they be freemen and not bondslaves that are your servants. Again, Abraham trusted his servant with the weightiest business of his life, getting a wife for Isaac, and bound him with an oath, but duly limited and freed from all doubt and difficulty as much as might be, as you may read, Gen. 24. in the beginning, causing him to lay his hand under his thigh and swear about that business, alone limiting him so that he should be freed from it if his friends were wanting to him. So a good Master should trust a good servant, only giving him necessary instructions, and cautions, and if matter be of such weight, laying the bond of an oath upon him, for no bond stronger than that, none fitter to bind a godly man: what might be the meaning of laying the hand under the thigh in swearing, I cannot learn nor conjecture myself, only it had some due signification in all likelihood, as our laying the hand on the Bible and kissing it. jacob also required it of his son joseph, so that it may seem to have been done in some religious respect, whether intimating the expectation of the promised seed to come out of the loins of jacob and Abraham I cannot say. But whatsoever this gesture might mean, we note that Abraham trusted his servant, and so must all men needs do in some degree, and therefore had need to choose good servants, or do their best to make them such as may be trusted. How for all the rest of his servants young men fit for war, they were 318. with whom he fought against the Kings that vanquished the Sodomites. He did train them up to war as was fit, and therefore they are called his trained or instructed servants, and when he had gotten the victory, they had leave by him to eat of the spoil; so that a good man should bring up his servants according to his place fitly to do him service, and at least should see that they have food for them, chiefly when they labour and take pains. I proceed to Abraham's carriage toward foreigners that were not of his house, whether kinsmen or frinmen as we call them, Abraham's carriage to his kinsmen. he had one kinsman his Cousin german Lot, that was son to his brother Haran, him he loved very well, and studied to keep all good peace and correspondency with him, and to remove all contention, and for that end, when their states were grown so great, that they could not conveniently dwell together, because being sojournours they were to take up but the waste of the land, which no natural inhabitant had possessed, or else to take land for money of the inhabitants if they could spare the same, he came to Lot and made the motion of peace, and after gave him his offer to choose what part of the country he would, as you may read, Gen. 13.7. He was peaceable. Here is an excellent virtue of so mild and peaceable a disposition, that to prevent strife, can yield to his inferior, in seeking to pacify him by going to him with peaceable and quiet words and offers, and so far part with his own right, as to give the other the better a great deal, rather than proceed to jars and discontents. O that we could all imitate Abraham, especially brethren, kinsmen, and near friends, and be so desirous of unity and accord as he was, not stouting it out as many do, with shall I yield so far to him as to go to him, to let him have his way, let him come to me if he please, and let him yield to me. Most of our spirits be so big, that they will not bow to any that is a little inferior, no not for peace sake, imparting with a little of their right for it. But know, it is an honour to be able to bear and forbear, he hath the most wisdom and grace, that can part with his own right, rather than continue a quarrel, if it be not in a matter of very great weight, wherein great damage should come to him or his family, by parting with it. And know, that to stand over highly upon terms, and not to bate a jot or tittle, as some men use in boasting wise to affirm that they will not, is a proof of a man led much by passion, and filled much with pride and self conceitedness. He knows not the value of peace, that will not redeem it with bending somewhat even to his inferior, chiefly a near kinsman. The thing therefore I am to commend unto you, is peaceableness, and for that end moderation and lowliness of carriage, in yielding a little more than needs to those that ought rather to yield to you, and certainly the comfort that peace and concord will repay you withal, shall prove it a good bargain so to purchase peace. 2. He rescued Lot and redeemed him out of his enemy's hands. Again, Lot Abraham's kinsman was taken by the Kings that conquered Sodom and Gomorrah, and when Abraham heard of it, he armed his own servants, and got his confederates to join with him, and by force of sword redeemed Lot out of their hands, as you have the story, Gen. 14.14, 15, 16. together with all the goods and people of Sodom, prudently ordering the battle by night, and coming upon them secretly and unawares. Here are three excellent virtues of Abraham. First, Love to his kinsman Lot. Second, Courage and resolution, that durst fight for him. Third, Prudence in ordering the whole business. For you must take notice that Abraham was a little Prince, a kind of petty King in those days, as appeareth by the carriage of Abimelech and others to him, and therefore he had warrant and ground enough to make war against any King, State or person upon a just quarrel. He was loving to Lot. But first mark his love to Lot, although Lot was lately departed from him, yet his love to Lot had not left him, but he was at cost and labour and hazard to redeem him from captivity. Must not we learn of him to show great love to our kinsmen and special friends, if they be in danger peril and misery, even to do all that according to our places we may to succour, relieve and rescue them, against wrong, violence, oppression and like calamities. Be charitable and kind kinsmen and brethren, cleave to your kinsmen and brethren, and so far as you may lawfully, and as your places will bear, defend, maintain and help them against unjustice and injury. No man must join with his kindred in a sinful and unjust cause, but in a good and honest and just cause, he is not of Abraham's mind, that will not stick to them, and help them what in him lieth. All therefore that desert their friends in honest matters, for fear of a little cost or pains or the like, are to see, that they be not good imitators of this good man, nay nor any that doth not according to his place, secure the oppressed, which Solomon commendeth under a question saying, wilt thou not deliver him? For must we succour an Ass pressed with a burden, and not a brother pressed with a bundle of injuries. He was courageous. Again, Abraham showed courage in this work, for had not he been of good resolution, he would not have dared to opposed himself to a conquering army and a Prince, that had held divers other Princes in subjection, and now came for that purpose into those parts, to subdue those that had cast of the yoke. Lo how a good man must be courageous too, and not suffer himself to be deterred from his duty, or any good and commendable work, by fear of danger. Courage is such a disposition and frame of mind that will not be daunted by perils and dangers, What courage is. and by evil accidents, that he may encounter in the works that his place requireth, but will resolve what in him lies, with due resistance to repel them, or if they cannot be repelled, to bear them. Such courage Abraham here discovered, such courage do you also show and exercise, let not every show of danger scare you: but go thorough with good works, whatsoever comes of it. It is a good thing to be valiant in battle, where life is exposed to peril, and is it not a good thing to be valiant against all other dangers? And that you may be courageous in all things. First, Means to get courage. be sure the causes in which you put yourselves in hazard, be good and just. Secondly, be sure that you take God along with you, by keeping his favour in a holy conversation, as Abraham did, or else courage may quickly fail and deceive you. And next, learn to deal prudently in all affairs, as Abraham did, in seeking the help of his confederates, and taking the opportunity of night, and dividing his men against his enemies into several bands. The excellency of a business is in the wise carriage of it, labouring to get convenient aid and help, and then choosing fit times and seasons and other circumstances: We must blame ourselves therefore if by any indiscretion or failing, we have hindered our own good success in our affairs, as often times men do, and must pray to God to direct us with discretion (for it is his gift,) that we be not causes of our own disappointment and misery. Now see how Abraham behaved himself to frinmen as we call them. 1. To the Sodomites, 2. To the Canaanites, 3. To Angels whom he took to be travellers. First to the Sodomites, Abraham's carriage to the Sodomites. He prayed for them. first he did most heartily intercede to God for their sparing, if there had been found, 50.40, 30, 20. Yea but 10. just men therein: So great a lover of good men was Abraham, that he would heartily pray to God to save them, and for their sakes to save also the people whom they dwelled amongst, and how well pleasing this service was to God, it is evident in the story, Gen. 18.23. ad finem. For God did with wonderful patience accept his suits, even till he came to so low a rate, as if he did find but 10. in the 5. Cities, that is, a poor couple in every City. We must learn hence, to show our loves to mankind in general, and especially to just and good men, in praying God for all righteous men, that they may be saved and delivered, and for the Societies and Cities and countries wherein we live, that they also might prosper and escape for the good sake of the good that live there. Fervent prayer for humane societies and for just men in them, should be made by God's people. Why should you not improve the right you have unto God's ears? For the good of many, 1 Tim. 2.1. I will that prayers and supplications be made for all men, saith S. Paul, especially to pray that God would deliver Cities and Countries from public and fearful destructions. brethren, why are we so defective in this duty? Why do we not pray for the nations abroad? in hope that there may be some righteous amongst them, why are our mouths stopped from such suits? Let us now follow our Father here, and let our hearts and mouths be enlarged with all humble confidence to beseech God, for the good of those Cities and quarters of Christendom that are ready to eat up one another, that God would show favour to them and not give them over to perish by the sword each of other. Account Prayer an exercise of some efficacy, have so much faith as to know that our prayers shall not be vain labours, and that you believe, that God is a God that heareth prayers; only let all your prayers be as abraham's were, servant, humble, and reverend. 2. He showed humanity and kindness to the Sodomites he had taken. Another good work of Abraham to the Sodomites was, that he did not make them slaves to himself and keep them for his own use, nor sell them as slaves to others, as by the Law of Nations he might well have done, but granted them liberty, and set them again in state of freedom after he had by the sword taken them out of the hands of those that had led them captive. He showed humanity and kindness to them, though they were wicked men and not rigour and extremity. We must all learn to be kind and loving to mankind, and not to press men with heavy and grievous burdens, even though we might do it in extremity of right. This shall bring more love and good will, honour and good esteem, than rougher and more severe carriage. It is better to be loved then hated, honoured then disgraced, be counted a friend and saviour of men, than a proud person that cares not what becomes of others, so that himself may make an advantage of them. The comfort that gentleness and clemency bringeth, is also very much more than that which will follow from the contrary. The dying heart can receive no content in thinking he hath crushed, enthralled or otherwise afflicted men, but that he hath delivered, comforted, saved them, that affordeth great consolation, in that it becometh an argument of goodness, and a means of hope, that a man shall find mercy as he hath showed and exercised it. Let not either covetousness, or arrogancy, or a cruel disposition make you carry yourselves austerely to men for your own advantage sake, but use all courtesy, as Abraham did even to these Sodomites. Let them enjoy good things, even though you have power and some show of right to deprive them thereof, only do not interrupt justice in her acts of severity. This was his dealing with the Sodomites in general. His carriage to the King of Sodom, he would receive nothing from him. See how his dealing is with the King, as you have it, Gen. 14.21. He would not take any thing that was his, no not to a shooe-latcher, and he saith, that he had lift up his hands to God to that end, that it might not be said by the King of Sodom, I have made Abraham rich Here Abraham shows himself, first, a man that did not regard riches, nor esteem the wealth of this world, in that of his own accord he bound himself by a vow, not to touch so great a booty as this, that fell into his hands by just conquest, and which in all equity he might have taken and that with good thanks too for the present time from the King of Sodom, who wished alone the persons, and did willingly yield the goods to Abraham, but Abraham stood upon terms here of credit for his Religion sake, and would not have the King of Sodom to triumph and say, that his wealth had enriched Abraham. You see, that we should so disvalew riches, as freely to cast them away and deny ourselves of them, rather than incur any reproach or disgrace for them, even though the imputation would be unjust. Should not all men labour to have as generous a mind as Abraham? Sure, we should strive for the perfection of virtue which hath been found in the Saints. It cannot be said yet, Abraham should have sinned if he had taken this spoil, neither was he bound so much to the Sodomite, as to afford him either persons or goods: but he considered before hand, that some aspersion of covetousness would have been cast upon him, if he should have possessed himself of this wealth, and therefore he binds himself from it by a vow. Noble Abraham, that regardest due esteem rather than great riches, and wouldst let go so fair a morsel, rather than incur any the least show of disgrace for worldliness. Why should not we be followers of Abraham his virtues? Why should we use means to get wealth joined with apparent reproach? such as would set the mouths of all men on talking against us, more than this fact would have filled the mouth of Chedarlaomer with talk against Abraham: O what a business of mind is this news? and how doth it show our inordinate affection to riches more than to a good name? which yet is to be preferred above all treasures, if we would hearken to Solomon. I conclude, that we must show our true magnanimity, by slighting great abundance of outward things, so as that no man might ever have cause to grudge against us, that these riches which should have been his if all things had been fairly carried, have made us rich, especially let no man grow rich by taking forfeitures of poor men, it is worse to use extremity to a mean person then to a great. Now consider this worthy man's carriage to the Canaanites, Abraham's good carriage to the Canaanites. inhabitants of the land in which he was a stranger. First for the Country itself, then for the persons that dwelled in it. For the Country, Abraham made it much the better for him by two things, wood and water, very necessary things for the life of man. For he planted groves and he digged wells again, which had been digged in the days of his Father. As concerning those groves, it is conjectured that they might be for religious use, because it is said, there he called on the name of God: but the word here used is not the same under which such groves for religious use are after forbidden, therefore more like it is that here alone was intended civil use, and sure it is a good thing to plant wood for the benefit of mankind after ourselves be dead. A man would have thought, Planting of wood is a commendable thing. what should a stranger trouble himself to make a grove? He is likely to depart from the place soon, and then he cannot carry his trees with him; but this did not discourage Abraham, he knew that some man might enjoy it if himself did not. Indeed for wells and water, the profit redounded to himself presently as well as to others for the future. Now learn of him to be common Benefactors, by helping to store the world with wood and water-springs, and other like things, the use of which shall redound to many as well as to yourselves: Especially the care of planting woods should be commended unto you, our age destroys that necessary provision. All cut down, none plant for another age, wood is useful for shade, for timber, for fuel, it is one of the things we cannot want, it is one of the things, that if it be discreetly done, will quit the cost that it requireth. The tree after a little time will grow without any labour of expense bestowed about it, it will pay for its standing, if you set your hedge-rowes with trees, they would grow as well as thorns. If here and there at convenient distance, trees were planted, especially timber trees, the grass would not be much the less. But I am not a husbandman good enough to commend these particulars to you; Let me commend the thing in general, Order things for the common benefit, and show yourselves lovers of mankind, be not all for yourselves and for the present. Now to the persons generally, he shows courtesy, that is, a carriage savouring of lowliness and good esteem, together with love and good will unto the Hittites when he came unto them about the matter of a field of burial for Sarah, He showed lowly and respective carriage toward the Hittites. Gen. 23.7. He stood up and bowed himself, the word is the same that is in other places translated worshipped, meaning he bowed his body with his face downward in testimony of honour and respect, and afterwards, verse 12. He bowed down himself before the people of the Land. You see lowly and respective carriage in this worthy servant of God. We ought to carry ourselves courteously to all men, Honour all men, saith S. Peter, he means it, of this kind of respective behaviour of body. This is a means to show love, and to beget love, and to increase love, and to keep out jars and discontents, as a sour and haughty and sullen dogged carriage doth proclaim contempt or hatred or both, and so causeth jars and fall out, and dislikes, and increaseth them if they have been begun. Those therefore that be of a haughty carriage, or rude and boisterous behaviour, not knowing how to give due salutations or compliments of courtesy are to be blamed, as men that do not alone want education but charity and humility, for if those graces did rule in the heart, though they could not prompt a man to a kind of artificial demonstration of them, yet they would some way infuse themselves into the carriage, and make it gentle and amiable. Therefore let your carriage be fair, and kind, and sweet, bow, bend, salute, use cap, knees, all such things as either nature or custom maketh to be as it were badges and professions of humble love and serviceableness, of a not too much preferring yourselves above others, and undervalewing them in comparison of yourselves, accustom yourselves unto and use them for conscience sake, that they may savour of piety in the estimation of God, who can see piety in such things, and so they may be more than moral virtues, even spiritual actions and fruits of Sanctification. Only, I beseech you, to take heed of causing your courtesy to be mere compliment, and of being the more crafty by how much you seem more courteous, and of ushering in some naughtiness by a goodly and lowly carriage of yourselves. If such virtues be corrupted, and that there be nothing in them but the mere outside, the more loathsome to God, and at length also to man. Particularly, see how he carrieth himself to Hephron the Hittite, Abraham's carriage to Hephron. with whom he bargained for a field of burial. He deals plainly and squarely with him, Ephron offered to give it him freely, he would none. A wealthy man should not be apt to receive a thing of gift, it would be a sign of covetousness and of an having disposition. Then he asketh the price and saith, that he will give as much as it is worth. I will give thee saith he the money of the field, that is, what it is worth, and Ephron answers, 'tis worth 400 shekels. A common shekel is thought to be worth 1 s. 3d. of our money, so 400 shekels is 25 lb. and then Abraham weighs him the money of silver currant with the Merchants. Abraham in a bargain of 25 lb. doth not stand halfe-perthing, and first bids 15, than 17, than 20, than 22, than 24, than 25, as a number of base niggardly minded men would have done, but when he saw it to be worth the money at a word he pays it, and when Ephron saw Abraham desirous of this land, he doth not ask 40, or 35, or 30, or 32, but at one word tells him so much it is worth, and so they agree, the one also pays currant money in full weight, and the other giveth present and good assurance, and so here is justice, and plain upright dealing betwixt them. O that you would learn of him to bargain and pay without any overreaching or tricks either in bidding or ask, or other devices, that you might show yourselves not to be possessed with the love of money, which is the vice of all vices, even the root of all evil. But I am sure, the contrary driving of bargains is usual amongst us, that it may appear we do not buy and sell out of respect of our duty unto God, and the common good, but alone out of desire to wax as rich as we can, yea though it be by other men's losses. Next consider, Abraham's carriage to Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. His carriage to Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. First, in making a Covenant with them it seemeth to have been a league of peace offensive and defensive. Secondly, in making bold with them to crave their aid in his battle against the King of Shiron, by whom Lot was captivated. Thirdly, in allowing them to take their part of the booty though himself would not do it. So a good man may and in some cases must join himself in covenants and leagues so far as his own benefit, and the benefit of other men requireth it, and must use prudence and discretion to keep himself safe, not relying on the care of God without care of using means. He may also challenge of others, the performance of covenants, and must be content to make himself beholding to his friends as occasion serveth, and not stand too much upon terms of being troublesome to them. And he must also leave his friends to themselves, in point of their right, and not press them to those things, whereto yet it may seem convenient to bind himself: for you hear Abraham saying, Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their part of the booty, though himself bound himself by oath to take no part of it. O that we could carry ourselves so to our friends! and not be still pinching to them, so as we will part with nothing, unless they will be persuaded to part with as much. It is a most base and abject disposition, and carries a relish of excessive self-love, when a man is so greedy of his own gain, that unless others will bear as great a part as himself in such and such things, he will hold and keep and let nothing go from himself. But it is a noble and magnanimous part, and a sign of true charity, when a man will rather put himself to loss, and yet give others leave to have an eye unto their profit. Abraham's carriage to Abimelech. 1. Maketh a covenant wirh him. Now see, how Abraham carrieth himself to Abimelech as you find it recorded, Gen. 21.22. & 33. Abimelech with his chief Captain and inward friend came to Abraham, desiring to make a Covenant of peace and amity with him, perceiving that he was a man blessed of God and prosperous, and Abraham condescended to the motion and makes the oath unto him. So should we willingly embrace offers of peace and concord, and covenants of love and amity, even if need be, to bind ourselves therein with a solemn oath, for the Lord of Heaven is so great a lover of unity betwixt men, that he is well content, his holy and great name should be used as a bond or obligation to tie them faster and surer together. When therefore a lawful oath is required of us, for the assuring of others that we will deal faithfully in any part of our duty, we shall not do well to refuse such an oath, but must inform ourselves by the practice of so good a man as Abraham of the lawfulness and usefulness of such an oath; only that we be careful to deal uprightly and sincerely, both in taking and in keeping our oaths. Yea when an oath is ministered to bind as to forbear all wrongful carriage and do good in our places, we should be glad to have our consciences firmly tied in such cases. 2. Dealeth plainly with him. Further note, that Abraham dealeth plainly with Abimelech, and reproveth him concerning a well of water which the servants of Abimelech had violently taken away from Abraham. So must we deal freely and plainly with our neighbours and friends, in expostulating such and such wrongs as may fall out to be done unto us by them and theirs, and must not lay the matter up in our minds, so to keep ourselves estranged from them. For it may so come to pass, that we may find that it was without their privity and against their will, that such bad measure hath been offered unto us, as it fell out in the matter whereof Abraham doth complain to Abimelech. But we must be sure Beloved, in all occasions of such complaints, to temper our anger, and keep ourselves in so good tune, that we break not forth into words of choler and discontent, tending to provoke and exasperate them with whom we deal in such cases, but do it with gentleness and mildness of speech, that quiet words may pacify wrath if any be stirred, not grievous words stir up that which was ready to go forth of itself. Yea when a just and reasonable apology or excuse is used by any upon our complaints, we must be ready to accept of it, and to be satisfied, that we may not prove ourselves to be of an implacable disposition. Yea we see, that Abraham dealeth also bountifully with Abimelech, 3. He dealt bountifully with him. for it is said, v. 27. he gave him Sheep and Oxen when they made a covenant, so men that have wealth must be free handed and free hearted, and ready to bestow convenient gifts and presents upon those whose favour they would keep, and to whom they would have it manifest that they resolve to be fast and sure friends. Nothing less be seemeth a wealthy man then niggardlinsse and close-fistednesse, whereby he is so held in captivity, that he cannot willingly let any thing go from him, but what he cannot keep though he would. Indeed bounty is chiefly to be exercised to the poor and needy, but yet so that in due time we must learn to practise it, by a free giving to our equals also, and those that stand not in absolute need, for gifts are fit means to express the lovers good will, as well as to supply the wants of the receivers. Lastly, Abraham sets apart 7. Ewe Lambs, Abraham's good carriage to strangers. and when Abimelech demanded the reason, he tells him that he should receive those Lambs at his hand in testimony of his acknowledgement, that Abraham had digged that well, and that the right thereof appertained to him. So we should in wisdom learn to make all matters clear betwixt ourselves and others, in cases that have been in controversy, that so we may cut of all occasions of heartburning or contention for the time to come, and that though we put ourselves to a little cost, for the setting of things in stable peace betwixt them and us. The last part of Abraham's good carriage is to strangers, which he conceived at first to be men, though indeed they proved to be Angels: for so you have his hospitality recorded by the Holy Ghost, Gen. 18. 1. ad 17. When he saw certain men which he took to be travellers, he ran to them, and with importunity brought them on their way. A courteous, free and honourable entertaining of strangers, is a virtue commended to our imitation, by the example of Abraham: for so saith the Author to the Hebrews. Heb. 13.2. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for by that means some have received Angels unawares, and we are bidden to be given to hospitality. Let us therefore be far from niggardliness in this case, and yet far from profuseness too. And if to strangers, much more to our friends and acquaintance, must we show ourselves humane and liberal in this kind, and most of all to our poor and needy neighbours, that cannot reward us, for our Saviour prefers mercy before courtesy, and tells us, that such cost shall be reckoned for. So have we done with Abraham's virtues, which if we can take out in our practice happy shall we be, for to this end are good men's good deeds registered in the Book of God, that we which read them, by following them in the ways of goodness, might be sure to overtake them in the end of our journey, and to dwell in the place of happiness, whether they have safely gone before us. Abraham's faults before his calling. James. 3.2. Now I proceed to tell of his sins and offences, for such is the state of mortal men in this life, that it shall be found true of every man, which S. james tells us, in many things we offend all. Doubtless he arrogateth greater perfection to himself, than ever the word of God hath attributed to any mere man since Adam, that conceiveth himself to be quite free from all evil corruptions, and from the breaking out of corruptions. His first fault idolatry. The first fault of Abraham was that in which he lived before his calling by God out of Vr of the Chaldees, for it is manifest in the 24. of Iosh. v. 2. that the Fathers in old time, even Terah the Father of Abraham and of Nahor, and consequently the sons themselves, being so brought up of their Fathers, served other gods. Here then is a sin in Abraham, that he took up the religion of his Fathers without making any diligent inquiry into the matter, whether the religion and gods were true or not. And this is a fault common to all mankind, they take their religion on trust, serving those gods which they find in the places where they dwell to be worshipped and served, and labour not to find out and serve the true God alone, who is only worthy to be served, yea if it fall out that the true God be served amongst them, they cleave not to him out of judgement and well grounded knowledge, that he is the only true God, but alone out of common custom, because all men do so, and this their religion becometh but a vain religion, and is of no force to their salvation. Indeed it was not so strange a thing that Abraham should be thus carried away after false gods, according as he was led by the common example, seeing at that time they had not the word of God written by Prophets and Apostles, to direct and guide them in this matter. But for us whom God hath so far favoured as to give us the clear light of his holy word, it is a most grievous sin to be led wholly by custom and example, and not to build and ground ourselves upon that light which God hath ministered unto us. And the true cause, why men do follow such false guides in matter of God's worship, is the blindness of their minds, and carnallnesse of their hearts, and the secret atheism which is in them, by which they are not thoroughly and certainly persuaded, that there is a God at all, and therefore care not to find out and serve the living God, as if it made no great matter, so they served one which they served. Let us therefore beware of false gods and false religions, and let us beware of walking after a false rule even in following the true God, that is, of serving him, not because we have any true and certain knowledge of him in our own minds, but only because we have been so taught of our Fathers, and see the whole world where we live to take the same course, for he that is thus blindly led, worships God but by chance as it were, and is as ready for a false god as for a true, and this was Abraham's fault before his calling. Now after his calling, he fell into some sins, Abraham's faults after his calling. 1. Weakness of faith. though not wilfully nor presumptuously, but of weakness and of infirmity. The first fault was weakness of faith. Though he was the Father of the faithful, and is commended in Scripture for the strength of his faith, and that he wavered not nor staggered at the promise of God through unbelief, yet at the first, his faith was mixed with unbelief, and showed itself to have some feebleness in it. For first, when he went down into Egypt because of the famine, and saw that the men were wicked and feared not God, he was in doubt, lest the men of the place would kill him for his wife's sake. God had promised him before that time to give the land of Canaan to him and to his seed after him, and yet he had no seed, therefore as yet he could not be put to death, unless the promise of God should fail him and come to nothing. Notwithstanding the promise which should have been frustrated, if himself had died without issue, he doubted lest he might be slain by them, as being distempered and diverted by fear from considering and taking diligent notice of the promise. This was a manifest imperfection of faith you see. Wherefore let us take notice that in the faithfullest of God's people there will be defects of faith, as also there was want of it in David, when he said, I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul, and in Moses, 1 Sam. 27.1. Exod. 6.12. when he said, How will Pharaoh hear me? seeing the Israelites did not, and again, Why hast thou sent me to deliver the people? seeing Pharaoh oppresseth them the more since I spoke to him. And therefore, let us not be discouraged though we find weakness in our faith, though faith I say do show itself feeble and be much troubled, and sometimes foiled by doubting, especially in great and sore temptations; yet we must not be heartless, nor conclude, that we are utterly destitute of faith, or that our faith is not true and sincere, and unfeigned. True faith you see in Abraham may be weak, yea cannot but be weak, so long as we be clothed with tabernacles of flesh. He that truly believes, may yet be carried away with doubting sometimes, when occasions of peril and danger encounter his faith; and therefore also let us be careful to confirm and strengthen our faith more and more, and to grow in it by renewing our meditations of God's promises, and putting ourselves often in mind of the power and truth of God the promise-maker, which are the pillars and foundations of our faith. For if Abraham, when these doubts began to stir in his mind, had called to mind God's promise of giving him seed, and had reasoned with himself thus, hath not the living God possessor of Heaven and Earth undertaken to give me a seed to inherit this land after me? How then can I be killed by the Philistines? How can they take away my life whilst this promise is not yet fulfilled? Surely God both can and also will give me life and preserve me from the hands of these godless Philistines, for how else should he fulfil his promise to me of giving me seed after me? If Abraham, I say, had thus stirred up his faith by serious consideration of God's power and truth, he had not been foiled so as he was. Let his weakness and failings be our warning, that we may escape the evils which he fell into. Again, as Abraham's faith was weak and yielded a little to doubtings, 2. A carnal fear of death. so was he possessed somewhat strongly for the time with a kind of carnal fear of death, Gen. 12.12. and afterwards, Gen. ●0. 13. He said, they will slay me for my wife's sake. So you must note another weakness in God's people, flowing from the former imperfection of faith. They are apt to be over-fearefull of dangers, and by name of death, even to be so much terrified with the apprehension of danger, especially of losing their lives, that they cannot must upon God and rest upon him for safety, as they should do. This fear was found in David, it was found also in Peter, and in divers others of God's people. The ground of it is, as I said, partly the weakness of their faith, and partly the terribleness of death, which is the terriblest of all terrible things, as being a separation of the soul from the body, and a stripping a man at once of all those things that are most dear unto him, and conveying him out of this world into another; concerning his happiness herein he is not always so full of assurance as he should be. For when these fears do suddenly seize upon a man, upon occasion of some sensible object that threatens him, they pull out of the mind for the time the thought of God's promises, and hold the soul alone in the apprehension of the greatness and inevitableness of the danger which looketh him in the face. Let us therefore learn, not to be heartless ourselves, because we hare have been so transported with fear, as was Abraham, nor yet be censorious to others, whom we shall see thus for a fit even shaken and almost overcome of fear. It is a fault indeed, and we must blame ourselves for it and be humbled, but it is such a fault, as may stand with truth of grace, and which doth not give just reason to conclude ourselves unsanctified, or not to be Gods true children. And let us learn to beware of fear, to resist and oppose it at the beginning by the opposition of God's love and protection; yea, let us labour to work in our minds such a true apprehension of the harmlessness of death and other crosses, that we may learn not to be afraid of them, though we must needs suffer them. For why should we fear that which cannot hurt, yea that which shall be an advantage to us, Fear none of those things that you shall suffer, saith the Lord, and David saith, I will not fear what man can do unto me, and again, Psal. 118.6. Psal. 23.4. I will not fear though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death. It is an excellent thing and very comfortable, when our heart is so settled that fear may not dismay us. And the way is to get assurance of God's favour and of eternal life, and that all things shall work for our good, and speedily to set this faith on work, when dangers shall offer themselves unto our sight. But further, Abraham to avoid this danger, 3. He dissembled. consulted with flesh and blood, and used deceit, and shifting, and falsehood, for though his words were in some sense true, as he telleth Abimelech, because Sarah was his sister by one side, yet in the meaning which he would have those to interpret his words to whom he spoke them, they were not true. For his intent was to make them conceive, that she was so his sister as not his wife. He resolved to use false speeches, and draw his wife likewise to join with him in these false speeches, yea they agreed upon it before hand as he tells Abimelech, Gen. 20.13. Abraham said to her, this is the kindness thou shalt show me at every place whether we shall come, say he is my brother. You see they agreed before hand to dissemble and to continue dissembling; yet sure dissembling is a sin and ought not to be done, as Abraham hears even from Abimelech himself, verse 9 Thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. So it may befall a good Abraham out of inconsiderateness and heedlessness in not pondering their paths, nor thinking of their ways, or in a sudden to dissemble and deal falsely for the preventing of danger, as may be seen also in David, and in Peter, when he denied Christ, and when he withdrew himself from communion with the Gentiles, for fear of them which came from james to Antioch. For a thing not considered of, is for present as useless as if it were not known at all. Therefore here also we must learn not to be utterly discouraged, if we have run into such a fault, when we bethink ourselves after of such offences, we must be humbled, bewail them, confess them, condemn and judge ourselves for them, but we must not be fearful of ask pardon, and of entreating mercy to forgive them, must not conclude, that there was no truth of grace in us, because of such palpable failings, yea we must take boldness to go to the throne of grace, renewing our repentance, and earnestly suing for pardon. And we must also take heed of censuring others, and bitterly and harshly for such offences, though they be gross: even Abimelech did not esteem Abraham a dishonest and naughty man, because he had found him tripping in this matter; only take heed lest we misuse this Example and the like, to build upon them a boldness to such sins, that were a great wickedness. They must embolden us to repent and crave mercy, after we have through weakness offended, they must not embolden us before hand to resolve on a sinful deed. Yea when we behold their stumblings, it should make us to be earnest in our prayers to God for a great measure of strength, that we may escape such offences, and to be more frequent and firm in renewing our purposes of not finning in the like kind. Resolve therefore, that nothing shall make you lie or dissemble, and if you do resolve, you will seek pardon and strive to transgress no more. 4. He drew Sarah to sin, so far as to endanger her chastity. Also note that Abraham draws Sarah here to sin in such a kind, as did even hazard and endanger her chastity once or twice. O let good men take heed of drawing one another to sin, for our sin will so endanger another, that we know not when we shall be rid of the evil fruits of our fears and dissemble. When a man is in peril he doth not likely look about him, to see those mischiefs that will follow the bad courses he takes, to free himself from the present evil. Sure if he would foresee them, he would rather suffer the danger of fear, then expose himself to the bad consequents of his escape. Would not Abraham rather have hazarded himself by saying she is my wife, then of making her commit adultery, by saying she is my sister, if he had well considered of it before hand. But yet note we, that Abraham fell into this sin once, and again, and if occasion had served, was ready to fall into it often, as we have alleged his agreement with Sarah before. He did it first in Pharaohs Country, then in Abimelechs' Country, and entreated Sarah to do so where ever he came; so for want of due considering, a good man may run into the same gross sin again and again, yea and be ready to run into it very often, if he were put to it, as we see also in Isaac in the same kind. A double ignorance. There is a double sin of ignorance. One concerning the fact in general, when one knows not that such a thing is unlawful, the other concerning this particular fact, when I do not take notice and observe that this act of mine is such a sin. Often it falls out, that God's children through the strength of some passion or corruption, as here out of fear, do not consider of their particular actions and so run often into foul offences out of this particular ignorance, as I may call it, they know the proposition, deceit is a sin, but the assumption, this is an act of deceit, is not added for want of considering, and therefore the conscience doth not press, this is a deceitful act, you must not do it. Now when we find ourselves upon better consideration, to have been carried thus to do evil, we must not be dismayed but renew our repentance, and rest on God's mercy in Christ for pardon, and so for the future, resolve to forbear the sin. Also we must learn, often to consider of our own ways lest any such faults be found in us. Man's heart is full of blindness and selfe-deceit, and unless he shake himself as it were, and examine his ways often in his own heart, he may live in some great offence and not find it, and though these kinds of sins will not hazard his salvation, yet they may bring divers crosses and miseries, and much reproach, and give much offence, and procure sore temptations, and much disquietment of conscience to him afterwards: Let us not animate ourselves to sin by the falls of the Saints, but rather work in ourselves an holy fear of ourselves and care of avoiding such sins. Now I come to Abraham's last sin, which was his taking of Hagar, 5. Abraham had two wives a fault in itself, for God made one Man and one Woman, to show, that he would have marriage an individual society of life betwixt one Man and one Woman. But that point was not known it seems in those times, and therefore both Sarah persuaded her husband, and he condescended to take Hagar. A good man may live in a few sins of ignorance, and never particularly repent of them. Take we heed therefore of condemning those, who conceiving such and such things not to be sinful, take boldness to live in them. If want of will to see the light, make a man to resist the light, offering itself to his conscience, because that he will not know, fearful is such a man's estate, and I cannot see that this may stand with sanctification. But if want of light or strength of impediments hinder from knowing, we should not condemn a man that in other things is upright for such faults, only we must labour with God to reveal to us our secret faults, that so much as maybe, we may free ourselves from those sins of ignorance, and take heed of taking things on trust upon the opinion and example even of most worthy men. We go forward in considering Abraham's example, 3. Abraham's benefits. and must observe the benefits which God bestowed upon him. These are of two sorts. First, Temporal, then Spiritual. 1. Temporal. The Temporal blessings are of two sorts. First, Those that were given to himself. Secondly, Those that were granted to others for his sake. First for himself, 1. For himself. besides the common benefits of health and strength, and wit, and limbs and the like, which most men receive at the hands of God. He gave him first a good Wife, Sarah, 1. A good wife who was obedient unto him as the Scripture noteth, and did show all respect and reverence to him, call him Sir, or my Lord, 1 Pet. 3 6. and though she was a woman and had her frailties, yet she was a good and dutiful wife unto him, and in the main a comfort unto him. Abraham had his Sarah with whom he lived very comfortably in the state of matrimony, and there never fell out that we read of, but one alone discontent and brawl betwixt them, which yet by the wisdom and moderation of Abraham, was quickly made up and healed. Now this benefit must be marked as a singular and excellent blessing, A good wife a great blessing to have a loving, chaste, dutiful and respective wife, is a great blessing. All those to whom God hath vouchsafed the same mercy, must see and acknowledge it with all thankfulness. And if we consider that a bad wife is like continual droppings, and as rottenness in ones bones, and like oil in his right hand, which will quickly discover itself, we shall learn the better to prise and esteem this favour. He that obtaineth a wife saith Solomon, Prov. 18. ●2. obtaineth mercy of the Lord. Prov. 9.14. For house and goods be the inheritance of the Fathers, but a good wife is of the Lord. Prov. 31.10, 11 And Solomon saith, Who shall find a virtuous woman? her price is above the pearls. The heart of her husband shall trust in her, she will do him good and not evil all the days of his life. This great benefit the Lord gave unto his servant Abraham. All therefore that have obtained the like mercy in some measure, must observe and value aright so principal a blessing. Though a man have an yoake-fellows in some things imperfect and weak, yet if she be generally good, will join with him in piety as Sarah did with Abraham, and bear him company in all good things, and will leave house and all to journey with him, if God call them forth to any service, it is a special goodness, and a chief instrument of his comfort and welfare. Sarah honoured Abraham, Sarah obeyed Abraham, she was ready to provide a feast for the Angels at his appointment, she was a good huswife and helpful unto him in the overseeing of his great family, she was every way contentful and pleasing unto him, and a little too obsequious, in being content for his sake, to say she was his sister. Wherefore let this first benefit be noted, and let those that have it confess it with praise and thanks to God, and let those that have it not as yet, learn to seek it at God's hands, knowing his readiness to exercise his goodness upon all men in all ages, if they fear and obey him, as well as upon Abraham in his time. 2 He had children. Secondly, God gave Abraham children also. First he had Ishmael by Hagar, then in due time he had Isaac by Sarah, the son of the promise, the son of his old-age, besides a godly and dutiful son, that inherited the promises and the blessings with him, and in whom the covenant of God was established. He gave him also many other children by Keturah, which had also children in his life time. Children are a blessing of God, chiefly if they be good and virtuous, willing to be ruled by their parents. These are the inheritance of God, when they grow up as Olive plants round about ones table, and the Psalmist saith, Psal. 127.5. blessed are they which have their quiver full of them, they shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate. These comfort him in their childhood, and are a delight to him when they be young, these are a staff to his old-age. In them his name liveth when his person is dead, and they be as it were branches springing from himself as a root, and making his house to flourish and be green. So God blessed Abraham in the fruit of his body. Let all those therefore whom God hath blessed with this blessing, see Gods good hand to them, and praise him for it. Indeed to be a parent of many and towardly children, if it lift up the heart to God, and occasion our hearty thankfulness unto the Lord, is a special favour. Those that have it must see God's good hand in it, and those that have it not, must seek it of God, and walk before him obediently, that they may be capable of it. Next, God gave Abraham good servants, 3 He had good servants, especially one. for they all hazarded themselves for and with him in the battle fought with four victorious Kings, and helped him to redeem his brother Lot out of captivity, and submitted to be circumcised, and to be taught and instructed. Had they not been loving and courageous, Abraham could not have accomplished his desire for his kinsman's deliverance. But especially he had one exceeding faithful servant, religious, diligent, discreet, careful of his business, and one in whom he might put his trust for the well ordering of his goods, and for the dispatch of any affairs committed to him. You see his carriage in the 24. of Genesis. He was cautelous and wary in taking of his oath, and would not swear rashly, He was careful in observing his oath after he had taken it. He made use of his master's goods, and the power which his master had given him over his family and goods, to finish well that great work of taking a wife for Isaac. He commended the matter to God with earnest prayer. He followed it thoroughly, and brought it to pass effectually. He made a good choice for Isaac, and made haste to return to his master, and bring him back the fruit of his journey with good success. No doubt it was a great joy of heart to Abraham, when he saw Eliezer returning with so good speed from Padan-Aram, and bringing back with him so sweet and choice a Virgin for Isaac, according to the earnest desire of Abraham. Let all masters mark Gods dealing with them in their servants, and if he please to store them with many good servants, or with one or two alone, of excellent parts and graces, let them even praise God for it, considering how great a vexation it is, to be crossed with servants of a contrary disposition, which will be unto him even as smoke in his eyes, and as vinegar to his teeth. And let all that desire such a blessing, take the same course that Abraham did, that is, labour themselves to be good masters, and to command and teach their servants to fear God as Abraham did, and to show themselves loving, kind and liberal to them. But further, Abraham had a good kinsman Lot, 4. Abraham had good kinsmen. 1. Lot. that consented to bear him company in a holy pilgrimage, and was easily won by his wise dealing, to keep peace and amity with him, though some little breach began, yet it was soon made up betwixt them, and Lot and he lived in good peace and concord together. No doubt this also gladded Abraham's heart, and proved a special consolation unto him. If God have given any man such a religious and godly Cousin or Kinsman, let him make much of him, and be a kind Kinsman as Abraham was. Yea the Brother of Abraham, 2. Nahor. Nahor though he continued in the land of Aram, and went not out with Abraham, yet was in his kind a good Kinsman too, for he rejoiced to hear of Abraham's welfare, and entertained his servant courteously, and most readily sent his daughter to him, so long a journey into a far country, to be a yoke-fellow to Isaac his son, to the no small comfort of Abraham and Isaac both. Herein he showed mercy and truth to Abraham, as the servant spoke, and did the office of a good and loving Brother. If God afford such blessings to any, that he hath a loving wife and courteous Brother, ready to gratify and comfort him, he must observe it with thanks, and those that would have the good hand of God to stir up their brethren to show them due respect, must even walk upright and before God, that he may reward them as he rewarded Abraham. 5. Abraham had faithful friends. But another blessing Abraham had too, he met with very faithful friends who were confederate with him, and did most carefully observe the conditions of friendship and amity, for you see they did readily join with him, and helped him in his war against the forenamed conquering kings, and were instruments by their valour to redeem Lot, and to vanquish those conquerors. This is a most desirable benefit, to have true and trusty friends and allies, that will stick to him in his need, and hazard themselves for him, and join with him in his good cause, and not prove like unto a leg out of joint, or a broken tooth when occasion serves to employ them and use their labour, or hazard for his benefit. Do you not think that Abraham rejoiced in the fidelity and amity of his associates. Do you not think that he blessed God for it, and did account himself very happy in enjoying three such noble and worthy confederates. Let us encourage ourselves to obey God, and to forsake our country and kindred at his command, for cannot he repay and repair that loss easily? by raising us up even in a strange country, those that shall as heartily love us, and as faithfully cleave to us, as any kinsmen in the world. Fear not to forsake friends for God's sake, for he can easily cause you to find as good in a strange country, if need so require, as any you may leave behind you in your own country. And if any have in his own country or abroad met with such friends, he must attribute it to the wise and good providence of God over him, and with solid and sincere praises acknowledge it, carrying himself friendly also to them, and showing himself as willing to grant a benefit to them in fit season, as ever he was to receive a benefit from them, Prov. 18.24. for he that hath friends, saith Solomon, must behave himself friendly. Let us yet consider another mercy. 5. Abraham had a good name. Abraham had good esteem and reputation, an honest and honourable name amongst the men of Heth where he lived, so that they all loved and respected him, as appear. Melchisedech loved him and came out to meet him and blessed him, and gave him bread and wine for himself and for his troops, Abimelech used him courteously, and though Abraham and Sarah both had somewhat too grossly overshot themselves, in dissembling that Sarah was his wife, and that way endangered him to a great sin, and brought some heavy hand of God upon him and his house; yet he showed himself affable and bountiful, restoring him his wife, and not so alone, but giving him gifts, and commanding his people to forbear all injurious carriage to him and his wife, and granting him leave to dwell where he would in his country, and after repairing to him, desiring his friendship, he acknowledged that God had blessed him and was with him, and requested that a Covenant might be made betwixt them two, and that in the solemnest manner. Was not this a sign of great respect and love in him to Abraham? and was it not a singular comfort and credit to Abraham, and a sign of God's great favour to him, to incline the heart of such a person to him? Yea in what repute and credit he lived, appeareth in that the Hittites honoured him, called him a Prince of God, and were ready to give him leave to make use of any of their choicest Sepulchers to bury his wife in, and Ephron the Hittite a man of good esteem amongst them, at first word did frankly offer to give him his field, which he desired, and at first condescended to sell it him for a reasonable price. So God gave Abraham good will and credit where he came and amongst all even high and low. Let this also encourage all men to serve and obey God. He can give them a good name and good favour every where, virtue, piety, and goodness shall win good esteem and kindness from men that be not utterly slaves to sin, so far as it is good for God's people to enjoy. They must indeed, (if God see fit to try them by that cross) endure disgrace and hatred, and causeless malice and reproach, but so far as God's Wisdom judgeth it beneficial for them, he both can and will incline the hearts of all to respect and regard them, to love and honour them. He will make them to be honoured and favoured of all with whom they live. Fear not therefore to serve God, but cleave to him and obey him, you see his bounty how he can and will requite his faithful servants. And those that find the good hand of God going with them in this kind, that they be respectfully and kindly entertained, that they have a good name and loving kindness with all men, except perhaps some vile and base persons, that they be cordially and heartily loved, that men speak well of them, wish and do well to them, and are glad and ready to gratify them, they must acknowledge God's goodness in this mercy and rejoice in his love, that doth turn the hearts of men unto them, and praise, honour and love him the more, for the praise, honour and love they receive in the world. We must prepare ourselves to meet with ill usage, ill will, ill language, but when we meet with good, than we must confess, that the Lord our God is the ruler of all hearts, and bless his name that causeth us to find favour with men, as David did with Saul at first, with all Israel and with Achish one of the Philistine Lords, King of Gath, that gave him honourable entertainment in his Court. Now another temporal blessing we observe to be granted to this good man, and it is three or four times noted in Scripture, Gen. 13.2. Abraham was very rich in silver, cattle, and gold. So Gen. 24.35. The Lord hath blessed my Master greatly, and he is become great, and he hath given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and men servants and maid servants and Camels and Asses, and 25.6. Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his Concubines. He could not have enriched them, if he had not been rich himself; So God fulfilled his promise to Abraham, and he was a very rich man as well as very good. Riches are in God's hand, he hath them in abundance; He is able and ready to grant them to his servants: Indeed they be but doubtful blessings, if a man have not power to use them well, they will be more hurtful to him then profitable. But so far as the perfect wisdom of God sees that they will be beneficial to them, wisdom shall bring them also in her hand and fill the houses of her admirers with them also. Let God's people learn therefore to trust upon him for their outward estate; for though he make not all his children rich, for it is not good for all, yet he will not see the meanest of them to starve, for than he should not answer that bountiful and merciful title of a Father, by which he loveth that his servants should call him and call upon him. Encourage yourselves therefore in all holiness, righteousness and virtues, for sure the Lord that filled the house of Abraham and made him so wealthy and great a man, will not neglect to give you food convenient for you, and to supply you with necessaries. And let those that have houses, goods, and wealth in abundance, learn to use them well, to see it is God's gift, and to use them as stewards, to praise God for them, to make them a means of knitting their hearts more sure and fast to him in love and obedience; and to employ them bountifully, liberally, and mercifully as Abraham no doubt did, that they may lay up treasure for themselves in Heaven, and that by well-doing they make them friends of the riches of iniquity. Wealth honestly gotten, mercifully and bountifully used and moderately enjoyed, is a great mercy of God. If God make you rich, do you show yourselves to be good as well as rich, or else riches do not make a man the better that hath them, neither can they make his life much more comfortable; yea it doth appear often that riches are laid up for the owners thereof for hurt. Eccles. 5.13. And these be the benefits temporal which Abraham had for himself, a good wife, good children in their kind, and one religious, good servants, good friends, good name, good favour and great wealth, to which add one particular benefit, a great and famous victory over four great and conquering Kings, A great and famous victory. as the Holy Ghost telleth us, Gen. 14.15. he pursued them, he divided himself against them he and his servants by night, and smote them and pursued them to Hobah, and brought back all the goods, and Let his brother and his goods and the women and his people. An absolute victory was obtained by Abraham's wisdom and valour, God gave him the wisdom, God gave him the valour, God gave him the success. The Prophet Esay sets forth God's goodness to Abraham in general, as a sure argument, that God will show the like mercies to his people in after times, bidding them look unto Abraham and Sarah, and saying, Isa. 51.2. I called him, I blessed him and increased him, and 41.2, 3. He setteth forth this very benefit in magnifical phrases, saying, who raised up the righteous man from the East? Isa. 41.2, 3. called him to his foot? gave the nations before him and made him rule over Kings? gave them as dust to his sword? as driven stubble to his bow; he pursued them and passed safely by the way that he had not gone with his feet. God would have his people take notice of this mercy in saving Abraham, and making him victorious, to assure them of his like love in defending them, and giving them victory over all their enemies, even the whole Church, and each particular member thereof. He that sheltered Abraham, was with him, gave Kings before him, shall not he declare his love as much in future ages to his people? Surely he is the same for ever. Let this comfort us against all those that rise up against us. But what did God for others for Abraham's sake? First, 2. God did do good to others for Abraham's sake. 1. Blessed Lot and delivered him. he blessed Lot the more for Abraham's sake, and as it is noted, Let that went with Abraham had herds, and after when God destroyed Sodom he thought of Abraham and delivered Lot also. So God for a good man's sake will bless and help even his friends and well-willers, and those that belong to him shall be much the better for him, according to the promise that he had made, saying, I will bless them that bless thee. And for Abraham's children, 2. Blessed Isaac giving him goods and goodness. he blessed Isaac and gave him great outward things, yea gave him also grace and made him heir of the Covenant, and continued the Church in his house, giving him a son in the life time of Abraham. For Abraham had Isaac at a hundred, and lived 175 years, and Isaac married at forty, and had Esau and jacob at sixty, so Abraham lived to see those two sons about five years old, He gave also abundance of outward things to Ishmael. and gave outward things to Ishmael and abundance to him, that Princes came of him in likelihood during Abraham's life time, and he sent away his sons by Keturah with great riches, and you know that even after Abraham's death, God honoured him still, by calling him his friend in many places, showed favour to him after his death. and for his sake did great things for his sons after him in many generations. Thus you see, how worth the while it is to serve, fear, and obey God, what abundant blessings he grants, what honour and same even after death; though all God's people have not all these outward things in like manner bestowed upon them, yet they have that which is sufficient for them, and those that find their friends and children happy in outward respects, must observe God's hand to be thankful. Yea we must all take notice of Gods like dealing with many of his people, whose posterity flourish when they be dead, some in goodness as well as goods, and some at least in earthly respects, and leave a good name behind them, so that many years after their decease, their names are honourably mentioned, and all men count them good and faithful servants of God. The name of the righteous is had in everlasting remembrance, Psal. 112.6. whilst they live, and when they die God shows himself gracious and bountiful to them, even in temporal blessings oftentimes as well as spiritual. But if any want these outward benefits, they must consider of themselves whether their sins do not deprive them thereof. For sometimes such mercies are denied to God's people to chastise, and keep down, and root up some vices in them. David was crossed in his children, to correct his fondness, and to chastise his adultery and murder: Salomon's posterity was brought low, to chastise his Idolatry; If in outward things the Lord seem careless of his people, they might easily find by searching, that some evil carriage of theirs hath caused him to chastise them in this life, that by being brought to repentance, they might not be destroyed and perish in another world, and so much for these temporal benefits. Abraham's spiritual blessings. 1. He was called from a false religion to the true. Now for spiritual blessings, the first was, that God called him out of his Country and Father's house, from the Idols of his Father's house, for they served false gods there, Iosh. 24.2. and acquainted him with himself the only true God. No greater blessing can befall a man here, then to be called from a false religion to the true religion, so that his heart be inclined also to the practice of the true religion, and that he be effectually sanctified as was Abraham. We must look that we have this mercy of effectual calling; Indeed from Idols and such kind of false gods, we are called, or rather we have been kept from following them at all, but ah, are we called to walk before God in holiness and righteousness? not alone turning from darkness to light, from a false religion to the true, but from the power of Satan unto God, that is, from serving the Devil in a wicked life to serve God in an holy life. If we be not so called, we are not sons of Abraham, and outward blessings will do us little good. If we be, than we have cause to rejoice before the Lord our God with exceeding great joy, for he that is so called, happy is he. This is a mercy of mercies, to be a Saint by calling, one whom God hath so wrought upon by his Spirit, that his outward call hath won him from the state of corruption to the state of grace. And if any find not himself so called, or find it doubtful to himself, whether he have been so called yea or not, let him earnestly seek to God for it, and if we would know whether we be called yea or not, compare ourselves with Abraham's Call, Gen. 12.1. God had said, meaning, before his Father's death, before he dwelled in Charran saith Steven, for though because Terah was the Father, the departure is ascribed to him, yet God gave the call first to Abraham and he acquainted his Father with it, and so his Father went out and he with his Father, as a son in the family and household of his Father, and bids him leave kindred and Father's house, and go into a Country which God should show him, promising him large offspring, great blessings, and that the promised and blessed seed should come of him: for S. Paul saith, Gal. 3.8. that God preached the Gospel before to Abraham, when he said, in thee shall all Nations be blessed, so that he was more largely instructed by God of remission of sins and salvation everlasting by one that was to be borne of him. Now God caused him also to believe these promises, so that he left his Father's worship and obeyed God. If any of us have had the Word of God preached in our ears, and by name the promises of the Gospel, and hath found his heart so affected with those promises, and the true belief of them, that it hath made him follow God in a holy conversation of life, and leave his former sins, travel towards the land of life, that land which God had showed him in the paths of righteousness and true holiness, this is effectual calling, happy and blessed is this man. Rejoice in this calling, and bless God for it more than for all earthly things whatsoever. And if any of you be not as yet so called, let him see his misery, and now call upon God so to call him, till he find his prayers granted: for if we turn to God he will turn to us, and if we seek to him for the performance of his gracious Covenant in putting his Spirit of Sanctification in our hearts, he will not fail to do it. But a second spiritual blessing was 1. 2. Spiritual blessings. He gave him most gracious promises. 2. He appeared to him many times to renew those promises. 3. He entered into a Covenant with him and his seed after him. 4. He graciously accepted his prayers and after this life he saved his soul. First, he made him gracious promises, Gen. 12.2. I will bless thee, 1. God made him gracious promises. and make thee a great Nation, and thou shalt be a blessing, and I will bless them that bless thee, and will curse them that curse thee. Again, he appears to him to renew this blessing, and these promises. Gen. 13.4. promising him a large offspring again, and the possession of the land of Canaan, understood by Abraham to be a figure of an heavenly inheritance, for he sought a City to come, saith the Author to the Hebrews. Again, Chap. 15.1. 2. Appeared to him many times to renew those promises. and in the whole Chapter he confirmeth the promise again by another vision, I am thy shield and thine exceeding great reward; so to comfort him against the doubts which he might have, that the vanquished Kings might prepare an army and return upon him, and there also again he renews the promise of giving him a son, yea giving him a multitude of children after him, and by a sign confirms it to him: Look up to Heaven (saith he) and count the Stars, etc. yea gave him faith to believe it, and assures him that he was justified, and that he accepted that faith of him for righteousness, accounting him by means of that faith for the sake of him in whom he believed, as perfectly just, as if he had perfectly fulfilled the Law. And yet more fully assuring him of his goodness by entering into a covenant with him in a vision, 3. He entered into a covenant with him and his seed after him. and by sacrifice. And in Chap. 17. he renews the same covenant with him again, and confirmeth it by the seal of circumcision, and by changing his name, assuring him also, that he should have the son of the promise, by his most beloved wife Sarah, and telling him also what name he should be called by, Isaac, from his laughing at the promise, not by way of distrust and unbelief, but of faithful joy and gladness in it. And in Chap. 18. he appeareth unto him again in form of a man, and tells him the particular time of the child's birth, and acquaints him with his purpose concerning the overthrow of Sodom. And last of all, after he had offered Isaac he appears unto him again, and by an oath confirms to him the former blessings, Gen. 22.16. which he had never done before. This is a singular mercy to Abraham, to give him so many promises, to renew them so often to him, and confirm them so strongly to him. And you must look whether God vouchsafe to show himself thus to you, even to bring home to your souls in the reading and hearing of his word, and exercises of religion, the gracious promises of his word, giving you by his Spirit assurance that he admittteth you into the covenant, is your God, pardons you, blesseth you, and will give you all needful things for soul and body, and make you partakers of eternal felicity. All Gods servants that are the seed of Abraham, have this holy communion with God in his word, in prayer, in his ordinances, which Abraham had in these dreams and visions: for to the Father's God showed himself by those means, to us by these, and Christ saith, that his Father and he will come and show themselves unto those that love him and keep his commandments, and sup with them. O if you find this spiritual familiarity with God, how happy are you. If not, truly earthly blessings are of no great value, they be common to good and bad. And now seek you, seek you these spiritual blessings, Gods assuring you of pardon of sin, and appearing unto you more and more to confirm your faith in the promises of the Gospel, and to make you assured of your eternal happiness, and that he is your God, until at length he do even as it were swear it unto you, and make you certain of it? And brethren, be you encouraged to answer Gods call, to repent, to live holily, to cast of your sins and become obedient as was Abraham, for though perhaps you may not be so rich as he, nor have so many childeren, nor have so great outward favours, yet will God be your God, he will be your shield, he will be your reward, he will bless you in all things, he will give you the inheritance of life eternal, as sure as he did to Abraham; he will hear and accept your prayers, and he will bring you safe to the land of rest, to Heaven that true rest, where you shall have no more unquietness inward nor outward. Into Abraham's bosom will he receive all those, that be the true sons of Abraham. Learn to esteem of these spiritual blessings, though perhaps they may be separated from the temporal, God therefore alone divideth them because he sees you be not fit for both, but would be hindered from enjoying the one and growing in the one, by the overfull enjoyment of the other. But the better I say you shall surely have as well as Abraham, God will more and more assure you of his favour, and of his kingdom, and show himself more and more graciously unto you, in confirming to you his comfortable promises more and more. This is better than all the riches of the whole world; If Abraham had enjoyed this whole world and not this sweet intercourse with God, his life would not have been half so comfortable and happy, but if his estate had been never so poor and mean in outward things, yet would this sweet fellowship with his Maker have made him happy and blessed enough. Spirittuall good things are the chief and principal, blessed is the man whom God pleaseth to take for his own, to call to himself, to strengthen in faith, to make more and more certain of his salvation. This is the blessing of Abraham that comes unto the Gentiles by faith in Jesus Christ. This poor and afflicted Saints enjoy as well as rich; This seek, this labour for, by endeavouring to walk with God, and by being upright. If any say, But alas I want this, I find not God showing himself to me in his ordinances, I find him not settling my heart. I Answer, If he have called thee out of sin to a good life, and that thou indeavourest to follow him, he will in due time show himself unto thee, fear it not, and the longer he seems to defer the revealing of himself, the more abundant and exceeding great shall the comfort be at last. God will not fail to bless his people with spiritual blessings, and comfort them with spiritual comforts, if they walk before him in sincerity. I proceed to tell you of good Abraham's crosses, Abraham's crosses. which if you compare them with isaac's, were much greater than his, if with Jacob's they seem in some respects much less. But if you consider them simply, they were some of them exceeding heavy to bear. We will rank them into a certain order. First, God put him to suffer an heavy cross at his first call, 1. He changed his country and left his father's house. as many times also he doth many of his servants. His kindred and his Father's house were all Idolaters, and God saw that he should have had much ado to have maintained himself and the truth of his religion, if he should have continued amongst them. Wherefore he caused him to leave that place, and those persons, and to go into another land which he should show him, according as in the Psalm, the Prophet speaks to Pharaohs daughter, Psal. 45.10. forsake thy kindred and thy father's house, and this affliction often assaileth the Saints of God, at their looking towards true piety, when they begin to forsake sinful courses and to look towards Heaven; though they change not their country for a new habitation, nor leave their father's house to go into a region far distant, yet their father's house falleth out with them, they cease to be friends to them, and they feel that which sometimes our Lord hath foretold, Mat. 10.36. a man's enemies shall be those of his own house, yea father hates the son, and the son the Father. For a man's inward and nearest friends are more weary of him then, than any other, because having occasion of conversing with him, they more see his piety, else as Owls are more offended with the light, and because wanting that commerce in evil and vanity which once they had, they are more displeased at the change. We must learn therefore whosoever mindeth to follow Christ and be his Disciple, learn to love him above all persons, yea as himself teacheth us, to hate Father and Mother, even to hate them I say; that is, to be willing to part with them, as if we hated them for Christ's sake. And as here the Lord so provided for Abraham, that he wanted no friend in any place where ever he came, a foreign country afforded him as much welfare as his native soil could have done, so whosoever shall lose any such thing for Christ's sake, shall be sure to receive in this life an 100 fold, that is, an hundred times more good and comfort, than those things or persons could have afforded, yea many times also a larger measure, and greater number of outward things and outward friends. This was the first cross of Abraham, leaving his country, see next what he met with in Canaan another country, in respect of his estate and the persons that were dearest to him. 2. Was uncertain where he should dwell. First for his estate, God gave him no possession, no not the breadth of a foot, but made him travail up and down in tents, without either certain house or any inheritance. This is a cross too, and a thing little pleasing to flesh and blood, to be of a fleeting condition, not knowing where he shall dwell next month or next year, to be without house or home, that he can call his own; by which God taught Abraham, to use the world as though he used it not, and to set his heart more upon the things above, because he had so little settledness in the things below. The people of God must be content to be rolled as it were up and down from place to place, to be in the Earth as in a Sea, in which they shall be tossed now hither now thither, and have no fixed dwelling almost, and our Lord Christ after he was a Preacher, was accustomed to such a kind of Pilgrim's life, now in judea, now in Galilee, now in Caesarea, now in Cana, now in Decapolis, he had not an house to lay his head in. S. Paul was likewise accustomed amongst other miseries, to bear this, of having no certain dwelling place. If God call any of us to such a condition, it must not seem much to us, to eat the bread of such worthy men, nor to pledge them in the same cup. He whose soul is not glued to the world, can well endure this kind of tumbling, none other will, unless he be a man that loves to wander. 3. Suffered crosses. 1. In Lot his kinsman. Now for the persons near to him, first, his Kinsman, than those of his family. One and only one Kinsman he had with him, that we read of, Lot. In him he suffered two troublesome crosses. First, upon occasion of a trouble that fell out betwixt the servants of Lot and of Abraham, they were fain to part habitations. Their riches were so great, that the land afforded not room for both their herds and flocks, hence the herdsmen and shepherds on both sides had occasion of jarring about places of pasture. One would have his cattle here, another would have his, and so variance grew. Abraham saw that this variance would proceed farther and farther, and to prevent mischief, gives Lot his choice where he would dwell, so saith the Scripture, they were separated a man from his brother. This no doubt was tedious to Abraham, that Lot and he might not be near neighbours at once, for the event after made it appear how dear Lot was unto him, and therefore after Lot's departure, the Lord appeared unto Abraham to comfort him, as taking notice what a trouble it was unto him. And this kind of cross doth fall out to men, either increase of riches or want of it, or some thing falleth out, that causeth they must be separated from their special friends, or some unkindness and jars grow betwixt them, that their agreement is not so cordial and hearty as it ought to be. But the next Cross in Lot was worse, for in the spoil of Sodom, he was spoiled and taken captive by those that took the Sodomites captive. This coming to Abraham's ears pierced him indeed, that his loving Cousin who had been brought up in his house with him, and had borne him company in all his peregrination from Vr till almost that time, should fall into the hands of so cruel enemies, should have his cattle and goods seized upon, and himself, and wife, and children, made slaves and bondmen. This affliction is usual enough in the world. Much misery and distress befalls them to whom we wish well, and we suffer in their sufferings whom natural affection doth so endear us unto, as that we cannot but have a fellow-feeling with them in their distresses, as the members of the body suffer by consent. But a second evil that I had almost forgotten pinched Abraham in Lot, for Lot lost all in Sodom and went and dwelled in the Mount, and there lay with his two daughters, and begat of each of them a son. This was no doubt noised abroad, it came to Abraham's ears, and filled his heart with a great deal of grief, that such a man as he had taken Lot to be and found him to be, after God had afflicted and chastened him, and also showed him mercy and delivered him, should run into so monstrous and unnatural sins, as to commit incest, not with one of his daughters which had been far too much, but even with both of them, one after the other. This I say pierced Abraham's soul to think of, he could not but be sensible of all the bitter reproachful taunts that the true religion of God would suffer for this crime of Lot. The sins and crimes of those that are dear to us, and the reproach that follows thence, both upon themselves and sometimes upon the truth of God which they profess, must needs breed much heaviness unto good men, and sometimes the providence of God so disposeth of things, that the people of God shall be humbled so, as Paul saith God would humble him he feared, when he should find many impenitent sinners in Corinth, and it had brought anguish to his heart, that the incestuous man had not alone so shamefully offended, but also been tolerated by the Church, as no doubt also the hearsay of Rubens incest was a great vexation of heart to jacob, when the report of it was brought unto him. Now see what Abraham suffered in his own house in respect of his wives and children. 4. His wife Sarah was twice taken away from him. First, his wife Sarah a good woman and dear to him, was twice taken away from him, once by the King of Egypt, and after by the King of Gerar, and he could not but be grieved at it so much the more, because it came to pass by his own default and sin, and because she was so taken away, as that it was likely every day, that she should have been married to another man, or at least have been made a minister to serve his lust. What an anguish was this think you? How did this gall his heart? when he abode alone in his Tent, and Sarah was not in hers, when he lay alone at home and Sarah bore him not company, yea when she was perhaps in the bosom of another man, to whom he had betrayed her by his cowardly fears and dissembling, it scarce befalleth any of us to meet with such a cross in his wife. 5. Sarah was barren. But secondly, Sarah his wife was barren, she had no children, fruitfulness and she were parted, as the Holy Ghost noteth. This affliction hath befallen many good women, and it was so much the more bitter to Abraham, because he did not intend to take any other woman, but that at last Sarah when herself was now by means of age past all hope, did earnestly persuade him unto it. To be childless is a cross wherewith some are exercised, but to Abraham it was a worse cross than ordinary, because the want of a child was to him the want of salvation too, for himself and all Nations were to be blessed in his seed: So that if he had had no son, he could have had no Heaven, and nothing stood as a stronger objection against his being saved, than his being childless. Barrenness with this aggravation comes not to any of us, and if God had not eased this burden to Abraham, by often renewing the promise of a child unto him, doubtless it would have afflicted him sore. 6. There fell out a great jar betwixt him and Sarah. But another cross in Sarah upon occasion of Hagar, there fell out a great jar betwixt him and Sarah, and she that ever before had showed herself a dutiful and respective wife, now broke forth into much tartness and passion with him, eagerly and wrongfully charging him to maintain Hagar against her, and to be the cause of her stubborn and contemptuous carriage. This sounded harshly in Abraham's ears, and this language was tedious, to be so rated by Sarah, it made him think the case strangely altered. Indeed he by his wisdom calmed the tempest very soon, it continued not long, but it was a sour thing for the time; many a man hath the same trouble for matter, but more frequent and more lasting. A wife's passions are an husband's sufferings, her anger and discontent and brawls with maids and men and children sometimes fall upon him, and she is ready causelessly to quarrel with him, when she is displeased with them, this cross is so much the more tedious, by how much a man doth more affect and love his wife, and sometimes too it is aggravated by this, that he hath some way been an occasion of it though unwittingly. But lastly, Abraham buried Sarah, she died before him, 7. Sarah died before him. and he was fain to part with her unto the dust. This calamity falleth upon many men to bury their wives, but to many it is not a calamity, they know how very quickly to make this affliction nothing, by a speedy bringing in of another: but to Abraham who loved Sarah and had long lived with her, it must needs be matter of sorrow, and so the Scripture witnesseth saying, He rose up from before his dead, Gen. 23.3. whether he had gone before to mourn and weep for her. These things he suffered in his wife Sarah. Now in his Concubine Hagar, 8. He suffered in Hagars' ill carriage to Sarah, and in her running away being with-child. first her ill carriage to Sarah was surely a grief to Abraham, when two such persons fall at odds, he that is a common friend to both suffers in both. The custom of polygamy is weeded out of the Christian world, so that men now are happier than to be vexed with the mutual brawling of two Antagonists, as I may call them: but now the contentions of near friends do fall out somewhat bitter sometimes, to them that love both so well that they know not where to take part. Secondly, When she was now great by him, she ran away from him and Sarah, and carried the fruit of his body away with her. This no doubt grieved Abraham, he took her alone for desire of offspring, not to satisfy lustful desires, and now when she promised seed, and his heart was raised up with expectation of a son, to have all his hopes dashed by the quarrels that Sarah had with her, she being gone away, and he knowing not where to have her, nor how to procure her return, nor what was become of her, nor of his child wherewith she went, and which was dear unto him, even now before he saw it in the world. This surely put him to much grief and sorrow. This cross is not very usual, to have a great bellied wife run from a man, but if such a kind of desertion shall befall any, either he must be very respectless of his wife, or else it would be a corrasive unto him. But a worse cross or as bad befell him after, 9 He was made to divorce Hagar and send her quite away. for at last the Lord made him to divorce Hagar, and to send her quite away, never again to live with him. This was as bad and worse than to bury her. If God do even separate a man's wife from him, either his affection to her is little, or else his grief for her will be much, but he had Sarah his first wife, and that served to mitigate the putting away of his superadded woman. So you see his domestical afflictions in his wife, now consider what he suffered in his childerens, 1. In Ishmael whom he had first, he was fain to banish him, 10. He was forced to thrust Ishmael out of his family. or excommunicate him whether you will, or both, this was an hard thing to him, he had but two sons and now he must thrust one out of his family for aught that he knew, never to see him again. He must adventure him to the wide world, and send him abroad with his mother, in all probability of reason to starve or beg he knew not whether. Would it not grieve and trouble any of you? to send a pretty youth about a dozen or ten years old out of his house, without any thing but a bag and a bottle, not knowing what he would do, or whether he must go: yet God tried Abraham thus, he must learn to trust God's word without means and above hope. The promise was, that God would make him a great man, and now God began to perform promise, by seeming to make him a beggar; If God seem to threaten us with beggary in our posterity, we must consider, that such a cross seemed to be rushing upon Abraham, but God found means to make that son great, to whom he was not suffered to give any thing, that it might be made evident, that it is easy with God to enrich a man cast out and destitute of all friends. 11. He was crossed in Isaac many ways. But Abraham had another son, see the crosses that befell him in Isaac. First he waited long for him before he had him. To be long deferred from enjoying a thing promised and hoped for, is a burden somewhat tedious, if a man have not faith and patience in some good measure and quantity. Thus God tried Abraham, he lived twenty five years after the promise of a large offspring, before he embraced the same which the promise pointed to. How could we brook the deferring of a promise twenty five years? But when he had him, was the last trial and worst of all; he must take him and ride with him a long journey of three days to a certain mountain, and there he must offer him up to God for a burnt offering, here God tried Abraham to the quick. He must deny natural affection, in killing a son so dear unto him, and that at this age: If God see fit to have him, why did he not call for him when he was a young child, before he had filled his heart with so intense love and earnest expectation; If he will have him now, why cannot he send some disease to fetch him, but the Father must murder the son: so nature must give place to God's commandment. He must also deny his credit in the world, and expose himself to most harsh, and in show just censure of all men, yea of his family and of his wife Sarah too, whose grief for her slaughtered son must needs cause her to lad her husband with grievous complaints, and in appearance also righteous. Yea he must in some sense contradict and cross even faith itself, by slaying him in whom the Lord had said unto him. In Isaac shall thy seed be called. Thus faith must conquer nature, conquer credit, and conquer itself, which also it did in Abraham: Heb. 11.19. For he considered that God was able to raise him up again from the dead, from whence in a figure he had received him. So it seemeth good to God, to put his servanrs hard to it, and to require such things at their hands, as cannot but be very difficult unto them. Thus you have heard of Abraham's life, Abraham's death. now at last he died in peace and in a good old-age, after he had lived 175. years, not so long as his Fathers and forefathers, God still shortening the age of man usually, that he might put them and us in mind of our latter end, and make us careful to prepare for it continually. (* ⁎ *) THE NINTH EXAMPLE. OF SARAH, HAGAR. AS Abraham is called the Father of the faithful, so it is also said to Godly women concerning Sarah, 1 Pet. 3.6. whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well, etc. So that she is honoured with this title of being the mother of believers, as he was the Father. Having therefore set before you the example of Abraham, we proceed to consider the example of Sarah his wife. Let us see 1. Her birth, 2. Her life, 3. Her death. Concerning her birth, her Father is known, Sarahs' birth. her Mother is not known. She had the same Father with Abraham, not the same Mother, for so he telleth Abimelech saying, Gen. 20.12. She is indeed my sister, the daughter of my Father, not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. For as yet God had not forbidden to marry with any of the kindered of one's flesh as after he did, so that as yet he might lawfully take his sister by the one side to be his wife, the consort of his bed; and she was borne 10. years after Abraham, for it is noted, that when Isaac was borne, she was 90. years of age and he a 100 So was she 10. years younger than himself, and he exceeded her in age 10. years, as it is meet though not necessary, that the husband be somewhat elder than his wife, Gen. 21.5. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was borne to him. Gen. 17.17. Shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear? so it is manifest, that there was the difference of ten years betwixt Abraham and Sarah. And this is all we have to say of her Birth. Her life. Now concerning her life, we will look into her carriage good and bad, and then to the things that befell her good and bad. 1. Her virtues 1. Her faith. First then for that which was good in her, in respect of God, man, and herself. For God, she is commended for her faith, for the Author to the Hebrews telleth us, Heb 11.11. That by faith she received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a son when she was past age, because she was persuaded that he was faithful which had promised, where you see the nature of faith, it is an acknowledging of God's faithfulness, a giving him the honour of his faith, and setting to one's seal that God is true. Faith causeth the mind of a man to submit itself to the Word of God, and to be assured that he can and will keep promise, for to the promise of God it looketh principally, and this faith will cause a man to receive power from God to do those things, which otherwise of himself he wanted all power to do. This faith will make a weak man strong, it will put fruitfulness into a barren womb, and life and strength into a dead body, it will make a barren soul fruitful in good works, and make the heart to conceive the Word so as to bring forth the fruit of good living, whereto of itself it is as unable, as a body past age is unapt to bring forth a child. Consider therefore, whether you have gotten such a faith into your hearts, as makes you fruitful of good works. If we believe Gods promises faithfully, it will sub-minister strength to produce all sorts of good works, which otherwise the heart of itself would never produce. For he that believeth God's promises shall obtain strength from God to obey his holy Commandment, and according to the strength of it, to abound in good works of all sorts. Faith is a strong grace and puts a new power into the soul by which it shall be fit to do good works. We have more largely discoursed of the nature of faith in the Example of Abraham, who is also commended for faith. Then Sarah in respect of Abraham her husband had two worthy virtues. 2. She obeyed her husband. First, she obeyed Abraham her husband. Secondly, she reverenced him, and that in her heart and tongue too, for she called him Sir when she thought of him in heart. Her obedience showed itself in a cheerful forwardness to prepare things necessary to entertain Angels that came unto her in the likeness of men, for it is said, Gen. 18.6. Abraham hasted into the Tent to Sarah, and bade her quickly make ready three measures of fine flower and make cakes upon the hearth, which she did accordingly without grumbling or deferring. She did not oppose her husband and demand, husband, you know not what these men be? nor whence they come? why should you make such care to prepare for them? but without any more ado, at her husband's commandment, she gate all things ready according to his desire. This is a commendable thing in a wife, and is to be followed by all you godly women, who would be counted daughters of Sarah; if your husbands wish you to do things honest and lawful, you must address yourselves not to make your objections, but to yield your cheerful obedience according to S. Paul's commandment, that saith, 1 Pet. 3.1. Wives be subject to your husbands in all things. If any say, that this was but a small matter. I answer, true, but it is reported as it were a taste of her good disposition in this matter, and a sign of her dutiful obedience, the glory whereof the Holy Ghost giveth her more generally, saying, that she obeyed her husband, meaning, 1 Pet. 3.6. constantly and generally she submitted herself and was obedient. Secondly, it is noted of her, that she reverenced her husband, 3. She reverenced her husband. which is also commanded to wives by S. Paul, saying, Let the wife see that she fear her husband. Lo it is earnestly charged upon women, they must look to it that they yield it: Let the wife, that is, every wife, see, that is, carefully look to it, and not make shifts or pretend excuses, but see, that she do it, even fear her husband. There is a double fear, A double fear one which maketh one tremble and fly from the thing feared as hurtful and mischievous, so as men do fear a Lion or Bear, to run from him as fast as they can, that he may not tear us in pieces, such a fear as this is not required. Another fear is, fear of offending, wronging, or grieving the person feared, flying and shunning all such things as would displease him and make him conceive with dislike an irrespectivenesse of him. This is the fear of the wife, not to dare to displease her husband or anger him, not so much lest he should fly upon her with reproofs and blows, as lest she should be an instrument of grief to one, whom she loveth and honoureth by her undutifullnesse and rudeness. And it must be noted that she did so reverence him as to call him Lord. And how did she call him Lord? not in speaking to him, or in speaking of him before others, by whom it might be told him again what she had said, but when she thought of him or spoke of him with the inward speech of her heart, which none could relate again, but God who hath related this to her praise. For that title she gave him even in her inward cogitations, when she said in herself at the hearing of the Angels promise, that she should have a son, Gen. 18.12. Shall I have pleasure after I have waxed old, my Lord being old also. So the reverence of a good wife should be hearty, and cause her when she doth but think, of her husband, even then to give a title of due respect. Wherefore to give rude and undecent terms to an husband, such as would but become a Mistress speaking to her bondman, Ned, jack, Dick, Tom, Robin, is even a little too much familiarity in a wife, favouring of some degree of contempt. The ground of these two duties, reverence and obedience, is the image of God in the husband: For he doth stand in God's room over her, because as Christ is the Head of his Church, so is the husband the wife's head, 1 Cor. 11.3, 7 and the woman is the glory of the man, meaning, one that is made to bring some glory and honour to him. Now by this fruit of Sarahs' obedience which the Holy Ghost hath noted, it is proved that Sarah was huswifely in her house, even as a woman that could stir about in her family, and look to the dispatching of necessary affairs by her servants and them in her family. For had she been a coy and nice or idle and slothful dame, she would neither have dressed meal, nor kneaded it, nor made cakes of it, nor seen to the baking of them, nor yet have followed her maidservants, and looked that they should have been diligent in this business. ● She was a loving Mother and nursed Isaac herself. Gen. 21.7. Further in respect of her son Isaac, she was a very loving Mother and nursed him with her own breasts, and thought it a duty for her so to do, for so it is noted of her that she said by way of thankful wondering at the benefit, who would have said to Abraham that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have borne him a son in his old age, as if she confessed, that giving a child suck should not be separated from bearing him. And indeed nature doth manifestly call upon women for this duty, for to what purpose hath God given them breasts? as it were bottles, at that time replenished with such a fit and well pleasing food for the babe, surely not to milk out on the ground, not to draw it back by medicines and devices, but to give it to the new inhabitant of the world, with whom it came into the world. So soon as a woman hath a child in her womb ready to bring forth, she hath also milk in her breasts fit for its feeding, and is not this as much, as if the Lord should speak unto her and say, I would have you take care to bring up this child which thou hast brought forth, with this nourishment, which I have laid up in store for it, for surely God and nature make nothing in vain. This loving part of Sarah is more considerable in respect of her age and her greatness of estate and household, for she was ninety years old, and might in that respect have seemed warranted to have given herself a dispensation from this service, and to have said, should a woman of mine age endure the labour of watching and waking and looking to a child, and enduring all its froward fits and a number of attendance? why may I not set it to a younger woman stronger and better able to do it then myself? She was wife to Abraham, a man of great place and state, fellow to a King, with whom Kings sought to be in covenant, and should such a woman as I? might she have objected, submit myself to this mean and laborious office, may not I hire another to do it for me? mine husband, might, she have said; is a great man and withal hospital. If he bring in men of place and fashion, must I be hindered from entertaining them by dandling a child and being made unhandsome and unfit for company with tending a babe? might not another do this as well as I? of whom such entertaining would not be expected. Again, have I not a very great household? must I leave the care of looking to them for suckling of a child? which another ordinary body may do as well as myself, that will not perform the duty of over-seeing mine house. Sarah made no such excuses, but when she had borne Abraham a son she would also give the child suck. And truly, this duty is a very good duty, and grounded upon very good reason; For who doth not see? that it is a very great means of causing Mothers to grow in tenderness of love to their children, and so of making children afterwards more dutiful to them. Last of all, 5. She apparelled herself modestly. Sarah in regard of herself did apparel herself with modest and not over-costly attire, for S. Peter's words propound her to be imitated by the good women in that particular, saying, 1 Pet. 3.5. so did the godly women that feared God in former time attire themselves as Sarah, and she is manifestly brought in for a pattern of this virtue, even decent, not flaring nor over-chargeable garments. The Holy Ghost hath given women warning in two places of this duty both by the pen of S. Paul and S. Peter, 1 Pet. 3.3.4. whose adorning (saith he) let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, wearing of gold, and putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, and S. Paul saith, Not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly attire, 1 Tim. 2.9, 10 but as beseemeth women professing godliness with good works, meekness, quietness, good works, these must be the jewels and ornaments of a good woman, gaudy and wanton tricks of frizling, platting, curling the hair, and sumptuosity in gallant things and chargeable must not be looked after by good women. This tricking and trimming doth nothing but allure the eyes of beholders, and call wanton eyes to play with them. It doth nothing but speak forth their haughtiness and self-conceit. I know it is lawful for women of rich estate and high place to wear jewels, silk, purple, scarlet, gold, silver, but women must be sure not to be given to such things, nor to be more costly than their husband's purses and places will bear, nor to be sumptuous this way, that if their costs about works of mercy were laid in balance against their cost in attire, the former would prove in a manner nothing to the latter. For most times it proves true, no women more niggardly and pinching to any good work of bounty or mercy, than those that are most costly and finish in their coats. Those that are so curious and costly in attire, are hard and near in good works, and so do gain to themselves reproach and contempt in steed of that credit and good esteem, which they think their garments do bring them. You see Sarahs' virtues, compare yourselves with her now. And those that find themselves like her in some degree, viz. faithful in believing Gods Word, especially his promises, obedient and reverend to their husbands, that have nursed their own children, and do not curiously and sumptuously set up themselves in their attire; Let them be commended, let their consciences approve them and give them comfort in being found like to this godly Matron. It is an excellent thing to tread in the paths of those women Gods own pen hath renowned for gracious and virtuous, and hath borne witness of their uprightness and salvation We may with some good warrant promise ourselves to obtain favour of God and eternal life with them, whose godly conversation we have followed. She that looking herself in this glass of Sarah finds herself to resemble her in faith, in obedience, and reverence toward her husband, in doing such good offices to her children, and in comely and not over-costly arraying herself must bless the name of God, that hath fashioned her carriage according to the mould of so excellent persons. But those that instead of these virtues, shall find themselves deformed and disguised with the contrary vices, are to be greatly ashamed and humbled, and admonished to repent. And all the women that would have the comfort of being daughters to Sarah, must labour to get these graces and to abound in them. See that you be dutiful and good wives, and pray to God to make you such as was Sarah. Sarahs' faults. 1. She was weak in faith And now let us consider the weaknesses of Sarah. First, she was weak in faith, for this caused her to give Hagar to Abraham her husband, and so to bring the sin of Polygamy into the Church of God wherewith it may seem it was not polluted before. She doubted least herself should not be fruitful, and therefore brought Hagar to him, to try whether the promised seed might come of her, and yet once more she bewrayed more unbelief, when the Angel of God told Abraham in her hearing, that he should have a son by her at the time of life, she laughed at the promise of God as at a thing ridiculous and impossible, Gen. 18 12. saying, After I am old shall I have pleasure? Ver. 11. and my Lord being old also, for the Scripture saith, She was old and it ceased to be with her after the manner of women. See how when God promised a thing in nature and reason utterly impossible, she so far forgot the Omnipotent power of God, as to think sure it could never come to pass, though God had promised it, and the Angel reproved her, Ver. 14. saying. Shall any thing be impossible with God? Thus the people of God do sometimes stagger at the promise of God through unbelief, when God saith one thing and reason saith the contrary, they consult with flesh and blood, and credit their own reason above the authority of God which speaketh to them. This is a great fault, and tendeth much to the dishonour of God, as if his power were limited by the rules of reason, or by the course of nature, and did not exceed our reason and stand quite above the power of nature. We must see this sin in ourselves, labouring to be humbled at it but not discouraged, for this weakness of faith may well stand with the truth of faith, not he hath no faith at all who is many times troubled with doubting, but he which yields to it and is overcome by it. We must also strive to wax strong in faith, by putting ourselves in mind of God's Omnipotency and faithfulness, as Sarah did at length, for the Apostle witnesseth, Heb. 11.11. that she judged him faithful which had promised, and those promises which we must labour steadfastly to believe, are the promises of God to pardon our sins, and write his Law in our hearts, and to make us able to walk in his ways, and crown us at last with life and glory, nonwithstanding our sins and imperfections. Though the performance of these promises seem to us as impossible as that a dry woman should be a mother, yet we must labour to rest upon them, because of the fidelity of him that hath promised to perfect his power in our weakness. Another fault of Sarahs', was this, 2. She being angry, ●al●ely accused her husband. Gen. 16.5. that once she forgot herself to her husband, and was full of anger and discontent, wrongfully charging him to take her maid's part against her, saying, My wrong he on thee for I have given my maid into thy bosom, and now I am despised in her sight. It was true, that Hagar did slight her too much, but that Abraham was guilty of this fault by bearing out Hagar in it, that was altogether false, as his answer proveth plainly, for he saith, thy maid is in thine hand, do with her what thou wilt. Verse 6. So Sarahs' anger made her use false accusations against her husband. Be humbled ye wives, if you have chafed with your husbands and carried yourselves injuriously towards them in words, Sarah did this, but she did it not oft, it was this one time alone, so far as we read, in other things she behaved herself meekly and reverently. O look to yourselves, that you offend not continually in that thing wherein this good woman offended once alone, and no more, for this once was even too much, keep down anger therefore and let it not break out against your husbands. And you husbands, learn though your wives do transgress sometimes, not to be harsh with them again, but heal their errors with the spirit of meekness as Abraham also did. She must blame herself, but she may be endued with grace for all this. But another weakness of Sarah is, 3. She was somewhat too rough with Hagar. that she was somewhat too rough with Hagar, insomuch that Hagar could not endure it, for if she was so violent in words with Abraham, what do you think her carriage was to the maid, yea she was something too earnest against Ishmael and her too, when nothing would serve her, but that she must have them both together cast out of doors. For though God bade Abraham do according to her words, it followeth not thence, that she was not overpassionate in it. God for a mystery would have it done, and yet Sarah might offend in doing it. So good people are apt to be overharsh to them that wrong them, and exercise too much bitterness against them. 4. She dissembled at her husband's request. Another fault of Sarahs' was, that she dissembled at her husband's request, and that two several times, saying she was his sister, and so saying it, that those to whom she spoke, might think she was none of his wife, for that was the intention both of Abraham and Sarah. It is a weakness in wives sometimes to be led by their husbands, to do that that is evil, and to join with them in sin. Here Sarah hazarded her chastity to content her husband, to satisfy his fears, she was like to have brought herself and others into a fearful sin. This fault must be reform by good wives amongst others, and they must resolve not to sin against God for their husband's sakes, fearing his displeasure more than the danger of their husbands or their anger. Indeed in laying nay to such motions of their husbands, they must use reverence, and do it in a calm and quiet manner, but refuse they must, being warned by the example of Sarah. 5. She lied. Sarahs' last fault was, that she denied her laughter to the Angel, when she had sinned in laughing. To lie in a passion for fear of blame, denying that one hath done a thing which indeed one hath done, that so one may escape reprehension or correction, is a sin to which man's nature is very subject, springing from the want of the fear of God, and from an excessive carnal love to ones self, and desire of his own temporal safety. This fault you may read, Gen. 18.15. Read it not to do the like, but to amend it and to be moved to repent of it, if you have committed it. Now then let us reflect upon ourselves, and consider of our own carriage, both to condemn the like faults in ourselves, and to bear with them in others without bitter censuring, and so we shall profit by the knowledge of their evil deeds. Sarahs' benefits. Now let us consider the benefits that Sarah enjoyed, She had all those common benefits of health and strength and the like, which God doth usually bestow upon all men, but besides she enjoyed excellent benefits. 1. She was a holy woman. The first, that God gave her faith and saving grace, pardoned and passed by her offences, and sanctified her and hath saved her soul, notwithstanding her faults. This is the mercy of mercies, that God pleaseth to sanctify and pardon, and save a man, for if he be sanctified he is pardoned and shall be saved, what profit hath any one of other things if he want this, and so be damned for ever, after a little content enjoyed here. Let us therefore labour to find this goodness of God to us, let us humbly pray him that made Sarah godly, to make us so too. If when we read of this work of his grace to others, we praise him for it, he will grant it to us as well as to them. The Lord is able to make any other man or woman godly as well as Sarah. She had as bad a nature, and as unable to make herself good as we have, for she also was a daughter of Adam. Therefore if you find yourselves yet not to be endued with faith and holiness, take notice of these wants, and go to the throne of grace for grace, beseeching the Lord to fulfil his covenant to you, in giving you his Spirit to make you his children, and it shall be unto you according to your constant and humble supplications. And those whom God hath been pleased to deal so graciously with, let them heartily and constantly praise him, labouring to make all crosses seem nothing to them in comparison of this benefit. Say, though I be poor, despised, afflicted, yet God hath given me some faith and some holiness, and begun to sanctify and will preserve me in this estate to life eternal. What cause have I to be discouraged at crosses; to make one truly godly, though they be not without their faults, is the worthiest of all mercies. In Heaven the Saints rejoice in God, and are not interrupted in his service, by remembrance of former afflictions, we one earth should labour so to be glad in hope of that eternal weight of glory, that neither feeling of present miseries nor fear of future, should much hinder us therein. Secondly, Sarah had a godly husband, 2 She had a godly and rich husband that was well esteemed. and did partake with him of his riches, honours, credit and all the good things which he enjoyed. This is a great favour to a wife, if she be married to a good and holy man, and a man also of convenient estate and good esteem, that she may be comforted by his goodness, showing itself in good carriage towards him, and may taste the sweetness of his good and of his credit. To have an yoke-fellow that can patiently bear with ones wants, that is diligent and trusty, and so provideth for his family that nothing is wanting to herself and family, that lives in so good repute as she for his sake is better respected; in a word, such a one as is a comfort and credit to her, a saviour of his body as indeed the husband should be, is a singular benefit. She hath a great blessing that hath such a husband, and must not forget to be much and often thankful, yea though in some things he may be faulty, to the hurting, and hazarding, and bringing crosses both upon himself and her, as twice Abraham did though an excellent man. Take notice of his favour, and learn to be careful in doing your duties, so much the rather, because your husbands be virtuous. But next, she had Isaac at length, 3. She had a godly child. if God give a woman children and good children, godly and holy, partakers of the blessing of God in their souls, that is a benefit to the wife as well as to the husband, She shall have joy of such a child as well as he, both the parents of righteous children shall have joy of them. Let women as well as men acknowledge this mercy, we see that those which are crossed in children are much troubled at it, should not those whom God doth free from that little cross, giving them the contrary mercy, learn to praise and rejoice in him for it? 4. God delivered her twice out of a misery into which she had cast herself. But further, God did vouchsafe to deliver her twice out of that misery into which twice she had cast herself, by her own fault. If any one by their own unbelief, carnal fears, or other evil behaviour, have thrust themselves into the brambles, and God by his special providence and care hath granted them an happy issue and escape, they must even admire and applaud God's goodness, that hath so undeservedly pitied them, and passing by their faults hath carried himself fatherly to them. Sarah by saying I am Abraham's sister, procured, that she was taken by Pharaoh to be his wife, God hindered Pharaoh from coming near her, and after by a dream warned him of the matter, and so he dismissed Sarah untouched. After she offended in like manner again, and again the Lord in like manner delivered her: what a graciousness of God was this? She knew not in the world what to do, she had entangled herself in a snare and could not get out, now God he sets in, he breaketh the snare and sets her at liberty. Without doubt Sarah and Abraham both were exceeding glad of this escape, and praised God for it. If by the mere providence of God without any fault of our hand, miseries break in upon us, and then we cry to God and be rescued, we have cause to acknowledge it as a great favour. How much more than when he draws us out of the evils into the which we have sinfully thrust our own selves, sending some such means of help as we could never conceive of, or procure to ourselves. Call to mind such deliverances, to praise God with great fervency and humility for them, and learn both to trust upon his goodness after the more steadfastly, especially, if more than once we have thus ensnared ourselves, and more than once the Lord hath pitied us and helped us, we must never cease wondering at his goodness, resolving also to take heed of ever provoking him by like folly, for he that can open the door of danger, when we ourselves by seeking sinfully to escape some other evil, have locked it upon ourselves, can surely, yea and will keep us if we do cast ourselves upon him, and refuse to take up sinful and unlawful shifts. Could not the Lord have found a good and holy way of saving Abraham's life and Sarahs' chastity? of restraining the cruelty of these men as well as their wantonness: If God can help out of real and present danger beyond our hopes, he can surely keep us out of feared and imaginary dangers above our thoughts. And if any of God's people have wound themselves into crosses, they must not be dismayed from seeking to God for help, by aggravating their crosses with this thought, O foolish and sinful man, I have pulled it upon myself by my folly, how can I expect help from him? but most humbly acknowledge their own folly and yet take boldness to sue to him for mercy, both to pardon and to help them. These be the special benefits given to Sarah. Now her crosses must be considered. First, She was barren a long time, this was a cross to her no doubt, Sarahs' crosses▪ 1. She was barren a long time. because of her earnest desire to have childerens, and because as I said of Abraham, the hope of her salvation did hang upon the fruit of her womb. Barrenness is such a cross you see as hath befallen a godly woman. Let them therefore that are exercised with it, learn to bear it with patience, and labour to get hearts so much more fruitful of good works, that such spiritual fruitfulness may make amends for the want of the fruit of their bodies. If God make not a woman to bear children, but make her pious and godly, able to bring forth the fruits of the spirit in that spiritual marriage betwixt Christ and her, she hath cause to be so thankful for this fruitfulness, as easily to brook the trouble of the other unfruitfulness. And those whom God doth not afflict with this affliction, must learn to praise him for their fertile womb. It is a sin not to prise even these temporal benefits, but to grumble at abundance of fruit of the body, is so foul a fault of ingratitude and unbelief, that a man or woman should greatly blame themselves for turning a thing beneficial in itself into a distress and misery unto themselves. Another cross was, that she was slighted by her maid, 2. She was slighted by her maid. yea that she bore the cross somewhat impatiently, must be reckoned in the number of her sins. Doubtless it is a trying affliction to be assaulted with rude saucy and contemptuous words and gestures of a disobedient and undutiful servant. Hardly shall the spirit of a governor be able to hold itself in patience, when it shall see a servant or inferior to look too disdainfully or arrogantly, or hear them utter surly and scoffing words. Pride in an inferior shows itself by undutifulness, and it will prove an hard thing to the superior not to think it equal that pride should encounter pride again with passionate resistance of it. You must learn that have servants most times (as most times Hagar was) dutiful, to be thankful for it, and must take heed of doing any thing, by which you may give your servants occasion to sleight and contemn you, for their corruption will quickly lay hold upon any occasion of such misdemeanour. A third cross was this, 3. She was taken from her husband into the house of Pharaoh and Abimelech. to be taken from her husband into the house of Pharaoh, and after of Abimelech. 'Tis true she could blame none but herself and her husband for that cross, but that did not make it less a cross, as he is no less wounded that wounds himself by mischance, than he whom an enemy should purposely wound, and this cross was made a little the more bitter by this, that she was though gently and with mild words, yet duly chidden for it by Abimelech too, who tells her plainly of it saying, Gen. 20.16. I have given thy brother, (this name he gives Abraham ironically, with somewhat a tart rebuke, as much as if he had said, whom thou wouldst have had us think to be only thy brother) a 100 shekels, that is, of our money, some 72. lb. odd money, near upon a 100 marks, and adds, behold he is to thee a covering of thine eyes, and to all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. She was sensible of the rebuke, this was somewhat bitter, that a stranger should chide her for not sufficiently covering her eyes. Sure it was a grief to her to come under just reproof, we must take heed that our evil carriage make us not subject to just reprehension. We shall be ashamed to hear of what we were not careful to shun. And so much of Sarahs' life. Her death. Of her death we read, Gen. 23. She lived a 127. years, and died at Hebron, and was buried in the cave of Makphela, which Abraham bought for money of Ephron the Hittite, for that use upon that occasion. She is the only woman, Her age only of all women is mentioned in Scripture. (so far as my memory serves me,) whose time of living is registered in Scripture, whither it have any mystery in it I cannot tell, no woman's age is recorded but Sarahs' alone, the mother of Isaac, doubtless God intended to grace her in it above other women. And so we have done with Sarah too. Hagar, nothing in Scripture of her birth or death. It is probable she feared God, and why? It will not be amiss to add Hagar to her, of whose birth we have nothing recorded in Scripture, and as little of her death, but by that which the Scripture speaketh of her, there is some good probability that she was a woman fearing God, First because of all women in Sarahs' house (who having above 300. man-servants, must needs have many maide-servants also) she made choice of her to give unto her husband Abraham, to the end that some seed, yea the promised seed might be taken from her. Sure Abraham and Sarah would not have preferred her above all the maidens in the house, if they had not thought her also a good and godly maiden. I suppose therefore that seeing her matter and mistress thought her good, we should go against the rules of charity, though we read of some faults she had, if we think not so too. Her life. Let us consider of her life and see her virtues and faults, 1. Her Virtues. benefits and crosses. 1. She was obedient to her governor's. First, it was a great virtue in her, that all the time of her dwelling with Abraham before, she carried herself very dutifully and respectively to Sarah, else she would never have given her into Abraham's bosom. Let all servants learn of her to show all reverence and dutiful behaviour to their governor's, and not only to the rich and wealthy, but to the poor also, nay as S. Peter saith, not only to the good and courteous, but also to the froward, for so is God's commandment to them expressly, Ephes. 6. Col. 4. 1 Pet. 2. and if any servant do otherwise, they do not garnish and adorn, but disgrace and discredit true religion. The servant is no further godly than he or she shows reverence and honour to the master and governess. Look therefore that you set yourselves to please and content your governor's with all obedience and duty, if you will have God and your own consciences to approve of you. 2. She told the truth. Secondly, when the Angel met her and asked her whence she came, and whither she went, she answered plainly, and said, I fly from the face of my Mistress Sarah, Gen. 16.8. she told truth without lying, and that is a good thing and commendable to speak truth though it be to ones own shame, but to have told a lie to an Angel might have procured her great reproof, and herein you may see that Hagar exceeded her Mistress, for when the Angel charged Sarah with laughing, she denied it, but Hagar being examined confesseth the truth without lying. We shall do better in this case to follow the maid than the Mistress. Another good thing in her was that when she was commanded by the Angel of God to go and humble herself to her Mistress, 3. She submitted herself to her Mistress a● the Angels commandement. she did so. Here all you inferiors must learn of her, nay rather of the Angel which taught her what you should do, if you have by frowardness or ill carriage provoked your Governors, so that they do use perhaps a little too much rigour towards you, yet you must submit and humble yourselves, acknowledge your own faultiness, and patiently stoop to their words of reproof, yea or blows of correction. This submission is the best way to pacify wrath, and to settle peace. Afterwards, we read of no falling our betwixt Hagar and Sarah. Learn therefore all ye servants to stoop and be submissive, that will show humility and win favour with God and man. Further, 4. She was thankful to God for his goodness in bringing her home to Abraham's family. it was well done of Hagar and is some good proof of her piety, that she considered of this vision, Gen. 16.13. and called the name of God, thou God seest me, confessing that now she took notice of Gods seeing and observing her ways, and that she said moreover, have I also here looked after him that seeth me? as if she should say. Do I live after the Lord hath come thus to take notice of me, and to reproove me and send me home again, and so the name was called it may be by Abraham, to whom when she returned she related this vision, the well of him that lived, and him that saw, because the Angel looked upon her and she lived, or because the living God pleased to see her and look upon her. She was thankful to God for his goodness in looking mercifully upon her and bringing her home again to Abraham's family. We must be thankful if the Lord deign us that favour to meet us in our wander, and turn us back again from them. Further, 5. She was patient. it was a good thing in Hagar that she yielded herself to Abraham, to go away without murmuring and distemper, when he sent her away and her son in such poor fashion, patient bearing of such hard and severe usage was no little proof of goodness. And when her son was like to die for thirst, she showed herself patient, for she went a good way off, because she would not see him die, and there she sat and wept, she might have done better to have prayed with her weeping, but to sit and mourn, not to hang her nose over him weeping and roaring was some sign of patient discretion, showing her love to him. And lastly, she took care of him afterwards, 6. She was careful to provide her son a convenient wife. to provide him a convenient wife, for so it is said, Gen. 21.21. this is a duty of Parents to make fit provision for the timely bestowing of their children in marriage, whereof to be negligent is a part of one that regardeth not to keep his child in good order, and to make too much haste is to make them hasten to misery. So Hagar was a good servant and a good wise Mother, and a good woman, her carriage except in a few things was good. Sarahs' faults 1. She grew proud. See her faults now. First, she grew proud, because she was with child by Abraham and despised her Mistress. The Maidens of Leah and Rachel may shame Hagar in this, for neither of them is accused for any such misdemeanour. Take heed ye servants, that you grow not insolent and contemptuous against your governor's, you see how much it distempered Sarah, and it is a grievous sin to put your rulers into passion by your ill carriage. When the Angel met Hagar he commands her to go and humble herself to her Mistress. It is apparent therefore her carriage to her was amiss. There be some servants that having been overfamiliar with the Master, take occasion soon to slight their Mistress. So they add sin to sin and are found double offenders; If any of you have offended in contempt, much more in so ill grounded a contempt, do that which the Angel bad Hagar, humble yourselves before God, if not to your Mistresses. Follow what was good in Hagar not what was bad. 2. She ran away from her Mistress. Another fault of hers was, that she ran away from her Mistress, which the Angel also shows to have been sinful by sending her back again. Let not the Devil make any of you play the fugitive by running away from your governor's if they be somewhat sharp to you, rather strive to pacify them by submission, then to cast off the yoke by betaking yourselves to your heels. These be her only faults, for I am loath to charge her with having an hand in Ishmaels' mocking of Isaac, for Ishmael was then upon the point of sixteen years old, for Abraham was eighty six when Ishmael was borne, and 100 when Isaac was borne, and Isaac sucked some while, like enough above a year, and so Ishmael must be near about sixteen, that she may think he was so sensible of being Abraham's heir as to laugh at the stir made about the young child, as if by his coming into the world he should be disinherited. Her benefits. 1. She was one of Abraham's servants. Now see her crosses and comforts; First, she was so happy as to be a servant in Abraham's house and so a member of the true Church within the Covenant of grace, by virtue of her being a member of that domestical Church. It is a very good benefit, when the Lord vouchsafeth to place a servant in a good family under good and Christian Governors, which will afford them all good usage for their bodies, and all needful helps also for the salvation of their souls. They may enjoy as much comfort in this as in any one thing that can befall them in respect of their habitation and dwelling, to have good Governors in a good house. For in being under the roof and custody of a godly man, they be under the custody of God himself, and guard of holy Angels. Wherefore, let all those that have children and must dispose of them to be servants, be principally careful of this matter. Let your care be to provide for yours Masters, not alone of good estate with whom they may live comfortably for their bodies, having good attire, good fare, good diet and the like, but by whose means the may be helped to knowledge, faith, obedience, graces of all sorts and to life eternal hereafter. Seeing your children be made after God's image, have a soul as well as a body, and have need as much of things profitable for the soul, since that is the far better part, and if that be well, the good estate thereof will easily countervail and make amends for the evils which the body suffered, but if it be in bad estate, all the bodily benefits will nothing at all advantage it: therefore I require you in the first place to respect this most necessary thing in placing out your children. And all you servants that have been directed either by God's providence, or by the careful endeavours of your good friends unto such households wherein you have all good usage for your outward man, and over and above the comfortable helps of domestical duties to bring you unto goodness, take notice of this mercy and thank God for it, and take heed that you grow not weary of those holy duties, and show not yourselves so profane, as to be troubled at that which should be your greatest content. Yea I pray you so many as live in good families, strive so to conform yourselves to the goodness of the household, as that you may have goodness by the means of goodness there used, for otherwise that which should have procured life to you shall serve to make your destruction more terrible. Learn to pray, learn to hear God's Word, learn to be good by the precepts and examples of your Governors, else as our Saviour telleth, that it shall be easier with the Sodomites, than the Capernaites at the day of judgement, so shall it be for the servants of profanest Masters then for you that serve good and holy Masters and Mistresses. Secondly, Hagar had the favour of her Mistress very much, 2. She had the favour of her Master and Mistress. else you may assure yourselves that she would never have made her a Concubine to her husband, neither would Abraham have taken her to be Concubine wife if he had not thought some good of her. This therefore was a benefit to her, that she was well reputed of both by Abraham and Sarah, both the Governors of the family were well affected unto Hagar, and this is a great comfort unto a servant, that their Rulers entertain them with good liking, approving well of them and of their services, for by that means they be made capable of enjoying much comfort in their lives, and of receiving such courtesies and rewards from their Governors as they be capable of, and of escaping much hard usage which else they should likely feel. This should teach all servants to do their uttermost endeavour that they may, to win the love of their Governors by submissiveness and obedience, performing the commandment of the Apostle who commandeth to do service with good will, Ephes. 6.3. Tit. 2.9. and to please them well in all things and to serve with fear, and to do the will of God from the heart, remembering that they serve the Lord Christ, and if God will as he hath promised give them reward of inheritance, he will much more cause the hearts of their Governors to favour and accept them. Thus joseph got his Master's good will and was great in his house, this is the right way to procure favour, take this course and God shall be with you, but put away far from you all crossing and thwarting, and idleness, and eye-service, and answering again, and the like evil carriages, which will alienate your Rulers hearts from you and make you seem hateful to them, and if any of you do not find your Governors good liking, take heed that your own naughty behaviour have not been the cause of it. And if you have it, take heed of abusing it to wrong both them and yourselves; and all you Governors, learn to show favour to your servants, unless their sinfulness hinder it. Pro. 14 35. & 27.18. For the favour of a King shall be to a good servant, saith Solomon, and he that waiteth on his Master shall be promoted to honour, as he that tendeth a figtree shall eat of the fruit of it. 3. She received great mercies from God. Furthermore, Hagar received great mercies from God, for he gave her to conceive by Abraham, and when she ran away, met with her and directed her to go back again, which she acknowledged with great thanks, for he gave her also a heart to go back and submit to her Mistress. This is a great favour of God, if he find us in our outstrayings, and give us both direction and will to come into the right way again. Pray to God, that he would thus guide you and not suffer you to continue and perish in your outstrayings. 4. She had Ishmael and a promise concerning him. Another mercy of God to Hagar was, that she had Ishmael, and a promise, that God would be with him and bless him, and make him a great man, and that he made Ishmael after dutiful to her, for he was guided by her in taking a wife which she had chosen for him. If children have not grace, yet if they prosper in the world and yield themselves dutifully to their Parents to be guided by them, they must acknowledge it as a great favour from Heaven. Again, it was a special goodness of God to her, that when she wandered in the wilderness, and the water was spent, and her son was ready to die for thirst, God pitied both him and her, and showed her a Well whereby she got water to give him, and promised to bless him, and so he revived, and lived, and prospered. All these favours Hagar had. Her crosses. Consider what crosses she felt, for some bitter things she met withal as well as these comfortable and pleasing things. 1. Sarah used her hardly. First, the hard usage of Sarah was tedious to her, and so much the more tedious by how much she was more guilty of pulling it on herself by her disobedience, stubbornness, rude and contemptuous carriage. All you that be servants, if you find your Governors sharp and rigorous, consider with yourselves, whether your irreverent and disobedient behaviour have nor provoked them against you, and exposed you to this affliction, and if so, humble yourselves before God first, and after to them. But if any have escaped this cross, let them bless the name of God that hath kept them from stubborn and undutiful courses, and given their governor's wisdom and meekness not to be sharp as some governor's be without just cause. Now another cross to Hagar was this, 2. She and her son were cast out of Abraham's family. that she and her son were both sent out of Abraham's family, in such a poor and ill provided manner as the story telleth us. This is a misery very heavy to bear, to be cast out of one's country and place of habitation, where they lived comfortably, and forced to want all those benefits being deprived of them all at once. Wherefore take heed least by abusing these kind of benefits, you provoke not the Lord to cast you out of the Church, or out of your houses and dwellings, but make you a good use of such mercies that they may be continued to you, and learn, if such a cross should befall you, yet not to be disheartened and discouraged, but to humble yourselves before God knowing that in such extremity the Lord is ready to help and succour you. The last cross of Hagars' was, 3. She saw her son ready to die with thirst. that she saw her son Ishmael spent with thirst and ready to die, and she was utterly destitute of all means to help him, not being able farther to ease him or herself but by getting out of sight and hearing, and sitting down to weep and mourn. This is a lamentable heart-breaking to a Parent, if they be destitute of things needful for this life, whether by occasion of travel & wand'ring out of the way, or of penury and necessity at home. How most heavy a heart hath a Father or Mother, if they see their children ready to be famished through hunger, and have no bread to break unto them, or are almost choked through thirst, and have no drink to bestow upon them, neither know what to do for them, but to convey themselves out of sight, and sitting down to empty their griefs in tears. This is a misery that God sent upon the Parents of jerusalem, by reason of famine and scarcity their children swooned in the streets, and no man could supply them with bread. Lament. 4.4. We must learn to bless the name of God most heartily, that hath freed us from this misery, and hath not caused us to behold such a lamentable sight by one occasion or other, but hath given us abundance of things necessary, yea if he have not furnished us with great store, yet we have sufficient to keep ourselves and ours from pining away with want. O that we could be as full of thanks, when we are freed from wants, as we have been of complaints even for small crosses. And now use moderately your abundance, that God may not strip you of all and bring you to such extremity, and why should we forfeit ourselves and ours to famishing? when we see that God is tender to us, and willing to satisfy us with good things. And lastly, let every man prepare for this cross, think of it, tell himself, it may befall him, and resolve if the wisdom of God shall bring it upon him, that he will labour patiently to undergo it, not so as to be sorrowless, that were no way commendable, but so as to be moderate in grieving, and to turn his grief into spiritual grief, and pour it forth before the Lord in humble and penitent confessions and lamentations for sin. Before I depart from handling of Hagars' Example, I must say something of Sarah and her, which I knew not how so fitly to speak of in the life of either, viz. that these two Mothers and the children borne of them were Allegories, as S. Paul calls them, that is, figures of some other thing mystically signified by them. For this we have the authority of S. Paul, Gal. 4.21. Gal. 4.21. In these words, Hear you not what the Law (that is, the writings of Moses commonly called the Law, because the Law was the principal part thereof) doth say, for it is written that Abraham had two sons, Ver. 22. one of the bondwoman another of the freewoman, and the son of the bondman was borne after the flesh that is, by a bare natural power of generation, as any man naturally may beget a child of a woman without any power above nature concurring to the work, Ver. 23. But she that was borne of the freewoman was borne by promise, that is, not so much by any natural strength of the Parents, as by virtue of God's promise, which bound his truth to set his Omnipotency a work above nature, otherwise Abraham that had so long lived with Sarah in her youth, and could never become a Father by her should much less have been so by her, Ver. 24. now when her body was quite dried with age, which things (saith S. Paul) are an Allegory, according as I told you before. For these are Testaments or Covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which came thence being there published and promulgated, it is the Law, the Covenant of works, whereof it is said, The Law came by Moses, and this is said to gender unto bondage, that is, to beget and make not sons and daughters of a free and ingenuous spirit, loving God, and out of love doing him service, and merely of his grace, love, free favour and promise expecting their reward, but bondslaves which out of a fear of punishment or hope of reward, do service and expect the reward for the worthiness sake of their works, Ver. 25. and this Covenant is Hagar, meaning, is signified by Hagar, for saith he, this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, meaning is so by signification and representation, and answereth in signification and Type to jerusalem, which now is and is in bondage, meaning to the Law and to the curse and rigour of it, being debtors to the whole Law to do it, or if they do it not to the curse to suffer it. Ver. 26. But this jerusalem which is from above, that is, the Heavenly jerusalem, the Church, the number of true believers, that do indeed seriously embrace the doctrine of the Gospel, which began by Christ and his Apostles to be preached at jerusalem, not hoping to be justified and saved by the merit or worth of their own works, but by the free promise of God in Christ, those are free from the curse and rigour of the Law, and she is the mother of all true Christians of us all, that is, of myself and all those which with me look for righteousness and salvation alone through the merits of Christ, and mercy of God in Christ through faith in his name, Gal. 4.29. and after he saith, As than he that was after the flesh persecuted him that was after the Spirit, even so (saith he) it is now. Here you have the full Allegory, two Mothers, a bondwoman and a freewoman, two manners of begetting, after the flesh and after the Spirit, two kinds of children, bondmen and freemen, and the bond still persecuting the free. The Mothers are the two Covenants, that of the Law and that of Grace. The two manners of begetting one of the promise, the other by the flesh, two kinds of children, bondmen to good and freemen. The matter is this, Those that bring nothing but their own natural power to the Law and so seek by it to be justified, they are but of a slavish disposition, and have nothing but the reward of slaves, but those that look to the goodness of God in the Covenant of Grace, having the power of God's Spirit, are made to love God as children, and admitted to the inheritance of sons. Let us take heed of being sons of the bondwoman, for many be such still. The Papists will needs challenge salvation as due by the merits of their own works, and so in very deed do exclude themselves from it by challenging it on a wrong ground. And the multitude are in this respect no whit better than the Papists; for their own good deeds are still in their mouths, as if they would be saved by works, which yet cannot save them, yea some relics of this ignorant and foolish pride was found in the Saints, who if they find not (which they will never find) perfection in themselves, are still apt to question their estate, as if it were their own goodness that should bring them to Heaven, not the goodness of God in Christ, rewarding them freely with that undeserved crown, because they are become the children of God by faith in Christ. Now let us take heed of being the sons of Hagar, but let us acknowledge still our own sinfulness and unworthiness, yet still rest on his mercy in Christ, and strive to obey him in love, as children do their Father, and so much for Hagar. (* ⁎ *) THE TENTH EXAMPLE. OF KETURAH, ISHMAEL, ELIEZER. NOw Abraham had a third wife, her name was Keturah. Keturah. The Scripture bringeth her in as it were a dumb person, tells nothing of her parents, life, nor death, but mentioning her bare name alone, shows that she was Abraham's wife as I conceive, and what children she had by Abraham we are told, Gen. 25.1. her sons were six, as you may read in that place. Now the Lord seemeth to tell us this little of this woman and her sons, because we should the more acknowledge the blessing of God upon Abraham in restoring him to a second youth as it were, and making him so fruitful as to beget six sons in his old-age after Sarahs' death, whereas before at an 100 he was as good as dead, according to S. Paul's phrase, Rom. 4. So God's blessing is able to make our souls fruitful in all good works, though of ourselves we be utterly barren and unfruitful. And thus we have done with Abraham's wives. Now let us speak something of his contemporaries, beginning with his son Ishmael. Ishmael. Ishmael was son of Abraham and Hagar his maid servant, borne unto him at his 86. years, as saith the Holy Ghost, Gen. 16. ult. He was the son of a godly Father, but whether himself were godly or not it is uncertain. But in his life we must note, First, his Virtues. Secondly, his Faults. Thirdly, his Benefits. Fourthly, his Crosses, and then shall we come to his death. His Virtues. 1 He was outwardly conformable and obedient to his father. His virtues. First he lived in his father's house in outward conformity and obedience, for he submitted to his father at 13. years to be circumcised, Gen. 17.25. and so had the outward seal of the covenant, but yet he was not the promised seed, nor had the covenant made with him, nor had the Church and true religion continuing in his family. So we must learn not to satisfy ourselves with being in the Church outwardly, but must labour to become true members of it, and to enter into the covenant indeed. It will not profit us to have the Sacraments outwardly administered to us, (for he is not a Jew which is one without, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh) but we must endeavour after the inward circumcision, even to get the righteousness which is by faith, that that faith may purify our hearts, and purge away from us all filthiness of flesh and spirit. And if we make use of the outward seal, thereby to be made to see and feel our uncircumcisednesse of heart, and heartily acknowledge God's will and power to make us partakers of the inward circumcision, so putting forth ourselves to beg for, and labour after that inward circumcision, the Lord will surely bestow it upon us. Again, all children must learn to submit themselves to their parents, at least to an outward performance of such holy duties, as by their parents they shall be instructed in, else they are worse than Ishmael, and will become matter of anguish and vexation to their godly parents. Would Ishmael accept circumcison, and wilt not thou accept instruction, learn the principles of Christian religion, and settle thyself to some show of goodness, then shall Ishmaels' example rise up in judgement against thee and condemn thee. And parents must observe God's goodness in their childerens, if they find them even in such a degree tractable and ruly, for this is far better than to be wild and furious, and to cast of all semblance of goodness, and yet such would the best man's childerens prove, if the hand of God did not restrain them. 2. He submitted himself to his father to be banished out of his house. But another good thing in Ishmael was, that he submitted himself to his Father to be banished out of his house, no question but Abraham that loved him, would inform him of the necessity which lay upon himself so to expel his son, and would furnish him with all good counsel, who then being some 16. years old was capable of good advice, and so did he without murmuring or wilful refusing to go yield himself to that punishment. It is a good thing in childerens to take quietly their parent's chastisement, even though they should be somewhat severe. But to oppose them, or to rebel against them, or fall to clamorousness and impatiency is a great sin, even though the correction should be causeless and unjust, how much more if they be righteous and deserved. Learn of Ishmael this submission, how will you hope that you be God's childerens, if you do not equal such a one as Ishmael in goodness? Again, 3 He joined with Isaac in his Father's funeral. Ishmael did another good office in the conclusion of his Father's life, for it is noted of him, that he came to Isaac and joined with him in his Father's funeral, Gen. 25.9. by which it is manifest, that he bore no grudge against his Father for casting him out of his house, but bore that respect towards him which was due to a Father, and therefore did him the best honour he could at his latter end, yea that he did not harbour in his mind any envious and malicious thought against Isaac, and therefore would come unto him and unite his pains to bury his Father. Learn so much good of him I pray you, as to forget that severity which perhaps Parents may have showed to any of you, and not put off the dutifulness of childerens, because you have met with something that flesh and blood would call hard measure. The less inducement any man hath from a parent's kindness to love and honour him, the more commendable it is if he perform all honour to him: but he that will be so transported with discontentment against a parent for some sharpness, as even to hate and contemn him, most of all if his own folly have enforced his parent to such proceedings, is without all doubt a graceless and a wretched child. I pray you learn also by Ishmael, not to suffer envy to rise against your brethren if in any thing they be preferred before you to your detriment. Love not them less than the name of a Brother or Sister doth require, because you may think that they have stood betwixt your parent's love and bounty and yourselves, and so as it were overshadowed you, and kept the sunshine from you, but behold the hand of God in so disposing of things and resolve to love still as brethren. Further Ishmael did one good act of honour and duty toward his mother Hagar. For it is said, Gen. 21.21. 4. He was ruled by his mother in marriage. that his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt, so he was ruled by his mother in marriage, having her liking and consent, yea giving himself to be guided by her, as did also Isaac to Abraham, and jacob to Isaac. It is a needful thing for childerens to take the consent and assent of their parents, (yea if it be but of the mother, supposing the father to be dead or absent,) and not to rush into this estate against their wills and privity. No comfort can come to the conscience in such a match, for whosoever is joined together otherwise then God's Word alloweth, can have no ground of comfort, as those are that are joined without the good will of those whom God both made his deputies in this business. The Lord saith to Parents, take wives for your sons, and give your daughters, plainly putting them into his room in that behalf, wherefore having not consent from them, they live in an unlawful matrimony, until such time as by humble repentance before God and submissive entreaties to their parents, they have attained that good leave of their parents, which they ought to have gotten before. If therefore any amongst you have so offended, they must see the fault, and be humbled and seek pardon. Most times the Lord doth sensibly cross such matches, make use of those crosses to increase your godly sorrow for sin. And let those children that are yet unmarried, take heed of entangling their affections without the privity of Parents, or of seeking to draw the affections of one another, until such consent have gone before, for fear they make this duty very difficult unto them, or thrust themselves out of the way of duty and obedience, by their headstrong passions. So much of Ishmaels' good deeds, now of his bad. His faults. 1. He mocked his brother. First, at some 15. or 16. years he mocked Isaac, this mocking was a degree of persecution and a fault in him. I cannot conceive that he did it out of any dislike of Isaac's piety, who being but a new weaned child could not discover any piety unto him, at least any such act of piety as should stir up disdain and derision, but seeing such a great gladness and a merry feast at the weaning of Isaac, he made a sport of him, as it were disdaining that Isaac should seem to thrust him out of the inheritance. Now it is a great sin to mock any one out of envy and scorn that they should be preferred before them. Mocking shows a great deal of pride in him that useth it, nothing but overvaluing of ourselves makes us undervalue others. Mocking is a tedious thing to suffer, the good esteem we have of ourselves and those that are near unto us, makes the contrary carriage of others unsufferable, therefore is mocking a great offence. Take heed I pray you of using it toward your brethren or neighbours; It is an act that tendeth strongly to provoke, and we must not provoke one another: It is then most loathsome when it comes from envy and malice, make not a may game at your brethren, flout them not, break not jests upon them; Ephes. 5.4. this jesting is that which S. Paul forbids, especially laugh not at their miseries and at their sins, but most of all mock not at them for well doing. Mocking is any carriage by which a man expresseth his contempt of another, and seeks to make him also contemptible and despicable unto others. He that can set light by a man for goodness sake which should procure honour, how blind a mind, how perverse a judgement hath he. Be penitent if your folly have carried you to such a sin, and now bridle yourselves from such ill carriage, hath not God showed his dislike of it sufficiently, by punishing it in Ishmael with banishment out of Abraham's house? 2 Was a wild man. Another fault of Ishmael, is that which was foretold of him, that he was a wild man, a kind of Asse-colt, that would not be subject to any almost, nor ruled by any. This is a grievous fault indeed, when he that hath the face, shape and faculties of a man, and should have wisdom to submit himself to such as have authority over him, will yet know no governor, submit to no authority, be kept within no bounds, but leap over hedge and ditch as it were, and run about after his own fancy, and live as he lists himself, that is to say, will evertake upon him the qualities of a wild Asse-colt to man-ward, will never carry himself as a sheep dutifully to God-ward. Beware of being such wild fellows that now follow their own humours, and care not what tricks they play, not heeding any admonition or any reason. If any of you have showed yourselves such formerly, bewail it before God, pray him to pardon you, pray him to turn you by showing you your sins, and miserable estate by nature, and pray him to make you at length to learn to take the yoke of obedience, and cast of all wild courses, live like men not like wild Asses. The wild Ass runs up and down in the wilderness, and will not be led nor driven, but will be where her fancy carries her. Be not you such, but let the directions and admonitions of your parents and governor's, like bounds keep you within compass. He that will live wildly shall surely procure a world of miseries to himself at last: hardship shall tame him whom nothing else will tame, or else at the end of his wild race, he shall stake himself as it were, upon the vengeance of God and eternal death. Yet another fault, Every man's hand was against him, 3. He was a quarrellsome fellow. Gen. 16.12. and his against every man. The meaning is, he was a quarrelsome fellow, still brawling and falling out, one that would easily take and give matter of strife and debate; apt to speak and do that which would give distaste to others, and apt to distaste the things that others said and did to him, so as to make it the matter of a fray or grudge, or both. This is the fault that is described in these words; Now a sore sin it is that makes a man troublesome to himself and all his neighbours, and causeth his life to be like the life of a Cock of the game, that is still bloody with the blood of others and himself. I pray you examine yourselves whether you be not such froward contentious men, still in suit, in contestation, in opposition with some or other, that will take no show of wrong, but will do enough, that cannot long keep out of some brabbling matter. If it be a legal kind of quarrelling, it is a sign of much folly, much pride, or both, much more if it be a kind of martial quarrelling that tends to strokes and bloodshed. Repent, repent of this evil humour, and seek to God to give you a meek and quiet spirit, able to bear and forbear, able to show kindness and to pass by unkindness, for surely it is a kind of diabolical life to live so unquietly, and it will cause God's hand to be stretched out against him, whose hand is against every body. And these are Ishmaels' faults. Now his benefits are, First, deliverance from two great dangers, His Benefits. 1. Deliverance from two great dangers. one before he was borne, when his mother was taking a course to undo both herself and him, God was so favourable to both, as to meet her in the way and turn her back from her wandering, that returning home again, Ishmael might be borne in Abraham's house, and by him brought up in all good order till his 17. year or thereabouts. A great benefit it was and the foundation of his future worldly greatness. This mercy must be confessed, if God have prevented danger from us whilst we were in our mother's wombs; and it were fit that Parents should acquaint their children with such mercies, that they might learn to enlarge their thanksgiving by mentioning of them also. We cannot show ourselves too exact and diligent in reckoning with God for his benefits. 2. God provided water for him when he was ready to die for thirst. Secondly, God himself vouchsafed to meet him again when he was banished, and to provide water for him and refresh him when he was now ready to die for thirst. How great was God's care of him? that sent an Angel to open his Mother's eyes and cause her to see a Well near hand, which either grief of mind or weakness of sight through faintness had disabled her from seeing, or else made a Well for the purpose and then showed it her. Hath not God succoured some of us in dangers almost as great? by sending us or showing us some present means of help, which it was not possible for any wit of ours to provide. Let not such a benefit be forgotten, and let us learn to trust upon him ever after, and not to be carkingly troubled with casting dangers before hand and disquieting ourselves with fears, because we see no way out, God will have a Well in store and show it us at the exigent. 3. God himself gave him his name. Again, it was a great mercy of God, that himself vouchsafed to give him a name and so sweet a name, as that of Ishmael, which signifieth, God will hear, and may seem to point out the deliverance whereof I spoke last, Gen. 21.17. for than it is said, I have heard the cry of the lad. O that we could labour to be Ishmaels' in this sense, such as have interest unto this mercy of being heard of God. Such we shall be if we depart from iniquity and study to please God, for if any man do the will of God him will God hear. Joh. 9.31. 4. He prospered much in the world. Lastly, God blessed Ishmael in outward things, and made him to prosper so much in the world that he became a great man, and had twelve Princes issuing from his loins and after a great nation. Why should the Saints doubt of things needful? seeing even those of whom we are not sure that they were Saints, enjoyed so great abundance, or why should any man boast himself of these things? which an Ishmael may have as well as an Isaac. And why should not we be encouraged to serve God in uprightness? who vouchsafeth so liberally to reward his servants, as to bless their children so much for their sakes. And so much for the life of Ishmael. His death. Now for his death, which is set down, Gen. 25.17. These are the years of the life of Ishmael 137 years, and then he gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered to his people. He lived ten years more than Sarah, for she lived 127 and he an 137 and this is to be noted of him, that the years of his life are reckoned, which is not done to any wicked man in Scripture again, See Ainsworth on Gen. 25.17 whereby some probability is given that he was a good man, seeing it is also said, that He was gathered to his people, a phrase not used of any but good men, signifying that he went among the Congregation of the good men which went before him. But howsoever, we must learn by his death to prepare for ours, that we may be gathered unto our people. If we live as God's people, we shall die as God's people, and be gathered amongst them, and shall be raised up also with them at the resurrection of the just. But if we live with the wicked, we shall die with the wicked, and be gathered together with them to shame and torment at the last. And so much of Ishmael Abraham's son by Hagar. Now of others that lived at the same time. Eliezer. Eliezer of Damascus the Steward of his house, into whose hands he committed all that he had, so it is told us, Gen. 15.2. and 25.2. The Scripture saith nothing of his Birth and Death, nor of his faults. He was his eldest servant, and ruled over all that he had, of his Birth and Death we read nothing in Scripture, but of his Life some passages are related. 1. His virtues and good deeds, for of his bad deeds no mention is made, not that he was altogether free from sin, for if Abraham and Sarah were in some things found faulty, it cannot be thought that this man a servant of theirs was faultless, but because the Lord did not write an entire story of his life, but would set him before the eyes of servants as an example for them to imitate. Now of him therefore we must note his good carriage, his benefits and his crosses. First for his good deeds, when Abraham called him and would have him put his hand under his thigh (a gesture used to the godly patriarchs by such as bound themselves to them by an oath, perhaps to signify their subjection to them, and faith in the promised seed which was to come out of their loins) he would not hastily and hand-over-head take that oath which was ministered unto him, but with due caution and wariness, that he might not thrust himself into the danger of forswearing himself by rashness, but might have a quiet conscience by seeing clearly how far his oath bound him and to what, that so he might know himself able to perform his oath and might accordingly fulfil it. In him therefore we learn to be wary in swearing and to swear in judgement, that is, advisedly and with good consideration, informing ourselves fully of the thing sworn too, that it might not be either impossible or unlawful to the intangling of our souls in the peril of falling into that heinous offence of perjury. His virtues. 1. He proceeded warily to an oath. No man must proceed to an oath hastily and inconsiderately, but must ponder upon the thing sworn too, that he may have a full resolution to accomplish the same. Look to yourselves that you show the like religious respect to the great name of God. An oath is a strong bond in which a man lays his soul as it were in pawn to God, so that the breach of his oath is a forfeiture of his precious soul to the hands of God's judgement, so great a bond must not be taken upon us without great cautelousness. They therefore that have sworn on a sudden not deliberating seriously of it, must know that they have even offered contempt to God, because though perhaps the thing was just and possible, yet it was so by chance alone and as it fell out, and if it had been otherwise, yet they would have taken it so that no thanks was due to any religious care of theirs if it were otherwise. Repent therefore of your hastiness and heedelesnesse in swearing, this is to show yourselves such as do not fear an oath, and so do not duly reverence and honour the great Majesty of God, whose name in swearing you invocate against yourselves. Therefore also those that minister an oath must not be displeased at such cautelousness, but must readily satisfy the doubts and scruples of those that swear, that with good conscience and a quiet mind they may take it upon them, for seeing they be careful before they swear to understand what they swear unto, it giveth good hope that after they have sworn they will be as careful that they keep it, and so their oath shall be to some purpose, which should very much content and satisfy him that gives them the oath. But he that will speedily and without considering take an oath, will also be as ready to break it, alleging his former ignorance or mistaking, as an excuse of his not fulfilling it. Hitherto of his devotion to God in respect of his wary entering into an oath. 2. Carried himself well to Abraham. Now comes to be handled his good carriage towards Abraham in the business by oath committed unto him. 1. He used speed in performing his oath. First, he used due speed in fulfilling his oath, for without more than necessary deferring he addressed himself to the performance of his oath having thoroughly understood it, for knowing his Master's will to be that he should fetch the woman and not bring Isaac back again thither, and that if they would not give him a wife for Isaac without his own coming, than he should be free from the oath, and withal being encouraged by Abraham's words, The journey was about 300 miles. that God would send his Angel before him and prosper his journey, he made all good speed to take his journey about that weighty service, and went unto Mesopotamia to dispatch it, taking to that end ten Camels with all other things necessary, seeing all his Master's estate was at his command. Here learn, that when you have sworn you must not delay the performance of it, but so soon as shall be convenient, and as you have power, must settle to do the thing sworn to. All you that have sworn any lawful and possible thing, look on Abraham's godly servant and be mindful of your oaths, consider the greatness of God to whom you are tied, and put not off the work from time to time, seek not needless delays, make not fearful or slothful excuses, but free your faith and pull yourselves out of the danger of God's displeasure by a conscionable fulfilling of your oaths. The Pharisees could say, Mat. 5.33. thou shalt not forswear thyself but fulfil thine oaths to God. Let us show ourselves at least as wise and conscionable as a Pharisee could teach us to be. But what if we perceive the oath to have been of an unlawful thing? I answer, than we must repent of our naughtiness in taking it, and so forbear to add a second sin in doing that which is unlawful. For it is impossible that an oath should be of more force to bind a man to a thing, than God's Commandment is to restrain him from it. Nothing can have more force to bind conscience than God's Commandment. But what if it prove impossible? I answer, if that impossibility might have been foreseen, our rashness in not foreseeing it must be repent of, but if it could not have been foreseen, we must rest ourselves satisfied in this, that our mind was faithfully to have fulfilled it, if God had not cast in our way such an impediment, but no hazard, no cost, no labour must stand betwixt us and the accomplishing of our oaths, Psal. 15.4. for David saith, that a good man swears to his hindrance, and yet fulfils. 'Twere better for a man to be undone in the world or to lose this natural life, then to break his oath for fear of loss or death. So much of this man's conscionableness in regard of taking and keeping an oath. Now see his virtuous carriage in the thing. 1. His great diligence in the main work. 2. His discretion. 3. His piety and religiousness. To begin with the last, he served his Master religiously. First, 2. He served his Master religiously. he thanked God for his good success. 2. He prayed to God for good success. His prayer is, Gen. 24.12, 13, 14. Wherein he besought God to cause him to meet with a fit wife for Isaac. We must all learn specially servants, for of such a one we speak now, to commend our Master's businesses to God, praying him to prosper us. A good and godly servant when he employeth himself in his Master's work, must show himself to be God's servant and to have faith in his providence, trusting in his goodness and blessing more than in his own ability. Indeed such a particular begging of such and such occurrents to show us Gods mind was peculiar to him, and is not required of us, for he did it by the peculiar inspiration of God's Spirit, but in general to beg God's assistacce that belongs to all good Servants. You that would be counted godly servants, have you thus sanctified your endeavours by prayer? have you thus called on his name to guide and speed you? if you have, you have done well, take comfort in it, it is a testimony that you serve for conscience sake, not as men-pleasers, and that you serve the Lord in serving your Masters, if you have not, be humbled and lament it, as a matter of profaneness and a cause of many crosses and a means to make you proud of yourselves, if good success attend you. And now tread hereafter in the steps of this godly Servant. Pray, pray to him for his assistance and blessing upon yourselves, and the works you take in hand for your Masters, that so it may appear you do all in faith and obedience to God. Again, this man finding that God did answer his requests, 3. He praised God for his good success. blesseth God, verse 26, 27. Where is his reverend behaviour outwardly, he bowed, and then the matter of his thanks, he said, blessed be the Lord, you must learn with all humble behaviour of body and consequently of mind and with all sincerity and heartiness to praise God for your good success, and so it will appear that you ascribe all to God and not to yourselves. If you have been thus thankful, it is an excellent thing in which you must take comfort; nothing is a truer proof of true goodness, than a constant care to bless and praise God for his perpetual goodness in prospering us, if not, lament the want of it as a manifest proof of pride and want of faith. And now let us all learn to be particularly thankful to God for particular benefits, yea even such outward benefits, much more for inward. This is the way to continue, to sanctify, and increase benefits, God loveth thankfulness as men also do. If we improove his benefits to so good a purpose, we shall not want them in due time, only, see that your thanks be not alone verbal. 4. He was discreet. You have seen his piety, now his discretion shows itself first in setting down what a woman he would have for Isaac, viz. a courteous and laborious woman, one that came out to draw water, and one that would respect a stranger, and give him to drink and his Camels also; truly a woman courteous of disposition, and of body strong, and healthy, and painful, is a fit woman to make a wife. Again, he proceeds, discreetly in his carriage to win her and her Parents, he gives her gifts and them also, and truly relates the prosperous estate of his Master, all which tend to persuade them to yield her, and herself to give herself to Isaac for a wife. So must every servant use discretion and prudence in his Master's affairs, taking the best course he can to make them sort well in the end. 5. He had a care of his Camels. Another part of his good behaviour, is care of his Camels, to which he looks to give water and provender in due time. So should a good servant, and every good man in his travels, have a due care of his beasts, and look that they have things fit for them. Yea first should he look to them unless necessity compel otherwise, and then to himself, not like to them that tie their horses to the rack-staves, and fill themselves with drink or victuals. 6 Was diligent and made haste about his business. Then his last good deed is, he makes haste about his business, to tell it and set it a foot, for he would not eat till he had done his errand, and then he effects his business fully, for he rose up betimes in the morning and would not stay one day, but with all speed returns to let his Master see his good success. O that you servants would all be such servants, Col. 3.22. Ephes. 6.5. faithful, diligent in your Master's affairs, religious, devout, prayerful, thankful on all occasions, and careful of the beasts and other goods committed to your charge, and return home when your business is dispatched. Now faults in him the Lord shows none as I said before for the cause then mentioned. His benefits. 1. God gave him a godly Master. Benefits he had four very great. 1. That God gave him a godly Master, 2. That God gave him favour in his eyes, so that he trusted him with all he had. 3. That God made him a true Christian, for bond and free are all one to God. And lastly, 2. He had his favour. that he prospered him and brought him safe and with good success to his Master's house. 3. He was a true Christian You that be servants pray for these blessings. Beseech God to make you his free men, and if God grant you favour and good success in your journeys, 4. God prospered him. learn to be very thankful for it. And for his cross it was this, he was a servant, His cross, He was a bondman. to be a bondman is a less desirable condition as Paul intreateth, saying, if thou mayst be free use it rather, but it is an easy cross if a man can meet with so godly a Master and be accepted with him, hence S. Paul saith, care not for it, you that must live by service, grumble not at this cross. For your service is not a bondage for life; but alone as apprentices for a certain time, or as hired servants from year to year, murmur not at the meanness of your estate, but frame as this man to be faithful and godly, and you may live as happily here, and get as much glory in Heaven hereafter as your Masters. (* ⁎ *) THE ELVENTH EXAMPLE. OF LOT, his Wife and Daughters. AFter the Example of Abraham and his Family, Abraham's Contemporaries. we come to those that lived in the same Age with him, particular persons and whole Cities and peoples. Among particular persons I will begin with Lot, and then speak a word of his wife and daughters. For himself, Lot. when and of what Mother he was borne, it is not recorded, but we have notice of his Father, who was Haran the brother of Abraham, who died before his Father in the Country of Mesopotamia. The death of Lot is also concealed in Scripture, His death is not mentioned in Scripture. so that we cannot acquaint you when he ended his days, nor where. But in his life we must observe what good is found in him and what evil, and secondly, what things he met withal in his life both good and bad. His virtues. He was a righteous man. 2 Pet. 2.8. First for his goodness in general, he hath the testimony of the Holy Ghost by the pen of S. Peter, that he was a righteous man. It is said there, that God delivered just Lot, as also, that righteous man dwelling amongst them vexed his righteous soul. This is proof enough of his goodness, and it was necessary for the clearing of his name, that the New Testament should testify of his righteousness, because the narration of his life in the old leaves him in such a case as would make the Reader afraid, lest he had quite fall'n away from all goodness, but Peter's testimony is proof enough, that the committing of that great sin did not take him of from the number of the righteous. No sin is so great but repentance wipeth it so clean away, that the offender is righteous and must be so esteemed, notwithstanding the grievousness of his crime. Now let each of us labour to get true righteousness, that though this title be not bestowed upon him by the undeceivable pen of some Author of holy Writ, yet he may hear it pronounced by our blessed Saviour at the last day, when standing on the right hand he may be blessed with the blessing of the righteous. And let me be bold to turn my speech unto you that have been and are the grievousest sinners; If you lament your unrighteousness, rest on Christ's righteousness, and hereafter study righteousness in your lives, you shall enjoy the happiness of righteous men at last. A twofold righteousness. There is a seeming righteousness, a mere Pharisaical paint, when a man carries himself blamelessly to men ward, at least in respect of the grosser acts of evil. This will save no man at the last, nor comfort him in time of temptation; there is a true and real righteousness, which will undoubtedly save them which can be so happy as to get it, and of this true righteousness there are two sorts, one of the Law, it standeth in a perfect conformity of heart and life unto the exact rule of God's Law, Gal. 3.21, 22. And if there had been a Law given which could have given life, doubtless righteousness should have been by the Law, but now the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by the faith of jesus Christ may be given to them that believe: So now we must have a righteousness by promise, that is, by the Gospel, for that of the Law is too high for us. The righteousness of the Gospel is twofold. And the righteousness of the Gospel is twofold, one without us, performed by our blessed Saviour for us, as a surety pays the debt for the debtors use and benefit, by which we stand just before God, and have our sins pardoned and are accepted to salvation. When we have so seen our own misery as to go quite out of ourselves and rest alone upon Christ for all good things according to the promise. The other is within us, it is a gift bestowed upon and wrought in us by the Spirit of God, always and inseparably joined with the former, by which we are manifested to ourselves and to others to be just, and it standeth in a true desire and endeavour to know and leave every sin forbidden by God, and to know and do all good works required, so that we still continue to humble ourselves for our failings, and to seek unto God for pardon and help in and by Christ and his Spirit. This righteousness of faith which denominates him in whom it is righteous, you must all get, else you shall never attain eternal life. It is a thing appointed of God in such perfection of goodness and wisdom, that it cannot be found in any Hypocrite seem he never so good, and will surely be found in any upright hearted man be he never so weak; never leave striving till you have gotten it, and gotten certain knowledge that you have it. Dost thou in thy heart see and acknowledge thyself to be a cursed sinner, by reason of thy corrupt nature that is derived to thee from Adam's loins and thy wicked life, whereby thou thyself hast actually transgressed the Law of God? Yes. Dost thou confess thyself altogether unable of thyself to satisfy for or deserve pardon of any of these sins, or to conquer and overcome them in thyself? Yes. Dost thou acknowledge Jesus Christ to be a sufficient and perfect Saviour, ready and able to pardon thee and heal thee, and dost thou even labour and desire to rest upon his merits and his Spirit for pardon of sin and true holiness? And dost thou hereupon put on a resolution, and proceed in an endeavour to cast away all sin and to work all righteousness, still confessing and lamenting ●hy faults and failings, and renewing thy requests for pardon and grace and thy purposes of amendment? Yes. I say then to that soul amongst you that can truly make this answer to these questions, that he is a righteous man according to the language of the Gospel, not righteous with Legal righteousness (for in that sense never was any found since our first Parents falling from the state of innocency, one alone, the Lord Jesus Christ excepted, nor ever shall be to the last day, but righteous with the righteousness of the Gospel, perfectly justified in the sight of God and sincerely sanctified in himself, yea though any such amongst you have many and strong corruptions divers times stirring in you, and producing evil and wicked acts, yet if he persist in lamenting them and renewing his repentance, as often as he findeth himself an offender, yet is he a just man, yea if any have run into most foul and gross sins more than once, yet if he have now cast away those sins, and be returned again to his purpose and endeavour of godly living, he is a righteous man and shall be saved as was Lot. So much for Lot's goodness in general. Now I will speak of those particular good deeds which he is commended for in Scripture. First, Lot's particular virtues. 1. He left his own Country and Father's house. he left his own Country and Father's house with his Grandfather Terah and his Uncle Abraham, this was a good deed and commendable. Indeed if he were then a mere young man, not yet living as the Master of a family of himself, but under the roof of his Father, than the commendation is not great, for he might be then driven to it by the authority of his Grandfather, rather than be lead by any faith in himself. But I suppose, he was then of age to make his own choice of habitation, and might if it seemed good unto him, have stayed in Aram Naharaim as well as his Uncle Nahor did the Father of Rebekah, for in the year of the World 2079, Abraham left his Country, and in the year 2009 or thereabouts, Sodom was consumed. So betwixt the coming out of Mesopotamia and the conflagration of Sodom were but about thirty years, but Lot had at that time two marriageable daughters, therefore it is likely that himself was of a fit age at the time of his going out of the Country, to choose whether he would have gone or stayed. Well, Let left his Country, and so showed himself a Pilgrim and stranger on earth together with Abraham, for though he inherited not Canaan, yet because he left the false gods which were served by his kindred in Mesopotamia, to serve the true God which Abraham went to serve, it proveth, that he had faith in that God and was accepted to life. You must all learn to be ready to forsake false gods and cleave to the true, if ever you desire to inherit salvation. Now the false gods that we are in danger to serve, are the World, and the things of the World, and ourselves, Pleasure, profit, credit, ease, and the like, these be your Idols, these be the things that men in our times and Countries do erect as it were stumbling blocks unto themselves, the belly, the back, the purse, the profits and contents of this world, these we seek for more than for God's favour, these we long for more than grace, to get or keep these we leave the ways of God, we give our affections and thoughts more to these then unto God, and will not obey his blessed Commandments farther than these wicked Idols will give us leave. Now you can no more serve God and Mammon and the belly, than you can serve God and Dagon or Ashtaroth, or God by jupiter and juno. The Lord hath employed me now thirty years or thereabouts, to call you from following these unhappy Idols, at length rid your hands of them and do the same thing in effect, that Lot did when he left his Country and came into the land of promise with Abraham. 2. He was troubled at the evil conversation of the Sodomites. 2 Pet. 2.8. But another good deed of Lots we read of, and that is, he vexed his righteous soul from day to day with the unclean conversation of the Sodomites, and it is said, he was labouring against, for so much the word in proper signification of it doth express. He was burdened with it, and even laboured under it as under a burden, he was also upon the rack with it. He grieved so for it, that he would fain have amended it, and not finding that possible it was a torture unto him to see it growing more and more. This is a good thing to grieve at the common faults and sins, I beheld the transgressor and was grieved, Psal. 119.136. Psal. 119.158. and in another place, Rivers of tears gush out of mine eyes, because men keep not thy Law. If we hate sin, if we love the glory of God, or the souls of men, we must needs be grieved to see that done which ourselves hate, and which tendeth to God's dishonour and the damnation of men. If we grieve for sin we shall be preserved from the contagion of it, and keep ourselves unspotted in the common pollution: but if we have not so much grace as to bewail it, we shall quickly show ourselves so weak as to fall to the imitating it at least in some degrees. Yea the Prophet Ezekiel noteth, that the mourners were marked out for deliverance, as Noah was in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha. Now come let me inquire of you my Brethren. Do you take the sins of others heavily? do they pierce your hearts with sorrow? Are they burdens to you? Ah, how many do rather rejoice, in seeing other men's evils in secret, and join with them in the same excess of riot, are glad to see and hear lewdness from others, So in drunkenness. and to join with them it. What are these? how far from deserving to be called righteous? But even of those that be righteous (as we hope there are some) so far inferior are they to Lot in goodness, though having far better means then any Sodom afforded, they ought also to be better persons, that few tears serve them, and little sorrow is found in them for the common sins. The common oaths, cursing, Sabbath-breaking which are every where rife, do not grieve them at all. One little trifling loss or cross hath made them more take on with sorrow, than all the disorders of the Land. It is but weak goodness that is not sensible of the contrary both in itself and others too, and it is but little sensible of it that is but little grieved for it. If you say, our land is not like Sodom that we should live in it so as Lot did there. I answer, God be thanked in some things it is not, and in public the faults break not out that there were done openly, but many of the sons of Sodom are barefaced amongst us, and we look upon them without remorse. You must be sorry that you have not been more sorry for the public iniquity. Surely if a scourge come it shall take you away with the rest, because you have not showed your zeal of God's glory and detestation of sin in the rebellions of the rest. And now set you to it, set you to it, it is said, that Lot did put his soul upon the rack, he was an actor in this sorrow, he put himself upon it. I say he was even willing to exercise himself in grieving for their naughtiness, and he strove to make his sorrow piercing. O you must labour to do this as well as any other good work, to chafe and grudge and be furious against such a sinner and such a sinner, to jest, scoff, and gird, or rail, and bitterly inveigh against such and such sins, be such strains and flashes of wit and anger, as may be found in men of no true holiness, but to get alone and even sell over himself to sighing, mourning, and lamentation for the common sins that are every where run into, this can hardly be ascribed to any thing but true piety, if the sins be such as do not in any particular respect touch a man's self in way of wrong and injury. Indeed to grieve for such sins of others, may seem in some respect as a more difficult thing, so a more sure sign of truth then to grieve for ones own sins, you shall see men driven to tears for their own offences in respect of shame or loss, and sometimes terror of heart, but grieving for the common sins can hardly proceed from any thing but charity to them as they be men, and hatred against sin as it is sin. If a mere friend of our own have offended, we are so tender of his reproach, because it is somewhat linked with our own, that many men can blubber for it exceedingly. O let us love the Commonwealth so well and the state of mankind, as to yield some of our sorrow to quicken us in prayer against their sins. 3. He was hospital. And now a third good deed of Lots is, he was hospital in that unhospitall City, you know he entertained the Angels. Herein he did follow the steps of his Uncle Abraham, it is a good thing when a man carries the virtues which he hath seen amongst his friends as it were home with him, or about him whethersoever he goes, and becomes a practitioner of them in all places. Of Lot's hospitality you may read, Gen. 19.2, 3. he entreated the Angels whom he took for men to lodge in his house, and gave them the best entertainment he could, yea and hazarded himself to defend them from the insolent attempt of the brutish Sodomites. This is a work worthy to be imitated to be given to hospitality, forget not to entertain strangers, Heb. 13.2. 1 Pet. 4.9. use hospitality one to another without grudging. Gajus hath this commendation, that he was the Host of the Church, Rom. 16.23. and a Minister is expressly commanded to be hospital. This is a rich man's duty, I mean his that hath some indifferent proportion of wealth, he that hath but one bed or room must lie abroad himself, or sit up all night if he lodge strangers. But of those that have to spare, the Lord requireth a free communicating of what they have to others. May not we be strangers? may not our children and near friends be strangers? will not our hearts tell us? that it would be a very ill part in them that should in such case neglect us. But I am to commend unto you a kind of hospitality somewhat of another nature, a stranger of any fashion by means of Inns, which it seems that age did not know, is able to be hospital to himself with his money, even to buy all things needful: but alas you have poor neighbours and kinsmen in the same Town, or near hand inhabiting, O invite them to your houses, make them cheerful with a good meal now and then, that have little provided at home. This Hospitality hath been formerly much practised at this season of the year, Christmas. and certainly it is a fit season to practise it. If we would show ourselves glad for our Lords coming into the world, let us refresh his poor members that they may rejoice with us. Some men be not rich enough to invite many of their wealthy neighbours, but many be of so much ability that they may well invite those of lower rank, to whom their own ordinary provision will be better than a banquet to some wealthier persons. Let Lot's example commend unto you this hospitality. Another good deed we have of Lot, He went out, and earnestly, 4. He entreated the Sodomites to desist from their villainy. yet lovingly and gently entreated the Sodomites to desist from their villainy, My Brethren I pray do not so wickedly, and again, to these men do nothing, for therefore came they under my roof, Gen. 19.7, 8. He would fain have stopped these miscreants from their abominable attempt; If we see men rushing into sinful courses we shall do a good office of charity if with all good terms and gentle language we dissuade them from wickedness. If we must reproove after a sin, sure we must dissuade aforehand: Eli dissuaded his sons from persisting in evil, Abigail dissuaded David from murder; what sin we hinder not to our best power, that we cause to be written in our own score, and inwrap ourselves within the guilt of it. Who would not entreat his neighbour heard not to drink a cup of poison? If therefore any man have done the contrary, instigated others to sin, and egged them forward rather then held them back, surely his offence is great, he hath been not alone a helper but a father of the fault, and unless he repent must answer for it as much as the principal. But though you have not forgotten your duty in so high a degree as to move others to evil, yet if you have so much neglected your duty as to forbear to dissuade and hinder them, either out of carelessness or fear, you are to be humbled for it, as an effect of want of love and zeal. And now I pray you do this good office often, if you see a man going about an evil thing, take up Lot's words and say, I pray you Brethren do not so wickedly, entreat him to forbear the doing of the like for the future. A loving entreaty will sometimes prove of great efficacy. Had they been any but Sodomites, Lot should not have been so churlishly rejected. If you say, I shall but lose my labour. I answer, First, what if you do? you have lost many worse labours. Secondly, I say who can tell? why will you think so hardly of your Brother? Why I have tried already? I answer, God may give better success now. Again I answer, though he harken not, you shall not lose your labour, for you shall show love and obey God's commandment and receive a reward from him. Yet another good deed of Lots was that he fought to deliver his sons in Law, and persuaded them to get them out of Sodom too. 5. He sought to deliver his sons in law. We should labour not alone to get out of Sodom ourselves, but to help others out also, whether it be out of the sins or out of the punishment of Sodom. We should detest that selvish humour which prevaileth with many, if themselves escape danger, they care not what becomes of others. O self-love is a fruit of brutishness, charity of a right understanding. Live not like beasts, if they see peril approaching, they run away for their own safeguard and never consider of the rest: let us strive to draw as many as we can out of sin and misery. 6. For a good while he kept close to his Uncle Abraham. The last good thing I will note, though it should have been brought in before as being done before, was this, for a good while together he kept close to his Uncle, went with him into Egypt, came with him out of Egypt and dwelled near him, I mean in Canaan. It is a good thing to love the company of good men, and delight to dwell with or near them, and happier had it been for Lot if he had not suffered himself to be divided from his Uncle. Let men learn to count it a great happiness to dwell near to good neighbours, and let them take heed that a little thing do not separate them from such. And so much for Lot's goodness. His faults. 1. He chose to dwell in a fertile place among sinful men. Now his badness. And I will begin there where he began, first to show it. He chose rather to dwell in a rich fertile place amongst vile sinful men then with some earthly inconveniencies with a godly and faithful man, so showing too great a love to riches, and too small a love to goodness. I beseech you if any of you be so minded that you will take notice of it as a fault. To be so much engaged to earthly things, that for the more easy obtaining of a large quantity thereof, a man can be content to pitch his Tents in Sodom and to dwell there, is too great a proof of a worldly minded man. It was the beginning of Lot's ruin. In choice of your habitation look chiefly to the good of the soul. If you do not, be assured that some way or other God will cross you as he did Lot. We shall less bear out those faults with impunity for which the godly in Scripture have smarted before us, because men did not receive warning by the dealing of God with them. The brother is whipped more severely that seeing another brother corrected before him was bold yet to rush into the same fault. Do not commit the fault that cost Lot so dear a price. Leave not a good place for the soul to get a great benefit for the body; let not the world sway you, neither wholly nor chiefly in choosing the place of your habitation. Lot should have said, Uncle, so much content and good do I receive from your good self unto my soul, that I will make an hard shift afore I will leave you, yea I will rather abridge my cattle then lose your company, or at least, I will be content to take a place near you though it be not so fat and fruitful as some other places: Do you, as your own understanding (now that you see the whole carriage of things) will teach you, that Lot ought to have done. And so much for this fault. 2. He continued to dwell in Sodom among great sinners. Now again, worldliness continued to grow stronger in Lot, for he continued to dwell in Sodom, even though they were exceeding great sinners. It was well done that he grieved for their sins, it would have been better done if he had forsaken the City. He might have departed of his own accord with far less loss, than God forced him out at length. Sure it is a fault, if a man can possibly remove, to make his constant abode in an extreme wicked place, where heinous and foul sins are usually and impudently committed, for if a man's self escape the infection, yet it is too too probable that his children shall be defiled, and catch the sins of the places as the daughters of Lot and most of his servants did, for had they been righteous they should have escaped with him. And most times if any man that hath any the least goodness, do suffer himself to be so neighboured, it is a fruit of some carnal passion or other, in favour of which he hardens himself to endure such a miserable thing, as the continual hearing and beholding of great wickedness. Let us take heed no such thing in inveigle us to pitch out Tents in any Sodom. But again, Let I think, offended in going about to match his daughters with any of the wicked generation of the Sodomites. What could he find none other in all the world to give his children for wives but to two wicked men in that wicked City? Would he be content to have his children, his children's children's children, and all his posterity to live in that little hell, and to be endangered unto the like abominations? Surely the love of the world prevailed here with him more than it ought to have. It is a fault too common with us, many a Father is regardless how bad the place and family be into which he matcheth his daughter, so the state be good. Be the Town as bad as Sodom, and the person as profane as these men, yet a good living will make them to plant their children in such a garden, as it were, or wilderness rather. I cannot conceive but that this is a proof of man's too high esteeming of outward things, and I beseech you Fathers learn of Lot, provide better for the placing of your children. Another fault of Lots is, 3. He offered his two daughters to the Sodomites. that he did offer his two daughters to the Sodomites, saying. Do to them what seemeth good in your eyes. Out of a desire to save his guests from villainy he prostitutes those that should have been dearer to him then any guests: and so would redeem the strangers from wrong with the hazard of his children's chastity. He is to be somewhat excused by the present occasion, in that hurry and distemper he had not leisure to consider well of the thing he did, but through haste was pushed forward to do so great an hurt unto the two maids. He doth evil here that good may come of it, a thing that S. Paul would never allow, for he saith concerning it, God forbid. The doing of evil is simply sinful, Rom. 6.2. the suffering of evil not so, wherefore a man should resolve rather to be a patient in the greatest evil than an agent in the far lesser. In doing any evil a man doth disobey God and transgresseth his Law, in suffering it he doth alone receive misery to himself: now the greatest misery is not so great an evil as the least sin. It behooveth us to take heed that our carnal reason do never so oversway us, no not on the sudden, that we should consent to act any evil for the procuring of any good. And if we have done otherwise, we are to impute it to ourselves as a great weakness, 4. He lingered in Sodom till the Angels took him by the hand. and so to confess it and humble ourselves for it before God. Again, Let lingered in Sodom till the Angels took him by the hand and in a kind of gracious violence set him in safety against his will. Willing he was to escape the destruction which was now falling upon Sodom, but loath he was to save his life at so dear a rate as the losing of all his substance. It is a sin to cleave so fast in affection to goods, as not to be willing with the loss of all to save out lives. He loves riches too well that will cast his life upon great danger for the saving of them, and not gladly leave them all to free his life from perdition. Satan could say, Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for the redemption of his life. Job 2.4. If we have at any time found our heart so glued to wealth, that we have been lingering about it, to the manifest endangering of our lives, much more our souls, we should even heartily condemn ourselves for too great lovers of riches. Another sin in Lot, was, that he was too timorous and durst not commit himself to the Mountains (whither yet he was fain at length to fly) for fear lest some or other mischief might befall him there, and therefore was he so over-importunate for the sparing of that City, because it was little, might he not as well have trusted the Angel's direction as his own conceits, and sought and expected safety in the Mountains, when they commanded him to escape thither. Doubtless, it is a fault not to trust God with our welfare, but to cast in our heads, what evil may befall us there where he doth send us for safety. Let us not yield to our own fancies, nor frame peril to make us discontent with that estate to which God doth call us, for we shall find at length, that our own hopes will deceive us, and we shall be never the farther of from danger, because we followed our own heads. Let me go to Zoar (saith he) and my soul shall live, but after, he found that his soul could not live with comfort there. Live where God would have us live, and look for his protection there where it shall please him to appoint us to live. 6. He was twice drunken. Now I come to his two last offences, he suffered himself to be made drunken by his daughters two several times, one shortly after another. You see how a good man may be overtaken with grievous sins, and drawn by those whom he loveth and trusteth to grievous abominations. O let us fear ourselves and pity others, and take heed we suffer not our nearest friends to be a snare unto us. Especially beware of drunkenness, it is not alone a great offence itself, but lays us open to all other crimes. Make a man drunken, and he will easily be drawn to deflower his own daughter. Keep yourselves from excessive drinking of wine or strong drink. It is raging, it is mocking, it will change you into very beasts, and make you run into such crimes, as your souls at other times would even loathe to think of. Labour to be temperate, or else you do hardly be chaste and modest. Deprive not yourselves of reason by pleasing your palate, expose not yourselves to the danger of the foulest of all sins, by so base a pleasure as satisfying the taste with the relish of this liquor. And all you Governors and Magistrates, set yourselves with all diligent severity to prevent and beat down drunkenness; if this offence abound, all other evils will abound with it. Now we come to Lot's benefits. First, His benefits. 1. God gave him repentance. God drew him out of his sins and gave him repentance, else S. Peter's words had not been true, that called him a just man. O how great a mercy of God is this? not to call us from the state of corruption at first, but when we have almost departed back again to folly, to recall us from our grievous sins, and heal our wounded souls, by causing us to repent unfeignedly. Presume not on this mercy, but if you have found it, praise God most earnestly for it, and let not the greatness of sin discourage you from returning unto God again, for such is his grace, that he will readily receive you after such wander. Again, you see that God gave him riches great store, the Lord can give the same to other of his people with as plentiful a hand, but if he do not, you see in Lot what cause there is not to murmur; for riches did undo Lot almost, and therefore was God fain to take them all again, because he could not so use them as not to set his heart too much upon them. If God hath been pleased to grant you these things, let Lot's example make you careful to keep your hearts from being too much enamoured of them. Further, 2. He and his were delivered out of the burning of Sodom. Lot obtained a gracious deliverance for himself and his wife and his daughters out of the burning of Sodom, he lamented their sins and escapeth the punishment. Learn the best way to save yourselves from common strokes, even by bewailing the common sins, and proving yourselves to be righteous persons. Yea, God yielded much to Lot's weakness in granting him leave to go to Zoar, and saving that City also for his sake. Surely God is as ready also now to pass by weaknesses, and will much more willingly grant the better digested petitions of his servants. Now Lot's misery, His afflictions were four. first he was taken Captive and lost all his goods. Secondly, he lost his goods again in Sodom. Thirdly, his Wife. Lastly, he was plagued with wicked children, that drew him to grievous offences. Prepare to lose all you have, especially if you find your souls over-earnestly addicted to them, and cause not God to pull them out of your hands by setting your hearts upon them. Prepare your hearts to lose your yoake-fellowes by some strange and unexpected accidents. Prepare to have your children naught and wicked, and take heed that your own folly in choosing for wealth's sake an evil place of habitation be not an instrument of making them such, yea learn to be thankful that God hath yet saved you from such miseries, and make your smaller crosses seem lighter to you then else they would, by comparing them with these so heavy and burdensome crosses. Now what became of Lot after all this, the Scripture doth not speak, and therefore here we leave and will speak two words of his Wife also: first, the benefits she received. Secondly, the sin she committed. Thirdly, the punishment that fell upon her. Lot's wife. Her benefits. 1. Delivered from Captivity. The benefits she received were two, first she was redeemed from the Captivity of the Kings that had taken herself, Husband, Daughter and whole Family prisoners in the Conquest of Sodom, where they dwelled at that time, and upon their deliveance neither she nor her husband had the grace to consider of it, and to remove from Sodom and dwell again in some better place nearer Abraham. 2. Delivered out of the burning of Sodom Secondly, she was delivered out of the burning of Sodom together with her Husband and Daughters, saving that she made the benefit unprofitable to herself by her sinning. Her sin, she looked back to Sodom. And her sin though it seemed little in respect, yet indeed was very great. The matter was small, the transgression was great, as in great poison, fullness may be found in a small quantity of liquor, even in a drop or less than a drop. She was forbidden by the Angel that sent her forth to look back to Sodom and yet expressly against that charge she did look back, the cause of that prohibition may seem to have been this, the Lord knowing her too eager affection to the goods she left behind her, would have her now cast off that inordinate passion, and accepting the goodness of God in giving her her life for a prey, not so much as to turn and look towards Sodom, but trust God for goods who had now vouchsafed them life, but she belike thinking (as many of us would have thought) as good die as be sent away a beggar and destitute of all things, could not keep her heart constant in taking notice of the great benefit of escaping the fire, but out of grief to leave house and all after her, turned back to salute them once again with her eye. This sin was compounded of disobedience to God speaking in the Angel, and disesteem of the present mercy and over-grieving the loss of her wealth. Take heed you give not yourselves leave to commit a thing expressly forbidden, for usually much naughtiness concurreth to produce such an act, so the Lord that searcheth the heart accounteth that great, which your blindness maketh you to esteem nothing, and so to punish it many times with some heavy punishment. As it befell this woman, Her punishment. her punishment was to be turned into a Pillar of salt. The Lord instantly smote her with death, and taking her soul from her body changed the body into a pillar, which whether it be called a pillar of salt, because it was of that matter, or because of the everlasting continuance of it, as an everlasting Covenant is called a covenant of salt, I cannot determine. The latter seemeth to me the more probable, howsoever she is set forth to us for an example, by which we may inform ourselves thus much, that when God hath chastened us and by our chastisements taken pity upon us and granted us deliverances, and yet we profit so little by both as to continue faulty in the same faults, we shall then find his hand more heavy upon us by some exemplary blow, as it is noted by David, that though the Lord brought the people out of Egypt, yet he did after destroy them in the wilderness that did not believe. Let us fear lest the Lord set us up also as Monuments of his just severity when he finds us not reform by former goodness and gentleness. (* ⁎ *) THE TWELFTH EXAMPLE. OF LOT'S Daughters, and others of that time. WE have finished the things that are recorded of Lot's self and his Wife. Next let us tell you what is recorded of his two Daughters. Their names, their birth, their death the Lord vouchsafeth not to mention, and of their life not much is written, and that which is tends all to their reproach. First, Lot's daughters had no virtues, their vices. good deeds we have none for which to commend them, or in which to follow them, but bad deeds too many, considering how great they were. Their first sin was, 1. They agreed together about two grievous crimes. that they consulted together and agreed about a most abominable sin, nay a pair of grievous crimes at once. In which, the firstborn did make the motion, and the younger gave her consent. In the consultation about it, see what reason induced, and what it is to which they were induced by that reason. The reason is, 1. Their Father's age, Gen. 19.31. who being now shortly to leave the world, they would not have his offspring perish in themselves. 2. The want of other men to company with them, there is not a man in all the earth to come in unto us after the earth. They wanted other husbands to beget children of them in lawful matrimony; Surely their late abode in Zoar might cause them to know, that the whole world was not destroyed, if they meant that there was never another man left with whom they might join themselves, they did beguile themselves too too palpably, for only Sodom and Gomorrha, and Admah and Zeboim, four Cities of the plain were consumed with fire from Heaven, the rest stood in their former estate. Zoar they had seen standing and left it with their Father, and seeing they dwelled upon a Mountain, they could not but discern other Cities round about, for that Country was full of Towns and people. It is like therefore, that they meant none near unto us, none of our blood and kindred. But why should they make doubt of marrying any other besides their own kindred. They had been betrothed to husbands in Sodom, might they not as well marry any other Cananite as a Citizen of Sodom. It is apparent that their reasons were frivolous and vain, yet upon them they build a full resolution of committing two fearful offences, for they agree together saying, Come let us make our Father drink Wine, and then let us lie with him to preserve seed of him. They would seem each to other to be carried with libidinous fancies as if lust led them, but that a desire of preserving seed was the motive to the villainous design. We see how man's nature is easily drawn by weak and poor grounds to run into very loathsome and foul crimes. Better the world should have wanted continuance and ended in their persons, then have it stored with an incestuous offspring. No other meeting together of man and woman, if it had been in the way of Matrimony, is simply and of itself unlawful, but only that of Parents and children, for there was a time when the Brother married the sister without fault, as in the beginning when the world had no other persons in it but brethren and sisters, but never at any time was it lawful for the daughters to have the Father or the Mother the son. This therefore was the most unlawful mixture in the same kind and of different Sex that possibly could be. Yet upon a slender pretext that they knew not how to come by any other man, and so their Father's posterity should perish, they consent to accomplish it. Had they not been made more than ordinarily immodest with the conversation of impure Sodomites, they would have been restrained with shame and blushing, from opening any such thought each to other, had it been to have solicited another man, much more their Father. But custom of hearing and seeing shameful deeds will banish shame quite away, and make men bold to manifest their wicked conceits one to another, which else modesty would never suffer them to speak of. Here indeed the more aged maiden is most blame-worthy, for the Spirit of God witnesseth that she was the first mover to this lewdness, but the younger was greatly to be blamed also, for she consented to such a motion. Let those that be of more age take heed of giving wicked counsel to the younger, and let the younger take heed of opening their ears to lewd advice. Let us beware we suffer not ourselves to be drawn upon pretence of I know not what necessity or urgent occasion, to resolve on things plainly sinful, especially such as are extremely gross and unnatural. No necessity can excuse an evil deed, much less when it is none other but a counterfeit and false appearance of necessity. Would these sisters have deferred their desires a while, they might have found their Father at length willing to have left that hole in a Mountain, and to have conversed again amongst men. Why had they not rather persuaded him to leave that solitary kind of living, and betaken himself to his Uncle Abraham, who was not grown either so niggardly or unkind, but that he would have welcomed them with good entertainment. Why had they not taken up any resolution, rather than venture on this monstrous abomination? Let not the Devil and carnal reason beset us so far, as to fain to ourselves a necessity of evil-doing, and then to grow bold to do evil. But what did they do now, to make their Father incestuous? Surely make him drink wine not moderately and in due quantity, for then his wits would have been his own still, and his sanctified conscience would have armed him sufficieently against all their most wanton carriages; yea the gravity of his countenance and parental authority would have affrighted them from lascivious words and gestures, that tended to produce such an effect. They therefore make him stark drunk with wine, making him by little and little take into him such a quantity as would bury his understanding, conscience and all, and turn him into a bruit creature, and then they doubt not but that they may easily allure him to commit folly with them. A fearful sin it is to resolve before hand upon such a wickedness as this, and that also as a loadstone to draw on another worse wickedness. To make one drunk for any cause is bad enough, but to make him drunk of purpose to make him filthy after, that is much worse. Here is a most wicked end propounded, which would make a thing itself otherwise lawful utterly sinful, if done for such a purpose. Here is also a means utterly wicked, though it had been used for a most lawful end, but when end and means are both so remarkably and exorbitantly sinful, how great was that sin. Had they began alone to drink for cheerful refreshing of themselves and their old Father, and then one cup drawing on another had at unawares made both themselves and their Father drunk, and then unpurposedly fallen to wanton embraces and so to incest, that had been sin enough. But to take advice upon it, to determine before hand, that is, to conclude fully that they would do such a thing, this shows that they had smothered their consciences, and were indeed void of all goodness. O take heed of giving yourselves leave deliberately to sin, take heed of setting down a wicked conclusion in your minds, and saying, come and let us do this or this that you know is naught. This is not to slip into the mire but to wallow in it, this is a presumptuous and a wilful sin. This is to yield yourselves captives to sin, and to show yourselves servants of it. And if any one hath in such sort sinned, great repentance is needful to wash away so great a crime. But if they had agreed in haste to perpetrate this lewdness and yet before the time came of acting it, had called to mind the loathsomeness of the sin, and repenting of their naughty intention, forborn to proceed, the matter would not have been so fowl, than it might have been attributed to weakness and haste. But they go on in it, the elder she first begins, and then she renews the matter to her Sister, who is easily persuaded to follow her, and so they both consent to do evil and perform it also. This is a great aggravation of sin, that if one have some leisure betwixt the resolving and executing, yet he hath persisted in his wicked resolution, and wanted the grace to change his mind. Persisting in an evil purpose, shows much blindness of mind and hardness of heart, and proves that God hath for punishment of wilfulness even given one over to his own hearts lusts. But now the elder begins to offend, as it were to embolden her Sister, as if she should say, I will begin if thou wilt come after, I will do it to night if thou wilt second me another night, so she sins of purpose to give her Sister a bad example, to animate her to the like. Those sins are very grievous, in which a man seeks not alone to satisfy his own evil desires, but also to corrupt another, and draw him to the like evil. The sin is greater by how much more love of sin is discovered, and he loves sin exceeding much, that labours to increase the number of its servants. Further, having laid with her Father, she speaks of it to her Sister, rather in way of boasting then out of shame, and persuades her also to do the like. It is a wickedness of an high nature to commit great sins, and after be touched with no remorse for them, yea rather to talk of them with a bold face, as if they were deeds at least not deserving blame, and when we have done evil, to press our examples upon others to imitate. It seems the younger Sister would not have followed, but that the elder provoked her the second time. To use a kind of importunity towards another, and press them again and again to naughtiness, is a proof of one set upon sin with a full bend of will. Now the second Sister, she follows her Sister's evil deeds, and evil counsel, and they commit the same sin the second time with the same wilfulness, for the elder is as guilty of her Sister's incest as of her own. Men having transgressed the bounds of modesty, Qui semel verecundiae limites transiluerit, graviter impudentem esse oportet. grow extremely careless, and easily commit the second time what they have ventured upon the first. It is more difficulty to forbear repeating of a sin then committing it, as it is to drive out an enemy then to keep him out. Give sin a strong denial at first, so shall we be soon rid of it. Now let us consider the offences themselves, Their own sin, they make their Father drunken. for hitherto we have looked alone into certain aggravations of them. First to make a man drunk, this is a grievous sin, a purposed lying in wait to overcome another with wine or strong drink, is a foul fault; it hath its original ever in some further evil intention, either to laugh at the offenders, or otherwise to wrong them, as here, and draw them to some wickedness or inconvenience, which else they would not be drawn unto. He seeks mischief to his neighbour, that seeks to spoil him of his understanding, and makes him a beast, that he may draw him to beastly deeds. Come now and consider yourselves, if none of you have thus sinned against your brethren. He is worse than a drunkard, that is a maker of drunkards; a man may be drunk of mere weakness, but it is wilfulness that causeth another to be drunken. He loves this sin more, that causeth it in another, than he that commits the same himself; If any of you have so sinned against his brother, he is a very lewd man, and must answer for that sin before God with more severity than the person that hath been drawn into it by his means. Much repentance therefore is required of such an offender. In keeping himself sober for an evil end, he is worse than if himself had been drunken for company. These two sisters did keep themselves free from excess, that they might better abuse their own reason to work upon their Father's unreasonableness. Had they been all overcome of wine, incest had not so easily followed from drunkenness; but now that the man is swallowed up of wine, and the woman not so, they prevailed more easily to make their Father lewd. It is a drunken sobriety that is directed to uncleanness, they would not be drunken because they desired to be filthy. Some men boast that themselves have borne their cups wherewith another hath been overcome, but that soberness makes them greater offenders, then if they exceeded measure in drinking. Wherefore you must blame yourselves with exceeding detestation of yourselves, if you have abused a thing otherwise virtuous to make another man more vicious. Thou mad'st another to take cup after cup, that when he had lost his wits, and thou kepst thine, thou mightest better prevail to draw him unto further wickedness, thy soberness was as bad and much worse than his drunkenness. O that you would see and lament your extreme ungraciousness in this abusing both wit in yourselves, and want of wit in others. But now Lot is drunken and fitted for any wickedness, the two Sisters in their turns go to bed to him and solicit him to abuse their bodies, and prevail with him, because he had not reason to know what he did. Incest is a most unnatural crime, yet the wicked nature of man is apt to run into it, and that wilfully. O what a filthy heart hath a man and woman, that can transgress all the dictates of reason to satisfy impure desires. No person comes amiss to lust, the Father will serve as well as another man, when the lewd desire hath prevailed, they care not with whom the fault be committed so that it be committed. Have none of you given way so far to libidinous desires, as to mix yourselves unlawfully and without marriage with those, to whom you might not have drawn near, no not in the warrantable embraces of Matrimony? Is there not some incestuous man or woman amongst you, yea some that hath not out of weakness but purposely run into incest? The crime is not so often committed in so high a degree, but yet sometimes it falleth out in the world, that men may learn there is more evil in their nature then they would have believed, but that experience teacheth it; we have not another example of it in Scripture, but here are two at once, that we might learn to know how bad a nature we have. And so much for their sins common to both, making their Father drunk, and then going to bed to him, for matter, and for manner purposely and without remorse and without any sorrow after, for when they had borne children, they give them such names as proved that they rather boasted of the crime than bewailed it, Ammon the son of my people, Moah of my Father, as if they had rejoiced at their happiness in being with child by their own Father. It is a cursed thing to sin, more to be so hardened as not to lament it afterwards, most to make a man's self glad of it. Their special sins. Their special sins are, the elder persuades to the sin, then gives a bad example, and after again encourageth her Sister, and the younger yields and follows. O see this naughtiness and take heed. Hitherto of Abraham's sons, servants, and wives, and one of his children and of his Kinsman Lot, his Wife and daughters. Abraham's confederates. Now of some others that lived with him, first his confederates Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, secondly, Ephron the Hittite, thirdly, King Pharaoh of Egypt, fourthly, King Abimelech. Then of the Kings that did take Lot and so of the Sodomites. Now for Aner, Eshcol, Their virtues. and Mamre, they were three Brethren, Hittites, of whose birth and death nothing is revealed, but in their lives two things are recorded deserving our observation and imitation. 1. They were friends to Abraham. First, they were friends and confederates with Abraham appears, Gen. 14.13. Secondly, they did faithfully perform the office of friends, and confederates. For the first, these three Brethren were in league with Abraham, joined in a Covenant with him for mutual help of each other against any that should wrong any of them. Their league it may seem was offensive and defensive. It is a wise and good part to live in friendship with godly men and to be knit to such in covenants of amity, It is a good thing to be a a friend to the godly. peace and mutual help, as Hiram King of Tyre was in covenant with David and with Solomon his son after him, and it is recorded to his praise that he was always a lover of David. For by this means great benefits are brought unto a man. First, he shall see their good conversation and hear their wise words, and enjoy their good counsel and their godly prayers and so be in possibility to be won to goodness by them, at least to a virtuous and civil conversation through their means, Prov. 13.20. for he that walketh with the wise shall be made wise, as he that walketh with sinners shall be made worse by them. He that cometh where sweet spices and ointments are stirring, doth carry away some of their sweet savour even though he think not of it, so shall a man receive some savour and taste of goodness from good men, if he live friendly and familiarly with them. Again, the Lord had undertaken with Abraham, to be a friend to his friends and an enemy to his enemies, and to bless them that blessed him as well as to curse them that cursed him. Wherefore in entertaining friendship with them, a man doth interest himself into some degree of God's favour and blessing according to that promise, for God hath tied himself as well to all Abraham's sons, even all the faithful, as well as to himself; you see the profit of such association with good men. Wherefore they must be reproved that are embittered against godly men and are enemies to those that love God, hating men even for goodness sake, and persecuting them for righteousness sake, without doubt these provoke God to fight against them and to become an enemy unto them, joining in the quarrel of the Saints, which indeed for his sake they have taken up against them. It is an evil thing to be a foe to those that fear God, and it shows not alone an absence of goodness but also a great strength of wickedness. He is surely carried by Satan at his pleasure, and a slave in a great degree to the Devil, that cannot endure the image of God in a man. And yet our Lord tells his servants, Mat. 10.22. that they shall be hated of all men for his name's sake. But now let every man learn of these three wise men to make choice of godly men for friends, familiars and allies. If a man be not himself a worshipper and servant of God, yet let him at leastwise like and love those in whom goodness shineth. Acts 28. The Centurion julius, by being courteous and friendly to Paul who was then his prisoner gate his life and the life of his soldiers for a reward, for God gave unto Paul all the prisoners that were in the ship with him. So many blessings as a natural man is capable of, he shall assuredly obtain from God by the prayers of his servants, who cannot choose according to the precept of our Saviour, but pray for their persecutors, much more for their friends and favourers. 2. They helped Abraham and kept their covenant. Now another good thing in these three brethren is this, that according to their covenant and confederation they did afford help to Abraham and joined their strength with him, to fight against the four Kings for the recovering of Lot Abraham's Cousin, and performed their part with so much courage, that Abraham got the victory and won his brother and all the spoil of Sodom, for which also Abraham was careful that they should have a full reward, in taking their part of the booty which himself forbore to take. This Example must be followed of all good men, when they have made a covenant, they must so stand unto it, and be ready to afford such help and perform all such offices as by covenant they have obliged themselves unto; Covenants and agreements must be duly kept, though the things be such which come to be done as require labour, cost, and hazard: for this is a practice of that excellent virtue of truth or fidelity, than which nothing is more needful for the common prosperity of humane societies, for unless men may trust one another's words, what living can there be together in the world, and without trustiness in those that make promises, there is no believing their promises and so the sinews of the world are as it were cut asunder or cracked. Therefore in the 15. Psalm it is indeed a sign of a godly man, that when he hath sworn in covenant or otherwise, he will not change though it should fall out to be for his hurt. Faith requires that the thing be done which hath been spoken, and how can he challenge the name of a good man, in whom faithfulness is not found? or how should it be expected that he will be faithful with God, whom he never saw that is not faithful to his neighbour whom he sees daily. Wherefore let every man compare himself with these civil righteous men, and see whether himself hath carried himself as honestly and justly as the very light of nature instructed them to do. I mean whether he hath faithfully kept his covenants, for how shall he be able to justify his right and interest unto the honourable name of a true Christian man, that falleth short of those virtues which many of the Gentiles have carefully practised. And if any man's heart accuse him of unfaithfulness and slipperiness in this kind, let him humble himself and be much ashamed of it. Should we not blush to see Heathens exceed us in good conversation and that our righteousness is not greater than that of the Pharisees who did at least equal the Heathen in righteous dealing. Surely they shall never be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven, before whom the Gentiles have gone in good behaviour of life; yet many there be professing to be Christians, whose untrustinesse this way filleth the mouths of all that deal with them with just and grievous complaints. They be so possessed with self-love, that when they have made a covenant promise or compact, the least disadvantage will make them use the craftiness of wit to wind themselves out and neglect their covenants. They know how to tie others hard and leave themselves loose, through the looseness of an evil conscience. These are men that be guilty of neglecting justice, judgement, and faithfulness, and if they strain never so much at gnats and swallow these camels, our Saviour will be bold to entitle them, as he doth the Pharisees, and pronounce a woe against them, saying, Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites. Learn now to be very sorrowful, if you have carried yourselves more unrighteously in this kind, than the honester sort of those have done who lived out of the confines of the Church, and be careful to repent by their example, that their goodness may not rise up in judgement against you and condemn you. And resolve with yourselves I pray you, now to prefer your credit before any other thing in this earth, and to put yourselves upon loss and hazard, rather than incur the deserved reproach of men faithless and dishonest. It is not witty tricks and devices that will save you from reprehension before the Lord and your own consciences and other men, your name shall rot and stink and become loathsome, if you deal untrustily, though you paint your evil deeds over with never so fair and trim excuses. Wit is never more abused, then when it is made a patron and a protector for falsehood and evil dealing. Be righteous therefore in this particular, and put yourselves in mind of your promises and covenants to keep them, you cannot but know, that this is a duty your consciences require you to do to others, even as you desire that they should deal with you, and therefore must needs condemn you for such falsity which yourselves with open mouth are ready to cry out against in others. And so much for these three men. Now for Ephron the Hittite he is named alone once, Gen. 23.10. Ephron. His virtues. and in his carriage we observe three things deserving commendation and fit to be imitated by us. First, 1. He courteously saluteth Abraham. 2. He was liberal and kind to Abraham 3. He was just and true in his word. he salutes Abraham with honourable and courteous language, saying, my Lord hear me, and again, my Lord hear me. Secondly, he was liberal and kind to Abraham, and offered freely to give him the Cave in which he desired to bury Sarah. Thirdly, he was just and true in his word, he told Abraham a due and right price, and made him good and full assurance of it, when he received the money. The Holy Ghost hath not for nothing inserted these stories of Scripture, the virtuous deportment even of Heathens courtesy, bounty, and justice be sweet virtues, they commend the practiser of them to the consciences of men, they adorn him with real honour, and make him to find both love and praise from all hearts and mouths. They be winning virtues, and give a man a kind of command in the hearts of wise men, especially they become men of good place and ability, for such an one was Ephron, and make him more gracious then without them the greatest estate could. They are generous ornaments and set forth a man more than any gallantness of a tire or houseroom. I beseech you fall in love with them, and put them in continual practice, deal in courteous fashion with all, be ready to give freely and deal justly in ask price and making assurances. Why should a man yield himself to a stern and currish kind of speech? Why should he be sour in his carriage, niggardly and pinching in his conversation, and unjust and overreaching in his bargains? Nature teacheth us that which S. Paul teacheth of wearing long hair, that it is a shame to him that doth it, 1 Cor. 11.14, 15. and that the contrary is as it is affirmed, that long hair is to a woman a glory unto her. Do not that which must needs be reproachful, neglect not that which must needs be graceful. Be kind one to another, be bountiful, be righteous, show that neither self-love nor the love of money doth possess you, the former of which causeth austereness of carriage, the latter niggardliness and unjust dealing. Press yourselves to these virtues and say, shall not religion make me more virtuous, than Heathenism made this Hittite? shall I be less affable, bounteous, righteous to my brethren and neighbours, than a stranger of another nation and another religion was to Abraham who did but sojourn near him? We are ill Scholars in the School of our blessed Saviour, if we receive not better instructions from him, then can be found in an Heathen teacher; yea we Christians must practise the same virtues in a better manner, on better grounds and to better ends. We must be courteous, and for conscience sake, not barely for credit, to please God, not alone to win men, and to those that wrong us and deal frowardly with us, not alone to them that are courteous unto us. These virtues simply in themselves cannot entitle us to the name of members of Christ, unless we do them with reference to God's Commandment and authority, but being so as it were dipped in true religion, they will become Seals of our faith and cause unto us an ample recompense. So I should have said of the former virtues commended in the three forenamed Brethren, of being friends to the righteous, not so much for righteousness sake as for other commendable parts, we see in them, or for the hope we may have to be advantaged by them. This will not approve a man to be a true Christian, but to love a righteous man in the name of a righteous, an Abraham because he is an Abraham, servant to the most high God, this is a due sign of one sanctified. But I have digressed and now return again to my Exhortation; I pray you outstrip the Heathen in all virtues and let your conversing amongst your neighbours be as fair and winning as that of theirs could be. So for these men. Pharaoh. Now two Kings had occasion of intermeddling with Abraham, the King of Egypt, Pharaoh into whose country Abraham went to sojourn, for the famine that oppressed Canaan, as you have it related, in Gen. 12.12, 14. in him we have to observe some bad things and some good. First, he showed himself lustful and wanton, His faults. 1 He was lustful. and overslavish to a beautiful face, for he quickly harkened to his servants that commended Sarahs' fairness to him, and took her into his house: what a vanity and folly and excessive engagement to lustful pleasures is this in a man? that he can no sooner hear of a fair woman, but he must covet and take her to him. It is an impotency very incident to man's nature, to be too much led with a fair face, with the mixture of the two colours white and red, and the comely proportion of the face. The sense of seeing overbeares them, and they scarce look to any thing so much in a woman, as that which Salomon's experience made him call vanity and deceitfulness, favour and beauty. We that have greater helps to mortification, should not suffer our passions to be so far masters over us. Surely Pharaohs Courtiers were well acquainted with his inclination in that kind, they would not else have brought him so quick tidings of Sarahs' good face. It is a blame-worthy weakness in a Heathen, much more in a Christian, to make use of the means which God hath given him to mortify such passions, and let reason have dominion over you, rather than eyesight and fancy. If Pharaoh had known her to be Abraham's wife, it may seem, he would not have taken her from him for all her beauty, and be none of you worse than Pharaoh pretended he would have been, to let beauty win you to be adulterers, corrupters of those you know to be other men's wives. Let not your dotage upon a comely visage, make you rush into so foul a crime as adultery. Remember what Solomon saith, desire not her beauty to thy hurt, Pro. 6.25. be not taken with her eyelids. Further it was a fault in him, 2. He carried himself over-churlishly to Abraham. that he carried himself over churlishly to Abraham, and in a kind of revengeful passion and chiding of him, for calling her sister and not wife, and so hazarding him to adultery, and in that passion sending him packing out of his country. In anger and displeasure to take a man up for a fault, and drive him away, make him be gone, is surely too great an yielding to that distemper, which receiving of injuries doth work, even a kind of heat and unlovingnesse against the doer of them. Take you heed of giving yourselves so far over to wrath. That he did reprove Abraham was well, that he did it over angrily and so dispatched him out of his country, this was not well. Shun what was evil in him, and if you follow any thing, follow that was good. And now take you notice of what was good in him. His virtues. 1. He dismissed Sarah presently when he knew her to be married. First so soon as he perceiveth that God had punished him for taking Sarah, in regard she was a married wife, he presently dismisseth her, so submitting himself to God's hand, and not hardening his heart against stripes. O how happy should we be? if we could speedily observe God's corrections, and finding out the cause by diligent inquiry, rid our hands and houses instantly of those offences which are matter of provocation to him. How many miseries might we escape by so speedy an observation of God's hand and purpose, and a ready yeeldance to him. Pray we to God to give us such a quick sight, such a stooping disposition. He that gave it to an Heathen man, will much more give it to a Christian. And if any of you have been stout against God Pharaoh-like, let him abhor himself that hath showed less piety than this Pharaoh did. It is a proof of some softness of heart, to be driven from sin even by great plagues. 2. He used Abraham kindly for Sarahs' sake. Another virtue in him was, that he used Abraham kindly for his sister's sake, so was she reputed then, and by that means he grew in riches abundantly. Favourable dealing with a man for his friend's sake, especially for a fair sister, a kinswomans' sake, is a kind of bastard courtesy, and may befall a man given to lust, yea many times the kindness of such is more won by such a motive, then by any better deservings. Let us do the same thing, but on better grounds, let the beauty of virtue make us esteem and countenance those that show it, more than a beautiful Sister or Kinswoman: but better be loving to a good man even upon such a sinister respect, than not at all to be courteous to him. 3. He lets Abraham depart without offering any injury to him. Another thing wherein this man dealed well, was that he dealt not over harshly with Abraham, but lets him go without offering injury unto him in anything he had. He doth not take his life from him as Abraham feared he would have done, nay nor his servants, nor his goods, nor any part of them; but takes order for his safe passage and conduct out of his Country. Let us at least so moderate our anger, that if it draw us to a little unkindness and sourness of carriage, which is one degree of revenge, yet it may not cause us to leap over the pale of justice, and to use unrighteousness and cruelty against those from whom we have received injury So Pharaoh was not so far transported with anger, though perhaps he might have been able to have done it, and it may seem at first sight that he had cause of doing so. But it seemeth that the sense of God's great plagues had made him begin to see, that God was a dear friend of Abraham's, and that he should have incurred further wrath for wronging him in other things wittily, whose injuries God did prosecure so severely, even when it was done ignorantly and unwittingly. We ought to have more fear of God before us, than any King of Egypt. Deal justly therefore, let men go from us with all they have, make not bold to wreak your team on any man, by sending him away without his own. But it is to be noted, that God plagued Pharaoh for his doing hurt to Abraham though beyond his knowledge, even with great plagues, you see that sometimes unwitting sins make God very angry with men, when done against his dear and faithful servants, in things near and dear unto them, for he is a Father to them and full of compassion, and pitieth their case when they sigh and mourn before him, O with how much heavier evils will he plague them who wittingly and of set purpose do wrong them. How shall his anger burn against presumptuous and wilful sinners? when such heat ariseth upon occasion of sins of mere ignorance. Take you heed of causing his wrath to arise against you for such crimes, sure his sword will cut of for such faults, if it wound and cut deep for the far lesser. And again, see that even plagues sometimes are sent to do a man more good than hurt, even to keep a man from such sins, as but for them he would have committed, and to make him see and leave those which he did live in before and not observe. It was a benefit to Pharaoh that he was so scourged, I conceive that this Pharaoh was not a man sanctified, for then God would have warned him by dream or some other way, as he did Ab●melech, rather than by severity of plagues; but it is a kind of favour to any man to be kept from sin, even by heavy plagues. Surely the Lord will do as much for his own people, as for the Egyptians, rather drive them out of their sins by sharpness of blows, then that they shall live and die in them and perish. Happy is that smart or pain that prevents a greater hurt. The Lord had rather his people should suffer any thing, then continue in sin to their destruction, their outward fame troubles him not so much as their inward wickedness. Therefore if you find by experience that God's hand hath restrained you from much evil, and your own souls can say, such and such a sin I should never have seen, never have left, if God had not by his scourges and blows even forced me to open mine eyes, and see them, and to cast them away even as it were against my will; be you thankful to God for such chastisements, learn to say as David, It was good for me that I was afflicted, Psal. 119.71. that I might learn thy righteous judgements. Will not men pay well for a plaster that hath a virtue to cure the sore? though it put the member to smarting pain. Surely he doth not hate sin according to its hatefulness, that hath not learned to be glad of any affliction which keepeth him from sin, or draws him out of it. And now if any of you do lie under heavy plagues, let him become an humble suitor to God, to vouchsafe him as much goodness as he pleased to grant unto this Pharaoh, even to show him the cause for which he smiteth, and to give him notice of his faults and power to reform them, we might hasten our deliverance out of calamities, if we would turn them to this purpose. (* ⁎ *) THE THIRTEENTH EXAMPLE. OF ABIMELECH. ANother man is mentioned living in Abraham's time, with whom also Abraham had occasion to converse. Abimelech, nothing is said of his birth and death. He was a King ruling over a city called Gerar, in the country of the Philistines. In his country Abraham sojourned, you have the story of him, Gen. 20. & 21. v. 22. ad finem. Of his birth and death nothing is recorded. But in his life we must observe, First, His fault. Secondly, His good deeds. Thirdly, His crosses. Fourthly, his Benefits. One fault alone of his we read of, viz. His fault, he was too lustful. that he took Sarah to him, minding to make her his wife: we see him offending in the same kind that Pharaoh King of Egypt was noted before to have offended in. He was too too libidinous, and over-taken with an inordinate affection to beauty. He had wives enough before, yet when one stranger singularly fair did come into his country, he would needs take her to himself, and that not so much by persuasion and entreaty, as by violence and strong hand, for so much seemeth to be signified by the word he took her, he sent and took her, hearing of a beautiful person, and having spoken with Abraham, and finding her to be his sister alone and not his wife, for the former both of them affirmed, the latter he did not inquire of so diligently as to learn the truth from them, he resolved to have her to himself. God himself after doth seem to acquit Abimelech of any adulterous intention, for when he alleged that he had done this in the integrity of his heart, God himself beareth witness to his uprightness in that respect saying, Gen. 20.6. I know thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart, meaning, that he thought verily that she was only sister, not yoke-fellow to Abraham, and that if he had known her to have been a wife he would not have taken her; so that he was free from intending to commit adultery, but from an excessive desire of beauty he is not free, for why should a man be so carried after women, that if he see any beautiful Virgin, he must needs enjoy her, and not satisfy himself with such wives as he had taken before? This verily must needs be a sin, for God did not appoint the society of man and man for pleasures sake, that a man might seek to satisfy himself in the delight of embracing so many fair women as he could get, but for the increase of, and storing of the world with people. Let us learn virtue out of other men's vices. This is the sole fault which the Holy Ghost noteth in this man, not because he had not more, but because this alone was that wherein he wronged Abraham and Sarah, of whom the Holy Ghost intended principally to make his history. Now for his Virtues, divers good things are told of him, First, in respect of God, Secondly, of his own servants, Thirdly, of Abraham and Sarah. His Virtues. First, in respect of God. When the Lord appeared unto him in a vision, vers. 3. and told him that he was but a dead man, meaning, was worthy of death, and so should certainly die unless he reform himself, because the woman he had taken was another man's wife, he did defend his innocency before God, truly alleging, that he did no way suspect her to be a married woman, because both herself and Abraham said she was his sister, and would not be known of their being joined together in matrimony, which also the Lord confesseth to be true: Yet so soon as God had commanded him to restore the woman, backing his commandments with promises and threats, presently he obeys the Lord, and returneth the matron to her husband. 1. He speedily and readily obeyed God. It is a worthy virtue and a proof of integrity, speedily and readily to obey the word of God, and amend those sins which before we did not know, when once the Lord doth vouchsafe to make them known unto us. This proveth that the soul is uprightly desirous to avoid all sins, when it will instantly reform the fault once manifested. To linger and put of from time to time, and strive to make one's self blind, and to wink and not see the sin, or not address to a speedy reformation, that is a fruit of guilefulness, but to yield to God and ones conscience, and without further delays to leave of the sin and put it away and the occasions of it, that is a proof of sincerity at least in that particular. When God declareth a fault to us, bids us mend, promiseth life if we do mend, threatens death if we will not reform; if we believe his promises and threats, and submit to his Commandments, we show integrity, Abimelechs' Example must teach us this effect of uprightness. If any of us be guilty of the contrary fruit of hollowness, that we have neglected to acknowledge a fault beginning to be revealed to us, and out of love to the sin in respect of any profit, credit, pleasure it flattered us withal, have rather endeavoured to shut out the light by false reasonings, then to receive the knowledge of the truth when it began to shine out of the cloud of ignorance, we must greatly blame ourselves for such hypocritical behaviour. This is that S. Paul accuseth the Gentiles of, saying, that God's wrath is manifest from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who detain the truth in unrighteousness, Rom. 1.18. who do as it were imprison and suppress truth and hold it down, that it may not show itself unto them, out of a love they bear to sin and wickedness. And sure God's wrath shall appear evidently against all that in such manner shall play the dissemblers with him; how much more then, if when a man cannot so darken himself with feigned pretences, but that he must needs see and confess the truth in his conscience, shall he be guilty of a great sin, if still he uphold in himself a will and resolution to commit the sin, that he could not but see to be a sin, or if he do not come to a present resolution of amendment, but put it off till afterwards and purpose to continue offending once or twice or a little time longer. Shall not Abimelechs' example condemn our disobedience before God, if we show ourselves so much enthralled to sin? Two things show dominion of sin in a man, one where he refuseth to know though he have due means of knowledge, and a certain working of knowledge offering to convince his conscience, another, when though he do know, yet he resolves to persist in all evil, or at least remains irresolute and doth not determine to leave, but stands as it were unsettled in his will at least for some time. If any of you find himself so disposed, it is certain, that sin ruleth in him and he is not under grace. Wherefore you must diligently prove your hearts in this respect, if you desire ever to enjoy the comfort of knowing yourselves to be upright. Now then learn to lend a dutiful ear to the Word of God, and see the sins that it begins to show you, and put on a full and settled resolution of not adventuring to commit them any more. And if any find himself so subdued to the authority of God in all things, that he seem ready to entertain the light of truth and to obey it, and will not struggle and strive against the light in any thing, then may he assure himself, that his heart is true within him, and that the Lord will surely accept him and forgive his unpurposed offences and sins of mere weakness and frailty. Indeed in some one or two things that are too too gross as adultery here, a man may be prepared to yield to truth, and yet not have an honest heart to God, but he that in all things doth thus submit himself, is surely good before the Lord. And so much for Abimelechs' obedience to God, in that he receiveth his commandments here with faith and present obedience, which we shall also do, if we seriously consider his promises of life to the obedient and threaten of death to the disobedient, till we work our hearts to a firm and steadfast belief of them. 2. He acquaints his servants with God's pleasure. Now another good deed of Abimelech is in regard of his servants. As soon as it is day he calls them together, and acquaints them with the things that God had revealed unto him by a dream in the night. He doth well to let his servants know the matter, that so he might make them see the true cause of his restoring Sarah to Abraham, and might approve of his practice therein, and learn themselves to fear God which at least in some degree they did, for it is said, the men feared exceedingly, verse 8. and so did not persuade him to keep Sarah still, but rather furthered his intentions of her restitution. All governor's must be ready to acquaint their inferiors with the way that God shows them, especially such as concern the reformation of the lives both of themselves and of their inferiors, for it was needful that Abimelechs' servants should know, that Sarah was Abraham's wife, lest they or some one of them should think of taking her, when the King had left her, if they had remained ignorant of her condition. Rulers therefore must show unto their inferiors the danger of sin and what is sinful when the Lord hath made them know it, that they may be an instrument of keeping them also from evil deeds and from the punishment of them. Learn we all of this man to tender the souls of our servants and inferiors, and to reveal to them such things as God hath taught us, that they may be preserved from sin as well as ourselves. And take heed of being careless to show them the good and the evil way, that they sin not through our default, because we have not duly instructed them. And let inferiors also learn to receive such instructions with holy fear as the servants of Abimelech did, that the words they hear may prevail to keep them also from wickedness. 3. He admonisheth Abraham and Sarah of their fault. And now let us see his carriage to Abraham and Sarah. And first he doth admonish them both of their fault, and that not with a kind of discontent and frowardness (as before Pharaoh had done) showing rather that he was sorrowful he might not have Sarah then that he had attempted so far as he did, but in gentle and yet plain manner, saying, What hast thou done unto us? and again, What sawest thou that thou hast done this? His reproof is sharp enough, and yet as appeareth afterwards, it was mixed with gentleness. So, it is a good thing if our Brethren have sinned against us, to call for them or go to them, and to demand what ground they had or what inducement to sin so, and to let them understand, that the things they have done were such as ought not to have been done, especially if they have gone about to draw us to sin, or to occasion us to rush unwittingly into sin, that so we may bring them to repentance, or at least free ourselves from being partakers with them in their sins. So did he deal with Sarah too, but not with the like earnestness, for he considered the fault was chiefly Abraham's, who had confessed that she did it at his entreaty, and therefore he doth alone intimate a chiding to her, saying, thy brother, and adding good counsel, He is to thee a covering of the eyes to all that are with thee, and to all others, verse 16. and it is added, for she was reproved, meaning, that he intended to reproove her, and that she did take it and was touched with it as with a reproof. Let us resolve to behave ourselves so to our brethren, even to tell them plainly, but yet gently of their faults, and that with more or less earnestness, as they shall appear to have been more or less faulty. Some warmth must be in a reproof as here, but it must not be scalding hot, words of reviling and disgrace they scald as it were, but words that tend to stir up the conscience to a due consideration of the fault, they be duly warm and tend to make the physic work the more kindly. If any have done otherwise, either hiding the matter in his heart and so nourishing bitter dislike and alienation of affection from one that hath wronged him, or else opened his mouth in a kind of rage, and used hunting and railing speeches▪ he must be sorry that he was not as discreet and loving as Abimelech. To forbear reproof of another, or to do it with bitterness of wrath be too common faults and withal very blame-worthy. The one shows want of love, the other of wisdom, and in both we wrong our brother, in not taking the right way to help him out of sin, and wrong ourselves in making ourselves at least in part guilty of his sin. Be not you faulty in either of these kinds hereafter, but learn in plain and mild manner to deal with them that have done you injury, and let those that have done wrong learn of Abraham duly to accept of such reproofs. Another virtue in Abimelech is, 4. He not only restored Sarah, but also satisfied Abraham in some sort. that he doth not alone restore Sarah, but also makes amends to Abraham, and yields a kind of silent confession of his fault, and shows a desire of making satisfaction, by giving him gifts; for vers. 14. It is said, he took sheep and oxen and man-servants and women-servants and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah his wife. See a good duty here, we must not alone surcease to wrong our brethren for future time, if either ignorantly or otherwise we have begun to do them wrong, but if the wrong be manifest unto them, we must even make them some due satisfaction by words, or deeds, or both, chiefly, if the injury have been done wittingly and willingly. Think not that you have done enough in forbearing to do evil to any man, but if the evil have been evident unto him, O make also some good amends to repair the wrong, and to do him as much good in some other kind as you have done him hurt before. That so you may declare yourselves as well sorry for the former offence, as careful to offend so no more, and may make it appear you cease to be injurious in part out of love to your brother, as well as for any other consideration, and may by that means make the pardoning of the wrong more easy to him, and help to put charity and kindness into him, which the receiving of wrongs will go near to banish away, if some such care be not used to restore it again. But he that either continues in a continues of injuriousness, or else barely breaketh it off without some demonstration of his sorrow for the fault and good affection to the person offended, hath not yet fully reform himself though he have ceased to do evil any further. 5. He granted Abraham liberty to dwell in his country in any place. Another commendable thing in Abimelech is, that he doth not thrust Abraham away in a chase as Pharaoh had done, but he granteth him liberty to dwell in his Country in any place that shall seem good unto him. Learn of him not to be so displeased with any man for a fault committed by him, especially if it be done out of weakness, fear, or the like distemper as to caf him off, have no more to do with him, or the like; but still to hope and think well of him, especially, if he do confess his weakness as Abraham, and to afford any due courtesy and kindness to him; over-harshnesse towards others for faults which we find in them, is a sign of uncharitableness and pride. It shows that we do not duly perceive our own faultiness and aptness to some other as bad sins, yea perhaps to the very same sins, and that we do not bear a tender compassion to them, because we have not a right knowledge of ourselves. Compare the dealing of Pharaoh before observed and Abimelechs' carriage here noted, and what your consciences tell you was the more commendable and approvable, that imitate. 6. He takes notice of God's goodness to Abraham. I come to the last good deed of Abimelech. He takes notice of God's goodness to Abraham, saying, Chap. 21. ver. 22. God is with the in all that thou dost, and therefore accompanied with his principal Officer, one Phicol, goes and entreats Abraham to make a league of amity with him, as you may read in the Story, and when Abraham told him of a well of water which was taken from him by his servants, he excuseth himself, that he never knew of it before, and so willingly restoreth the well and confesseth Abraham's right to it, by taking the Ewe-lambs, and consenting to name the well Beer sheba, that is, the well of an oath, because they swore there each to other. It is a good thing to observe the goodness of God so his people, thereupon to think well of them and to desire to live in amity and peace with them. Why should not we have our eyes open to see God's blessing going along with men? and when we see it, why should we not rather love them and wish their friendship, then bear an evil eye towards them and malign them. It is a sign of some goodness to acknowledge, that God is the Author of all good success to men's affairs, herein we give him the honour of being the ruler of the world. And it is a sign of some good will to men, when their prosperous estate makes us rather like them and join friendship with them, than stirreth up grudging and repining at them. Surely Abimelechs' carriage giveth us some probable grounds to conceive, that himself was a holy man, in that he shows some knowledge of God, and good affection to so good a servant of God. Let us go a little further, and strive to interest ourselves into God's blessing on the godly, by following them in godliness. But let his willing restitution of the Well which his servants had taken away by violence, teach us also not to bear out the servants or people that are under our government in any unjust carriage of theirs; yea rather, so soon as we come to the knowledge of their naughty carriage, let us cause them to amend and to repair the wrongs that they have done. A man's servants faults must not be imputed to him, till it be known whether he be privy to them or not, but if when he is informed of them, he be careless to see them amended, now is himself as guilty of the sin as his servants were before. Thus you have the faults and virtues of Abimelech so far as I could note them out of holy Writ. Consider now what benefits God bestowed upon him. First, His benefits. he made him a King. 1. God made him a King. In those days it is evident that Kings were not rulers over so large dominions as now they be; of old the chiefest ruler over one or two Cities and the territories about it was a King, as in the land of Canaan there were 31 Kings, and the five Cities of the plain of Sodom and the rest had each of them several Kings, and yet there were some Kings that reigned over whole Countries as the King of Egypt, but in itself considered, it is a favour of God to prefer a man unto the honour of a King, as the Scripture proveth in saying, Pro. 22.29. a diligent servant shall stand before Kings and not before those of the meaner sort; If to be in favour and account with a King, be a thing fit to be promised as a reward of diligence, much more the enjoying of a Kingdom, therefore God upbraids both Saul and David, when he would sharply reproove their sins, that he had made them Kings over his people Israel; for Kings have likely, riches, honour, and authority, by the two former of which they may partake of much comfort themselves, and communicate much also to their friends and kindred, by the latter they may bring much honour to God, and much good also to men in establishing true religion and justice: Now God hath not pleased to make any of you Kings, but he hath made some of you richer and greater than others, as I may say little petty Kings in your places. Beware you pervert not this goodness of God, by making your wealth and power a means of swelling your hearts with pride, and imboldening you to wrong and oppress others, and furnishing you with instruments to serve your own lusts, for the such abuse of these benefits will turn them into poison, as it were to your souls, and cause that they shall serve at length for the same purpose which S. James 5.3. james saith, the rust of the rich man's treasure shall do, even to consume your flesh like fire, and to bring upon you greater damnation in another world, to be preferred before this more than an inheritance is before the lease of one alone year, none shall suffer so much torment and unhappiness as those that have played the untrusty subjects to God, and made their high places a weapon to bear out their sins. But take notice of God in your Eminency in this present world, and labour to be so much more thankful and obedient to God, and serviceable and profitable to men; and then shall preferment here be a means of enlarging your joys hereafter too. O happy is he, that shall be great in Heaven as well as on Earth, by his well employing of his earthly greatness, and you that cannot be great here, yet strive to attain a Kingdom, and here too in a spiritual sense. Labour to be Kings over yourselves, in establishing the Kingdom of grace in your hearts, that you may be Kings hereafter, and that in far greater glory and happiness, than the greatest of all earthly Kings either did ever or ever could enjoy: the meanest Christian may get the Kingdom of grace and of glory, as well as a David or a Solomon. 2. God kept him from committing a sin which else he would have committed. Another benefit we must observe, the Lord by his providence kept him from committing that sin which else he would have committed, but indeed of mere ignorance, for his heart was upright with God so far that if he had known it he would not have committed it. So the Lord tells him, therefore I kept thee that thou shouldst not come near her, meaning Sarah. It is a great favour of God to preserve a man from sinning by his providence, I mean, to order things so, that he hath not opportunity or freedom to do such things, as else he would commit, because he doth not know them to be sins. And this is one of the graces that God doth show to those whose hearts he finds upright with him. O strive to get sincerity of soul, that he which searcheth the heart, may vouchsafe you the same goodness, but if you be hollow and guileful, the Lord may and will justly punish you by giving you over to great offences. And if any man find, that God hath restrained him from doing some wickedness which he did not know and therefore should have done much more which he did know and would have done, he must bless the name of God for it with heartiest prayers. He that was in likeliehood afore he knew of it to have fall'n into some great pit, or other like danger, travelling in the night, and findeth in the morning how near he came to mischief, and yet escaped the fame, is either very blockish and profane, or else he must needs lift up his heart and eyes, and hands to Heaven, and magnify the name of God that caused him to scape, so much more must we do, if when we were in a forwardness to run into grievous offences, the Lord hath used some or other means which ourselves did not provide to restrain us from that evil. Spiritual preservation deserveth serious and thankful acknowledgement as well as natural. Another mercy of God is, 3. God revealed himself unto him in a dream by night. that he revealed himself unto him in a dream by night, and declared his will by a commandment, promise and threat. I do not read of such a kindness afforded to any wicked man, except it were to Balaam the false Prophet, which was done not in favour to him, but unto Israel, that he might not dare to curse his people, therefore am I conceited, that Abimelech was a godly man, especially because the Lord doth please to talk as it were in so friendly and familiar a manner with him, as if he had nor been a stranger to God, but rather of inward knowledge. You shall find if you read the dream, a kind of lovingness expressed on God's part, and a kind of dutiful boldness on Abimelechs': so that for my part, I have a very good opinion of the man, and think that the fear of God was in the King of that people, which were themselves so wicked, that good Abraham said, there was no fear of God in them. But the favour afforded him is this, he was taught of God his duty by a dream; Dreams were one of the ordinances whereby God did reveal his will unto men in those times: Pharaoh was showed a thing in a dream, and so was Nebuchadnezar, but God did not appear unto them and speak to them in dreams, this was an ordinance of his I say, in which most times he used to teach good men. Now this was a note of God's kindness to Abimelech, that he so taught him and not by heavy plagues, as he did Pharaoh King of Egypt forementioned. How much more mercy shows the Lord to us, to whom he shows himself in the word, and in the preaching of it, whereby we are taught our damnable estate, and showed the means of escaping it, and called upon with continual threats and promises to use those means, let us pray to God to work upon us by these his ordinances, that they may win us to obedience in a through reformation of life, as Abimelech was won to reform e this one fault, and then happy shall we be. But if we imitate the naughtiness of Israel, and harden our hearts that we may not hearken, then shall this mercy aggravate our sins, and we shall only have this fruit of it, we shall know there was a Prophet amongst us, when those greater fearful punishments befall us which were formerly threatened against us in the word. brethren, God doth not please to speak to men now in person by dreams, but he revealeth his will by Pastors and Teachers, speaking in his Name. He hath employed me to you this thirty years well near, to inform you that you are but dead men, because of the sins you have gone a whoring after, and to threaten you with death if you refuse to leave them, and encourage you with promise of life. upon your converting and amending, O when will you hearken as this man did. I beseech you before you come to Church to hear, take sometime to beg of God the assistance of his Spirit, to make you obedient hearers, and then blessed be your ears that hear. 4. God speedily removed his chastisement. Another benefit afforded to this King Abimelech was this, that he found God as favourable to him as could be, in a speedy removing of the chastisement which was sent upon him because of Sarah, viz. the barrenness of all his family, for it is said, vers. ult. that God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his maids, and his handmaidens, and they conceived, for he had fast shut up every womb in the house of Abimelech, by which it may be thought, that God sent some gentle sickness upon him, by which he was disabled from coming near to Sarah: Now so soon as he did reform the fault, the Lord heard the prayer of Abraham, and cured him and his house. This is a great favour of God, to make haste to our deliverance, and very quickly to hear our own prayers, and the prayers of others made for us, and instantly to remove the miseries which did lie upon us; for if the long lying on of a cross be tedious and heavy, because of the much sorrow it bringeth, and many complaints it wringeth from the mouth even of good men, saying, Lord how long? then surely freedom from all that anguish must be received as a point of great grace. O my brethren, do you imitate Abimelech in the speedy mending of your faults, that the Lord may also favour you so much as to remove your crosses quickly. If iniquity be in your heart, put it from you, and remove it out of your tabernacle, Job. 11.14, 15. and then your light shall spring as the morning, as one of jobs friends speaketh to him. But when we linger and hold sin under our tongues, and are loath to cast it away, no wonder if God do take us in our own nets as it were, and make sorrows and crosses linger as much upon us. Make haste to obey God and amend your lives, that he may also make haste to heal. These be Abimelechs' mercies. His crosses, God struck him with sickness and weakness and his women with barrenness. The crosses that the Scripture telleth us of, are no more but one only, viz. God did strike him with sickness and weakness, and his women with barrenness, and this cross was rather sent upon him, as a mercy to keep him from touching Sarah, then in anger or displeasure against him. Sickness of a man's person, wife and family are crosses, but sometimes the Lord doth send them upon men in favour, to prevent divers sins, which else he knows they would have committed in that time, if health had continued. Let us not murmur against GOD because of such crosses, but rather take notice of his goodness in the same, especially in point of sickness, if it linger upon us, and think thus with ourselves, how many sins might I have run into, if this bodily feebleness had not kept me within doors. And when we be sick or otherwise affected, let us turn our thoughts round about us, to find out if any such thing be, some sin that we should have run into but for such prevention. See if thine heart have not harboured some unconsidered fault, and further the health of your bodies, by turning sickness into purging physic for your souls. So have we finished the example of this King. Somewhat about that time, there lived four Kings, whose names are recorded in holy Writ, but nothing at all for their praise. Their names were, 1. Amraphel King of Shinar, Four Kings. that is, as it is thought, of Chaldea, or Babylon, where it may seem that Nimrod erected a Monarchy, and it may be that this man was some successor of his or one of his Posterity, and would needs enlarge his Monarchy so far as the land of Canaan, with whom was joined Amoch King of Elkasar, Chedarlomer King of Elam, and one Tydall King of Nations. What these Kings were? or whether mentioned in Heathen Stories or not, They were violent. it matters not to inquire. But here they are patterns of unjust violence in War. They had the keener swords and therefore would make themselves Lords over other Kings, and compel them by brunt of War to receive their yoke and acknowledge some Homage. Nothing more usual then for potent Kings to make at least unnecessary Wars for their growth in greatness, many times they do not so much as allege a show of title, but their own ambition is the ground of their plea, and sometimes they pretend most frivolous titles. So do they disquiet themselves and others, and cause much innocent blood to be shed, almost enforcing their Subjects to become wilful murderers. We must bless God that hath caused us to live now a good time under peaceable Princes, and must enforce our prayers to God begging the like mercy still. The Conquering side is often more miserable by sinning, than the conquered by slaughter or captivity. But God doth use these great Cocks of the game as instruments of his Justice, to punish the naughtiness of those that abuse peace, and become more wicked by so great a benefit. Let us learn to take heed of wickedness, that the God of Heaven may not also make us a prey to violence and ambition. And though you be not Kings, to whom I speak, yet I pray you take heed that you run not into the same fault, that these Kings though not in so high a degree, use not injustice and injuriousness and violence so much as your lower places will suffer, a Weasel is a ravenous beast as well as a Lion. Their main sin was taking Lot among the Sodomites. But the main sin that these committed, and which brought upon them their ruin was this, that they would needs take Lot among the Sodomites. Suppose the Sodomites did owe them Homage, and gave just cause of quarrel, yet was Lot no Sodomite nor Patron of their rebellion. They should have spared him, that never had been their subject, nor done them any wrong at all: Indeed if Lot had gone to War against them, and involved himself in the Sodomites evil cause (if their cause were evil) he was justly taken captive with them, but the brief narration seemeth rather to intimate otherwise. Chap. 14. verse 11, 12. They took the substance of Sodom, and their victuals and went their way, and they took Lot also and his substance, for he dwelled in Sodom, intimating as I said, that he was taken not in the battle, but in the spoiling of the City afterward: but you see what is the manner of insulting conquerors, they sweep away all they meet, and every thing and person shall be good booty that lies within their reach, but they smart for this spoil; for hence was Abraham justly occasioned to put forth his courage for the rescue of his Kinsman, and so were they deprived of the whole victory, because they spared not a man whom they should have spared. It often falleth out, that one act of injustice looseth much that otherwise was justly gotten. Beware of swallowing ill gotten wealth, it hath a poisonful operation, and like some such evil simple in the stomach, will bring up the good food together with ill humours: It is said the King of Sodom had rebelled, so intimating a kind of justification of the War with him, but it is not said that Lot had rebelled, and therefore they should not have seized on him for the Sodomites sake. Use justice and take nothing from any man that is due unto him, neither punish any without right, chiefly touch not a good man that feareth GOD, unless his faults require that he be made to smart for them: GOD can bear the carrying away Captive of many Sodomites rather than of one Lot. Now consider how God humbleth these great and insolent Conquerors, that carried all before them, he arms Abraham against them with so much wisdom and valour, that he sets upon them by night and discomfits them, afore they could well tell who it was that fought with them. So it falleth out often, that God doth beat far greater armies by the far fewer: He that feareth God and hath a just cause, need never be discouraged from battle, because his companies are but few. The God of War whom the Scripture calls a man of War, carries victory to that side where he pleaseth to join, and tell me if he have not most times given the greatest victories to his servants, when their enemy's power was such as far surpassed theirs. Some trust in bow and spear, but he that maketh mention of the name of God, he is in best possibility to become a victor. Take heed of making God your enemy, that maketh one man to chase ten, and ten to fly before one. (* ⁎ *) THE FOURTEENTH EXAMPLE. OF The Sodomites. WE are come along in Abraham's time to the Sodomites, The Sodomites had no virtues Concerning whom the Holy Ghost found nothing so much as like to any virtue, which might be commended or imitated in them, unless perhaps, it may have a little relish of virtue that the King of Sodom after Abraham's victory over the four Kings, Gen 14.17, 21. went out to meet Abraham, and willed him to give unto him the persons, and take the goods for a booty to his own use. There may seem to be a small shadow of gratitude in that he was willing that Abraham should enjoy the spoil, but if we consider the matter better, this will show itself to be rather a vice, for first, he doth not so much as thank Abraham for his hazard and pains in fight with those Kings, that had vanquished himself and his confederate Kings, and made Captives a number of his subjects, and also that whereas both persons and booty were all abraham's by the Law of Arms, because he had won them in battle, yet he is bold to demand the persons as if they were due unto himself. Wherefore I cannot perceive any good at all in this King, or any of his subjects. Their faults in general. But for their faults and vices they be many and great. The Holy Ghost speaketh of them in general and more particularly. First in general, Gen. 13.13. that they were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly, and Gen. 18.20. The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grievous. Lo you may see in them, that the wicked nature of man is apt to become out of measure sinful, and to bring forth exceeding grievous sins, and such as make a mighty cry in the ears of God, even as it were wearying his patience and challenging his justice for revenge. As a thing beginning to rot becomes exceeding rotten, even till it come to be very filth and dirt, and a man beginning to tumble down the hill, makes no stop till he come to the very bottom of the hill. For both God's righteousness is offended and provoked to punish them for a presumptuous and wilful sin, by giving them over to their own blindness and hardness, and to Satan's power and temptations, and also Satan is earnest to thrust sinners forward in the paths of iniquity, that if it were possible, he might satisfy his hatred against mankind, by making them all as bad as himself, and also corrupt nature itself finding pleasure, delight, and content in sin, is made more and more prone to sin, and so proceedeth further and further, till the Lord shall strip them by opposing of his just vengeance, and cutting them off in the midst of their wild race. Learn we therefore to take heed of the beginnings of evil, and to licence ourselves to commit any sin out of a conceit that it is small and little, or yet because we mean to do it but once, and then an end, for sin once committed will quickly return to tempt us again, and will more easily prevail to break forth the second time than the first, and the third than the second and so forward. 'Tis not in a falling man's choice and power to stop himself when himself pleaseth, nor in one that is sinking in deep waters to stay himself from sinking to the very bottom. And a little sin doth but make way for a greater till at length there be space enough for the greatest of all to enter, yea harder it will be to abstain from the foulest and most grievous at the last, then from the very lest of all at the first, presume not therefore to sin out of any such conceit. Again, if we have sinned in smaller degrees of evil, or once or twice done amiss, let us make haste to repent and turn, humbling ourselves and craving power and help against our own naughtiness, otherwise it is certain, that extremity of the most horrible wickednesses will grow upon us, and we shall become like them of Sodom, grievous sinners, and exceeding wicked before the Lord, and our sins also will grow so rooring, as to waken the Lord out of his slumber of patience and forbearance, yea and if God have stopped us in the paths of sin, and not left us to the highest degree of wickedness, we must acknowledge his goodness in keeping us from such excess of naughtiness, and beware of boasting ourselves because we are not stark naught; for did not a divine power restrain and bridle corruption, and hold it down as it were by strong hand, there is no man in the work so civil and so moderate, but he would break forth into the greatest exorbitancy of wickedness, as the least coal of fire if it be nourished with fuel and incited with blowing, will undoubtedly break forth into a consuming flame within a little space of time. If we be less evil than others, God is more good to us, not ourselves more good in ourselves. Every carcase would breed worms if it were not imbalmed or some way preserved from putrifying. But now we proceed to consider the sins of Sodom more particularly. First, as we find them recorded by Moses in Geneses, Their sins in particular. 1. They rebelled. next as the Prophet Ezekiel doth afterwards tax them by way of upbraiding Israel with the same abominations. The first sin noted in the Sodomites is, Gen. 14.4. that having served the King of Shinar twelve years, in the 14 they rebelled. Those that have been subdued by another Prince, and received the yoke of subjection at length, covenanting Homage and obedience (as in such case they always do to redeem their lives by their service) upon such and such conditions, made betwixt the conqueror and conquered, are very weary of the yoke for the most part, and watch all advantages of making themselves free again by rebellion, whensoever they think themselves strong enough to justify and bear out their rebellions: but without doubt, this course is sinful and unlawful, because it is a manifest breach of an oath and covenant, which ought to be firmly kept amongst men even though a man's covenants be made to his own disadvantage. Therefore was the Lord greatly displeased with Zedekiah the last of Salomon's race I think, that sat on the throne of David, because he rebelled against the King of Babel Nabuchadnezzar, who had conquered the land and made himself King over it, for so saith Ezekiel the Prophet, Chap. 17. ver. 15. He rebelled against the King of Babel in sending his Ambassadors to Egypt, shall he escape that doth such things? or shall he break the covenant and be delivered? as I live saith the Lord God, surely in the place whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, he shalld die, and ver. 8. Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the Covenant when he had given his hand and hath done all these things, he shall not escape. The Lord you see is offended with such a kind of rebellion and punisheth it, because it is as you see a despising of an oath and breach of a covenant. For indeed this is the way to trouble the world and make wars everlasting: though it be a fault in a neighbour Prince without just cause and ground, to make War and conquer his bordering neighbours and bring them under his yoke; yet when God by his providence hath made him conqueror, and the weakness of the conquered hath drawn them to subjection, and now covenants and agreements of peace have been concluded upon, the breaking of the covenants doth violate the rules of truth and faithfulness amongst men, and breeds new troubles and broils there, where might have been much peace and prosperity if they would have been contented to have borne the yoke; as jeremy is wished to command the Kings whom Nabuchadnezzar had conquered that they should do, Chap. 21.2.— 9 The Lord then, that is a lover of truth and peace, doth not likely leave such rebellions unpunished. This therefore must cause us to detest much more, as a much more plain and fearful crime, the sin of rebellion, against those more rightful Kings and Princes, to whom we owe more subjection, as being both natural borne subjects, and also having tied ourselves by an oath of allegiance and loyalty, for the more confirming of us in our duty, and stronger tying our consciences to it. And the Pope that taketh upon him (for his own advantage you may be sure) to dissolve and unloose such oaths, dispencing with them, and pretending to free men's consciences from the obligation of them, and from all danger of sin by breaking them, carrieth himself exceeding wickedly, and is most extremely injurious to the consciences of men, and to the peace of the world, and most impudently bold against the name of God, and the sacred and inviolable power of an oath. Be you advertised, that this is to set himself above God, in undertaking to dispense with an oath taken by the holy name of God, which the Lord himself did never yet dispense withal, for he that dispenceth with the conscience, must be Lord of the conscience, and he that dissolveth an oath, must be greater than he that bindeth to the oath, and by the oath, and that is the living God alone, whose Name is invocated in an oath. Wherefore abhor you this man of sins impious boldness, and learn also to abhor all manner of rebellion, learning of Solomon, not to meddle with the seditious, Prov. 24.21. but to fear God and honour the King, and show all good fidelity and allegiance unto him for conscience. Rebellion against our Kings cannot be separated from rebellion against God, and this also is like the sin of witchcraft or Idols. If Israel must bear the yoke of the King of Babel, how much more every people of their natural Liege, Lord and Sovereign? And this is the first sin of the Sodomites. 2. They mended not by their chastisement. The next is, that when the Lord did scourge them by the hand of Amraphel and his confederates, so that they lost the day, and many of them their lives, and the rest their liberties and their goods, and after delivered them again by the valour of Abraham, they were not any whit amended by this chastisement, but their wickedness continued still to make the same outcry and shrill clamour in the ears of God, as he told Abraham before. It is a great wickedness, not to profit by corrections; Prov. 29.1. He that hardeneth his heart being often reproved, much more corrected, shall surely fall into mischief. God complains of Israel, Isa. 1.5. why should ye be smitten any more? and again, thy children would receive no correction. It is a great provocation to a man against his inferiors, Jer. 2 30. if he have punished them for any offence, and cannot find them one whit amended. Incorrigibleness increaseth wrath in all superiors. For, first it is a frustration of their hopes and labours, and that is tedious. Secondly, it is a proof that the offender is utterly heardened in an evil course, and that doth stop the way against all further proceeding of clemency, and makes justice arm itself with vengeance, when mercy would be but abused if it should show itself. Be warned therefore to compare your own selves with these Sodomites, and judge betwixt the Lord and yourselves, if you also have not profited naught by his corrections. I will press the point upon you in respect of every man's own particular, hath not God afflicted thee? made thee groan and complain with losses and crosses, and more than one or two calamities, and yet after deliverance granted, you have returned to your vomit, and again are become wallowers in the mire, even giving over yourselves to the self same crime, for which your own souls did smite you in your miseries, and told you plainly that for those very things the Lord sent those testimonies of his displeasure against you, so great is that aggravation of thy fault, and will cause the Lord to make his rods more smarting, and if future amendment upon future and worse crosses do not come betwixt, to cut thee of and destroy thee at once, as here you see in Sodom. Indeed the most horrible abomination that they did publicly live in, required so extraordinary and public a punishment, but the particular fault of one particular man in a matter vile enough though not so loathsome, shall surely procure another and a sorer chastisement, or else even utter destruction at length. Let this admonition enter into your souls, and move you to repent now of that hardness of your hearts, which causeth you not to repent upon a former adversity, or else be sure, that you shall treasure up wrath to yourselves against the day of wrath, you that do presently lie under any hand of God, set to the matter of finding out and reforming your offences, and be much more earnest with God to make the cross profitable to you in that behalf, then to remove it from your shoulders. And you that have come lately out of a cross, and now are gotten again into a large place, beware of forgetting the hand of God, let the present exhortation stir you up to do better than the Sodomites. Say in your consciences, was it not a great folly in them, and a just forerunner of their final ruin? that captivity took away nothing from their sins: why will you commit the same sin which you cannot but condemn in them? They had no public admonishioner amongst them, that did continually persuade them to profit by that calamity, and putting them in remembrance of the lamentable condition in which they were fall'n, wished them earnestly to study reformation of life. God hath made you his people, hath settled his ordinances amongst you, and ceaseth not daily to remember your of your duty: without doubt your sin in not being bettered by crosses, shall offend him 10. times more than that of Sodom, and you shall find by experience, that the wilfulness is the greater, by how much the means of reclaiming have been greater. 3. They were unnaturally filthy. I proceed now to a third sin, and that is their unnatural filthiness, in offering to commit that foul crime of buggery with the strangers that came to lodge amongst them for a night, and were but men as they conceived by their outward behaviour, though indeed they were Angels. Take notice of the lewdness of these, worse than beasts, and learn to have it in utter detestation. First, the crime itself. Secondly, the circumstances aggravating the crime. 1. The crime of Sodomitry itself. The crime itself is that base and vile, and worse than brutish wickedness, of confounding the sexes which God hath in the creation distinguished. For he made the Male and Female, but these beasts would needs so much as was in them, take away that so necessary and useful distinction, and would have abused Males as if they had been Females, and turned men into women for the satisfaction of their prodigious lust, and that not out of a kind of forced necessity, because in the boiling of their unruly appetite there was not a woman to be had, but merely out of the sinfulness of their desires, which made them take more delight in that which was against nature, and leaving the natural society of the woman, they flamed in their lusts towards mankind, and as they had no question wrought villainy one with another, so now they would have violently committed the same outrage upon others. This is an horrible sin, forbidden by God in the Law under pain of death, Leu. 20.13. the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 9 that abusers of themselves with mankind, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If there be any light of nature left in a man's mind, he cannot but see the wickedness of this fact; for seeing the Lord ordained the conjunction of man and woman, for the impeopling of the world and multiplication of mankind, it cannot but be against nature altogether to power out lust in such a foul fashion, as that it becometh utterly impossible to attain the proper end of such meeting, wherefore they are carried brutishly after sensual pleasure with averseness from the fruit that God and nature intent, which do give themselves over to this filthiness. This is the crime of Sodomitry, so entitled from these Monsters of men that were the first public committers of it. But how ordinary it was in Athens and Rome among both Latin and Grecian even Philosophers and men accounted worthy and excellent? the Stories will not suffer us to be ignorant. And S. Paul affirms, that the Lord of purpose to avenge himself upon their impiety, in not finding out his true worship, but changing the Image of the incorruptible God into an image made like 〈…〉 o a corruptible man, Rom. 1.23, 24. and worshipping the creature besides the Creator, did give them up unto uncleanness in their own hearts lusts, to dishonour their bodies amongst themselves, and those that changed the truth of God, that truth which concerned God and the knowledge of him, into a lie, and set up images of him, did after put out the light of nature into darkness, and the natural use into that which was against nature. Now how should it come to pass, that any one endued with reason should grow so utterly unreasonable, as to prefer this filthiness before that which is agreeable to the course of nature? Surely because when lust hath once taken possession of a man, and that he doth not find his expected satisfaction therein, than the Devil inflameth his fancies to try new and strange ways of contenting himself, until he have multiplied his sinful inventions to the utmost, and spent himself in a fruitless pursuing of what he cannot overtake. Now consider the several aggravations of their sin, First, 2. The aggravations of this sin. 1. In respect of the persons to whom they would have offered this villainy. in regard of the persons to whom they intended to offer this villainy, even men that came within their gates to lodge and seek shelter from wrongs. Had they not filthy persons enough among themselves to please their libidinous fancies withal? but they must force honest and virtuous men to suffer such an indignity. Lust is ever the more blameworthy in exercising itself, by how much it useth more violence to effect its desire. It prevaileth by force worse than by persuasion, although wickedly enough either way, for here is a double wrong done to the same person, one of polluting, another forcing to suffer. Abhor you all manner of impurities, but especially loath to give lust such an headstrong command over you, that it should compel you by force and strength to compel others to suffer your unchaste offers. And if any man hath by wrestling, and striving, and might even overcome a resisting person, let him bewail the sin the more, because it is the greater, else the Lord will violently punish him, that violently abused another. Again beware of offering hard measure to a stranger, the more helpless any man is, the more charity commandeth to pity him, the less to wrong him: especially to be so madded with lust, as that a man should impure one with filthy assays whom he never saw before, this is to show a most licentious and unsatisfiable humour, that is not contented, unless beastlike, it may have any it sees at any time. That lust will know no bounds which is carried after every stranger, and it is the property of lust, when it hath overlashed more than it ought, to disdain all bounds and limits. Perhaps these Angels appeared in the form of very beautiful young men, and that might cause the filthy Sodomites to cast libidinous looks upon them, but howsoever it was, lust doth not confine itself always to beauty, it is of a ranging humour and loveth variety, and might it have all in the world but one, it would not be pleased without that one also, as other desires in their kinds are infinite and insatiable. Another aggravation of their wickedness, 2. In respect of the persons that committed it. is from the persons that committed it, not one vile fellow, or three or four companions in villainy, consented together to act such a hideous part, but all the men of the city, old and young, all from every quarter assembled together, by which it is manifest, that the City was universally corrupted, and that there was not a civil honest man left amongst them, but all were turned abominable buggers, and did take pleasure either to act that filthiness themselves or to see it acted by others. It is a fearful thing, when such grievous crimes grow common, when all commit them or like of them, none reproveth, none opposeth them, but every one makes another worse than he would be, and no man will think that wicked, which is done by each man in the town or country, as well as by himself. Men follow sin amain, when they swim down the stream of example unto it; they make themselves bold to do what all do, and can hardly make themselves believe they offend in going with the heard as it it were, O let us resist the overgrowing of sin, the overspreading of all, that it be not as a spreading fretting leprosy: Seldom is it, that hideous sins grow common, but that some common vengeance followeth, and yet you see the nature even of the worst sins to be such, that they will spread themselves by little and become universal diseases, and when every man hath them, none knows how to be ashamed of them, or careth to cure them. But see here the old decrepit goats, that were now scarce able to see or hear or wag abroad, yet these had as lustful minds as the youngest there, and what they could not act because of weakness, yet the strength of their unmortified lusts did make them delight to behold, and attempt to perform so far as they could. It is not age that will quench lust, this fault striketh in the fancy and will not be cured by bodily inabilities, they can love to speak wantonly, and to attempt this worst of evil, that yet are impotent through age. But ah, it is a most undecent thing to see the sins of youth prevailing in times of age, it were monstrous to behold green apples on a tree in winter. If the frost of age cannot nip the blossoms of libidinous desires, how great was that heat! who can think that he is at all mortified in other things, where nature affordeth less help, that hath not prevailed against the things that should even die of themselves. But it is sure, that length of time will not conquer his hateful passion, unless grace be granted from above, the elder adulterer is the most neighing, he desireth so much the more, by how much he can effect less, as you see it in some kind of creatures whom the knife hath caused to cease to be perfect males. O if any old man amongst you have a wanton heart, head, hand, tongue, and gives himself to please himself with dalliances, and lascivious gestures, words and carriages, let him be exceedingly abased in himself, the consideration of ones ancientness makes the least attempt in him more loathsome, than any act in a young stripling, so long as one is carried with the fervour of youth to such offences, there is hope that age will temper, but in whom these fires continue sparkling, when his body is little warmer than a dead carcase, what hope can be conceived of his amendment? what charity can think that he will ever be chaste? for he is not chaste that cannot, but he that will not be lascivious. But see here young men as well as old, the Holy Ghost nameth not alone men come to the vigour of their youth, but even the younger youths that were scarce passed childhood, these also learned of the elder, and it pleased them to be present where filthy deeds were done. Verily, childhood will soon receive the infection of lust and there is scarce a sin that will show itself more early in imitating those evil speeches or acts it hears or sees; young ones will drink in this poison greedily, and will show that themselves are of kin to the elder, by bending the same way. How careful therefore should elder persons be, to forbear all such words and carriages before these buds, as may begin to season with evil too too timely? and why should any be so naught as yet some parents have been, to delight to teach their childerens libidinous songs and carriages? some love sin so well, that they delight to instruct young ones in this foul and obscene trade. Hath any amongst you spate out this venom in the presence of young ones, to make them sooner wicked than else they would? O how very great is his sin, whose filthiness will live in another when himself is dead. A man hath more cause to bewail the contagion of his lust in this kind, than the lust itself in himself, he may kill it by repentance, but what will he do to stop the contagion in another. Again, 3. From the manner of doing it. the fault is exceedingly aggravated from the manner of doing. First, they carried themselves most impudently in this matter, they stuck not to tell their mind plainly, bring them out to us, say they, and they do not pretend any honest errand, nor will so much as go about the bush a little to shelter their naughtiness, till opportunity served to put it in practice, but as if it were the most honest occasion that might be, they proclaim, that we may know them. The Holy Ghost abhorreth turpitude of speech, and therefore delivers their meaning in a modest phrase, but whither they affected any such modest veil of speaking, it's greatly questionable, at least it is more probable, that those which would declare their minds so openly and so loudly, would utter it also as broadly, for shame is the only pull-backe to these kind of loose speeches. Men fear to speak grossly, because they would not be thought so vile as to delight in filthiness, and he that would be known to intend such a lewdness, no question but he would also please himself in the worst phrases he could invent. Impudence in sin, especially in this sin against which God hath pleased to arm corrupt nature with some degree of shame; for were it not a matter of reproach to offend in this kind, how few would live chastely in their younger and wilder days? nay scarce in their elder. men's credit is dearer to them then their soul, pleasure would conquer conscience in those in whom it cannot conquer vainglory: but I say impudence in all sins, chiefly in this sin, doth make it out of measure wicked: they cannot blush, saith the Prophet, Isa. 3.9. they declare their sin like Sodom, they know not how to be ashamed when they had done evil. It is a sign that a man hath stripped himself of the nature of a man when he begins not to be ashamed of sin especially not of this sin. A beast hath not the understanding to discern the turpitude of evil, therefore he cannot be ashamed, so the shameless is turned into a very beast, having lost the sense of good and evil: such a one, if any, hath gotten to himself that which is called a reprobate mind, a mind that cannot try or prove things, that can put no difference. Therefore learn to preserve shamefastness in yourselves, and to know how to blush, it is the colour of virtue in the younger sort, which should only therefore be separated from elder persons, because they should then be more perfect then to say or do things that might occasion it, else impudency in vice is the more loathsome by how much the head is grayer; Indeed want of store of blood will not give so red a hue to the cheeks, but if an old man be not more confounded within himself for his wickedness then a younger, it is a sign that his age hath profited little in ability of judging, and discerning evil from good and good from evil. If any amongst you find himself to have a brazen forehead, that is never a whit abashed at the doing of evil, chiefly of wanton deeds, that he cares not much who sees or knows, what dirt is harboured in his mind, he is near neighbour to a Sodomite. But as they did it impudently, so most wilfully, for when Lot by loving dehortations, and (as any but a brutish person would have conceived) offers of that which might have better contented them, then that which they propounded (even his own two daughters virgins) yet they grew disdainful towards him, stand far of or beyond, the word is, approach beyond, as much as in our phrase, get thee farther of, and accusing him of great insolency, that being a stranger would needs make himself a Judge, (He takes upon him as a chief ruler in the conceit of a wicked man that seeks to drive him from his sin) they fall to threaten, that they will deal worse with him then with them. So gentle words did rather exasperate them, than any thing mitigate their eagerness, therefore the Angels pulling in Lot unto them into the house, strike the men with blindness, a kind of giddiness of brain and dazzling of eyes, like to those that have fed of some kind of root that makes them little less than wild and mad for the time, they could not find the door by groping, and yet continued still to weary themselves by groping after it. Here is the greatest obstinacy and wilfulness in sinning that could be imagined, when not alone no loving dissuasion could withdraw their minds from such a shameful attempt, but even the heavy and immediate hand of God was unable to pull them back from continuing in their horrible and outrageous onsets. God might by force hold them from doing the evil, but from endeavouring to do it nothing would hinder; to be so hardhearted in a sinful course, that neither words nor blows will so much as interrupt a man in his naughtiness, or cause him to turn a little aside, or make a little stop in it, but that he rusheth like a horse into the battle, plunging himself in it like a madman running to drown himself, and with violence striving to rid himself of them that seek to hinder him from working his mischief, this may seem as high a degree of sinning, as that of the Sodomites. O take heed that sin lay not so fast hold upon you, let it not be so absolute and mighty a commander. I pray you examine yourselves, whether you have not sinned grossly, boldly, wilfully, and obstinately in some other kind, as the Sodomites in masculine lusts, at least whether you have not discovered the same faults in lesser degrees, and know that more deep remorse and wounding of heart is necessary to be sought after by all men for sins that have so many weights at their heels to make them heavier. They must rend our souls more, which are laden with such considerations, Was not the sin gross? Yes. Did I not commit it presumptuously? Yes. Did I not commit it shamelessly? Yes. Did I not commit it wilfully? Yes. Did I not persist in it against dehortaions? Yes. Was I so furious that some strong hand of God befalling in the instant could not hinder me? Yes. O then how Sodomitical was this sin, and how should I wonder that I should so far surpass all bounds and break all bands as to commit such a crime in such a manner. But here is one fault particularly to be noted in Lot's sons in Law, The sin of Lot's sons in Law, they would not be ruled by their Father. their Father sought to get them out of that place, and so out of that plague, and therefore by commission from the Angels, went forth to them, acquainted them with the peril and besought them to save themselves, they count his words no better than the doting dreams of an old man, and will not be moved at all, unless it be to laugh at him, and so they burn with the other Sodomites, because they would not believe their danger. Thus do men yet still pull perdition on themselves, the Ministers of the Gospel preach to us to the same purpose, that Lot did speak unto his sons in Law. Come out of such and such a sin, for God will surely destroy the committers of it, and what success do we meet withal? After many an hour bestowed in seeking to make men see, that if they do such things, they shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, but shall fall into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, we have no other fruit, our words appear to them as if they were the words of one that mocked or were in jest, they will not be made to think that any such danger is near them. Tell me, I beseech you what you think? might not Lots two sons have escaped this fire of Sodom if they would? What was the cause of their perishing, but because they would not believe their Father in Law? also they might have left the City with him and escaped the brimstone. Surely beloved you shall be able to allege nothing at the last day to make your destruction more tolerable, for why do you perish but because you will not give credit to the threats of God? and labour to leave all sin which you may as well endeavour to leave, if your wilfulness did not hinder, as Lot's sons might have left Sodom. If you say, we could not believe those words. I answer, true, but even as these wretches could not believe their Father, because by hardening themselves in evil they had made themselves obstinate against every thing that crossed their carnal desires. It is a fearful sin Brethren, to be no otherwise affected to the threats denounced against your sins by God's Ministers, then as these graceless young men, even to think them but words of sport, counterfeit words which have no truth nor substance in them, but were very mockery and scoffage: so thought these foolish fellows, but in the morning they were made to feel what they would not believe at midnight; when they scorched in the flames, they in vain repent their ill entertainment of their Father in Laws speeches and persuasions, and to no purpose wished that they had been over-entreated by him. A number of you live in the selfsame sin, he that threatens hellfire and destruction against you, for your drunkenness, filthiness, revenge, worldliness, is counted a mocker, an idle fellow, that knows not what he saith, but must say something when he is gotten into his Pulpit, and no more reckoning do you make of it: but when death hath carried your souls to hell, than you shall too late accuse your own folly, and wish you had harkened with more belief. O accept these threats with faith, that they may draw you out of sin and save you out of hell. Other sins of the Sodomites. 1. Pride. The sins of Sodom related by Moses you have heard of. The Prophet Ezekiel by way of upbraiding judah, relates some other sins together with this, as you may read, Ezek. 16.49. Pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness were in her, and in her daughters, and they strengthened not the hand of the poor and needy, and they were haughty and committed abomination before me. Pride is a great sin. First, the Holy Ghost telleth us of their pride, this is a grievous vice, pride of heart is a fearful sin. 'Tis like a great swelling in the body, which unfitteth it for any good service, and is apt to putrify, It's nature fully discovered. and to break and run with loathsome and foul matter. So doth this pride disable the soul from any good duty, and at left breaks forth into most odious and filthy deeds that cause it to be tedious to God and man. The Scripture often condemneth it, and pronounceth heavy threats against it, Psal. 73.6. a wicked man is blamed, because pride compasseth him as a garment, he weareth it upon himself as some fair and gorgeous robe of which he is so far from being ashamed, that he rejoiceth in it, and thinketh himself to be made more comely and honourable by it, and Prov. 8.13. he saith, the fear of God is to hate pride, amongst other things there named. It must needs be concluded to be a fearful offence, the hatred of which must needs arise from the fear of God. It is blamed in an Heathen Nation, jer. 48.29. We have heard of the pride of Moab, he is exceeding proud, his loftiness, arrogancy and pride, and the haughtiness of his heart. The Prophet saith of the jews too, Chap. 13.13. that he will weep in secret places for their pride. And our Saviour reckoning up that abominable litter and brood of sins which have their original in man's heart, that is, his corrupt inward disposition, amongst the rest nameth pride, Mark 7.22. And how much God hateth this vice, is evident by the threats which in his Word he hath thundered against it. S. Peter saith, ● Epist. Chap. 5.5. God resisteth the proud, he sets himself against him as in an army ordered for the battle, he is always in the field as it were with his troops ranked and ready to give the onset and take every advantage of doing him mischief, Solomon saith, Prov. 11.2. When pride cometh then cometh a fall, a man is apt to run into most shameful faults, and so to bring upon himself the greatest of all reproaches when once he giveth pride the possession of his heart, and after, Prov. 16.28. Pride goes before destruction. This sin is a necessary forerunner of ruin, it is an Harbinger to note our a lodging place for misery and calamity, and Chap. 29.23. A man's pride shall bring him low, truly low enough, even as low as hell itself, for must it not needs cast him low and low that maketh God his utter enemy. It must be a loathsome vice, if we consider the causes whence it comes, and the fruits which it produceth. The root of it is nothing but ignorance or folly or both; Ignorance what? Folly what? Ignorance is the not knowing of what one should know, Folly the not useful considering of what one doth know, and were not the heart made stark blind with one or both of these vices, it could never rush into pride. For so mean is a man in his very Creation that he comes of dust and nothing, and in his sinful corruption, now much more mean when he is of his Father the Devil as the Scripture saith, nothing but the spawn of Hell, and a very bastard misbegotten by the Prince of darkness, and subject to so many miseries here, and to such a weight of eternal misery hereafter, that if he were duly informed of this baseness, and did rightly believe it, and consider of it, he could not possibly be puffed up with a good conceit of himself. But his high fancies are ever strong and working in him, when his heart is so filled up with darkness and blindness, that either he doth not at all or not certainly know these things. A drunken beggar will carry himself like some Emperor, and he cares for no man, because he hath not the wit to take notice of his own baseness. So it is with the proud man, so very a fool he is that he cannot instruct himself of his own contemptibleness, and therefore he is apt to be lifted up in himself, now folly and ignorance be so vile things themselves, that no natural issue of them can choose but be like themselves even sinful and wicked. Again, the effects of it are exceeding hurtful, the punishments it causeth the Lord to lay upon men are great, as you heard before, he is a professed enemy to him, he hath threatened to pull him down, Luke 18.14. Isa. 23.9. He that exalteth himself shall be abased. God will mar the pride of men and stain their excellency, and he plagues them often in their bodies and states, by giving them up to such absurd carriages, as do pull ruin upon themselves, and always in their souls by giving them up to the hardness of their hearts, so that they be of all the most impenitent and irreformable, and therefore it is said, that when God will convert a man he covers his pride by chastisements, and when jeremy chargeth the people to amend and give glory to God before his judgements come upon them, he saith, if you will not hear my soul shall weep in secret for your pride, Jer. 13.17. noting that this filthy pride doth even stop up the ears against all wholesome advertisements. O how fearful a vice is that which cuts off the way to all amendment, by turning away the ear from receiving instruction, the principal instrument of working amendment? But it produceth many sinful carriages in all respects. First in respect of all persons. Secondly, of all states. Thirdly, of all qualities. For persons, it makes him in whom it ruleth, and so far as it ruleth rebellious against God's precepts, careless of his promises, and regardless of his threats, so that he despiseth and contemneth all the authority of God, and will not be guided by his counsel. Cain was a proud man you all know, he would never else have killed his Brother on that quarrel whereof you heard. Now when God himself came to admonish him and dissuade him from that murder, it was all in vain, he would not hearken to God, but continued to harbour malice till it broke forth into bloodshed. In respect of men, for ones self it makes his selfe-ish, all for himself, not regarding who be hurt so himself be pleased, self-willed and heady, so that no counsel will rule, but he will head strongly like a madded beast run on in his own race, as the Captains that came to jeremy for counsel, because they were proud men, and as the Scripture notes would not accept of his counsel. And it fills him full always of discontent, fretting and vexation, nothing, no person can please him, he is still finding faults, just like one that hath a swelling upon his hand, something or other toucheth it still and drives him to out-cries. And for others, towards his superiors he is undutiful and will not heed their words nor be ruled by them. He thinks himself too good to receive their correction or reproofs or chastisements, and grows worse rather then better. For his inferiors he is likely tyrannical and Lionlike, and cares not how he disgraceth, and wrongeth, and over-punisheth them, rating and striking, and laying about him even for nothing or as good as nothing. For those that are more prosperous than himself and excel him in any thing he is ever envious and spiteful and maligns them for it. For those that are below him, he is scornful and disdainful, and insolent in deriding and slighting them, for his equals he is arrogant and insolent too, still lifting himself above them and preferring himself before them. If he meet with men in a good estate he grudgeth at them, if with miserable men he scorns them; and passeth by them pittilesly, if not scoffingly. And towards all in general, he is contentious and froward, ready to pick and prosecute quarrels, to make the worst of every thing, and to take all with the left hand ready to work in proud wrath, quickly angry, and apt to vent his anger in lofty and scornful speeches, comparings, revile, upbraid. If he deal with friends, he is unthankful, they must be his slaves still to humour him in every thing, also all former good turns, are forgotten; towards his enemies he is infinitely revengeful, cares not what ill he doth them in requital, and will scarce ever forget an imaginary wrong. I mean such a one as doth seem none to any but himself, and those whom he hath made crooked by a false and partial relation. Thus in respect of persons. For estates give him adversity, he is sullen, dogged, impatient, cannot stoop to it: blames every body for it and cares not what shifts he useth to get out. Give him prosperity, he abuseth it and doth mischief with it, at least doth no good with it but makes it an instrument of serving his pride and other lusts, so that he is good for nothing in any place, he can stoop to no burden, nor buckle to no service, being just like a gouty leg, well neither lying still nor stirring, or a sick body neither well a bed nor up. For qualities, the good qualities of others he knows how to vitiate, traduce, calumniate and make them seem vices, and will have somewhat to say to blemish them. For bad qualities he makes them worse than they be, aggravates them by mis-relating, and turns them into a jest and laughter, scorning rather then pitying him in whom he thinks they be, as the Pharisee did the Publican. His own ill qualities, he will not see, he will not confess, he will not mend, but hides them, excuses them, defends them, and many times boasteth in them. His good qualities he mars and corrupts, and doth so lift himself up for them, that most times they be even troublesome to others and reproachful to himself, he knows them so too well and makes so too much of them, that no man else can find any commendableness in them, they be but matter for bragging and boasting and telling gay tales of himself, what he hath done or can do; so it makes his vices worse, and turns his virtues even into vices. Can that be other than a most hateful and filthy vice that bringeth forth so many bad effects? and yet all these and many more that I cannot reckon up, do most apparently follow from pride in what degree itself is suffered to prevail in men. Now I pray you beloved search into yourselves, and look about if you cannot see this vice abroad in your neighbours. Let me propound this question to each of you, do you know never a proud man in the Town? and do you see never a one in the Church whom you judge to be full of pride? you would answer this question in your own hearts. Do you see or know a proud man or woman in the place where you dwell? I am afraid, you that be poor will look upon the gayer clothes of the wealthy, and say without doubt they be monstrous proud that must wear such gay things about them, when others of as good earth as themselves go almost naked or so simply clad. And I fear, lest you that are wealthy will find cause to blame such a one and such a one for pride, because their carriage is so and so: many of you can see pride (I doubt not) peeping out of the poor man's rags, and crawling like a vermin out of his mean garment: yea, you that be poor, I fear will find a great deal of pride abroad, you will not return without finding it, for in truth it is a fruit of pride to find pride every where but in one's self. Therefore I recant this speech now, and I pray you leave that foreign inquiry, and come you home every soul to himself, and search at home each in his own bosom, house, carriage. And tell me or rather God who speaks to each, art not thou thyself somewhat a kin to the generation of Sodom? a vessel in whom the Devil and flesh hath laid up a deal of pride. You may perhaps ask me, how any man may know whether he be proud or no, I mean overcome with pride, full of it, overruled by it. I speak to thee that art poor and coursely clad, Do not you think that you are as good men and women as those that are finelier clad? and if you had as good suits and ornaments as they, you should be never a whit inferior to them: have you not these kind of vying buzling thoughts in you? in truth, this is nothing but pride. And you that are richer, do you not count these poor snakes almost nothing? the mud, the scum, three-half-penny creatures, less than dust almost to you, mushrooms, shrubs, verily, these thoughts proclaim you to be monstrous proud, and if you go away with them on either side and find them not, stop them not, blame them not, it is certain this vice hath a strong party in you and in very deed doth overmaster you. 'Tis pride of heart we seek for, and 'tis nothing but pride that sets up these bristling thoughts in you. But yet I shall give you another note, nothing is a surer proof of overruling pride, than this, that a man sees no pride in himself, neither will confess it to his own heart: It is certain, this vice is as natural to all mankind as it is to be borne with eyes in their heads, with a mouth, with an heart, with a liver, with brain: The vital parts of our body do not more surely come into the world with us, than this vital part of the body of death and of corruption. Now if you have never seen it nor could meet with it in the effects of it, so as to know it, it is only because you are ignorant and blind, and the more ignorant of your corruptions the more proud. When vices be not seen, they be not lamented, nor resisted with spiritual weapons, nay not with natural good considerations neither, and the less they be resisted, the more they grow, and the more they grow, the stronger and bigger they be, and the more they rule in him in whom they be. If it were not therefore for want of understanding, by this time a great number of you might perceive that you deserve to be called sons of pride, for yourselves cannot deny, but that you have in a manner always denied yourselves to be proud, you never saw it in your hearts, nor confessed before God with secret sorrow for it; Lord I am very proud, such and such effects prove me to be very proud. And without doubt, he that never did thus strive to mortify his pride, cannot but be a very proud man. Lo now I have showed you how to find out your pride, by not finding it out, and this is the surest way of finding it, where it is most it hides itself most from his eyes in whom it is, like the foundation of a building that is underground, though it bear up all that is above the ground, or like some secret distemper in the inwards that shows not itself but by its effects. But let me tell you what pride is, that you may the better know it and acknowledge it when you meet with it. Pride what it is? I shall describe it in the words of an excellent describer of vices. The inordinate desire of ones own excellency is but an effect of it. The Apostle S. Paul tells you most briefly, and yet most clearly, what it is, when he saith, Gal. 6.3. If a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. Lo a singular definition of this vice. It is that vice, by which a man thinks himself something when he is nothing; whereby he makes too great reckoning of himself, judging himself to be better than he is, taking himself for gold when he is but copper, for a goodly thing when he is but dirt, for something when he is nothing, saith our Apostle. Pride is the vice of overprizing himself, setting too much store by himself, as a child out of his folly makes a great account of a white pibble-stone, so man out of his folly makes great reckoning unduly of himself, sets too high a price on himself, as a covetous overreaching Chapman on his wares. A man if he would consult with himself could not but confess that he is nothing, but he doth, with himself as some folks, do by Dogs and Monkeys, they know they be paltry carrions, beasts, yet they set great store by them and make precious account of them for their mind's sake, so do we men by ourselves, notwithstanding the imperfect knowledge of our nothingness, and this is the pride of heart which we seek for. O see it, see it, that is it rules in each of us naturally, every son of Adam makes an overgreat account of himself, sets himself at too high a rate, for so slender is the knowledge of God that he sets more by himself then by God, and I am sure that is to set too much by himself. A man counts himself something that is nothing, yea he accounts him that is nothing, more than him that is infinitely more than all things. Judge you if there be not cause that God should resist him in whom there is this vice regnant, this high thing that lifts itself against the knowledge of God. I shall show you the degrees of this vice now. They be two, predominant and mortified, predominant where it is not deposed by the power of sanctifying grace, which alone killeth sin, and so it ruleth in all men naturally, and will rule until the Lord bestow his humbling Spirit upon them, which making them firmly to believe the doctrine of man's misery begins by little and little to dash them quite out of conceit with themselves, and to esteem themselves the basest of all creatures almost, even creatures worthy to be damned and most vile therefore. But when pride is thus cashiered by the entering in of true humiliation, there it no longer reigneth, there it is continually observed, the evil fruit of it noted, arraigned, condemned before God, and many an heavy sigh and supplication is sent up to God against it; and there it is not a King, a Commander, there it is not imputed, there it doth not denominate the man, but where it is not thus deposed and dethroned, it is not marked, the ill fruits of it are not drawn before God's tribunal, they are not sorrowfully confessed, nor carefully resisted, there it is the Lord of the heart, and there it doth reign and is imputed, and doth denominate the man in whom it is, and he is a proud man. But now where it reigneth, it is to be found in two plain differences. In the one it is like unto a beast that is fed fat at grass, or is well provendred with good feeding, lusty and strong, and sturdy and bold. In the other it is like unto the same beast, kept lean and poor, and weak and feeble, over wrought, thinly fed, and ill provendred; It is the same beast. still, but it scarce looks like the same, or carries itself like the same: Sometimes pride is fed with wealth and honour, and these outward things in abundance, and with great excellent parts of nature, wit, learning, beauty, strength and the like, yea and with a kind of fiery temper of body. When it hath all, or many of these encouragements and helps, it is like a flourishing King that goes abroad in progress among his people; than it is bold and audacious to produce its ill effects, it dares show itself in its proper person, and be seen by any eye, then will a man affirm to himself, that he is a person of some value, one that hath such wit, etc. why he is I hope a worthy and excellent person. So pride will stare a man in the face, and profess itself if it be well helped up with these outward things; But if it be kept down with poverty, with meanness in outward respects, and with great crosses, than it is somewhat fearful to be seen, than it hides its head, it is like a King brought behind by rebels, who keeps himself within some place of fortification, and will not commit himself to hazard, but still he is a King, and takes upon him as a King. So pride in such will not make a man say plainly he is some body, he is a person of worth, but still in the secret of his heart he makes high account of himself and is ready (as I said before) to think he is as good a man, though he be not as rich, as learned; yea sometimes this vice of pride though reigning, yet is like a bad tyrannical Prince, kept in by some counsellor of special trust, as joash by jehojada. I mean, it is a little held in compass by good education and precepts of morality, and a kind of restraining grace, and then it is far more moderate in its effects, and will not so excessively bewray itself, other times it is like a tyrant, which hath a council as bad as himself, it rangeth whether it listeth, when it wants good education, and restraint of a divine hand to keep it down, and then the effects of it be prodigious. Know therefore that a man may be under the dominion of pride, though he be not so outrageous and enormous in the effects of it, as some others be, and if you will take a true trial, here it is. I can know what account any man makes of a thing by his carriage, when that thing is depressed, abused, wronged, vilified, and so may I know what account I make of myself by my demeanour in occasion of such usage. When you have learned how to find out this sin, if you please, The means to subdue. pride. will you learn also to subdue it? the way is first to mark the fruits of it, as they break forth in your lives, which fruits we have discovered before. Impatiency, bragging, contention, envying, slighting and despising of others, and especially working in proud wrath, that is, falling into such extreme fits of anger, that a man cares not almost what he saith or doth to them that have angered him. Secondly, When you find them to fall upon them with sorrow and lamentation, arraigning and judging yourselves for them before God, and labour to make yourselves seem base in your own eyes because of them. Thirdly, To pray heartily against it, and to beg the Spirit of God to humble you and cast you down. There is a thing that looketh somewhat like humility, and it is nothing but a heart a little kept down with crosses, or with education and good instructions, this may be found where the Spirit of sanctification is not, but true humility is an effect of God's Spirit thoroughly sanctifying the heart. A man by being conscious to himself of his own natural imperfections and defects may be kept a little under, so that his pride will not so boldly lift up itself, but no man deposeth pride from reigning, but by the Spirit of God, you must therefore entreat the Lord by the operation of his Spirit to subdue your pride. Lastly, You must exercise yourselves in good meditations, concerning, First, your natural misery and meanness. Secondly, your spiritual. The natural seen in our birth, life, death, entrance into the world, continuance in it, departure out of it. First, how little and mean are we in respect of our entrance, what did we come from at first, and originally but very nothing? there was a time when we were not, having alone a potential being, that is, a being not yet in being, but alone locked up as it were in the causes of it; yea there was a time, when we were not in any secondary causes, but alone in the omnipotency of God, who was able to make us of nothing. And surely, that which comes from nothing can be no exceeding excellent thing in itself, and if it have any excellency, it hath it from another, to whom all the glory of it is due. Yea what was the matter of which God made us at the first? not gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, or any more than common thing, but even the dust of the earth, for you have heard how Adam was form. Doubtless the Lord did this of purpose to minister matter of humbling men unto their meditations; for if I came from dust, I shall surely savour of mine original; a thing made will have a relish of the matter whereof it is made, unless it receive an exceeding great change, therefore Abraham confessed unto the Lord, I am dust and ashes. Call we ourselves by that name seriously and often, and dust cannot swell: it may be blown away, it cannot be puffed up. But let us look upon a man in the course of his life, and that with reference to the good he hath and can do, and to the evil he hath or is able to do. The good he hath first is exceeding little, compared to that which God and Angels have, as no man will deny that shall make the comparison; Now he ought if he were wise to compare himself with his betters, and not with his inferiors. Set a man in balance to a beast he is some body, he hath reason, wisdom, and the like, set him in the balance with God, he is a mere fool, a compound of weakness and vanity, all he doth know, all he can know, is less than nothing. Yea compare him with an Angel, how silly is he, how feeble? one Angel is able to know more than all men, and to do more, one Angel can beguile all men and destroy all men; yea if you compare him with beasts, he hath a little more wit than most of them, but they have stronger bodies, perfecter senses are able to tear him in pieces, and can live without him many of them better than he without them, so that he is more beholding to them then they to him. So his good is little, little knowledge in respect of what God and Angels have, and in respect of that he once had, and might have had still, but that himself deprived himself of it. Little strength even in comparison of beasts, and must continue here but for a little time. Again, this little is all borrowed, it is none of his own; he hath it of mere courtesy, and from the goodness of another, so that he is not to be counted better for it, but alone more indebted: who swelleth for a borrowed thing; or if he do, who doth not befool him for it? If a man that hath no horse be friended with a good one, shall he be proud of it? and is not all we have borrowed? Nay thirdly must we not be accountable for all we have, so that we are but as servants which have charge of their matters goods, and and must answer how they have ordered it, shall such a person be proud? And lastly, what we have is uncertain too, 'tis movable 'tis fleeting, we may lose it we know not how soon; we are like tenants at will, that cannot challenge so much as a quarter, nay not a week or minute: it ill becomes so mean a thing to think well of itself. Now for the evil we have, that is much, and our own, that is inseparable and inavoideable, it is great. O to how many and sore crosses is every man subject? to diseases, to casualties for goods, to madness, to injuries, and to a 1000 unhappinesses, from which neither wisdom nor strength, nor riches, nor high places can fence and save him, especially to the vexation of his own heart, which is enough to make him miserable though he were rid of all other evils. And these evils are come unto him as due punishments of his own sins, as fruits of his ill deservings, and as effects of his own folly, and misery is shameful as well as bitter, when it is justly imputable to the persons ill carriage that suffers it, because his faults have brought it on himself, and this evil is properly his own, because he owes it to none properly but to himself, neither can any care of his prevent it, but he shall be so during life, and ever as he lives longer so shall he be subject to more misery. Indeed some men scape in this world with more ease then divers others, but every man hath his portion, enough to make him know himself to be nothing, and enough to dash pride out of countenance, if he would not hide his own eyes from taking notice of it. Now look to him in his end, how little a thing will kill him? a hair, or a stone of a raisin, the least thing going awry. How little a place will hold him when he is dead? a poor winding sheet, a coffin, a little hole in the earth, how little can he do then? nothing but feed worms and yield forth a stinking smell. Look upon a man lying upon his deathbed, groaning and panting for life, look upon him in his winding sheet and coffin, bound hand and foot, and imprisoned in that narrow stocks. Look upon him in his grave, rotting and smelling and putrifying, and I hope you will easily confess, he hath cause to make but mean account of himself, so will these thoughts help to chase out pride. But consider a man in his spiritual misery, he was conceived in sin, he is of his father the Devil, he is a slave to sin, a traitor to God. He is full of all wickedness, destitute of all holiness, and cannot escape eternal damnation by any worth or power of his own, but must needs sink down to hell, and be made fuel for that eternal burning. You see by what means you may subdue pride, he that findeth it out and resisteth it with these weapons, shall undoubtedly prevail against it, he that thinks himself free from it and takes no pains to subdue it, shall surely be conquered by it. And let the consideration of this, that pride is so foul a vice; make you bless God with much thankfulness for crosses, afflictions, and divers temptations and tribulations, for what be they else but medicines to take down pride? and who that hath a great swelling in his body, doth not think it a benefit deserving recompense as well as thanks, to have a fit medicine prepared and applied, that at length may take down that swelling. It is to be confessed that the best of men be too proud even now, notwithstanding all the crosses they have felt, and sins they have committed. O how much more proud would they have been had not God made use of such things to tame and depress them? And of their pride so much. 2. Fullness of bread. The next fault is, fullness of bread, this is reckoned as a fault, and either it is so indeed, or the Spirit of God was deceived, who put it down here in the catalogue of Sodomitish crimes. You must either grant that fullness of bread is a foul sin, or else you must tell the Prophet that himself and the Spirit by which he spoke were both in an error. Luk. 16.19. 'Tis attributed to Dives in the Parable, he fared deliciously every day. 'Tis charged on wealthy men, as one of the sins that shall procure their howling and misery, you have nourished yourselves in the day of slaughter, James. 5.5. meaning, they gave themselves over to feasting and banqueting every day. A daily continual stuffing the belly with store of savoury and delicate food, is hurtful for the body and soul too. Use abstinence, feed sparingly, fare hard and short sometimes. And so much for the second sin of Sodom, fullness of bread. 3. Abundance of idleness. The third is abundance of idleness, here is the fault itself idleness, and the measure of it, very much idleness. Idleness is a sin especially when it grows to be abundance of idleness. Solomon hath bend himself to the disgrace of this fault in many of his Proverbes, Go to the pismire O sluggard, Idleness a great sin and why? Prov. 6.9. & 9 how long wilt thou sleep? & 10. Yet a little sleep. 24.30. I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding, a witless fellow, a fool. And the Apostle condemns it in the younger widows, that they learned to be idle, 1 Tim. 5.13. and many threats are made against the idle person and the sluggard, 19.15. an idle soul shall suffer hunger. There are divers reasons to prove this fault to be a great sin. First, it is a crossing of that end which God had in making man; he made him to be useful and profitable as the members of the body, idleness makes him unprofitable; he gave him a mind and a body, fit for useful and laborious employments, he spends this strength to no purpose. So he doth even thwart God's intention in creating all things, and himself among the rest, for all were made for labour in some fruitful matter, as we see the Sun and heavenly bodies, the waters and trees, and all the creatures. Secondly, he depriveth himself of all right in conscience to food and other necessaries, and maketh himself a thief in all he eateth and drinketh, and spendeth, for this cause S. Paul saith, 2. Thess. 3.10. he that will not work let him not eat, so he is interdicted the use of God's creatures, as it were a man banished out of the world. A civil right in the courts of justice he hath to the possessing of things, because of his title to them and interest in them, but a conscionable right to the use of them he hath not, Verse 11. therefore Paul wisheth men to labour and eat their own bread, intimating that it is not their own in the court of conscience before God if they gain not an interest to it by pains. Thirdly, idleness is a great nourisher of all vices. It nourisheth pride and self-conceitedness, Prov. 26.26. For the sluggard is wiser in his own eyes then seven men that can render a reason; he is apt to filthiness and lust, why was Sodom so lewd, but because they were idle? Every temptation doth easily seize upon him that is at leisure, and doth nothing, as a bird that sitteth still on a tree is easily hit with an arrow or bullet. He can have while to hearken to a temptation, and to ruminate upon the evil things which Satan and the flesh do stir up. In nature things that lie still gather rust, and standing water soon breeds noisome creatures, and soon putrifies, and especially idleness makes a man a busy body, full of meddling with other folk's matters, and that for the most part to do more hurt then good. The nature of man is active, and if it be not employed in some useful thing, it must follow sin and vanity. Lastly, this sin exposeth a man to want, Idleness will clothe with rags, his penury cometh like an armed man, and like a traveller, Prov. 23.21. & 6.11. hastily, surely, strongly, it cannot be resisted, it will not linger, He that followeth vain persons shall have poverty enough; & 28.19. & 20.4. The sluggard will not plow in Winter, therefore he must beg in Summer and have nothing. And if it fall out, that great means do keep an idle person from want, yet he hath a most poor and beggarly soul, utterly destitute of saving graces and virtues, for he must labour for these things that will attain them. But let us see, what idleness is. It is that vice, What Idleness is. by which men refuse to bestow themselves constantly and painfully in some profitable thing, and take leave to spend their precious time in things unprofitable. Some things are unprofitable simply, as fond and roving thoughts, tattling and vain words, some things are unprofitable accidentally, in respect of their excess, as sports and pastimes, and sleep, and ease, and sitting still, and in respect of the manner of doing, as dealing with a slack hand and working by halves. He that will not continue to take pains in things useful and beneficial to himself and others, but whileth out his time in sitting still and twattling with others of matters impertinent to him, or useless in themselves, or discoursing with himself about like points, or gives himself to excess of sleep or of sports, or else follows his business by the halves, this man is idle, and if he do so much and often and almost continually, then is he guilty even of abundance of idleness. I pray you every one, set your consciences a work to find out your own sinfulness in this kind; Do not many of your hands refuse to labour? Are you not such as will not work? Some are idle, because they have been so ill educated, that they have not fitted themselves for any calling, they have nothing to do nor cannot tell how to bestow themselves and their times. These are a kind of vagrant people, though they have means enough to live of, cyphers, good for nothing, but to eat and drink, vermin, Apes, Monkeys, whose whole life is to eat and drink and sleep and sport, and sit and talk and laugh and be merry. These are excrements in humane societies, and the most miserable of the sons of men, as having brought upon themselves by long use an habit of being idlesbees, and a kind of necessity to continue naughty; yet such a necessity as doth not excuse but aggravate the fault: others again are idle, because though they have a calling, yet they have no mind to follow it, but are estranged from the works of their vocation, and love to be gadding and rambling hither and thither, and every where, but where they should be. These are great offenders, this idleness turns their food into poison, many such slothful doe-naughts there are in the world. There be some servants sluggish, slow-backs, whose hand is no sooner from under the Governors' eye, but that it is also off from the work, and they leave all and sit down to talk by the fireside, or in a corner being men of tongue, and further than eye-service drives them to it, their chief employment is twattle. Now I pray you, if any be guilty to themselves of laziness, unwillingness to exercise themselves painfully in their callings, either with hand or head or both, that they take notice of it, sure they be of kin to these miscreants the Sodomites; now begin to labour in this worthy work of repenting for thine unprofitable living. For sure, if men must give an account for every idle word, than other parts of idleness must likewise be brought unto the reckoning. I pray those that be of the richer sort, that do not find a necessity of labouring laid upon them for their bellies sake, to take heed that they pass not over their idleness as a small matter. Most times riches make men turn Sodomites, they are proud, they give themselves to fullness of bread, and to abundance of idleness, they will not set themselves to any diligent following of any good work, but delight in that which Solomon saith his virtuous woman would not do, Prov. 31.21. to eat the bread of idleness. Surely the God that made them as well as other men with bodies and minds fitted to do service, will not brook their doing of nothing. And secondly, I pray you eat, eat this Sodomitish sin, take not liberty to be idle, but lay out your time so that you may comfortably answer it to God the Maker of it and of you. Time is a thing most precious, all the wealth under Heaven cannot redeem one misspent minute, by how much it is more dear and irremediable, by so much ought it to be more carefully husbanded and warily bestowed. Therefore, be you painful in your callings, break off sleep seasonably in the morning; set close to some needful actions in the day, give not the greater part of your time to sports, and sitting idle and discoursing of this and that, but follow the works of your calling, and frame yourselves to some calling, make yourselves a vocation in some matter or other, that shall be worth your time. Painefullnesse in a calling will kill many vices, it will exercise all virtues, it will prevent many temptations and sins: it will make one's life comfortable, and his heart in good measure humble and discreet. It will be a content at death, to think one hath not wasted his life for nothing. Do not dare to slip away from the works of your calling but upon good ground, when you are able to allege some better thing to be done instead of it, or just occasion of intermitting it, for your better fitting and enabling to it. I do not commend toylesomenesse to you, but due diligence in your places, that may cause you to differ much from the inhabitants of Sodom. Especially, give not yourselves to excessive sleep and sports; Solomon hath condemned the sluggard and the man that loveth pastime to the stocks of want, and one way or another the Lord will find a time and means to cast them into those stocks. Do not all things invite you to diligence in a calling? see, what care the Sun hath to run his daily and yearly course according to its proper nature, see how all the rest of the heavenly army do keep themselves in their own places, and swiftly perform their own motions. See how the waters do ebb and flow, and that constantly, see how the fountains make haste to the brooks and rivers, and the rivers to the Sea; see how all things almost are still in action. The earth that keeps in one place, yet is still doing something in that place, either nourishing the roots or the branches of the trees, and other things that grow on it, or else gathering heart to itself to do the same work better for a little respite and intermission. And in Heaven, though these natural actions cease, yet the spiritual employment of living, rejoicing in honouring and praising of God doth never cease. Quicken up yourselves therefore to this virtue of diligence, it is good for soul, good for body, good for state, profitable every way, and at last will prove easy and delightful too, to him that doth it with moderation. The diligent man takes as much content in his moderate labour, as the sluggard in somnolency and easefullnesse. So much for this fault also. 4. They strengthened not the hands of the poor. A fourth is a sin of Omission, and that is, they strengthened not the hands of the poor. What is that? They did not relieve his necessities with convenient supply, but gave him either nothing at all, or but so small a pittance, as would not suffice to give him any comfort. It is you see a great fault to be pinching to the poor, and either to give them nothing, or a very small quantity almost as good as nothing. Therefore he reckons it as a proof of a good man that shall live, Ezek. 18.16. Hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; but when our Saviour came to sentence the goats on the left hand, he giveth this reason of their rejection. Mat. 25. I was sick and you did not visit, hungry and you gave me no meat, in prison and you came not to me: and when they alleged that they never saw him in such distressed cases, and withdrew themselves from succouring him, his answer is, in that you did it not to these, you did it not to me. When the rich man refused to sell all and give to the poor upon an extraordinary command from him, he lets him go, and admits him not to follow him, nay by his words spoken immediately after, Mar. 10. it is as possible, he excludeth him from Heaven, for he must needs be understood of that rich man and such as he was. Now if not giving of all upon an extraordinary occasion, will shut a man out of the Kingdom, than the not giving of some convenient quantity upon an ordinary occasion, must needs procure the like punishment, because the disobedience is equal in both cases. The reason is, first, this is a flat disobedience to most express plain and frequent Commandments. There is scarce a duty of the second Table which God hath more plainly laid down, more often repeated, more earnestly pressed then this of giving to the poor. He therefore that liveth in perpetual negligence of this duty, and either will not acknowledge it or will not practise it, lives in a wilful and constant rebellion against God. Think not my Brethren, that it sufficeth to prove a man upright if he do not live in a sin of commission, that is, in the continuance and allowed doing of something forbidden by God. Nay if he live in a sin of omission, i. e. in the continual and allowed neglect of a duty commanded, this is not to obey God in all things, this shows ones heart is not universally subject to God. This proveth that some vice hath dominion in him and that he loveth and respecteth something more than God, which cannot stand with uprightness, yea beloved this hypocrisy which is so much overawed as it were by clearness of knowledge, that it scarce dares discover itself by taking boldness to commit sins of commission, but knows how to hold in with sins of omission and to give them allowance enough, is so much the more dangerous by how much it is less discernible. For he seemeth to himself to have much to say for himself, why this duty should not at this and this time bind him, because no affirmative precept binds to all times, and so he will shift it from himself in such manner, as not to take notice that he offendeth, whence groweth the greatest peril of all. Therefore know you that this unmercifulness to the poor, as proving that obedience is but partial, and so that the heart is not upright is sure a very great sin. But secondly, it declareth that a man believeth not the promises of God, and so that his faith is not unfeigned. It is sure, that as he which obeyeth not all God's Commandments obeyeth none, so he that believeth not all his promises believeth none. For if we submit to his truth because it is a perfect truth, we must grant that he cannot lie nor be deceived in any thing, and if we build not our consenting to his words upon his truth, that cannot be called faith at all. Now God hath made so many, so evident, so full promises to those that are merciful to the poor, as no other duty almost can allege for itself. A promise throughly believed, must needs produce obedience to the Commandment whereto it is annexed, because every man is so truly desirous of his own welfare, that what he doth steadfastly persuade himself will procure good unto him with the pains and cost, for that he will surely put himself to the pains and to the cost. He theerefore that is not merciful doth not believe these promises, because he doth not obey the Commandments to which they be joined. How then doth he believe any other promise? So we have proved him by this argument to be void of faith, and is not that a great sin which convinceth him to be void of faith in whom it is? Further, no man hath true charity that hath not a heart to confirm the hand of the poor; for S. john makes the conclusion thus, He that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen, 1 Joh. 4.20. how doth he love God whom he hath not seen? And he doth but lie that saith he loves a man, unless he be ready to relieve him, for S. Paul saith, that love is bountiful, wherefore, S. john is peremptory in this conconclusion, saying, He that hath this world's goods, 1 Joh. 3.17. and seeth his Brother hath need, and shutteth up his compassion against him, how dwelleth the love God? That therefore is a great offence, which proveth that a man hath either none, or none but counterfeit charity. I have showed you what a grievous offence this is of the Sodomites; afore I pass from it, let me show unto you a necessary distinction of poor men. Two sorts of poor men. 1. God's poor. Some are Gods poor as I may term them, some the Devils. God's poor are they, whom his hand crossing them, or some natural mere indiscretion of their own, or abundance of charge, want of work, 2. The Devil's poor. or the like hath brought into and doth keep in poverty. The Devil's poor are those whom idleness, wastfullnesse and unthriftiness doth make poor, because either their hands refuse to labour, or else they consume it all up superfluously when they have gotten it. The former kind of poor you ought to strengthen, and the not strengthening of them is a sin. To strengthen the hands of the latter is to strengthen their sin, and therefore their hands must not be strengthened, for S. Paul's Canon is against it, He that will not labour shall not eat. 2 Thess. 3.10. Now consider every man of himself, may it not be justly said of you, that you do not strengthen the hands of the poor. Are not a number of you in your own consciences convinced? or if you would not wink, might be convinced, that you do not strengthen the poor man's hands. When have you with any willingness given to any poor man any reasonable quantity? Yea, how backward are a number of you to give any thing at all. Here is such complaining amongst you of your being seized too much one, and too much another, that it is more than evident, you have little will to part with your money to his purpose, I know not what skill to use, for the fastening of a reproof upon a niggard, I will not so much as strive to do it therefore: But I call upon each of your consciences, to become a just and true Judge against you, and to find one your guiltiness and to give you no quiet, till it have made you confess the fault and blame you for it. But I call upon conscience in vain I fear, for the conscience of a niggard is always a bad conscience, so enthralled to the love of money, that he will not want excuses to make himself think he need not do that duty by which he should lessen his heap. But these excuses shall one day aggravate the sin, therefore whosoever is an offendor in neglecting this duty of strengthening the hands of the poor; I pray you give your consciences leave to pass a right sentence upon you, viz. that your faith, love, obedience are in that degree counterfeit and feigned, that you take liberty to yourselves to be slack in this service. And now I must require you in God's name, to take great care that this sin of Sodom do not show itself in you which would be counted Christians, I suppose there is scarce a Congregation within many near you, that hath been more urged to this duty than I have urged you. Sodom had not the twentieth part of this help, If God take it ill of them that they did not establish the poor man's hand, how will he be offended at it in you? If ever you will have comfort at your end? If ever you will have a reward of your religion? If ever you will be called any thing but Hypocrites by your own consciences? I call upon you to reform this fault, strengthen the poor man's hands. Those poor that be idle, that be wasteful, that make themselves poor by carrying the dirty yoke of vice, alehouse haunting, etc. I pray you chastise them, correct them, spare not for their crying. It is no more pity to hear them complain, then to hear a Wolf howl when his foot is taken in a snare. But those that be honest, sober and good, and have not put themselves into this misery, but are put into it by God's hand. I pray you confirm their hands, help them to such a quantity of relief as may make their lives comfortable, supply their needs, that God may supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. God giveth to some more, to some less, that there may be an equality through the bounty of the one, notwithstanding the inequality in gathering. So it should be concerning them of the household of faith, you of the wealthier sort that fear God, should lay all your heads, hands, and hearts together to take such order that the poorer sort of the same place which make care to live well should not be overmuch scanted. O that you would do so? and some amongst you help to stir up others, and to effect the matter, as I do now stir you up all, and would be glad to give you an example of bounty in this kind. No one man's purse can supply the wants of all, but the superfluity of all united would do it abundantly. Why should we not reform a fault which God would not brook no not in Sodom? We have done with four of Sodomes' sins. The fifth is committing abomination, 5. They committed abomination. he meaneth that unnatural uncleanness whereof we spoke before out of Gen. 19.9. and therefore will pass it over in silence now. The last sin is haughtiness, 6. They were haughty. he chargeth them before with pride, and now here with haughty carriage. It may be concluded hence, that pride and haughtiness be two distinct things, seldom separated in practice, but in their nature to be so distinguished, as the root and the branch, the fountain and the stream. How pride and haughtiness differ. For pride is a vice more inward, the nature of which standeth in this, that it causeth a man to over-esteeme himself. Haughtiness is a vice more outward, consisting in this, that it maketh a man's outward carriage lofty and high. This is that which S. john calleth the pride of life, 1 Joh. 2.16. this is that which David denieth of himself, saying, Psal. 13 1.1. that his eyes were not lofty, and it is one of the things whereto he binds himself, to be so great an enemy, that none of those which accustomed themselves unto it, should have admittance into his favour and house, Psal. 101.5. him that hath a high look and a proud heart will I not suffer. He names an high look first, because it was impossible for him to discern the proud heart, but by the look or some external effect of it. And Solomon nameth it in the Proverb. 6.17. as one of the things and the first in order which God detesteth, viz. a proud look. And David in Psal. 18.17. saith, that God will bring down high looks. You see, that this high and lofty carriage is a sin, the cause is, it proceeds from pride of heart, it increaseth pride of heart in him that so declareth it; it infecteth others with the same pride, and it grieveth and offendeth them that are not infected, and in all these respects procureth God's hand upon the offender. Now look everyone to himself. Art not thou, and thou, and thou of an haughty carriage? Doth not your behaviour give a strong relish of self-conceitedness? Four things discover pride in the outward carriage. There be four principal things that discover pride in the outward carriage. The looks and countenance, the gate and pace, the words and language, the garments and ornaments. First the looks, when they be big and disdainful, 1. The looks. such as it is easier to observe where they be, then to describe them in words. The colour of red, blue, white may easily be discerned by the eye, the judge of colours: but what words should a man use to describe a red colour so to the fancy? as a man might know it without seeing it; so haughty looks are most easy things to be known when one sees them, but hard to be described, and it is sure, that God would not have made so frequent mention of proud looks, but that the countenance is very apt to bewray the high heart, but because a man doth seldom see his own face, therefore this is a fitter sign to show pride to others, then to discover it to a man's self. 2. The gate. The next, a proud gate with an outstretched neck, and mincing with one's feet, or any other affected kind of going, is an act of haughtiness, that is, a setting forth of ones self unduly, and a demonstration of pride, and this too may be better perceived then expressed, and because a man cannot easily observe the carriage of his own head and body in his going, therefore it is fitter for the discovery of another then of ones self. 3. Words. 1 Sam. 2, 3. There is a third act of haughtiness, that is, high words, speaking on high, as Hannah hath it in her song, by way of prohibiting it. When a man's tongue is lofty his heart is so, words tending to vilify and abase others, especially when he is angry with them, words of bragging and boasting, that have none other use but to set up a man's self, and to paint him with gay colours. Threatening words that are died with revengefulness, and the like to these, they are all proud words and haughty speeches, and all kind of disdainful and scornful, and upbraiding words, tending unseasonably to cast a man's faults in his teeth, for no man is covetous to disgrace another, but he hath overvalued himself first. 4. clothes. Lastly, haughtiness appeareth most apparently in clothes and the like ornaments, when a man or woman will go as costly and gaily as ever his place will bear, and a little more too; and when he must have trim clothes, though he go in debt for them, when he must be fine though he spend all he can get on his back, when he vieth with others, and must have as good things as such and such. When in these things he doth not as S. Paul biddeth, equal himself with them of the lower sort but of the higher. Rom. 12.16. When though God have humbled his estate, yet he maust still keep up his port, and by hook or crook, make a shift to be as gallant as ever. This proves a proud heart, for no man would bestow so much garnishing upon himself, if he did not count himself some body, and did not desire to be so accounted of others. Therefore Isaiah among other fruits of proud vanity, Isa. 3. 16, etc. speaketh of the many gewgaws of the women of his time, by which they sought immoderately to set out themselves. A number of you think yourselves far the better, when you have set up yourselves with a deal of gaudiness, such lace, such ruffs so in the fashion. If it be suitable to your place and means, it is no great discredit, but if above, surely it is as great a discredit as can be, for it is as if you should wear a paper upon your heads or backs, in which were written in great letters as in some other crimes hath been done. Be it known unto all men, that here goes a proud man and a proud woman, It is even a Proclamation of your pride and folly, and a telling tales against yourselves, which I am sure you would not do if you did well think of it, yea it is more than that, for it brings your names into question about your truth, and if you be females about your honesty; there is such a man's servant, she is exceedingly sleeked up, see what a wasecoate, what a gown, what a ruff, what a dress she hath, it might well beseem a man's daughter that would give her a large portion, what hath this wench to maintain it? Is her father able to do much for her? no, well then I wish she get it by honest means, I wish that either a false finger or an overcourteous lip do not help her to it. I am afraid all is not well that she is so fine. This is all the good this haughtiness doth you, and will you not leave it? The Sodomites punishments. First, they were taken captives, The Sodomites punishments. 1. They were taken captive. 2. They were burned with fire here and in h●ll. Judas. 7. bless God that you have not felt this misery. Secondly, God sent fire and brimstone and destroyed them all at once, Ezek. 16.49. They were set forth for an example, jude. v. 7. Sodom was turned into ashes, 2 Pet. 2.6. The ground is now turned into a salt sea, called the Dead Sea, no fish will live in it, the bird that flee over fall down dead. Thirdly, they were cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. Let us fear the sins of Sodom, God is able to punish us in the same manner. (* ⁎ *) THE FIFTEENTH EXAMPLE. OF ISAAC. HItherto of Abraham and those that lived with him, Isaac. now we come to Isaac the son of Abraham, not of his body so much as of his Faith, for he was the son of the promise, the son of the free woman, not of the bondwoman, which was borne as S Paul saith, Rome 9 not by the flesh, nor by a mere natural power, but by promise, by virtue of that gracious promise which God had made with him, for this was a word of promise at that time, Gal. 4.28. I will come and Sarah shall have a son, and in Isaac shall thy seed be called, and we brethren (saith the Apostle) as Isaac are sons of promise. Now Isaac signifieth laughter, or, he hath laughed, or, shall laugh, a name given to him by God himself, upon occasion of his Father's laughter when he heard the promise, not out of unbelief as Sarah once laughed, but out of the joy which he conceived from the assured hope which he had of the performance of the promise, and because God filled both Abraham and Sarah with gladness and laughter at his birth, when they were both old, and in course of nature were now past all possibility of having children. His Birth. Concerning Isaac, we must show his birth, life and death. For his birth he was borne in the hundreth year of his Father, and the 90. of his mother. His Father was Abraham, his Mother Sarah, both as good as dead, but by faith they received strength to have a Son at that age. For Faith will make a barren body fruitful, and also a barren heart. In in his life consider, First, his Virtues and goodness. Secondly, his faults and weaknesses. Thirdly, his prosperity and benefits. Lastly, his afflictions and crosses. His Virtues towards God 1. His Faith. For his Virtues in general, he was a true godly man, and was endued with Faith, without which no man can please God. This Faith the Author to the Hebrews taketh notice of in him, saying, By Faith Isaac blessed jacob and Esau as concerning things to come. Heb. 11.20. This virtue of Faith is that by which a man believeth God in all that he speaketh barely by virtue of his truth and indeceiveable authority. And as it apprehendeth the truth of all God's word, so particularly the truth of his promises, and by name, that great promise of remission of sins, and salvation for the sake of Jesus Christ the true Messiah and promised seed, in whom all spiritual blessings are conferred upon the sons of men, Gal. 3.8. for it is said, in him shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Consider yourselves therefore brethren, whether you also have this same virtue of Faith in your hearts, believing all that God speaketh to you because he speaketh it, and specially all his promises, and by name, that principal promise of grace and salvation by Christ, for without this Faith you cannot be the children of God. If you have it not, you are strangers from God and from the covenant of grace. If you have it, you are his sons and daughters, justified before him, and accepted in his sight, through him the Beloved in whom the Father is well pleased. And therefore labour to get it, and to grow in it more and more, that it may exceedingly abound in you, as S. Paul saith it did in the Thessalonians. But beware you deceive not yourselves in a bare conceit of Faith, saying you believe, when indeed you do not so, but let your Faith be a working Faith, approving itself by love and by obedience, that so you may indeed be the children of Abraham, and children of promise as Isaac was, and If you can thus approve your Faith, then rejoice in it above all things, knowing that you are rich in Faith, though you want all outward things, for he that hath Faith hath God to be his, and that is sufficient to make him happy in the absence of all other things. More particularly Isaac's Faith showed itself by many excellent effects in regard of God. For first, he submitted himself to God, to be offered on the Altar by his Father according to God's commandment, not making any resistance, because his Father made it manifest unto him, that God had given him a commandment so to offer him. Hard it is to say, whether the obedience of Abraham in being willing to offer his soon, or of Isaac in yielding up himself to be offered were greater, for a man doth likely love his life as well as he loveth his child. Now Abraham subdued his love of his son unto God, and Isaac subdued the love of his life to God, both notable patterns of sincere obedience: This example you read in Gen. 22.9. when Abraham and Isaac came to the place which God had appointed, Abraham built an Altar, laid on the wood, and stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son. Isaac at that time was of such an age, that he might have resisted his Father being old, or have got himself free by flight from him, but he gave up himself into his Father's hands, or rather into God hand, and yielded his throat to the stroke of the sacrificing knife. Hereby it is apparent, that he began to fear God betime, in that he would not withhold himself from God, as his Father did not withhold his son. O that we could approve our Faith by the like effects of it, even by a willing yielding of our lives to him when he doth call for them, and not refuse to die if he should call us unto it for his commandments sake. God is the author and Lord of our lives, and nothing is more agreeable to reason, then that we should be content to give up life and all into his hands, from whom we have received life and all things. And surely in this case it shall be proved true, which our Lord Jesus telleth in the Gospel, Mat. 10 39 whosoever will lose his life shall save it. As Isaac was partaker of that great blessing wherewith the Lord rewarded Abraham for his obedience in offering of his son, saying, in blessing I will bless thee, Gen. 22.17. and in multiplying I will multiply thee. Neither Father nor son you see were loser's, by yielding up the one his son, the other his life into the hands of God. But contrarily, he that will save his life shall undoubtedly lose his life, for he must necessarily die at some other time as all other men, and then his soul shall be lost together with his life, because he loved not God better than his life, and he that hateth not his own life in comparison of God, shall not be counted worthy of him. Let us therefore see that our souls be so thoroughly subjected unto God, if ever we desire to be counted the seed of Abraham and the brothers of Isaac. But oh how far short do very many of us come of this obedience? for how should any man believe that we would readily part without lives for God, which will not part with honour or goods, or pleasure, yea any of our sins at his commandment. You be not isaac's, if you cannot be content to give up your lives to God, how much less if you stand with him for other matters far less than life. This is the first part of Isaac's goodness to God-ward, he became obedient to death. Secondly, he was devoute and religious, given to all holy exercises, 2. He was religious. by name, to meditation and prayer, principal exercises of piety and religious services of God, for so it is noted, Gen. 26.25. He builded an altar there, and called on the name of the Lord. Lo here he worshipped God publicly by sacrifices and prayers, and though it be not mentioned, that he offered or prayed before an Altar at any other time as I remember, yet this once naming of his piety is set down, to signify his constant care in this duty: his Father brought him up in it, therefore he could say, Where is the lamb? Indeed, the Lord hath abolished such kind of Altars, and such kind of sacrifices now since the coming of Jesus Christ into the world, and offering himself once for all as a propitiatory sacrifice to take away the sins of the world, Heb. 13.10. but yet now also we have an Altar, whereof they have no right to eat that partake of those sacrifices. Christ Jesus is our Altar, who sacrifieth all those services which we offer up unto God by him, and our sacrifices are spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. The offering of a contrite and broken heart God doth much esteem, the offering of praises and prayers, the calves of our lips done unto God in the name of Christ, are very pleasing unto him; the presenting of ourselves, souls and bodies to him, Heb. 13.16. is exceeding delightful, yea with doing of good and distributing as with sacrifices, God is greatly contented, as S. Phil. 4.18. Paul saith, these are an odour of sweet savour, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. If a man retire himself, and considering the death of Christ for sin, do humbly present himself before God, confessing his sins, and judging himself for them, and labour to lament them with hearty grief before God, as causes of the death of his son, this is a grateful sacrifice. If he praise God in the Name of Christ as for all other benefits, so for the great blessing of redemption wrought by Christ, this also doth give a sweet odour unto God; if he even consecrate himself to God, resolving to walk before him in all upright obedience, praying for the Spirit of God to sanctify him, that in all things he may please God, no Bullock or Ram can please the Lord so well: If he set apart some portion of his wealth to God, and give it to relieve the necessities of the Saints, this is very sweet incense, so that he trust not in the merit of the work, as if it could deserve any thing for the worthiness of it, but trust alone in Christ for the acceptation of himself and it, and all his services. Would you confirm to your own consciences that you be true isaac's? Ask yourselves then, do you offer these burnt offerings, if not, you be not as Isaac, childerens of the promise, if yea, you may assure your souls that you be. O then study to abound in these services. 3. He prayed to God for all good things. Again, it is noted that he called on the Name of God there, and so it is noted, Gen. 25.21. that Isaac entreated the Lord for Rebeccah his wife, because she was barren. He prayed constantly to God for a child, in this also testifying his religiousness and his Faith. So we must be careful to pray to God for all good things we need, for childerens if we want them, for good success in our callings, and whatsoever else we need or desire. Phil. 4.6. For God is the giver of all good things, and hath commanded us in all things to make our requests known unto him, and biddenus, to pray continually and in all things give thanks, Eph 6.18. so we are bound to pray as much as Isaac. Therefore those that are careless of worshipping God in this duty according to that description of a wicked man written by David in the fourteenth Psalm, they call not on the name of God, are not surely the children of God as was Isaac, but the children of Satan rather, for the Spirit of God is a Spirit of prayer, and a man careless of praying to God doth not trust in God but in himself, doth not acknowledge his providence nor live by faith in him. Let me quicken you to this duty, follow Isaac, call on the name of God, entreat God for yourselves, your wives, your children, the Church, the Commonweal, all Saints. I say, recommend all persons and all things to God by servant prayer, that he may give you his blessing and all things may be sanctified to you; do this duty daily and constantly. We must attain spiritual strength every day, from the works of the day by daily prayer, as we attain natural strength daily by the food of the day. Pray well and live well, pray ill and live ill. By this we have fellowship with God, by this we become acquainted with him, and make him as it were acquainted with us: by this we are made like unto him and draw grace from him, and are more and more translated into his image. O resolve to be constant in this service, and let no temptation of Satan drive you from it, or interrupt you in it, let no backwardness of the flesh cause you to omit it, but do it so well as you be able, and whatsoever objections arise break through the same, and tell yourselves, I will do it, heard or not heard, accepted or not accepted, whatsoever I be, what sins soever I shall have, I will continue to call on the name of the Lord, I will do my duty let me speed as pleaseth the Lord. Again, it is noted of Isaac, Gen. 24.63. 4. He meditated. Gen. 24.63. that he went out into the field to meditate in the evening. This also is an excellent service of God, we are commanded to meditate on God's Law continually, and to meditate on all his wondrous works. For the circumstances of time, place, manner, every man is left to his own choice, but the substance of the duty must be done. We must meditate, we must exercise ourselves in the serious considerations of God's Word and works, that we may raise ourselves to a fuller knowledge of them, and cause our wills and affections to be more subject unto our knowledge. Meditation is that which maketh all truths profitable to us, without this our knowledge will be but speculative and talking, 'twill not be practical and effectual without this, we shall find no more benefit by our knowledge then by meat undigested, that cannot yield good nourishment to the body. This must increase our knowledge and improove it, this must bring it down from the head unto the heart, and so into the life. Consider what I say, 2 Tim. 2.7. saith S. Paul to Timothy, and in other places, he that will a little withdraw himself from all other businesses, and give himself to muse of holy things, and take notice of the truth and certainty of them and so confirm his faith in them, and then labour with himself to be affected with them, and draw from them firm and stable resolutions for the well ordering of his life, shall find more progress in one month in the life of godliness, than he that without meditating doth barely read and hear for many years together, you must cover the spiritual seed with earth, you must bind the Word to the tables of your hearts, you must hide the Word in your hearts. If you be slack and careless of this duty, your growth in grace will prove exceeding slender; Imitate Isaac in this service, I know not how a man should come to any steadfast knowledge of his sincerity, if he be not one that meditateth on Gods Law. So many as are guilty of utter omitting this duty, let them bewail and confess this sin of omission, and now learn all that would build up themselves in godliness, to be constant in it: Be not discouraged at your imperfections and manifold distractions, and great averseness, All things of this nature are most difficult at the first, who reads well at the first going to school? who writes well at the first setting of pen to paper. It is exercise that must perfect our abilities in all such things, begin and continue, and be not out of heart for failings, which the Lord will easily and graciously pass by, and you shall find the thing more and more easy and more and more comfortable. 5. He feared God. Another particular thing in Isaac was, that he was one which feared God, his heart stood in awe of God, he durst not offend nor cross him, nor oppose himself unto his good pleasure. So it is noted, Gen. 27.33. that when he had unwittingly blessed jacob, and Esau came in after him, he feared exceedingly, and would not reverse that blessing, but said, I have blessed him and he shall be blessed, and therefore, Gen. 31.53. jacob sweareth by the fear of his Father Isaac, that is, that God whom his Father feared, as in his whole life, so especially at that time when he had newly blessed him; Isaac calling to mind that God had given the blessing to jacob, saying, the elder shall serve the younger, and that he had carelessly and fond gone about to transfer the blessing to Esau, out of his carnal indulgence unto him because he was the elder, was much afraid to think what a sin he had committed against God, and so was restrained from being bold to persist in that carnal purpose, but submitting his will to Gods, he ratifies that blessing, which he had ignorantly pronounced, therefore it is said, Heb. 11.20. that by faith he blessed Esau and Jacob as concerning things to come. It was faith that wrought this fear in him, and made him resolute in the blessing given to jacob: the story of this fear you see, Gen. 27.33. he trembled exceedingly. So it is a good thing to have such an high and reverend esteem of God's greatness, as to make us even tremble very much, when we perceive we have offended him in going about to do things contrary to his will, as Isaac had in attempting to bless Esau, which now he bethought himself of, when God had unwittingly directed the blessing to jacob which himself intended to misplace. This is a proof of a soft and tender heart, and of an heart uprightly disposed to serve God. It is a fruit of a good conscience, to check us for sin and stir up fear in us when we have done amiss, so as to stop us from proceeding in our sins. Demand of yourselves, have you this fear in your hearts, if you have not, where is any other grace, for it is the beginning of wisdom and without it no grace can grow, no corruption can be truly subdued. If you have it, be thankful for it, and labour to grow in it, and to set it on work more and more, particularly as just occasion is ministered. If you have sinned, if you be about to sin, labour to fear, and so to fulfil and work out your salvation in fear and trembling. The Lord our God is a great God and a consuming fire, and if we find ourselves to have in any kind offended him, our hearts should even quake to think of his displeasure, till it have made us fall down before him, and renew our repentance and seek out for a pardon. But he that hath a bold audacious fearless heart, that when he hath done evil, feeleth no stirring of fear, no awe, no dread, sees no danger or peril in the sin, perhaps abusing the promise to make himself bold, surely cannot say, that he sanctifieth God in his heart and maketh him his dread and his fear. Strive therefore to get and strive to nourish and exercise this fear in you. The last thing to be noted in Isaac, 5. He obeyed the Commandment of God. was his obedience to the Commandment of God given him by vision, spoken of, Gen. 26.6 the story runneth thus, there was in his days a great famine in Canaan, Abraham had gone down to Egypt to sojourn therein a time of dearth, for it seems to have been a place of more constant plenty than Canaan, Isaac had in his mind some thoughts of imitating his Father, God saw it not fit for him to travel thither, and therefore God appeared to him in some vision and bade him not to descend into Egypt, but to dwell or sojourn in that land, and promiseth him a blessing; accordingly Isaac stoppeth his journey, continues in Gerar, and goeth not down to Egypt. This was an act of true obedience, he would not go to the place which God forbade him to go too, though it might seem to have been fitter for his profit and advantage at that time. We also Brethren, must learn to dwell where God would have us, and not to make worldly profit, pleasure, ease or the like, the choosers of our habitation; yea we must learn universal obedience, for if in point of habitation I must follow God then in all other things besides. See what God saith in his Word unto us (and that is now instead of all visions, therein now he maketh himself to appear unto us) do such or such a thing, do not such or such a thing, promising a blessing as always he doth unto the obedient. We must not consult with flesh and blood, nor ask counsel of profit and pleasure, but must resign ourselves to his Commandment, and instantly set about the one and relinquish the other. He that is so disposed, he is an Isaac, let him take comfort, he is a true believer and a godly man, but he that in such case refuseth to obey, and will rather condescend to his carnal reason, arguing from loss or commodity, danger or safety or the like, how can he call himself an obedient child? He that refuseth the plain directions of God's Word for earthly respects, is not one of the race of Isaac. He that causeth all such respect to stand bare unto God's Commandment, and to give way unto it, his heart is upright with God, and he is a holy man as was Isaac. And so much for this good man's carriage toward God. 2. His virtuous carriage in regard of men and his estate Look now in what sort he behaved himself in regard of men, and in regard of his estate and the things of this life. For men, he had Parents, a Wife, Children, Neighbours. See his manner of living with them all. He was obedient to his Father. 1. In being ready to be killed. For his Father, he was to him a most dutiful son, as is manifest in two things. 1. He yielded himself to him to be bound and killed, Indeed here was more obedience to God then to Abraham, and yet a great measure of obedience to Abraham also. He bore great respect to his Father Abraham, in that he would be persuaded by him that God had commanded him so strange a thing, he showed himself dutiful to God and his Father both, in being content to be killed by his Father at God's appointment. You see, how children should yield to their Parents in all things in the Lord. It was extraordinary, that Isaac must yield to be slain when God would have it so, and had extraordinarily required it. And in this particular without the like warrant, (which will never be again in all the world) no child should yield to let his Father kill him, but should fly away and oppose himself so far as he might, without hurting and striking his Father, yea or so much as railing at him, for these being things forbidden, a man should rather choose to die even by the rage of his Father, then make bold to do them. But if in an extraordinary Commandment, obedience must be given to Parents in such an extraordinary thing, then without doubt in every ordinary thing a Parent must be obeyed in all things in the Lord, even though the commandment should be so heavy as death itself would not be heavier. The Apostle hath said, Ephes. 6.1. Obey your Parents in all things in the Lord, and this is well pleasing to God, and this is just. Where are you rebellious children? Where are you stubborn and disobedient daughters? Come lay yourselves in the balance with Isaac; see how unlike him you be, he would yield to death, you will not yield to leave those things which are forbidden you only, because they will procure you death, undoing, destruction. O you rebels and wretches, you are far enough from being Isaac's. You set light by Father and Mother, and therefore against you ought all to take up a curse and ratify the same with Amen. Woe, woe unto you, undutiful children, who deal with your Parents as Israel dealt with God, they have brought up and nourished children which have rebelled against them. God shall cut you off from the land of the living, his hand shall be against you to destroy you, Pro. 30.7. and the Eagles of the valley shall pick out your beastly eyes, that are bold to despise, sleight and disobey your Parents, and wilfully refuse to obey their lawful commandments. But I beseech you repent of this sin, and prevent this judgement, and now let all children be followers of Isaac, acknowledge your Parent's authority, submit to their lawful commandments and cross yourselves rather to death then be found undutiful. Do it I say, the great benefits you have received of them requireth it, you have your very being from them in your hild-hoods education, and the Law of God requireth the same of you, which requireth all reasonable things, and you cannot else be saved at last, for he that obeys not that Parent whom he sees daily, how shall he obey him whom he never saw? And all you dutiful children, be encouraged, praise God that hath bound your hearts to respect your Parents, and entreat him to continue the same affection in you still, and know that the Lord will bless you as he blessed Isaac, and will raise you good jacobs to require your submissiveness to your abraham's. But Isaac submitted himself to his Father in another thing, 2. Was ruled by him in marriage. even when he was now grown to be about forty years of age, he gave himself over to his Father to be ruled by him in marriage, he did not set his affections upon any woman without his consent, nor draw away any woman's affections, nor married any without the liking and privity of his Father, but took the right and due course, gave up himself to his Father's authority and direction, and therefore God gave him a good Rebekah indeed, a comfortable wife and virtuous woman. In this therefore all children are bound also to imitate him, Children should not marry without their Parents consent. Children must take their Parent's counsel and direction in matter of marriage, and not bestow themselves without their good liking and consent, that they may have God's blessing attending them in their marriage, when they honour at once both God and their Parents, in obeying God's Commandment and showing due respect unto their Parents. So did even Ishmael though otherwise a wild man, for it is said of him, Gen. 21.21. that his Mother took him a wife So did jacob afterwards, His Father blessed him and sent him to Padan Aram to take him a wife of the daughters of Laban his Mother's brother. Gen. 28.1, 2. And when Samson saw a woman of Timnah that pleased him well, Judg. 14.2. he spoke to his Father and Mother to take the Maid for him, who went down thither and made the match for him. Indeed the Parents have more discretion and understanding then the children by reason of their age and experience, and therefore it is for the child's good to follow their advice. And to whom must the children go for comfort and help in case that any cross befall them in marriage but only to their Parents? of which comfort and help they deprive themselves if they venture upon marriage without them: we know that those God hath not joined in marriage, whom he doth not unite in that estate. Now God hath made the Parents his Deputies in this behalf, saying unto them, give your daughters in marriage and take sons for your daughters, and again, you shall not give your daughters to them in marriage, nor take their sons to your daughters. Now how can it be said that God joined them? if their Parents whom he hath made rulers over them in his steed do not join them, seeing immediately he doth join none in these our days. Also the children are the goods of the Parents as a part of their possession, insomuch that they were also to be sold to pay their debts. Wherefore as no bargain is firm in other kinds of goods without the consent of those that have right unto those goods, so neither can this covenant be good without the consent of Parents, which have as much right from God in their children as in any other of their goods. Wherefore those sons and daughters are much to be blamed who have neglected this part of their duty to their Parents, and have suffered their blind and strong passions so far to transport them, that against their Parent's consent and counsel they have bestowed themselves in Matrimony, and so have transgressed against the plain commandment of God. Such must heartily repent of their sin and humble themselves before God with much sorrow for their great and wilful disobedience. Parents would not have their children thus to slight and dishonour them, yea they take it grievously and are much perplexed with sorrow for their children, in this case therefore children should be much grieved themselves, if they have given this occasion of grief unto their Parents. To satisfy men's own desires and affections without regard to God's ordinances, is a notorious disobedience and bringeth the guilt of a great offence upon the souls of them that have so offended. All you that have married in this disorderly manner, see that you do unfaignedly repent of the sin before God, and confessing the fault before him, seek to prevent the curse that must else fall upon you and your children after you for so dishonouring your Parents. And you young men and women that be not yet married, see that you bind your consciences and resolve your wills to obey this commandment. Follow God in your Parents, and be not so rash and self-willed as to cross them and follow your own heads and passions. This duty will be easy, if you look carefully to your passions at first and suffer them not to be undiscreetely fixed upon any person, until you have acquainted your Parents with your desires, and craved their allowance and consent. But if a man or maid do enthral themselves and entangle others by a disorderly placing of their affections, then shall they make this otherwise easy duty hard and impossible to themselves. Keep yourselves therefore Masters of your own hearts and sell not away your liberty through an overhasty yielding of yourselves to your unruly passions. Suffer not your minds to be drawn away by any means, but pray God to keep your hearts in order. It is a sinful love as well as a sinful passion in any other kind, which troubles an house and makes the children contrary to their Parents, and to prove the greatest cross that may be to them, to whom they ought to have been the greatest comfort. 2. He buried his Father. Gen. 25.9. Lastly Isaac shows his due respect unto his Father, by joining with Ishmael his brother in burying his Father. for so it is said, his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machphelah. This is the last office that childerens can perform, and they must show their love and duty to them in the honourable performance of this last act, as to testify their love to their Parents, so to declare their faithful hope of the resurrection from the dead. For therefore are men with due solemnities committed to the bosom of the earth, because they expect their glorious rising again, and they shall not utterly perish and fall as do the bruit and unreasonable creatures. Now see Isaac's carriage towards his mother. 3. He loved his mother dear. There was no love lost betwixt them, but as Sarah did tenderly love Isaac, so did he requite her love with love again, as is manifested in his sorrowful taking of her death, though she lived with him to a great age. For so it is written that after Rebekkah was brought unto him, and he was married unto her, Gen. 24 ult. Isaac was comforted after his mother's death, intimating, that even until then he was grieved for the loss of her. It is a fault therefore in childerens, oversoone to forget their dead mothers, and to let their remembrance quickly to slip out of their minds, how much more to be weary of their overlong lives, and to be glad when the time comes that they must put them into the dust, in respect of some paltry gain of money, of land that they shall possess when the Father and mother is dead. All that desire their parent's death for their goods sake, which they shall enjoy after them, and are glad when they shall change their parents for their goods, must needs be called wicked and ungrateful childerens. See therefore that you children love even your mothers heartily, moderately lamenting their death, that you may make it appear, their life was not a burden unto you. And so have we seen Isaac's goodness towards his parents. Look into his carriage towards his wife Rebeccah, and that also in two things mentioned in Scripture First, it is said, that he loved her, Gen. 24. ult. 4. He loved his wife tenderly. Ephes. 5.28, 29 This is a thing required of all husbands, they must account themselves and their yoake-fellowes but one flesh, one body as S. Paul commands, yea they must love them not with an idle and mere verbal love, but with such a love as they bear unto themselves, that causeth them to love and cherish themselves, so as above all things they must not be bitter against them, as S. Paul informeth the Collossians. Col. 3.19. Indeed because the Lord hath knit man and wife together in the nearest bond, causing them to be but one flesh, therefore should their loves be most fervent and abundant. A man must therefore love his wife above all other persons, Gen. 2.24. he must forsake father and mother and cleave unto his wife, as Adam said at first, yea in respect of matrimonial love, he must love her alone and none other but her. You therefore that are husbands and have wives, come and answer before God, how do you love your wives? how do you cherish them with all comfortable maintenance and kindnesses? how are you careful to shun all tartness and bitterness? all froward peevish words and gestures, all discourteous quarrelings with them, and rating, revelling, and upbraiding terms. If your consciences accuse you of unlovingnesse and bitterness, you are great sinners before God, and must apply to yourselves that of S. john, he that loveth not his wise whom he seeth daily, how shall he love God whom he never saw. Lay not the blame of your want of love upon your wives, in respect of their ill qualities and carriage, men love their children's persons above all other men's children, though they be neither so personable nor well conditioned, and should they not know how to do the same also to their wives? No man is dispensed withal from doing his own duty, because of another persons failing in his duty, for we must do our duty every one out of conscience to God's Commandments, not alone because of other inducements. It is therefore a great offence in an husband, not to bear a tender and constant love unto his wife. And now all you husbands profit by Isaac's example, and humbly pray to God to frame your hearts to the unfeigned love of your wives. This is the way to make you like comfortably and chastely, a man shall be happy if he enjoy what he loveth, and love what he must enjoy. They live with great peace in themselves, that for conscience sake to God have their souls knit unto their wives, but he, whose affections are disjoined and divorced from his wife, doth live in perpetual vexation, because he hath not subjected his affections to the commandment of God, and fixed his heart on her to whom God would have it united. And he that loveth not his wife honestly, is in perpetual danger to be caught with the unchaste love of another woman, therefore Solomon bids one, wander in the love of his own wife, Prov. 5. for why saith he shouldst thou be taken with a strange woman. This duty therefore is very requisite, and every good man must heartily cry to God to work in his heart this virtuous affection towards his wife, that love may make him able to perform all other duties, without which he must needs be defective in all other matrimonial offices. 5. He contented himself with Rebekah. Another thing very commendable in Isaac towards his wife was this, that he contented himself with Rebekah alone, and did not take that unlawful liberty which yet the common custom of those times did make to seem lawful to many otherwise godly men, of having more wives than one, as had Abraham the Father of Isaac, and jacob his son. A man should keep himself wholly to the wife of his youth, and not divide himself betwixt two, remembering, that God at first made them male and female, and created but one for one, as Malachi. 2.15. noteth, though he had abundance of spirit because he sought a godly seed, yea he said, a man shall cleave to his wife (not wives) and they two, as our Saviour interprets it, shall be one flesh. The custom of our times enforceth men to this duty, but it is a fault when they do it not heartily, but rather for custom then for conscience, yea many that shame will not suffer to keep more wives than one, yet secretly give themselves to other women, and so violate their covenant of marriage, and defile themselves with great pollutions. Lastly, Isaac was ready to hearken to his wife Rebekahs counsel, 6. He harkened to Rebekahs wise counsel. and when she complained of Esau's wives evil and froward behaviour, telling how bitter her life would prove if jacob also should bring in such ill nurtured wives, he sends him away according to her desire, to take a wife in Padan-aram: So should every good man be ready to hearken to his wife's advice and counsel, and to gratify her in those things that are fit, not to cross and contradict her. This is a part of due kindness to your wives, see that you neglect it not to the procuring of mutual and continual discord betwixt you. So have we considered Isaac's good carriage towards God and his parents, Father and mother, and towards his wife; he was a parent and had children, even two sons Esau and jacob; Now he blessed both of them, and that out of Faith: 7. He blessed his children out of faith. Heb. 11.20. for his blessing was not a bare wishing and praying for a blessing upon them, but a prophetical prediction of a blessing in Godsname, whereof if he had not received a promise from God, and also believed that promise, neither he nor his children would have made so great account of it. All of us cannot bless our children in this manner, for the gift of prophecy is wanting unto us, but all of us must in Faith bless our children, that is, pray for a blessing at God's hand upon our seed as well as ourselves. Yea we must all apply ourselves to the sincere obedience which hath an ample promise of blessing annexed, and cannot fail to procure a blessing, since God will not fail to fulfil his word. Why is a prophetical blessing of some value? surely, because it is a certain thing, as having its original in God's fidelity, who having said it shall be so, must either accomplish it with his hand, or else falsify his word, which is impossible. Now it is as impossible, that God should neglect to keep his promise as to fulfil his predictions; wherefore seeing all blessings are plentifully promised to him that walketh before God uprightly and constantly, do this O ye Fathers, this is to bless your childerens in faith, but if you follow your own hearts and leave the ways of God, and go forward in paths of impiety and unrighteousness, then do you curse yourselves and your children, and worse than pronounce a curse, even pull down a curse upon yourselves and them. Further, 8. He conferred the principal blessing upon jacob to whom God had given it. Isaac did confer the principal blessing upon jacob to whom God had given it, even that blessing which contained in it, the causing of Christ the promised seed to come from his loins, the Church to continue in his posterity, and spiritual benefits to belong to him and them. There was a time when Isaac out of heedelessenesse or forgetfulness, or some other carnal consideration, was minded to have settled this special blessing upon Esau, but being made to perceive that he had offended therein and gone against the will of God, he returned to a right course, and calling jacob whom he had unwittingly blessed before thinking him to be Esau, he now again wittingly and willingly blesseth under his own name and in his own person. Parents have not now the bestowing of this spiritual blessing upon children as then Isaac had it ministerially, but all parents should chiefly labour to interest their children in it. For what will it avail to have the fat of the earth and dew of Heaven, if we go without the favour of God in Christ? And when any Father perceives that God hath vouchsafed to any of their children this spiritual blessing, in that they be made careful to serve, worship and obey him as jacob did, these must inherit their affections more plentifully than others of their children in whom such grace is wanting. The image of God must overrule our affections, not carnal things, as at length it did isaac's. Thus we have showed what was good in Isaac, in respect of those that were of his own family, for we read not of any special point in his carriage to servants. See now what a one he was to his neighbours farther of. First to Abimelech, then to the men of Gerar. For Abimelech, he had wronged him in affirming his wife to be his sister. Abimelech by seeing some familiar carriage betwixt them, was induced to be fully persuaded that she was his wife, and therefore calls him, and begins to reprove him for it. Isaac maketh no defence at all for himself, but by his silence accepts the reproof, confessing his fault. He accepted Abimelechs' reproof. It is a good thing when we have done amiss and are charged with it, at least to refrain our tongues from denying, defending, excusing and the like, and at least by not gainsaying, to make it appear that we please not ourselves still in the same offence. Indeed a plain acknowledging is the best of all, but a not gainsaying, not shifting, not winding out by words is at least necessary. It were a grace to a number, if they had a mind so willing to mend, that they might not have a tongue ready to speak against a reproof. But further, Abimelech came to him after to make a covenant with him, bringing alone his chief officer and special favourite. Though Abimelech had been somewhat discourteous to Abraham before, and had chased him away from him, yet Isaac is not so far leavened with discontent as to reject Abimelechs' motion, but having gently minded him of that unkindness, is yet ready to embrace his offer of amity. Why be not we all of a like mind in this matter? to pass by unkindnesses quickly, and be never a whit the less forward to any good office of love, because we have met with some very unloving passages from the same men before. It is a fruit of wisdom and charity to cover wrongs as from others by forbearing to blaze them abroad, so from ones self, by forbearing to call them to mind, so as to be estranged from him that hath offered them, and made less forward to interchange amity with him afterwards. But he hath little either love or humility or discretion, that knows not how to keep down the thought of an injury, but that it makes him still averse from offering or accepting courtesies from the authors of it. Again, Isaac made Abimelech and his company a feast. 10. He made Abimelech and his company a feast. It is fit to use good hospitality, and with liberal entertainment to receive those that have occasion to come unto us according to their places, Abraham did this before. This degree of hospitality hath been found in Heathens to their commendation; but the best hospitality is that, which entertains the poor that are never likely to be able to make amends. God will become paymaster of that cost which the poor is not able to requite. Again, Isaac had something to do with the men of Gerar, for they contended with him unjustly for divers Wells of water which his servants had digged, and he patiently yields to them and will not make a brawl of it. It behooveth us to show the like moderation, and not to be fierce in striving against them which will needs be unjust in striving against us. Now for Isaac's estate, he was a good husband, dug Welles, 11. He was a good husband sowed corn, and so increased his estate through God's blessing upon his diligence. Good husbandry is a thing commendable among all men as well as pleasing to God, it hath the promise of sufficiency of maintenance annexed to it for encouragement. We must every man with so much diligence and discretion order our estate, that we may become capable of abundance and may not deprive ourselves of so comfortable a thing as plenty is. Only in our labour, let us look that we be moderate, that excessive labouring about earthly businesses do not induce a neglect of those things that concern a better life, let your chief care be for Heavenly things, and yet neglect not these temporary in their places: but he that through unthriftiness undoes or hinders himself, how can we conceive that he shall be wise enough to seek spiritual things, that hath no wit to get temporal? Again, when Isaac digged a Well, 12. He made a spiritual use of earthly commodities. for which at length the Philistines contended not with him, he called the name of it Rehoboth, and said, now the Lord hath made room for us and we shall increase in the earth, Gen. 26.22. taking notice of God's goodness, in the quiet enjoyment of that benefit, and by faith persuading himself of God's blessing upon him, and so not carnally but spiritually rejoicing in the temporal benefit. Ah that we could make to ourselves a spiritual use of earthly commodities as Isaac, to see God in them with thankfulness, and to learn to depend upon him for prosperity and not upon our own endeavours; and in particular, that if God grant us quietness, and restrain men from contending and quarrelling with us, so that we have peace in our houses, we could then give praise to him, and take comfort in him and repose our confidence in him. The sight of God in outward things is infinitely more comfortable, than the things themselves how great soever they be. His faults. And thus much of Isaac's virtues; some faults he had too which we must look upon to reform in ourselves, not to imitate, for it is a childish folly to follow after those that go before us, though they run through puddles: Isaac's faults were some in respect of God, some in respect of man, viz. his sons and Abimelech, and some in respect of himself. 1. He forgot the Word of God. As for God, he sinned surely, in forgetting himself so far as to resolve in his mind to bless his son Esau, whereas God had said, the elder shall serve the younger. He should have been mindful of that prophetical answer, which was given concerning those two sons, even when they strove in their Mother's wombs: unless we shall say, that the whole passage was so carried as it was concealed from Isaac: but that is nothing probable, it can hardly be conceived that Rebekah would not acquaint her husband, both that she felt so strange a striving in her womb, (which made her seek to God to know the matter) as also what answer she received from God. Taking that for granted which is so probable, that there is no reason to doubt of it, I say we may note a fault in good Isaac, yea good old Isaac, he forgot the Word of God which had been spoken some years before, and that so utterly, as he determined to have crossed it and gone directly against it. It is a fault from which the bed men alive are not exempted, even so to forget God's Word, as to be ready out of forgetfulness to transgress it. This forgetfulness ariseth many times from heedelesnesse, and many times from continuance and length of time, and sometimes from very strength of passion and distemper, which doth cast out the remembrance of good things from the mind. David and all the Priests had forgotten that which at lest some of them had read concerning the not carting of God's Ark, but carrying it upon the Priest's shoulders; jacob after had little less than forgot the vow he made unto God in his affliction. I pray you take heed of such forgetfulness, meditate often that you may remember seasonably, pray God to write his Laws in your hearts, and to make his holy Spirit to become your remembrancer, that your knowledge be not made unprofitable through forgetfulness, for that which is not fitly called to mind is in a manner as if it were not. And if you meet with such a weakness as this in yourselves, look that you be duly abased in the sight of it, but be not out of heart as if you were destitute of all grace, because you are imperfect in it, but take comfort to seek and hope for pardon upon your humble confession, when the Lord pleaseth to put you in remembrance again. If Peter had remembered Christ's words before, he might perhaps have escaped his great sin of denying his Master, but he remembered it after to make him weep bitterly. It were a comfortable thing to call to mind those things that should preserve us from sin so timely, that we might be so preserved by them. But if we have done otherwise, it behooveth us to put ourselves in mind of them after to work godly sorrow, and then turning to God we must not suffer ourselves to doubt, but that he will vouchsafe to accept us. Now Isaac offended something against men. 2. He loved Esau better than jacob, and that for carnal respects. In respect of his two sons, at first he loved Esau better than jacob and that for carnal respects, because Esau by his hunting supplied him with such kind of meat as was contentful to him. It was without doubt a weakness in him and deserveth taxing. Should Isaac bear favour to a graceless son for venisons sake, rather than to a godly son for virtue sake? Should our passions, fancies, appetites carry us away and overrule our affections. Surely as David wished those that feared God to come unto him, and he would choose them for his companions; so should every man make godliness the rule of his affections, so as when other things be even to give piety the pre-eminence, and cause godliness to cast the scale as it were. It is a fault in any man to love a worse child above a better for any sinister respect, Abraham loved not Ishmael above Isaac, to prevent that it may be thought, that God commanded Ishmael to be cast out, that he might not be thought a meet person at least to partake with Isaac in his inheritance. And as to be carried away in our affections to children (by affecting them most that deserve it least) in carnal respects is a sin, so likewise towards other persons also, servants, neighbours or any other. Therefore he that hath done so or finds himself so inclined, must be humbled in his folly and labour at last to rectify his love, as we showed you before, that Isaac did when God discovered his weakness to him. Now in respect of Abimelech, 3. He did lie out of fear. Isaac offended by lying out of fear, when the men of Gerar began to question with him about his wife, he began to suspect, that they meant no good in such inquiry, and fearing some ill usage from them if he should have professed himself her husband, helped the matter with a sudden lie, and said she was his Sister, Gen. 26.7. you see he inheriteth here his Father's carnal fear, and carnal shift, of lying to prevent the evil feared. Here we have two plain faults, his immoderate fear, and his lying to help himself at a pinch; to be afraid of death so that there appear some likelihood that it will come upon us suddenly and violently, we suffer ourselves to be drawn into sin for the escaping of it, is a sin and such a sin it is, as hath often discovered itself in good men. We noted it in Abraham twice upon the same occasion that is here mentioned; So it befell David, when he came first to Achish King of Gath, so to Peter and others. The inordinateness of the fear of death ariseth from weakness of faith, both in that a man doth not so steadfastly rely upon God for defence and safeguard of life, as also for salvation of his soul after death, or because he is not so well versed in the meditations of death and Heaven, as to become sufficiently heavenly-minded. For if we did fully persuade ourselves that God would stand by us in peril, that he would be our shield and buckler, than it would befall us according to that of David, The Lord is on my side, Psal. 118.6. I will not fear what man can do unto me; but in the best this confidence is often weakened, and they are taken unprovided through the suddenness of the danger, or the like occasion, or it is likely that the soul which so feareth death, as by sin to shun the same, doth not so thoroughly assure itself of salvation, or hath not so clearly and fully apprehended the excellency of salvation; for doubtless death would be welcome to him rather than terrible, that did apprehend it as a dark entry leading to the glorious palace of glory, and had well considered of the greatness of that glory. I beseech you take pains to help yourselves against the fear of death, and to work in your hearts so truly courageous a temper, that though it should present itself to you naked and without disguise, and that suddenly, and that in show unpreventably, yet you might be so constant and so settled as not to betake yourselves unto any sinful means of escape, but rather choose to die then to sin against God, as knowing death to be no great matter, but sin to be an hateful thing and worse by far then death. And how should this undaunted and spiritual fortitude be attained but by conversing with death often in your thoughts? so as to get some good assurance, that it shall not be able to carry you to the region of darkness to eternal death, but alone to let you out of this dungeon into a room far more lightsome and blissful. He that thinks much of death, so as to make himself careful by frequent renewing of his repentance and amendment of his life, to get his salvation assured to himself, shall at last be happily armed against the fear of death, and shall be made so resolute as to choose rather to die then sin. Again, if you find so much weakness in any of God's Saints with whom you live, as you find recorded in the story of Isaac, I pray you be no harsher so them then you be to him. Tell me what think you of Isaac? was he a godly man or not? if you say no, you contradict the Scripture, if you say yea, than you must learn not to deny to another the name of a good man, because you meet with the like disorders in him that are here noted in Isaac, if he fear too much, if he hath used some sinful means to escape death or other danger. Nay a man ought not to deny himself the name of a man truly sanctified, because he findeth the same imperfections in himself. To call in question ones being sanctified in respect of the hanging on of such weaknesses, is to nip and discourage the work of grace, and to hinder the growth of it no less than a cold frost doth hinder fruits from growing. But Isaac telleth a manifest lie. Lying is a sin, and the lying tongue will bring destruction; but to be so transported with some present passion, as to be thrust into the mire of lying is such a thing as may befall a godly man. Come and take heed, that you do not embolden yourselves to lie by abusing this and the like Examples, but rather resolve and pray against it, as knowing in how much danger you stand of falling into it. For though to be over-taken with this sin in haste, do not disproove the truth of sanctity; yet to be a liar (one that makes account that this is so small an offence, that he will not be so precise as to forbear to help himself by it if need be) this is a proof of a man that hath not yet gotten any sanctity. Lying is a sin so plain, that scarce is it possible to be ignorant of it, but through wilfulness, because a man refuseth to be willing to know that fault which he is not willing to leave. For no man can choose but blame it in another, and therefore his inward soul doth plainly tell him that it is also naught in himself. Now to live purposely in a known sin, resolving that he must and will do it if occasion serve, this is to be a worker of iniquity. Remember therefore the word of S. Paul, Ephes. 4.25. Put away lying seeing you have put off the old man, intimating that he hath not cast off any, part of the old man, that hath not thrown away this rag of it. Lying will breed boldness to sin, hardheartedness in it, impudence after it. Therefore you must determinately conclude with yourselves, to put away lying and speak the truth one to another. In these two things Isaac sinned against GOD and himself. But his sin against Abimelech was, 4. He scandalised Abimelech. in that he was like to have drawn him occasionally into a great sin, he did that which might easily have hazarded him to think of making Rebekah his wife, that is, of committing adultery. It is a sin to become a stumbling block to another by doing that which may make him bold to do a thing that is sinful, as Abimelech complained to Abraham and also to Isaac; take heed that you become not stumbling blocks in a more palpable fashion, by enticing, persuading, exhorting, giving evil example or the like. Be careful not to partake with other men's sins, and if you can call to mind any thing done by yourselves in the like nature, viz. such an act as might have pulled another to wickedness, though the ill effect have not followed, yet you must repent of your uncharitableness and rashness herein. Another fault of isaac's is this, 5. He loved good fare too much. that he had too great respect to good fare, he loved his tooth and palate a little too much, he was an aged man and he gave himself a little more then enough to savoury meat, and his love to good fare carried him so far awry in his affections, that he loved Esau more than jacob, Gen. 25.28. Surely, it was too great a love to Venison, that caused him to love a worse son above a better. This is a weakness against which it is needful to strive, our sensuality inclineth us unto it, we are apt to think it no sin, may not a man use God's benefits and enjoy the comforts of this life in good measure? why should not he fare well that hath much given him by God? But sure to be so overruled by ones palate, that any disorders be bred thence in ones life towards any person or thing, cannot but be a sin for all these excuses. Do not we know that cockering of the body doth likely depress the soul? and the feeding of the belly and pleasing of the taste doth breed an aptness to be less delighted with better things. Thus you have Isaac's faults. First, Forgetfulness of God's promise. Secondly, Carnal fear of death. Thirdly, Lying to prevent danger. Fourthly, Scandalising Abimelech. Fiftly, overloving his worse son, and Sixtly, Overloving good fare. We will go on now to consider what blessings he enjoyed. His Benefits. 1. Spiritual. God made his covenant with him. First Spiritual, God pleased to make his covenant in him, and to bestow the birthright and blessing upon him, and therefore also did appear to him and blessed him, Gen. 25.3, 4. and after, Vers. 24. It is a singular favour of God, to give a man spiritual blessings, to make him his child, to appear to him and comfort him, by giving him assurance that he is his child, and confirm his Faith in his gracious promises. This is the greatest favour, to bless us with spiritual blessings, Ishmael had the terrene, but Isaac had the spiritual blessings, these were given also to jacob as a singular prerogative. It is an admirable favour indeed to enjoy these, for they will not cease at the end of this life, but will continue till another life and will be perfected in another life eternally. I pray you consider whether God have vouchsafed these unto you, hath he caused you to fear his name? hath he made you to believe his promises? hath he appeared to you in his word and ordinances? and given you some happy apprehension of his goodness in Christ, making you know, that he will fulfil to you the blessing of Abraham. If he have, give hearty praises to him, take unspeakable comfort in him, account all your other crosses nothing. Rejoice in him evermore, that hath translated you from the power of darkness to his own Kingdom. Happy is he that is made the child of God, though he be in great calamity for outward things. Know the incomparable greatness of his favour, that you may rejoice in it, in despite of all crosses. And labour to get more and more assurance of your interest unto God and happy estate this way, that you may be more and more comforted. But if you have not these spiritual good things, do not account yourselves happy, because of the outward, think not that you are in a good estate whatsoever you possess, if you possess not God's Spirit to make you God's child, to seal you to the day of redemption, to comfort you in all times, with making himself more and more assuredly known unto you. What is it to enjoy a dream of prosperity in this sleep of natural life? and then to spend one's eternal being in endless and irremediable and unsufferable misery. Rest not yourselves satisfied in outward things, count not yourselves happy in having them, never think you have any thing till you have grace, till you have Christ, till you have interest into Heaven, that eternal land of promise, and set yourselves in feeling of the want of these things to seek them in God's ordinances. Prayer, the Word, Sacraments, and you shall have them, for you want them not that live in the Church, but for want of care duly to seek them. Again, consider Isaac's temporal blessings, 2. Temporal 1 Had a good Wife. he had a very good wife, Rebekah, that carried herself well towards him, and was careful to keep him from offending, in translating the blessing contrary to God's pleasure, wherein though she used deceit, yet she brought him into the right way, afore he knew of it, and caused him to do well when her thought to do evil. Again, he had one very gracious and godly child, jacob, 2. One godly child, and a nother that respected him. and another though not so godly as we can assuredly say he feared God, yet one that respected him, that did thrive in the world, and was of commendable outward carriage among men, for so was Esau, he showed regard to Isaac, grew great in worldly greatness, and had a name among men. Thirdly, he had a great measure of wealth, 3. Was very rich. and was a man of great state and esteem, so that King Abimelech desired his friendship, and though some envied and wronged him, yet they could not hinder God's blessing from attending him, especially one year God gave him a singular blessing, for he sowed and reaped, Gen. 26.12. and as by Faith he believed that God would, so God did make him roomth and he became fruitful in the land. And last of all, 4. He lived long. he lived a long time in this world to enjoy all these things, and lived to continue with his wife Rebekah, she lived as long or near as long as he, which could not but be a great comfort to him. So you see he had all abundance of outward contents for his children, wife, state, etc. Now I beseech you reckon betwixt God and yourselves! hath not God been as favourable to some of you as to Isaac? so that you have good, virtuous, and dutiful and religious wives, which will help your errors, and cherish your bodies, and do you all the good they can. Hath not he given some of you good and godly children, at least some, or one, and the rest civil and thriving? Hath not he given you a wealthy estate? not so rich as Isaac but even rich enough, I mean so much as will enable you to enjoy yourselves in the world, and to pass through the world with comfort. Hath not he prospered the work of your hands? and given you roomth, and made you increase, yea hath he not made you live a long time to enjoy all these things? If so, let these benefits become matter of praise, let them become arguments of obedience, labour to be truly thankful for them, that you may find them truly beneficial: make a spiritual use of temporal blessings. And if any want these things, let him see how rich God is, and let him even trust in him for sufficiency in outward things, and count it enough that it pleaseth God to give him better things as I exhorted before. And if any of God's people find not these things so granted to himself, let him not take Gods dealing with him in the worst part, let him not ascribe it to want of love to him, but to his wisdom, that seeing him not so capable of these things, doth withdraw from him that thing which he sees would be hurtful unto him. We must not misconstrue Gods forbearing to give outward things. Yea now let all men encourage themselves to be obedient to God, and to fear him as did Isaac, for you see in him that God is ready to reward his servants with great commodities and comforts in this life too. He will not alone save them, but so far as is good, make their estate prosperous here below. That godliness which hath the promise shall also have the performance of good things for this present life and that which is to come. I know, that these be common benefits, but when they come sweetened with God's blessing, than they are truly comfortable, and so shall they be to him that interests himself to them by getting into Christ, and walking in him in holiness and godly conversation. Isaac's crosses. So we have done with Isaac's benefits, now his crosses; for neither could he, nor can any man in this life scape but that more or less he shall meet with afflictions. First in respect of his body. 2. His state. 3. His children. 1. He was long blind. For his body, he was blind many years, for he was married at forty, at sixty he had Esau and jacob; jacob was about seventy six years when he came to Laban, so then Isaac was a hundred thirty six years, and at that time he could not discern Esau and jacob one from the other by sight, and he lived in all 180 years, from which if you subtract 136, then will remain forty four years, so long did Isaac live without the use of his eyes. Therefore learn you to be thankful that God hath given you your eyesight even to your lives end, so that you want not this sense at all till death, or at least want it not so long a space of time. Sight is a great comfort, it is pleasant to see the Sun and to be able with our eyes to behold and discern our friends and all other creatures of GOD. Let us praise God for the use of this and other senses. Secondly, let us prepare to suffer the same cross, who can tell how soon his eyes may grow dim? let us use them well whilst we have them, and withdraw them from looking after vanity, and all other abuses: for nothing will grieve us more when we have lost them, then that we have abused them, nor comfort us more, then to remember that we have kept them in order and bestowed them holily. And indeed, they be things apt to be abused a 1000 ways; Prevent all these abuses and put on a contented mind, if God see it fit to be deprived of them, getting such a clearness of inward sight, that the comfort of that may supply the want of outward eyes. He that hath an understanding given him to see God and Christ, to see Heaven and things spiritual, may easily miss the sight of other things; but ah how comfortless is a blind body joined with a blind mind? Take heed that this great darkness fall not upon you, for what can this be but even a forerunner of utter and everlasting darkness. Further, Isaac in his state met with divers crosses, 2. Met with divers troubles in his state. the Philistines envied him, chased him from them, wronged him by stopping his Fathers Well and by unjust striving with him for those he himself had digged, these be crosses and such as trouble the nature of man, and seem hard to bear, but this good man wrestled with them. Prepare yourselves therefore to be envied and wronged, and to have enemies that will contend and quarrel with you causelessly, and be careful to get God's favour, that the malice and injuriousness of men may not be able to hurt you, but that God may bless you the more, by how much men do more envy you, wrong you and contend against you, as it befell to Isaac. For God prospered him and comforted him the more, by how much the world did more grudge at him, and seek to disquiet him. Labour therefore to get God's favour, that you may have a patient, a cheerful mind the in midst of the greatest injuries. In the mean time, expect such evil usage and strive to be able to bear it without vexation and discontent, which are things more troublesome than the crosses themselves. Further, learn to be thankful to God, if he have pleased to keep you from spite, wrong and strife, that either you be not envied, or else those that envy you have not had ability to wrong you and contend against you. It is a great goodness of God so to hedge about a man's estate, that no man hath been able to break in upon him to hurt him, and it is neither men's wit nor greatness that can procure unto them this safety, but it is God alone that maketh them to dwell in safety. Let our hearts be lifted up to praise him, that hath so encompassed us with his favour as with a shield. But next, Isaac was crossed in his children. First, 3. Was long without issue. in that he continued long without issue, whereas God had promised him issue, and the hope of his salvation depended upon the performance of his promise; for out of his loins was that seed to proceed in whom all Nations were to be blessed, and yet he was married twenty years afore this promise was fulfilled. So long did God exercise his faith with delay. Learn to bear with patience Gods deferring of his promises and not to let your hopes slip, but still to trust on God and wait for him, who will come in due time though he satisfy not our hasty and over-eager desires. Hold to the promise of God, it shall be fulfilled at length though we be made to tarry somewhat long for it, that we may be better fitted to receive it with thankfulness. The longer a good thing is desired and deferred, the more abundant comfort it yieldeth when it is come. 4. He was crossed in Esau. But secondly, Esau proved a cross to him in two things. First, that he took into the house two such ill conditioned Maids, as were a grief of heart to Isaac and Rebekah, Gen. 26. ult. This is a bitter cross to be pestered with unquiet, froward, unruly and wicked daughters in Law, that shall make one weary of his life, and like evil and bitter sauce, take away the sweetness of all other comforts. Learn to be thankful, if you have escaped this cross, and if God have provided such yoake-fellowes for your children, as by their dutiful and loving carriage do make the comfort of your lives more abundant, framing themselves to content you in all good and lawful things, as if they were your own sons or daughters: It is a great satisfaction to see one's children so happily matched; Let not this benefit be slighted and passed over without particular thanks. And now prepare for this cross, or if you be under it, labour to bear it, so as not to be made weary of life, but enjoy the rest so thankfully, that the bitterness of this may be sweetened and allayed. And pray to God to direct yourselves and your children so in their choice or yours for them, that they may not stumble upon a torment unawares, and learn in choosing to choose for grace rather than sinister respects, so may you hope to be directed aright, and to get a true benefit. Again, Esau was a cross to his Father in his malice against his Brother, whom he purposed to kill, and would not keep the thought to himself so, but that it uttered itself. If Isaac knew not of it, he was not afflicted with it, but if he did, he could not but take it heavily. Thank God if he have not given over your children to such malice one against the other, and if you lie under this misery, make it as easy as may be, by telling yourselves it was Isaac's cross, and yet God kept it from ever coming to execution. 2. In jacob. But Isaac was crossed in jacob too, for he lived a stranger from him twenty years so that he did not enjoy him. Is it not a grief to have a good child as it were banished and restrained from dwelling with his Father for so long a time, whose company his love makes him to desire every day? But Isaac lived to see much rudeness in his grandchildren, for he outlived Joseph's selling into Egypt, and was afflicted in Jacob's uncomfortableness under that cross. Bless God if it have not happnend so to you, and if it have, mutter not, for what are you that you may not be put to as much hardness as Isaac? And lastly, Isaac died at 180 years, His death. a long life indeed for those times, but it ended in death and burial, and so must each of yours even a great while sooner, O therefore study to be prepared for it. THE SIXTEENTH EXAMPLE. OF REBEKKAH. REbekkah was the wife of Isaac, Rebekkahs neither birth nor death is mentioned in Scripture. of her birth and death the Scripture is silent. We are therefore to look into her life, wherein observe the good she had and did, the evil she did and suffered. The good she did, First, Her virtues. 1. She was chaste while a Virgin. whilst she lived young in her Father's house, She was a Virgin untouched by man, Gen. 24.16. No man knew her. It behooveth young women to behave themselves so modestly, and shamefac'dly, that they may bring themselves unto their own husbands undefiled. Therefore the holy Ghost appointed the Parents to be careful of preserving the tokens of the maiden's virginity, that they might be able to prove it against the slanders of her husband's evil tongue (if he should after report that he found her not a maid) but withal he appointed that if the woman could not prove herself to have been a Virgin, she should be brought out and publicly stoned at her Father's door, Deut. 22, 13. You see that God would have the daughter put to death which should be bold to prostitute herself to any other men, and then deceive one that had not known her, and thrust herself upon him as if she had been a Virgin, as much as if he had ordered that such a defiled maiden should not marry any other but him that had defiled her, unless first she had made the matter known unto that other. Now what care should be taken to preserve chastity, the heathens may teach us, who for mere credit sake, used diligence in this matter, and it should be a shame for Christians not to exceed Pagans in any point of goodness. Let me therefore speak unto you young maidens, and require you to follow Rebekkah in this kind, keep yourselves pure, suffer not yourselves to be won away with any solicitations for all occasions of sin. Be not haughty in conceit of your own strength to withstand any allurement, but fear God, and beseech him to keep you by virtue of his fear, else many a boasting maiden hath been forced out of her own experience to confess, that this offence cannot be prevented by bragging. I say therefore, let the fear of God, and an humble heart, and a careful shunning of evil opportunities be the preservers of your chastity. And if any of you have been corrupt, and vitiated, though it be known to none but God and yourselves, see that you be greatly humbled, and truly penitent for it. The custom of many is, if they can conceal themselves in this kind, and that they prove not with child, to the public reproaching of themselves before men, not at all to grieve for the sin committed, though it be nevertheless abominable in God's sight, because of such concealing it; yea, some there be that add murder also to filthiness, using means of abortion to themselves, or of hindering themselves from conceiving, by wicked reaches, and devises: But the allseeing eyes of God do discover their lewdness, and will make their offences known to all the world, and that so much the more to their disgrace, and destruction, by how much they have declared themselves to be more wicked, in fearing men, and not God. Indeed if the matter come to open knowledge, they weep, and take on, showing evidently, that ignominy goeth nearer to their hearts than sin, and that they care not how lewd they be, if their lewdness come not to light. But I say, be you careful to prevent secret sins in this kind, and tender the health of your souls more than the credit of your names, and undo that sin by unfeigned repentance, which will else make you odious to God, though you hide it never so closely from men. And let Parents also carry a watchful eye upon their daughters, not giving them liberty to range up and down at unfit times, to unfit places, lest it befall them as it did Dinah, Jacob's daughter, when she gave herself leave to gaze abroad to see the fashions of the daughters of the country. And I must also speak to young men, which go a wooing to young maidens, that they suffer not themselves to be so far transported with unlawful, and unruly desires, as to pollute those before marriage, or assay to solicit them whom they pretend to love so, as to make them their wives. If they love them, let them keep them so worthy to be beloved, and enter not into God's Ordinance, through the devils Portall, as I may call it; O be not so wicked, so injurious to the maid, and the friends of the maid with whom you seek to make affinity, as to lay a snare and blot upon yourselves, and the kindred and parents of yourselves, and of the Virgin to whom you pretend love and good will, but enter purely into Matrimony, that the blessing of God may accompany you in Matrimony. And so much for Rebekkahs chastity, she came an unspotted Virgin to the bed of marriage. Now further, she was a painful and a courteous maid, 2. She was painful and courteous. My Lord, said she: Sir, as you would say in English. for she came out with her pitcher on her shoulder to draw water at a common Well, and did not think so much of her labour, but that she was ready to draw water, and fill the troughes till a number of Camels had drank their fill, and courteously let down her pitcher to give the man that was a stranger to her, to drink, and of her own accord offered her service to water his Camels too. Learn you maidens to be painful, learn to be courteous, by labour you should keep your bodies in good health, and your minds also free from vices and evil desires, and by courtesy you shall show yourselves to be of a good nature, willing to be serviceable, and so shall win love, credit, and good esteem: but an idle churlish person, that makes herself sick by her slothfulness, and by her backwardness to do service, (showing that she is good for nothing but to trick up, and pride herself) becomes loathsome to God and man. Be not idle, be not nice and dainty, be not sour and churlish, these things will cause you to inherit as much disgrace as Rebekkah did inherit honour and good will. Let me commend unto you the virtuous example of good Rebekkah, dress yourselves as it were at her glass, and adorn yourselves with her virtues. This Story you may read at large, Gen. 24.15. and so forward read it, consider of it, and take it forth into your lives, and learn to live according to the worthy precedents which the word of God commendeth unto you. The custom of the world, and the corruption of nature will persuade you rather to pride, niceness, slothfulness, and discourtesy, but we must take heed of following our own naughty nature, in the sinful fashions of the world; She is a Christian indeed that is wiling to live according to the Scriptures. Now consider another virtue of Rebekkahs, 3. She was willing to be ruled by her friends in marriage. she was willing to be ruled by her friends in marriage, and when they had given their consent to Abraham's servant for the marrying of her to Isaac, she also consented, and said, I will go with the man, Gen. 24.58. So should all maidens yield themselves to the government of their parents and friends in this matter, that they may with more assurance & comfort expect the blessing of God to make their lives comfortable in marriage, by giving them love & favour in their husband's eyes, and bestowing upon them good husbands, at least if they meet with such as be not what they ought, they may with more contentedness & patience undergo the cross when it comes not with a sting upon their consciences, in that by their sinfulness they have even pulled misery upon themselves. If you be well matched, the comfort will be doubled, when you shall perceive that it is a fruit of God's goodness unto you, in blessing your care of observing his commandments, and directions, and if a cross come, it will be far more easily borne, when you have your parents and friends ready to comfort you, and help you, because you have followed their directions in bestowing yourselves. Thus you shall provide best for your own perpetual welfare: for that inordinate passion, which is called love, will soon be quenched like a fire of thorns, and then it is not the fulfilling of irregular desires, that will minister comfort unto you. It is evident by experience, that discord and dissension do quickly fall out betwixt them that followed passion rather than duty, and discretion in placing themselves with a husband. Now you shall be well able thus to perform your duty both to God and your Parents, if you keep yourselves owners of your own hearts, and suffer not your unruly passions to make you slaves unto themselves, and so to make your duty difficult and tedious. He that keeps his feet and legs free from shackles and chains, can easily go about any businesses that are needful for him to do. But whosoever will lad himself with irons and fetters, shall find it grievous to stir when it is requisite for him to go any whither. Therefore shackle not you souls with the chains of unruly affections, that you may cheerfully yield yourselves to your parent's disposal, as both nature and religion do require at your hands. Give not away yourselves before hand, commit not that vile Idolatry of making some one man a false god unto you, and let not your hearts be enslaved to any one, before your Parents have given you, who have interest from God to dispose of you according to the rules of discretion for your own good. For Parents look to the constant good of their children in bestowing them, but their own green heads do likely regard nothing else but the pleasing of their eye and fancies, which likely doth end in misery and discontent. And so you have seen Rebekkahs good carriage while she was a maiden, living under the government of her Either in his Family. Her good carriage when married. 1. She joined with her husband in prayer for children. Now see how she carries herself afterwards. 1. To God. 2. To her husband. 3. To her children. 1. To God, She joined with her husband in prayer for children, and therefore she had faith in God, and trusted in him for issue, not barely to the course of nature, for it is said Gen. 25.21. Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren, she was present with her husband, and joined her own supplications with his, for the obtaining of fruitfulness by him. A good woman ought to be prayerful, and both to unite her devotions to her husband, and also to call upon God by herself alone. See therefore you wives that you be ready to show piety in the same kind; pray to God with your husbands, yea pray to him for yourselves, husbands, and children, and for all good things. The blessings are doubled that are gotten not alone by natural endeavours, but by fervent prayers unto God, for this is a proof, that they be granted by God in favour, and so they become tokens of his love to men, and by that means are much more comfortable then of their own nature they could be. Those wives therefore are too blame, that scarce are willing to pray themselves, or to join with their husbands, but by their backwardness interrupt their praying together, a thing condemned by S. Peter, when it is procured by discontents, falling out betwixt, and consequently also by any other means. Mend this fault O ye wives, and you that are husbands, if the fault have been in you, mend it, and see that you join together, call upon God. If you have children, yet there be enough of other things for which you ought to visit the Throne of grace. The graces of God's Spirit are much more desirable than the fruit of our bodies, and I am sure that our hearts are all barren of such fruit, and cannot be made fruitful but by God's Spirit working in our hearts, and prayer will cause him to make a barren heart fruitful as well as a barren womb, but without prayer the heart will never bring forth true grace. Natural benefits, children, and the like, do fall into the laps of men and women though they do not seek them from God by this exercise of prayer; but spiritual blessings cannot be obtained by any other means, if this be not also joined to the means to sanctify them. You have therefore cause enough to pray together as well as Isaac and Rebekkah, even though you have not barren bodies, yea, and if you have children, yet it is requisite to crave Gods favourable blessing upon them, without which, they may prove afterwards the greatest crosses you have, instead of the greatest comforts; see therefore that you be not slack in this service of God. Again, Rebekkahs duty is seen, 2. She inquired of God when the children strove in her womb. in that she went to God to inquire when she found a more than ordinary striving in her womb: we must all learn of her to keep our peace with God, and to be always ready to seek to him, if any thing befall us that puts us to fear or trouble, as you see the people of God have done at all times. It becomes the children of God still to inquire of him, and seek to him in all occurrents. Indeed it pleaseth him to send such occasions unto us, that by them we may be drawn nearer unto him, and visit him more often, and more cheerfully. They therefore that are strangers to God, and run any whether, rather than to him for help and direction, when troubles do come unto them, are much too blame themselves for profaneness. They acknowledge God alone in word, but deny him in deed, that are thus estranged from him. Mend this fault now, and that you may with more assurance run to God when crosses and cumbers befall you, be sure to pray without ceasing, and to keep your hearts in with him, by calling upon him at all times. It is a most happy thing to have the Throne of grace always open to one's prayers; and it is kept open by continuance, and daily exercising ones self in this service. If any say, how shall we inquire of God now, seeing we are now destitute of extraordinary Prophets, by whose means we may seek unto him? I answer, we have his Word, we have his Name, we have his Ministers and faithful people to go unto, and by those we may as sufficiently seek unto him, as by any extraordinary Prophets. Wherefore as Rebekkah feeling that bustling in her womb, said, why am I thus? And went to inquire of God, Gen. 25.22. So must we in all occasions of disquietment, either of body, or of mind, think with ourselves, why is it thus with me? and must come to prayer, and crave direction and help of him; We must run to his word, and seek to inform ourselves from thence, what may be the cause of our present estate, and consult with his faithful servants that have a larger measure of knowledge than ourselves, that by their advice we may learn what is fit for us to do, and upon what ground it is that matters be so with us, and God by these means will settle and quiet our minds as surely, and firmly, as of old he accustomed to do by means of his holy Prophets. So you have Rebekkahs piety to God, now see her carriage to her husband, and we find in the Story of her life, testimonies of her being a dutiful wife unto him. 3. She was dutiful to her husband. For first, when she found him inclined to go against the will of God (in giving away that solemn blessing which she inherited from his Father Abraham, unto the Son to whom it was not due, because God had preferred the younger before the elder) she was careful to prevent that sin, and to procure the blessing unto jacob, to whom it was due, and how? Not by brawling and falling out with him, but by a gentle and a quiet means. I commend not the using of guile and falsehood, but in that she fell not to it by violence of speech, but by a gentle and mild way, in that I cannot but commend her. Herein she did the part of a loving, discreet, and dutiful wife, who reverenced her husband, and desires to keep him from sin. She came not chaffing to Isaac, as once Sarah did to Abraham, but by a gentle course she caused him to escape the fault before he could commit it, and beyond his purpose. So must you good wives carry yourselves, if your husbands be about to swerve out of the way, and you perceive it, you must endeavour by sweet and dutiful courses to prevent, or recall them from sin, not to use fierce passion, brawling, as sometimes women of a fierce spirit do, who many times are punished for their indiscreet frowardness, by failing of their desires, and making things worse, rather than changing them for the better. The same disposition to her husband she showed in another passage too, for that she might procure the sending of jacob into Padan Aram, she did not openly declare the matter to her husband, but came and related the trouble she had with Esau's wives, and told how bitter a thing it would prove unto her, if she were as bad yoked with another wife that jacob should bring, and so won him to dispatch jacob for a wife into Padan Aram. A woman should always deal by loving means with her husband, to get the good she would at his hands, and not by violence and clamour. You that would have the repute of good wives in your own hearts, see that you follow Rebekkah, prevail by discreet, wise, and courteous courses, not by strong hand, and violence. But these eager, sharp, and passionate women, that will wrest the things the desire out of their husband's hands, (perhaps also inconvenient things) by chiding, and big, and loud words, as once I told you Sarah sought to do, or else by puling, and whining, and charging their husbands not to love them else, as the wife of Samson did, are to be blamed as undiscreet, and disobedient wives, and if they repent not of their folly, and unruliness, the Lord will one day call them to account for their misdemeanours; Gentleness, and dutifulness must adorn your conversation, and your husbands must see your conversation coupled with fear to displease, so shall you make your self and husbands happy, both at once, and have a kind of lawful power with them over whom you have not any authority. But now of Rebekkahs carriage to her Sons, she was in the right, 4. She loved her best son most. she loved the good son whom God loved most; jacob was a plain man, but a good man, beloved of God, therefore she did love him too, and herein she did much excel her husband Isaac, and was more to be commended, and did better please God. Indeed herein she showed her obedience to God, as well as her affection to jacob, whom she desired to have attain the blessing, because she knew that God had appointed it unto him. It is a necessary thing, that men should submit themselves unto God in every thing, and become furtherers the best they can of fulfilling his good pleasure, when once he hath vouchsafed to manifest it unto them. O let us learn to submit our wills thus to Gods will, and to make it our care to have those things done by ourselves and others which he would have done. And learn Parents, and all men, of Rebekkah, to love them best in whom the Lord hath printed his Image most clearly and abundantly. Let godliness be the loadstone of our affections rather than any other thing, yea let us all learn of her too, to strive to procure a blessing upon our children, though not by such a course as she took, for herein she was manifestly blame worthy, yet by all good and honest courses that we can, even by our prayers for them, and good instructions to them; and the like. You have heard Rebekkahs goodness, so much as I remember that the Scriptures have left upon record, saving it is noted of her, that she made savoury meat for her husband, 5. She provided such food for her husband as he liked. such as he loved, she could not have done it so well then, if she had not taken notice of it, and done it often before. So it is the part of a good woman to cherish her husband in his diet, so far as her means and ability will permit, and having informed himself what is pleasing to him, accordingly to provide it for him. So shall she show good will to her husband, which always makes one careful to please and gratify the party beloved. Here is a pattern for you to live after, all you good women seek to give your husband's due content in their food, prepare things acceptable to them as you be able, especially, if they be weak, blind, or otherwise afflicted; that your kind usage this way, may even countervail the want of other benefits, and cause their lives to be as comfortable to them, as in such crosses they may be: but without doubt she is a bad and unloving wife, who neglecteth to give her husband satisfaction in this point, who sets him short, and cares not to fit him with pleasing food; if they be not destitute of means, yea, who feeds herself deliciously in his absence, and must have some choice provision for herself when she pleaseth, that shall be hidden from his eye, and withdrawn from his mouth. A great fault it is in a wife, to forget that her husband and she do make but one body, and to divide him from her in eating and drinking to whom she is so nearly linked in other society. Be no more offenders in this kind, if you have been such, but now be good nurses to your husbands, and let them at least partake with yourselves of any good fare which you provide for yourselves. These be the things commendable in Rebekkah. Now I come to her faults. Her faults, She used fraud to convey the blessing to jacob. First, she used deceit and fraud to convey the blessing unto jacob, and sought rather to hook it to him by a fleshly device, then to compass it by a convenient and lawful way. You shall read the Story Gen. 27.1. and 17. She knew her husband was blind, therefore she spoke to jacob to get the blessing by a cunning device, she sends for a Kid, makes such a dish as was pleasing to Isaac's palate, uses means to make his hands and neck seem rough, like unto Esau's, by covering them with the skins of the Kids as handsomely as she could, and so sends him in to Isaac, having before emboldened him to say, though falsely, that he was Esau the eldest Son. This was a sin in her, the matter of it was fraud and fashood, the aggravations of it were, first, she drew jacob into the sin of lying and shifting, even contrary to his own temper, for the Scripture witnesseth of him, that He was a plain man. Secondly, she was set upon it, that though jacob objected he should get a curse rather than a blessing, by seeming to his Father a deceiver and a mocker, yet she found a means to encourage him in his lying, by a trick to beguile his Father well enough; that he should never find him out, and so drew him to go thorough with the crafty device: this was practised even against her husband also, to whom it least of all becometh a wife to use deceit and lying. Only there was one mitigation and extenuation of her fault, she did aim at a good end, but a good intention cannot justify unlawful means that are used to accomplish it. We have in her then a fault of craftiness, and deceit, and lying. There is a great difference betwixt wisdom and fraud, wisdom will always hold itself to the side of justice, not alone in the thing it mainly seeks, but also in the path which it chooseth to walk in to that end; But fraud is as it were a rotten wisdom, and cares not to follow equity and truth in the way it takes, and neither many times in the end. Abhor fraud, that is, the carrying of a thing wilily with lying, and falsehood, whether it be good or bad, but most of all if it be bad. It is a sin to do evil that good may come of it, as S. Paul teacheth, Rom. 3. It is a sin to lie, even for God's cause, and to defend even his justice with false tales, and figments. As job admonisheth his friends that did so, and that they might not seem to impute unrighteousness to God in so sore punishing of job, they did impute hypocrisy to him that was punished. It is a sin to lie even for a purpose otherwise good, for we are commanded to put away lying. Wherefore, consider of yourselves, if you have not lied and beguiled, if you have not alured and encouraged others to join with you in lying, and beguiling, that else would not have done it. If you have done it against those that were near to you, to whom you should have used more respect: And worst of all, if you have done it for a sinful end too, that is, not to get what was due to you, as here jacob, but what was not due, by overreaching your neighbours in bargaining, and the like, not to keep a man from sin as here, but rather to draw him to sin, as in case of unjust complaints to a superior, to make him punish, when he should not punish; Not to do yourselves good, as here jacob, but to do another a mischief, as David's false accusers to Saul, and if your consciences accuse you of such fraud, repent of it before God, blame yourselves for it, seek pardon, resolve to put it away for hereafter, and entreat the Lord to fortify you against all such wickedness, that so you may be pardoned, else great is the danger of such wickedness, The bread of deceit shall be gravel in the belly, and wealth gotten by lying shall prove but vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. I pray you, consider how God chastised this guile in these two good persons, and that though they had a good end in it; For, this occasioned the rage of Esau, which made him threaten, yea, and after attempt to kill jacob, and so drove jacob from Isaac's family, and kept them from that comfortable enjoyment each of other, which else they might have had for twenty years together. And be you now lovers of plainness, abhor shifting and falsehood, trust God with the success of all your affairs, and trust not to your own hearts, and heads, he that seeks to effect his desires by honest and just means, he puts confidence in God, and not in himself, he that useth lying and cousinage, he puts not his hope in God, but in his own wit and heart: Show true and well grounded confidence in God, by keeping yourselves within the paths of equity and truth, lovely paths, fair paths, strait paths, which shall surely lead you to more happiness and comfort at last, than lying, and fraud, hateful, dirty, and crooked paths can possibly do. Learn as David saith, Psal. 119. To hate lying, and to love God's Law, love to be guided by God, who is the God of truth, and hate to follow lies, which are of the devil, the author of lying. Do not object, that you cannot possibly escape such and such mischief, bring about such and such a good business, unless you turn a little aside; to a little lying. I answer first, trust God with success, believe above hope, let faith guide you, not natural reason; Cannot he do that which reason will call impossible? Hath not be said, Roll thyself upon God, and thy ways, and he shall bring it to pass? Will you not rest upon him for the performance of so evident a promise? And secondly I answer, that the greatest evil must be suffered rather than the smallest sin committed, and the attaining of the greatest benefit, cannot countervail the committing of the least sin, and that man doth not truly know either God, or sin, or the world, or himself, that doth not yield to these truths. 2. She was too much troubled at her evil daughters in law. So you have this fault of Rebekkahs, another is, that she was too much troubled at her evil daughters in law, and was weary of life because of them. This is a fault, to make crosses too too heavy ourselves, to be so distempered with them, so, as to become weary of life because of them, yea, it is a fault found in those that were truly religious, and godly; Eliah would fain have parted with his soul, because of the troubles which he met withal, he desired to die, saith the Story, 2 King. 19.4. and said, It is enough, Now Lord take away my soul from me, for I am no better than my Fathers. Moses would fain have died too, when the people murmured against him, and he pours forth his grief before God in these words, If thou wilt deal thus with me, kill me now, kill me if I have found favour in thine eyes, and let me not see mine evil. Sometimes you find good men desirous to escape death, and crying, Lord save me from the hands of mine enemies, and sometimes again even covetous of it, and crying with vehemency again and again, kill me Lord, kill me, and if thou lovest me, kill me. job was exceeding desirous to die, To desire death because of misery, is a sin, and why? and said, He would seek for it as for gold, yea, and fine gold, So you perceive that man's nature is prone to wax weary of living, because of affliction, and that this is a fault, and a weakness, is evident. It is an act of ingratitude, because a man considers not as well the good he enjoyeth, as the evil, for if he would reckon well, he doth always receive more good at God's hand in this life, than evil, but as one bitter morsel causeth that the mouth tasteth nothing almost but bitterness, though it have before received many dainty morsels, so it is with us in this case. Again, it is a fruit of hopelessness, and despair, the soul doth not expect the favourable goodness of God to strengthen, and deliver in due time, but thinks it will never be better with me till I die, and therefore wisheth itself out of the world. Hope would hold the heart up from these faintings, but it is a kind of despair that casts it into such swoons, as job said, As for mine hope, where is it? Thirdly, pride is one great cause of this disposition, men consider not with themselves how unworthy they be of any good, how much they have deserved far greater evil, and therefore are immoderately vexed with those they feel, and therefore count their being a burden. But is it not a fruit of great pride in a man, that as if he were his own maker, preserver, disposer, will be no longer than he may have his own will? and may see things to go along with him after his own wishes. Further, a man wrongs himself exceedingly, by suffering himself to grow weary of life, for first, he makes the misery greater, by making himself weaker to bear it. If a man be to bear a great burden, it doth him much hurt to scratch the skin of his shoulder, for that will add much to the pain of bearing. A gauled place will smart of itself, how ill doth be provide for himself, that rubs off the skin from his shoulders, when he is put to carry a thing. So doth he that will needs give way to so much impatiency, as to be weary of life, yea, he exposeth himself to the danger of becoming a self-murtherer, that yieldeth to this weariness of life. For it will not be very hard to persuade any man to cast away that which is his burden. So it is evident, that this was an offence in Rebekkah. And now come you men and women of all ranks, look into yourselves. Have not you also been weary of life, and that upon a very small occasion? A maid is crossed in her desires, by her parents for her good, and she sees no likelihood of having what she would have, than she pules and takes on, and wisheth she were dead and buried, she would forgive him that would knock her on the head. A man hath met with somewhat a froward woman which vexeth him with her words, than he will be dead in a chafe, I would I were out of the world, never man was so pestered with a shrew as I, so it is with wives too. Come now, recount you own passions, are you not ashamed of these drunken distempers? what is life, a thing so dog cheap with you, that upon every occasion you would cast it away? Are yourselves things of so little value that so small a matter should make you weary of yourselves? You wrong God exceedingly in such distempers, for you make it appear that you think of him, as of an angry governor, that cares not how unreasonably he lays upon his servants in his anger: Either these corrections are sufferable, or not, (I mean such as by wisdom and discretion you might compose yourselves to bear with gentleness,) or they be not, if they be, why do you chafe thus? If they be not, who hath sent them? Verily you provoke God to send unsufferable crosses, that will make easy crosses unsufferable; What saith the Father to the froward child, do you cry for nothing, take you that then to make you cry for something, and so doubles and redoubles his blows with a strong arm, till the child, feeling the smart of his Father's anger, begins to compose himself to a little more sufferance. Brethren, let us repent of this folly, there scarce liveth a man that hath not overshot himself in this fashion: O let us repent of it, and let us diligently resist such disorderly passions hereafter; Let nothing make us weary of life but sin, and not that so excessively, as to make us intemperately wish death. Of sin we should be weary, but of life for sins sake I know not whether we may allow ourselves at all to be weary. But for crosses, be they what they will, we should not be so weak and impatient, as to grow weary of life. For God is able to deliver us out of all crosses, and will do it, and he will so sanctify them to us, that it may be more for our profit than if it were removed, and can give, as in jobs case he did, so blessed an issue, that ourselves shall confess it was but our folly, not to be willing to continue under them according to his will. Had not job cause to unwish his former wishes, when the Lord did make so large an addition of happy days unto him? Above all, we must consider of our worthiness to be damned, that we may not think much of crosses, and labour so to rest upon God for the escape of damnation, that afflictions which are but for a short season, may not seem unto us extreme. Look upon our Lord jesus Christ, what sufferings were comparable to his? Yet we never meet with any weariness of life, or wishing of death in him. Look upon S. Paul too, Never man had feeling of greater tribulation, and he tells us, that he took pleasure in necessities, afflictions, tribulations; but that he wished himself dead, that he might be free from his crosses, we never read. Let us follow the virtues of godly men, but let their weaknesses be our warnings. And that we may not distaste life for any crosses that befall us therein, let us often renew our faith in Gods gracious promises, to give us an happy issue out of all, and to bring us safely to his heavenly kingdom. Moreover, if sometimes these fainting fits do gather upon us, and our minds be overtaken with this tiredness of spirit, let us learn though to be humbled, yet not to be discouraged. We conclude not against Elias, Moses, Rebekkah, job, that they were not truly sanctified, because they were imperfect in patience; Why should we make such untrue, and uncharitable, and indiscreet conclusions, either against ourselves, or others with whom we live? As an extenuating of faults to make them seem nothing, and make our hearts hard under them, is to be condemned, so an over-aggravating of them to make ourselves seem no children, making our case worse than ever any man's before, is likewise to be condemned; Satan is author of both these follies, and the effect of the latter is to drive us from God, as well as of the former, and all things are ill used when they tend to keep us from coming to God, and trusting in him. So much of Rebekkahs good and bad, now of the good and evil occurrents that befell her. Her prosperity first was great, 3. Her prosperity, She was effectually called. for God called her from her Father's house, in which Idolatry did reign, and false worship prevailed, to be a member of Abraham's house, and a mother of the Messiah, and a professor, and practiser of God's true religion; and not alone so, but gave her grace to be a godly woman, an heir of the promise made to Abraham, together with her husband. This is the greatest of mercies here below, to be called from darkness to light, from serving the devil and Idols, to serve the true and living God. If God have granted to any this mercy, even to call them effectually to himself out of the darkness of a false worship and religion, to the light of a godly life. How much cause hath he to bless God, and to rejoice in this mercy above all mercies, and be freequently and heartily thankful? But if you have not yet attained it, for many live in the Church that be not of it; take notice of your wretched condition, and now cry earnestly to God to bring you to the effectual and saving knowledge of his truth, that you also may be indeed, and ●ot in bare profession, of the household of Abraham, the true Church. But Rebekkah had other benefits, beauty, health, and strength, Gen. 24.16.20 2. She was beautiful, healthy, strong, had a rich and godly husband, and a good child. for aught we read, after marriage as before. A rich and godly husband in whom she was doubly happy for her soul and state, and one godly child too, whom she dear loved, and who showed himself a man worthy to be loved. A good husband, a good state, a good child, good health, be they not benefits indebting us to God in many praises, and thanks, and much careful obedience? Let not these mercies be strangers to your thoughts, but ponder upon them to stir up yourselves to thanksgiving and obedience. Now for her crosses, 4. Her afflictions. some she suffered in her days as well as others. First, her husband fell blind and weak, and almost bedridden. 1. Her husband was blind and weak. No doubt but she did participate with him in this affliction, and it was a grief to her to see him so imprisoned in darkness, and some trouble it must needs be though her love made it easy to give attendance upon him in that estate. 2. Her husband's affections were set too much on the worse son. 3. Esau's resolution to kill jacob. Likewise she could not but grieve to see her husband's affections to be so much more than they should have been for a long time upon her elder, but worse son. It was also a great grief unto her to see the rudeness and bloodiness of her son Esau, who comforted himself against his brother, with an intention, so soon as his Father's funerals were over, to dispatch him, and rob him of the blessing, though he could not get it to himself. Would it not cut the heart of one of you Parents, to hear that one of your sons (you having but a couple in all the world) should resolve to become a murderer of the other, and so you stood in danger of being deprived of them both at once; would not both these things grieve you? Again, 4. jacob was banished from her as it were. it was a grief to her to have her good son as it were banished from her house, and compelled to fly away in secret for his life. For had he not been compelled to steal into Padan Aram in respect of Esau, as to steal thence again in respect of Laban, his Father's estate was not so low, that he must needs have travailed over that jordan with a staff, and come to Laban's house all alone, and there have served an hard service for a wife. Sure Isaac was not a prodigal, he had not consumed his estate so, that Abraham's grandchild must be sent out so poorly appointed, whose steward when he fetched a wife for Isaac, had ten Camels well laden with rich things, and many servants to attend him, and so with speed returned home with his errand. But fear of Esau caused him to go speedily and secretly, that no man might know it, lest so he might have fallen into mischief by his means, and to tarry so long till he might hear his brother was pacified. Now did not this, think you, wound Rebekkahs heart? Did she not part with a great part of her comfort, when she parted with her beloved son jacob? so far, so long, and in such a manner. 5. She was vexed with the frowardness of her daughters. But worst of all, so long as she lived with her daughters, she was miserably vexed with their frowardness, and ill conditions. Indeed at length Esau took his journey to mount Seir, where her friends dwelled, and made this cross more easy, by removing his habitation with his wives and all he had: but in the mean it was an anguish to her, and that (viz. loss of Esau too, when jacob was gone) could not but minister matter of some affliction to her in mind. Now let all of us be persuaded to look for these and the like crosses, that by fortifying ourselves against them, we may be made more patient, and so bear them with less discontent: for what are we, that God should handle us with more indulgence than this so good a woman? And those that lie under any such cross in husband, sons, daughters, daughters in law, let them frame themselves to a more contented suffering, because they find that they be no other kind of evils, than those wherewith their Father hath exercised their betters in former times, as he doth also for the present; He must be an unruly child that will roar, and take on, when he beareth no more than his other brethren and sisters bear before him; yea, and if we have escaped these particular crosses, let us be thankful to God for our freedom even from them, and make the bearing of the rest more easy, because we have not (as we have deserved, and might have had) the same we have, and these also for an overplus of misery. THE SEVENTENTH EXAMPLE. OF ESAV. WE are now to handle the example of Esau: He was a twin, jacob being the other twin: We must treat of his birth, life, and death. First, for his birth, Esau his birth. we are informed that he was the son of Isaac, and of Rebekkah the wife of Isaac, daughter of Bethuel, by his wife Milcah. Which Bethuel was son of Nachor, the brother of Abraham. He was borne in the year of the world 2108, as some think; and as others, in the year 2168. and after the flood, as some think 512. and as others, 562. for there is 60. years' difference in chronology, because of the doubt about Abraham's birth. Now the manner of his birth was this, as the Scriptures relate, Gen. 25.25. He came out first in colour red, and all over rough, as an hairy garment, for which cause his name was called Esau, which sign made as one that was stronger than ordinary children be, and all over covered with hair. In him the Lord showed the freedom of his election, as the Apostle notes, Rom. 9 For, Before the children were borne, or, had done good or evil, it was said, The elder shall serve the younger. God chose not him but jacob, though they were borne both of the same Parents, and at the same burden. Now concerning his life, we must consider; 1. That which was good therein. 2. That which was evil. 3. His prosperity. 4. His crosses and miseries. 1 His good quality. 1. He showed good respect unto Isaac his Father. For the first, some things he did that for matter were good and commendable, as even a bad man may have some good things found in him. The first good thing was, that he did show good respect unto Isaac his Father. For he was glad to gratify him in his diet, bringing home the Venison that he caught, of which was made dainty meat, which the old man loved to feed upon, and when he came to him to present his Venison, according to his Father's appointment, that he might receive the blessing from his Father, he spoke reverently unto him. For when he brought the meat ready prepared for his eating, he said thus to him, Let my Father arise and eat of his son's Venison, that thy soul may bless me. Chap. 27.31. and after ver. 34. Bless me, even me also, o my Father, and ver. 38. Hast thou but one blessing my Father, bless me, even me also, o my Father. Though his Father had given the blessing to jacob his brother, yet he doth not rage and grow into passionate expostulations, but with gentle and reverend terms, and with tears, and with prayers seeks to get some blessing from him. This proveth evidently, that he carried a reverend esteem of his Father in his heart, and honoured him duly. The same love and respect he showed to Isaac after, for when his wrath was kindled against his brother jacob, and that he minded to revenge himself by killing jacob: Yet he resolved to forbear till Isaac was dead, that he might not procure too much grief and sorrow to him in his old age, and therefore it is recorded, that he said, The days of mourning for my Father are at hand, then will I kill my brother jacob, ver. 41. He would not have deferred the murder of his brother for Isaac's sake till after his death, but that he bore some respect and good will unto his Father. And he showed the same respect unto him after, Chap. 28.6. For when he perceived his Father had blessed jacob, and sent him to fetch a wife from Padan Aram, and not to take any Canaanitish woman, and that the daughters of Canaan which he had married displeased his Father, he went to his Uncle Ishmael, and took his daughter Mahalath to wife, seeking as well as his wit could serve, to please his Father in that latter match, although indeed he went not rightly to work in that marriage neither. Some care you see he showed to give his Father content, though he had not wisdom enough to order himself rightly for that end. Thus this Esau, though he wanted grace, and feared not God, yet he bare love and reverence in some degree as a carnal man could unto his Father Isaac; who loved him dear, and so he requited his love again, with such a kind of love as might be found in an unsanctified person. Now all you sons and daughters that have Parents living with you, or have had, come and lay yourselves in the balance with Esau, and consider if you have so much as equalled him in this kind of imperfect dutifulness towards your Parents. He out of a kind of natural inclination, or out of hope of being still kindly used and blessed of his Father, showed much respect unto him divers ways. Hath nature, have carnal ends prevailed so much with you to incline your hearts to your parents, as they prevailed with Esau? If so, yet boast not of this, think not much the better of yourselves, these kind of shadows of virtues, cannot prove you to be godly children, nor afford you sound comfort, because themselves be not sound and perfect. You have no great reason to please yourselves, because you are as good as Esau, an unsanctified man, and one of whom we can give little hope, but that he was a casta-way. I say therefore, satisfy not yourselves, be not good in your own eyes because of this painted and counterfeit goodness. But if otherwise it be, and that it is evident you come far short of Esau, and have not declared so much regard of your parents as he hath done, then how bad must you account yourselves, that are much more sinful even than an Esau might have been? And it is clear, that divers children be far worse than this bad son of Isaac, for they show no reverence, no submission to their aged Parents, but apparently slight them in word and deed; grumble at them, chafe against them, carry themselves cuttedly, and currishly towards them, if at any time they be crossed by them; will not be held from following their own evil desires, as Esau was from killing his Brother, by a desire not to grieve them, but wilfully run on in their wicked courses, even though they see and know that their wicked carriage doth greatly afflict and torment their Parents; but purposely some do things to torment them. O, sin hath a greater sway and dominion in such children's hearts than it had in Esau's, and they are far more wicked than he was. Yea, when they see their Parents displeased with their ways, yet they have not so much desire to give them content as Esau had, nor do not so much as labour in any manner, though never so poorly, to give them any satisfaction at all. Woe, woe unto such children; what can he expect from God, that is a viler son than Esau was? Let such shame themselves by his example, and now receive reproof with meekness, and greatly repent of their undutifulness, if ever they purpose to attain pardon. And now, let all children that desire to enjoy in themselves the comfort of being the children and chosen of God, strive to outstrip Esau in filial obedience and duty. Let them for conscience sake to God, put on a largor measure of love, and a greater reverence to their Parents, labouring to please them in all things, in the Lord, & out of conscience, to submit themselves unto them, & honour them because God hath required it at their hands, and to labour to forbear all sin, as in an holy regard to God, so in part also, out of a fear to vex and kill their godly Parents, whose tender affection to them cannot but cause that their wicked carriage shall prove a mighty corrasive unto their souls. Be as good as Esau, yea in this matter be you far better than he, content not thyself to be even with a miserable Esau in dutifulness to your Parents. Another thing in Esau we have recorded in Scripture, which is commendable, and that towards his brother jacob, for though he went against him with four hundred men, intending to take a sharp revenge by killing him at least, if not his wives and children too, 2. He was melted with his brothers loving, kind, humble carriage. yet when he saw his brothers loving, and kind, and humble carriage, in sending him a rich present, and in bowing down and saluting him with his face to the ground seven times; his natural affection prevailed against his former unruly passion, and he handled him very courteously, and ran to him, wept on his neck, kissed him, gave him kind words, invited him to his country, and would have left off his servants with him to do him service, and so returned, and did him no hurt at all. Every man sees that this was well done of Esau. Come and imitate him, and if you have been transported with rage against any, specially against a brother for any true or imaginary iniquity; yet when submissiveness and courtesy is showed unto you, let it melt you, let it win you, pacify, appease you, and cause your passion to depart, and though you have intended, attempted, and begun to use violence, yet cast out such thoughts, forbear the execution of such evil purposes, and turn your violence into kindness and humanity. Be better than Esau, and do this to any man, as he to a brother, and without such gifts and submission, which be did by such inducements, and show love and kindness for very conscience, as he did out of natural passion striving in him: Yea, if any man have been embittered against another for any cause, and hath so far yielded to his own fury, as to begin to do naughtily in seeking revenge; O let him do as well as Esau did, go back in the midst of his enterprise, and not suffer himself to be so confirmed in wickedness, as to go through with sinful designs. Let the fear of God, the checks of conscience, the apprehension of God's displeasure against the doers of such things, even reclaim you in the midst, as natural kindness did this sinful man. Be not satisfied to do as well as Esau in this case, but exceed him, and do far better than he, that you may show yourselves to have that grace of which Esau was destitute. 3. He was not greedy of gifts Farther Esau, for matter of goods, shows himself not to be extremely greedy and worldly minded, for when his brother bade sent unto him a great drove of cattle, even a gift of great value. Gen. 32. 14, 15. Two hundred she Goats, and as many Ewes, with twenty he Goats, and as many Rams, with thirty milch Camels and their Colts, and forty Kine, and ten Bulls, and twenty she Asses with ten Foales. I say a rich and gay booty, he did earnestly and heartily refuse the same, saying, Chap. 33.9. I have enough my brother, keep that which is thine own, and would not take it but upon urgent pressing: First, it is said ver. 11. He urged him, and he took it. Now will you not show yourselves as good men as Esau in this case? Know when you have enough, be not greedy of gifts, and when your state is already rich and abundant, seek not to get into your hands though it be by receiving a gift, that which is another's. O that Esau should be able to say, I have enough, keep that which is thine, and many that be Christians in show, should not be able to discern when they have enough, but should be as eager to get even by worse means, or as bad as this, even by taking gifts and bribes for doing but even justice or which is worse, for doing injustice, and should by oppression and harsh dealing even with poor and needy men, their Tenants and underlings, seek to get even more than enough. If any man amongst you find himself so earthly disposed, let him earnestly condemn himself, and say alas, what a slave am I to riches? that have not yet so far denied the world, but that I am more covetous and unjust than Esau showed himself. If any say, yea, Esau did this towards a brother; I answer, doth not Christianity teach us to love our neighbours as ourselves? If any say, but though Esau said he had enough, yet it may be, that he thought not so; I answer, In saying so, he shows he thought he was so at that time, and knew he should be so, therefore should a good man that would be counted far better than Esau set himself to be so indeed, and at all times? Come then, you that have estates large enough to afford you all due content, come I say, and learn of Esau to know when you have enough, and not strive to get more by any greedy, unjust and oppressive course. Let others enjoy their own, and be you content with your own, yea go yet farther, and be content to lose some of you own to those that are poor, and in necessity, and far lower and meaner than yourselves. But last of all, 4. He joined with his brother in burying his Father Esau joined with his brother jacob in burying his Father Isaac, and so at once showed his respect to his Father, in doing that last duty, and his perfect reconciliation to his brother, in joining with him to do it. Learn you to show honour to your Parents in the last act, and let not an old grudge stick so in your stomaches, as to hinder you from doing any good work because you cannot bring your hearts to be partners with those that have offended you. Esau, Esau shall rise in judgement against you, if you continue still to have such a core against them from whom you have received injury, as that their presence will keep you from doing good works with them in their company, and in their society. And these be all the good things which I can call to mind that the Scripture tells of this evil man. Let us therefore pass on to the consideration of his faults, which are more, and greater. And first in general, His faults, 1. In general, he was an hypocrite. though he lived more than forty years in his Father's house a religious man, and a careful worshipper of God, yet he lived there as an hypocrite, and got no true goodness, as appears by that he was not kept from fratricide, or brother-murdering, by any conscience to God, but alone by a kind of love and respect to his Father. Look to yourselves I pray you, you that be children of godly Parents, and have been trained up by them as well as they knew how, look to yourselves, that you continue not sinful, and wicked, and hypocrites at the last, such I mean, as care not to get the true knowledge of God, but continue still lovers and servants of sin, though you have a little form of godliness, to forbear some sins, and do some good things for your Parent's sake. This is to be an Esau, even to enjoy the means of grace and salvation in a godly house, and there to conform a little outwardly, and to abstain from some sins out of respect to the Governors, though you have no true conscience to God. Search your hearts you wives, children, servants, that are educated, and live under the roof of good men in the Church of God, under good means, and see your misery, if you be no better than this man was. And now labour to profit by the means of grace, to get the truth of grace causing you to stand in awe of God, and to depart from all wickedness, out of due obedience to his Majesty, that it may be said of you, these and these, and all sins you resolve to leave, not for sinister respects of this or that person, or thing, of a Father, or the like, but out of love to God, and a true desire to honour him that hath taken you to be his people. Think not well of yourselves because some self respect, or humane consideration keeps you from running into grosser sins, but drive to imprint such a filial regard to the living God in your hearts, that may cause you to shun all wickedness for the Lords sake, and then you may comfortably say in yourselves, now I know I am a true member of the Church, and not as Esau was, at least then, a rotten, and a withering, and a fruitless branch, that bringeth forth leaves alone and no good fruit. But let us more particularly search into Esau: First, in respect of his carriage of himself in respect of outward things: then of his carriage for matters of religion, and the things of God. Thirdly, His behaviour to his Parents. Lastly, to his brother. 2. His particular faults. 1. He gave himself wholly to hunting. For the first, his life was very faulty in the manner of his orders for the world, for in his younger time he gave himself wholly to hunting, as it is said of him, Gen. 25.27. The boys grew up, and Esau was a cunning Hunter, a man of the field; He meaneth a gallant fellow that gave himself to little else but the sport of hunting, and was still, in the field following that sport. He was a rich man's son, and his Father had great means, and allowed him enough, wherefore he cared not for any useful kind of living, but followed sports and jollity, and by name was a great hunter still in the fields, to please himself in that humour. Is not this also the common sin of many richer persons? who as they had wealth given them to be fuel to idleness and voluptuousness, give themselves over to sports, and some to this of hunting, and regard not to profit in any good study or profitable trade of life. Esau's hunting may seem not to have been according to our present custom, with kennels of bounds, but with bow and quiver, as it is noted, Chap. 25. But howsoever, he was set wholly upon sports, and sold himself to that kind of delight, letting go other things of better note and use. Surely then, it is a sin to live voluptuously, to have none other calling but pastimes and vain sports, to make that one's occupation, that should be alone his recreation, and to spend himself in such a trifling vain thing that should be used as a trifle alone, to refresh ourselves after matters of greater consequence. Nimrod was an hunter, Ishmael was an archer, Esau a field man; you read no such thing of Sem, Abraham, Isaac, jacob. Why should you follow the pattern of those men whom the Scripture speaketh of with disgrace? and not theirs rather, who have an honourable name in the book of God. I pray you call yourselves to an account for your expense of time, must we not answer to God how we have lived, how we have bestowed our days and hours, will this be a good answer? I spent the day in hunting, hawking, carding, dicing, and so I did from time to time, one day at one sport or merry meeting, another, at another, but all in such toys; Can you be so fond as to imagine or believe, that God for this cause gave you wit, senses, lives, health, strength, wealth, and other like means of doing good? See this fault now, so many as are guilty, and set yourselves to a more profitable kind of living, or else the day will come when you shall bootlesly wish that you had never been; O so lay out your life, that the world and yourselves may be the better for it. Live as Abraham and jacob did, not as Esau, follow some study, follow some good husbandry. Live, as those that know there is another life after this, and that there be more weighty and honourable things to do than playing and sporting: Take heed of bringing yourselves into the number of those that are Lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God. If you say, why? Then do you condemn all use of sports, as hunting, fowling, or the like? I answer, no. I do not, but I say, let not this in a manner be the total sum of your employment. Have figures, as well as cyphers in the number of your days, let these kinds of exercises have some small quantity of time for your refreshment, but spend yourselves in better things, or else you shall be censured with S. james his censure, You have lived in pleasure upon earth, and then I am sure you shall live in torment when you must leave the earth. But another fault we have in Esau, for the manner of his hunting, 2. He followed his hunting over-eagerly. ver. 29. He came from the field, and was faint, he followed his pastime over-eagerly and excessively, and knew not how to break it off in due time, till very hunger and faintness brought him home. Sure reason will conclude that it must needs be folly and a sin to be so bound to some sport, that one knows not a due season of leaving it off, but must run after it a long time together, till faintness or hunger follow. To be eager after pastimes, and stay so long at them as if they were great matters, even till extreme weariness and hunger take one off, and rather compel, than persuade him to leave, this is an inordinate using of sports. For these recreations are in the very wisdom of nature appointed alone to cheer up the mind, when it is wearied with great employments, that it may be fitted the better for them afterwards: and they are not to be followed for their own sakes, as not being worthy to be made any part of the end of a wise man's life. Now he that follows them with so immoderate eagerness, and so long together, makes it appear that he doth not use them as their nature requireth, and instead of fitting himself for better actions by them, doth altogether unfit himself for any good action. For what can he perform well, that hath toiled himself in a toy till he be quite spent? Learn I pray you to see this fault in yourselves, and amend it, even staying too long at your gauds, following them such a space of time together, or with such great violence, that you be even tired and spent by them. Sports must be done sportingly, not with the like seriousness, and earnestness, as serious matters. A small deal of time should be allotted for matters of small value, for seeing time is precious, to give much of a precious thing for that which is a very mean and worthless thing, is surely to suffer one's self to be consumed by fancy and passions, and not to walk rationally, and discreetly. Learn therefore not to suffer yourselves to be brought under the bondage of any the most lawful recreation, but to be able to break off seasonably. And when is the season, ye may ask? I answer, when you have bestowed so much time in them, as to have attained the proper end of them. As in meat and drink, a man should forbear to take more, when he hath received so much as is requisite for the ends of food. So in sports. And every man's discretion will tell him, unless he hath put out his eyes by making himself a bondman to pastimes, that the end is to fit him for better matters, by preserving the health, and maintaining the vigour and cheerfulness of his body and mind. He must not tarry at them as long as he can, or till he be weary; but when he hath been so long constant in them as is fit to stir and exercise his body, and prepare him for serious matters, then must he leave them off, and go to serious matters. And I pray you, let me propound to your considerations a fit rule for the measuring of your time for sports. Will not sanctified reason tell you that you ought not to bestow more time in recreations, though never so honest, to refresh your bodies then in spiritual and holy duties to edify your souls. Give not more hours usually to these basest of all things, plays and games than to those most useful of all things, reading the Scriptures, Prayer, Meditations, and those things that are next to spiritual duties in value and usefulness, studying some worthy knowledge, or doing some profitable business in your callings. Let not the more worthy thing be set behind the less worthy: let not the Vassal be set above his Sovereign, and have more honour than his Lord and King. Another fault in Esau in regard of his conversation about earthly things is, that when he came now to be an ageder man, 3. He made himself great by war. and saw it vain to follow pastime, he fell, as Isaac tells him, Gen. 27.40. By thy sword shalt thou live. He made himself great by war. The sword was not appointed to get lands and livings withal, but to defend and maintain men against unjust violence, and to punish offenders and malefactors. But Esau followed the wars to make himself great, as it hath been used much formerly, and is now. Men would fight with others to take away their lands and goods from them, and to make themselves possessors and Lords of their countries, to get riches, command, and glory, and make themselves great in worldly respects, they would betake themselves to weapons and fight. This is, so far as I can discern, a fault and sin, I say, to take occasion of warring, and making battles, to win men's lands and goods from them. If you say, how was this a part of Isaac's blessing to Esau, if it were a sin? I answer; Isaac's meaning is, to relate what outward prosperity Esau should have: so that he doth not justify all the means he should use to make himself great, but alone shows, that he should be great, and obtain a gallant country. It is a kind of temporal blessing to overthrow in war, and to conquer, though one deal not justly in that matter of war. Indeed if men may live by their sword, where is the rule of equity, Do you as you would be done by; where is the following after peace? which all are commanded to follow with all. Where is that threat, or curse become? Which David pronounceth from God by way of just imprecation against such, Scatter the people that delight in war: Such kind of war as is enterprised to make a living of, and to get away other men's possessions; for else to fight God's battles, as josuah and David did, in pursuing them with the sword which were God's enemies, and whom he appointed to be so pursued, is a good thing and honourable; and such as those worthy men before named did much delight in. So then to make wars and stirs, by invading others, and picking and ready accepting any occasion of quarrel for the raising of a Monarchy or Principality to himself, is a sin, and, so far as I see it, was Esau's sin, who by his sword made himself owner of such a Country, as within a little time his posterity was raised to a great Kingdom; for he dispossessed the inhabitants of Mount Seir, and erected the beginning of the kingdom of Edom. Indeed, to live by ones sword, or by his wits, may well dispute for the precedency in sinfulness. The one cousins, the other kills, the one useth secret tricks, the other open force. The one armeth itself with fraud, the other with violence. The one hurts men in goods, the other in life too; the one will have it because he can overreach you in wit, the other because he can overmaster you in strength; the one careth not so he can beguile you, whether he have just title or no, the other careth not so he can beat you, whether his title be good or not; the one breaketh the eighth and ninth Commandments, the other the eighth and sixth Commandments: never a better of them, but that the worse, which is joined with more cruelty and bloodiness. And Esau had a kind of presage of his fierce and bloody nature, when he looked so red at his very birth, and when he was affected with the red colour of the pottage, so red, so red, in respect whereof also his name began to be called Edom, which signifieth red. Here you may see what an erring judgement man hath since his fall, for how have men honoured Conquerors and great fighters, and soldiers; whereas if the war was entered into, not out of compulsion to defend, or out of justice to punish public injuries against Cities, or Commonwealths, or Countries, it was mere robbery and murder: they were but great Pirates, and great Thiefs, and great murderers; and yet the foolish blindness of men will needs give them honour and good esteem. But I need not disgrace war to you, only this you must note, that Esau which gave himself in his younger time to nothing else but sports afterwards gave himself to nothing else but war and spoils. Oft voluptuous youth many times ends in an injurious old age. They set up themselves by bad means at last, which gave themselves to vanity and toys before. Thus much of Esau's conversation in respect of these earthly things: Now see his behaviour in respect of spiritual things. 4. He was a profane man, which profaneness showed itself in 3. acts. 1. In selling his birth right 2 In despising it. 3. In leaving the land of Canaan. And herein he was so bad a liver, that the Apostle calls him a profane fellow, and warns all of us not to be profane as he was. His profaneness showed itself in two acts: First, in selling his birthright. Secondly, in despising it, and that continually, and with great carelessness; so shall you read in the Story of Gen. 25.31, 32. The matter was thus, Esau came hungry and faint from hunting, jacob had made red pottage, Esau's hunger made his eye apt to be taken with the lively colour of the red broth; he was as hungry men be, very eager after food, and prays his brother to give him a mess of the red pottage. jacob saith, Sell me thy birthright then, that is, pass over to me all those privileges that appertain to thee as the elder brother, and on that condition I will give thee broth enough: Esau thinks, perhaps also he said so too, I am going to die. I cannot conceive that he means, I am now ready for hunger to give up the ghost, and must needs die, if I have not instantly some of this food, for such faintness would scarce have given him leave to have entered into such a parley, & Isaac's house, or some in it would have afforded the young master something to have kept him from starving. But I suppose he meaneth, I must shortly die, & the inheritance that is to follow of this birthright, is of this land for many years hence, & therefore this birthright will do me no good, and so he is content to sell it, & to confirm the bargain with an oath. Lo here is one act of profaneness. He shows that he did not care for heaven & life eternal, whereof that land was a type and figure, or that he did not take notice of it as a type and figure of heaven, and therefore is content to sell it, as we use to speak, dogcheap, for a morsel of meat, or a mess of pottage. To part with the things that are signs & means of attaining eternal life, for the base & trifling matters of this life, & if he cannot have both, to choose rather to have the earthly, & let the spiritual go, lo this is I say profaneness. A setting of earthly trifling good things, as it were a mess of good broth; before the signs and outward means of attaining life everlasting, even those things that should do us spiritual good, by helping us to grace & glory, this I say is profaneness, this is Esau's offence. The birthright carried with it divers things, 1. The sovereignty & chief government of the family. 2. The priesthood also, and right to be as the minister of the whole family. 3. Here and in this case, interest to the land of Canaan. as a type of heaven, & to the continuance of the visible Church, and the means of grace and salvation in his posterity & family, all which were translated to jacob with the birthright. Now Esau an hunting fellow, that gave himself to his Cross-bow and sports, he either had not informed himself of these matters, or did not heed them not consider them, therefore he lets all go for a good mess of pottage. Brethren, profaneness is a fearful sin, I mean to have so little esteem of the outward means of salvation, as to part with them for a song as we say. But yet an higher degree of profaneness. He went his way and despised his birthright, he never considered of his folly afterwards to repent heartily of it, and so to seek pardon, and (though not the recovering of his birthright, yet) to be still admitted as a member of Isaac's family, and so to enjoy the privileges that were promised to him and his seed, but even despiseth it, he cares not a pin for it, it never grieves nor troubles him that he had sold it, let it go, as if it had been scarce so much worth as he paid for it. So the sin is grievous, to despise and contemn as vain and useless those things that tend to bring unto us spiritual graces, and eternal life. Now brethren, be not many of you such, that set light and despise the means of grace, you care not for the word of God, for the Sacraments, for praying, etc. The least outward benefit will make you part with these helps to life eternal, you think them not worth any thing, you can be persuaded to part with them for any little gain, or the like. Nay, do not some of you despise them? count it a folly to make so much ado about them, and would not care a rush, if you should never come at Word, or Sacrament more, never use prayer any more. If any be so disposed, as the lives of many show they be, let them consider that they shall in vain dream of having the blessing, even the spiritual blessing of God's favour, and life eternal: Esau could not prevail by any tears and entreaties to have his Father give him a spiritual blessing, God by fear strengthened Isaac's heart against all his entreaties. It may seem he would fain have had the blessing of Abraham, which carries with it a spiritual blessing, some confused notion it is like he had of heaven, that must be given to Abraham's children, and that must go along in the family of Abraham, and Isaac, and their seed, this he would fain have had, and in a fit weeps hard, and did much desire to make his Father repent of his being deceived, and blessing jacob, but he could not prevail. If himself had sought at God's hand to give him repentance for his profaneness and other sins, he should not have been rejected; but that was not the thing he sought alone, he would have had his Father to have changed his mind, and given him assurance of heaven. Such a confused desire of heaven may be found in the heart of a profane man, but when in this manner they would inherit the blssing, they shall not. They that care not for the birthright, shall miss of the blessing; they that regard not the outward signs & means of life eternal, shall never attain life eternal. A profane man, a contemner of religion & religious services of God, shall never go to heaven without amendment; O if any of you be such, now let Esau's example stir you up to repentance, & reformation, and be no more profane, as was Esau. But 2. stir up yourselves to be truly devout, make great account of God's Ordinances, to which he hath annexed the promise of life. Make high account of the Sacraments, Word, Prayer. These be his Ordinances, to have the interest and enjoyment of them, is to have the birthright: O esteem them highly for that excellent purpose to which they are assigned, & seek grace in them, that you may attain salvation by them, which those that do, are followers of jacob, and not of Esau, and shall speed as jacob. But the last act of profaneness in Esau was worst of all: He leaves the land of Canaan, and of his own accord goes away to Mount Seir from jacob, because he found it not so commodious an habitation. He and his brother could not dwell together there, & he would not dwell in Tents as Isaac & jacob, to show himself an heir through hope of the same promises, & so this was an utter forsaking of all care of true religion, & turning mere worldly and earthly. O take heed that none of you suffer profaneness to take so strong a hold, and settle so deep rooting in you, that you should quite and clean give over all show of piety, and follow the world wholly altogether and professedly. He is profane that hath no great care of heaven, at least not at all to get grace, and therefore first makes no great reckoning of, next despiseth, and after relinquisheth, and casteth off the signs and means of grace that God hath appointed. O let not any of you be such, perish not after the example of Esau's naughtiness, but let his badness teach you to fear to be bad in the same kind, and labour to be devout, holy, and religious, that you may be saved. Yet more faults must be spoken of, 5. He showed not due respect to his Parents. towards his Father and Mother he did not show that due respect which he ought unto them, for he married Cananitish wives, against their good liking you may be sure which proved an heart-breaking unto them, and when he thought to mend the matter in super-adding the daughter of Ishmael, he went yet in the same road that before, not craving their advice and counsel, but did it of his own head, which though be were now married, he should not have done so long as he lived, as than it may seem he did live under their roof. Beware you children of this sin of Esau, wrong not the authority of God and your parents both, by marrying without their consent, liking, or privity; whether is it safe, better, & more desirable to be Jacob's imitators or Esau's? but of that I have spoken already. Another rank of faults see towards his brother. First, 6. He falsely accused his brother. he accuseth him for beguiling him of his birthright, which was a false accusation, for he could not cozen him of that, but himself out of a profane ignorance and contempt of the worth thereof, sold it away for a poor price, a mess of pottage. But man is ever ready to cast the blame of his faults upon others, if they have any colour so to do, it were better plainly to confess and take the blame unto ones self, than to double the fault by covering it with falsehood springing from self-love: Let no man say, that another hath deceived him of that which he hath fond cast away, or the like. But when jacob had indeed beguiled him of the blessing, which I cannot tell how to excuse, than he hated him. It is a grievous offence to be so embittered, 7. He hated his brother. specially against a brother, or kinsman, as to entertain hatred against him. Thou shalt not hate thy neighbour in thine heart, Love your enemies, do good to them that do evil to you, saith our Saviour. This is far from being like God, and so from being a fruit of the Spirit of Christ, who loved his enemies. Should not the Image of God in a man prevail more to make one love, than his own injury to make him hate. If any of you be an Esavite in this thing, an hater of one that hath done him wrong, let him be assured that it is a great sin, and if he excuse it, defend it, deny it, will not see it, not carefully resist it, let him be assured that his sin is not pardoned. He that saith he loveth God, and hateth his brother, is a liar: and he that saith he is a child of God, and is not a lover of God, is a liar too. You may ask me what it is to hate one's brother? I answer. There is a passion of hatred, and a habit of hatred, and both work in two degrees. The passion of hatred is a kind of averseness, and rising of the heart against a man when one sees him, so that he cannot away with him, nor can speak unto, or look courteously, or peaceably upon him, but ones countenance falls when he sees him, and he even turns away, and by his goodwill would have nothing to do with him. To be so disposed to a man in respect of his soul and wicked carriage, is not a sin; but to be affected in respect of an injury, is this sinful hating of him. But the habit of hatred is, when the heart is so settled in this alienation and estrangement, that it grows to wish and desire, and seek his hurt; now sometimes these passions, and these grudges be seen, lamented, resisted, and by degrees overcome; here hatred ruleth not: sometimes a man will not see his sin in such hatred, and taketh no pains to chase this sour leaven out of his heart. This overruling hatred is a sin that cannot stand with true charity to God. O take heed of it, see it, amend it, and be no longer like Esau! 8. He comforted himself in the thought of killing his brother. Next, he not alone intends to kill his brother, but comforts himself in that thought, as you may read, Gen. 27.44. It is a fearful thing to resolve upon murder, and that with delight and pleasure, so that the heart concludeth to commit it so soon as such and such a let is removed, or fit occasion offered, and that so setledly, as not conscionable obedience to God, but alone some mere respect to men doth hinder the accomplishment. So the Pharisees resolved to kill Christ, only fearing the people they forbeared; it was glad news to them when judas offered his service to betray him. This is to give one's self over as a servant to sin, and cannot be found in any child of God, at least, not usually or often. Do any of you sin thus in any kind? What should I call you but Esau's? and I beseech you to take heed of malice, that it may not produce murder, and of all the inward motions to evil with allowance, for fear they produce the grossest acts of evil. Nay, Esau's malice strove twenty years in his breast, for he went out against his brother when he returned from Padan Aram, Gen. 22. with four hundred men after him, minding to destroy him, but that God vouchsafed to stop him by putting a passion of kindness upon him. A great sin it is to attempt grievous offences, though one be stopped in the midst, yea though the stoppage grow from some inward motion in himself; for this shows that the heart was once fully bend unto it; but if some outward hindrance alone have been the cause of its not being done, than the thanks of forbearance is less. Repent therefore of such purposes and attempts, and show yourselves truly sorrowful and penitent, by confessing to God the sin of attempting, and blessing his name for not permitting you to follow your wicked desires. 3. His benefits all temporal. His benefits, they were all temporal, The dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth; He was rich, prosperous, mighty, a conqueror, had many children, yet he could never inherit the spiritual blessing, though he would fain have had his Father to have repent. Cain, Ishmael, Nimrod, Esau, had temporal blessings, boast not of these things, think not yourselves better than men for these things; His miseries, except his loss of the birth right, His afflictions he had few temporal crosses, Heb. 12.17. Take heed of carrying yourselves so, that it go not ill with your souls, that God plague you not with spiritual plagues. For his death, His death is not mentioned in Scripture. the Scripture speaks nothing of it, herein Ishmael is preferred before Esau. * ⁎ * THE EIGHTEENTH EXAMPLE. OF ABIMELECH, And the men of GERAR. IN the service of Isaac, the holy Ghost maketh mention by the way, of some other persons with whom Isaac had occasion to converse. And first, he telleth of some passages between him and Abimelech King of Gerar, then of the men of Gerar. We will therefore consider of those things which are written concerning them. First then, of Abimelech King of the Philistines. Gen. 26.1. Gen. 26 1. Whether this were the same man with whom Abraham sojourned, or some son, or successor of his, it is not certain. But in him let us see what is commendable, Abimelech his virtues. and fit for our imitation, for the Story telleth not of much sin in him. But we have some virtues of his mentioned, and one thing that is likely to be a fault; His virtues are these. First, he did not take Rebekkah from Isaac, 1. He took not Rebekkah from Isaac, though he affirmed her to be his sister. though he for fear affirmed her to be his sister, when the men of the place asked him of her; but he left her alone with Isaac, perhaps to make trial yet farther, whether she were his wife or not; it may be, remembering what had been done before to Abraham, and with what success. That is praiseworthy in him, and we must learn to be wary in our proceedings, and not presently to do such things as may be doubtful, whether they be faults or not, Ver. 8. but to take time to look thoroughly into matters before we adventure. 2. He construed Isaac's sporting with Rebekkah in the best sense. But next, when he saw Isaac sporting with Rebekkah in a very familiar manner, he did not misconstrue this deed of theirs to the worst sense, condemning him of wantonness, and incest, as if he had been so naught as to carry himself over-familiarly to his sister, but conceived rather that she was his wife, and that he would not have taken liberty to carry himself in that manner towards her, if she had not been his wife: He did well to take things in the best sense as he did for when he saw such behaviours pass between these two, as were not convenient betwixt any, any other but man and wife; he concludes, sure she is his wife, else he would not have sported with her in that fashion, and then goes and tells him what he conceiveth; so must we judge the best of the doubtful things we see done by good men. Had he been of a suspicious and uncharitable disposition, he would have passed a bitter sentence both upon Isaac and Rebekkah, and thought this, without doubt this woman is a light woman, and this man a libidinous and incestuous man, that shows such gestures to his sister, who did also entertain him, but be thinketh rather, surely the man is so good a man that he would never have been bold to bear himself so amorously towards his sister, and therefore, though he said she was his sister, for fear or other considerations, yet verily she is his wife. We must be as charitable in our censures of men, as was this Abimelech, and not take leave to think the worst of any man's actions, but favourably interpret them, and make the fairest construction of them that may be. But to be harsh in our censures of any man, & think he is naught, he meaneth wickedly, this is a testimony of a heart guilty of as bad sins in himself, and of one desirous to hide his own eyes from his own badness, by measuring others by himself. For he that is himself ready to do evil, is prone to conclude, that others are as bad as himself; and therefore, when he sees them do such a thing as may possibly be meant to an evil purpose, he concludeth presently, that so it is. For he will not think better of others, than himself, and therefore will resolve that they have done as ill as he finds that himself would have done in like case. Take heed that you betray not your own naughtiness, in being forward and hasty to blame others. Ver. 9 3. He told Isaac plainly of his fault. Another good thing in this Abimelech is, that so soon as he perceived that Isaac was Rebekkahs husband, and she his wife, he goes to him presently, and tells him, saying, Sure she is thy wife, why then saidst thou, she is my sister, for one of the people might lightly have lain with thy wife, and thou shouldst have brought upon us guiltiness. This is a good thing, and agreeable to the commandment of the Law, to tell our brother plainly of his sin. If any man shall do some unlawful thing to our knowledge, we must go and inquire why they did so, and even rebuke them for it by showing them how hurtful or mischievous it was, or might have proved. So did another Abimelech, or this same to Abraham before, they therefore have not walked rightly, that if they know any fault by their brother, keep the matter to themselves, and entertain hard conceits of them, but speak no word of reproof or admonition to them. So did Absalon behave himself towards his brother Amnon, when he had sinned in forcing his sister. This proveth, that they do not desire their brothers amending, and that they are more displeased with the person than the sin, and if it be a wrong, with the injury done against themselves, than with the offence done against God. If any of you have thus stored up the faults of another in his breast, to breed alienation of heart, and evil conceits against them, he must humble himself for such uncharitableness: And now, you must learn to be bold and free in this behalf, as Abimelech. Indeed you see him not bitter nor violent, but he is plain and duly round with him; so must we learn to forbear distempered speeches and gestures, but a plain laying open of the fault before the offendor, is necessary to bring him to the sight of his fault, and to a free confession, and at least to an outward reformation. Look that you carry yourselves thus hereafter to your offending brethren, and if they repent not at the first, do it again and again, till you have brought them to an end or proved them incorrigible. Further, Abimelech shows in his words evidently, Ver. 10. 4. He knew adultery to be a sin, and was unwilling to commit it. both that he knew adultery to be a grievous sin, even though a man did not perfectly know the woman to be married with whom he committed it, and also believeth that God will severely punish it in the committer, and so he was not a wilful liver in that sin, nor would have yielded himself wittingly to run into it for the pleasing of lustful passions. Be you as good as he shows himself, know that adultery is a great sin, that it shall bring guiltiness and punishment upon you, and therefore terrify yourselves from committing it: Why should we Christians be of less knowledge, and have less conscience, less fear to offend God, less faith in his justice then this Philistian had? Why should we be bold to run into that crime which he was displeased with Isaac for ministering occasion of doing unwittingly? Why should we flatter ourselves with hope of impunity for such a sin as he did certainly believe would bring guiltiness upon the committer? Consider with yourselves, whether you have not been so blinded and hardened with the deceitfulness of sin, as knowingly, and of purpose to rush into the evil which an Heathen man was fearful to commit. Ver. 11. 5. He charged that none should wrong Abraham or his wife. Again, it is well done of Abimelech, that he by a first commandment ratified with a threat of death, charged that no man should dare to wrong this man or his wife: He was a King, and had power to make such an edict, and for the securing of Isaac against his fears, and preventing any evil, publisheth it to his people. Governors' must use their authority to keep their inferiors from sins by threatening, and if that prevail not by punishing with due severity. They must terrify them from crimes of death by denouncing the punishment of death, and not suffer them to be more easily drawn to naughtiness through hope of impunity. Most men forbear sin for fear of punishment, rather than hatred of wickedness, wherefore they must have this fear wrought in them by the Governors, that they may be so restrained, and the Magistrate is to show himself such, that if men do evil they may fear. You Governors have not power to make laws, but you have the care of executing laws entrusted to you, see therefore that you be unpartially, and wisely, and righteously severe in putting the laws in execution which are made to terrify malefactors, else you bring the guilt of their sins upon your own souls, and sin at once against God the supreme Ruler, the Commonwealth, the sinners themselves, and your own souls too. A fault in Isaac to conceive too hardly of the Philistims. But here by the way, I must observe something that was worthy blame in Isaac, he had too hard a conceit of these Philistims, and thought them worse than he found them; for he conceived they would have killed him for his wife's sake: Sure this fear did cast an aspersion not on the men of lower rank, but upon the chief persons and Rulers; but lo, the King is far from doing so wickedly, yea, he doth the quite contrary, and useth due care to prevent this wickedness. We must learn to beware of such rashness, and not think so hardly of others, that they will wrong us in such and such kinds, till we have just ground for such thoughts. A man is to use discretion, and thinking that such whom he knoweth not may happily wrong him, must take such prudent order, that they may not be able though they should be willing; or if he can take no such course, he must leave the matter to God's providence, but he must not conclude, sure they will wrong me, and so condemn them before he hears them, and turn himself to base shifts for escaping the wrong. Ver. 26. 6. He desireth to make a covenant of peace and amity with Isaac. Now another thing is also commendable in Abimelech, he goeth to Isaac, ver. 26. with his friend and chief Captain, and desireth to make a covenant of peace and amity with him, giving also the true reason of his desire, and intimating an acknowledgement of the former unkindness in discharging him the country, For we have seen (saith he) that God is with thee, and thou the blessed of the Lord do it. It is a part of wisdom and goodness too, to be in covenant and peace with good men, and to observe how God doth please to bless men, and to ascribe their prosperity to God's favourable blessing, all which things you see in Abimelech. He had refused to let Isaac dwell in his Country, yet he is not so stout hearted, but that he will come to him, and seek his friendship, and that in honourable manner, acknowledging his worth and God's blessing upon him. We must learn to do the same things, but in a better manner, he looketh to Israel's prosperity, we must look to the goodness of men, and in love of their virtues, rather than in hope and fear of earthly things, be at peace with them, and live in amity towards them. It is a good thing to be friends with God's friends, even on whatsoever considerations; for by so doing a man interests himself into that blessing which God saith that he will grant to them that bless his people. But if love of their religion and piety make us desire the friendship of any, than it is a good sign, that the same piety and virtue is found in him whom it winneth to bear good will unto the professor of it: for virtuous men are seldom loved, and never for virtue's sake, but by those that have some virtue. And it giveth us some good hope, that Abimelech might be a man that acknowledged the true God whom Isaac professed, seeing he took notice of his blessing upon Isaac, and called him the Blessed of the Lord. And this is Abimelechs' goodness. One thing seemeth to have been faulty in him, of which Isaac also telleth him, when he came to make a Covenant, saying, Ye hate me, Ver. 27. His fault, he drives Isaac so away from him, that he had cause to think it done out of hatred. and have driven me away from you. This is likely to be a fault, to drive a man, a good man, so from ones country house or familiarity, that he shall have cause to think it is done out of hatred. Indeed in the 16. ver. of the 26. Chapter, Abimelech would not seem to do it out of hatred, but out of policy, because of Isaac's greatness: as if he should say, It will not stand with our safety to suffer so great a man to sojourn in our country. But Isaac saw a piece of malice and ill will in it, as the holy Ghost in the Story doth intimate, saying, They envied him, and v. 16. Then Abimelech bade him depart, moved like enough by the persuasions of those that did envy him, if not a little leavened with the same leaven himself. Beware of committing the like offence, show not ill will towards any good man, by chase him from you, refusing to give him leave to be with you, or in general, by any discourteous carriage towards him. But be rather glad of his society and neighbourhood. And so we have done with Abimelech. Now something of his Subjects the Philistims, The Philistims. and particularly the men of Gerar. The Philistims envied him, ver. 14. in respect of his greatness and prosperity. 1. They envied Isaac. This sin of envy (i. e. being grieved at another man's prosperity, and bearing ill will against him for it, which will surely follow such grief, Envy is a great sin. for that grief is an effect springing from uncharitableness, and therefore will cause it to grow stronger and worse) I say, this sin is a great offence, blamed in Cain, in Joseph's brethren, in the Pharisees, and most of all in the devils. It is a wrong to God in that we satisfy not ourselves in his disposing of things, for may not God show more or less favour to men as it seemeth good to himself? and why, should our eye be evil because his eye is good? It is a wrong to the person envied, in that we do not so behave ourselves towards him, as we would that all other should do to ourselves, for men would that others should rejoice in their welfare, and not repine at it. Secondly, in that it maketh us apt to do them any injury, as here is seen in the Example that we speak of, who stopped Isaac's Wells out of envy. And it is a wrong to ones self, in that he bringeth needless vexation upon himself, and filleth his heart with gall, when he might have fed on honey as it were; for we should rejoice with them that rejoice, and then we should partake of the benefit; because the best fruit of a good thing is to have joy of it. And this envy springeth from mere self-love, and pride, and folly, in not seeing God in things, and submitting to his wisdom. Whosoever findeth a kind of tangue of this disease in himself, must blame himself for it heartily, and think thus with himself, What shall I be an imitator of wicked men, yea of the wicked spirits? What a foolish man am I that will not see Gods wise providence and yield to it? What a wretch, that think all good things lost which fall besides myself? What a foolish man that will make a cross to myself where it need not be, nor indeed is? And if any think, if he had not this prosperity it might befall me, and therefore at least I may grieve that he hath it to my damage. I answer. That is but a very May-be, for it will not follow that the Philistims would have grown very rich, if Isaac had not gotten so much, nor that Cain should have been accepted if Abel had not; Yea verily, those things that have moved God not to grant them so much prosperity as another, would have caused him to withdraw it from them, even though he had not given it to that other. For God doth not forbear to give to this person, because he gave to that; this kind of abstaining to give is proper to men, who want sufficient means to give to all, but God can replenish all without leaving himself destitute: but God withholds his benefits from those that have them not, because their sins provoke him, or because he would afflict or chastise them. The faults of men keep good things from their possessions, and they would not have been less faulty, if another had been less prosperous. Wherefore I say, confess this sin, see it, condemn it in yourselves, yield not to it. Yea but I am sure that his getting hinders my gains. Answer. First, say that it doth, wilt thou be vexed that another hinders thee? Is not this to be vexed at God's providence? But secondly, I answer, thou canst not be sure of this, for God could and if he purposed to cross thee, deny thee such benefits, though this man were not. Now I pray you, hate and abhor envy, and learn to rejoice with them that rejoice, rather than torment yourselves at them, and to be thankful to God for showing favour to your neighbours, rather than to fret in yourselves. Indeed if we see wicked men prosper, we must beware of over-grieving, lest it make us fall to imitating: But to grieve at the prosperity of an Isaac, is to show, that one loveth not goodness, as a reward of which the Lord vouchsafeth that prosperity. Now secondly, when they had entertained envy, Cham 26.15. 2. They wronged him. than they fall to injury; They stopped his Wells, and filled them with dust, viz. The Wells his Father had dug; Lo, a wickedness; to do injury to another, by hurting and hindering him, though one's self can reap no benefit by it. Indeed to do a neighbour hurt in body or goods without just cause (viz. punishing him for some fault by virtue of authority which God hath put into my hand) is a great sin, and against the plain Law that saith, Do as you would be done by, and that Commandment, Be innocent as Doves; but to hurt a man without any profit to himself, this is an high degree of wickedness, and proceeds from nothing else but envy, which is one of the worst kinds of malice. To advantage myself by another man's loss is most unjust, but to hinder another without any advantage to myself, this is a far more palpable and wilful injustice. O call to mind your own ways, have not you walked as crookedly as these men of the Philistime Nation? Stopped up another man's Wells as it were, that is, put yourselves to pains to do him damage, to hinder him, though you get nothing by it yourselves. This is a plain proof of a man stuffed with envy, and with great wickedness, whereby he loves to do evil, even for the pleasure sake he taketh in doing, not for any other fruit of it. This is to be just like the devil, that seeketh to keep others out of heaven, and to bring them to hell, though it ease not his torments one whit, because it a little satisfieth his stomach. Repent, repent exceedingly, if you have been so devilish. Another fault of the Philistims you meet with. Gen. 26.19, Ver. 19, 20, 21. 20, 21. Isaac digged a Well in the valley, and found there a fountain of living water: that is, such as did run with a full and constant stream, 3. They contended with him. And the Shepherds of Gerar contended for it with Isaac's Shepherds, saying, the water is ours. Wherefore Isaac called the name of it Hezek, or strife, because they strove with him. Then they digged another Well, and they strove for that also, and he called the name of it Sitnah, which signifieth hatred or enmity, because he saw that they contended with him now, not for need of the water, but out of mere hatred, because they were enemies and adversaries to him, and were grieved at his welfare. The fault is (you see) contentiousness, and strife, growing out of hatred and ill will. The nature of man is full of this vice, as S. Paul, Filled with envy, murder, debate. Rom. 1.9. and Hatred, variance, emulation, strife, sedition, are reckoned among the fruits of the flesh, Gal. 5.19. S. Paul telleth the Corinth's; Left that when he cometh unto them, he shall find amongst them (with other sins) debates, and strife. This strife hath its original in pride, which easily breedeth envy, and hatred, and so contention and strife; and S. james saith, That those which have envying and strife among themselves, this wisdom is not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish, and that where envying and strife is, jam. 3. ult. and chap. 4.1. there is confusion, and every evil work. He saith also, That wars and fightings are amongst them, from their lusts that war in their members. You see the loathsomeness of this vice, from the bad causes and effects of it. Take notice therefore of your own hearts and lives, and see if none of you be a quarrelous and contentious person; that is, ready upon every occasion to strive with his brother, and to break forth into brawls and suits, challenging that which is none of his, and disquieting his brethren and himself. A man may use legal means to get and keep that which is rightfully due to him, but he must not do this in a froward manner, with bitterness and rage against his adversary; but for the things that appertain not to him in equity, he must make no striving at all, otherwise he is a contentious man. And because self-love maketh us so blind, that we are apt to deceive ourselves, and to imagine we have good title to that which indeed belongs not to us, we must be content to refer ourselves willingly to other men's judgements, and not stand upon our own opinions; I mean to other indifferent, and uninterested persons, whose judgements are like to be clearer than our own, in things wherein themselves be not engaged. Let me therefore commend peace and concord, let nothing be done of strife, in an humour to cross and oppose another, or to vex and anger him. If covetousness or envy rule in a man's heart, he will boil with contention, and flame forth into debates and strifes; but if he have an heart contented with his estate, and charitably disposed to his brethren, he will then ensue peace, and follow after it. For a just controversy may be carried in a quiet and peaceable manner, and so ought to be; but be the cause of striving never so equal, if the thing be carried, tumultuously with bitter words and behaviour, with rail, swellings, whisper, backbitings, mutual, disgracing and upbraiding one another, this is a sign of a naughty heart, in whom the wisdom that is from below doth rule and bear sway. Resolve therefore to follow peace with all men, not striving but upon just cause and then also in a loving, gentle, and mild manner. And so much for Isaac's contemporaries, with whom his occasions gave him cause of intermingling. I proceed now to Isaac's heir and successor, that is to say, jacob. * ⁎ * THE EIGHTEENTH EXAMPLE. OF JACOB. THE word jacob signifieth, he holds the heel: the reason of which name you may read Gen. 25. 26. He and Esau were Twins born at one birth, Esau was the first borne, and when he was borne, his brother came out after him and held him by the heel, whence this name was given him. Of jacob we must show three things, as in former Examples. His birth, life, and death. Concerning his birth, jacob his birth the time and parents were the same which we noted before of Esau, the manner was as you have heard, as if he had wrestled with his brother for the birthright even in the birth; in which may seem to be signified the great stir that should be betwixt their Successors as well as themselves, yea, and betwixt the good and bad in all ages, even those that are heirs of the promise, and those that be contemners of the promise. For the Lord had foretold, that two Nations were in Rebekkahs womb, which should be separated one from the other, and in them the Lord did manifest the freedom of his Election, seeing he chose the younger before the elder to inherit the promises, and that before they had done good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might remain (or be firm) not of works, but of him that calleth: meaning, that God's intention of saving by his grace, who freely calleth, not of any works in any person, whether repenting, believing, or any other works, might be steadfast and stable. No works cause God to call one, or to purpose to call one, or not to call another, but alone his good pleasure, whereof though it be sure that God hath in himself just reason (for he is a reasonable agent, and doth all things, and most understandingly) yet he sees it not good to reveal to us any reason, because he would make us see what subjection we owe to him (that is to say) to rest in his will as a sufficient reason to satisfy us. God might have purposed to call, and also have called all without any picking or choosing, or preferring one before another, but his purpose was according to election or choice, he intended not to raise up all out of the miserable estate into which Adam brought all, but alone some; and in his choosing he might have left whom he took, and contrarily, but he would take some, not all, and these, not those because in his wisdom he saw it fit; and so great is his power and sovereignty, that we ought to be contented with this reason, God would have it so. What Gods election is. God's Election is his purpose to call such and such, leaving the rest: and of this purpose we can give no other cause but this, so it seemed good unto him: though himself have such grounds of his choice within himself, as it is fit for a wise agent to have for the ground of all his actions. He that will not quiet himself thus in the matter of election, shall entangle himself so, that he will never be loosed. And so much of Jacob's birth. His life. Now for his life, we will consider his virtues, faults, crosses, benefits. 1. His virtues. For his virtues, we will speak of them first in general, and here two things are noted in him, Gen. 25.27. Gen. 25.27. jacob was a plain man, and did dwell in Tents, The word translated a plain man, signifieth a perfect or upright man. 1. In general: 1. He was an upright man. It is of larger signification than that phrase of ours, A plain man, for that in common speech noteth one that is simple, and dealeth squarely and eavenly without fraud, deceit, guile, or any tricks in his actions, so may one be and have no great goodness in him. But this word is used to denote an upright hearted man, a truly and entirely godly man, a perfect man that is good within as well as without, and good in all things, at all times, and in all places one as well as another, one that carefully follows all the Commandments of God, not giving himself leave to swerve from any of God's ways at any time. What perfection is. Perfection is that property in things, by which they have all which is requisite for their due constitution. It is twofold. There is a double perfection, one of degrees, unattainable in this life, and it is when a man hath all the parts of obedience in the highest degree that the Law requireth of him, this is a legal perfection, without which no man can be justified before God by the Law, and because no man can attain it, therefore, By the Law shall no flesh be justified, but believers have it in Christ, in whom they are made the righteousness or God, and to whom righteousness without works (meaning works of their own working, for they are such as work not in this sense) is imputed. Perfection of parts, is when all the parts of goodness are found in a man. As a child of five years is a perfect man in respect of parts, he hath a soul, and body, he hath hands, head, heart, legs, etc. and therefore is that way perfect, though stature and strength, and discretion be not found in him in the same degree that after, when he is a grown man. Now there are two kinds of parts found in every thing first. First, the parts essential, as matter and form. Secondly, the parts integral, viz. as the several members of the matter, heart, head, etc. in a man. So in the point of goodness, goodness is perfect when it hath all the parts of goodness, viz. the matter, which is the act of doing good and leaving evils. 2. The form, which is the subjection of the will to the will of God; in that a man is therefore careful to leave evil and do good, because he acknowledgeth himself to owe, and is willing to perform all obedience unto God his maker and Redeemer, and these are the essential parts of goodness. The integral, are the doing of good in every kind, and leaving of evil in every kind, with an endeavour, and striving, and wishing to do it in every degree, even to leave all evil, the very lest degree, and to do all good in the very highest degree. Thus you see what perfection is. It is an endeavour and resolution to do all things which God commandeth, and to leave all the things which he forbiddeth, perfectly in obedience to his authority; or if you will, in brief, Perfection of the Gospel is a striving after the perfection of the Law. Now we must be thus perfect, because it is a singular goodness of God to accept such an imperfect perfection at our hands. For he might have held us still to the condition of works, and so rejecting our endeavours, because falling short of what the Law requireth, might have destroyed us notwithstanding such endeavours, but he hath been pleased to make a new Covenant, in which he requireth and accepteth our hearty endeavours, though there be much failing. O should not this move us to labour and strive! As if a debtor owing an hundred pounds, and not able to pay it, should have these conditions propounded to him from his Creditor, well, pay me what you be able, so you bring me good money, not counterfeit, and I will accept it. Should not this make them very careful to bring him so much as they were able, and that in good silver, not copper and false coin? Again, we lose both our goodness and ourselves also, if we be not plain and perfect; If we have respect to all God's Commandments, and be found in God's presence, we shall not be ashamed: but confusion will cover our faces at the end, if we satisfy ourselves with hollow and defective goodness; for a lame sacrifice will not be acceptable on God's Altar. Now I pray you let each of us consider of himself, whether he be such a dissembler, that hath little show of piety, and is not pious indeed. We must be followers of them that by patience and faith inherit the promises, and be such as they that have gone to heaven, if ourselves purpose to go to heaven. And if you be not so, but openly sinful, or hollowly and dissemblingly good; now see your misery, you shall never be heirs with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, if you labour not to be like unto them in this perfection. And the way to be perfect, is to see our want, and to pray to God to make us such. We have him tied by a just faithful promise to fill the hungry, and to hear them that call upon him. 2. He was a skilful, and able Shepherd. Further it is said, that jacob dwelled in Tents, not only meaning that he was a man brought up to tend cattle, as they did that dwelled in Tents, (whereas Esau was an huntsman first, and a soldier after,) but chiefly that he did not set himself to seek great possessions, and fair palaces, and houses in the world, but sojourned in the land of Canaan, as in a strange country, dwelling in Tents with his Father Isaac, as before him Abraham had done: which thing the Apostle taketh notice of, as a profession of their being Pilgrims and Strangers upon earth, and seeking an enduring City. So here are two things observable, and imitable in jacob; one, that he gave himself to tend cattle, and was a very skilful and able Shepherd, as appeared after, when he undertook to tend his Father in laws flocks. Every one must follow some calling. It is necessary that a man have some calling, some profitable employment, by which he is able with the common benefit of others to maintain his own self and family, and to uphold his estate. It is a promise, Thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands. Lo, labour must get our food, else we have not the good man's blessing: In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou get thy bread. This is a punishment, so far as it tendeth to inflict disquietment and troublesomeness upon men in their labours, but so far as it enjoineth labour, it is not a punishment, but a precept: He that tilleth his ground shall have bread enough. Tilling of ones ground, that is, diligent following of ones honest calling is required; and how shall a man follow that which he hath not? Also nature teacheth this plainly enough: the contrary also is full of danger to the soul, exposing a man to many temptations, and filling the heart with noisome lust, and making it harder to escape, and to walk in a Christian manner of life. Wherefore those that have imitated Esau rather than jacob, and have given themselves to sports and vanity, so that they be not able to do any thing for their maintenance, if need required, have much to answer for before God, and have brought much misery on themselves, in regard they are in greater difficulty of being saved than other men, in giving Satan and flesh an exceeding great advantage against their souls: He that hath no calling is in danger to be a follower of idle companions, and the troops of such persons lead not in the way to heaven. Therefore I call upon all you that are Parents, and all you children that are come to years of discretion, requiring you to be careful of your children's education, and to train them up for some due vocation and calling; and you children to be obsequious to your Parents in this behalf, yielding yourselves to their directions; and this exhortation I would enforce not only upon the poorer sort, whose belly craveth it of them, as Solomon saith, but even on the wealthier sort too, whose souls I am sure do as much crave it of them. For there is no man of so great birth and blood, but that there is some noble study or other, and some honourable employment, wherein it will be to his honour to be skilful and conversant. Men of place should not need to be slaves to Dice, and Wine, and Harlots, and Sports, if they would be servants to God in some worthy vocation or other. But jacob dwelled in Tents: that is, lived as a Pilgrim or stranger, 3. He lived as a Pilgrim, professing himself an heir of the promise made to Abraham. professing himself an heir of the Promise made to Abraham. Though we be not all bound to dwell in Tents, and to be Pilgrims in that sense, yet we else are all bound to have our hearts withdrawn from earthly things, and set on heaven, to count this world and the things of it no better than a Tent or a Tabernacle, weak, fickle, and uncertain, and so to carry ourselves towards it, and to be in it, even as in a strange country, not as in an habitation of our own, in which we mean to settle ourselves. To behave ourselves in the world as strangers, and to the world and things thereof, as to a strange place, through which we are travelling to our own country: This is a noble thing, a divine, a celestial thing. A most remarkable difference betwixt a true & a false hearted Christian, because one hath the right, and the other contents himself with counterfeit goodness. Thus did our Lord jesus Christ live; thus Paul; thus all the Saints; and thus are we commanded to live, even as Pilgrims and strangers. And it stands in this, that we make no reckoning of earthly things in comparison of heavenly, and that we desire earthly things none other way but in order to heavenly, and use earthly things only so, as to be furtherances to our earthly being, and do not suffer them to steal away our affections from heaven, nor to hinder our diligent and constant practising of all those things that do directly concern our heavenly estate. Thus to mind, not the things below, but the things above, is a sure proof of a man truly enlightened and sanctified, and made conformable to the death and Resurrection of our Lord jesus Christ. In a word, it stands in esteeming all earthly things as vanity and vexation of spirit, and using them all as furtherances to our spiritual well-being, otherwise making none account of them at all. For so doth a stranger use the country wherein he traveleth, and all the things and persons that he doth meet withal therein. Now let us make use to ourselves of this great virtue, by blaming our own selves for being so far unlike to jacob in this matter. How far we are from dwelling in Tents, and from behaving ourselves as Pilgrims in the world, is it not more than manifest? O how much esteem do we make of worldly things and persons? how are our hearts set upon them? how eagerly do we follow them? how overmuch do we rejoice in them! Certainly this argueth a great deal of folly. For to mistake the worth and prices of things, is a special point of folly; we do for the most part live like men of the world, that are not acquainted with any things more excellent than the vanities of this life: We think not of our mortality and uncertainty of earthly things, we have our consolation in earth, rather than heaven. This worldly mindedness is to be observed, confessed, lamented, refused; we must blame ourselves for it, as for a great fault, and must oppose it with serious meditations, of earth, and heaven, and of our mortality. We must earnestly pray to God to divorce us from the world, and to pull our hearts upward, that we may not be glued as it were to this dirt and dung. To see this fault, is a sign of some true grace; for the world will not see it to be a fault, that they are over earnestly bend unto the world; as the Fish finds it not troublesome to live in the waters. And now let me call upon you, to be heavenly minded hereafter, to use this world as though you did not use it, to set it lower than spiritual graces, and than the hope of heavenly things. A child is wedded to his gauds so long as his childishness prevaileth, but when he hath gotten more mature understanding, he rejecteth them, and minds other things; so must we if we will show ourselves to be perfect men in understanding. If a master sets his servant to gather chips, he doth it, and should do it diligently in obedience to his master; but still he takes not the chips for excellent things, but reckons of them as of chips: so for conscience sake to God must we labour in the world, yet still so, that we account the world as a vain shadow, and must show that we so esteem it, by being satisfied even with a small portion, if God see it fit to give us no more; and by being well contented if we have food and raiment; yea, and patient too, if we be put to suffer need, and want them. And so much now for Jacob's virtues in general, He was a perfect man, and dwelled in Tents. Now let as consider them more particularly. First, let us see his carriage to God-ward, then to menward, both himself and others, both those that were nearer to him, and those that were further from him. First then, jacob had true faith in God, His special virtues in respect of God. 1. He had faith, which he showed by many fruits. Gen. 25.30. a common grace which is found in all God's people, and he showed this faith by many comfortable and worthy fruits of faith; viz. these which the Story of the Bible noteth. First, by his desire to get the birthright, and to buy it of his brother who despised it; for, if it was a testimony of profaneness and unbelief in Esau, to sell and slight his birthright; then must it be also a proof of holiness and faith in jacob, to desire it and buy it. Indeed they were both young, and so jacob gets it in a childish way, by giving his brother a mess of broth on that condition, that he would resign up to him all interest, right, and title unto it that he had, or might have: But yet in the main matter, jacob believed God's promises for the spiritual benefits annexed to the birthright, else he would not have sought it in that manner. Grace's work in men according to the age and ability of discretion that is found in the party which hath them. There be certain childish and imperfect expressions of grace mixed as it were with the weakness of head that is in children; yet be these true proofs of grace, and such as the Lord accepts for the substance of them; though the weaknesses mixed with them deserve no acceptation; and for the love of the good, he passeth by those weaknesses. Sure had not jacob believed the promises of God concerning the land of Canaan, and the rest, he would never have taken any care of the birthright; but in that he doth long for it, and in such a fashion as a young man could do, contracts for it with his brother, it argues his faith, which caused him so to esteem of it. Indeed it was not that bargain betwixt them that made it his, but Gods promise before made to his mother, The elder shall serve the younger: but this affecting of it showed that he had been taught by his mother this his interest; and that he was possessed with an earnest desire of getting it, which is the first fruit of his faith. Secondly, he desired also, and highly esteemed the blessing, as is seen in his condescending to his mother's motion of getting it, according to her advice. Here also weakness discovered itself, but the desire of attaining the blessing, showed itself in this weakness, and the fruit of faith is to be allowed, though the corruption joined with it be blame-worthy. Indeed, Esau also had a desire of the blessing, as appeareth by his earnest entreaty, and tears to his Father, but Jacob's desires looked more to spiritual things, Esau's to earthly: So, the ones was a fruit of faith in God's promises, the other a fruit of mere natural love to ones self, by which every man would fain attain that which he thinks would prove beneficial. A third note and fruit of Jacob's faith, was his grateful accepting of God's promises, when he appeared to him in a dream, Gen. 28.16. as he was going on his way; for he presently took notice that Gods was there, and began to be reverently affected towards God, and was careful to erect the stone for a Pillar, and to pour oil upon it, which was nothing else but a thankful expression of his faith in God's promises, which also caused him to make the Vow following unto God, as you have it, Gen. 28.10. to the end. A thankful and comfortable receiving of God's promises, being cheered with them, as with things most certain, proveth faith to the promise maker, and to the promises; showing that a man is persuaded they shall be performed without fail. Further, jacob showed his faith in making choice of his ways, when Laban would have him to continue looking to his sheep after the fourteen years of service were passed for his two daughters; for he desired to have the spotted, speckled, and brown cattle that should fall after, for his wages: Showing that he looked to God, whose hand alone could dispose of this so abstruse and hidden a thing in the course of nature. He was willing to stand to God's kindness and love, rather than to any certain agreement with Laban; which he would not have done, had he not believed Gods promises to bless him and to increase him, as was told him in his dream forementioned. And therefore he tells his wives, that the Angel came to him in a dream, and bade him look on the Rams leaping, the Ewes which brought forth the Lambs spotted and grizzled, and so it was of God that he used the means of laying peeled sticks in the troughes, at the time when the stronger cattle went to the Males. Let any man make trial of the same course now, and he shall not find the same success. Such a sight before the engendering cattle will hardly cause the young to be spotted; but that be did in faith, as having been I guess, guided to it by the Angel, which bid him look and see the cattle bringing forth Lambs and Goats of that colour. And here is a good proof, when a man can rest himself upon God for his wages, and for his means even in this world; and not upon his own wisdom, or any such like outward thing. A man would have thought this a very uncertain match, but jacob staying on God's promise, was desirous of this way rather than any other to receive his reward by it. Lastly, he showed his faith in blessing the two sons of joseph, yea, and all his own, as a sensible declaration to his children that he did not make any doubt of their possessing that Land, according to God's covenant with Abraham, and promise to himself often renewed. Now brethren, I pray you let us labour to give credit unto that which God speaks to us, and rest upon his goodness for the gracious performance of his faithful promises, which is the root of all graces, and will cause us to live holily, if we once get it confirmed and strengthened in our hearts; and let us labour to show our faith by the same fruits that are to be seen in jacob, as was before noted. Let us highly esteem those signs of his goodness, and means of attaining his spiritual benefits, as jacob did of his birthright. Let us make great account of his blessing, especially spiritual blessings in things concerning our salvation, whereof the Land of promise was a figure. Let us receive his promises with reverend joyfulness and thankfulness: Let us trust upon him for our reward of any faithful service, in any kind that we perform, labouring to be persuaded that he will see us requited abundantly, if men should neglect us. A good man must trust to God's blessing on his labours, in things that depend upon his gracious providence, and the disposition of things by it, rather than to any other course wherein his wit may seem to make matters more certain. Let us show our faith by trusting also on God to bless our children, and by leaving proofs even at our dying, that we be mindful of heaven, and that we make no doubt but God will perform his promises. If our faith show itself by these good effects, it is true; and we must more and more see our weakness in faith, by the contrary effects, and more and more labour to prove the truth and strength of it too, by its more and more producing those and the like effects. jacob also showed his faith by running to God when Esau came against him, and by praying to God to give his son's favour in the fight of the man, and by offering to God when his sons sent for him: for to have recourse to God still in our needs, and make his name our refuge, is an excellent proof of our faith in his promises. Now secondly, jacob was a religious and devout man, 2. He was religious. that was careful to serve the true God, in the true exercises of religion, as appeared in the particular duties of religion which he performed. First, he was prayerful, and ready to call upon God's name on all occasions; when his brother Esau met him, he presently framed himself to call upon the name of God, as you have it, Gen. 32.9. Where is also an excellent form of prayer; for first, he lays down the grounds of his boldness to come to God in prayer, saying, God of my Father, that is, thou art my God in Covenant with me, therefore seek I help of thee, and Thou saidst unto me, return; as if he should say, I have thy word of Commandment and promise guiding me to this journey, therefore I seek to thee. And secondly, he humbleth and abaseth himself before God, as unworthy any benefit, saying, I am less than the least, etc. Then he makes his request, Deliver me I pray thee, etc. and confirms it by the greatness of the danger, and his inability to save himself, procuring great fear, Whom I fear, etc. and next, from the promise made unto him, Thou saidst. Lo here, a sweet pattern for our prayers to God when we fear any cross. First, remember the Covenant and promise of God, and declare the misery, then humble ourselves in acknowledgement of our unworthiness. So make our suits boldly, and make our moan to God of our dangers, and fears, and helplessness; and again urge him with his promises. Had not jacob been accustomed to pray, he could not have solicited the Lord after this manner, in this extremity. Again, in the end of the same Chapter, when Christ appeared unto him in an humane likeness, ver. 24. He wrestled with him all night for a blessing, and would not give over till he had a promise from him; though he went limping away, the Angel giving him such a crush on the hollow of his thigh in wrestling, as made him draw his legs after him, by the dislocation, or disjointing of his hip bone; it may seem it was through the shrinking of the sinew which had that bone in the socket. Ah, it is an excellent thing, as it were to wrestle with God, and though he seem angry with us, and ready to lame us and maim us, as yet still to mind ourselves of his promises, and continue fervent and constant in prayers, till at last he please to answer us and make us know that we shall prevail with him. If jacob had not been a devout man, well skilled in calling upon God's name, he could never have maintained in his heart such an invincible resolution as this, I will not let thee go till thou bless me, even then, when instead of blessing he had such a wrench as might seem rather to testify anger against his importunity, than any mind to yield unto it. Again, when he was to send Benjamin unto Egypt, Gen. 43.14. He followed him with his prayers, saying, God Almighty grant you favour before the Man, that he may send away your brother, and Benjamin. You must not think that he contented himself with this short ejaculation, but he made his request to God for this great thing in more words and oftener. So you see jacob was a prayerful man; this is one part of religiousness. O that we could be prayerful? O that we could also make God's name our refuge at all times? which they that do not, can hardly take any true comfort in their estate, nor account themselves true Israelites; and those that do, show themselves to be guided with the same Spirit that Israel: Especially let us learn to wrestle with God, resolving to continue earnest and importunate, and to take no nay in begging for the performance of his promises, and for his blessing, though we seem to gain nothing, but that the Lord carries a show of being angry with us, at length we shall prevail if we continue fervent, and refuse to give over, as our Lord also teacheth by his Parables in the Gospel, of a child, a friend, and the poor Widow towards the unjust judge. Again, you shall see jacob vowing a vow to God, Chap. 28.20, jacob vowed a vow to God. 21. verses, the sum of which is this, that if God would provide him necessaries, and preserve him safely in his return home to his Fathers, he would 1. make God his God, by adhering to him, and worshipping him alone, and not embracing any false God, whereof the world was every where full in those days. Secondly, That the Pillar should be God's house; that is, a place of public worshipping God, where he would openly and solemnly serve him, with prayers, sacrifices, and all fit services. And lastly, that he would give his tenth to God, of all that God should give him. Lo, you must learn the use of a vow, which is required in the Psalm, Vow and pay to the Lord. A vow is a binding one's self in an oath to God, What a vow is to do some lawful thing which is in his power, that he may the better attain to his suits. And the use of it is, in afflictions to confirm our faith for the attaining of God's help, or in prosperity to testify our thankfulness for a benefit. Let us be cautelous what we vow, and let us as need and occasion shall offer, make vows to God, especially the use of a vow may be to tie ourselves from things otherwise lawful, that have been occasions of sins to us; or to quicken us to such good duties as we find ourselves most slack in: only take heed of vowing rashly, and vowing perpetually any thing, but what we be bound unto by duty: for it is not unfit to bind ourselves to needful and commanded things by a vow, as here jacob voweth that God shall be his God. I say therefore, use vows as just occasion shall serve, but not hastily, nor in passion, for such vows likely prove mischievous. And especially be careful to do the things vowed, that is, to make God your God, sticking close to him, and abhorring all foreign gods. And seeing now the danger is not so great, a running after heathenish false gods, beware of going after those heart-Idols, pleasure, profit, credit, ease. Make not the belly your God, by loving riches, wealth, good fare, etc. more than God, and caring for these things more than for the favour and honour of God. These be the most dangerous Idols of our times, many a man that abhors to worship an Image, a Saint, an Angel, doth yet worship Mammon, and make the world his God; take heed of this Idolatry, labour to know, love, fear, trust in, obey God, to remember him, to choose him, etc. to give him that whole, and inward spiritual, most needful, most acceptable worship of the heart, which shall not cease to be worship even in heaven. The other Commandments continue in force during this life, of praying, reading, hearing, Sacraments, no use in heaven of oath, vows, and such a manner of sanctifying God's name as now, in heaven there is no use. So in the rest: But to know, love, fear, delight in, obey, there is always use, and make God your God in this manner. Again, prepare God an house, let him have a place of public service and worship. That you have provided to your hands: I need but request to keep it in handsome and decent fashion, to maintain it comelily as beseemeth God's house, not as if it were a barn or some outhouse. Former times you see built goodly and fair houses for God: will not you keep them fairly, & so, that they shall be sweet, and dry, and sightly, not in such plight that would bring the imputation of baseness upon yourselves, if any of your houses should lie so? Can you be at cost to adorn and furnish your own houses, and not Gods? For assure yourselves, these places separated for religious meetings be God's houses sacred to him, dedicated, assigned, given to him, he hath interest into them. If an Idols-Temple be an Idols-Temple; that is, such an house as an Idol hath interest in, and is sacred with a false and unholy kind of sacredness; sure then a Church to God is God's Church, and such a thing as he is interessed into, and is sacred with a true and real sacredness: Mine house shall be called an house of prayer to all nations. Lo, an house of prayer, that is, of public worship (a part for the whole) and this house God's house, and that among all Nations. Would you wish a clearer proof for the warrant of Churches and their sacredness? but what avails it to keep a Church handsome if you frequent it not? O therefore come to God's house, frequent the public worship there performed. The meanest service done amongst us, if it be but reading of a Chapter, is more noble (because not so typical) than the kill of a beast: Come therefore to God's house constantly; sure jacob did not mean that he would set apart a place for public worship and not come near it, but that his care should be there to worship God. O that you would all come frequently to God's house for conscience and love? At least, O that the Officers would compel them by fear, whom goodness cannot bring? that so they may be in good way of being bettered by God's Ordinances. But jacob vows to give the tenth of all that God should give him, to God, even to the maintaining his public worship in that place, for God's worship will be costly. Himself personally can receive nothing, but by giving it to his worship, and the places, and things, and persons that belong to his worship, it is given to him. If there be any amongst you, that thinks examples of holy writ to bind him, as it seems some do in other things, where the matter is such as will put them to no great cost, let them ask their consciences, Why should not this example bind them as well as any other example? That it should be a typical, ceremonial, and temporal ordinance, to give God tithe of all we have; I could never yet hear any reason of any force: Some do strain their wits to find out a kind of shadow in it, and tell what it may signify; but the Scripture, for aught I know, doth not give any notice of any such thing. You see it was the use afore the levitical priesthood, and therefore it is not a thing depending upon the levitical priesthood: Nay, the Apostle makes mention, of it as a thing due to the eternal priesthood of Melchisedek. Therefore why should any man think his conscience bound by any other Example, and not by this? But to me it seems plain, that Abraham and jacob would never have observed this portion in measuring out these payments to God, if they had not conceived it a perpetual and a natural duty. It is surely a moral precept to honour God with our goods, and by bringing presents to him. Seeing these holy men thought it fit to grant God so liberal a portion, why should we not think him worthy as much? But if you cannot bring yourselves to think that so much is due to God; yet I hope you will make yourselves believe, that surely something must be due to God, and that in a liberal quantity. For God is worthy to be honoured with our goods, I trow, as much now as ever: and do we honour him if we bring him no present, no gift? will you therefore be somewhat liberal to God? will you bind yourselves by vow? or without vow freely dedicate some good part of your substance to God, and as God blesseth you, lay still aside something (if you distrust God so much, as you think he will not reward such a quantity as the Tenth, why then with a ninth, or an eighth, or a seventh, or a fifth, with something I say, that shall show, you are desirous to obey every Commandment, and so to prove yourselves sincere to God. Surely to mark how God prospers a man's labour, and then to be constant in laying aside a good portion for God; this shall be none of mine, it shall be Gods, ready at hand for pious uses, to keep up, and beautify God's house, to further Gods worship any way, and to relieve the poor members of Christ, would make you so rich in good works, and so increase your liberality by exercise, as would undoubtedly pull a rich blessing upon you, and cause you to have interest into the blessing of having your prayers to run over with increase. Show yourselves liberal to God, and be good Jacob's; else, he that is a niggard to God, and will honour him indeed with his lips, not with his goods, gives others reason to think, though himself be so full of self-love, that he will not think so of himself that he honours him only with his lips. If any say, his state is so poor that he cannot. I answer. God hath propounded this as a means to get riches; and the poor man hath no reason to think that God's means will be unavaileable. But a poor necessitous man that is fain to live of the bounty much what of others, must not be a rule for those that have better estates. I am verily persuaded, that one great cause of many a Christian man's poverty, is this; he honours not God with his riches, and why should God make him rich? If we see a man not to honour God with his wit and strength, and then God deprive him of wit and strength; Do we not readily impute this cross to the desert of that sin? and why are we not induced to conclude, God doth not prosper this man in his estate, because he did not honour God with his estate? And so much for Jacob's devotion in vowing, and the things vowed. 4. He worshipped God also by sacrifice, and performed his vow to God. See Gen. 33.10. Now he worshipped God also by sacrifice, and performed his vow to God at last. Gen. 35.3. I will make an Altar unto God at Bethel, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went; by which it is to be thought, that jacob prayed in his journey, when he was benighted in the way, and that dream was God's answer to his prayer: and ver. 7. He builded an Altar, and called it El Bethel. Now this Altar was not without sacrifices, and a public profession of God's whole worship: He made God a house, and began there to settle the public worship of God according to his vow. Indeed it was a weakness in him to stay so long, till God was fain to put him in mind, both by a sore cross, and by a Vision of going to Bethel for this end; but he was religious, and kept his Vow at last. O let us keep our vows, let us offer spiritual sacrifices of prayers, praises, contrite hearts, our own selves, almesdeeds, and so show ourselves right Israelites, or jacobites. 5. He took an oath religiously. Lastly, his devotion shows itself in his religious taking of an oath himself to Laban, and ministering it to his son joseph, as you see Gen. 31.53. He swore by the fear of Isaac, he was careful to keep him to the true God, and swearing by him, and that seriously, and on a just occasion, not lightly and vainly; and Gen. 47.29. He did most religiously minister an oath to joseph, to bury him in the Land of Canaan, (a type of heaven,) as Abraham had done to his servant before, making him put his hand under his thigh; of which I cannot give you a certain and infallible reason, whether the gesture were to show subjection to him to whom he swore, or respect to the promised seed that was to come out of those loins: I cannot assure you, but I pray you learn to reverence an oath by this Example, and to use it upon due and weighty occasions, and in a due and reverend manner. We lay our hands often on the book, and it is our accustomed solemnity, and a very fit one; by which you may see that it is no fault or sin to use some solemnities in God's worship, not commanded, nor so much as exemplified; for an oath is God's worship, and no man yet questioned the lawfulness of that solemnity, in taking an oath. I say we lay our hands often on the book with little consideration of that God by whose name we swear. But the not fearing of an oath is alleged as part of the description of an ungodly man; see therefore that you take heed of profane swearing. He was also careful to give thanks to God for benefits received, 6. He gave thanks to God for benefits received. to praise him, and continue the remembrance of his goodness, that had so favoured him in the place where he appeared to him: He set up the stone for a Pillar, and poured oil upon it; (which was nothing else but a solemn thanksgiving) and after, when God appeared to him again at Bethel, He set up a Pillar, and poured oil upon it. This was to perpetuate the remembrance of the thing, at least to bring it to his own mind and his children's, which were after to inherit the Land; and to show his thankful mind to God, in offering that oil, and that wine in testimony of his joyful acknowledgement of God's goodness to him. These kind of ceremonies we have not cause to use, but a careful stirring up of God's benefits in our minds, and thankful acknowledgement of his goodness we must ever perform. So he called the place Peniel, where God appeared to him in his wrestling, and Mahanaim, when the Host of God appeared to him; and the like. All these things were proofs of a mind desirous to be perpetually mindful of God's benefits, that by them he might be stirred up to a more careful obedience of his Commandments. Lastly, jacob was obedient to God, 7. He was obedient to God. ready to be ruled by him in the course of his life, as appeareth in two things principally, viz. his return from Padan Aram to Canaan; for so soon as God appeared unto him, commanding his return, by and by he returned, and when joseph his son had sent for him, he would not leave the Land of Canaan, until he had consulted with God, and been warned by him in a dream to go up, and then went he up: Indeed Jacob's whole life was a pattern of dutiful obedience unto God. Let us learn by his example to give ourselves obediently unto God in all things, and to be ruled by him in everything, after the directions of the holy Word, as jacob was in these particulars, by the Dreams in which God appeared unto him. And so much for Jacob's virtues in respect of God. 2. Jacob's virtues in respect of himself. 1. He was an humble man. Now in respect of himself. He was an humble man, as appear in his prayer to God before, when he confesseth, that he is Less than the least of all his mercies: meaning, that he is unworthy the smallest of them, and had not deserved even the meanest. It is a worthy grace to see ones own unworthiness of any good thing, and to be so mean in his own conceit, that he challengeth nothing of desert. Humility is in the Angels and blessed Spirits; Humility is an excellent grace. when they present themselves before God, they fall down before him, and account themselves unworthy his benefits: for that which hath its original from nothing, merely by the pleasure of another, cannot but be base and contemptible in comparison of that from whence it came; and so stands the case betwixt God and all creatures: Wherefore, they ought to be possessed with the sense of this distance betwixt God and them, so as to esteem themselves nothing in comparison of him, and as jacob here expresseth it; than which, we cannot conceive a better expression, Less than the least of all his mercies. This humility will make one thankful for mercies, and careful to use them well, and able meekly to part with them, and so fit to enjoy them. This humility pleaseth God exceedingly, because it fitteth the creature for that end, to which God did principally look in creating him, even to glorify his Creator. See that you get it, and increase it continually; harbour lowly thoughts of yourselves, go to God for good things, but go, flying alone to the throne of grace and mercy, not at all trusting in yourselves, or in any thing that is in yourselves. The more one can disavow his own worth, and still build his prayers, and hopes on God's mercies, the more pleasing to God are both himself and his services. 2. He was contented with a little. Secondly, jacob was a man contented with a little, a small portion of outward things would satisfy him: therefore when he vows to God, he doth not ask great matters, but Bread to eat, and raiment to put on. This contentedness of mind is a worthy and rare grace, it ariseth partly from humility, partly from a right understanding of the nature of these earthly things, and an holy advancement of spirit in the desire of heavenly things, and it helps much to that right tranquillity of mind, in which the greatest of man's happiness doth consist, and strengthens the soul against all unjust and sinful means of getting riches, and disposeth a man to liberality and mercy to others; to eat to the contentation of his soul, is better than to far exceeding daintily and plentifully without contentation. To have enough, and know when one hath enough, is better than all abundance that can be attained. Blame yourselves, that a little will not give you content, but you are still greedy of more, though you have already food and raiment in abundance. Follow S. Paul's precept, and Jacob's example; you must take pains often with you selves, to settle your hearts in this contentation, else it will not be gotten, for man's corrupt nature makes him unsatiable. But he that can place his whole happiness in God, will soon be able to stay his desires in a few other things, even in food and raiment. 3. He was a discreet man. Further, jacob was a prudent, discreet man, and knew how to carry himself fitly for the avoiding of danger, as may be seen in his behaviour towards his brother Esau, when he came against him full of wrath and fury, to revenge himself for his supposed wrong, in getting from him his birthright, and his blessing. For first, he divided his family into two parts, saying, If Esau come and smite the one company, the other shall escape. Secondly, He prayed earnestly to God to save him from the hands of his brother, whom he greatly feared. Thirdly, he presenteth him with a large present, and set a space betwixt drove and drove, commanding them to answer his brother with all submissness; saying when they should be asked, Whose are these before thee? They be thy brother Jacob's. It is a present sent to my Lord Esau, and he is behind us: and so the second and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, I will pacify him with a gift that goeth before me, and afterwards, I will see his face, peradventure he will accept of me, and then having wrestled with God, Chap. 32. he saw his brother coming, and divided his children to Leah and Rachel, and the young maidens, and setting the hand maids first, than Leah, than Rachel, himself went before them, and fell on the ground seven times, and did obeisance, and so caused the handmaids and his wives to do the like, and so by his submissive carriage he pacified his brother's anger, and God working with his prudence, found him exceeding kind and loving: and when he would have gone before him, excuseth himself by the pace of the young Infants and cattle, he avoided his company, and by pressing caused him to receive the gift, and in very modest manner refused the train which his brother left with him, and escaped his hands. So he proved that to be true, which after Solomon told, That a gift in the bosom pacifieth great wrath, Prov. 21.14. And a gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it, and it prospereth whethersoever it goeth, Eccles. 10.4. Yielding pacifieth great offences. Thus jacob carried himself prudently, and escaped his brother's fury. Let us learn of jacob, by liberality and submissiveness to appease the fury of unreasonable men: We must not yield so far as to sin, but to yield in all meek and lowly gestures even to worthy men, is not a sin but a virtue. So likewise Bribery is naught, that is, to seek to turn a Governor from justice by gifts, and hire him to do wrong; but by gifts to pacify an angry man, and hire him to forbear sinning, that is a lawful use of gifts, and to practise liberality in so due a season, to redeem the life by the goods, and to make them quiet that were enraged, is a very good thing. Seasonable stooping, and seasonable bounty be fruits of prudence, and by such means to save ourselves from danger, is a part of wisdom and discretion. The like prudence jacob practised towards the Egyptian Lord whom he thought to be offended, not knowing that it was his son joseph; for when they were to have Benjamin in before him, he wished them to take a present with them, and double money in their hands, that they might prevent all occasion of distaste, in respect of the money that was in his sacks mouth, Gen. 43.11, 12. We must pray to God to give us the likewise discretion, that we may carefully use all fit means to assuage wrath, and so by God's blessing upon our discreet care, may free ourselves from evil. But stubbornness, and niggardliness, and a kind of four standing upon our right or innocency, that it may carry a show of courage and resolution, is yet indeed a fruit of folly and self-conceit. 4. He was painful and industrious. Further, jacob was a painful and industrious person, for when he came to Padan Aram, and met with the Shepherds, and with Rachel coming with her Father's flocks, he advised them concerning the ordering of their cattle, and himself rolled away the stone from the Wells mouth, and watered Rachel's sheep. Chap. 29.8, 9, 10. and afterwards, he abode in Laban's house for a month, he did not live idly there, but behaved himself so painfully and serviceably, that Laban himself made him offer of wages, saying, Thou shalt not serve me for nought: so that Laban found him a painful and serviceable man, which made him willing to entertain him. But especially when he had undertaken the care of his Father in Law's sheep, He served him with all his might, as he tells his two wives, Chap. 31.6. Which also he allegeth to Laban's self, In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and sleep departed from mine eyes. Chap. 31. 40. You see, that he was not idle, careless, and sluggish, but very diligent and laborious. Diligence and painfulness is commendable. Herein we must imitate him, every man in his place, The diligent hand maketh rich, saith Solomon, And he that tilleth his ground, shall be satisfied with bread, and the good man shall eat the labour of his hands. But on the other part, slothfulness, idleness, loitering, are disgraced in the book of God, and misery and want is threatened as a punishment against them, They shall be clothed with rags, and shall have want enough: and The way of the slothful is like a thorny hedge; still full of pricking griefs and crosses. Wherefore now betake yourselves to all painfulness in your Vocations, and be not weary of welldoing; This diligence hath the promise of a blessing, and shall have the performance. It helpeth against vices, by name, against pride, and maketh the soul humble, only so, that inordinateness and excess through love of outward things do not corrupt and putrify it. How diligent also was Saint Paul in his calling? and how are the servants commended for diligent employment in their Talents? and the good housewife for her labours; and contrarily, the slothful servant is rated and punished by losing his Talon, and being cast into utter darkness. 5. jacob was just in his dealings with all. Lastly, jacob was also just in his dealings with all, for when Laban pursued him, as if he had been a thief, he bids him search among all his goods, if he could find any thing there that was his; and when nothing was found there unjustly gotten, he is bold to chide with Laban for pursuing him in that violent manner, Gen. 31.37. and so when the money was returned back in his sons sacks mouths, he not knowing how it came thither, wisheth them to return it back, lest it might be an oversight. Lo, he would not make advantage of an oversight, but that which was another's or might be, he was careful to return unto the right owner, and that though it might seem in show an easy matter to keep it. Let us learn righteousness of him, take not any other man's goods, keep not that which is not your own, but give every one his own, and take to yourselves that and only that which is your own, the contrary whereto is theft before God, though we can conceal it from men. The Law of nature commandeth us To do as we would be done unto, Quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri neficeris. and every man's heart within tells him, that he expects all just dealing from other men, and therefore cannot but find fault with those that shall use any unrighteousness towards him. Let us not neglect the plain directions of natural light; and though a man may suppose that the Bread of deceit and other unjustice is sweet, yet Solomon saith, It shall prove but gravel in the mouth, a thing troublesome and unsavoury. Yea Solomon saith, The riches gotten by lying, are but vainly tossed to and fro of them that seek death; and that, The deceitful man shall not roast what he took in hunting: and that, An inheritance may be hastily gotten at the beginning, but the latter end thereof shall not be blessed, for he that getteth goods, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and in his end shall prove a fool. Wherefore, that we may attain the blessing of God upon our estates, let us put away all kinds of unrighteousness; especially take we heed that we do not take our advantage upon other men's oversights or imperfections, by misreckoning, false measures, or any kind of encroaching. If one leave in another's hand any thing and forget, let not his forgetfulness cause him to take it as his own. If one lend us, and take no witness or security, let not his inability to prove the debt make us bold to detain it. Let not the love of riches and immoderate desire of gain so blind our eyes, as to make us unable to perceive the unequalness and sinfulness of our course, nor yet so harden our hearts and dull our consciences, that we should be emboldened against our knowledge to enrich ourselves by such devices. So much for Jacob's virtues respecting himself. Now see his carriage towards others: Jacob's virtuous carriage to others. 1. He was obedient to his Parents. Gen. 29. First, those that were near to him; Then strangers. And first, of his kindred, his Superiors, Equals, Inferiors; for his Superiors, they be his Parents, Isaac and Rebekkah, to whom he was loving and obedient; his obedience he showed in travailing to Padan Aram at his Mother's advice, & Father's persuasion for a wife. It behooveth children to show all good subjection, and that particularly in this point of being ruled by their discreet and religious Parents in choice of a wife or husband, so as to make them their guiders and directors in this weighty business, and they must not suffer their hearts to be set upon any person in that respect, without the knowledge and consent of their Parents; nor harken to motions made to them without the good liking of their Parents. If it be said, how if Parents will cross their children in their affections? I answer. The world is full of examples, by which it is manifest, that many come together in great heat of love, and within a few years grow so froward, discontented, and careless either of other, as none can be more. And again, others come together with discretion, not in such vehemency of Love, and their hearts afterwards do cleave each to other in singular love and dearness. Therefore it would become a child to cross his affection, rather than his Parents. But what if Parent's will force their Children either not at all to marry, or else to marry with such as are unfit for them, in regard of Age, Religion, and in respect of evident deformities of Body, or disorders of Life. I answer: Parents are bound to provide fit yoake-fellowes for their children. I know no such unlimited authority granted to Parents, as to compel their children upon inconveniences in any of these respects. Parents are bound to tender fit yoake-fellowes to their Children, as God did to Adam: else the Children in not following their advice do forbear to be ruled, not by their authority, but by their lusts. For if Parents may not provoke their Children to wrath, lest they be discouraged, surely they may not thrust them upon other miseries and distempers. But what must be done in such a case? I answer: By patience and long suffering, and entreaty of common friends, and like means, the Children must seek to win their Parents to reason; which if they cannot do, they must refer themselves to the Governors, Magistrates, or Ministers: and if these will not, or by the Laws cannot provide for their help, they must even follow the advice of virtuous and wise Friends and Neighbours. But suppose that in such case the Parent's frowardness be such that they will not yield to reason, and that they will rather drive their Children to an inconvenient match, or yield their good liking to none, what must the child do then? I answer: If God vouchsafe that gift he must forbear Marriage, esteeming himself called of God to the single life: But if he cannot by all good ways so far overcome himself, but that his mind is conquered by desires of Marriage, he hath a plain rule from S. Paul: It is better to marry than to burn. Yea, but then the Parents displeasure follows, and loss of such means or portion as else he might have had. I answer: Every good Christian must resolve to take up his cross and follow Christ; therefore I require you sons that have not trodden in Jacob's steps for this matter, to be humbled for it with true and hearty repentance. Sin will hazard a good man to some severity of punishment (I mean that of known sins, such as a man doth, or would be careful might understand to be sins) until particular repentance come betwixt, to stop or remove that same; but when a man hath and doth conveniently at fit times humble himself for a fault, it ceaseth to make him liable to temporal evils, further than they be needful to increase and make up what would be wanting in his repentance, and he that will at God's reproof turn unto him in humiliation and amendment, shall find the Lord a gracious Father, and such a one as will not proceed to smarting corrections, if loving and earnest admonitions may prevail. Again, all you children to whom God hath vouchsafed such Parents as have dealt wisely and mildly with you in this matter presenting unto you fit yokefellows, and such against whom no exception might be justly made, or have yielded you to your own choice, and that hath so guided you too, that you have pleased your Parents in your matches, and so with good will and approbation on both sides have entered into this estate, be you thankful to God that hath ordered this affair so properously for you, and take heed of ascribing this comfort to your own wit and goodness, without giving the whole honour to God, that gave the wit, and the goodness, and the success, without whose favourable providence, neither wit, nor goodness would have brought the business. If benefits be perverted to nourish our good conceits of ourselves, not to increase our thanks and praises to God, they be but unsanctified benefits, such as at last will make our state more miserable than the want of them would have done. But all you young, and yet unmarried folk, look to yourselves, pray to God to subdue your passions to reason, and both to your Parents; take notice it is your duty to give this honour to your Parents, and resolve that by God's assistance you will perform it. Harken to no enticements, let no beauty or other allurement win ground upon your hearts, but still keep yourselves free and in fit case to continue dutiful observers of the fifth Commandment. But we have another Superior with whom jacob had occasion at last to deal, viz. Laban. 2. He was respective to his Uncle Laban. First, An uncle. Secondly, A Master. Thirdly, A Father in Law. See how well jacob carried himself to Laban in all these respects. 1. As he was an Uncle, before he entered into the other relations, he lived so lovingly and painfully with him in his house for the space of a month together, that Laban's self was both willing to give him some due wages and allowance for his service, which of his own accord he offered himself to do, and also when motion was made of giving him Rachel, did willingly accept the motion, yea put the other upon him too against his will, whereby it is evident, that he behaved not himself so, as to be a cumber and burden to the family, but was helpful to it: This was very commendable in him, that he carried himself temperately, and virtuously, and profitably in his Uncle's house, where he came to sojourn for a time. O that all those, whose occasions invite them to visit their kindred and to abide some time with them, would show themselves so virtuous, and wise, and orderly in their whole behaviour, that their friends might not have occasion to account them burdens, but rather benefits unto themselves and their families, so long as they shall have cause to continue, and not so rudely, wastefully, idly, that the house is discharged as it were of some ill humour, when the time comes that they shall be gone away. 3. He craved his good will to marry his daughter. Further, Laban had two daughters, and jacob loved one entirely, yet we see that he craved the Father's good will afore he made any suit at all to the maiden. He went not to Rachel to get her good will, and to win a promise from her, but takes the fittest occasion that offered itself, to let the Father understand his mind, and to make agreement with him. Here also young men have an excellent pattern to imitate, and a sweet direction for their proceedings in marriage; First, to make sure with the Parents and Governors, and after to deal with the young persons themselves, as also Samson did, and the servant of Abraham, and as nature itself teacheth it should be done; for why should not he that hath right into any thing, be consulted withal about parting with it, afore we seek to drive away the thing itself which appertaineth to him. O those of you that have done, or are now in doing otherwise, be you blamed as men that proceed not virtuously in this course, and therefore are either through lucre of portion, or else inordinate affection (which men call love) thrust aside from a right, to a wrong path. Now at last jacob becomes a servant to his Father in Law, and agrees to perform seven years' service for one daughter, and as many for the other. For my part I cannot commend Jacob's prudence in this matter, he bound himself to a very long apprenticeship. He might have taken order to have sent messengers betwixt Isaac and Laban, that his portion might have procured this match rather than his service. But herein yet he deals well with Laban, whom he was willing to advantage so much for his daughter's sake. So far was he from being desirous to steal away Rachel, that he chose rather to sue for her: every young man must learn hence not that particular thing which jacob did, to serve for a wife, but that common rule of equity which he followed, to give a man all reasonable and good content in marrying his daughter, in affording such convenient allowance to her as is fit, neither will he be unwilling to this duty; that is, not moved more with base ends, than love of her whom he marrieth. 4. took patiently the wrong that he offered him. But jacob shows a singular gentleness and respect to him in that, when he had beguiled him, and put Leah upon him instead of Rachel, yet he did not put her away, and refuse to have her, but was rather contented to serve another seven years for Rachael, than he would make any stir. As for the matter of Polygamy and marrying two sisters, the last was not then a sin, the former was not esteemed to be one; but surely jacob received very hard measure of Laban in obtruding another upon him, than was agreed upon to be his wife; yet you see he devours the injury without any great outcry, only he tells him of the wrong in words, nothing savouring of bitterness. O that we also could learn to reprove a wrongdoer, specially a superior doing us wrong, with mild and good language, without railing, without clamorousness and disgraceful speeches. It were a sweet thing to have so much government over our passions and tongues, that they might not carry us to set out wrongs with too many and large aggravations, and with invective and contumelious speeches against him that hath done us the wrong. It is never tried to the purpose what humility, what true discretion the soul is endowed withal, until it receive the trial of injuries. He that in such case can keep himself within compass, that his words be neither many nor violent, shows that he hath some command of himself, and some feeling acknowledgement of God's provident government, and his own worthiness of far greater evils. But he that hath never done amplifying such a wrong, and is furious and bitter against the offendor, shows that he hath a great heart that can make the wrong so great, and doth not look to the hand, but to the rod, against which he gives himself to show so much distemper. Again you see, that jacob is even ready patiently to sit down by the wrong, and is content now to make himself an Apprentice for another seven years, rather than he will make a great stir, and contend with Laban. We cannot think so hardly of any times, that there were no Laws or Governors that would and should have righted this wrong, if jacob would have made his complaints: but jacob was from his Father's house, and a stranger, and friendless, and therefore thought it more wisdom to sit down and be content with somewhat hard conditions, than to make a greater quarrel and contention. O that we could get our hearts stored with a proportion of wisdom and meekness, suitable to that of jacob, even to make us able to devour wrongs with somewhat ill and harsh consequences, rather than to make a great brawl, specially if we be inferiors also, and find ourselves likely to mend ourselves little by contending, such a submissive and peaceable disposition will make us capable of a larger blessing from God than any we could get by striving and brawling; and not only so, but would give us more quietness and content in ourselves, than the either revenging or redressing of a wrong another way. Follow jacob therefore in this his carriage towards his Father in Law. And now we find jacob a servant, and that for fourteen years: he married the two daughters within a few months after his coming thither, as may be demonstrated by the ages of the children, by name of joseph the youngest, who was seventeen when he was sold into Egypt, and thirty when he stood before Pharaoh first, and lived after, seven years of plenty, and then two years of scarcity; that is, thirty nine in all, and then was jacob one hundred and thirty. So that jacob was ninty and one years of age when he begat him, and that was in the last of the fourteen years agreed upon, for by and by upon his birth, jacob would have laboured for his own house, and Laban agrees upon wages. Therefore he was seventy and seven years or thereabouts, when he came to Laban, and being of that age, it was not likely that he would live so long unmarried afore he took a wife. Again, betwixt Jacob's going to Padan, and returning, were but two years at the most, and then was joseph seven years old, for he was borne toward the end of the fourteenth year; and if jacob had not married Leah till seven years were ended, the eldest of Jacob's sons could be but seven years at most elder than he; that is, fourteen years, and joseph was thirty and nine years when jacob came to him, or thereabouts; Therefore, the eldest of Jacob's sons at that time was but forty and six, and judah was the fourth of the same mother; so he must be but forty and two, or thereabouts, and yet had he three sons marriageable before he begat Pharez, and Pharez had two sons when they went down to Egypt. Allow judah to marry at fifteen, Ere at fifteen, and let Thamar wait but two years for the third son, now judah was thirty and two: Let Pharez marry at fifteen, and have two sons in two years, that is seventeen, so have we forty and nine years: and therefore seeing greater haste could not be made, at least so many years did pass betwixt, and that will come to just seven years more than the time will amount too, if jacob married at the end of seven years; therefore he married the first year. But whensoever he married, in making himself a son in Law, he made himself an hired servant too; now how did he carry himself as a servant. 5. He was diligent and faithful in his service to Laban. First, with all diligence. Secondly, faithfulness. For he followed his master's business painfully, and constantly, and ordered himself towards them most innocently, and so made his little, much, through the blessing of God upon his labour and fidelity. Now these duties appertain to all servants, and are required of S. Paul, saying, doing Service with good will, and not with eye service, as men pleasers, but with singleness of heart, fearing God, and showing all good faithfulness, that the name of God be not evil spoken of. And seeing God would have families maintained, and a distinction of Master, and Servants in the families, it was requisite that he should oblige servants to these duties, for upon the prosperity of families depends the welfare of Towns and Countries, and so of the whole World. An house in which good servants live, prospers; but idle and untrusty servants quickly bring it to nought; God therefore that made all things for good, welfare, and prosperity, must needs, according to the rules of his own wisdom, fit the means to the end, and require servants in this manner to govern themselves to their Governors. Now you that have been servants formerly, which hath been the state and condition of the greater number amongst you; Consider what servants you have been, let not your younger days be passed over forgetfully. It is a principal part of an aged man's duty to look back upon his former times, and to find out the mistakes of his youth, that by humbling himself for them, he may attain pardon from God. Lo this duty now, and if you can remember yourselves to have been slothful, wasteful, undutiful servants, as far unlike to jacob, as black and white are unlike each to other; then take time to present yourselves before God, and judging yourselves for such injuriousness, beg pardon and remission, and resolve against the like corruptions of your present places. And you who find that God did enable you in that estate to show yourselves diligent and trusty, give God the glory, and rejoice in his great goodness, that gave you not over to the unbridledness of your evil natures. An aged man, whose youth hath been indifferently well ordered, hath great cause to bless God's name that gave him not over to the licentiousness of that age. And all you that be servants, must pray to God that he would make you good and conscionable servants, that not alone out of love to your own reputation, and a desire to thrive in the world, that you may be painful and trusty, but out of a desire and intention to please God in your places and callings; for S. Paul would have servants to remember, that They serve the Lord Christ, and To look unto the immortal inheritance, with which he will reward them, as well as those that serve him in higher callings. Again, He discovered a great deal of patience, 6. He was patient and gentle to Laban, though he changed his wages. and gentleness towards him, for Laban was fickle and inconstant, and changed his wages many times, he saith ten times I suppose, using by a wont figure, a certain number for an uncertain. But jacob devours this wrong patiently, doth not expostulate with him, nor show himself sharp or bitter, but puts it over without words, and goes not from him through discontent, till God by an Angel bid him go to his Father's house again. So should servants show themselves gentle to their ungentle masters that are unkind and injurious to them, and do not use them so well as equity requireth, and not be clamorous and violent against them. But most servants, though they receive no hard measure, but alone are justly reproved and corrected for their faults, are so impatient that they cannot bear it, but make false and harsh complaints, and are so embittered and discontented, that they strait resolve to run away, and cannot bring themselves to stoop: these are of a contrary spirit to jacob. 7. In the conclusion, when he parted from him, he showed moderation of his Passions. Now lastly, in the close of all, when jacob went from his Father in Law, he showed himself a man, that though he were sensible of injuries, could yet moderate his passions, and keep anger within due limits; for he chid with him indeed, and was angry against him, which any man may lawfully do against him that seeks to do him hurt; but he doth not rail at him, nor give him foul language, only he telleth him before their common friends, of his former and evil usage; acknowledging God's goodness in preserving him from his rage. O that we could learn of him to be so far masters of ourselves, that when just occasion of anger doth offer itself, we might then command ourselves to forbear bitter and reviling speeches, and not be so transported beyond ourselves, as to rail, swear, curse, threaten, and it may be worse than all this. Most men, when anger begins to boil, forget almost that they be men, altogether that they be Christian men, and are so madded, that they care not what vile language proceeds out of their mouths, and what sharpness of a razor they discover in their tongues; verifying that of S. james, That the tongue is set on fire of hell, and itself sets on fire the whole course of nature; and that though our Saviour have somanifestly adjudged to hell, him that doth rail at his brother with the name of Foole. See your folly and pride in this venting of distempered anger, and bewail it, and now learn of God's faithful servant jacob (so honourable a Patriarch, that by him the whole Church is called jacob and Israel) to be so angry, as not to sin by being driven forth into bitterness of carriage. He was quickly pacified with his Father in Law. But last of all, he was so quickly pacified, that when his Father did alone intimate (and not plainly make) a confession of his fault, by requesting a Covenant of peace betwixt them, quickly without any words he condescended, and makes a feast for Laban and the rest, and confirms the Covenant by an oath, as you may read it in Gen. 31.45. to the end. Here is a man of a quiet spirit indeed! His Father in Law had wronged him formerly, and presently, by pursuing him, and by charging him to have stolen his Idols, which he foolishly calleth gods, yet he had so soon forgotten all this, as at the first word to embrace an offer of reconciliation, and to enter into a Covenant with him of peaceable carriage to himself and his daughters. It is a most excellent grace to be quickly and easily pacified, and to blot out the remembrance of wrongs, and to carry himself lovingly to such a man as hath offered him hard measure, and that also many times, even as if he had received no such injury from him. This is to imitate God and our Lord jesus Christ, who doth so forgive us, and a surer proof of an humble and discreet spirit we cannot have any other. O you that find yourselves of a bitter revengeful spirit, that if you have been wrongfully entreated know not how to forget it, know not how to forbear taking all advantages of requiting like for like: See how contrary you be to this godly man, and entertain even anger and detestation against yourselves for such maliciousness, and labour now so to press upon yourselves the Commandment of God, and example both of God and good men withal, beseeching the Lord by his Spirit to work the like gentleness, long-suffering, and meekness in you, that you also may be easily pacified, and so soon able to quench the apprehension of injuries. Let us profit by good examples, and frame to the discharge of these duties, which the precept of God telleth us that we ought to do, and the practice of godly men assureth us they may be done. If a thing be required, and possible, why should we not address ourselves unto it? So much of Jacob's virtuous behaviour to his Superiors: Now consider of his demeanour to his brother Esau. He useth all submissive gesture and loving carriage to pacify his anger, as we have showed you before: 9 He useth all submissive gestures and loving carriage to pacify his Brother Esau's anger. then we commended him for his prudence and discretion to save himself; here we are to commend him for his exceeding submissive and winning carriage to his brother. jacob was not destitute of means to have hired as many soldiers as Esau brought with him, or some means he might have be thought himself of whereby to resist him; but he chooseth rather to stoop and pacify him by the fairest ways he could. God commandeth his people to offer terms of peace before they besieged a City. Surely, submissive and melting carriage is the best way to pacify wrath, and we must seek to that course first, not alone, when we be over marched with an enemy, but even then when we have power in our hands to save ourselves by force, as we see in jephta towards the King of Ammon. But so sturdy of nature be some, yea many, that they would rather expose themselves to the rage of an Esau, than have so bowed, they count it a baseness of mind to stoop and fall down before another, having such a blind eye that they cannot distinguish betwixt humility and abjectnes. He that yields submissive and pacifying words and gestures, is humble: he that stoops so low as to please another, he is abased. And so much for Jacob's virtues to Esau. Now towards his own Family: First, in general considered, He is careful to provide for it. Secondly, to pray for it. Thirdly, to purge it from sin. 10 He is careful to provide for his own Family. First, to provide for it, for you shall see him returning this answer to his Father in Law after the end of his two apprenticeships, When shall I provide for mine own house, Gen. 30.30. When shall I do or work also for mine own house. jacob had a rich Father in Law, Laban, and and a rich Father, Isaac, and yet will not he cast himself upon them to provide for his wife and children, but himself will work for that end: This is a thing required of all men by the light of nature, as well as by the Laws of God, to make provision of things needful for their families. All those beasts and birds which live by couples, and are not sold over to promiscuous generation, do provide holes and nests for their young, and join to maintain them when they be young: See you not the poor Rooks now in the height of the trees preaching to you this duty with so loud croakings? that you can scarce pass by a Grove, but that inarticulate language will admonish you; how quiet be they all the Winter, and other seasons? But when the Spring comes, and that now nature prompts them to procreate youngs they are so diligent to build nests, and to hatch the young, and to feed them till they can shift for themselves, that no hour sees them idle, or ceasing from that duty; you may see the same in the poor Starlings: Seeing they be here, I will commend them to you for masters of this duty, early and late they be close at this work (taking indeed a little time morning and evening to sit and chirp out their merry tune, as if they would teach you to take time for the praising of God, however urgent your business may seem to be) but else all day long, flying too and fro with food to put into the mouths of their gaping young. Can you see these things and not be instructed to good husbandry? S. Paul calls him worse than an Infidel, that doth not labour for his family, to provide it necessaries. He might have gone a little further, and called him worse than the feathered fowl, and the bruit beasts; for even Foxes, Wolves, Bears, and Lions have this care ingraffed in them by nature. Now therefore, you unnatural, slothful, wasteful Fathers and Mothers that are so wickedly given over to idleness, and drunkenness, or gaming, or other looseness, that you either will not work at all, or else will not work for your Families, but your lusts to spend it on them. I pray you at length be ashamed of such worse than brutish distemper of mind, and more than beastlike misdemeanour; what account can you give to God when he shall call you to an account? Where was your natural affection to your own bodies and bowels? where was your dutiful obedience to the Law of God and Nature, and the Laws of well ordered Common wealths? where were your wits and your consciences? and where be they that you live more sinfully and scandalously than the ignorant. Go home I beseech you with shame and sorrow in your hearts and countenances, be not hardened against this reproof, after so many former reproofs; but fall down before God, condemning yourselves to the pit of Hell for such your unthriftiness, and confessing your own extreme slavery to sin, and unfitness to mend that or any other fault, beseech the living God to reform you by his Spirit, and to pardon you by the blood of his Son, and even believe his promise that he will grant your prayers, and heal your Souls, and forgive your sins for his Son's sake; and so in Faith to his promises, and Obedience to his Commandments, set about the reformation of this and other faults; and cease not praying, repenting, striving, and you shall prevail: unthriftiness will prove a disease of exceeding difficult care, but not uncurable: and you whom God hath pleased to make good and provident, and thrifty husbands, bless him for it indeed; and withal pray him to order you so in labouring for your families, that it may show itself to be a good Flower, growing up as a Fruit of God's Spirit; not as a Weed springing up from a corrupt, though restrained Nature, by going into excess, making you so eager in providing for your houses, as that you become niggardly unjust, or otherwise excessive. For the worldly minded man, though he live in better reputation on Earth, hath no better reputation in Heaven than the waste-good: nor shall have less torment in Hell, seeing the worldly minded are enemies to God, as well as the sensual minded. So jacob provided for his family. Now he prays for them, 11. He prays for his family. as you see he did when Isaac came against him; Save me, for I fear lest he come and strike the Mother with the Children. Parents must bless their children; and in this sense also the whole families, and cry to God for prosperity and peace. If the Apostles be bidden to pronounce peace, surely than we must pray for it. If S. Paul prayed for the household of Onesiphorus, were it not a wonder that Onesiphorus should not pray for his own household? You Governors, show yourselves religious as well as thrifty: call upon God for the people committed to your charge: If publque supplications must be made for all men, surely then even man must privately pray for them that are his own. Be not profane, content not yourselves alone to labour and toil for your families; but visit the Throne of Grace in their behalf, and call earnestly upon God to save them chiefly from sin and wickedness. Further, jacob purged his family, as you have it, Gen 35.2. 12 He purged his family. to the requiring them to put away the false gods, and to be clean, and change their garments, and then having received of them all their idolatrous and superstitious trinkets, he buried them under the Oak mentioned there. O that all Parents would be careful to cleanse all vices out of their houses, as well as Idolatry, and this as well as other vices. But Parents are most times too too careless of their families and see and wink at their sins, their undecent behaviour, riot, idleness, disguised attire, and any naughtiness that doth not bring forth great discredit in the World. Purify your houses, and so see the faults, as to chase them out, and call your people to amendment, to cleanness, to changing their garments; if they be proud, vain, foolish, as well as if they be superstitious. 13. He instructed his family, & brought them to the Worship of God. Lastly, jacob instructed his people here, and called them to the worship of the true God, telling them that he would go to Bethel, and make an Altar to God that had fulfilled his vow, and met him when he fled from Esau. We should all call upon our families, and bring them to God's Worship, and labour to instruct them therein, that they may be able to perform it holily and fruitfully: Surely, had not jacob taught his people what Duty they did owe to God in these sacrifices, and how to perform them in spiritual manner, he must have endeavoured only to make them hypocritical abusers of God's service. So much for Jacob's regard to his whole family. Now see how he showed himself in particular to his Wives and Ghildrens. 14. Jacob was a very kind Husband to all his Wives. To his Wives. He was undoubtedly a very kind Husband to them all; for we read of no jars or brawls. O that Husbands would live void of contention with their Wives! O that their houses might be peaceable! It is a forerunner of ruin, when an house is divided against itself. But specially towards Rachael it is noted how he loved her, Gen. 29.30. that is, very much more than the rest. Indeed he had cause, she was his true Wife for whom he first agreed, Leah was forced upon him, he might lawfully have refused her; yea, and had not the custom of the times tolerated polygamy, he must have refused her and taken Rachael, for whom he made his agreement, and so in a sort contracted himself too. Now the light that hath showed itself amongst us, causeth that polygamy is banished; therefore every one amongst us is bound to love his Wife as jacob did Rachael, which is also the special commandment. Woe unto those Husbands therefore that what show of love soever they make unto their Wives at first; yet within a while are so sour and churlish unto them, that they show an extinguishment of love to have befallen them. So far as any man faileth of loving his Wife, he must also fail of loving God: It is possible to love the Wife and not God, but to love God and not the wife is impossible. Therefore now you husbands strive to love your wives: and you Wives carry yourselves so respectively and humbly, as to win love at your husband's hands. Nothing but this can make you live happily together; all riches, honours, pleasures, be no farther sound comfortable, than the husband and wife are loving each to other. Now God can give love to them that ask, as well as wisdom, jacob was duly angry with his wife. Gen. 30.1, 2. and let him that would love his wife, pray for it, and withal withdraw his heart from strange women. But again, jacob could be duly angry with his wife, and reprove her for her fault, for when she in a great rage calls to him for children, and would die if she had none. He is angry at her, but with such moderation, that he gives her a due reproof, but no distempered language, saying, Am I in God's stead, that hath withholden from thee the fruit of the womb. As jacob tempered his anger towards his Father in Law; so towards his wife, he is indeed moved with some passion, but it doth not carry him to any violence, or to inordinate sharpness. Here husbands must learn to follow this virtuous man, if there be just cause of being angry at the wife in regard of some great overshooting herself towards themselves or others, they may be angry, but their anger must be so kept down by love, that they may not be bitter, which the Apostle doth precisely forbid to husbands; they must blame the fault, but not admix words, to show alienation of heart for the faults sake. Two things husbands must look to in respect of this anger towards their wives: Husband's must look to two things in respect of their anger to their wives. First, that it arise not but from some plain and evident fault, such as you see here in the Text; she began to fall out with him for want of children, as if it had been his fault that she conceived not as her sister did. Secondly, that it produce not tartness and reproachful speeches, and a constant sourness, but alone a due and fit reproof, as here also. Happy men that can so guide anger, and their tongues in anger. So hath jacob done the office of a good householder in general, and of a good husband. See now what a kind Father he was, and what good he performed towards his children. 1. To all of them; then to some. Gen. 46.34. & Chap. 47.3 He did two things to them all; First, he brought them up in a calling, to be Graziers, 16. He brought up his children in a calling. as we call them, to breed cattle, Sheep, Oxen, Camels, Goats, and the like, wherein himself abounded. This he might the more easily do, Parents sold bring up their children in some calling, and why. because himself living in the quality of a servant to Laban his Father in Law, and having them borne to him in the time of his service, he had fit opportunity to acquaint them with that business in which himself was so totally employed. Herein all good Parents are to imitate him, for the duty is necessary for the children's sake, and for the Commonwealth, and for the Parents own sake too. Prov. 22.6. Train up a child in the way he should go; He doth not mean it alone, Catechise him in matters of religion, and good conversation, but also in affairs of this world too, because it is a part of his way to live in the world, as well as to know the things that belong to his soul's health. We need not the authority of Scripture for that, for which nature itself is sufficient; If God command men to walk orderly, and to eat the labour of their hands, their Parents must inure their children to such a walking, and see that they observe that Commandment of God. If they must provide for them food and raiment for the present, much more the things that are needful for their well-being for ever. Now a calling (an ability to do some profitable thing by which they may maintain themselves with the public advantage) is necessary for their well-being in the whole course of their lives. But this duty is requisite (as I said) First, for the Fathers own sake, who shall find them so much more dutiful to himself, by how much they have been trained up more painfully, and been more serviceable, and under command; even beasts if they be much in hand, and have a kind of acquaintance with the master, so that he come near to them, and accustom to do something about them, and to have them do and suffer for him, are much more tame and gentle than those that are never handled, never approached unto; So it must needs be also with men, they grow rude and barbarous if they be left to themselves, but more affable and orderly when they are held in, and accustomed to walk by rule, as they be when they are trained up in a calling. Indeed some kind of creatures are so fierce, that no use of handling will quite tame them; but even those are far less fierce than if they were never meddled withal: So some children are very masterfull, and disobedient, even though they be set under government, and brought up in service and labour, but how much more violent would they have proved if such care had not a little tempered them? It concerns the Parent to have his children subject and apt to be ruled; bringing them up in a calling conduceth much this way, wherefore it is his part not to be wanting to his own welfare and theirs. Secondly, this is exceeding commodious to the Commonwealth, promoting the public good very much: for far fewer persons degenerate to scandalous courses, and such as trouble the peace of the Commonwealth of those that have been brought up to take pains in some vocation, than of those that have been loosely and idly brought up; and if any of those that were accustomed to some vocation do degenerate, they are far more easily reclaimed, seeing the Magistrate hath some foundation to work upon. The person so educated can do something if he will for his maintenance, so that here is a possibility of redressing his disorders, find him employment, and overrule his will, and he is amended; But those that have lived over loosely, and are not able to do any thing, are almost desperate the Magistrate knows not which way to turn himself to the procuring of his reformation, but by using great extremities; for how shall he be compelled to do any thing, that can do nothing? and to make him learn some faculty when he is old, how extremely difficult is that? So now nothing remaineth but an house of Correction, or Galleys, or the like, whereby to force men, which should go much against the hearts of Governors, if any other course may suffice. Wherefore it concerns Parents as they love the Commonwealth, not to deliver over into the Magistrates, such cross and crooked pieces as cannot be made fit for any use without so much hewing. And for the benefit of the child's self, it helpeth much to his comfortable living in respect of outward abundance, and not being burdensome to others, and to his civil and orderly living in virtuous manner, and to his religious living when God shall call him to true piety; for if he be skilful in some way of maintaining himself, and will apply himself to his calling, he shall find the accomplishment of God's promises, He that tilleth his ground, shall be satisfied with bread, Prov. 28.19. & 22, 23. and again, In all labour there is abundance; but being destitute of this ability, how shall he but want, unless a very great portion of goods or lands be given him? Yea, he that having lands and goods, hath not skill to employ them, grows far sooner wasteful and unthrifty, and consumeth his great estate, and then is put many times to base, many times to sinful shifts, which had he a good calling he might escape. Besides, labour in a calling subdues vice, and he that hath a calling, may be painful in it, he that hath none, cannot: Yea, if God call any person that hath been unprofitably brought up, to the knowledge of himself, such a one shall be much more to seek how to live religiously, than another that hath some employment; for in not knowing what course to take, he is made to stand distracted, and doubtful of his course, and so full of vexation and unquietness. Now all you Parents, that have neglected your children very much, and suffered them to trifle out all that golden season of youth, in which they should have fitted themselves for a profitable and comfortable life in elder days, be ashamed; you have been so foolish, as not alone to transgress the duty of Christians, but even that which the heathens have done: You have been causes of your children's misery, and the Commonwealth too, and if it proceed not from some other cause then from wisdom, your children must be but burdens and diseases to themselves, and the world. Rich Parents are sometimes guilty of this fault, for they think they shall leave them sufficient to maintain them though they do nothing, and therefore intent them not to any vocation, not considering how soon the Lord can empty a full Vessel, and make the River jordan, yea, the red Sea dry as dry ground, and then what will become of their children? Yea, as not considering that to leave children much wealth, and not some sufficiency for good employment of themselves, is to leave them furnished to do themselves hurt and others, and to bring all to nought quickly. But many of the poorer rank are guilty of this fault too, who give themselves so to unthriftiness, that they cannot bestow so much as reading and writing on them, much less some higher calling to which these should fit them. If any man's unpreventable poverty disable him, we blame him not for that to which necessity compels him, only so that he pull not that necessity on himself: but he that in a poor estate hath not some care to bring up his children to work, and if he cannot effect it himself, doth not herein seek help of the public and able persons, is not so good a Parent as nature will teach him that he should; therefore now I commend Jacob's pattern to your eyes, and pray you to cut out your lives according to his scantling: Be not wanting to your children's welfare, the common prosperity, and your own comfort. Let not others have cause to bestow upon you the reproof of Solomon. A child left to himself, Prov. 29.15. maketh his Mother ashamed; and what is he but left to himself and the devil, that is not acquainted with any profitable employment in a calling? And let me speak something to children in this behalf: If Parents take never so due care, and children will cast off the yoke, what can the Parents do? Therefore you must learn you selves to practise subjection to your Parents; as in all other things, so in this. Be careful in the callings wherein your Parents have thought fit to place you, that you may get ability in them to do good to yourselves and others. The inconveniences that else will press you hereafter shall prove more burden some unto your consciences, when you shall be upbraided with these thoughts, ah, I might have done well but for mine own wilfulness, had I answered my Parent's care and cost, it would not have been thus evil with me. 17. He blessed all his children. Gen. 49.28. But now to a second duty performed to them all: He blessed them all according to their several blessings, as is noted of him, that is, he pronounced in God's name, and by way of promise from him, what good things God would do for each of them in his posterity that was to come after him. For a man's self is blessed, when he is assured that benefits shall be granted to his children's children in future generations. We must bless our children, though not as he did. Now in this way of blessing we cannot imitate him, because we want the Spirit of prophecy to foretell future events; but there is a way of blessing which lieth upon each of us; we must pray for a blessing to our children, and to our posterity after us, and must carry ourselves so religiously, and righteously, that we may procure a blessing to them by virtue of God's promise to the seed of the righteous. A good man walketh in his integrity, Prov 20 7. and his children shall be blessed after him: and Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, Psal. 12.1. his children shall be like Olive plants. Lo how you must bless your children, fear God, walk uprightly, and then shall you convey a blessing to them. And so it is said, He is ever merciful, and dareth, Psal. 37.26. and his seed is blessed. There cannot be a better Counsellor than God's Spirit; see the way of blessing your children, and you that have cursed your children, (as many a Father hath done both with bitter curses in word, and also by walking in a way of cursedness) abhor yourselves that have walked into a way quite contrary to that wherein jacob did walk. The Lord hath appointed, that the Son which curseth the Father should die the death. Although the Parent owe not so much respect, reverence, and gratitude to the child as on the other side, yet sure he doth owe as much love (and this cursing contradicteth love, because to love is to wish well, and to curse, is to wish ill) therefore God will punish him severely also, that curseth his children: I do not mean, him that in God's name doth pronounce a curse against them, but him that in his fury doth make some ill wish against them. O how unnatural is that man, who doth worse than ever it was heard that any bruit beast hath done yet! that is, in a rage teareth his own children in pieces. If it be a proof of an unsanctified man, that His mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; then sure he is extremely unsanctified, that curseth his own children; for that mouth is full of cursing to the very brim, that will dash over against the fruit of ones own body. But you that have not yet cast off all, so much as likeness to Christianity, I pray you learn of so holy a man; Bless your children in your kind, as he did in his: live not in so wicked courses, as may curse your seed and root them out to destruction. If you desire that God should grant prosperity to your offspring, walk in the ways of his Commandments. Interest yourselves into his promises, by being upright and merciful, and following every good way. But I proceed to let you see what jacob did to some of his children in particular. First, Simeon and Levi that had committed a great murder, 18. He reproved Simeon and Levi for their murder. Gen. 34.30. he reproved them, although indeed I think with too much lenity, sayin, Ye have troubled me, etc. In which words he aggravates the fault from the mischief it was like to bring upon himself, not mentioning the sinfulness against God, perhaps because he saw their temper to be such, that they would little regard the sin, but would be somewhat moved with the danger; but on his deathbed he is justly severe, saying, Cursed be their rage, for it was fierce; and their fury, Gen. 49.7. for it was cruel: as in the former verse he had said, O my soul, come not thou into their secret; therefore also doth he disinherit them, saying, I will divide them, etc. They shall be but a poor and despised Tribe, and not inherit an entire portion. And Reuben for his incest. So likewise for Reuben, who had defiled his bed; we read of nothing he said to him before, yet on his deathbed he deprives and disinherites him for it, Gen. 49.3, 4. Thou shalt not excel; meaning, shall not have the double portion, and pre-eminence that belongeth to the firstborn, because thou wentest up to thy Father's bed. Do you not think that it did put Simeon, Levi, and Reuben, the three eldest sons unto sorrow and shame? when they heard these words from their now dying Fathers mouth; you have been incestuously lewd Reuben, therefore you shall not be mine heir; and you Simeon and Levi were furiously revengeful, therefore neither shall the blessing be yours. All Parents must learn to admonish and reprove their children for their faults, and to chastise them also, and show their dislike of their faults, though for some necessary circumstances we be not bound to follow jacob, yet for the matter of the duty we must follow him. If our children give themselves to sinful courses, we must call them to us, chide them, show our displeasure against them, diminish the testimonies of our love, which else we should show, and by that means help forward their repentance so much as may be. Especially, when a man lies on his deathbed, he should not forget then to leave some such words sticking in his children's minds, as may cause them more seriously to be humbled, that if they have not yet been duly sorrowful, they may then begin to be humbled at the consideration of a Parents dying words; if they have, yet they may make their humiliation more deep and piercing. He greatly loved joseph and Benjamin, and why. But for joseph and Benjamin, he loved them both exceedingly more than any of their brethren: Partly, because they were the sons of his best beloved wife; partly because they were his youngest children, dillings as we call them; and chiefly, because they were the best of his children, at least, joseph was, and for Benjamin he was the least evil, if he did not show any great virtue. What affection grew towards these, in those two former respects, is but a thing natural. It is natural to love the youngest, because when they be young, no expectation of more is left; and because the elder being grown up, have not so much present occasion of being still in hand, and of receiving of those kind of testimonies of love, and because the youngest being least able to help themselves, do call the Parent's heart more towards them. It is also natural to love the children of them very well, whose own selves one hath so loved. If therefore one do follow nature in these particulars, he is not to be blamed. Only this you must observe, that Jacob's love to Rachel's children made him not neglect Leahs quite, or be careless of doing for them what became him to do. Take heed you Parents that have had, or may have more wives successively, though not together, that the present wife (who if her ill carriage hinder not, must needs be best beloved, because she is present to receive love, and to requite it) I say, that the present wife make you not neglect or wrong the dead wives children; If it do, God may cross you in the children of the living. God hath expressly taken order for this case, and given this Commandment in the Law, If a man have two wives, one beloved, the other hated; that is, Deut. 21.15, 16, 17. comparatively hated, less loved, and children by them both; he shall not give the birth right from the son of the less loved, if he be first borne, to the son of the more loved, but shall acknowledge him for the heir, which is so, though his mother find less favour in his eyes. It is a great fault, and shows a man is led by passion, not by reason, when he suffers his affections to be misguided by such respects, as in true judgement should not overrule them. But to love the child the better for the mother's sake, is no way unwarrantable, so that it be not with such an excessive love as produceth injury or neglect against the rest: Only one thing common now amongst us, I must not let pass without a kind of wondering how it should come to pass that many with us hate the Mother, yet dote of the child, or hate the Father, yet be fond of the Son. Surely either the bad carriage of the Parent quencheth affection, or else to loathe the root, and love the fruit, is a thing no way conformable to right reason. But jacob is much to be commended for that be loved joseph most for his goodness; He was his best son, and he amongst all that were come to any growth, did show forth the fear of God early. That should rule the love of Parents to their children most of all, where they see most holiness and fear of God, there should they bear most affection. For as any thing is most lovely, so with due reservation of other respects, most love should be showed: as if I have five children, all being children, and one having most grace, should be most loved, because grace makes most lovely, seeing it proves a man to be loved of God, therefore must that child be loved more than any of the rest, and so in other like respects; The most gracious kinsman, the most gracious neighbour, the most gracious poor man. They therefore are even rotten in naughtiness, that love the most godly children least, yea, that hate such; and they are but weak in goodness sure, whose loves are drawn more by base attractives, than by grace. Surely, the liker we be to God in our love and hatred, the better we be, and the more unlike the worse. Therefore jacob gave the double portion of Land to Joseph's stock, which was one of the dignities attending the first borne; and the pre-eminence of government he gave to judah, because he knew that Christ, the Ruler of the Church was to come of him, and so was led by due reason in both his bequests. And of Jacob's virtues to his Domestics you have heard: now how he is to strangers. 18. He courteously saluteth men of his own profession. Gen. 29.4. We have but two passages of his carriage that way, which come to my mind; First, those that he met withal at Padan Aram when he came thither; They were Shepherds, men of his own profession, and he courteously saluteth them, and carrieth himself with a kind of familiarness towards them, for he calleth them brethren, demands where they dwell, inquires of them about his Uncle's welfare, and gives them husbandly counsel about their cattle: and so should every man stand disposed to men, as they be men, though dwelling many miles distant from him, he should show himself amiable, meek, loving, ready to salute them with good words, and titles, and to speak lovingly to them, to give them good advice, and to do any other good office, as occasion may offer itself. We are commanded to Show all meekness to all men, and to Keep peace with all men, and besides brotherly love, To be charitable to all, and to account a stranger a neighbour, in loving him as ourselves. For God hath made all mankind of one blood, and knit them together in divers common bands. All be of one kind, all of one Parent, matter, form, all redeemed with one blood, wherefore all must be loved, and kindly dealt with. They therefore who are churlish, sour, crabbed to strangers, and can scarce speak to them in any courteous accent, yea, that are apt if they meet with such, to give them flouts and taunts, rather than any good words, and to offer them injury, rather than to help them with any good advice, are worthy to be called Swine, rather than Men. For even beasts themselves show some respect unto them of the same kind, more than those of another, unless it be some most fierce beasts, and when occasion of quarrel falleth out betwixt them. And let me now commend the virtue of humanity unto you, that is, of being ready to show love to man, as he is man, and because he is a man, one made after Gods own image, and proceeding out of the same common root. We all met in Adam's loins, and in Noah's; let us therefore do good even to strangers. This good will which is communicated to such, savours least of self-love, and of self-respect, and is therefore the more to be commended. It tends to the uniting of the common body of the world together, and to make all mankind happy. And brethren, are not all (as they are men) equally dear to God? why therefore should not all be in some measure dear to each other, I mean equally dear in respect of the common work of Creation. But jacob here showed specially love to Rachel, for he salutes her; 19 He showed special love to Rachel his kinswoman. and takes pains to water her Sheep. Surely a near kinswoman may challenge and must have a larger portion of love than a mere stranger, and he that is not somewhat moved by the title of Uncle, Cousin, and so forth, will scarce be moved by that of a man: they be therefore in some degree destitute of natural affection, who are led nothing by kindred, unless there be some riches found with a kinsman, by which he may do them some credit or advantage. Let none of you be so, but show due respect to a kinsman or kinswoman, rich or poor; for mayst not thou need their kindness hereafter, as they thine for the present? And so much for Jacob's virtues to these strangers. Now to Pharaoh he was a stranger too, but he was a King, and a King that had advanced his son joseph: 20. He thanked Pharaoh for his kindness showed to joseph. Wherefore coming and going he blessed him, that is, thanked him for his extraordinary kindness to joseph, and all his for Joseph's sake, praying God to bless him for it. So he was a thankful man, and ready to give thanks for a benefit. So must we be to all that have pleasured us, though they be far less persons, and have pleasured us in far lesser things. And thus of Jacob's virtues. Now of his faults, which are neither many nor great, His faults. but some they were, as there was never any man (except our Lord jesus Christ) in whom some sin was not found: First then, he was somewhat faulty towards God, 1. He was a little forgetful of his Vow made to God. Gen. 35.1. in that he did show himself a little forgetful of his Vow made to God in his trouble, and deferred the performance of it somewhat too long, even till the Lord did force him unto it by a sore chastisement, and that chastisement would not serve to revive his memory, till in a Vision the Lord spoke unto him, and wished him to go to Bethel, and there to rear an Altar unto him, that had appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother. It was twenty years' space betwixt the Vow, and Jacob's return, so that it may seem that jacob had well near forgotten the Vow. A good man may grow forgetful of a Vow in twenty years, and indeed omissions through forgetfulness and commissions through inconsiderateness, are not unwonted in good men. I pray you look that none of you offend through the same example of forgetfulness; indeed there are greater faults, but a good man must show his uprightness by forsaking all faults, great as well as small, and small as well as great. Now let me put you in mind of your former forgetfulness: Is there none of you that hath formerly bound himself to God by a Vow, and hath either deferred wittingly, or put off through forgetfulness the accomplishment of it? If so, let him now be induced to remember himself, and to make all convenient haste to make good his Vow, for fear the Lord send some heavy cross upon him, and waken his conscience by terrors. jacob should have considered his promise to God so soon as the Lord had brought him safely home to his Father's house, but it seemeth he deferred it, for that was the time prescribed in his Vow. I pray you do as jacob should have done, not as he did, in a thing wherein it is evident that he did amiss, and call to mind often the words of Solomon, Eccles. 5.3. When thou vowest a Vow unto the Lord, defer not to pay it, for he hath no pleasure in fools; pay what thou owest: and before him Moses in the Law saith, Deut. 23.22. Be not slack to perform thy Vows. If you have tied your souls in an oath to God, defer not from day today, be not forgetful. It is a great carelessness to forget a great bond, and to let the payment be put off from time to time; yet if any man have committed such a sin, he must not be discouraged: the sin is not to be unduly extenuated, nor yet aggravated above measure. It is such a fault as calleth for unfeigned repentance, and that done, shall be pardoned; yea, the most wilful breach of a Vow is pardonable to the penitent. But other faults he is to be blamed for in respect of his Parents: Gen. 27. tot. 2. He abused his old Father with lies and dissembling. Gen. 27.12. First, he abused his old Father with lies and dissembling; the lie itself and dissimulation we meddle not with in itself, but that he bore so little respect unto aged Isaac, as to go about to mock him with tricks and tales. Indeed before his doing of it his conscience told him, that this was a sin, and yet he was induced by his Mother to do it. So he sinned in this against his conscience. Have any of you done the like offence, but in a worse manner, and to a worse end towards your Fathers, to hide your faults, or to wrest money from them to serve the turn of your inordinate lusts, flapped them in the mouth, as our proverb is, with leasings, and abased the weakness of their senses, memory or discretion, with cheating tricks. This is a villainy, God punished it severely in jacob, though he did it at his Mother's instigation, and that to keep his Father from giving away the blessing. How much more must God punish in you, that perhaps have done it oftener, and that without any such motive, and to far worse purposes? Come, as you have sinned with jacob, repent with him, for though the Scripture doth not rehearse his repentance in particular, yet because he is commended for faith, we are sure that he could not but repent for so known a sin, and so I beseech you do you all that are guilty, and you also shall be pardoned. And now do not embolden yourselves to sin any of you by the abuse of his example, for you see into how great misery this fault cast him; but rather learn by him to shun that which cost him so dear. jacob had not a former example to terrify him, as you have his; jacob had not the Scripture (as you have) to terrify him: Let our hearts resolve to hate a sin, and strive against it the more, because in others we may see our aptness to it. And let us beware that we pass not overhasty censures upon them that have so offended, yea, though they have herein neglected the checks of their own consciences: We must not judge any man as an hypocrite, for any fault that is common to him, with jacob. Further, jacob offended in regard of his mother, Gen. 27. tot. 3. He obeyed his mother against God's Commandment. with an excess of obedience, for he was ruled by her against God's Commandment; she bade him dissemble and lie, and by her fair words and persuasions he was drawn to commit that great sin of lying. It is an easy matter for Inferiors to obey their Governors carnally, not in the Lord, not with reservation of their duty to God, but a little too unlimitedly, which is a fault that must needs be very offensive to God. But take heed of this sin I beseech you, it is a preferring of man before God, and an act that doth exceeding highly dishonour God; now strive to work in your hearts such an high esteem of God, that you may be resolute not to sin against him for the sake of any man, though never so much your Superior, though never so much beloved. But if you have done otherwise, be not disheartened, but return unto God with confessions and humble petitions, renewing your former purposes, and you shall be pardoned. For the Lord is at this time as abundant in mercy to all that call upon him, as formerly he was: Neither let any man suffer himself to entertain too hard a conceit against another whom he shall see to have been either over-entreated, or by threaten over-borne, to do some evil thing at a Superiors motion; but consider thine own weakness, and remember, that even jacob did so too, and that when he was now past a child, for he was at least sixty years when he did this, so that no part of the blame can fall on the weakness of youth or childhood. But in respect of his children some faults he was guilty of. First, he did excessively love joseph, Gen. 37.3. 4. He loved joseph excessively. and indiscreetly manifest his love unto him, so that his brethren discerning it, were enviously disposed to him, and procured him much misery. This is a weakness of Parents, not alone to overlove some child above the rest, but also to show it too apparently, to the breeding of envy in the hearts of the rest, and sometimes pride and self-conceit in him that finds himself overloved, and so doth mischief both ways. Be instructed you Parents to moderate your affections to your children, and to each child, and to moderate the demonstrations of your affections; let them not be too vehement, too frequent, too fondling. I know it is in vain to give this diriction to Parents, for they will not see out of the blindness that love worketh, what is too vehement love, and what be too vehement expressions of it, and rules to discern it can hardly be given. For those of not sparing them in any sin, and the like, do discover rather the unsanctity of love in other respects, than the excess. It is alone a fleshly, not a spiritual love, when it will suffer them to sin, but it may be excessive, though it be not extremely carnal. Pray to God to discover it to you, and to reform it in you; It is better to love too much than too little, But it is better to show love too little, than to show it too much, especially if it be with partiality. And Benjamin also. Gen. 42.38. Again, jacob was somewhat tied towards Benjamin, and would not suffer him to go out of his sight, for fear lest evil should betid him by the way, and rather endured to be almost starved, than to hazard him in a journey. This was a little too immoderate love, and fear too; but he had lost one son in a journey, and he is to be somewhat more pitied in this fear, because of that former loss; yet at last he suffered himself to be over-persuaded by judah. Indeed at first he was over-peremptory, My son shall not go down: Take heed of these faults, To his family. 1. In general. Gen. 35. 1. How came false gods into your family. Gen. 43.6. and 42.36. take heed of being so fond and over-fearefull of your children, so that you cannot suffer them to take necessary journeys lest they may miscarry: and be not over-resolute in any thing, this I will not do, that I will not do; God may have purposed that that shall be done which thou resolvest shall not; be not over-setled in a purpose about things of this nature, for against sinful deeds a man must be resolute, and it is better to fail of keeping one's resolution, than not to have it, and that also strong. jacob he was so careless a Governor, that they might commit this great fault without his knowledge. Further, jacob was a little too wayward with his sons, when he blamed them for telling the Ruler of Egypt, that he had yet another son: we must beware of growing pettish, because we be crossed in any thing so as to accuse the faultless, but in such case rather look up to God's hand, and condemn not those that are guiltless, saying, it was long of you, and why did you so? when the thing followed alone accidentally, and as we call it, by mere chance; so that no foresight could discern or prevent what would follow. 2. He hated Leah, i. e. comparatively, yet she was the honester, and more meek, and virtuous wife. But jacob over-lamented joseph too, and so becomes an example of excessiveness of grief, which likely will attend upon excessive love. One affection put out of tune, brings another into the same distemper: O take heed of suffering this passion of over-grieving at a child's death, though sudden and violent, or any other cross to prevail over you so, that you shall even set yourselves to grieve, and refuse to take heart to yourselves, and use your own reason to comfort yourselves. The three last things concerning jacob, are his benefits, crosses, and death. 3. His benefits. Now we must speak of the great benefits which God gave to jacob, which are of two sorts. 1. Spiritual. First, Spiritual. Secondly, Temporal. The spiritual benefits are of two sorts. 1. The chief and principal. 2. Those that followed hereupon. The chief spiritual blessing was this, 1. He was a godly man. that he made him a godly man, giving him true faith, so that he did unfeignedly believe in God, and was a right godly and religious man. For it is noted of him, that he believed in God, and was an heir with Abraham of the same promises, both concerning the land of Canaan, as a Type, and heaven itself, the thing figured by the land of Canaan; So jacob was a true servant of God, and member of Christ, and inheritor of heaven, and from him the Church is many times called by the name of jacob and Israel. And this is the greatest good that can be found in this life, in comparison of which, all other benefits are of no value, and without which, other things are not sufficient to make a man happy, though he should possess them in never so great abundance; for what will it advantage a man to win the whole world, and lose his own soul. Now therefore we must learn most earnestly to seek this benefit which God is ready to give to us, as well as to him. For jacob was not godly by nature, nor by any power of his own, but by the free grace of God, and the mighty and saving work of his own blessed Spirit, which Spirit he hath promised to all that ask, even as undoubtedly as any tender hearted Father will give food unto his hungry child that shall crave it at his hands. Let no man be discouraged because of the corruption and naughtiness of his nature, for the same bad and depraved nature was found in jacob that in himself, seeing jacob also was a son of Adam, by corrupt nature a child of wrath, and heir of death as well as any other; but God did circumcise his heart as well as his flesh, and made him partaker of the divine nature, by which he prevailed against the corruptions that are in the world through lust. Wherefore let each of us take notice of his own wickedness, and inability to make himself good, and of his manifold sins, and inability to procure pardon of them to himself; and let him earnestly call upon God to work true repentance, and unfeigned faith in him, and the Lord will graciously work these things in him, as well as in jacob, and will pardon his sins, and sanctify his soul, and make him an inheritor of his heavenly Kingdom. I beseech you therefore, bury not yourselves in the world, and in the study of earthly things, but Seek first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and labour to come into the state of grace by meditating on the Gospel, seeing your misery in yourselves, and endeavouring to turn unto the Lord. For in the Church no man is left destitute of grace, but through his own default in neglecting the great salvation that is there offered unto him. Again, those to whom the Lord hath pleased to show the same goodness, working in them true faith, enabling them to believe in his mercy through Christ, and to walk in his ways with truth and uprightness of heart, must learn to show themselves exceeding thankful to God for this mercy, and strive to take comfort in it, and to walk worthy of it. Bless God with constant and daily blessings, that hath blessed thee with, spiritual blessings in Christ, and rejoice in the riches of that inheritance to which thou are interessed and shalt possess, whatsoever wants, afflictions, crosses thou mayst be exercised withal; yet be glad in the Lord, and count thyself an happy man, because the Lord hath granted thee that which may abundantly satisfy thy soul in the want of all outward things, and support thee in all afflictions and miseries, and countervail, and more than overweigh all manner of calamities. Let not the rich man rejoice in his riches, nor the wise man in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor any man in any terrene thing he hath, but Let him that rejoiceth, rejoice in this, that he knoweth me saith the Lord. It is our duty to raise up our hearts so, that no earthly adversity may cool or damp our prayers, and dismay our hearts, and fill us with anguish and grief, and that no outward benefits may glut and sat our hearts, and turn us away from taking comfort in this true and everlasting mercy. God hath made us his own, given us faith, sanctified us by his Spirit, united us to his Son, and caused us to see, believe, and embrace his promises. What though we want wealth, honour, pleasure, and these sensual benefits? He hath given us Wheat. What though he feed us not with husks? He hath given us Gold. What though he lad us not with dirt? He hath given us himself, and his Son. What though he give us not the vanities of this life? It is a sin for a godly man to be out of heart and comfortless, because of any other want, and any other cross. If God have granted you this chief benefit, glory in it, and think that you have gotten a good portion, though your estate in the world be never so low and poor; only be sure that your faith be true, by causing you to abound in those fruits of it which we showed you before, that it brought forth in jacob. Now I come to some less principal mercies flowing from this. 2. He had the privilege of the firstborn. First, he gave him the privilege of the firstborn, that Christ should come of him, and that the visible Church should continue in his posterity: That part of the dignity of the primogeniture, to have Christ the blessed seed come of him, cannot be bestowed upon any of us: neither that, to have a great Nation flow from our loins: that shall be also the Church of God, and a Nation, in which true religion and piety shall be continued. But to have our children godly, and become members of the Church, that we must earnestly desire and seek for, and that we may hope for and attain, if we pray earnestly for it, and make our children as good as we can, by bringing them up in the true knowledge and worshipping of God. 3. He had the blessing given him. Further, jacob had the blessing given him; First, by his Father's mistake, when he took him for his eldest son Esau, to whom he intended the blessing; then after by his Father's witting and deliberate pronouncing it upon him, by the direction of God's Spirit. The former you may see pronounced upon him in Genesis, Gen. 27.28, 29. & 29.34. where he saith; God give thee of the dew of heaven, and after. God Almighty bless thee, and give thee the blessing of Abraham. This blessing is the bestowing upon him all temporal benefits, so far as they are subordinate to his spiritual: and then spiritual benefits, viz. all sorts of graces by which he may be happily guided to the possession of life eternal. This is an excellent mercy, to be freed from the curse of the Law, and to be made partaker of the blessing of Abraham; even that God shall love one, take care of him, and prosper him in all things he takes in hand, and conduct him safe to heaven at the length: Seek this blessing of God; If you fear God and walk in his ways, he will bless you, if you faithfully believe in Christ, and rest upon him alone, you shall be blessed, for Christ hath freed us from the curse, and prepared the blessing for us, if we be under the works of the Law, we are under the curse, but if we be of the faith of Abraham, we shall be blessed with faithful Abraham, as S. Paul tells us. Gal 3.9, 10. Labour to believe, labour to go out of yourselves, and to stay alone upon the righteousness of Christ by faith made yours, and then you shall inherit the blessing, and then you shall inherit the blessing, and then you shall receive the promise of the Spirit through faith, than God will keep his Covenant of grace with you, pardon your sins, give you his Spirit, and make all work together for good. Through faith and patience you must inherit the promises; and the blessing which Esau was excluded from, (though he would have inherited it,) because he sought it not of God, but of Isaac his Father. And you that have right unto God's blessing, because you are faithful, take comfort in it, and be thankful for it. God's blessing is a rich thing, it is more than all honours, it is fruitful of all comforts; he that is blessed of God shall want no good thing, shall have earth and heaven, and all things that his heart can desire. If any say, but we see that such men meet with evil enough in the world? The answer is, that if we look with the eye of flesh alone, we think that we see it so, but we think falsely; for if we would look with the eye of faith, we should see it otherwise, for the blessing of God causeth crosses to work for our spiritual good, for our increase of holiness and happiness, and it is the efficacy of God's blessing, that it turneth evil things unto good for them to whom it is granted: as it is the efficacy of God's curse, that it turneth all good things to hurt in them that lie under it. You may therefore be assured you are under the blessing, whereof you may be assured, if by a firm faith you cleave unto God. 4. God did often appear to jacob, to confirm and establish his faith. Gen. 28.13, 14 But further, the Lord did often appear to jacob to confirm and establish his faith, and to comfort his soul, and fill him full of spiritual joy and peace. First, he appeared unto him when he was benighted in a desolate and solitary place, when he fled from his brother, and gave him large and comfortable promises, that he would be his God, give that land to him and his seed, multiply his seed as the dust, and in his seed bless all Nations, and would keep him, and bring him again, and never leave till he had fulfilled his good word. Do but think what a cheating this was to Jacob's heart in this exigent; that God himself took care of him, and came to him in such an excellent vision to comfort him. Secondly, God appeared to him again when he lived in Laban's house, and received very hard measure from Laban about his wages, and gave him gracious promises to sustain his drooping spirit, bidding him look on the Rams leaping on the cattle ring streaked, Gen. 31.31. and bade him return home to his Father's house, promising him that he would be with him: no doubt but though the grumbling of Laban, and the discourteous carriage of his sons, as well as himself, did make the soul of jacob sad and pensive, yet the visions of God cleared up his sad countenance, and enlivened his drooping spirit again, and made him able to take comfort, notwithstanding all those injuries. Thirdly, God appeared again unto him, after Laban was departed from him, Gen. 32.1. causing an whole host and army of Angels to attend him, making him know that he should be safe enough in his Church, how weakly soever he seemed to go provided: for these two hosts of immortal spirits would serve him against any rage of man. And again, God himself appeared to him a little before his brother Esau met him, Gen. 32.24. after he was informed of his coming, and though he wrestled with him, to try his faith, yet at last he blessed him, and called him Israel, and told him, that He had power with God as a Prince, and with man too, and should prevail: How did this chase away all his fears, and fill his soul with confidence and joy? A fifth time God appeared unto him, and blessed him, and renewed the name of Israel to him, Gen. 35.9. and promised to multiply him, and give the land of Canaan to his seed after him. This also was a great consolation to him, and confirmed him against the fears he conceived, lest the men of the Country might be insenced against him for the wickedness of his sons. Yet a sixth time God appeared unto him when he was about to go down to Egypt at his son Joseph's sending for him, Gen. 46.1. and told him he was his God, bid him not fear, told him he would make him a great Nation, etc. as you may there read, which was a most joyful and comfortable thing unto the old man's soul. Here now is a great favour, which God afforded to this good man, he appeared to him oftener than ever he had done to any of his Forefathers, that ever we read of. If any say, what is that to us, to whom God useth not now to appear in dreams and visions, and like kinds of apparitions? I answer. It is much to us, and we must consider whether God vouchsafe to appear to us also. For now he appeareth more spiritually, but not less comfortably to his servants; when we come to his Word and find him there, in his Ordinances, confirming our faith, strengthening our souls; now he appeareth to us. So when we come to his Sacrament, and by it feel an increase of faith, and in ward joys, now we see God. So in meditations, and soliloquies. O labour to carry yourselves so, that you may see God in his Sanctuary, as David saith in the Psalm, and that your hearts may be filled with spiritual joy. These spiritual visions are the comfortablest things in the world, when we labour to walk humbly with God, then will he come to us, and show himself to us, as our Lord promiseth, and sup with us, even make us to feel his favour in sensible manner. And if God do appear to us so, you are to esteem highly of his favour, and to study to requite his mercy by a more careful endeavour to walk holily before, and with him. Lastly, a great spiritual blessing it was, 5. God heard his prayers. that God heard his prayers, when he prayed to him in his several necessities, and that he was able to prevail with God, as you have heard before that he did. That a poor mean worm should have access unto the Throne of grace with confidence, and should no sooner ask any thing of God, but that the Lord opens his ear and grants it; what a singular privilege is it, and this is a mercy promised to all Saints. For so saith our Saviour, If my mords abide in you, and you abide in me, john 15.17. ask what you will and you shall have it. And again, S. john telleth us, 1 john 5.14. This is our confidence, that whatsoever we ask according to his will, he heareth us: Therefore let us keep our interest into this mercy, by not having respect to sin in our hearts, and by constant endeavour to walk holily before the Lord. And if we have found, and do find God favourable to us in this kind, so that we lose not our prayers which we make unto him, let us then comfort ourselves in this benefit, and be careful to yield as obedient an ear to his word, as he doth yield a patient ear to our supplications. And now of Jacob's temporal benefits. First, he was blessed with a large estate in the world, 2. His temporal benefits. 1. He had a large estate. according to his profession, being a Shepherd, his flocks did thrive, he had cattle and servants in abundance. God blessed him in Laban's house, and made all the stronger cattle to bring forth just such kind of young as Laban had consented to give him for his wages, so that he could not but see a Divine hand, taking Laban's goods, Gen. 31.9. and giving them to him, as himself noteth. Riches are do great matter, but when God giveth them as tokens of his love and tender respect, they are desirable. Let those that enjoy them, be sure that they come to them from God as fruits of his goodness, or else the worst men may be wealthier than the best. And let those that are upright with jacob, learn to trust God with their estate, and to know that what shall be good for them, shall be seasonably provided for them. 2. God delivered him out of all adversity. Gen. 48.16. Vouchsafed him three great deliverances. 1. From Esau. Secondly, God delivered him out of all adversity, as himself saith on his deathbed; The Angel that redeemed me from all evil. His three greatest dangers were first from Esau, both when he went unto Padan Aram, and when he returned; at the former time God brought him safe to Padan, and so restrained the mind of Esau, that then he put off the thought of killing him, to his Father's death; and at the later time God so melted him, that he showed himself exceeding kind, and fell upon his neck and kissed him, instead of killing him, which he had intended; and therefore he tells Esau, that he had seen his face as the face of GOD. 2. Laban. Gen. 33.10. Laban pursued him too with a purpose to strip him of all, and to send him empty home, and he had power in his hand to do it, as himself saith; Gen. 31.42. but God appeared to him, and rebuked him, that he durst not handle him amiss. 3. The Inhabitants of the Country. Gen. 35.5. The Inhabitants of the Country were much insenced against him in respect of that outrageous murder and rapine committed upon the Sichemites, and by his Sons; in so much that jacob feared much that they would pursue him, and cut him off: but God cast a fear into their hearts, so that they did not offer any violence unto him, as is noted by the Story. These three great deliverances God vouchsafed jacob. O let us learn to turn to God, and to walk before him in truth, and then we shall have God ready to help us in all our necessities, and at that time, and in those exigents to provide for us means of escape by his providence, when our own wit and strength faileth; as we find him dealing with jacob: What could he do against Esau, Laban, or the Inhabitants of the Country? Let us cleave to God, that he may be out Buckler also, and our strong Tower, and Rock of defence; and if we have found so much favour with God, as to rescue us out of such dangers as seemed unpreventable, let not us attribute the deliverances to any other secondary causes, but even see God in them, ascribe them to him, and learn thence to fear, honour, and praise him. Those deliverances are indeed profitable, that are cords of kindness to tie us nearer to God. He that improveth not such benefits to that end, loseth the most desirable fruit of them. 3. jacob had a large offspring. Further, jacob had a large offspring of children, twelve sons and one daughter, this is a favour to give a man store of children; of these sons all had wealth enough, joseph was very religious in his youth, and Benjamin civil and orderly at least, and at the end all of them turned home and became godly men. O happiness, to have so many children, some good betime, all holy at last! all prosperous in outward things, and one much advanced. Another mercy of God, 4. joseph maintained him and his in the famine. was the providing of joseph as a man before to maintain him and his family in Egypt, and bringing him to see joseph, and enjoy his preferment for seventeen years together, where he lived in as great a fullness of prosperity, and concluded his days as happily as ever man did, living in Joseph's bosom as it were, seeing all his children godly and prosperous, and feeling no considerable adversity, having Joseph's oath also to bury him in Canaan. This is a singular favour of God, to make one's old age prosperous, and to cause his eyes to see so much happiness as he can wish, when now he is ready to leave the world. Mark the righteous man in the Psalm, it is said, The end of that man is peace. Study righteousness, that you may inherit this blessing, and never threaten yourselves how miserable you shall be hereafter: God can provide ways that you know not, to make you safe and comfortable beyond your thoughts. O be faithful with him, and trust in him, and fear nothing. So much for Jacob's life. Now for his death. It was a most seasonable death, after a large time of life, His death was seasonable, peaceable, religious, and comfortable. a most peaceable death in the midst of his Sons, a most religious death, blessing them, and confirming their faith with his last words; a most comfortable death, so soon as he had ended his blessing, he pulled up his legs and gave up the Ghost; and then he had also an honourable embalming and burial, as at large is set down in the Story. Who would not wish such a death? And yet more, after death he hath an honourable name on earth, After death he had an honourable name. and liveth in eternal glory in heaven. Now let us imitate Jacob's virtues, and labour to be upright, and then notwithstanding many sins, we shall have at last eternal happiness, and so much happiness in this world also as is needful for us. Now we will show you what calamities he suffered, 4. His crosses. for the people of God must look to suffer much tribulation in this world, as it is foretold them, both because their own need requireth it, to make, and keep them good, and cause them to grow in goodness; as also because the Lord sees it fit thus to magnify his power, justice, wisdom, and goodness, in sustaining and delivering them. His chastisements than were these. First, that his Father did not love him so well as his brother, 1. His Father loved him not so well as his brother. but did manifestly prefer hunting Esau before him in his affections, and afforded him no great signs of love; but this was somewhat mitigaed, because God inclined his mother's heart to him, who at least in this matter was better than her husband. Gen. 27.25, 26. Now if it be the lot of any child to be neglected of his Parents, and to have irreligious brethren preferred before him, let him bear it patiently, it was Jacob's lot, and let him not be discouraged from good ways, for at last God may change his Parents hearts unto him. It could not but grieve jacob, that his Father should so disaffect him, as to give away the blessing from him. But let children to whom it befalleth, bear the cross quietly, for it is easy with God to make all end well. 2. His brother Esau hated him, and resolved to kill him. Another cross that befell him in his Father's house, was this, his brother Esau was bitter against him, and resolved to kill him. A miserable calamity to be hated of his own brother, and to have his own brother, yea a twin, borne at the same time, to hate him so sharply, as to intend his death. You must look for such a cross, and bear it if it come, and bless God if he have pleased to keep you from suffering it; so that your brothers and kindred agree well with you, and rather show you kindness. 3. He fled in to Padan Aram. Gen. 28. fin. A third cross, was his flight into Padan Aram, and being benighted in the way, in a solitary and desert place all alone, which yet was mitigated by the goodness of God appearing to him in a dream. To be driven out of one Country, and forced to hard and solitary travel, and to meet with such kind of accidents, as benighting, and the like, be calamities; we must even prepare for them, that we may bear them without discouragement, as seeing God in them, and considering that he is with us, when we want other company. 4. Laban his Father in Law deceived him in his wife. Gen. 29. Now in Laban's house he met with great crosses. 1. His Father deceived him in his wife, substituting Leah in Rachel's stead, than which, how could a man more beguile another, for by that means he was compelled to add seven years' service more. 2. In his wages Again, he sought to deceive him in his wages, and changed it many times, being angry that God gave him so large and plentiful a recompense; then he grumbled at him, and looked discurteously upon him, as also did his sons. 3. Pursued him with an intention to take all from him. And last of all he pursued him with an intention to take all from him, and there falsely accuseth him of stealing his gods. See here from his Father in Law, and Uncle, most unjust and discourteous usage: you that have found at least with your nearest friends just and kind dealing, acknowledge God's goodness in it. The contrary would taste very sour, let this drive you to most hearty and humble thanksgiving. It should be confessed a very great mercy to escape very great crosses; and if you pehaps meet with the same crosses, be quiet, for did not jacob bear them, and why not you? We must not think, never man was so used as I am, and by that counterfeit aggravation flatter ourselves in our impatiency, and make ourselves believe we have cause to be disturbed; but rather inform ourselves of that which fell to other of God's Saints, and so bring our passions to a reasonable calmness. But in his journey he was like to fall into a great danger, 5. Esau came against him with an army intending to kill him. Gen. 35.22. and Chap. 34. for his brother Esau came against him with four hundred soldiers, intending to kill him, and that affrighted him exceeding much; but you see what end God made. Learn to stand always ready for death, and yet always confident in God, though you see not how to escape the same; but now see his crosses in his children. First, Reuben deflowered his Concubine; 6. He was crossed in his children. Dinah his daughter was deflowered; His sons used fraud and deceit to cozen the Sichemites, and then most barbarous cruelty in killing all the men, and spoiling the women, children, and goods, and when he reproved them for it, they made him a surly answer. Gen. 35.16. Shall they abuse our sister as a Whore? Then Rachel died in childbed, or travel; then joseph was sold into Egypt, but as he thought, slain, even joseph his most beloved and towardly son. After judah went from him, and his two sons were naught, and himself defiled his daughter in Law, and had two sons by her. A great grief and disgrace to jacob; 7. He lived in a grievous famine for two years. Then Simeon was detained in Egypt, and Benjamin must needs travel down, to the great fear and doubt of the old man: and this was the last of his crosses; save that he lived in a grievous famine for two years, till he came down to Egypt. So have I briefly run over Jacob's miseries, but they lay hard and heavy upon him. Of all which you must make these uses. First, be thankful for escaping the like, prepare for them hereafter, bear those that do come, patiently. And take heed of provoking God, for he is not a fond Father, but Will scourge every son whom he receiveth. For the first, you have heard how many miseries this godly man was exercised withal: Let me propound one question unto you. Think you that yourselves have more wit than he had, or more goodness, or more of both? I presume I may make answer for you, that you will not be so over conceited of yourselves, as to affirm either of these things. Now if you be neither wiser, nor godlier than he; how cometh it that you have so long lived in the world, and yet have not met with divers of those crosses that followed him? No, nor any in all your lives so pinching or grievous. Sure if it be not to be attributed to your understanding, and piety (as it is not, if you do indeed acknowledge yourselves to be not superior, or rather not equal unto jacob therein, who yet did meet with them) then must you ascribe the same to the wisdom and goodness of God, that hath disposed of things so by his wakeful providence, as that such miseries have not waylaid you, and seized upon you. Therefore you must learn to be humbly thankful to him, and praise his holy name, acknowledge his bountifulness, graciousness, and tenderness, that hath spared you from such smarting strokes, as these that fetched blood and tears as it were from good jacob, so holy a man. If we be preserved from crosses that other men feel, we begin to lift up ourselves, to commend and prefer ourselves above them that are heavier laden, and to flatter ourselves, as if we were more loved of God than they; then our ease is our bane, and it shows that we have not grace to make a good use of ease; but if we confess that we have deserved as much and more, and had as little ability to shun them, only God tendering our weakness, hath used us with more clemency, and so make this clemency an argument of praising him, and of being more careful to please him, who would not strike us, though he had both provocation from us, and ability in himself, this is an holy use of the absence of the cross. Say then, wast thou ever driven out of thine own habitation, to serve in a strange place, and an hard master that wronged thee, and used thee discurteously? Wast thou ever in danger to have all thy goods taken from thee by an enraged man, stronger than thyself, and pursuing thee with a revengeful mind? nor wast thou never in peril of thy life by a revengeful person armed with four hundred soldiers? nor wast thou never tormented with seeing thy son's murderers, couzeners, and robbers? nor hast thou never lost a dear child, and thought him slain by a violent death? nor did never no son of thine commit incest with his mother in law? if not, see how favourable God hath been to thee above jacob, and praise, love, an honour him, and make his gentleness an argument of turning and obeying; for if thou compare thy sins with Jacob's, there need be no doubt, but that thine have been as great as his, and thy repentance as little. But it is our good, not our sins that God looks to in correcting, as a Father corrects not a little child for as great a fault, so much as he doth a stronger. Again, learn to bear the crosses thou hast, with more patience and quietness of mind, by comparing them with Jacob's crosses, which have been more in number, and more weighty, and grievous. Why doth any of you my Brethren take the matter so heavily, that some child of his is somewhat stubborn and ill disposed? When none of them have committed murder, incest, rapine, and such sins as Jacob's sons did commit. Why do you make such a stir at wrongs? When none of you were ever so pursued by any foe, as jacob was by his brother and Father in Law; Why do you take on so for the ordinary and natural death of a child? seeing none of you hath had such a child torn by wild beasts, or some other like violence, as jacob conceived joseph to have miscarried. Why do you complain of famine, and of want? When none of you hath suffered such a famine as compelled him to send so far as jacob sent to Egypt for Corn, which is thought to be not much less than two hundred miles: We complain of ease. If our so much lamented afflictions were laid in the balance with Jacob's, we should find them very light and trifling businesses in comparison. Want of looking about, and observing the burdens that are fastened unto other men's shoulders, causeth us to aggravate our own so much in our own conceits, as that by making them seem extraordinarily heavy, we even wilfully cast ourselves into excessive sorrow for them. But again, you that are, yet at ease, and have not tasted any so bitter a cup as jacob did many, must be persuaded to take some pains with your own hearts, to make yourselves think that some such crosses may befall you, and therefore to prepare for them by resolving to bear them, and praying God to sit you for them, and sanctify them to you. Man's self-loving mind is willing to flatter itself with good hopes, rather than to forewarn itself with wise warnings: O I hope I shall never see my children, my wife so naught, I shall never find such ill usage, I hope. Come hither vain man, and either give a good reason of thine hopes, or else confess them to be fruits of thine extreme folly, and doting self-love. Hath God ever promised thee, that no such thing should befall thee? I am sure thou canst show no such promise. Hast not thou deserved as much as jacob, to be severely chastened of God? I am sure thou oughtest to say yes. Doth not thy body, soul, name, children, lie abroad in as open a Sea, and as tempestuous? Here also thou oughtest to say yes, and therefore shouldest also condemn these silken soft hopes of thine, and say, Well, God may make me as afflicted as jacob, and therefore I will even expect the same, or as bad; and if they come I will bear them all, seeing God and my ill deservings in them. Yonder is a very towardly boy, I love him dear: what if I should hear he were torn of beasts? Lord if it be thy will, let it not be so; but if it be, make me to bear it with quietness: and why should I not so stoop to thy will in every thing; yea I will do it by thy grace. If thou say, I see many escape such crosses. I answer, and thou seest many afflicted with them, and why mayst not thou be amongst the number of those that suffer them, as well as of those that escape them. But lastly, take heed of making overbold with God's favour, as a wanton child, that presumes he shall not be whipped, and therefore cares not almost what wanton and evil pranks he plays. Do you not see here that the Lord of heaven knows how to whip his own children throughly and to purpose? You have not to deal with a foolishly pitiful Father, that cannot find in his heart to hear his children cry, and see them smart and bleed. No, he can strike, he can lay it on sound, he can make you roar, and cry, and bleed, he can do it; yea, and he will do it too, if he find that your conceit of his love and gentleness brings forth no better fruit in you than this, that by presuming of it, you are made more wicked. Wherefore say to thyself, if such abominable fancies arise; foolish man that I am, do I so requite the Lords kindness? Do I put his clemency to this use? Did he not cut and wound Jacob's soul? Did he not handle him roughly? even though we never read that he did entertain such presumptuous conceits. How then will he deal with me, if I do so exceedingly provoke him, by so exceedingly abusing his goodness? And so frame to condemn and blame thy wickedness in having such motions, and pray to God to work in thine heart a reverend awe of his Majesty, by making his justice and anger so terrible to thee, as to make sin abominable, that would incense that wrath and justice against thee. * ⁎ * THE TWENTIETH EXAMPLE. OF Jacob's Wives. FRom the Story of jacob, I proceed to his Wives and Children, and so to other his contemporaries. jacob had four Wives. It was not his own seeking, that his Wives grew to such a number, for he was painful and laborious, and a chaste man, that would very contentedly have satisfied himself with one woman. But he was drawn into this way of Polygamy by several occasions. Now of his Wives, the true and lawful Wife was Rachel, for her he agreed, with her he espoused himself (as it is like, for we cannot think but that after his Father had promised to give her to him upon seven years' service, he would acquaint her with it, and desire her good will, and unless he had attained it, the marriage would not have proceeded, and been as it was, solemnly celebrated) to her he bore singular affection, and her alone he looked for. Now for Rachel, you know whose daughter she was, viz. Laban's, Rachel her birth. the brother of Rebekkah; here Cousin-germen married without scruple; but no marvel, for they made no question of nearer matches. A man might marry his Father's daughter, his sister, as Abraham did Sarah. A man might marry with two sisters, as jacob did Rachel and Leah. The Lord had not yet abridged the liberty of contracting marriage, as with any more remote, so with them that were nearest in blood and alliance. Therefore their examples must be no precedent for us in this matter. But of Rachel let us consider after her Parentage, her life and death, and in her life: 1. Her faults. 2. Her virtues. 3. Her crosses. 4. Her benefits, and so to her death. 1. Her faults. First then, her faults; She was a woman of great imperfections: these are plainly noted in her. 1. She was envious toward her sister. First, she was envious towards her sister, as you see Gen. 30.1. It vexed her not alone that she had no children, but that her sister had: Envy is a sin much to be blamed, Envy is a great vice. you may see in this Example what it is; such a vexing at another's having what I have not, as doth estrange my mind, and work a degree of hatred towards the person that hath it. The first, and most remarkable example of this vice is found in Cain, it shows itself here again in Rachel. Let us consider what a loathsome vice it is, that we may the better shun it. The Word of God hath given us frequent warning of it in blaming it so often, it shows how apt we are to it, and how diligently we should oppose it, and preserve ourselves from it; Mark. 7.22. our Saviour is pleased to reckon it among the evil things that come out of the heart, and do defile the man, and giveth it the name of an evil eye, because it shows itself presently in the eye and countenance, and causeth a dejected countenance, and a vile look towards the party envied, as it is seen in Cain and Saul. It is a passion that will not be kept in, but will bewray itself in odd looks and casts of the eye. Rom. 1.29. S. Paul reckons it up among those sins wherewith the Gentiles were full, viz. of Envy, murder, etc. and you see with what companions he joins it, murder, debate, for these indeed be the fruits that follow from it, as in Saul, Cain, and the Pharisees is evident. S. Paul also reckons it amongst the number of the things which are fruits of the flesh, Gal. 5.21. and which he that doth, shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven, envyings, murders, where you see likewise how he fellows it with murders, as he had done before. In the same Epistle he forbids it, saying, Let us not be covetous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another. Saint james saith, that Where, envying and strife is, there is confusion, and all manner of evil works. It is thought to have been one of the first sins of the devil. For what could move him to seek the overthrow of our first Parents Adam and Eve; but together with an hatred of God from whom himself had fallen, an evil affection towards them that stood entire in that good estate, which himself had lost, viz. the favour of God, and true happiness? Now this vice is injurious to God, to the party envied, to the enviers self, and to the societies of mankind. First to God, to whom it will not grant the freedom of disposing his own gifts according to his own good pleasure. Envy against him that excels us, carries with it by way of implication at least, and sometimes expressly, blaming, condemning, muttering against him that hath granted to another what he hath denied unto me. They murmured against the householder in the parable, that were troubled to see those of the eleventh hour to have equal wages with them at the first. Now what an audaciousness is this in the creatures, to set rules to the Creator? and to bind him, that he shall not show himself more bountiful to another than to ones self. Are not we discontented, if one child grudge because another hath a bigger or better thing than himself? We cannot endure that our inferiors should set laws to us, and appoint us what to give to others, what to them: We must know ourselves to forget ourselves much if we will prescribe to God, and it is nothing else but a very prescribing to God, when we take occasion from his bounty to repine. For if it be well done, why are we vexed? If not, upon whom is the blame laid? Further, it is a wrong to the party envied, for it is to measure such measure to him, as we would not have measured to ourselves by another. Who doth not blame another for vexing at his prosperity, and for having a grudge against him because God hath done him good? Would we not that all should rather love us, respect us more, and rejoice with us? Therefore we do injury to our neighbour, in doing what we would not have done to ourselves: The envious wrongeth himself both because he doth vex and eat out his own heart to no purpose (for neither shall another prosper less, nor he more, because of such his inordinate distempers) as also because he makes himself lie open to most grievous sins of detracting, slandering and practising all injuries, yea, and murder at the last. He is in the high way that will lead him to many sins, yea, to the shedding of innocent blood, that entertaineth this diabolical humour of envy. And he wrongeth the whole society, because he is distempered at that which maketh for the common good, even the distribution of God's gifts differently as himself sees fit, and in that he is broody of quarrels, which all hinder the common welfare of the places where they be. Besides, this is a fruit of pride and uncharitableness, and must needs be hateful to God, who loves only the humble and charitable. Envy is a vice, unto the making of which many vices concur: Ignorance, folly, pride, uncharitableness, self-love, and the like: It is a vice which bringeth forth many other vices, contention, strife, swellings, tumults, whisper, backbitings, murders and all evil deeds. Therefore let us find it out, and chase it away: You shall easily perceive that it is a weed which grows in our corrupt nature. How soon do children begin to show it? how doth it grow stronger by continuance, increasing in strength as the body increaseth? yea, how doth it live in old men too, and vex them also that should have more understanding? as experience showeth. Indeed the elder can use more craft to hide it, but many times they have no more wisdom to subdue it than the younger. I pray you find it out each one in himself, and fight against it, as one of the most loathsome fruits of the flesh. And strive you to get such a measure of humility and charity, as may not alone preserve you from this vice, but make you rejoice with them that rejoice, and turn the prosperity of others into matter of gladness, even then when yourselves want it: Happy is he that partakes in every man's happiness. It is in a man's power to taste some of the sweet of every man's estate, and to heal his wounds by a medicine made of comfortable rejoicing in their soundness. Why should we not make ourselves merry at things, rather than sad and discontented? If we were so wise and godly as to seek and desire God's glory as our main end, than we should rejoice at all those things which conduced to that end, and so do the benefits bestowed upon our brethren, as well as those that ourselves enjoy. If we could be lovers of the common good, and desirers of the public welfare, why the benefits of others further that, and therefore should also glad us. Mankind was increased, the power of God in furnishing the world demonstrated by Leahs of spring, as well as if Rachel had conceived two, and she two; be we therefore lovers of God's glory, and lovers of the common good, and we shall not be envious. This vice sometimes seeks a reason to hide its unreasonableness, by conceiting that another's having such things hinders himself, and so it may fall out in some cases; as when two stand in competition for the same thing: but this is no wrong though it be a damage, and therefore should not produce any grudge. For seeing but one can have the thing, and he hath it; is it just to be offended with him, that hath done no more to myself, than I would have done to him? even preferred himself before me: Wherefore see that you give not place to this wicked vice, but learn so to love your neighbours as yourselves, that you may rejoice in their prosperity as in your own: But let us every man prepare himself to meet with this fell monster of envy, that if it encounter us, yet we may not be thrust into distempers by it. It is not in any man's power to hinder the malicious and malignant natures of other men from showing itself; but to be quiet, mild, and patient towards him that envies a man, that his wisdom and charity should enable him to perform; for is it not common to all good things, to come attended with envy? Was not Christ envied? Was not Paul? Have not the best been? Yea, we must endure envy even from our nearest kindred. The brother must be prepared to suffer the envy of the brother, the sister of the sister, and must be able to hold their spirits in such order, that they may not less love one that envies them, which yet is hard to love those that use us ill. For by how much envy proveth more implacable than other kinds of grudges, by so much carnal reason will bid us to be more apt unto it; but God's Spirit frames men to a gentle carriage. Pray God to make you of such a temper, that you may be able to show kindness even to him that envies you. I come to another fault of Rachel's, 2. She was passionate toward her husband jacob. she was passionate and snappish towards her husband jacob, and in a fume she quarrels with him for not having children, as if it were his fault that herself was barren. It is a great fault in a wife to be angry and find fault with the husband without due cause, and to lay blame upon him when he deserveth it not, as did Sarah upon Abraham. It is contrary to the reverence, obedience, and love which they owe to their husbands: it is a means of estranging the husband's heart, by putting him into frequent fits of anger. You wives be sorrowful if you have in such a case over-shot yourselves, and now labour for so much discretion and meekness of wisdom that may preserve your tongues from speaking passionately and unadvisedly to those whom the Lord commands you to fear. What a fond speech was Rachel's? Give me children. Beware that anger do not fill your mouths with foolish words. And if this be a fault in your Wives, good men, know it is a great fault in yourselves, in whom more wisdom is required. Nourish peace betwixt yourselves, your yoake-fellows, and shun angry and brawling words, that breed such a koare of unkindness as sometimes runs forth into alienation, and perpetual jarring. But Rachel was discontented, so that she would die if she had no children: she doth not mean that she would kill herself. We must not put the worst sense, no not upon choleric speeches; but she meaneth that she thought herself no better than dead, that she should not enjoy her life, that it would do her no good, that she wished herself rather dead than alive. This she meaneth, and this is bad enough. O what a mixture of pride and folly is it, to wish one's self dead for so small crosses as this, that one hath continued a little while barren? Good men have been over-taken with such clouds of discontent as have made them desire death, but to be weary of life because one hath not a child, I meet not with such impatiency any where, but in Rachel. Take heed to yourselves, that no crosses, no not the greatest, draw such distempers into your minds, as to make you weary of life; but be much more ashamed if a small thing hath thus put you out. It is true, that many times this lavish talk of Would I were dead, is from the teeth alone. If death should offer itself at that instant, they would find some other employment for him, than to take them out of the world; but to be so full of discontent and vexation as to give vent to such words, whether they seriously mean them or not, is a proof of a man that doth not weigh things rightly in his mind. Rachel had a good husband, she had likelihood of a good estate, and now lived abundantly, she had the love of her husband, she had health. What, and was not the fruition of all these able to make life sweet to her, but she must die if she had not a child? Did we not forget or dis esteem the favours God hath showed us, we could never be put so far out of taste as it were, that want of one benefit should embitter itself. But envy doth so rot the bones, that no ease can be felt of him that hath suffered that sickness to breed and grow strong in him; Yea, see how all Hamans' honour contented him nothing, so long as Mordecai was an eyesore to him. Pray God to keep you from such disordered passions, and greatly bewail them when you meet with them. 3. She brought her servant to her husband to be his wife. But see another folly of Rachel's. She brings her maid servant to her husband, and he must take her for his Concubine, to see if she might be made a kind of fostermother by her. Fond Rachel! was not Leah nearer to thee than Bilhah? Couldst thou not have esteemed thy sister's children thine own, as well as thy bondmaids? Here were two faults. First, she pressed her husband to Polygamy; but that was a fault of mere ignorance, let it be passed by. The next was, that she would feed herself with a fancy, that they should be her children which Bilhah should bear, and not that Leah had borne. Nature made Leah dear to her, the bondwoman was of no such kindred; but she forgets nature, and le's fancy overrule, she had taken such a conceit against her sister, that she was desirous any woman should have children by their common husband, rather than she. Let us see such follies in ourselves, that fancy rules us against all reason, and that we sometimes take such a stitch and spleen against those whom nature hath tied to us, that of all other we are less pleased with their prosperity, and most estranged from them. And let us beware that we do not discover such senseless and absurd impressions of mind. 4. She makes God a partner with her fond passions. And see her folly yet further, when Bilhah had Dan, than she will needs make God an approver of their folly, God hath judged: as if she had great wrong before, and now God had righted it in giving her a son: Why, she might have accounted that God had given her a son when Reuben or judah was borne, as well as Dan? But she will needs make God partner with her fond passions. We are apt to wrong God in misinterpreting the acts of his providence, as if he showed his love unto us in that wherein his Majesty intended no such matter. What is it to judge? that she should say, God had judged her. For my part I can see no sense in her words, why this should be counted an act of Gods judging. No man had wronged her before, she was never a whit better now than before, no whit less barren. But such is our foolish self-love, that we will needs threape kindness upon God sometimes beyond his liking; take heed of this fault, it is a fruit of an overmeane conceit of God, when we will cause him to be a servant to our lusts, and unreasonable fancies. But after the second child she is more foolish, 5. She insults over her sister because she won her husband to beget children of her handmaid. and then she triumphs, With wrestlings of God have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: And so the boy's name must needs be Nephthali. She insults over her sister, as for a notable victory, because she had won her husband so far, as to beget children of her handmaid. Why saith she that she had wrestled with her sister? Did Leah hinder her from children? Was it because of Jacob's doting on Leah, that Rachel conceived not? Sure the Holy Ghost tells us that his overloving of her, and despising of her sister caused God to humble her with barrenness. So foolish is a man, that he often triumphs in a thing as a great matter, which is nothing at all, and thinks he hath gotten a victory, when he hath rather gotten a blot, as we see here in Rachel. Let us moderate our joys, and take heed of insulting in a thing that hath showed our folly, and else nothing advantaged us. Now another weakness is, 6. She was over earnestly desirous of Reubens' Mandrakes. that she was so earnestly desirous of Reubens' Mandrakes. I consent to them that think these Mandrakes to have been nothing else but goodly flowers, which Reuben, who was now some six or seven years old, had gathered in the fields, or whether they were some pleasant fruit or nor, I cannot tell; the word signifies Lovelinesses, such things as were lovely. But that Rachel had such an appetite to them, as she must needs have some of them, it shows that she was a woman given too much to her fancy and appetite. If in case of breeding children, and weakness of body, some distempers follow, it is a misery, but it wants not a spice of sin too, when by yielding overmuch to the eye, a man is so enslaved to his eye, that he must have every fine thing he sees. Rachel is the copy of a fond woman; all you good women see her follies to avoid them. But the worst and last fault is, 7. She stole away her Father's Idols, and dissembled with him afterward. she stole her Father's Idols and concealed them with dissembling and false excuses. She had been wife to jacob for twenty years' space, she had called upon God for a child, and he had given her a son, she had showed some faith in him, by calling the son joseph, professing her hope of having yet another son. Either we must throw an imputation of great carelessness upon jacob if he taught her not the true God, and his true worship, or else upon her, that after so long time of teaching had not gotten her out of those Idolatrous fancies, but must even steal away with her her Father's Idols, it was not done out of detestation of Idolatry, to free her Father's house from them, that she might have done without the trouble of carrying them so far, she might have burnt them, or otherwise destroyed them sure enough: but I conceive she did it out of a superstitious conceit of some goodness in the gods, or in those pictures of gods. The word signifies Images of men, and they were belike little Images, else she could not have conveyed them so quickly, and so secretly, but that they would have been known. It is much ado to wear superstition out of the heart of one that hath been superstitiously brought up. This is the first place that I remember in which these Idols are mentioned, but Rachel had so drunk in the opinion of their being sacred, that she could not lay it aside. It is no easy matter to leave such falsehoods in points of religion, as have prevailed in the places, and among the persons with whom ones self was trained up. We should bless God that hath granted us education in the true religion. And secondly, we must even pity them, that have been superstitiously educated. They may have some good thing in them, though they cannot shake off those misconceits, but hanker too much after their Images. I would be loath to say, and I think so would any of you that Rachel had no true piety in her, because she stood so affected to the Idols of her Father. But let us rather think that jacob had brought her to some knowledge of the true God, though the old smell of that falsehood wherewith she was first seasoned, would not forsake the vessel: and let us strive to bring our children rather into a detestation of such graven Images, for sure the Lord can speak of nothing more contemptibly. And Images made now to represent the true God, must needs be as loathsome as Aaron's and jeroboam's Calves, which were intended to represent the true God, and not a false. But she used dissembling, and cozenage to cover her fact, as the Story tells, hiding them in the Camel's litter, and then sitting upon them, and craving pardon of her Father for not rising up to him, pretending, that the custom of women was upon her; whether this were true or not, yet she dissembled, for that was not the cause of her not rising, but alone the care she had to keep the Idols secret, else she would have risen well enough. You see that committing of evil draws men on to more sin, to hide and conceal that which they have already committed, as it did jacob, and David, and others, because fear of shame or danger disturbeth the mind, and turneth away the thoughts from considering the mischief of sinning. Therefore let us all take heed of entering into the path of evil, for if we be once in, no man can tell what lying, dissembling, and other evils the devil will draw us into by means of that sin. He entangles himself as a sheep in the briers, that run into any gross or shameful sin, and he can hardly come off with one wound alone. And if you have thus covered sin with sin, bewail it as a great fault, but yet take heart to repent, and turn to God for favour, for it is no new thing with God to forgive such trespasses, only do not embolden yourselves of purpose to sin, because you know how to conceal it, and hope to keep it close, for than shall the same become a presumptuous sin, and so much more hardly pardoned. I have showed you Rachel's faults. Her good deeds be but few, Her virtues. yet some: First, she was one of her Father's sheep-keepers, 1. She was one of her Father's sheep-keepers. and did not disdain to drive them to the water, at least when the Shepherds were otherwise employed. So it is a commendable thing in a young maid, to be ready to take pains, and do service in domestical businesses, such as accord to her Father's state. But an idle, coy, finish maid is so much the more disdained of wise persons, by how much she doth more disdain labour in any profitable business for which God did make men. Further, Rachel at last saw God in her barrenness, 2. She saw God in her barrenness at last, and fell to prayer. and fell to prayer; for it is said, God harkened to her, and opened her womb. This gives us some hope that she was humbled, and sought God, which is good in our wants of any good thing, by it to be drawn to God in fervent prayers. Then be they graciously supplied, when our need of them makes us supplicate to his bounty: Rachel got nothing by chafing, envying, or giving her maid to her husband, all that time the womb is not opened; but when she remembered God, God remembered her; and when she prayed, he harkened and gave her a son. Let us in all our necessities make all the hast we can to this remedy, comfort and deliverance will never come half so happily by other means without this. They be our prayers that must sanctify other means, and procure God's co-operation with them for our good success. jacob was Rachel's husband before, but prayer had not made her fruitful till now. God is the ruler of all things, learn to call upon him and trust in him; He can remove any cross, as well as barrenness. Again, it was a good thing in her to desire children, 3. She desired children, and when she had one, blessed God for him. and when she had one, to see God, and bless him, and say, God hath taken away my reproach. When we have gotten things by prayer, we must also see God in them, and give him thanks; yea she saith, God will give me yet another son; the thankful receiving of one benefit, may assure us of another, God will add to mercies, if we take notice of his goodness after we have called upon him in hearing our request. Every benefit gotten by prayer, may and should be called a joseph. Another good thing was, 4. She requested a kindness from her sister (for all her envy) and returned a kindness to her. that her envy to her sister did not so prevail with her, but that she would ask her for her sons Mandrakes. Though the humour of envy was sharp in her, yet it may seem to have waxed a little milder after a while, and she could both request a kindness from her, and return a kindness to her. Let us look that envy do not continue in its height, so as sometimes it doth, to make us grow bitter enemies. And she did well in granting to Jacob's motion to return into Canaan, for a wife is to forsake Father, and Mother, and cleave to her husband. She shall do far amiss that prefers not her husband before her Parents, and goes not with him rather than tarries with them. 5. She preferred her husband before her Parents. 3. Her crosses. 1. She was barren. So you have what is good and bad in her; now look upon her crosses; we can find but few, and one which at last too was removed, she was barren: This barrenness God sent of purpose to keep her down, because she should not too much slight her sister; but she made this a great cross, though it be no great one in itself; you see that barrenness is a cross, and to some people a great cross, because of their earnest desire of issue on some or other consideration. But it is needful that God tame and humble us with some or other crosses, and either make them great, or make use of our folly to our further humbling, by giving us over to ourselves, to make them great that else would not be so. We must pray God to sanctify crosses, and then we shall never repent of them when they be passed: many a man hath repent for other things, but sanctified crosses were never yet bewailed afterwards. Perhaps one may esteem it a cross that she was fain to leave her Father's house, but indeed that was a benefit, for by that means she was quite (we hope) freed from the Idolatry of her Father's house, from which, so long as she lived there, she was not quite purged. 2. Her children's carriage was ill. But her crosses that she felt with her husband in respect of her children's ill carriage were heavy; for a good woman cannot be senseless of her husband's sorrows, only death shut up her eyes from beholding that cross which in likelihood would have killed her quite, seeing it went so near to jacob; she was dead afore joseph was taken away from them. Her benefits, health, strength maintenance, beauty, and her husband's love, her prayers were heard, her fault hidden, Her death, she died in childbed. Objected. But her benefits were common benefits of health, strength, maintenance, and the like, and she had beauty, and her husband's love, and after her prayers were heard, and a son given her, and it pleased God to hide her fault which she committed in stealing her Father's Idols, which if it had come to light, would have much provoked her Father's anger, and her husbands. We must observe even such mercies, to be thankful to God that hath not dealt with us after our sins. And we hope that she was a godly woman too, because she prayed to God; and it is said, God remembered her and heard her: but her death was an heavy death, she died in childbed, or in travel, and took it heavily, calling her son, The son of her sorrows, whom after jacob called The son of his right hand; Women with child should even prepare for death, they pass through the danger of it. And me thinks, notwithstanding whatsoever hath been to the contrary, delivering out of childbed-perils is a mercy that may well be acknowledged with a public and solemn giving of thanks, and a feast. The equity of jewish ceremonies remaining, though the ceremonies be abolished, and though there be no legal uncleanness, yet there is a real danger escaped, and a real benefit attained, and that should (me thinks) crave an acknowledgement. If you would learn, that all things are pure unto the pure, you would not be hindered from so good a service by any scruple or abuse. But I am afraid niggardliness hath as great a hand in breaking of such feasts, as any thing else. Whether you feast or not, be it at your choice; but me thinks, again I repeat it, safe escaping the danger that took away Rachel, may well call for even a public and thankful acknowledgement. So much of Rachel, whom we leave by her husband solemnly interred unner a monument erected upon her grave, which kept her name up long, and occasioned the calling of all the mother's dwelling thereabouts by her name, When it is said, Rachel weeping for her children, because they were not. Now of Leah, she was a wife of Jacob's, the first he had given, though not promised. Of her virtues we have not much noted; Leah her virtues, she was patient and loving to her husband, and thankful to God. but she showed herself patient and loving to her husband, somewhat quiet to her envious sister, and thankful to God for her children; though her husband loved her less than was meet, yet we read of no brawls either with him or her sister. She entertained him very lovingly when he came home from field, and she had hired him of her sister. She consented also to go with him into Canaan, she was desirous of children, and had many; but a fault or two she slipped in. First, Her faults. 1. She went to bed to her sister's husband, at her Father's persuasion. she went to bed to her sister's husband at her father's persuasion, which she ought not to have done. In him that thought she was Rachel, there was no sin; in her that knew she was not Rachel, it was a great fault, but excused by the father's authority; but she wronged jacob much, and made her own life full of affliction. Another little fault she had, 2. She was a little too unkind to her sister. she seemed a little too unkind to her sister, in not being willing to impart some of her son's mandrakes; but often unkindnesses and wrongs breed such an estrangement betwixt them, who are otherwise nearly joined, as that they stick at small courtesies. We must take heed it do not so with us; but Leah had a little anger with her, she could upbraid her sister with an injury, when she came for a courtesy. O that she had not too many followers in this weakness! Her benefits were these, Her benefits. She had a good husband, many children, and was matched into the Church, and went to heaven. she had a good husband and many children, and was matched into the Church, and we hope went to Heaven, for her carriage in respect of her children shows some goodness. Indeed she was faulty in imitating her sister, and giving Zilpah to jacob; much more faulty in thinking that God gave her the next son for a reward of that fault. But so weak we are, and ignorant of sin sometimes, that we verily think God is pleased with our sins, and recompenseth them with benefits. 3. Her crosses, want of her husband's love and cohabitation with her, and the miseries she suffered with her husband, and the unkindness of her Father, she was also bleare-eved. Zilpah, Bilhah, guilty of incest. And for her crosses, they were, want of her husband's love and comfortable cohabitation, and all the miseries she underwent with her husband besides, her Father was something unkind, as it may seem, for she saith, He counted them strangers; and she also had an imperfection in her visage, for she was blear-eyed. I hope you will all learn to imitate her virtues, fly her sins, be thankful for the like mercies, and patient under the like crosses, and then you shall not be losers of time by hearing her story. Now the two handmaidens, Zilpah and Bilhah. Zilpah hath nothing said of her, but that She bore jacob two children, Gad and Asher, So called of Leah, that would needs imitate her sister's weakness, and call them hers. Bilhah is taxed of a grievous sin, she suffered herself to be polluted with incest by Jacob's first borne. If he offered her violence, or surprised her by any device, it was his fault, not hers; but it is not likely to have been so, because God doth not report it so. For God would not wrong any in reporting their acts to the worst, but if there had been any excuse of her fault, the Lord would have done her right in rehearsing it, he should not else do the office of a good writer of a Story. O let all women take heed of adultery, and chiefly of incestuous adulteries with their husband's son in law, or brothers, or a like near of blood, where the offence is made much more heinous by that aggravation: and if any have committed any such crime, let the mentioning of it in this woman bring it to their remembrance, and provoke them to repentance, that they may not have so fearful a crime to answer for upon their sickbed in the hour of death. Likely such gross crimes will cry out then, if they have been smothered before; but a conscience purged from them by sincere repentance performed in health, may enjoy quiet and peace in death, notwithstanding the remembrance of them. For a sin repent of shall be pardoned, and a pardoned debt cannot hurt at all, not so much as terrify, if the pardon of it be known. But something there was in it, that God saw it fit to have his Church stored with the seed of bondwomen, (for two of Jacob's wives were such) because he would have us know, that he doth not much stand upon nobility, and being free borne, and the like. One third part of his people Israel were seed of bondwomen. Though he would not let Hagars' seed inherit, yet that was not because he did look to her condition, but that he might figuratively set forth his averseness from them, that will needs be in bondage under the Law, when the Gospel brings them liberty, and therefore now he doth equally take into the Church, Dan and Nephthali, Gad and Asher; as well as Reuben, and Levi, Simeon, and judah. These earthly considerations vary nothing with God, nor is the one any more acceptable with him than the other. Let not those which enjoy the privileges of this world in these matters, sleight or despise such as want them; and let not those that are meanlier borne, trouble themselves at that depression. Spiritual privileges may belong to those that are of no reckoning in the world, and those that are of high esteem in it may be deprived of them. The Tribes that came of the bondwoman were admitted into the possession of Canaan, and to the fellowship of the Tabernacle as well as the rest. It were a misery indeed to be outwardly mean, if that would impeach our spiritual estate, but seeing no such thing will follow, let us show our high esteem of the soul above the body, by not regarding the things of the body, so that the soul be well. * ⁎ * THE ONE AND TWENTIETH EXAMPLE. OF LABAN. WE have spoken of Jacob's self, and of his Wives; Laban. now I will go on to speak of his Uncle, and so of his Children. The Scripture saith nothing of his birth or death. His Uncle and Father in law was one Laban of Padan Aram, of whose birth and death the Scripture takes no notice at all: and indeed it is scarce worth the while to mention the birth and death of wicked men. It is no great matter, when they were borne, or when they died, seeing both their coming into the world, and their departure out of it do perish, for they come to nothing, and both come in and go out as it were in an evil time. But we have something to say of his parentage and life. His Parentage For his Parentage, we learn, Gen. 22.26. and 24.29. that he was the son of one Bethuel, who was the son of Nachor the brother of Abraham, who did not leave his Country and Father's house with Abraham, when he traveled at God's Commandment into the land of Canaan, but abode still in Padan Aram, the land of his Nativity, and there continued to follow strange gods, and commit Idolatry; of which all the world, and by name the country was then full. So he was the Idolatrous son of an Idolatrous Father, and Grandfather, which did as most men do, take up the religion of his forefathers without more ado, not looking whether he served God aright, but counted it sufficient to serve God as his Progenitors had done before, not at all considering whether it were the true God or the false whom they served, His life. or whether it were true or false worship which they performed. His civil virtues. Now in his life we must consider his deeds, good and bad, and the things that befell him good and bad. First then, for his good deeds, for even a bad man may have some civil virtues found in his life, out of a common work of God's Spirit, who will not suffer men to be so far over-runne with vices, but that for the preservation of humane societies, they shall have some shadows of virtues seen in them. These good deeds of his look partly to men, and partly to God. His good deeds to menward, are first, to Abraham's servant. Secondly, to Rebekkah his sister. Thirdly, to jacob his kinsman. Fourthly, to his Daughters and Grandchilds. 1. He vouchsafe courteous entertainment unto Eliezer. First, let us consider his carriage to Abraham's servant Eliezer of Damascus, who was sent by his master Abraham, to fetch a wife for his son Isaac out of Padan Aram, because he would not match him with the cursed seed of the Canaanites. The first thing commendable in him is, that he vouchsafeth courteous entertainment unto him; for when the servant meeting with Rebekkah had found great kindness from her in watering his Camels, as well as giving himself drink out of her pitcher, and that he had rewarded her with precious gifts, Gen. 24.22. viz. with a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two golden bracelets of ten shekels weight for her hands; and that she had invited him to her Father's house, and coming home had told Laban her brother of the man, who he was, and what he had bestowed upon her: presently Laban goes forth to the man, ver. 31. and invites him to the house with very kind words, saying, Come in thou blessed of the Lord, wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house and room for thy Camels: and so bringing him home, they ungirded the Camels, and he gave him straw and provender for them, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of those that were with him, and then set meat before him, that he might eat. Lo here, an example of courteous hospitality, he gave him good and loving words, and provided and ministered to him all things necessary for his cattle, and companions, and himself. Thus should men use kind and liberal hospitality towards such friends as upon occasion do repair unto their houses, and this is a kind of virtue which may be found in men that are destitute of all true grace and piety. For even nature itself teacheth men to show love and humanity to men that are of the same nature with themselves, because they look to find the like gentleness themselves from others upon like occasions. Here is one thing in Laban worthy praise and imitation: 2. He gave him an honest and good answer. another is, that he gives him an honest and good answer when he had declared unto them his errand. For the man refusing to eat till he had related his business unto them, being very faithful to his master, and diligent in the matter committed to his trust, up and told them all that had fallen out, why he came thither, and how he had by a special providence of God met with Rebekkah at the fountain of water, requested to know their mind, and what he must trust unto in this matter: and from Bethuel the maid's Father, and Laban of whom we are speaking, her Brother, he received this just and discreet answer, That the thing proceeded from God, and they were able to say neither good nor bad unto him: that is, Neither by fair means nor by soul. not to cross his motion by any allegation one way or other; concluding, that Rebekkah was before him, and that he might with their good consent take her and go, that she might be his Master's sons wife, as God had spoken, ver. 50▪ 51. of the same Chapter. In this passage you see a great deal of honest plainness; seeing God had directed him by his special hand to this maiden, they would be no hindrance unto him, but would give their willing consent to the marriage. It is a good thing for men to consent unto honest and good motions, chiefly when they see God himself by his good providence going before them, and as it were, leading the way unto them. A third good thing in Laban was, 3. He speedily dismissed him. that he doth speedily dismiss the man, and hindered not his present return unto his Master, with a wife for his son. For so it is written ver. 59 that when he rising betimes in the morning was earnest to return that very day, and that they at first required ten days stay for Rebekkah, but he requesting them not to hinder his expedition, seeing God had prospered him; they called the Damsel and asked her consent, viz. Whether she was willing to go with the man? and finding her very forward, they sent her away without further lingering. It is a good thing, when we have entertained any one in our house, and his desire is as his occasions shall require to make haste home, to further him by all means, and not to stop his proceedings with delays. For many times such deferring proves very unpleasing, and sometimes dangerous to the party to whom we would seem to show love and good will, as we see it did in case of the Levite, whose Father in Laws importunity caused him to stay a day or two beyond his desire, in the later end of the Story of judges. Thus hath Laban's carriage been good to this servant of Abraham's. We must follow the goodness of all men, even Idolaters and Heathens. 4. Was loving to his sister, made a feast to his neighbours and friends. Gen. 29.21, 22. Now consider how he behaved himself to his sister, to whom he discovers good affection, and love by a courteous dismissing of her, ver. 60. They blessed her and said, thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands, of millions, and let thy seed possess the gates of them which hate them: that is, prevail mightily against all their enemies, and conquer them if they have just cause to contend with them. Brethren should wish all prosperity and welfare to their sisters and brethren, and to their children after them, even that they may grow strong and mighty in the world, for carnal men having but a carnal mind and affection, can wish no better but carnal benefits unto their friends and kindred, and these they ought to wish heartily, and to procure also, so far as opportunity shall be offered. But now it is time that we show Laban's good carriage to jacob, the son of this his sister a long time after. 5. He lovingly entertained jacob when he came unto him. First, he doth lovingly entertain him also when he came unto him but even in a poor and naked fashion, nothing so richly provided nor attended as the forenamed servant was in the former narration. jacob came all alone, and with nothing almost but his staff in his hand, but yet when he had faithfully reported to him both who he was, and what occasion drove him in such manner out of his Father's house, he receiveth him with all courtesy. For it is noted, Gen. 29.12, 13, 14. That when Rachel had heard of Jacob's mouth who he was, and had acquainted her Father with his coming, he hearing this tidings of his sister's son, ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house, and when jacob had certified him of his matters, he answered him lovingly, saying, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh; that is, be not troubled for these things, I acknowledge thee to be my kinsman, and I will carry myself towards thee accordingly. Lo, how a man void of true religion, may yet have good natural affection to his kinsman, and that though he find him in somewhat a poor case, and destitute of things needful. And doubtless it is a virtue, and deserveth praise, to stand so disposed unto ones kinsmen or kinswomen, that are as Laban could say, Our bone and flesh. Nearness of blood requires some special love and respect to those to whom nature hath so nearly united to us. Every man promiseth himself kindness from such persons, and therefore the common phrase of the world hath entitled them friends by a kind of excellency, because they should be forward to perform all loving and friendly offices. Another virtue in Laban is, 6. Of his own accord he offered jacob wages for his work. that of his own accord he doth offer wages or recompense unto him for his work, for perceiving him to be of an industrious disposition, that knew not how to pass his time idly, though in a strange place, and withal, skilful and understanding in matters of such nature as Laban's calling stood upon, viz. in cattle, he says thus unto him, ver. 15. Because thou art my brother, that is, kinsman, Shouldest thou serve me for nought? that is, that were an unreasonable thing indeed, and therefore tell me, what shall thy wages be. Lo, he would not deal so unjustly with his kinsman, as to take his labour and service for nothing, but is willing to give him such convenient satisfaction as he should demand. This is such a point of righteousness and equity, as even nature itself doth teach, and a mere natural man, not too much over run with worldliness of mind, may practise towards others. For seeing every man must make himself the measure of his dealing with his neighbour, and that it cannot but seem unrighteous to any man, if he be driven to work for nothing, surely he cannot but conclude, that himself also is bound to recompense the labour and service of another. And this justice was so well known to Laban, and he had so much goodness remaining in him afterwards too, that he continues to exercise it after jacob had finished his fourteen years' service, and was now to make a new bargain, as you shall read Chap. 30. ver. 25. and 35. For when jacob requested his good will to return home, because he knew how faithfully he had served, he acknowledges his painfulness, and trustiness, and his good success too, and therefore requests him to tarry with him, and makes him this offer, saying, Appoint me thy wages and I will give it; and when jacob made a reasonable motion, (that for the clearing of his innocency, and preventing of all mistake, he might have for his wages the speckled and spotted amongst the Goats, and the brown amongst the Sheep, that should after be yeaned he meaneth) he agrees to the condition, and so jacob was willing to serve him on these terms. Here you see justice in Laban, he is willing to give his servant due wages for his work. This point of equity is written in nature, and little goodness is left in him that doth not know and follow it. So you have Laban's just dealing with jacob. Now look into a third thing commendable in him, and that is, 7. He was willing to bestow his daughters upon him. when jacob offers to serve him seven years for his younger daughter Rachel, Chap. 29. ver. 18, 19 He consents to the motion, saying, It is better that I give her to thee than to another man, and so bids him abide with him: that is, I will give her thee on this condition, and not only so, but he puts upon him the elder daughter, and so makes him his son in Law in both of them. That which was faulty in this passage, we shall speak of anon, when we come to mention his faults; but this was a good thing in him, that he liked so well of Jacob's carriage, that he was willing to bestow his daughters upon him. It is a matter both of prudence and honesty too, to like so well of the virtue and good qualities of an honest and good man, as to be willing for these things sake (other matters not too too much gainsaying) to make choice of him for a son in Law. The qualities of a man are principally to be regarded in the choice of a son in Law, and yet he is not truly discreet and wise, that doth not look unto this thing in the choice of an husband for his daughter. A person painful, diligent, thrifty, and of good carriage, and sufficiencies is rather to be taken, than one destitute of these qualities, though he be far more high and rich. It is the husband's self that will make the Wife's life either most miserable or most happy: and Laban did well in making such a choice, and never shall he repent the match that findeth these things in him with whom he matcheth; but without these things in the person, the state and quality of the man in other respects cannot hinder, but that a little time will make both Father and daughter too, unwish the bargain they have made. 8 He quickly laid down his anger, and made a covenant with him. How let us see what was good in Laban, in the very close of all with jacob, as you have it Chap. 31.44. ad finem. He lays by all anger and discontent, and considering the nearness that was betwixt them, he made the motion of entering into covenant with jacob, and so they solemnly ratify the covenant, by setting up an heap of stones, and feasting upon the heap, and eating and drinking lovingly and cheerfully together, and by a solemn oath each to other. It is a good thing to swallow down all jars and differences that fall out betwixt one's self and his friends and neighbours, and to part lovingly and courteously each from other in peace and concord, not in discontents and heart-burnings. Surely quarrels would not be held up long betwixt kinsmen and allies specially, but though they have met in a kind of heat, and anger, and jealousy one of another, yet they should cause all these things to depart from them, and be friends before they depart one from another. Peace is a comfortable thing, and it is a praiseworthy thing to speak the first word of agreement. 9 He showeth himself love and kind to his daughters and grandchilds And so much for Laban's carriage to jacob. Now to his daughters and grandchilds he shows himself also loving and kind, both taking care for them, and even binding jacob by covenant to use them well; ver. 49. Chap. 31. and also kissing them, and blessing them at the time of parting. A Father should be careful of his children's welfare, even when he hath placed them forth into other families, and should show all courtesy and love unto them when he parts with them, he should get good husbands for his daughters, so far as he can, and use all good means to make them live lovingly together. Laban did both these offices to his daughters, and every Parent should attain at least so much goodness as a Laban. But one thing more we note in Laban, and that is, 10. He made a feast at the marriage of his daughter. he invited the neighbours, and made a feast at the marriage of his daughters. Chap. 29. ver. 22. A wedding feast is not indeed absolutely necessary, but it is of commendable use, so that excess and disorders be avoided, and unless just cause be to the contrary, it hath a smack of niggardliness to neglect it. A man should do well to show love to his neighbours, and to be willing to embrace fit opportunities of inviting and feasting them; only still so, that immoderateness of all sorts be avoided, and that a man keep himself within the compare of his place and means, and affect not vainglorious superfluity in feasting. And so much for Laban's goodness to man-ward, now to God-ward something is good in him. First, 11. He took notice of God's blessing as the cause of his prosperity. that he took notice of God's blessing to be the cause of his prosperity by Jacob's labours, as you read Gen. 30.27. I have learned by experience, that God hath blessed me for thy sake. Surely it is a good thing to put one's self in mind that God's blessing makes rich; yea, and to observe how his blessing attends his faithful people too in the labours of their hands. Laban ascribes his riches to the blessing of God following jacob. It is a good thing to have one's eyes so far opened towards God, and to mark by experience his favourable proceeding towards his faithful servants, as it seems also Joseph's master did, and it is sure Pharaoh did when he was his servant, and Nebuchadnezar towards Daniel and the three children, as also Darius in his time. Again, 12. He forbore what God forbade. when God met Laban by the way and commanded him to speak to jacob neither good nor bad (that is, not to hinder his journey either by fair means or soul) he both acknowledgeth it, ver. 29. and accordingly obeys it, for he dismisseth him peaceably, and stops him not in his course homewards, though as he saith, it was in his power to have done otherwise. This is to be praised in him, that what God forbade him, he forbears, though he saw otherwise no danger in it. Certainly the duty of a man is to abstain from what God prohibiteth, though he have never so much both power, provocation, and opportunity to do it. We ought so to fear God, as not to provoke him, so to love God as not to offend him, and so to acknowledge our absolute dependence upon him, as not to cross him. He knows not neither how much he owes to God, nor yet how obnoxious he stands unto him, that doth not so far submit himself unto him. We noted the like yielding to God in Abimelech before, what though he doth not now appear to us in dreams and visions, Yet have we a more sure word of Prophecy, to whom we should do well to take heed: as S. Peter adviseth us. And this is all the good I have noted in Laban. Let us make some use of this to ourselves. First, what shall a man think of himself if he be not found equal to Laban in goodness? Nay, if the quite contrary vices be apparent in him, to those virtues which were in so mean a man, I mean in goodness. And yet so it is, that many who term themselves brethren and Christians, are far short of Laban in these shows of virtues. Laban was courteous, they are churlish. Laban entertained Abraham's servant well, niggardliness will scarce suffer them to entertain any well. He found Laban ready to gratify him and dismiss him, they do neither; many care not for kindred or any the like bonds, many care not how they serve themselves of others labours, specially servants, and every way are far worse matters than Laban. No bounty, no justice, no show of seeing God in things. No show of peaceableness, no regard of Gods prohibiting them any thing, but what they will do, they will do, though the God of heaven himself forbid them, and though they know as much. He is very unlikely to be of the seed of jacob, that hath not come so far as Laban. Again, there is little cause that a man should applaud himself in so short and defective a goodness as this of Laban's, yet this is all that some have to please themselves and to glory in. They deal courteously with their kindred, they be willing to show kindness to their neighbours. They love well their children, and can give good hospitality to such friends as come about them. And they desire to live peaceably with their neighbours, and are ready to compose quarrels, and some things they are willing to leave or forbear that God forbids. Alas, these be poor evidences for heaven, these are poor proofs of their being good men, and in God's favour. A man must not think that such a measure of goodness will prove him a good Christian, that may show well enough a tolerable Heathen. I pray you therefore that all these things may be found in you in a better manner, and a larger measure, upon better grounds, for better ends, more constantly, and more sincerely. Be courteous, bountiful, and peaceable, and so in the rest with reference to God, in obedience to his commandment, in love to him, and with a desire to please him, and abstain from all that he forbids, and let your peaceableness and courtesy extend itself even to enemies. That virtue is but a seeming virtue which doth not spring from a root of piety, and is not watered with an heavenly dew, and made to grow up with godly considerations taken from the divine Majesty. We must walk with God, live to him, seek him, please him, or else some bare naked good deeds will not suffice to prove us his children and his heirs. So much for the good of Laban; His faults. now his evil must be observed too. First, to God-ward, 1. He was an Idolater. though he had jacob living in his house, and had observed by experience, that God did bless him for his sake, yet he would not leave his false gods, his Idols, his Teraphim, but keep them still, and made such store of them, that he took it very ill that jacob should steal them away, as he conceived he had done, though falsely, and therefore also he swore by the gods of Nahor, and the gods of their Fathers. He was brought up an Idolater, and continued an Idolater, living and dying in the worship of false and imaginary gods; which they that do, shall not inherit the kingdom of God, he had Images of these false gods, Images of men it may seem they were by their name. O how natural it is to man to err in the conceit of a multiplicity of gods, and in setting up pictures, and representations of God to himself? Great darkness possesseth the minds of men in the matter of God's nature, he will take upon trust any fable in this kind, and will scarce use his own reason to examine religion, but for the worshipping God in an Image, though it be a point of the greatest foppery in the world, he will count it singular wisdom, and count himself so much devouter, by how much he is liker the block or picture before which he doth his false devotions. Let us bless God that hath delivered us from conceit of fantastical gods, and from the love and liking of Images and pictures, which the Lord may seem to have in detestation; because in likelihood they were occasions of inducing the damnable opinion of multitude of gods into the world. And let us pray to God to bring the poor ignorant persons (that run after other gods, or else dote upon pictures) out of such their miserable condition, and to set up the truth in so great power, that men may no longer cast themselves headlong by that which themselves account religion, and the right way to please God. But Laban dealt very ill with jacob. 2. He loved jacob in a worldly manner. First, the love he bore him was a mere worldly self-respecting love, he found he gate well by him, therefore he desired his company. But for Jacob's piety and true religion, he regarded him not a jot the better. So most times, yea, evermore the love of worldlings doth grow from the root of worldliness. If by some good jacob they have attained, or hope to attain profit and advantage, they are loath to part with him; but unless such things do commend a man to them, he may sit without doors long enough, and his goodness with him, before they will take him into house. Such a carnal love to good men is none other thing than may be seen in as bad a man as he of whom we entreat. You must therefore learn to love a jacob as a jacob, and in the name of a jacob, that love will demonstrate some piety to yourselves. And when we perceive the kindness of any man to have its original in such base ends, we must esteem it a point of discretion not to trust at all in their loves, they will soon turn enemies for gain, whom gain maketh friends. 3. He cozened jacob. Further, Laban did palpably deceive and cousin jacob in a matter wherein deceit should least of all be used, even in point of Matrimony. jacob intended to live contentedly with his own wife, as his Father Isaac had done before him, and therefore setting his affections on the younger daughter Rachel, agrees to serve Laban for her seven years, instead of dowry which he had not to give. Laban agrees to it, as I showed you before, and assembling his neighbours, celebrates the marriage with a feast. It must not be doubted, but that they were all made to understand which of the maids was the Bride, as well as which young man was the Bridegroom. But at night it may seem the Bride was brought into the Bridegroom's Chamber vailed for modesty sake. Laban persuades his eldest daughter Leah to possess the place of her younger sister, whether with or without her consent it is not expressed; but most likely without, and so is jacob in the morning greatly discontented, to see a stranger bedded with him instead of his own Spouse. Wherefore complaining of the wrong to his Father in Law, he is answered with a shift, that the custom of that place is not to bestow the younger before the elder; but if he would serve seven years more for Rachel, he should have her too: for Polygamy was not then reputed a sin. jacob must needs be content with that which he could not help, and is compelled to make his apprenticeship longer by half than he intended, here was flat cozenage. To wind in jacob for seven years more than he meant at first, and to bestow both his daughters upon so thriving a man, and so advantage himself more way than one at once; this fellow fears not to break Covenant, and to beguile and defraud a man in his wife. And when he was told of it he pretends a contrary custom; If there were no such custom, he plays the lying fellow, in saying wittingly that which was not for the excusing of his fault: If there were such a custom, he plays the cozening companion in concealing it before, and not acquainting jacob with it when he made the motion. He should have said, I would willingly give her thee, but that the custom of the country hinders: but if thou wilt have them both, first the elder, than the younger; I am content. This had been plain dealing; but to lead jacob on with words, and then at last pull him on in this fashion to seven years' bondage more, was flat dishonesty. And such is the disposition of a worldling for advantage sake, that he cares not with tricks to outreach and beguile any with whom he deals; but we have a better direction from God's Word, saying, Let none of you defraud or overreach another in any matter, for God is an avenger of all that do such things. He used the like guileful dealing after, in changing his wages so many times, and all proceeded from the same evil humour of covetousness. But now see another sin, whereof jacob makes mention to his Wives in way of persuading them to depart with him; jacob beheld Laban's countenance, that it was not to him at before: Lo, he looks doggedly upon him, 4. He looked doggedly upon him because he hindered his wealth, though without any wrong. and hath a kind of envious grudge against him: not for any fault of his, but alone because he hindered his wealth, in that God gave his riches to jacob, by causing most of the Ewes and she Goats to bring forth still young of such colour as was agreed upon for Jacob's wages. ver. 8. If he said the speckled shall be thy wages, all the cattle bore speckled; and now this caused the falling out. See here the guise of a carnal and earthly minded man, he will become an enemy and bear a grudge to any that hinders him in his gain, though it be without any wrong or injustice. It was not any injury, though it were a damage to Laban, that still the greater number, and better cattle were Jacob's, but because he sees it so, therefore he bears an ill affection to jacob; as Saul hated David because he saw that God had intended to turn the kingdom unto him. Nature will show that this is a fault: for why should I hate a man because God prospers him? but desire of gain will so blind the eyes, that he which is led with it, will not avoid this fault, nor will take notice likely that it is a fault: you must observe it in Laban, and inform yourselves how unreasonable a thing it is; and the sons of Laban too did join with him in the same fault, for they also muttered against him in this respect. 5. He pursued jacob with an hostile mind. And now I proceed to his next fault, he pursued jacob with an hostile mind, intending either to bring him back again, and then he must have served him on poor and hard terms, or else to have sent him empty enough away, and accordingly provided himself of company, in so much that himself saith, It was in his power to have done jacob hurt; but that God forbade him, and jacob upbraids him with it. Indeed God needed not to have appeared to him for the forbidding of such a thing, if he had not seen what would else have been the issue. A very great sin this was in his purpose, though God hindered the execution: we must mark his sin, he followed jacob in anger, meaning to have stripped him of all. A wicked thing it is, upon occasion of something that looketh like a fault, to attempt such a business; for the worst that he could allege, was Jacob's stealing away without giving him warning or leave, and this in jacob was no fault at all, because God commanded him so to do, neither had it been a fault, though God had not bidden it; for it seems their agreement was but from year to year, or for a less space of time, in that Laban changed the wages so oft, and therefore the time prefixed being fulfilled, jacob was at his liberty, and might go without ask his leave, or making him privy to his purpose. But Laban is glad to have an advantage of such a pretence, and resolves. Is he gone without my liking and knowledge? Well, I will teach him better manners towards his Master and Father in Law; I will fetch him back with a witness: and so strengthening himself with company, he makes after him with a revengeful meaning, and overtaking him begins to quarrel, chargeth him to have done foolishly in conveying himself away, with his two daughters, and their children so privately. This is a wickedness, to intend to hurt a man, to spoil him of his estate, and to send him empty away, taking the advantage of something by him done, which may seem to have been done somewhat indiscreetly and faultily, only or chiefly out of envy and covetousness to get one's goods, and to be revenged of him. No man is so blind but he would blame this in another, and therefore must needs sin against his knowledge, if he do it himself. The last fault of Laban is, 6. He falsely chargeth jacob with stealing his Idols. that he falsely chargeth jacob with stealing his Idols, and merely upon surmises; they were gone at that time when jacob went, and therefore his conclusion was, jacob must needs have them; yea, he was so peremptory, that Jacob's denial would not satisfy, though he denied so strongly, as to offer the offender to death if he could find them: but he rifles and searcheth all his goods for them, imagining perhaps that some body else might have stolen them without Jacob's privity, which was true indeed. But here by the way, I must tax jacob for a little too much confidence in his offer, had Laban found the Idols, he would not have consented to the death of Rachel, nor to the taking of her from him. It is good to be moderate in our speeches, and not over-confident; but Laban is the subject of our speech now: he did falsely charge jacob with theft, upon a surmise of his own. This is a sin which no man can brook from another, without blaming him for it, therefore he hath light enough if he could use the light to discover it in himself. Too easily to believe, and too earnestly to affirm against another, that he hath committed such a sin, because we have some probabilities to allege against him, is a sin against our brother, and an injurious defiling of his name, against whom we ought not to raise up an ill report: Neither without just or sure proof, nor yet in public manner, as Laban did, if we might reform it privately. So Laban failed both in the manner and manner of his accusation; the matter, it was false; the manner, it was over-publike, when it should and might have been private, though it had been true. Now I pray you let us search ourselves, to see if we be not guilty of the same faults with Laban, and learn with grief and shame to confess, that ourselves who have far more and better means, have yet been as palpably faulty as this Idolater, as unjust, as worldly, as envious, as apt to follow surmises, and so in the rest; and let us greatly abhor ourselves, that better helps have prevailed no more with us; and now let us resolve to put away these faults: and seeing we have given our names to Christ, and enjoy the Word, Name, and Sacraments of Christ, let us abhor to run into those evils which being blame-worthy enough in an Heathen, are ten times more loathsome in a Christian. So much of his deeds, good and bad; Now the things that befell him are some good, and some bad, at least as he accounted it. 3. His benefits 1. He had a good son in law. Good, he had a good son in law for his daughters, through Gods disposing more than his own seeking, who married them on terms easy enough for him. Indeed he liked him for his good husbandry, a thing within his element; but he was a godly husband too, which we should learn to prise as a great mercy, and should be able to discern it: an happiness it is to have daughters bestowed on thriving and godly yoakefellowes; Pray for it, use means for it, be thankful for it. 2. He was rich Also he had a state rich enough, he was a wealthy man in the place where he lived: Surely God that casts these things on such persons accounts them not excellent, and if he deny them to his servants, doth it not out of unwillingness or want of means, but alone because he knows it better for their souls to be destitute of them than to abound; wherefore they must learn contentment in their absence. And those that have them must take heed they overprize them not, and suffer not themselves by having them to be made as Laban was, worldly minded. 4. His crosses. 1. His daughters and grand children went far from him. Now for crosses: We read little of Laban's affliction; it may be it was a grief to him that his daughters and grandchildren went so far from him, but such a cross even a natural wise man may make easy to himself, by considerations of reason, that the good of their children so requires, and that their comfort in their children stands not so much in seeing them, as in their well-doing: Only Laban did make Jacob's prosperity a cross to himself, in suffering his mind to be alienated from jacob, because jacob did thrive a great deal faster than himself, and to his hindrance, which cannot be done without a great deal of vexation. 2. He was troubled at Jacob's prosperity. It is an ill disease to be sick of another man's prosperity; take heed you suffer not covetousness, or other distempers to bring such sickness upon you. With far less vexation may a man lose half he hath, than bear the torment which such estrangement of heart will bring with it. His death. And now for Laban's death, we hear nothing of it, only he lived and died so far as we see, like a carnal man, and he had no grace in him, but after a little time here spent in earth prosperously enough; at last, so far as we can see, he perished eternally, for no footsteps of faith and true piety appear in him. O my brethren, take heed that you do not carry yourselves so foolishly, as to live in a mere worldly fashion, scraping together a great heap of muck and dung, on which the much deceived world doth falsely bestow the name of goods, and then (with the rich glutton, and him that said, Soul, eat, and drink, and be merry, for thou hast much riches laid up in store for many years) have your soul taken away, and carried into the place and state of eternal death: for our Saviour hath said, that So is every one which is rich in the world, and is not in GOD. * ⁎ * THE TWO AND TWENTIETH EXAMPLE. OF Jacob's Children. AFter Jacob's Wives and Father in Law, we will proceed to his children, Jacob's children. which were twelve sons and one daughter. Concerning his sons, they were six of Leah, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, judah, Issachar, Zebulun: two of Bilhah, Dan and Nephthali: two of Zilpah, Gad and Asher: two of Rachel, joseph borne in Padan Aram, and Benjamin borne in the Land of Canaan. The daughter was Dinah of Leah; of the birth and names of each of these the Scripture takes special notice. Reuben signifies, Behold a son, Reuben, what it signifies. Gen. 29.3. for his mother took it as a great favour of God, whereby he would mitigate her sorrow, yea and help to remove it too, by winning her husband's love to her, the want whereof was her greatest trouble, as you shall find. Simeon signifies, the hearing of God, because she said, Simeon, what it signifies. God heard that she was hated, and hath given me this son too. It was a good thing in Leah to give her sons such names, as might mind her of God's goodness in considering her affliction; and when she saith that God saw first, and then heard her affliction; the last speech is a proof that she made her moan and complaint to God, and so this mercy came to her as a fruit of her prayers. Levi, what it signifies. The next son is called Levi, for said she, Now my husband will be united to me, or cleave to me, for the word Levi signifieth as much as cleaving. She was earnestly desirous of her husband's love, and would as it were, mind him of her hopes and desires, that he would recompense her pains of bringing him three sons, with the increase of his affection. A wife is not good if she be not very covetous of her husband's love; some probably say, that he, meaning jacob, hearing Leahs word, to comfort her, called him Levi, and the original seems to lead us to that opinion, for the former word translated, called is of the feminine gender, and is plainly referred to the woman spoken of before; but the latter is of the masculine, and so may very likely note the husband, of whom she had immediately spoken. And if so, it was well done of jacob, at last to speak some word of comfort to his drooping wife, and to let her see, that the riches of three sons had made him forget that great wrong she did him, of obtruding herself upon him against his will, and without his knowledge, which she ought not to have done, though at her Father's command. judah, what it signifies. The fourth son is jehudah, in short judah, as much as praise of the Lord, or the Lord be, or is praised, to express her thankfulness, for she said, Now I will praise the Lord, which hath caused mine husband's affections somewhat more to incline unto me, by making me a mother of four sons. For so it may seem they did, and that also maybe justly accounted one cause of her sister's envy, because she saw jacob begin to love her more heartily than before. These four were borne one after another, year by year, without long intermission; then she ceased bearing, till jacob had four children by the two handmaids, than she had two more sons. Gen. 30.18. Issachar, what it signifies. Issachar the fifth son, signifying there is a reward for giving her maid to her husband, but in this she was much mistaken, God is not wont to give rewards for our bad deeds, and though it was of ignorance, yet it was a sin in her to give her maid to her husband; therefore we must take heed of imitating her in conceiting that God is well pleased with our faults. Such is the blindness of our minds, that we are apt to run into such errors. Zebulun, what it signifies. The last son was Zebulun, signifying dwelling, because God had given her so goodly a dowry as six sons, she now begins to hope not alone that her husband will love her more, but so much now, as to afford her more of his company, and dwell with her, which it seems before he accustomed not to do, but with Rachel. For love is never satisfied unless it enjoy the presence and company of the person loved; these are Leahs sins, envy at her maid, Rachel so far played the foolish woman, that she gave her handmaiden Bilhah to be her husband's Concubine, and she had two sons, which Rachel would needs take as her own, rather than those that her own sister brought forth, and the first she called Dan, Dan, what it signifies. which signifies, He hath judged, for saith she, God hath judged me, and hath heard my cause, and hath given me a son. She betrays a distempered passion, and would needs interest God into her folly, as if now God in great favour, seeing how she was wronged, had come to right her: Fond Rachel, no body wronged her but herself, by entertaining the bone-rotting vice of envy into her bosom, and yet she will needs take this as a righting of her wrong from above, for so the word judging signifies; so foolish we be that we will count ourselves either to be wronged by men, when we have received none at all, or righted of God, when his Majesty meaneth no such matter. O ignorant and self-deceiving, and selfconceited creatures that we be, let us beg more wisdom and unpartialnesse to ourselves at God's hand. The second son of Bilhah is Nephthali, which signifies wrestling, Nephthali, what it signifies. because saith she, I have wrestled with great wrestlings with my sister, and have prevailed. Certainly she plays the unwise woman here too, and makes too bold with God's name, in saying, With wrestlings of God, and doth her sister great injury. Poor Leah used no means to keep her from fruitfulness, she neither did keep her husband from her, nor any other thing by which to hinder her from being a mother, therefore her wrestlings were only conceited wrestlings, and she proved that envy will cause one to think he is opposed, when indeed he is not; let us take heed of dreaming that we be wrestled withal, and prevail, when in very deed, it is neither so nor so. The two sons of Zilpah are next borne; the first Gad, Gad, what it signifies. which signifies a troop, whereby Leah shows that her desires or hopes were yet raised to look for a many more children, as indeed she had three after, this by jacob of her own body, and one more whom her imitation of her sister's weakness made her to account her own too. The next son is called Asher, for now saith she, Asher, what it signifies. The daughters will count me happy, and the name signifies happiness; sure, for aught that I can judge, no body ever applauded Leahs happiness in this matter, yea, she would rather have been judged happy, if she could have counted it happiness enough, to have borne sons herself, and not followed her sister's folly, in giving her maid to jacob: Wherein yet she is less excusable than her sister, who might seem to have more reason for her fact, because she herself was childless. But you may see what fond things we be many times, to count that a great matter of happiness, and take great content in it, which of itself verily is nothing for our good. But the children of Rachel come at last; joseph, joseph, what it signifies. which signifies, he will add, or give me another son; here Rachel begins to show some goodness, some faith; the receiving of one benefit, upon her prayers, makes her hope that God will give her another. Benjamin, what it signifies. Then follows Benjamin, called by her Benoni, The son of my sorrow, and jacob not willing to have a son of so ill and ominous a name, yet comes to the name as near as he can, saying, he shall be called Benjamin; as much as if he had said, One whom I will love as my right hand, and never suffer to depart from me, for his mother's sake that bore him. Dinah, what it signifies. And these be all Jacob's sons. His daughter was Dinah, Leahs seventh child: the word signifies judgement; and why she was so named, because the Scripture affirms not, I will not trouble you with my conjectures. In speaking of them we will begin with the maiden, of whom we have nothing at all noted that good is. Who she was. Some think she was jobs wife, whose life they cast into the time of jacob; I have nothing to allege either for, or against this opinion. It is a conjecture, take it as you see good: but it is probable, that job might live about this time, but of that no more till we come to speak of job. No good thing is spoken of her. Her faults. 1. She went into the City, to see the daughters of the country. Now we go on with Dinah, of whom we read, as I said, nothing but evil, Gen. 34.1. She would needs walk into the City of Shechem, when jacob lived thereabouts; forsooth, To see the daughters of the Country, whether they were fair maidens, what garments they wore, of what carriage, what garbs and fashion they had. A folly to which many of you maids be too subject, you let your eyes look over wistly upon the daughters: If you did alone take up yourselves in contemplating the fashions at the Market, or as you walk in the streets, or the like; yet it were a spending of time worse than you need to spend it, sure it is not good to go abroad idly, when there is nothing to do but gaze here and there, when the mind hath no employment or business to set itself about. A gazing eye shows in empty heart, and tempts the devil to come thither, one tempting to fill the heart with evil fancies, that is empty of God. I pray you Virgins take warning by Dinah, be not you gadding abroad hither and thither, to see and be seen alone; Dinahs' success may give you cause of fearing yourselves in such occasions. But especially let me exhort you to teach your eyes more piety, than to bestow themselves in looking abroad to see fashions then, when you come to the house of God, there to do service unto God. Then I say, do not show yourselves so disregardfull of God, so very hypocrites, such persons as let their hearts wander (for that wanders if the eye wander) when the body approacheth him: When you should be marking what is read, or what is prayed, or what is sung, or what is preached. A wand'ring eye at Church is a very bad thing, and is the devil's instrument to steal away all you hear, and to make you unprofitable hearers. I fear that this is the truest cause why many of you learn just nothing, and cannot answer what you hear, your eye carried away your minds, that they could not attend by the ear, to what was spoken. Maidens let me propound Dinahs' example to you, and warn you to take heed of being desirous to go abroad to see fashions. But a second thing is, a young man saw her, and took her, 2. A young man saw her, and lay with her. and lay with her, and humbled her; you see what hurt followed here; She went to see the daughters, but one of the sons saw her, and worse than that, lusted after her, and took her, and abused her body, whether by solicitation and enticement, or by force and strength, or whether by a mixture of both, partly striving, and partly soliciting, I cannot say, the words are such as may carry the sense of soliciting, as well as of ravishing: but we are willing to take things at the best for poor Dinah, and because the Scripture useth these phrases to describe a Rape, Deut. 22.28, 29. calling it a humbling her, as here; we will in charity think, that the same misery befell her in the City: for it was the King's son, who might easily bring her to such a room in an house as might cause that her crying voice might not be heard, or she might be loath to cry, knowing what he was, and that she was a stranger. But if it were so, I am fearful that her more light carriage than was fit, gave occasion to the young man of such fancies, and emboldened him to offer such a kind of violence as he thought would not be resisted. Let maids take heed lest their wanton eye and overlight countenance and promising looks do not inflame the beholder, and offer such violence to their corruption, as it were to make them offer violence to them; and take heed much more, that they be not alured to such an evil, as nothing but the violence of the doer can free them from the imputation of a grievous sin, if they suffer. Let their care be to keep themselves out of places inconvenient; what did Dinah with this young man in so secret a place, as might encourage him to offer force? Sure he would not have forced her in the midst of the streets, he was not so debauched and brutish, as to compel her in an house before many. Nay, scarce any man so lewd, that he will attempt such a thing, but when no person is present. If she were ravished, yet she was somewhat guilty of her own rape, because she would be enticed to go into an house with a stranger. Had she been of his long acquaintance, had he been a suitor to her before with the good consent and allowance of both Parents, had she been allowed to set her mind upon him, so as to intend to become his wife, than it had not been so blame-worthy, to have so far trusted herself with him. But when her business was nothing but to see and be seen, to suffer herself to be led by a stranger into such a place as might give him opportunity to do her violence, was a sign that her carriage was scarce modest, not at all discreet. For to excuse her by her age, seemeth no just excuse, seeing it appeareth by the young man's suit for her afterwards, that she was now marriageable. Now therefore let her example make you maidens civil, and sober, and modest in your carriage, and so prudent, discreet, and bashful, as not to venture yourselves into the company of young men at such places and times, as may produce as bad inconveniences to you, as this that befell Dinah. And so much for this daughter, for after this we hear no more of her, but that her brethren took her out of Hamors house after they had committed the execrable murder, whereof we shall have cause to speak after. The sons. Their common faults. Now come we to the sons, and first, I will handle the things that were common to them all, viz. their sins, their good deeds, their miseries, their benefits. 1. All of them were bad except joseph and Benjamin. Gen. 37.2. First, it is common to them all save joseph and Benjamin, that they were men of no goodness nor conscience; They had a good Father and Grandfather, and they professed a good religion, but their conversation was naught and scandalous, so that joseph being young could not in his conscience choose but acquaint his Father with their evil deeds. O this is a grievous thing, that children which have godly education by godly Parents, and have knowledge of the true God, and are members of the true Church, should be yet of manifest ill behaviour, should run into palpable and gross naughtiness openly, to the torment of their Parents hearts, and disgrace of true religion. Be not some of you youths (whose Parents, though they must not be compared to jacob, yet are such as have feared God, and afforded you the best helps they could to virtue and piety) as lewd and sinful in your carriage as Jacob's sons. Yes, yes, some of you are as guilty of evil demeanour as these youths, though you have the same furtherances to goodness. Now for the living God's sake, whose name you take upon you, for your own soul's sake, which else will one day rue this naughtiness and rudeness, and for your Parents and friends sake, that are ashamed and vexed with your ill report, be entreated at length to consider how great a wickedness it is to live naughtily, when God hath vouchsafed you so many means to make you good, and turn you from your evil ways, and frame you to such a conversation as will beseem and comfort yourselves and your Parents. O let not a Jacob's son be a drunkard, a gamester, a wanton, a nightwalker, and ill company keeper; a quarrel; let not such nettles grow upon a garden, learn to shun what was loathsome in the sons of jacob. 2. They all beguiled Hamor ●he Sichemite. Gen. 35. But secondly, they were all guilty of beguiling Hamor and the Sichemites with purposed fraud and guile, yea, and with pretending conscience and respect of religion: You know the story itself, Shechem after he had deflowered Jacob's daughter, continued yet to be strongly enamoured of her, and sued for her to her Father and Brethren, offering any dowry. They would seem to be hindered from granting the suit by religion; They were circumcised, of the true religion, a religion slighted and neglected in Canaan, and it was not a safe thing in conscience, and would be a reproach to them to make marriages with persons uncircumcised, but if they would embrace their religion, and testify it by being circumcised, than they would willingly condescend; Now all this talk of circumcision tended but to bring the Sichemites to such a case, that they might the better accomplish revenge. O miserable fault, to cover hatred with deceitful words, A Potsheard covered with silver dross. To speak one thing and mean the contrary, to pretend a good purpose to cover a bad, and the more easily to effect it by covering. Here was a mixture of impiety, Deceit is a great sin. Prov. 6.10 18. & 26.26. in making religion a cloak to revenge, and of fraud in harbouring and intending, and yet disguizing revenge. So dealt Absalon with his Father David, and the shame of such shall break forth in the Congregation, he is a fool, though he thinks himself wise. Now I beseech you take heed of deceit and guile, the deceitful shall not live out half his days. To hate, and yet dissemble with his lips, laying up deceit within him, is a loathsome thing. It is a part of the description of an unsanctified man, Rom. 3. With their tongues they have used deceit; Nature teacheth men to blame this sin in others, therefore nature gives light enough to discover it in one's self. Shame it therefore, and hate it: It is bad to have used this fraud for covetousness or ambition sake, to get wealth or honour, by overreaching others; but it is worst of all when it is joined with revenge and with bloodiness, that a man make himself a bloody and deceitful man. It is naught when only good will is pretended, but when religion is made the cloak of cruelty and villainy, this is to abuse the noblest thing in the world, by making it a drudge to the basest. Now if any of your consciences be guilty of abusing pretences of religion for the compassing of revenge, of goods, of lust, of any other villainous end, he hath sinned the sin of Jacob's sons. Let him be induced to repent, and let us all be induced to abhor so great a wickedness; he that doth compass any unlawful end by deceit, makes the sin twice as grievous as else it would be: He shows that he commits it with almost a full consent of will, he makes his reason a slave to his appetite, and serves sin willingly, most willingly and deliberately. Let us love true, plain, and just dealing, and abhor cozenage and falsehood. 3. They all consented to the murder of the Sichemites. Another fault of Jacob's sons was this, they all so far engaged themselves into the murder of the Sichemites, that they consented to it, for they all joined to spoil the goods of the Sichemites, they all played the robbers in revenge, it was not so much covetousness as revenge that made them spoil the City. O how vile a sin is this revenge! one had done them wrong, they revenge it upon a whole City: one had injuried them in one sister, they wrong a number in many sisters and goods besides: here is injustice and malice both in a very high degree. They are said to have been grieved but with a carnal grief, and to have been wroth, but with a carnal wrath, for the folly committed by Shechem, and that it was a carnal wrath is manifest; for lo, it makes them seek to revenge themselves by a most excessive and a most unjust course. I call upon you to crucify this humour of revenge, it is evidently blamed: Avenge not yourselves, but give place unto wrath; Recompense not evil for evil: Be not overcome of evil. Return not evil to him that hath done thee evil; if any thing may disgrace private revenge, this example may; for you see, when men think good to take upon them to revenge their own quarrels, they know not how to observe any equality or moderation. And now I require you all, as you will prove yourselves true Christians, and ever have the comfort of being Christ's sheep, follow him in not revenging wrongs, for he gave you an example: S. Peter saith, of this virtue, when he did not render reviling for reviling, nor threatening words neither, for evil deeds. If you harbour revenge, you forgive not, and if you will not forgive, you shall not be forgiven. Moral Philosophy teacheth us not to wrong or hurt another unprovoked, but it tolerates it when we are provoked by wrongs; but the perfection of Christian religion is this, that it teacheth, and where it is in truth, enableth not alone, not to recompense wrong to a wrong doer, but also to do good against evil. Shun you this wickedness, and follow not the wickedness of Jacob's sons, but take heed of wronging any in their goods, for revenge sake. 4. They hated their brother joseph. Another fault of these young men, they hated their brother joseph out of envy, and could not speak peaceably to him; and when God by dreams foretold his preferment above them, they envied him and hated him yet worse; yea, all but Reuben resolved to kill him, and to see what would become of his dreams, and mocked him with the name of This dreamer; and all but Reuben too consent to sell him for a bondslave, and accordingly do it, and when in that anguish of his soul he besought them, as themselves after confess, they would not hear him. Ah beware you of these sins of envying, for that will bring forth a desire to murder or as bad as to murder and harden one to all cruelty that no entreaty shall soften. Take heed, take heed of these vices, Envy, murderousnesse, deriding, hardheartedness, cruelty. They be fearful vices, transforming a man into a Devil. If any of you have been overruled by them, let him nor defer to bewail and confess them before God, and let us all oppose these vices, if they assault us, by holy meditations and prayers; betray not yourselves into the hands of so horrible vices, for want of resisting them earnestly, constantly and by spiritual means. Especially suffer not yourselves to be transported thus against a brother, to hate a brother or near kinsman, to think on murdering a brother, to neglect the cries of a brother and be inexorable against a brother, entreating not to be murdered, to cast him into a pit and sell him for a slave or to do such kind of injury to a person so near by bonds of Nature, O what an unnaturalness is it, and what a great height and dominion of Vice doth it prove! Religion may be absent from an heart in which yet some relics of good nature do remain, but he hath quenched all sparks of all goodness in him, that can behave himself so mischievously to one, to whom nearness of blood obligeth him. None of these were brethren to joseph by the mother's side, but alone by the Fathers, but an half brother is so nearly joined, that that name should have been sufficient to have kept them back from such wickedness. Pray to God to preserve you from unnaturalness, and if any of you have trampled these natural bonds under feet; let him address himself to most hearty lamentation, or else the God of nature will sharply punish the slighting of natural bonds. It is a diabolical fury of sin that causeth a man to break asunder these bonds of brass and iron. But yet as bad or worse than this, 5. They lied & cozened their old Father. they lied and cozened their old Father to make him believe, that joseph was killed by a wild beast, as the Story shows, Gen. 37.31. Indeed Reuben was not consenting to the selling of joseph, but it may seem that he was willing to hold his peace, and to conceal their fact, which he thought could neither be prevented nor redressed by revealing, and it may well be that they did not acquaint him with their selling of joseph. But lo they all agree to colour their sin to their Father and bring him into such a conceit as filled his heart with extremity of anguish: Evil children they were that would cover their fault by telling such a lie unto their Father as they needed not to have told; for their sin would not have been the more revealed, if they had said nothing then to counterfeit such a thing, and Jacob's griefs perhaps would not have been so great if there had remained any hope of his son's life. But it is like that they were desirous to put him into a conceit of joseph death, for fear least hope of his life might put him upon such an enquiry as might find him out again, and so discover their lewdness, for an ill conscience is always full of fear and suspicion, and will conjecture such ways of discovery as no man else can dream of. Hath any of you lied to a Parent and sought to conceal their naughtiness by falsehood? See this wickedness with remorse, and now take heed of abusing your Parents with tales; yea I beseech you beware of running into gross sins, which will always hazard you to lying and falsehood for the covering of them. See here how one sin begets another in these men, envy doth breed an intention of murder and a wrongful act as bad as murder, to sell a Brother for a slave. This wickedness brings on lying to hide it, and that in such a sort as had well nigh killed their own Father with grief. Fear to sin, for it will so entangle you being once in that you shall not know how to get out. The use of all. But one use we must make of all this discourse, to see how bad our own natures be and to be wondrous thankful, that God hath not so far left us to ourselves, as to be drawn to such enormous offences. He that can look upon the worst men that have been and the worst deeds, so as to accuse himself of the same bad nature, and to confess himself obnoxious to the same crimes, and therefore labours to be more humble in himself, because of the badness of his nature, and to be thankful to God for the goodness he shows in restraining that bad nature, he makes a singular use of other men's sins. But if we hear or see other men's faults only to brag of ourselves, that we have not so offended nor will not so offend, it is a testimony of much blindness and unacquaintedness with ourselves, and may justly cause the Lord to make us know ourselves by giving us over to our own selves in like manner. Their common goodness. 1. They all strove to comfort their Father in his great sadness. But now a word of the common goodness of all, first to their Father, they all gathered together to comfort him when he was in his great and exceeding sadness. This was well done, though they had wronged him in being a cause of his sorrow, yet it may seem they were greatly troubled to think of their naughtiness, and were careful to to use all means of restoring him to contentment again. But ah what bitter accusations must those their words reflect upon their own selves which they used to comfort their Father? How could they choose but almost bewray themselves by blushing one while and paleness another through the cheeks of their own consciences, when ever they heard him, as often no doubt they did hear him name the name of joseph? But howsoever, it was commendably done that now they sought to assuage his sorrows. 2. They were dutiful to him in going down to Egypt and not taking Benjamin with them. All good children should strive to minister matter of comfort to their grieved Parents, and it is an heinous and unnatural hardness to do otherwise. Further, they were all dutiful to him in going down to Egypt and not taking Benjamin with them secretly or against his will, and showed much love and honour in burying him and lamenting him, and showed themselves careful of their families and very penitent to joseph at last, and called to mind this sin in their troubles at Egypt, and declared by their submission to joseph that they had truly repent, besides in their behaviour to joseph before they knew him, they show lowliness and good discretion. So in one word they grew better and better as fruits by time grow ripe and mellow, and at last unfeignedly repent and all turned godly men. O that you which have been rude, wild, debaushed in youth, would be careful now in your more stayed time to be truly penitent and become truly godly. There is a kind of amendment by age which is nor sufficient to salvation, though it something recover the credit. It is to lay aside the practice of ones grosser faults, and to frame to a civil carriage and to a creditable behaviour, though still the heart remain vain and earthly, and be not humbled duly by the sight of these faults which were formerly committed. Such a kind of moral amendment is better than none, but I pray you that be old, do not satisfy yourselves with that, but mend throughout. See and lament your badness as well as your bad lives, lament and bewail in secret and frequently the former disorders. Be base in your own eyes because of them, and labour to get them pardoned, and your corrupt natures healed, and to shine in piety and holiness and all goodness so much the more by how much your youth was more sinful. All you that have been grievous sinners in youth take this counsel, learn this lesson of Jacob's sons. And you young men that have too too much broken forth, O take yourselves to task betime, and begin to amend betime. Let your Parents have the happiness to see you reform in their life time, to behold your change, that they may rejoice in your reformation, and bless God for his goodness in hearing their prayers and granting their desires, and you may cause them to live so much longer and more cheerfully, by seeing so happy and desirable a sight. It will add a new youth to an aged Parent, if he may see his much offending children returned quite back to the ways of God and goodness, most comfortably will they leave earth and go to Heaven when they leave their children in such plight as they may hope to meet them there at last. But let us look into the benefits which the Lord bestowed upon them. 3. Their benefits. 1. They had a godly Father and themselves were pillars of the true Church. First, they had a godly Father and Progenitors and were themselves members, yea and pillars of the Church of God, of them came a most populous and flourishing nation, in whom the visible Church continued then, when all the nations of the world besides did lie in darkness. A greater mercy than this the world cannot have, to be the Church of God to have the Church continue in a man's posterity, this is a singular favour, and God pleased to take all these sons and to make them heirs of his promise; Isaac had but two sons, jacob and Esau, God took jacob and refused Esau, Abraham had but two sons, God cast out Ishmael and gave the blessing and promise to one alone even to Isaac; but see the great favour showed to all these, they be all taken into the Church, all partake of the blessing, all are made heirs of the promise. If we consider their carriage, Ishmael never committed so great and monstrous a fault against the second Table as judah, for he never fell into incest, but he scorned Isaac. Esau never did so foul a fault as Simeon and Levi; but he despised his birthright and hated jacob. So God did not take these for their goodness, but of his mercy, though they were of rude carriage he suffered them not to despise and contemn the truth and so still kept them within the Church. Furthermore, four of these were borne of hand-maidens as well as Ishmael, and yet the Lord rejected them not. This is the first benefit, we must learn to esteem it a choice mercy that God vouchsafeth us the same, in making us members of his Church, and in planting the true Church amongst us. 2 God saved them all from a great danger. Further, God saved them all from a great danger, over-awing the Canaanites that they did not pursue and destroy them for that insolency they showed at Shechem. It is a great mercy if God repress the wrath of men towards any, so that when they have both provocation and power, yet they be restrained from taking vengeance; God hath the hearts of men in his hand and can if he pleaseth and often doth overrule and over-awe them in this manner. 3. They had store of riches. Thirdly, they had riches and wealth in abundance, this is a common benefit, learn not to over-esteeme it nor abuse it, and be confident that if we fear God, he will not deny us necessaries. 4. joseph nourished them in the famine. Lastly, they had a good friend sent down to Egypt to provide for them, that their families and themselves might not perish by famine, and he forgetting all their cruelty and injustice took care of them and their children, comforting and succouring and countenancing them even after their Father was dead, so that they lived most comfortably during his life. This is a most remarkable favour, that God provides long before for the helping of his people out of distress, and that by such ways as they could never guess, of advancing such persons, as they did least conceive should be helpful to them, and inclining their hearts to do them good, of whom they could least expect kindness. But see the folly of man that is often bitter against those things, by which God intends their great welfare, as Joseph's Brethren against his preferment, without which they had perished. Their crosses. Now for their crosses we read of few, they were in danger from Esau when they were children, yet not so young but that they had some sense of it, but that was soon over and they were never the better for it. They were in danger at Shechem, 1. In danger from Esau when children 2. In danger at Shechem. 3. Felt a famine and were roughly handled by joseph. but that they considered not of, and God saved them afore they were aware. But the famine pinched them and their family, and their rough handling in Egypt crushed them, so that they were tamed with it and throughly brought to repentance. It is a great goodness of our heavenly Father to heal the souls of his people by fatherly chastizements and by blows to lead them to repentance. We must be thankful to God for our escaping of famine, rough usage, and other like crosses, but specially we must beseech him that what crosses he sees fit to inflict, may be sanctified unto us to bring us to repentance, to revive in us the remembrance of sins past, and humble our hearts for them; far better is it to have medicinable crosses then to live at ease without crosses. * ⁎ * THE TWENTY THIRD EXAMPLE. OF REUBEN, SIMEON, LEVI, JUDAH. SOmewhat must be spoken of Jacob's sons in several, so many of them as the Scripture sets forth unto us in respect of any special thing done by them. These are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Reuben. judah, joseph. First for Reuben, we note his bad deeds, 1. His faults. Gen. 35.22. his good deeds, his crosses and benefits. First for his bad deeds. Besides what was common with the rest, He committed incest with his Father's Concubine, Bilhah the maide-servant of Rachel, 1. He committed incest with his Father's Concubine. Incest is a great sin. whom jacob had taken to himself at the instance of his wife, her Reuben defiled. Incest is a great sin, it defileth the Father's bed, it is a wrong to himself and the party with whom he offendeth as any sin in that kind, and it is much against nature showing a most violent and brutish rage of lust, treading down all considerations even of the laws and rules of nature itself, in discovering the Father's nakedness, 1 Cor. 5. and wronging so dear a person in so high a degree, and in a thing so near unto him. Paul speaketh of it as of a thing not so much as named among the Heathen, and was greatly grieved that it was committed and not duly punished among the Corinth's. Absalon committed it with an high hand and extreme wilfulness and presumption, even upon ten of his Father's Concubines one after another, and that openly and of purpose to vex his Father and make the jar betwixt them irreconcilable, the law plainly forbade it. Now how comes it to pass that men run into such gross sins? Answer, First, God pleaseth to leave men unto themselves and permit their breaking forth into such horrible crimes, to make the wickedness of man's heart known, to humble the offenders and make way for the demonstration of his mercy, or else to show his justice in punishing one sin with another, and in punishing all at last with much severity, and to warn others by the example of the offenders, and therefore this God's permission is not to be blamed or murmured at: for he is ready to forgive such enormous evils to the penitent, as he did also pardon Reuben. Again, the Devil out of the filthiness of his own nature and his most outrageous wickedness and deadly hatred of God and man, is ready to thrust men out even into such abominations, because the greater the offence the more it dishonours God, and hurts the soul, name, and all of the offenders, which he delighteth in, and he hopes by one bad example to draw others to the like evil, and so to do more mischief to mankind. And for man, his corruptions are very strong, and there is little or no fear of God before his eyes, wherefore by degrees he will wax extremely wicked, and run into crimes against the very light of nature: for when any thing begins to corrupt it doth grow worse and worse, till it come to extremity; because it is a kind of easy motion to go from bad to worse, and especially it is so in this corruption of the soul, because every sin adds blindness and hardness to the mind and heart, and so causeth the sins to seem far less vile and mischievous than they be, besides all sins do flatter with a kind of carnal and sensual content, and so carry away the fancy and passions, and by them also the will to give consent and to act the wickedest things. We must learn first to see our vile nature and to fear and look to ourselves, striving against less sins, that we may not be delivered over to greater through God's justice and the strength of our lusts, yea to repent of lesser sins and strive to get them pardoned and healed, and to cry earnestly to God that he would keep us, seeing alas we be sorry and simple keepers of ourselves, thus we may escape grosser evils: we must not therefore brag, and censure, and presume, but know our own nature, pity others and heedfully watch over ourselves. Again, we are to be greatly thankful to God for keeping us from such notorious vices, for such is his goodness that he restrains the greater number from such crimes, because he will not have humane societies too much disordered and polluted, to hasten his vengeance on the world, this restraint is a favour deserving thanks. O how often hath God in the time of our unregeneracy held us off from most foul evils that we would have committed. Let us magnify God therefore and not lift up ourselves for such preservation. And if any have committed such vile sins, let them be much humbled and make haste to repent, knowing the goodness of God who if we cast down ourselves, is ready to pardon such sins and sinners. Be not hardened, grow not impudent in sinning, neither seek to extenuate great sins, but labour to be greatly ashamed of them, sorrowful for them, and earnestly sue for grace to heal your natures, and willingly confess them before God, if they break out so as to prove scandalous before men also. Now see Reubens' particular good deeds. 2. His virtues. 1. He wisely dissuaded his Brethren from killing of joseph. First, he turned his Brethren from their purpose of kill joseph, not by earnest opposition which would rather have exasperated them and hastened the execution of their evil plot, but by a kind of artificial discreet and gentle way dissuading from the unnaturalness, seeing he was their Brother and propounding a way less unnatural in itself to seem too, and yet not less fit for their purpose, kill him not with your hands, but cast him into a pit and let him starve there. His meaning was not to let him perish, but he knew that he could not by force take him out of their hands now, yet he had good hope secretly and in their absence to pull him out of the pit and deliver him safe to his Father. You see here respect to his Brother mixed with tender love to his Father also, whose affection to joseph he well knew and could not but foresee that which fell out after, how most heavily and indeed over-heavily he would take the loss of joseph. So a good Brother should pity his Brother, being a man fit to be pitied and save him from wrong. A good son should pity his Father and Parents, and strive to prevent the things that will be grievous to them. Especially the more any man hath once sinned against his Parent as Reuben had, the more careful he should be as it were to make amends for his former wickedness, by seeking to do them good the more afterwards. And in opposing ourselves to evil counsel and deeds, we should learn of Reuben to use wisdom and prudence, and when we want power to do a good thing openly, directly and by strong hand, then to do it artificially and indirectly and under hand, propounding to the contrivers of such counsel some other way less evil, which we may be able to cross more easily. It is not a fault to seem to yield to some smaller fault with a purpose and resolution of preventing the whole matter, by making a show of yeeldance to some degree or part of it, and here you see some appearance of evil is not to be disliked, as Solomon also seemed to intend the dividing of the living child, for the finding out of the true Mother. When for a little space a man only seems to allow a fault, that shortly after he may the better manifest his dislike by effecting some good, this is not to do evil that good may come of it, but to do good in a prudent manner. Let us take care to hinder other men's faults and to do it wisely, that over-earnestnesse may not hinder our success. 2. He was fully minded to restore joseph to his Father again. Secondly, as he sought to prevent his death and hurt, so was he fully minded to restore him to his Father again. So we must intend and seek out fit means of bringing our intentions about to do good unto those men whom we so causelessly pursued by ill men and to set them in safety and prosperity; especially to those that are near unto us, and when we may bring comfort also to others by procuring the safety of such as are dear to them, as judah after would have been a bondman to joseph in Benjamins stead, that he might send him home in safety which would have been less to his Father's grief, because he was more able to lose judah then Benjamin. When such cases fall out, we must take fit opportunities of doing good. 3 He grieved to see his hopes disappointed, and joseph taken out of the pit. Lastly, it grieved Reuben exceedingly when he found his hopes disappointed and saw joseph taken out of the pit, for than though he did not know what they had done with him, yet he conjectured that it was not for good that they had removed him, and therefore he rends his clothes, saying in a doleful complaint, the Lad is not yonder, and I whither shall I go? He could not think I suppose of incurring his Father's anger for not preserving joseph, for he might well enough conceive that the matter should never come to his Father's knowledge, but sorrow for his former fault by which he had grieved him very much, made him exceedingly heavy, that now a new cross should fall out to poor jacob, which he knew would crush him much more than his fault had done. So that consciousness and penitent sorrow for his former evil, made him much more loving now to his Father, much more desirous to prevent his grief, and much more discontented and troubled when he found himself prevented of the thing he desired. All men must learn to be grieved if any occasion fall out against their wills and knowledge, by which they be hindered from doing such good as they intended. Indeed it can hardly be thought, that one did seriously purpose to cross an evil plot, if the thing being of weight, he be not seriously troubled, that he is disabled from crossing it. But the matter which I would most commend to the imitation of children is this: The more they have by their offences grieved their Parents already, the more careful they must be to show their love and respect unto them afterwards by all means, and to take heavily those things which they know will grieve them. But most wicked and impenitent and graceless must they be counted that still add wrong to wrong, and persist in a continual course of vexing and tormenting their Parents hearts by their misdemeanours, breaking forth still more and more. Further Reuben did a good work when he sought to remove his Father from his stiffness in resolving not to send Benjamin to Egypt, 4 He sought to remove his Father from his stiffness in refusing to send Benjamin into Egypt. and if it were possible to win him to that which was so behooveful for them all; yea and doing it with much earnestness too, saying, Slay my Sons if I bring him not to thee again; he did not mean to expose his Sons to the danger of death by his Fathers and their Grandfather's hand; for he knew him to be a far more loving Grandfather, then that he could find in his heart to take such a fruitless and bootless revenge, but his meaning is to deal most effectually with his Father, to persuade him to a needful thing and dissuade him from an harmful peremptoriness, as much as if he had told him, that he would use as much care and diligence for Benjamins preservation, as if the life of his two sons did lie at stake for him. It is a good thing even very vehemently to strive to remove our friends from ill and unreasonable resolutions, and this may well be done even to Parents and Governors, so that still we observe such a manner as may not discover any dis-regarding or slighting of them. Let no man therefore abstain from doing such a good office to his Governor though it seem not so pleasing for the time, for at the last it shall so commend itself to him that finds the benefit of it, as that dislike will be turned into favour, only so that an over-rough manner of doing do not add to the bitterness of the thing, as it did in joab when he persuaded David to go out and speak unto his servants. And let not Governors be offended with their Inferiors for taking upon them so far. It is no transgression of duty, even earnestly strive to dissuade or persuade a Ruler in such things. It is weakness enough in a Governor on such an occasion to say, nay, but to chafe and be angry is a double fault, we find no such distemper in jacob. This is the good of Reuben. His afflictions, so far as is recorded, were not many, His crosses. His Father minded him of his incest on his deathbed. indeed none but what was common with his other brethren, except we may count that a cross, that he was suffered to sin so far, and doubtless it was a corrasive to him all his days after, and that his forementioned grief, as it was in some sense an act of virtue, so it was a suffering of evil. For to be grieved for some misery like to befall our friends is a great misery to him that so grieveth. But one cross he had, that his Father did mind him of his fault on his deathbed before all his brethren, and did then and there disinherit him, he took it well, and made no angry reply. It is an affliction to be disinherited or otherwise deprived of any benefit which else we should have had; because of our sins: And we must learn when such a cross is laid upon us, to bear it quietly and fruitfully too, I mean so as not to break forth in anger and discontent against him that doth withdraw such things from us, nor yet to pass it over slightly and carelessly as not regarding the hand of God, but to accept it as a just punishment of our faults, and make it a means of renewing and increasing our Repentance. 3. His benefits he had divers sons. Of the benefits of Reuben besides the common, we read of his fruitfulness, for he had divers sons when they went down to Egypt, and so he made one of the twelve Tribes. We have noted this mercy afore in others; let us take heed that the commonness of this mercy make us not disvalew it. A benefit is no whit less to be esteemed, because the Lord vouchsafeth to communicate it to many, and it is nothing but our folly that takes occasion to slight such favours. Simeon and Levi their sin double, 1. The murder of the Sichemites. Now I come to Simeon and Levi, we have their special sin and the punishment of it noted. The sin is double. First, They were the Actors of that bloody and rageful murder and spoil committed on the Sichemites, in killing Hamor, Shechem and all the Males. They drew their swords and went in boldly on the third day when all were sore, and slew all the men they met withal. jacob doth curse their rage and anger, and doth abominate the same. It is a grievous sin to kill men in a wrathful passion, without just warrant and calling from God, indeed to kill one particular person is sin enough, and calleth for the Sword of the Magistrate to cut of the sinner, how much more to fill one's hands with blood, and kill as here a whole city or town. Murder is a great sin. Murder is a sin against the light of Scripture and of Nature, against the Laws of GOD and every well ordered Commonweal, a gross sin and palpable, a mischievous sin, wronging the Person murdered in his life, the preciousest thing he hath, with an irrecoverable wrong, wronging his Friends, wronging the Commonweal, and wronging GOD extremely in presumptuous encroaching upon his prerogative, to be the taker as he hath been the giver of life. O be thankful to the living God, that he hath kept you from this red and crimson sin, especially if any have been so inflamed with rage as once David, that he hath even desired, and resolved, and intended, and attempted to commit murder, as it fell out to David, and he hath kept him from it, either by preventing the occasion, or some counsel coming betwixt, or some diverting of the blow or the like, O let him be thankful that he hath escaped the fact of murder, as well as be humble, that he hath desired to commit the fault. We must not ascribe to ourselves the immunity from gross sins, and please ourselves in our estate because of it, but we must give God the glory, and loath and abase ourselves and our bad nature, that should fall into them if we were left to ourselves, chiefly if nothing have stopped us from them but want of opportunity. And now ever mortify anger and wrath, and revengeful boiling of heart, for he that nourisheth wrath, malice, envy in his spirit within, shall at last be carried away so far with that inward distemper, that if occasion offer itself, he shall flame forth into the gross act of murder. All corruptions being fed in the heart within, do gather such strength, that if there be fitness of occasion they will break out indeed: O bring not yourselves into such a temper, that the Devil shall have you in readiness to make murderers of, if ever he can fit you with time and place and other circumstances. Beware of bloods, beware of bloods, this sin tears the conscience in an hundred pieces when once it is made sensible. This sin leaves a deep stain, it begets grievous horrors, and makes the soul still fierce in pronouncing evil against it, after it hath been fierce in doing so great an evil unto others. Pray to God to preserve you from it, and get meek, gentle, quiet, patient spirits, which may keep you from being provoked with wrongs. And if any of you have transgressed in this kind, though not in so high a degree, let the example of these two encourage him to repent, and make him fly to the throne of grace, that God would work in him true repentance, and both pardon and heal him. You see two young men here drowned in a river of blood, most innocent blood, by them most causelessly and groundlessly spilt, you see them yet pardoned. Nay they were stained with their brother's blood, whom they consented to kill, and actually sold for a slave, and yet they be pardoned. Run to God, he can pardon many murders as well as one angry word, and will do it if you submit and convert. He that judgeth himself for his sins past, resolving thoroughly by God's help to reform his heart and life, and takes boldness to ask remission and sanctification at God's hand in Christ's name, shall be pardoned, although the guilt of the blood of God the son did stick to his fingers. But another fault they committed, when their Father in the bitterness of his soul and his great fears told them of their fault and their danger, 2. They showed no repentance when their Father told them of their fault. they showed no repentance, no fear at all either of God or men, but returned him a surly kind of foolish excuse, saying, should he abuse our sister as a whore. If you frame this answer into a due form of reasoning, and apply it to the justifying of their murder, for to that purpose they alleged it, it must run thus. If any man wrong us notoriously we may and will kill him, and there is no cause of reprehending us, but he hath done so, for he hath abused our sister as an whore, wherefore we do not deserve to be reproved for killing them. First if they had slain only the ravisher, it might seem to have been justified by this reason had it been good, but Hamor and the other Citizens knew nothing of this abuse, at least they were not guilty of it, none of them had abused their sister. Secondly, who ever made this law, that a man greatly wronged should kill him from whom he had received wrong; so their reason is naught, and if it were good, yet would it not reach far enough to justify their deeds. Here we have two faults, to answer their Father surlily, and impenitently justifying the fault in a kind of angry muttering at the reproof; this is a common fault amongst inferiors, if they be reprehended, they go away grumbling some sorry excuses or other being angry within, and showing it as far as well they dare by mumbling out some fond words, so as they cannot be distinctly heard. This is a kind of replying to Governors and is a sin, showing that there is no spark of true repentance for the fault, at least that then that spark is even raked up. But if after the heat of passion that carried one to commit the fault, a man be told mildly of his fault, and then mumble out such foolish excuses, sure he is not penitent, and in very deed such mutterers would have their mouths stopped and stomach taken down with smart and blows. This shows a slighting of the Governor as well as not repenting of the fault, I pray you inferiors now you are quiet, consider how undecent a thing it is, and how ill beseeming your places? that you may blame it in your selves, and condemn it for the future, and seek to get it pardoned. And now learn to do better, give such an answer as these young youths should have done but did not, that is, confess your offences, humble yourselves, resolve upon, and unfaignedly promise amendment, and pacify the anger at once of God, your Governors, and your own consciences. And see in them a second fault in this one answer, a bearing out of themselves in their sins without fear, shame or remorse, and that upon so fond a pretext as this, that they had received a wrong first. To continue heardned in a sin, such a sin, not to be able to see the hatefulness of it, not to feel the weightiness of it, not to fear the just judgements of God and due punishments of men, but in steed of sorrow to show stiffness, as much as to say, if it were to do again I would do it, and I am not sorry that I have done it, this is a great badness, and to bear one's self thus in sin upon mere false conceits, that have no probability of truth in them, argues a most blind mind and a stupid conscience, and makes the sin much more offensive to God, as showing that the mind is not carried to sin on a sudden temptation, but gives itself to sin out of the place it hath given to the belief of false principles, as these had concluded with themselves, that it was reason to kill him that abused their sister, and therefore deliberately had resolved to do it. Let us take heed to ourselves, that we be not thus hardened by the deceitfulness of sinning. Now the punishment of this sin is this, Their punishment. They lost part of the birthright. that they were minded of it by jacob, and had not that part of the birthright settled upon them though the next in age that Reuben had forfeited, but were scattered and divided in Israel, and made to be two of the smallest and meanest tribes, not fit either to command and rule, or else to have the double portion, because of their small number. God did afterward turn this to Levi to a blessing, but in itself it was a punishment. God causeth that for murder and such insolences toward the Father, the whole posterity after them doth far the worse in earthly things for their fault, and just it is that he should do so, for he looks upon Parent and childerens, as upon root and branch, making but one common body where each is a part, and therefore in smiting the root doth bring misery upon the branches too, and contrarily. O let us take up this argument to fortify our resolutions against sin, shun earnestly the doing of those evils which may provoke God to scatter and disperse thine offspring after thee. And so much of Simeon and Levi, Levies death. only we have mention of Levies death too, how long he lived and then he died, Exod. 6.15. that he lived 137. years. Now of judah in several, consider his faults and virtues, judah. benefits and crosses. His faults were these besides what was common in the matter of of joseph and the rest. First, His faults, 1. He left his Father's house. that he separated himself from his Father's house, and went and lived with a certain Cananite called an Adullamite, because he lived near a place called Adullam, and out of I know not what occasion, there grew a great and inward friend with him. This was to get out of God's blessing into the warm sun, to leave the family of jacob, and table with Hiram, this was to excommunicate himself out of the Church what in him lay, and to bid adieu to God and all his spiritual blessings. It must be noted as a great fault, for any worldly respect whatsoever, voluntarily to transplant a man's self out of the visible Church into a profane and unhallowed place where the Church is not. There where you have God's Word, God's Sacraments, Gods Name and God's people, and find yourselves spiritually edified, there abide though it be with some inconveniences to your estate, and be willing rather to suffer outward damage then inward, show more love of goodness than judah did when he was a profane young man. After you see he returned home to his Father's house, it had been better not to have departed thence at all. 2. He was led by his eye in marriage. A second fault, being there he is led by his eye to marry a Cananitish woman. It is likely without consent or privity of his old Father, it is scarce like he would go to him to ask counsel, whose family he had forsaken. Beware young men of erring with judah, and marrying yourselves to profane and idolatrous persons of your own heads for sinister respects, lest the Lord punish you as he did judah. The youth of judah doth a little excuse, for he was very young when he had his first child, as appears, because his child by Tamar viz. Pharez, had two sons at the time of their going down to Egypt, when joseph was but 39 years, for he was 30. before the years of famine came when he stood before Pharaoh, and there had been 7. years of plenty passed after his preferment and two of famine. Now judah was Jacob's fourth son, borne about the fourth or fifth year of his being in Padan, and joseph the last borne there about the 14. year, so there was some 10. years' space betwixt that, therefore joseph being 39 he could be at most but 49. Tamar by whom he had Pharez, was married to two of his sons and stayed till the third was marrigeable, that could not be less than some 18. or 19 years, and Pharez could not be thought to have two sons, but that he must be some 18. or 19 years, which make some 32. at least, therefore judah when he married must be no more than some 18. or 19 years. His youth therefore I say extenuates his fault, but let none of your ages be blemished with such a fault, as was too blameworthy even in the greenness of his youth. 3. He committed incest with his daughter in law. Thirdly he sinned in committing as he thought whoredom with a professed harlot, but it was indeed incest with his daughter in law, who of purpose lay to entice him in the habit of a harlot, by the way where she knew he must go; This is a filthiness, that a man should suffer himself to be so far enslaved to lust after a disguised harlot by the way, as to solicit her, and hire her, and abuse her. He was at that time a widower, and the time of mourning for his wife was past, and now he made no great conscience of single whoredom, but God will judge whoremongers, Heb 13 4. 1 Cor. 6.9. and whoremongers shall not inherit God's kingdom. If there be any amongst you as bad as judah, that makes little conscience of avoiding whoredom if he may do it closely and without knowledge, and hath abused his wealth to hire an object for his unlawful lust to work upon, he must see his fault in judah and repent of it. And you must all be exhorted to arm yourselves with a resolution of flying fornication, and of watching over yourselves, and so carefully resisting the first motions to evil, that you may not be so easily drawn away and enticed. And such as God hath made of a better temper, then that such an object would so soon entangle them, and hath not entangled them, must acknowledge God's favour in preventing them from such evils, and take heed to themselves that they allow not others as bad, revenge, quarrelling, drunkenness, deceit or the like. Another fault of judah was, 4. He dissembled with his daughter in Law. that he dissembled with his daughter in Law, making her believe she should have his son Shelah, if she would stay a little till he was grown up, but never meant to perform it, nor did not go about to accomplish the marriage when the young man was grown up, which caused her to think of a sharp and lewd revenge, even to draw him to do that unlawfully which his son should have done lawfully, raise up seed to his brother, a custom which was then in use amongst them I know not on what ground, but it seems to be from God, because he did establish it by Moses Law after. You must learn to take heed of counterfeiting and deceiving, making promises alone for shifts and delays which you mind never to perform, but alone to serve a present turn especially in matters of some weight. This is flat lying for to speak otherwise then my meaning is, to go against the mind and to utter falsehood of set purpose, as much as any other made lie can be thought to be, yet nothing more common than this, men for an advantage will promise and say any thing which they never mean or think to make good, how can he say he is a true Israelite in whom there is so much guile? How can he say that he speaks the truth that is in his heart? ye false promising double tongued men, see how you be dishonest and unjust, and false men, and learn to bewail and amend this wickedness. Now promise nothing but what you fully intent, and know that upon good reason you may intend to perform, and when the promise is made, give it seasonable accomplishment. We must read Stories and Scriptures to see and amend, not to excuse the like faults in ourselves. But judah showed a fault or two more in dealing with Tamar, 5. He forgot his own naughtiness, & would have had Tamar burnt. when her big belly showed what she had done, he forgot his own naughtiness and would have had her burnt. What authority he had in that place I know not, whether he had made himself a member of that town of Adullam, and had gotten to be a Ruler, but she was accordingly brought forth to be burnt, and then seeing the signs he could not deny them, and then blames himself, and the sentence of burning grew cold, because both or neither it seems were to be burnt. But before he knew his own guiltiness, he was glad to have an occasion of being rid of her, that his sone Shelah might scape her. Lo what rash censurers we are like to be of other men's faults, and willing to have them punished, in the mean time forgetting our own as great offences; Let us learn to be more moderate, and to have the wisdom to look upon our own offences before they be brought to our minds by such tokens as made judah confess his fault. 6. Repent not of his whoredom, but sought to redeem his pledge. Again, when judah had committed whoredom, he goes his way never repenting, but all his care is to redeem his pledge by sending the kid, which either was of less worth or at least not so apt to bewray him, and when the woman could not be found, and that his friend returned ashamed to make so infamous an inquiry, he said, let her take it lest we be laughed at, so the sin did not much move him if he might escape the reproach. It is thus with most men, such a sleepy conscience they have within them, that if they bear out the fault with secrecy, they be not grieved for it, only reproach by having the business known would make them startle and be troubled; O if any be so affected, he shows that no fear of God is before his eyes. Let us labour at least to have so much truth of goodness left in us, that if we should fall into any gross sin though never so secretly and without knowledge of it to any, yet we might be affected with sorrow in regard of the offence done to God, and so fall down before him and lament it, and confess it, and repent of it before him, and renew our purposes of amendment and she for pardon and help, which till we have done we are not recovered out of the snare of the Devil, but shall be carried into the same sin again and again, so often as he can present us with occasions. He that can let sin go lightly away if no natural evil follow from it, is either destitute of all graces or hath his graces much abated and enfeebled by the prevailing of corruption. Hitherto of judah's faults, now his particular good deeds. His virtues. 1. He returned at last to his Father's house. First, he returned at last to his Father's house, and dwelled there with his Brethren as a member of his Father's family again, when he made his return I know not, but that he did it is most certain. If any have departed out of the Church and society of good men, let him learn of judah to turn back again the better way, and to come home to the place where God dwelleth. David was grieved, that he was forcibly driven out of God's Inheritance, and wished nothing more than that he might have liberty to dwell in God's Tabernacles. Let us if we have banished ourselves from such habitations be careful to return with speed from our voluntary wand'ring. 2. He was somewhat humbled for his sin. Secondly, judah shows himself somewhat humbled for his sin with Tamar, for seeing the tokens he had left with her, and knowing his fault, he confesseth his fault and saith, she is more righteous than I. For Shelah was grown up and was not given unto her. So must we do, if we have sinned and been an occasion of others sins, let us justify them above ourselves and condemn ourselves more than them, and not be possessed so with the partiality of self-love, as still to stand in our own light, denying the fault or laying the blame upon another. True repentance will be ready to blame itself, but an impenitent heart is witty to cast the blame still from itself upon another. Again, it is said, he knew Tamar no more afterwards, and we read not of any other wife or child he had afterwards, so that he forbore her because she was his daughter in Law, and forbore to take another wife voluntarily, it is like, in humiliation for this unbridled fact he had committed. If any have sinned in unlawful deeds of this kind, his care must be with judah to offend so no more, and to be so humbled with his former offence, that the consideration of it may make him temper himself for the future. Further, judah carried himself well towards his Father, 3. He carried himself well to his Father. for he was earnest to get him send Benjamin with them to the Governor in Egypt, and at last prevailed by interposing his faithful promise to bring him back again, as you read in the Story. Gen. 43. It is a good thing in an Inferior to turn away his Superior from stiffness in an indiscreet purpose, and he hath performed a worthy office, that hath so far prevailed with his superior for the good of himself and of others, wherefore do this good deed with humbleness and discretion, as occasion serveth. The last good deed of judah and most commendable, 4. He faithfully kept promise with his Father. was his faithful keeping of his promise with jacob, in offering himself to be a bondslave in Benjamins room, whose absence he knew would even kill his old Father, so that he was content to take the punishment of another's fault upon himself, rather than falsify his word of presenting the Lad again unto his Father. How was love and faithfulness joined both in one act? We must learn to practise even so, to love a Parent so, as if it be possible to prevent his grief with our own so great a misery as perpetual bondage during life. How much are they to blame that occasion their Parent's misery by their wilful sins, and can well enough be content to see their Parents go mourning to the grave, even for their incorrigible naughtiness. Sure the affection of good children is far otherwise. And now children, have a loving pity to your Parents, and frame yourselves rather to suffer any misery than the sight of your Parents pining away in grief, especially then the procuring of it by your own misdemeanours. Again, he showed here great fidelity for having given his Word to his Father, that he would bring Benjamin again to him, he prefers the performing of his promise before his own liberty, and would rather keep his promise with his Father then live at home with him in freedom. Let us learn to show the like care in keeping our promises, even to do what we have said chiefly in matters of weight, though we cannot do it without great inconveniences to ourselves, let us keep promise though it be to our hurt. 5. He did courageously bear an evil accident. Again, judah makes a most pithy and rhetorical speech to joseph, for affection will make a reasonable wit to do the office of a good Orator. This was a commendable thing in judah, to bear so sudden and terrible an accident with so much strength of mind, that he could apply himself to take that course which was fit and behooveful, notwithstanding his griefs. Let us labour to be of so well compact a spirit, that extremity of sudden blows may not disable us from carrying ourselves discreetly even in such unexpected accidents. This is a gift that we must beg at God's hands, and the best way to get it, is as judah did, to see God in it, and be humbled before him for our sins that procured it. And so much for judah's particular good deeds. His crosses. 1. He had two very wicked sons. Now his crosses were, first that he had two sons so wicked, that God himself could not brook them, but even slew them for their extreme wickedness. It is a cross that hath befallen many a Father to have very lewd children; Labour what you can to prevent it by being good yourselves, and carry not yourselves so wickedly as to pull this cross upon yourselves, as judah did in running to Hiram and marrying a Canaanitish woman; for what could he look for but that the sons of such a woman and brought up in such a place should prove wicked? And if it do befall any of you or have befallen you, be indeed humbled by it, but not put quite out of heart. Let it help to make yourselves better if your children be wicked. His daughter in Law drew him to incest when he intended fornication only. Another cross was, that his daughter in Law's discontent drew her to prostitute herself to him in the disguise of an Harlot and so drew him to incest, when he thought but to have committed fornication. It is a misery to be drawn into a more grievous sin than one intended to commit; Let us resolve to commit none at all, that such an addition of faultiness may not be put upon our sins beyond our own knowledge, and if it have befallen us, let us learn to be humbled very much. It is just with God to give a man over to a worse sin than he thought of, that is bold to take liberty to commit some sin which he ought not to have done. 3. His sin broke forth to his shame. Lastly, God did cause the sin of judah to break forth to his shame, as you know, though he feared the shame more than the sin. And this is surely a great punishment to make one's evils known which he hoped should have been kept still in secrecy. And a just thing it is with God to dishonour a man before men, when he will dishonour God by sinning boldly in secret. And if God have buried any man's faults in darkness, let him bury them by repentance, else they shall break out more reproachfully at last day to his utter confusion. But if God have cast the dirt of any man's sin upon his face, and laid his gross crimes open to all the world, he must make this use of it, to be more humbled before God, and improve the grief that shame and reproach will stir in him, to the more hearty bewailing of the sin that deserved it, otherwise to be greatly grieved, for the shame is nothing else but a carnal and unsanctified sorrow. And so much for judah's crosses. His benefits. Now his particular benefits are these. First, he was a man of very good natural parts, 1. He had very good natural parts. and it seemeth excelled his brethren all but joseph in these natural abilities as is probable, because jacob trusted Benjamin with him, whom he would not trust with Reuben, and sent him before to joseph, and it is most clear by his excellently discreet and wise Oration, that he made to joseph on the sudden when they were brought back again with the cup. To have wit, good speech, good audacity, and other like natural parts, is a great favour of God. Those that have them not are to seek for so much the more grace, that the presence of the more excellent may supply the want of the meaner. A less wit with more grace doth avail more to happiness here in the world than a far greater wit without grace. Again, those that have these good abilities, must take heed of marrying themselves and defiling them by being proud of them and abusing them, but must walk humbly, as knowing that they be but common benefits, such as the wickeddest enjoy, and things lent by God for which they must answer. Therefore they should employ them virtuously and for good purposes, that so they may have the true credit and comfort of them. Ah if these be sanctified, how great a lustre do they receive from grace, else the Devil hath more of them then any man alive, and yet remaineth a hateful and a cursed creature. Further, judah had a part of the birthright settled upon him, 2. He had a part of the birthright settled upon him. with a rich country and the principality of Israel, that out of his loins should come the Kings of Israel, and the Messiah himself the King of Kings should be borne. For though he committed divers great faults, yet none so over-grosse and palpable as were those of Reuben, Simeon or Levi his elder brethren. Indeed his fault fell out to be incest, but it was unwittingly, for in his purpose it was single whoredom not incest. God then saw it fit to settle a part of the birthright upon him notwithstanding his sins. It is a great kindness of God to pass by ones unworthiness, to give him superiority in blessings, though his sins may seem to deserve the loss of them. And though none of us can have that privilege of being progenitors to the Messiah, yet God doth often grant riches and a flourishing estate and dignity above others, even to those that well-near equalled others in wickedness. This benefit must be observed with humble thankfulness. THE TWENTY FOURTH EXAMPLE. OF Shechem, Hamor, Hiram, Er, Onan, Tamar, the Midianites. NOne other of Jacob's sons (joseph alone excepted) have any great matter rehearsed of them in Scripture. Potipher and his wife. The order of our story requireth therefore, that we should proceed to tell you what we read of him, but because his life is related at large in respect of the great things wrought by him, I will therefore handle other of Jacob's contemporaries and of his too, before I come to speak of him, and I will begin with those with whom jacob had most to do. First, Shechem. we have Shechem coming in an evil time to disquiet the peace of jacob now returned and settled in the land of Canaan, and in him you must note, First, what was good, Secondly, what was naught. Thirdly, his prosperity. Fourthly, his adversity. His faults. 1. He looked lustfully on Dinah. Gen. 34. His bad deeds come first to be noted, and that was first, he gave his eye liberty to wander with a lustful wand'ring. It is said, he saw Dinah and took her, the Devil and sin prevailed against him by the disordered use of his sense. He gave himself leave to gaze over-earnestly upon her beauty and other good parts, wherewith the eye is usually taken and the heart inflamed. Let us learn to repress an evil and a wanton look, and to keep the Devil from possessing himself of this window as it were of the soul, to be master of this conveyance, by which so much comes in and goes out of the soul. The eye must be looked to with diligence, by him that would not be surprised with lust, he must turn away his eye from beholding this vanity, the beauty of a woman: he must as job make a covenant with his eye, Job. 31.1. that it let not in lust and wanton desires, he that mortifieth not as other of his senses so this, shall never be thoroughly master of himself, nor get any notable victory against his corruptions. You are not ignorant of our Saviour's command, Mat. 5 29. to pull out the right eye if it offend. This is one way of pulling out an eye, to bridle it from looking upon such objects as may stir up lust and other evil desires in the heart, and that the eye may be thus bridled, the heart must be overawed with the fear of God, and so settled in a firm, steadfast and full resolution of not sinning in any kind or degree, and in an earnest endeavour to loath and detest sin, not alone to leave it. Hatred hath such a power over the whole man, that it will not suffer the eye without some inward rising to fix itself upon the thing hated, or any thing that hath a fitness that way. Let all good Christians get the heart so armed, and the eye will be sufficiently defended. Here now is his first fault, he looked upon a woman to lust after her, and did not check the desire, nor refrain the wand'ring eye. Take heed of the beginning of his offence, if you would not come to the end of it. 2. He enticed or forced her to naughtiness, or both. The next fault is, he either forced or enticed, or as it is likely, partly by persuasion and partly by some kind of violence brought her into a fit place for his purpose, and so his lust made more headstrong by fitness of the opportunity, committed the act of fornication and folly with her, and as it was after said, wrought folly in Israel. His sin was the sin of fornication, and it is like enough we may call it a rape, he forced a maiden. I am rather induced to think it was done most by force, because that the maiden made the thing known to her Father, who (had it been done by her free consent) should not (it is likely) have come to the knowledge of it by her means, nor could by any other, so than he forced a maiden. It may well be that by fair and courteous carriage he won her into a house, and then by strength mixed with persuasion, won her to his will. And in him you see the right progress of this sin, when the desire hath overwonne the will and gained consent, then doth the heart seek the opportunity of time, place and like circumstances, and by the fitness of these Satan is so tempted to tempt, and the coals of lust are so blowed, that it flameth forth and carries a man or woman or both to act wickedness. If therefore any man would escape the foul acts of this sin, he must oppose himself to the first desires, and cross them by following the Apostles command, fly fornication. 1 Cor. 6.18. This sin must be run away from, the only sure and most safe way of escaping it is to run from it. If Shechem finding these desires boiling within his heart by means of the fire that lighted in at his eye, would have opposed wise and virtuous thoughts, and so gotten himself out of the company and sight of the Maiden, his desires had not drawn him to that which brought him to destruction, but he presently fell to plot and contrive how he might get the Maid into some house and lonely place, and ceased not till he had so far gratified his inordinate passion, and then lo he was not at his own command to forbear the lewd action. You have heard Shechems' fault, 2. What was good in him. 1. He continued to affect her when he had deflowered her. next see what is commendable in him. Though he had done the Maiden this wrong to devirginate her, yet he continues to affect her, whereby it is probable that he found her so chaste as that she did not willingly consent unto the forementioned evil act. But howsoever he continues to affect her and desires to repair the wrong he had done so much as it might be repaired by making her his wife. This is a matter worthy some good commendation, that his heart is not estranged from her now when he had given his evil desires some satisfaction, but he proceeds to seek her in the way of Matrimony. The Law appointed too, that if any had enticed a Maiden, he should marry her and not be divorced from her during her life, unless her Father would not grant consent and then he should pay a fine in money. Deut. 22.28, 29. Another thing praiseworthy in him is, 2. He acquaints his Father with his love to her and in treats him to speak to her Father for him he takes the right way to get her to wife by acquainting his own Father with his own affections, and employing him to her Father to mediate and make up the match. All you young men and women, learn the right, due, and honest course of proceeding in Matrimony, if you like any person and would fain bestow yourselves upon them. Acquaint your own Parents first, and let their consent be obtained, that they may also be your suitors, and so you may proceed with free consent on all hands. This way of proceeding gives honour to Parents, brings comfort to children and yields obedience to God and follows the rules of right reason. So did Samson too in his love, Heathen men you see here, and in Samson Israelites that were wise, and would go on fairly, took this course. Let them that have been more preposterous blame themselves, repent; and learn to follow good examples, all you that are yet to marry. Furthermore, it was well done of the young man and his Father too, 3. He stood not overmuch upon matter of portion. that they stood not overmuch upon matter of portion, but bid him ask dowry enough. I know that a wise care must be had this way, that the married couple may not want convenient means of maintenance: for to marry without regard of thinking how to live when they be married, is so great a folly as doth show him to be quite bereft of all good understanding that doth it, but yet money must not be the main matter, as if one went to chaffer and buy and sell when they go to make marriages. 4. He would have all things agreed upon before marriage. Another thing was commendable in this young man and his Father, they would have all matters agreed upon concerning dowry and other like conditions, and themselves having agreed upon conditions are careful to perform them, indeed they were necessitated, for they could not have the Maiden upon other terms. So it is good for Parents and all, to make some plain and settled agreement of all worldly matters, that there may not fall out any interruption afterwards, to the tormenting of the young people's minds with actual breaking or fear of breaking. 5. He was constant in his love to the end Again, this young man was constant in his love to the end, and was fully settled and bend to marry the Maiden here. No man should enter into terms of marriage in sport or jest, but should proceed seriously and settled in that business, especially they who have once made a serious promise of marriage either to other with mutual knowledge and consent of Parents. I suppose that promises being not limited with any unperformed condition, they are bound in conscience to proceed unless a great and very just let fall out, and I can scarce be made to think that they may break off in such case with mutual consent. What betrothing is? My reason is, God calleth the betrothed Maid his wife that hath betrothed her, and to me it seems, that betrothing is nothing but a serious promise of future marriage, and that nothing is essential to it but the fitness of persons for age, and the freeness of undeceived consent in respect of the persons, and consent of Parents mutually, who else may make void a promise made to man, seeing they make voide a vow made to God. If any of you therefore be guilty of inconstancy in such case, and of flying from such promises, at least let him be humbled, and consider well with yourselves what you do before you betake yourselves to others. 3. His benefits. He was his Father's heir who was a great man. Hitherto the young man's virtues, now his benefits. He was his Father's son and heir, and his Father was the Prince of that City, he was a rich man and honourable in the place where he lived, even the principal person of the house. This is a benefit indeed, if he that hath it use it orderly, so as to walk worthy of that place and eminency, and to get and exercise so much more virtue; but if it make him proud, bold to do evil, as here it may seem it did and very often doth, than it were better be the meanest of the family, and of the town. You that be heirs to wealthy Parents and likely by them to be wealthily left, O stand not upon these terms so as to lift up your hearts to swell, but carry humble hearts, and labour to add grace and virtues to your places, else they shall prove but as an high gibbet to bring you to more disgrace in this world and torment in the next. The misery of this Shechem was, His crosses. 1 He proved an occasion of the overthrow of his Father and his whole family and the City. he proved an occasion of the bane and overthrow of his Father and his whole Family, and of the whole City, and that by falling into the hands of bloody and deceitful men. O pray to God to keep you from having occasions with such persons, and being faulty of such crimes. Beware of gross sins and wrongs, for you know nor what sharp vengeance may lie in wait for you afterwards. Sin is not all paid for in an instant, God doth sometimes call sinners to a severe reckoning even in this life besides that which is to come. So much for Shechem the son. Now for Hamor the Father, I have one fault to note, Hamor. His faults. 1. He was willing to be circumcised for a by end. he is ready to embrace a religious adjunct, not for religion sake but for some by end, even that he may get such a wife for his son as he desireth. He embraceth the religion for the woman's sake, not the woman for the religions sake. Father and Son concur in this fault. A common fault it is, religion is made of the by, it serveth some other Mistress. It is a stalking horse for policy on both sides. Wickedly do Jacob's sons seem to stand on religion for their secret ends, and it was not well done of them to take a religion up for mere private ends: but such is the custom of the men of this world, they can embrace any ordinance for their profit and any religion. O look that you be entire in embracing God's Ordinance and God's Truth, take heed that sinister ends do not mar and destroy your seeming religiousness, and make that you shall seem to God not the better men but the worse Hypocrites. Again, something was ill done of him, we see no sharp correction nor reproof of his son for his wrong done to Dinah, 2. He did not reproove nor correct his son for the wrong done to Dinah and that provokes the maid's friends. O how indulgent are Parents to their children's crimes, scarce with a word will they check them, at most but with a word for that which deserveth many blows, yea the stroke of death. This indulgence of theirs often makes children bold to sin, as in Adoniah and Absalon is seen, and so doth make them at length correctors of their Parents, that should have corrected them. Let Parents take heed to themselves, that they show not themselves to love God less than their children, by loving their children so much as to put out or smother the hatred of sin; and let Parents at last learn to make natural affection give place to justice. You have his faults, his virtues are, 1. To his Son, His virtues. 1. He is willing to satisfy his son in point of marriage so far as was fit. he is willing to satisfy him in point of marriage so far as was fit, and so should all wise Parents be. If the affections of their children carry them not to matches too inconvenient, they should gratify them for fear of those mischiefs which often come by crossing them, and that because nothing is more likely to procure the welfare of children, then when they be matched to whom they love; Unless their folly be such as to make too too foolish choises, let Parents learn to show themselves mild and gentle here if in any other thing. 2. He deals well with his Subjects, persuading them to be circumcised. Further, he deals well with the Shechemites his Subjects, whom he seeketh not to force but to persuade to accept circumcision. In things of this nature a good Prince must not compel but allure Subjects, and let them see reason rather than feel violence: but his reason is taken from the profit of the people. That is the wisest argument which will most prevail with him to whom it is used, and so it sped accordingly. 3. He dealt well with jacob, plainly seeking his daughter and yielding to equal conditions, 3 His prosperity. 1 His son was indifferently good. Further, he dealt well with jacob too, for in all plainness he seeks his daughter for his son, and is willing to yield to any equal conditions. Plain dealing is commendable in an Heathen, how much should it be commended to us Christians? Now see his prosperity. He had a son indifferent good, that at least sought his consent and showed himself orderly, though at the first he had been rude. It is a comfort to have a son not altogether rude and misgoverned, that if he overshoote himself in some things, yet will keep his order and reform himself. Be you such children, O ye sons and daughters, and be thankful ye Parents that have such children. 2. His Subjects were good. He had also good Subjects that would be persuaded by him, and such Subjects let us learn to be, so that we use prudence as well as subjection. 4. His cross. Himself and all his Family and City were murdered. But his cross was great, he was overreached by crafty heads, and himself and all his Family and City butchered by bloody hands. O how could you brook such a cross? and why will not you stand prepared to loose life, goods, children, friends and all? seeing you perceive in the Shechemites how soon all these may be lost, even then when you think yourselves secure; and why do you not thank God for preserving you from such both craft and outrage hitherto? Hiram. Now I proceed to speak of some others. The Adullamite Hiram is a better friend than a man, indeed a good friend but a bad man. His friendship appears to be morally good in its kind, He was a good moral friend. His friendship was 1. Lasting. because first it was lasting, secondly, it was serviceable, thirdly, it was secret. Lasting, for it continued to judah so long, till his third son was marrigeable and began before his marriage. You cannot conceive it under some twenty years standing, though you should think that judah married about sixteen or seventeen years of age. Friendship is like wine, the elder the better, the longer it lasteth, the more it is to be praised. Learn to be durable friends, let not a year or two see you changed and estranged, but be like Christ in that respect, whom you love love to the end, unless they do even too too unfriendlily cast you off, and break the laws of friendship. And those that have been fickle friends, let them be ashamed, for it is too too evident, that they were false, seeking themselves alone and not their friends. Again, his friendship was serviceable, 2. Serviceable. stooping to somewhat a base office to help judah out with his whoredom as secretly and undiscernedly as might be. Indeed a true friend must be serviceable to his friend not alone with his cost and labour, but sometimes also with a little blemish, not by helping him to sin, nor lying, or so forth, but by doing what may honestly and lawfully be done; for the secret carrying of his faults and saving him from blame, even carnal friends are forward enough this way; take heed that you deny not good offices to your inward acquaintance, and take no less heed that you gratify them not with bad. For here you see the secrecy of this Adullamite, 3. Secret. no body knew by him of that fault which he himself knew only by judah. Nothing becomes a friend better than secrecy of his friends faults, and he that hath once played the blab in this kind, hath no wrong if he be never trusted after. Nay verily, this may seem a most just cause of dividing friendship, therefore so far as may be without sin against God and against the Country and Superiors, every friend must affect this trustiness. Surely had not judah found him faithful in this kind, he would never have engaged himself so far? So was Hiram a good friend, but yet he was not a good man, Yet he was a bad man. for we find not that he did rebuke judah for his fault at all, which he must have done if he had been as good a man as a friend. And do you learn to add that to other good fruits of friendship, even to reprehend them for their faults, though you do not divulge them, that so friendship may not be a mutual infecting of one another but a mutual healing. So much for the Adullamite judah's friend, Er and Onan, the first was so wicked that God cut him off. now for Er and Onan judah's sons. The first of them was so wicked a man, that God in his justice would not let him live to stain that good family; O let him be a a warning to all you children that you proceed not to such a height of wickedness in your blossoming bud, as to force God to destroy you before the midst of your days. How sure is his punishment in Hell whom God in his just wrath would not suffer to live on earth? And O ye Parents be thankful if God have not crossed you with such wicked children, so notoriously, so unsufferably naught, or if he have, learn to prepare for some untimely end of theirs, for often the Lord doth so at once correct the Parent and destroy the child. And take heed that you take not that course to bring the same evil on your children, even to have God give them over to naughtiness and destroy them for it. How is that you will say. Marry not sinful wives, Idolatresses and the like, be not inward with bad men, live not in bad places. What could judah look that Er should see other in the Family of Hiram and in that place and from that Mother and Grandfather but that which should make him very wicked? Had he lived in Jacob's family, and taken a better wife he might perhaps have had a better son; let us not make ourselves guilty of our children's naughtiness by choosing bad yoake-fellowes, bad friends, bad places of habitation. Onan was also wicked and cut off by God in his youth. Now as for Onan he was also a wicked man and cut off by God's hand in his youth. So much of judah's two sons. Tamar a very bad woman. Now of his daughter in Law Tamar, who was a very bad and lewd woman it may seem, else she would never have invented such a revenge upon judah, as to waylay him in the habit of an Harlot where she knew he must go, and that of purpose to try if she could entice him to commit folly with her, and you may be sure that she did use all the art she could to draw him to this sin, seeing she placed herself there for that purpose. Indeed she handled him subtly, that she might be able to convince him, if he should (as else no doubt he would) have denied it. For he would never have been made to believe that this woman was Tamar. Instead of hire she asks his signet, staff and handkercheefe, tokens that were passed all gainsaying. Here is revenge and filthiness and fraud, and a number of naughts put together to make each other worse. Why had she not rather expostulated the wrong with her Father in Law and besought him to give her Shelah her husband? If she were ashamed to speak for a husband, why was she not more ashamed to entice her Father in Law by such a trick? But herein mark the wickedness into which revenge will draw them that harbour it, even to hurt themselves that they may hurt another also, and take heed you women of following her in a fact of so much impudence; only note God's justice against judah, that would punish him by giving him up to this disgraceful fact for his other sins that were not joined with so much reproach. So doth God oftentimes deal with men both good and bad, judah cared not to go from his Father's house, he cared not to deal falsely with Tamar, and lo now God will shame him for all by suffering him to be catched in Tamars' trap. Beware that you sell not over yourselves to such sins as he world doth not entertain disgracefully, lest God give you over to such as will bring disgrace. The Midianitish Merchants. Gen. 37.25. We will proceed next to the Midianitish Merchants that bought joseph, they were part Midianites part Ishmaelites, an intermingled company and therefore are in the story called by both names, here you must note a special providence of God, overruling the journey of these Midianites to the saving of Joseph's life, and conveying him down to Egypt: God hath you see store of means to effect his own purposes which men cannot find out. He goes beyond our thoughts and beyond the intentions of those which are his instruments, as a man makes his horse serve his turn for the dispatch of those businesses, whereof the horse is ignorant. Therefore we must learn to trust his promises, even then when our eyes can see no way how to have them accomplished, it pertains to him that makes a promise to find means of making it good. If another have given his word to pay me money, he, not I, must take care to provide it. We wrong God and take his office to ourselves if we be solicitous about the means. If he give us any we may use them, but if none, we should trouble ourselves no further but wait upon him and let him alone with his own works. Again, the Midianites and Ishmalites for the whole troop consisted of both, were carrying the precious things of another country into Egypt, that they might sell them there, and so by commerce enrich themselves and profit the whole world. It was well done of them that they employed themselves in Merchandise, transporting by land the commodities of one place to another for the common good, and their own convenient maintenance. Buying, selling, traffiquing, Merchandise is commendable. transporting of commodities from place to place are necessary actions, without which the inhabitants of the world could not partake of each others benefits, nor supply each others wants, and so should not be knit together in so near bonds; but by this means the several parts of the world or of any Nation, do interchangeably communicate whatsoever necessary or delightful thing they have either to other. The more pity it is to see men so besotted with pride and vanity, that they think it a braver and gayer life to live idling at home and following base pastimes, then to give themselves to a commodious and serviceable employment. But certainly, no calling nor pains in my calling can so much disbecome a man, or reproach and abase him before God and men, that are not charmed with the same witchcraft that themselves, than this of having no calling. Better a mender of shoes than have nothing to do, better be the meanest member of the body, than a boil or ulcer, such as the idle man is. But let men that profess the name of Christians, look to themselves that they shun the vices with which man's corrupt nature doth pollute trading and Merchandise in respect of many particular abuses. Make not riches the end of your labour, so saith Solomon, Pro. 23.4. Labour not to be rich, shun all injustice in your dealing, shun greediness of gain that makes one troublesome to all about him, and use justice, equity, and moderation. Buy as if thou boughtest not, cell as though thou sold'st not. Use the world as not abusing it, and then the following of an honest trade doth lead you as readily to Heaven as those callings that carry a more glittering show in the world. Further, we must consider their buying of joseph, Buying and selling of men, the original of it. here we must speak a little of that custom of buying and selling men, how it may seem to have come into the world. It may seem to have entered either by war, or else by debt; In war the conquering side, that had the conquered in their power, having saved their lives, did make their persons absolute slaves unto themselves, making this law too, that the children which they should beget (bondmen and bondwomen mixing together) should be also bondmen. So came the greatest number of slaves, men yielding themselves in battle, made themselves servants for ever. But it may seem, that debt was another cause, when a man did owe more than he could pay, his person and his children became the creditors servants, that he might satisfy by labour what he was not able otherwise, so it came in. Quest. Is it just or not to buy and sell and keep servants? The justice of it. I Answer, at first sight, it seems harsh to use reasonable creatures like horses, and to make merchandise of our own flesh; but God allowing his people Israel to have servants, and buy and sell them of any saving their own nation, doth evidently show the lawfulness of it; for it would not stand with his justice to allow them a thing unlawful. Again, when S. Paul teacheth masters how to use their servants, and doth not command to manumit them, it is evident that it is lawful to have, and therefore also to buy and sell servants. But it is a very commendable thing in Christians, that they have as it were by a common consent, laid down this custom of bond-service, and left it to the Turks and Pagans. So in this the Merchants offended not, but if they did by any means perceive that joseph was a freeman, as no doubt they did by his manner of carriage towards his brethren, than they did greatly offend in buying and selling him. If it be a sin to buy stolen goods if one knew them to be such, much more to buy and sell a free man (if one have any probable reasons to declare his freedom) as if he were a slave, but it is usual with Merchants to buy any thing that promiseth gain, without consideration how justly it be come by of them that sell it, of which be you tradesmen warned, for think you what you please of it, it is a fearful sin, and makes you partakers of the same unjustice which was found in the seller. So much of the Midianitish merchants that did bring joseph to Egypt. Now of those with whom he had occasion to converse in Egypt. Potiphar, Potiphar a great man. First, his master that bought him, he was a man of principal place and command in Egypt, his name was Potiphar, his office was, Prince of the slaughterer's, as the word signifies, as we would call him, Captain of the Guard. Princes of old have had about them, even men that attended them continually, as to defend them, so to do execution upon such as themselves appointed to die. Such men had need of a discreet, and prudent and stout man to be their Captain; this office was put upon Joseph's master; it may seem by his carriage that he was a man of an indifferent good nature, we will note his faults, his good deeds, his crosses and his benefits. For his faults. First, it carrieth a show of a fault at least, His faults. Chap. 39.6. 1. He gave himself wholly over to his ease having a good steward that having gotten a trusty steward, and finding him both faithful and prosperous, he gave himself wholly over to his ease, and took account or care of nothing but of his diet. He would not appoint joseph what provision to make for his belly, himself would look to that, to nothing else he would look. So it may seem he was as we use to term such persons, a very belly-god, that took thought for nothing but good fare. If he had not been too much given to his pillow, he would have left the matter of his tabling to him as well as other things, but that he which would brook none other thoughts, would himself have an eye to his meat, it is a very probable proof, that he was too great a friend to his belly, and overloved fine and dainty fare. A man of place might have found some higher and nobler business wherein to have employed his freedom from domestical cares, then about the kitchen: but such an epicure was Potiphar, that his mind soared little higher than a beasts doth, to please his tooth and pamper his flesh with delicacies. And I pray you be there not many gentlemen Potiphars', that leave all other affairs at random, and oversee nothing but that they may far well. Men of great state have little else to do, and will have little else but to cram themselves, and show themselves good trencher-men. Businesses of any moment they neither do, nor will know how to do, but stuff themselves with good victuals, and to get them a stomach is the main matter of their life, that they may eat a better meal, and digest it better. Such as give themselves to live in pleasure on earth, and nourish themselves as in a day of slaughter, James. 5.1. are bidden by S. james to howl and weep for the miseries that shall come upon them, but for the most part they be grown so brawny-hearted, that they would but laugh at Christ himself if he should bid them weep; yet if any amongst you be such that cares for no more but to give himself over to sports and feasting, let him see how brutish he hath made himself, and be sure that Heaven is still shut against Divesses, and Hell is still open to receive them. Next, I should think it a reasonable exhortation to you that be Christians, that if you have leisure or freedom from other worldly cares, you would bestow your time better than this Egyptian, in some profitable study, in reading chiefly the Scriptures, and in a large bestowing yourselves on exercises of piety, and then in other fit knowledge, or knowledges whereby you may be better able to do your country service with comfort to yourselves, you must account with God for time. If an idle word must come under a reckoning, sure other no less idle wasting of time shall not be slipped over. Live as those that know there is a God, that he will call them to judgement, that ill and unprofitable spending of time shall go for a crime. No man forbids you good fare, and a convenient measure of recreation by lawful sports, but to make your lives nothing else but a chaining of breakfast, dinner, supper together, with the links of divers kinds of sports, if this be not a ready way to Hell, I profess I cannot find any in Scripture or in nature, that will bring men thither, do you think that our Saviour spoke the Parable of the rich glutton in vain? 2. He believed his wives cunning slander against his servant. But another fault of his was, that he believed his wives cunning slander against his servant joseph, and was so wrath, that instantly he cast him into prison, very likely without calling him, or at least patient hearing him to answer for himself. She accused joseph to have enticed her and offered to ravish her, the man believes his wife, is in fierce wrath against innocent joseph, and imprisons him. It is a fault to receive a report or accusation against any man with full belief, so as to suffer wrath to arise against the person accused, until a man have well weighed the matter, and given the man accused leave to use all the good ways of clearing himself. And by how much the fault is the greater wherewith any one is charged, by so much easiness to believe it, and an over-speedy entertaining of the accusation is more blame-worthy, because it shows less charity, for a common imperfection is very likely to be found in the best men, but we must see cause to suspect him of great naughtiness, concerning whom we believe a grievous accusation. It was Saul's fault also to be open eared unto false accusers, indeed the consideration of the person accusing, a wife, her manner of doing it in such a bold, and withal subtle fashion, feigning herself to be so vexed at the indignity, that her servant should offer such a thing to her, and then the sight of his coat in her hand left there, as others that came in at her cry would witness just upon his going out. All these mitigated his fault, but did not wholly excuse it; for he should have considered how faithful joseph had showed himself, and how virtuous, and should not have conceived that he would so soon have turned so desperately evil, as to have offered violence to his mistress. Be you therefore humbled, if any of you have believed and been angry with, and punished so much as you could, another for a fault wherewith he was wrongfully burdened, if the end or issue make it appear the party was innocent, though the person accusing, and manner of accusing may extenuate the fault of your credulity, yet it cannot utterly take it away. And now learn to use both ears, afore you credit a report or accusation against any whose course hath been virtuous and commendable, though it come even from a wife or person very near. Indeed a man whose known evil carriage doth give itself for a very probable argument of his guiltiness, hath no wrong if a probable though not all out true narration be believed against him, but it is a great fault to credit a lewd tale against a joseph. Search thoroughly into such accusers and accusations, and be not angry at first, for that will hinder a man from being indifferent in searching out the truth of the matter. You see Potiphers' faults, see his good deeds. His good deeds. 1. He observed his servant's faithfulness and good success, and loved and rewarded him for it. Deut. 15.1, 14. First, he marked the Faithfulness of his servant, and his good success in all things, and accordingly both loved, trusted, and preferred him in his house. It is a point of wisdom in any man to show due love and respect to a faithful and prosperous servant, as after the Governor of the prison did, and as Laban did before. To see this is a point of discretion, but to like and reward it, adds justice to discretion, virtue would be noted in the meanest condition, and where it is seen it is worthy to be honoured, especially in a servant, by whose virtues a man's estate is so greatly furthered. It is a wrong to ones self and to all masters, not to cherish good behaviour, by showing good liking, and giving good reward. Therefore God commanded the masters to impart to their servants when they set them free, some good part of the substance wherewith God had blessed them under their labours. And Solomon saith, that as he that tendeth the figtree shall eat of its fruits, Prov. 27.18. so he that attendeth on his master shall come to honour. It is a shame for the figtree if the gardener do not far the better for it, and an arrant shame for the master if a diligent servant reap not benefit from him. If any of you masters have been barren figtrees to your faithful servants, confess it to be a fault of unjustice, and a kind of ingratitude, a fruit of niggardize and self-love, and a just cause to provoke God to give you such wicked servants, as may become a plague to such sorry and pinching masters. The Holy Ghost bids us do to servants that which is just and equal; Col. 4.1. and to recompense a man well for his pains and fidelity, is a point of equity. He that will not requite a servant, doth but seek himself, not exercise virtue, if he seem ready to requite his equals and superiors; he would be as sl●cke towards them as to his servants, if he did not either fear some loss, or expect some gain from them; learn of Christ to be good masters, nay learn of Potiphar. And if any of you have been so much favoured by the divine providence, as to be provided of these household instruments, good and faithful, and every way virtuous, let them afford them all encouragements by all good usage. You know how much it concerns an Artificer to get a good, and strong, and fit tool, no less needful is a prudent, diligent and trusty servant. Consider now that which Potiphar could not consider, Gal. 3.28. that in jesus Christ there is neither bond nor free, the meaning is, that Christ will not respect men more or less in respect of grace or salvation, because of their being masters or bondmen: therefore seeing God will reward a servants graces, why should not masters reward their pains? Nothing but worldly-mindedness will oppose this exhortation, and none but very worldly minded men will neglect it. Another thing to be liked in him is, 2. He did not take away Joseph's life in a rage. that he did but imprison joseph and not take away his life in a rage, considering what was the crime and who the accuser. It is a good thing even in unjust punishing, yet to observe some moderation, so as not to proceed to capital blows, till time of respite have been taken, to take more thorough notice of the matter. And it is probable that Potiphar had a little kind of pacification towards joseph, because he proceeded not after to greater severity. Learn you to put some time betwixt the accusing and utmost punishing, that truth may have leisure to clear itself, and see how monstrously cruel many of ours be, that will kill in a rage (and not only be angry) for that for which their own more sober thoughts would account even a blow to be an over-measure of punishment. These are the faults and good deeds of Potiphar. His benefits. He had an honourable office. His benefits were very great but all temporal. He had an honourable office about the King, he had riches and prosperity in his outward estate, and that in abundance. He lighted upon a wise and faithful and diligent servant, who being his Steward, ordered all his businesses so well, that God's blessing attended him in all things. So he had dignity and wealth, and an excellent steward. You see that these common benefits are cast upon Heathen men, and therefore be exhorted not to set your hearts upon them, nor to satisfy yourselves in them, but to seek the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, and to esteem of these things but as the vantage, not the principal bargain, as most times men do. And seeing the having of these things doth not difference you from unsanctified men, let the using; use them not alone for your own credit and carnal content, but for the common good, and for the relief especially of the poor Saints. Have them so as not to be puffed up by them, not to trust in them, not to account yourselves one whit the better men or women for them; have them so as to be thankful for them and ready to part with them, and the so having them will prove you true Christians, and that these outward things are given you in favour, as a reward of goodness and an instrument of it. His crosses, He had a lewd woman to his wife. Now among these many benefits, this man had one heavy cross, but it was not heavy to him because he did not know of it, He had a lewd woman to his wife, an adulterous woman, that was so impudent as to solicit his servant to commit folly with her, and then so graceless as to accuse him falsely to her husband, and so cause him to deprive himself of one of the greatest benefits he had, even an excellent servant. It is the lot of many men to be crossed in their wives, amongst other crosses, some have lewd women, impudent, false, crafty. They on whom God hath laid this cross, must labour to bear it quietly, they suffer none other things then many before have suffered and shall suffer hereafter. Crosses must be made as easy as is possible by the patient beating, chafing, raging, vexing will not diminish our misery but increase it. But those that have better wives, must learn to prise that jewel and to be thankful, and to bear with common weaknesses, which no women nor men are free from, because the Lord hath not laid the worst cross upon them by sending them yoke-fellowes of the vilest qualities. And so much for Potiphar. Potiphars' wife Now for his wife, she was a most wicked woman, of her good deeds we read nothing, of her naughtiness a great deal. No good in her. Her faults. 1. She was an adulterous woman. These were her faults. First, she was a lewd, adulterous woman, not contented with her own husband, but giving her eye leave to wander upon the comeliness of a servant of her husbands. Secondly, she was impudent and earnest in her filthiness, 2. Impudent and earnest in her filthiness. would take no nay in her unclean suit, but solicited joseph again and again though he shunned her company, and at last watching her time to get him alone before he knew of it, she grew to that outrageous boldness in lust, as to lay hold on him and offer him as much violence as a woman could offer a man, catcheth him by the garment, and is not ashamed to pull him to her, and entreat him to lie with her, holding him so fast that he had no way left to be rid of her but to leave the garment in her hand and get him out of the room. Thirdly, she was a most malicious woman, 3. Most malicious. turning her inordinate love and lust into bitter hatred, and resolving to ruinate him by subtlety, whom she was not able to overcome by enticements, for fear it may be that he should discover her wickedness, she prevents him with false accusations, and being fitted with a sudden occasion her naughty wit doth quickly apprehend it, finding himself gone, his garment left, she cries out aloud, as if she had some force offered to her, and when company came rushing in at the outcry, she shows his garments, and with a feigned rage, says, he hath brought in an Hebrew, which name was odious among the Egyptians, and so having laid a crafty foundation for her malicious design when her Lord comes home, she shows him the garment and accuseth him in the same fashions that he came in to her and offered to commit villainy with her, but when she cried he hasted away leaving his garment for haste. Here is lust, here is impudency, here is wilfulness in lust, here is bitter malice and causeless, here is subtlety and great craft, here is lying and great falsehood. O let all women and all men beware of these sins; beware of looking upon a handsome body and a fair face with a lustful eye; beware of nourishing lustful desires; beware of impudence and shamelessness; beware of alluring, enticing, almost compelling men to lewdness; beware of hating those whom you cannot win to be sinful; beware of lying, false accusing, laying snares to entrap men in and crafty and bold bearing out of lies; and beware of going on still in sin and carrying it out with an high hand. This Egyptian Lady that knew not God, might easily run into such abominations, and it is no wonder that Satan could draw one of his own slaves to do this drudgery, but let none of those that know and profess to fear God prostitute themselves to lewdness, malice, lying, and guile, take heed of giving yourselves leave to be wanton; the woman that prostitutes her body will soon become full of all other vices. THE TWENTY FIFTH EXAMPLE. OF Pharaohs Butler and Baker, and Pharaoh himself and the Egyptians. BEfore I speak of joseph, Pharaohs Butler and Baker. some thing must be noted of a few more with whom he lived and had occasion of commerce. First, the Butler and Baker of Pharaoh, in whom we may take notice, 1. That they were both Officers to a mighty King. 2. That they both did offend or seemed to offend their King. 3. They both were imprisoned. 4. That they both dreamt true dreams, somewhat like in appearance but quite contrary in signification. Lastly, that they felt the effect of their dreams, and that the Butler was forgetful of joseph a great while but at last remembered him. So we have their good deeds, their bad deeds, their benefits, 1. Their good deeds. their crosses. 1. They bore their imprisonment patiently and cheerfully. Gen. 40.7. The good deeds of both are that so far as we see they bore their imprisonment patiently and cheerfully, for joseph witnesseth that they had not been sad in former time, when he found their countenance heavy for want of an interpreter of their dreams, saying, why are you so sad to day, intimating that they wont not to be so. There is a certain natural cheerfulness that will bear a man out in common crosses, such as imprisonment and make them merry, even though they lie by it, and be in some danger of death as these. This is a thing that looks like virtue, but he that out of natural wisdom is cheerful is morally virtuous, he that is so out of the sight of God and the innocence and quietness of his conscience, is religious. Labour to get so much grace as to prevail more with yourselves, than an Heathen man, even to bear all crosses with an undejected countenance, let not calamities make your looks heavy. Indeed if we give ourselves to grieve for our sins upon occasion of our crosses, it is commendable, but sadness at a cross bewrays weakness of judgement, because it is a bootless macerating of one's self, and making himself more miserable than else the cross could make him. It is true, God hath set grief amongst our affections, that it might somewhat quicken us to shun crosses and to seek an issue out of them, and such quantity of grief as is requisite for that end, may well be entertained, though it swell not so big as to write itself upon our cheeks and countenance. But these two men whom imprisonment could not make to change countenance, yet became sad when they wanted interpreters of their dreams. It was one of the ways by which the Lord was pleased to reveal himself in those times, this was a divine dream offered unto each of them by God of purpose to finish the thing he had intended about joseph, and hence they cannot be cheerful till they know the meaning of the dream. To be heavy when we want fit means of making us understand that which much concerns us to know, is not blame-worthy. If these were sad for want of a fit Interpreter of dreams, how much more cause have they to be sad that want an Interpreter of God's Word unto them? Did they as well know the need of knowing the Scriptures, as these knew the want of an Interpreter, they would be sad upon a juster occasion. But it may seem much that we meet with interpreters of dreams, yet it is likely, nay certain, that there were some which undertook that office, as there were that exercised other curious arts. I suppose that God who gave dreams to some, gave then to others the knowledge of interpreting of dreams, and hence the Devil's imitating God did set his Idolatrous Priests a work to do the same thing, and hence the Interpreters of dreams among the Gentiles. It was not to be discommended but rather approved in these men, that having had dreams, they would have sought to the Interpreters, and were sad that their opportunity served them not. How much more should we seek to those that can teach us better things, and are appointed for that purpose and even be sorry that we want such helps? But another thing commendable is, 2. They despised not Joseph's youth or mean condition. that they despised not Joseph's either youth or mean condition, but open their dreams. And indeed this is a thing which adversity will work men even of high spirits unto, not to deny familiarity unto those that be far meaner than themselves. It is a matter of necessity, for a great Officer in prison to carry himself affably and sociably to a poor youth attending in the prison, but to be affable to mean persons when preferment and liberty meet together, that is a point of moral virtue at least. It is more beautiful in a great man's carriage, than any jewel or multitude of jewels in his apparel; whosoever desireth to be had in good account, let him show forth this virtue. Another good act we have in the chief Butler, that when he was put in remembrance of joseph by the falling out of the dream of Pharaoh, and the insufficiency of the other Wisemen to interpret, than he did a good office to his King (though I cannot call it a good office to joseph as he did it) even to inform the King of it, and bring Joseph's ability to light, and make this gift of his serviceable to Pharaoh in this exigent. They do a good office to a King or any other man, who help them to men of commendable sufficiencies to do any necessary service for them, and who certify those with whom they live what benefits themselves have received by another, that others may receive the like benefit in the like necessity. All men should be so charitable to their neighbours, as to commend unto them the spring from whence themselves have drank refreshing waters. But see the faults of these men, Their faults. 1. They both seemed to commit some trespass. first they both seemed to have committed some trespass (some matter of treason likely it was, because the one died for it, and the other should have died had he been found guilty) you see how dangerous a thing it is to commit trespasses against a Sovereign King by any kind of treacherous attempts or carriages, yea so much as in thought or word, for this is such a thing as indangereth the offendor both in liberty and life. Therefore Solomon warneth us not to meddle with seditions, and telleth us, Pro. 16.14. that the wrath of a King is like the roaring of a Lion, and that whosoever sinneth against him, sinneth against his own soul. It may befall an innocent man to be suspected of this crime, as here it may seem the Butler found by experience, but it is needful that we carefully shun the crime, though we cannot shun the suspicion. Fear God and honour the King, 1 Pet. 2 17. let your hearts be subdued to his Majesty, and your tongues and much more your hands. Do nothing by which you may sin against him, or cause him to be wroth against you. King's are a little Model of God's Sovereignty, he hath made them his deputies, S. Peter calleth them the Supreme, S. 1 Pet. 2.13. Rom. 13.1. Paul the higher Powers. How ill speed had Absalon, and Shebah, and Bigtam, and Zeresh, and others that attempted against Kings? Learn to be duly subject unto them by whom the God of Heaven doth as it were keep his possession of the world; Hitherto their common faults. The Butlers special fault the forgetting of joseph. Now the special fault of the Butler was forgetting of joseph, though joseph had besought him to remember him, signifying also the wrong that he had in being brought either as a slave into the country, or as a prisoner into that place, but the words of joseph vanished, and the chief Butler had quite forgotten him whom he left in prison, now that himself was gotten out of prison. So is the guise of men, when themselves have escaped crosses, they remember not to be helpful to others that are in like calamity, yea though they have been beholding to them in the time of their misery, and have found them instruments of great comfort in their misery. This is an unthankful kind of unmercifulness, it is a compound of two faults, want of pity and want of gratitude. I pray if any be guilty of this fault, let him not forget it now, but being put in mind of it by the hearing of a like offence in this Officer of Pharaoh, let him see it to be as bad a vice in himself, as at the reading of it he cannot choose but judge it in this Courtier. Had he seen so much serviceableness, so excellent skill in so hidden a thing as interpreting of dreams, and such excellent parts in joseph, and had himself found him so true an Interpreter, as that all things came to pass according to his word, and was he not worth once thinking of for a whole years' space together? Sure he was glutted with his own prosperity, that in all those days could not find in his heart to cast one thought back again to the prison, and think of the wrong done to that so worthy a young man, who both ministered unto him in prison and foretold his deliverance out of prison. This forgetfulness of a man to whom we have been indebted in misery, is a testimony that self-love hath so abounded in him as that it hath choked and consumed all charity. It is a most disbecomming vice, it causeth hard censures from every mouth that doth hear, he that hath practised it in himself cannot but condemn it in another, as David did his own fault in a third person; forget not to blame yourselves for having so forgotten. And now be taught to use your memory virtuously to remember those that are indistresse and under injuries, and those that have suffered with you, and those that have been instruments of comfort to you in the common sorrows that befell both. Memory cannot be better exercised next after the remembrance of God and his benefits and our sins, then in remembering the miseries of others, with whom once our own selves were joined in the same misery, and the kindnesses we have received of them in our miseries. And so much of the faults of these men. Their cross. They were both imprisoned. Now of their crosses, they both were imprisoned, and sure imprisonment is a cross. To be limited to one chamber, to be denied the common benefits that bruit creatures enjoy, drawing in the fresh air, and a free beholding of Heaven and Earth, to want the benefit of ones friend's company, and be so restrained, that neither he can go to them nor they can come to him, to have one wall, one chimney, Imprisonment is a cross. one window for his prospect, and either none or but a few and those disconsolate persons as himself to talk withal, this is a cross I say so tedious, as none can judge of it but by experience, yet many persons both of high place and of great virtues have suffered it. O now therefore let me counsel you to be thankful for liberty, and to praise God that hath not laid you fast in some place of custody, that hath set you at large and given you liberty to be with whom and where you would yourselves, in your own houses, or in your friends houses, or where you desire to be, where you have no doors locked upon you, no keeper to shut you in and let you forth, no controller to take you up with surly words, none to find fault with you in that kind, or to exact upon you. I say, thank God for liberty and know the benefit by having, which would seem great unto you if you wanted it. And secondly, use your liberty well, keep yourselves from ill company and ill courses; run not into places worse than prisons, then when you be out of prison. Moderate yourselves in your freedom, that you may not be abridged of your freedom, especially take heed of running into such crimes, as should cause you to deserve imprisonment. Harmful creatures are chained or tied up, so must harmful men, let your behaviour be such, that you may not enforce Governors to lay you fast, let not Satan get you into his bondage, be not prisoners to your lusts, Gal. 5.13. and in this sense also I may use Peter's words, Abuse not your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness, or as an occasion to the flesh, the abuse of mercies doth forfeit them and addeth bitterness to the want of them. If there be not a gross fatness grown over the heart of a man, he will call to mind with anguish his unbridled walking in his liberty that now is bound to one place. But howsoever, learn to prepare for imprisonment and for that purpose keep friendship with God in your own consciences, with whom you may comfortably confer when the prison doors be shut and your other friends are kept out from you. And labour to get the knowledge of the Word of God, the meditation of which may be sweet unto you when solitariness would else cast you into your dumps. He that can pour out his soul to God in prayers and in supplications and in thanksgivings, may make his prison comfortable to him, he that can hear peaceable answers from his conscience may sing Psalms in the stocks, and he that can meditate of God's Word can never languish with solitariness, when he lieth under lock and key and that himself alone also. And another cross is to the Baker alone, he lost his life violently, The Baker's cross alone, he was hanged. disgracefully, and it may seem deservedly; for on the third day the King took them both out of prison, and then putting them to trial, hanged the one and acquitted the other, restoring him to his place. To die an unnatural, and shameful and violent death is a misery, a cross, a punishment, death at what door soever it carry a man out of the world, is grim enough to look upon, but to hale a man out of the world by violence and disgrace, makes his approach more terrible. Nature hates its own destruction, the soul and body cannot well endure their separation, but so much the less by how much the destruction is more violent, and the parting more contumelious. Let us be thankful to God therefore that hath taken our friends out of the world by fair and natural deaths, and let us abhor and shun those capital sins that may cause the Lord to bring us into the like misery, and to pull us out of the world before our time, and with much contempt also: and let us be always ready not for death alone, but for such a kind of death. A man is to brook reproach with death and as well as death. If only malefactors did fall in this manner, it were our duty to care for no more but to prevent crimes, but seeing the innocent also have been oppressed, witness above all exceptions, our Lord Jesus Christ and his blessed Prophets and Martyrs, now it is requisite for us to prepare for a violent death, only praying to God that we may not pull it on ourselves by our sins, and then bearing it quietly, though it should befall us without doing ill, and most comfortably if it should befall us for having done well. Their benefits. 1. They were both in high place under a great King. And so much for the crosses of these men. Now their benefits. First, they were both officers under a great King, enjoying places of honour, and like by too (if they wanted not good husbandry) of wealth. To have preferment and riches, or to be in the way of both, by attending upon a mighty Prince, is such an outward thing as men make great account of; O how much more worthy a thing is it to be an attendant on God, and a special officer as it werein his Court? They know not God and his service, that cannot see an excellency in being admitted so near to the King of Kings. 2. They had joseph to attend them in prison. But secondly, they had in the prison an excellent person to attend them, and one of such endowments, that was ready by diligence to minister any thing unto them, and by wisdom to advise, counsel and inform them. It is a great happiness in misery to meet with a person able and ready to comfort and cheer up a sad heart by cheerful serving and by hearty counsel. He is as happy as one can be in prison, that hath a joseph to be with him or to wait upon him; God can give this benefit to us, we must supplicate for it, and learn to make as great account of such in prosperity as in adversity. Now it might have been to the Baker a benefit, if his want of due knowledge had not unfit him to make it useful, that he had three days warning to fit him for death. There is no man that can promise himself life for the space of three days, but so easy are we to make and believe promises of life to ourselves, unless we see the time of our life most inevitably determined, that we will hardly set ourselves to prepare heartily for death, unless we be made to see that now before such a time we must needs die. But it is our duty to look for that, and walk prepared for it that may come every hour, must come within a short time; for what is the longest life when once the conclusion of it is come upon us. Again, it was a benefit to the Butler, The Butler's benefit. He both knew he should be delivered, and was delivered out of prison. he both knew he must be delivered, and was delivered out of prison, and retured to his place of honour again. To have a comfortable deliverance out of crosses is a benefit that we can easily discern to be great, who doth not desire it, rejoice in it, pray for it and applaud others for it. It is therefore a great goodness of God to grant it, indeed if one have been caught by some affliction through wrongful means, when nothing worthy thereof hath been done by him; it is a favour of God to make his innocency known, and so to grant him a happy escape, but howsoever it is a mercy. But you see here it is a common mercy, be thankful for it, walk capable of it, by being such as God hath engaged himself unto, to deliver them out of all adversity. And most of all, make a good use of your crosses and deliverances both, that you may be better after a cross, and that your deliverance may deliver you also from sin. He that getteth not some more grace in adversity than he had before it came, and doth not use that grace after to show himself to have profited by his cross, comes out of a cross none otherwise then a beast may scramble out of a ditch, and to such an one a worse thing shall befall afterwards. And so much for this couple. Now we proceed to Pharaoh himself King of Egypt, we consider in him the same things, his good and bad deeds, the good and bad occurrents that befell him. First for his good deeds, Pharaoh his good deeds. He was wise and had good moral parts. 1. He used all the means he could to come to the knowledge of his dream. Pharaoh was indeed an Heathen and an Idolater, but he seemeth to have been a man of good wisdom and moral parts, the good deeds recorded of him in Scripture are these. First, having dreamt a divine dream, I mean a dream sent to him of God for some special purpose, he used all the ways he could to come to the knowledge of it, and was much troubled when he saw that he could not attain the interpretation of it. For a dream was but a kind of riddle or similitude offered unto a man in his sleep, which did darkly, and yet truly represent some truth, necessary for him to know. Indeed sometimes God did appear to his servants in dreams without any such dark and obscure revelations, and in express and plain terms did tell them the things which they were to know, as in the dreams of Abimelech and of Abraham, but many times he appeared to them alone in similitudes, yet so that he made them know the meaning easily, as in Joseph's dreams, and in Jacob's dream of the ladder, now such an enigmatical dream being offered unto Pharaoh, he sought all means of getting the interpretation of it: surely we should much more seek to attain the knowledge of the Scripture, and desire to have some to interpret the same unto us where it is doubtful and obscure. And if we neglect to seek the meaning of it, we shall do as much wrong to ourselves as Pharaoh should have done to himself, if he had slighted this dream, for than should his land have been consumed by famine as well as other lands. Therefore since God hath appointed you his written word for your instruction in matters concerning salvation, as than he pleased by dreams to reveal what he saw fit unto men, see that you seek to know the word of God as he sought to know these dreams. Only know this, that often the wise men and men of repute in the world, cannot tell you these things, but some poor imprisoned and neglected joseph. This is Pharaohs first good deed. 2. He contemned not joseph because he was a poor servant and of low degree Joh. 1.46. Nex when he hears of joseph he contemns him not because he was a poor servant and of low degree, but is careful to send for him and to consult with him, and by this means attaineth to the knowledge of that which all his enchanters, wisemen, and diviners could not help him unto. Surely it is a point of wisdom not to slight men because of their outward meanness, but without prejudice to confer with them if we hear good of them, and to be ready to hearken to their wise words. Can any good come out of Nazareth, saith Nathaniel, prejudice against the means of Christ's birth and education would have kept him from Christ, if he had not followed Philip's advice, who bid him come and see. It pleaseth God to triumph over the folly of men, that will measure things by worldly greatness, and to give them over to undo themselves. In jeremy's time the Priests and men of note were opposite to him; so Christ was therefore neglected because he was the son of a Carpenter. Take heed that you measure not men by their high place and worldly accoutrements, God is often pleased to sleight great ones and to respect the meaner: In this case learn wisdom of Pharaoh and judge not by the appearance. 3. When he saw Joseph's wisdom he preferred him. Thirdly, when he saw the high wisdom that God had given to joseph, he prefers him, and makes him chief ruler of his Kingdom next under himself, and commits into his hand the care of gathering corn in the years of plenty, to serve against the years of famine. Oh how desirable a thing is it in Princes to commend men to high place for their worth sake? And how happy is that nation, when not a man's either friends, or money, or flattery, or ambitious insinuations of himself, but his parts, the abilities God hath given him, and fitness to discharge an high place, is the rule which the Prince doth follow in advancing men? It shall procure a world of welfare to the state, and comfort to the Prince, to whom the Lord giveth so much wisdom, as thus to dispense places of preferment. But I speak to subjects, we must be helpful to our Sovereign Lord with our prayers, that is all which our hands can reach unto. A fourth thing is, Pharaoh continued to favour joseph all his life long, 4. He continued to favour joseph all his life long, and favoured his Father and brethren for his sake. and for his sake showed great respect unto his brethren and to his Father, sending for him willingly and saluting him courteously, and planting him and his in the fruitful place of his Kingdom, and fittest for cattle, even in the land of Goshen. Thus it behoveth a good King, yea and a good man, to favour still whom he hath begun deservedly to favour, and for his sake to show all good esteeeme to his friends and kindred, so far as they show not themselves unworthy to be favoured. Constancy in loving and honouring a worthy man becomes Kings, and largeness of love, even a kind of royal love, beseemeth their persons and places, for a worthy servants sake to advance his Father, brethren and kindred. This is a right Kingly love, and such as can sort alone with men of such high quality. Meaner persons want means to show their favourable respect in such a spreading manner. Indeed to prefer unworthy persons, because they be of kin to a man of great worth and much favoured, is not agreeable to the rules of wisdom; but let them be men capable of favour, and he doth not love a man thoroughly, that for his sake doth not also love those that are near unto him. And if Princes have such a Princely love to their virtuous favourites, how much more hath the living God to his? These be things commendable in Pharaoh. For his faults, His faults. He continued a Heathen though he had a joseph in his Court. God hath been pleased to reveal none but that common fault, he continued an Heathen though he had a joseph in his Court, and highly preferred by himself. It is a hard matter to get out of darkness and to come into light, a divine spirit must join with the means, or else the means will prove ineffectual. Let us pray to God to lead us into the knowledge of his truth, or else we may live long with them that know it, and yet learn nothing of it. It is in our nature to settle ourselves in the religion of our forefathers, and not to consider whether it be true and good, yea or not. A kind of slitenesse in matter of religion, doth reign in the world, men will not be at the trouble to examine that which they find in use, they will not hazard themselves in crossing the common-voice; so they swim down the stream, and run into perdition for company. Let us be careful to examine the things that we find, and seeing God hath vouchsafed us the happy guidance of his word, let us learn to try all things and hold fast the good: 2 Thes. 5.21. Only in crying we must take heed that we be not of a kind of cross humour, that will strive to go in a single way, and will refuse things upon sleight grounds, as if they were glad to find occasion to go alone. And so much for Pharaohs faults too. Now his prosperity was great. First, 3. His benefits. 1. God warned him of the famine before hand. God warned him of the Famine before hand that he might prevent the danger of it to his people: a great mercy to be made to understand evils long before, that a man may hide himself from the evil of them, the wisdom of man can alone guess of future things, and of some it cannot so much as guess. O how great favour doth God show to men when he will lend them a little part of his Wisdom, and tell them what mischiefs are coming on the world. So God told David, how Saul and the men of Keilah would have conspired against him, Christ foretold his Disciples of the ruin of jerusalem, and made them able to save themselves out of that destruction. Now we must learn to esteem it a greater mercy, that we are forewarned of the evil to come in another world, and acquainted with the only means of flying from that unsufferable wrath. Let us be as careful to believe those predictions and to follow that counsel for escaping the mischief foretold, as here Pharaoh was to believe joseph and to take his counsel, and then shall we as assuredly escape the misery of eternal destruction, as he and his Country escaped the unhappiness of Famine. God gave him a faithful and wise servant. A second benefit, God gave Pharaoh a joseph, a worthy servant, a man of excellent Wisdom and faithfulness, fit for that high honour of being Second to Pharaoh, who in all things behaved himself as became a wise and godly man. The Lord cannot give a greater benefit to a King and a Kingdom, then by preferring a joseph, by providing such a man, and inclining the hearts of Kings to favour such; this is a mercy which our prayers must obtain for our King and for ourselves. Lord send Joseph's to the Court, and guide the heart of his Majesty to love and advance Joseph's. 3. He was a rich and mighty Prince. A third mercy, he grew exceeding wealthy and a mighty Prince, possessor in a manner of all the land of Egypt, and had all the people as his servants to plow the ground for him, so that he was a rich and mighty Prince. But when Princes or other men become very great and high, many times their weakness and corruptions turn that benefit into a misery and occasion of much mischief; learn so to receive this benefit, as to be earnest for grace, to use it well that it may not turn to your destruction. Nothing said of his crosses. But of Pharaohs crosses we read nothing, he was so prosperous a King, that no adverse accident is recorded to have befallen him. Even to escape great crosses must be accounted a great mercy, and if the Lord have caused any man's life amongst us to run with so even a thread as it were that no adversity hath, interrupted it, he is so to take notice of this mercy, as to take heed withal, that he flatter not himself with vain thoughts, as if he were therefore much in God's favour, because of such immunity from outward evils. Not so, but we must ever remember that in the Psalm, Psal. 38 19 & 73.4, 5. That the wicked are lusty and strong, that they have no bonds in their death, and that they be not in adversity as other men. The Egyptians Hitherto of Pharaoh, now of the Egyptians, both the land in general and the chief officers about Pharaoh. Canaan is compared to it. The land of Egypt was a rich land and fertile, the Holy Ghost doth not speak much of their idolatry in Genesis. But in after times they were infamous for it, and there did Israel learn to be Idolatrous If God leave a people to themselves, they will soon degenerate either into profaneness and a mere contempt of God or into false worship and Idolatry. How thankful ought we to be to whom the Lord hath pleased to reveal his truth and to keep us far from worshipping a false god or embracing a false religion? But we have an example of some good in these Egyptians, Their virtues They submitted themselves to their Governors. and a great virtue it was they submitted themselves to their Governors with a very great submission. The Famine lay upon them, they were content to buy corn of joseph for money, and when that failed, to pawn their cattle, and when that means was gone, to sell their lands and themselves, and did not rebel and with strong hand take corn to themselves, whither Pharaoh and joseph would or not. This was a most commendable thing in the Egyptians, they would rather sell themselves to the skin, yea sell themselves and all, than they would tumultuously rise in arms, make sedition, take corn by force and strong hand. O that we could see our duty in theirs, and learn to submit ourselves so conscionably to our Governors, that nothing may drive us to sedition or rebellion. A man might have brought great show of reason, why the Egyptians should have refused to sell themselves and their lands, if he would have given leave to wit and words: but these men are content to stoop so far, rather than to forget that they were subjects. Why should not religion make us able to keep our stomaches down from all disloyal practices, as well as nature taught it the Egyptians? Now for the faults of Egypt, I have one to mark, it is said, Their faults. They were mad with famine. they were faint with famine, Gen. 47.13. or mad with famine, so some translate if, and better; great crosses put men almost out of their wits, and drive them into a certain kind of fury they know not what to do. We must pray to God for such a measure of wisdom and patience, that crosses may not work so distemperedly upon us. But another good deed. They were thankful to joseph. They show themselves very thankful to joseph and acknowledged that he had saved their lives. It is a good thing to confess the good we have received from others, and thankfully to acknowledge to whom we owe our lives or any great office of love. Also the Egyptians had a great cross for they were utterly impoverished by famine. Their cross. They were impoverished by famine. Four benefits. But they had great benefits, First, seven very plentiful years, and secondly, a man of wisdom that provided for them before hand, thirdly, a man of equity that made them tenants upon due and easy rates, viz. they paid the fifth part of their increase to Pharaoh and had four parts to themselves, than which what Tenant can desire a more equal rent. Who could wish to have a better bargain? So they had you see an interchange of good and evil, as most times the Lord doth please to send unto the sons of men. Let us see our mercies to make us more patient under our crosses, and let us see our crosses to make us more thankful for our mercies, and let not either pass from us without a good use. Pharaohs servants respected joseph. Now for Pharaohs Servants and Counselors and Princes, we read not of any envy they had against joseph, but that they applied themselves to him in all kindness, and spoke to Pharaoh to suffer him to go into the land of Canaan to bury his Father, and accompanied him thither with great pomp. He was an Hebrew, yet his graces and good carriage caused that they all loved and honoured him. It is a commendable thing so to respect excellent virtues, as not to be moved with envy at their prosperity whom virtue doth advance, yea to love, esteem, and honour them the more, because they have showed themselves worthy the highest dignities that have befallen them. The Court of Cyrus was filled with men of another temper than Pharaohs Court, How did they practise against daniel's life through envy? Let us be liker the Egyptian Lords here then the Persian. (* ⁎ *) THE TWENTY sixth EXAMPLE. OF JOSEPH. AT last, we have passed through the persons that lived with jacob, and joseph, joseph, 1. in general. and now must speak of himself. First in general: joseph was a godly man, full of Virtue, who began betime to show himself good, and continued so to his last: for he was sold into Egypt not long after seventeen years of age; before then, Gen. 37.28. he began to walk holily, He was a godly man, & began to be so betimes. and God began to reveal future things unto him by Dreams (a sign of his special favour and love) and by name, his own future prosperity and advancement. The same goodness continued to his end; for when he was about to die, he gave commandment concerning his bones, as the Author to the Hebrews noteth. Heb. 11.22. Young men should labour to be good betimes, & why. O let us labour to be followers of so good a pattern as this: there be among you some young youths of the age of 16, 17. or thereabouts, Joseph's age, when God began to show himself to him. To you let me use the words of the Psalmist, Come Children, let me teach you the fear of the Lord. Here is an example which will teach it to you, if you will follow it: I beseech you to begin betime to entertain true piety; you are not so young, but that God can work grace in your hearts; you may come to God's Ordinances, and do come, you have means to make you good, and your age bringeth with it to Church such abilities of wit and memory, as are fit to be instruments of working Grace in your hearts. Mark now, I will show you good reasons why you should apply yourselves unto Godliness, even so early, and then I will show you means by which you may be so. For the first, the Lord speaketh to young men and saith, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth. Lo God desireth to have you come unto him in the prime of your age. There be some persons so young, that scarce any man will entertain them for his servants, for they be not sufficient yet to do service: but God who entertaineth servants, not to gain by their service, but to make them gainers, he will admit them into his house, and make them his servants, that are willing to be his Apprentices, as it were at 7, 8, 9 years; he rejecteth none, because they be yet but children: nay you shall see how desirous he is to be served with such, for when his disciples prohibited those that brought young Children, he reproved them, and commanded to suffer young Children to come unto him, because of such, (meaning not alone of those that be like young children, in humility, but even of young Children themselves) is the Kingdom of Heaven. Why should you be so unwilling to serve so great a Master, who is willing to accept you so young into his service? Again, the Lord Jesus in Baptism hath made a Covenant with you, and taken you into a Covenant with himself, so that you are, as I may so say, even bound unto him as covenant servants; do not now prove run agates and breakers of your covenant. Further, the sooner you take Christ's yoke upon you, the more grace you shall get here, and the more Glory hereafter, in that you shall both do and receive more good, and avoid and shun more sins, therefore set yourselves to his service as soon as possible. Contrarily, the longer you tarry out of his service, the harder will it be for you to enter into it, for the continuance of sins, as of sores, doth make them more incurable. The Lamb's skin cometh as soon to the market, as the sheep. Further, your life is uncertain, and it is a doubtful thing whether you shall continue in this World, till old age or till middle age, make use therefore of the present time, which God doth give you. And lastly, GOD is as able and willing and ready to give Grace to you as to any other, yea, and he hath set before your eyes, besides the Example of Isaac and joseph, and that also of josiah a King, who began to seek God when he was not above 12 years old. These reasons should persuade you, let them persuade you that are to follow after Godliness: it is a rare thing, but the rarer the better; it shall never repent you to have gone before others in well doing: now let me tell you how you may be good. First ponder much of your Baptism, Means to be good betimes. and inform yourselves very carefully, what interest you have into God, and he into you, and from hence embolden yourselves to pray to God for the inward washing, that he would baptise you with the Holy-Ghost, and make you able to turn to him and obey him. Secondly be careful to attend to God's Word in public, and to read it, and to ponder on it, 2. He continued good to his end. Gen. ult. Heb. 11.22. resolving to obey it in your private meditations, and these means will make a young man good: and as Joseph began to be good betimes, so continued he good a long space, even to his last age, to the end. He was good in his Father's house, in Putiphars' house, in the Prison, at Court, in youth, in age: for he died at an hundred and ten years. Now I beseech you that have begun early with him, to continue to the end with him, and see, that neither change of place, nor of state, adversity nor prosperity turn you out of the ways of Godliness: and if any of you have seemed at joseph's age very forward in Religion, but are now in a manner waxed key cold, and stark naught, scarce retaining any savour of your former piety; let joseph's example make you take notice of your want of perseverance, that now at last you may consider your decays, and strive to recover again, and so to run to the end of the race with comfort. And you that are Young, strive to get truth, and to stand by God's strength, continually using Gods means, and you shall be constant: and so much of joseph's goodness in general, especially in respect of its beginning and continuance. Now more particularly, 2. More particularly. consider what was good in him in his Father's house, and in Egypt, for so may his life be fitly distinguished, by the places wherein he lived. In his Father's house. 1. 1. His goodness in his Father's house. Gen. 37.2. 1. He acquainted his father with his brethren's ill carriage. He was willing to tell of his brethren's ill carriage unto his Father, so that they might be reform. Those of you that are of so slender authority or power, by reason of their youth, or upon other considerations of meanness of estate, or the like, that their own admonitions are not likely to prevail with offenders, shall do a good office, if they make known the faults of such offenders to their betters and superiors, that so the care may be wrought by another hand, which themselves cannot work. Thus they of the house of Cloe complained to Paul of the contentions and divisions that were so rife and scandalous amongst the Corinth's. This a man is enjoined and bound unto by the rules of Charity, which command him to seek his Brother's amendment and reformation of those things that are evil. I know that most men will hate such as complain of them, and call them tell tales, but this kind of, complaining may be carried closely enough, that it shall not procure envy to the complainer, if the Governor will use his discretion, and take care to find it out some other way, as in most cases he may, rather than to seem to have come to the knowledge of it by such a means. But if it cannot be concealed, all men must form their duties, though they hazard themselves to some ill will and danger. Now you children and Servants, that live together in families, take notice of joseph's example if you see any evil way of your common inferiors, speak to them, admonish them if it be fit, and if they will not reform, bring their bad deeds to their parents, or master's ears, that so you may not partake in their sins, for want of using due means to reform them: Only take heed, First, that you be not apt to complain for every light weakness, which ought to be passed by, and Secondly, that you never aggravate any thing, much less fain, lie, sergeant; for false and slanderous complaining against a servant to his master, is forbidden expressly by Solomon, saying, accuse not a Servant to his Master: Pro. 30.10. the word is used to denote slanderous and malicious accusations, and such must be avoided in respect of servants, and men of lower rank, that by setting their betters against them, they may not occasion much causeless misery to them. Again, if there be any that have chafed, and entertained great discontent against their fellow servants, or others, for telling of their faults, to their Governors; they must now condemn themselves for this ungrounded and causeless anger, especially if they have been first admonished, and no amendment hath followed; yea, though the others have told it first to their Governors, the fault being gross, and themselves so low, as there was no likelihood that they should have been heard, for why should any man be offended because another hath done his duty, and imitated so good an example as Joseph? For seeing all men must take heed of partaking of others faults, they shall partake in those, they seek not to reform by such fit means as they may use: and this of complaining to Governors, is a fit means, it follows that they were bound in Conscience to open their mouths in this kind, and it is doubtless a sin to be offended with another, for that which he could not omit without Sinne. This falling out with him that hath detected a man's faults, is an evident sign of a man that loves his Sin, and would willingly live in it, but for fear of punishment. Secondly, Joseph whilst he lived in his Father's house, had divine Dreams afforded unto him, as foretelling his own advancement, and these he faithfully and truly told unto his Father, and unto all his Brethren, although his Brethren did hate him for it, and his Father seemed to rebuke him, 2. He had divine Dreams Gen 37.6, 7. Which he told to his Father and Brethren. but his reproof was very gentle, and rather for fashion sake to mitigate his brethren's anger, then because he esteemed him an offendor in telling his Dreams. So it behoveth all men to communicate their knowledge unto others, so far as is convenient, especially those whom God hath made seers, and put into an office of teaching others, must be careful to instruct them, though the things be such, as they will rather hate them for, then accept. Dreams were at that time Ordinances of God, to instruct men; If Joseph could not forbear to tell his dreams, how much less should any forbear to instruct, teach, or admonish their fellow-servants, or brethren, or any that are near to them. Young Samuel did tell his master Eli his Dream, and did well in telling it, yea, Eli charged him with great earnestness to tell him all the truth: But let men be sure their Dreams be from God, before they tell them, I mean, that they have just cause to speak, and that it be the certain truth they speak, before they speak to any. Thirdly, while Joseph was young, 3. He was obedient to his Father. Gen. 37.13, 14. he showed himself obedient to his Father, for when he called him to send him to visit his Brethren, he was ready to obey him, and did the office of a dutiful Son, addressing himself to the appointed business, although it was to take a journey of two or 3 days on foot. Come young men and young women, and learn of this good youth how to carry yourselves to your Parents; if they call you, come, and give them dutiful and mannerly answers, if they send you, go, and prefer the doing of their will in lawful things, before your own ease and pleasure. You know how precisely the Lord hath imposed this duty upon the consciences of children; Children obey your Parents in all things. You must make no restriction of the largeness of this Commandment, but by adding that word, Lawful, which out of other Scriptures must needs be understood, and he gives a reason, saying, this is the first Commandment, meaning of the second Table, with promise, and with promise of welfare, saying, that it may be well with thee. As ever you desire to find prosperity from God, so you must be dutiful to your Fathers and Mothers, the instruments of your being, and bringing up, and the most immediate Deputies of God and you, which he hath set in his stead, to take care of you, and to rule you. Now you that are sinful and disobedient Sons and Daughters, whose carriage doth far differ from that of joseph's, see the foulness of your Vice, by opposing unto it the fairness of his Virtue. Do not your hearts within you say, that it was very well done in Joseph to say to his Father, here am I, when he called him to go on his errand, and when his father had told him his work by and by to set about it, do you not think that Joseph did the office of a godly child, and that which his duty bound him to, and wherewith God was well pleased? If he did, as yourselves must needs affirm he did, be you grieved & ashamed within yourselves, of your quite contrary carriage, whose consciences can tell, that instead of answering here I am, have retained some surly answer, and instead of going on the business, have gone a quite contrary way. Let your hearts smite you to Repentance, that you may comfort your Parents with obedience hereafter, whose hearts you have formerly vexed by your graceless stubborness. 4. He entreated his Brethren, when they went about to sell him to strangers. Fourthly, when Joseph's Brethren used him exceeding injuriously and hardly, viz. selling him to foreigners, for a Bondman: what did he, but even entreat and beseech them to deal better with him? as themselves tell of his carriage, when they were touched with some remorse for their cruelty. Gen. 42.21. He besought us, and we would not hear. Lo how it behoves a good body to behave himself to his equals or betters, or any, that being too strong for him, when they do offer hard measure unto him, even entreat, pray, beseech, use all submissive, gentle, quiet and mild words, and carriage. Learn that of S. Paul who saith, being defamed, we entreat. You know Abigals' carriage toward David, 1 Cor. 4.13. 1 Sam. 25.23.24. when she found him in a great chafe against her husband, and ready to do violence to her family, she entreated him, and caused his passion to stop itself by her fair words. Proverb. 15.1. Solomon hath told us, that gentle words pacify wrath: and if any thing in the world will assuage the fury, and mollify the hardness, and remove the cruelty of an enemy, it is this kind of language and behaviour: If therefore any of us be guilty of betaking ourselves, in such case, to railing, bitterness, and violence, giving all the vile terms, that wrath would put into our mouths, against our Superiors, when they wronged us, and daubing them with most foul names, let us take notice of our folly in being wrathful. This was not the course that natural discretion, much less that Christian Religion would prescribe to a wronged man: this shows him to be as proud and bitter, that suffers, as they that offer the wrong. 1 Pet. 3.9. S. Peter saith, we should not render, reviling for reviling, if we must not rail on him that abuseth us in words, neither then on them that abuse as in actions. Now then learn meekness of joseph, learn to frame your tongues to this kind of humble speech, when you be wronged. Perhaps you may say, that Joseph did this because he durst do no otherwise. I answer, if he feared his Brethren, are not you to fear God? if he durst not speak wrathfully to them, that he might not the more provoke and move them, should not you take heed of provoking GOD with the licentious use of your evil tongue? But secondly I answer that it is very probable, joseph did not this out of bare fear, for then when he saw that the matter grew desperate, and he could not prevail by entreaty, he would have fallen to bitterness at last; wherefore follow his mildness, beseech when you are wronged, but do not rail and revile. This is all I have noted of Joseph's private life in his Father's house, 2. His good carriage in Egypt in Putiphars' house. 1. He was a most diligent & faithful servant to him. now we will follow him into Egypt, and see how he carried himself there. 1. in private in the house. 1. of Putiphaer 2. in prison, 2. more publicly. Joseph's carriage in Putiphars' house deserveth praise, 1. because he was a diligent and faithful servant unto him, joseph had been bred up tenderly as the free son of a noble and great man jacob; of a sudden God by his providence made him a bondman, he frames himself to such dutifulness and fidelity, that he wins his Master, and gaineth greater favour with him then any other servant, as you may read Gen. 39 ad 7. For had not he been faithful and painful, God had not been with him nor prospered him as he did. Let me commend his example to you that be servants to imitate it, labour you to be good servants, faithful, diligent in your Master's business and respective towards their persons, that so God may be with you too, and prosper you, and you also may draw the loves and good wills of your Masters. Your service is not bond service, but free service, at the worst it is but a service of eight or nine years likely. See the commandment of God lying upon you as much as it did upon joseph, and do that which you see in him is possible to do; this is the way to make your service most easy and comfortable to yourselves, and most acceptable and pleasing to God: you are servants now, you may be Masters or Governors hereafter, so frame yourselves in the function of servants, that God may bless you with good servants. Carry yourselves towards your Masters, as you would wish your servants to carry themselves to you, and for the most part, you shall find that in this as well as in other things the Lord will return a man's own measure into his own bosom. The living God marks the carriage of servants, accepts their diligence and fidelity, and rewards it, and it is as evident a note of true piety, to be a good servant, as a good King or a good Minister, and that will make you good servants, if you know that in so doing you shall be accepted by God, and have your wages from him, if your Governors should be froward. And to remember that Saint Peter requireth you, to show yourselves true Christians, by being good servants, even to unquiet and crooked Masters. 1 Pet. 2.18. But if any of you have showed yourselves froward servants, sullen, dogged, slothful, idle, false, untrusty, at best but eye-servants that ca●ed no further to do your duty, than you conceived your Masters should know of your carriage, otherwise not caring how you loitered out the time, how wasteful you were, and adding to these faults also answering again, and frowardness and falsehood, denying your faults. O be humbled in seeing yourselves so unlike to joseph, you would be accounted good Christians as he was a good son to jacob, and be sorrowful you have not approved yourselves such as he did approve himself. When we see the godliness of those whom the Scriptures commend unto us, we must take notice of our own naughtiness with remorse and sorrow, and run to God to pardon and reform it. God that made joseph a good servant can make thee so too, 2. He showed the true fear of God. Isay 33.6. seek unto him for his Spirit to make thee humble and conscionable. Secondly, in his Master's house this godly man showed the true fear of God, in that he forbore to commit a sin to which he was so vehemently solicited, saying to his Mistress, How shall do this great evil, and sin against God, Gen. 39.9. We must all labour to plant an awful apprehension of God's greatness, justice, and presence in our minds, that we may not dare to sin against him, this is the virtue so much commended in the Scriptures, so often required, and that hath so many promises made unto it! This is that virtue which must prove our knowledge of God and our faith in him: I mean a not daring to sin in respect that we know it is offensive to him, and will provoke him against us: This virtue will hold the heart from secret sin, and such to which we are much solicited & perhaps also much inclined. He that hath this grace is mounded and armed against the strongest temptations of Satan and of evil men. Esa. 33.6. No man can do himself a better turn then to abound in it, the Prophet calls it our treasure. He that hath gotten it in any good quantity, hath gotten the richest treasure in the world, and that which will do him more good than all gold and silver. Solomon calleth it the beginning or head, or chief part, or first fruits of wisdom. It is a grace which maketh knowledge useful, which else will end or rather vanish in mere discourse and twattle. It is a grace that cannot be found, but in a heart thoroughly sanctified: he that hath it is sure to find favour with God, and to walk holily with God. No man can sufficiently set forth the excellency of this grace? It is that by which we must work out our salvation, without which we cannot hold out in the way of piety, it must help us against false fears and false hopes, against pleasure, against profit, against credit, against discredit, against all the ways that Satan hath to draw us to sin. It will make you forbear secret sins, and such as flesh hath much to say, why it must needs commit: a large measure of fear will make you forbear such sins, and if there be any there, it will make you careful of rising out of them by speedy repentance. But you that are bold to sin in secret, and careless to repent of the sins that you can keep secret, flatter not yourselves with a false imagination, that you have the fear of God before your eyes. Gen. 39.9. 3. Had a thankful and loving Master. Thirdly, this worthy man had a thankful and loving respect unto his Master, for saith he, my Master hath thus and thus honoured & trusted me, and shall I so requite his love as to defile his wife? you see that every man ought to take great heed of wronging that person in any thing from whom he hath received much kindness in any respect. The good that another hath done as should offer itself unto our minds to make us steadfast in forbearing to do any thing that may wrong him, as we should abstain from injurying a benefactor in his wife or goods, or name, or in his children, or in his body, or in any other respect. Consider if you have been thus thankful or not, and he that is proved by the verdict of his own soul to be ungrateful, (having not remembered good turns received, to make him temper himself from injuries) let him know, that this shall be a great aggravation of his fault, that what should have prevailed to withdraw a man from sin, and hath not, shall certainly prevail to make his punishment the more grievous: Hast thou wronged any one in his good name, wife, etc. Concerning whom if ingratitude and love of sin had not polluted and corrupted thy memory, thou mightest have said, he hath done this and this for me, and shall I so requite him? blush for shame to think that thou hast incurred the odious name of an ingrateful man, a term of as much reproach as any can be. And now tread in Joseph's steps this way, show that you do account yourselves indebted for favours and courtesies, by having them ready in your minds, as a dissuasive from any manner of injuriousness, to them in whose debt you stand for such courtesies. Let your memories serve you for good purposes, Corruption will soon recall injuries to hinder from gratifying another, 4. He was very chaste. let us as soon recall kindnesses to hinder from hurting. But fourthly, This joseph shows forth that excellent virtue of chastity, and that in an high degree, for being a young man, and earnestly and often, yea almost continually importuned by his Mistress to commit adultery with her, he continues to repel her temptations with a peremptory denial, and shuns her company by all the ways he can, & when she caught him at such an advantage once, that having him alone she durst lay hands upon him, and offer as much violence as that sex could offer in that case, he leaves his garment with her and runs out, so far is he from yielding; a truer and nobler pattern of continency, how can we think of? If we consider his age and his person and the person of the solicittesse, and the continuance of her evil suit, and her earnestness in it, how great a pattern is he of constant and invincible purity? But the words that can be bestowed in commending him will all fall short of his worthiness, Chastity is an excellent virtue. I shall endeavour to commend this grace unto you, chastity is a sweet and excellent virtue. The keeping of the Body pure and undefiled, and forbearing to mix one's self with any person not allowed by God, according to his Ordinance, especially when strong temptations are offered to inflame libidinous fancies, deserveth great praise, for it shows that the heart is fully resolved not to do evil. Indeed if the not entertaining of such motions arise from inability of body and unfitness to satisfy them, this cannot be called castity, but debility. 1 Cor. 6. fin. We must consider how much the Apostle disgraceth uncleanness and fornication, he saith, it is injurious to Christ, to the holy-Ghost, to a man's own body; to Christ, if he be a professor of Christianity that doth it, for it takes one that is joined to him, and to his mystical body, as a member thereof, and makes it the member of an harlot, which is a great indignity to the holy-Ghost, for it takes a Temple dedicated to him, such is the body and soul of every Christian, and makes it a hog-sty, to lodge filthy lusts in; to a man's own body, for he that doth it, sins against his own body, in making-that the very instrument of committing that soul sin. Now as much as may be said in the reproach of the sin, so much on the contrary maybe said in praise of continency, by it a man keeps Christ's members, and the holy-Ghosts Temples, and his own body, free from so great baseness, of being made subject to an harlot. Helps against Fornication. The way is, first to plant in ones own heart a reverend fear of God's allseeing eye, yea to prey much to God, to bestow a good measure of this grace upon him. The second is, to count the sin a great wickedness, for so he saith, this great wickedness. The holding fast in ones mind an apprehension of the grievousness of a fault, is a great preservative against it; but if one once yield to fancy, that it is no great matter, then will it prove no great matter to draw us to it. And indeed this sin of Adultery must needs be a great wickedness, because it sins against a clear light, and is contrary to a solemn vow and Covenant made betwixt the married. 3. A man must often ponder on the threats of God made against this sin, and press them upon his own soul, and pray to God, to make him believe and fear. Fourthly, he must prevent the occasions and fly from them, even that occasion of being present, especially in solitary places, and alone with those, to whom his heart is inclined, or indeed, with any with whom such a sin may be committed, but upon just grounds and causes. And lastly, a man must not trust upon his own strength, but constantly supplicate to God keep down his inordinate passions, or else he shall find them too unruly for him. Labour you that be young, and you that be elder, and all, to attain this power over ill desires, God that wrought it in joseph, can work it in any other as well, you shall do well to produce Joseph's Example unto God, and beseech him to show his Spirit and his fear in you, as he did in him. Why are godly men's worthy deeds set up before our eyes in Scriptures, but that we may strive and pray, and hope to be made like unto them? But as all must be exhorted to get Chastity, so chiefly those which have been overtaken already with the contrary crime of Adultery or fornication, or both. It is more easy to forbear a sin the first time, than the second, the second than the third, and so forth; unless great care be used, to get the heart throughly healed. If Joseph had lived in Fornication with any other, he could never have resisted his mistress' enticements. They that have yielded to this sin shall more hardly save themselves from it, than those that have never yielded: but if a man do frequently and unfeignedly repent of this, as well as of other sins, it will be made so loathsome to him, that by God's assistance he shall prevail against it; yea even though it be his darling corruption. I go on to show how Joseph behaved himself in the house of his Prison, and that to his Master there the Jailor, 2. Joseph's good carriage in prison. Gen. 39.31. 1. He was diligent and faithful. and also to the King's Officers that were committed thither. First, he fell to his old trade of diligence and faithfulness, carrying himself in so virtuous a manner, that the Jailor did affect him, and liked him more and more, till at last he entrusted him with all the charge of the prison. This was a great trust, for you know what extreme danger a Jailor, chiefly of such prisoners, doth put himself in, if his prisoners escape: there again therefore let all inferiors be persuaded to seek to win their Superiors, by good and virtuous carriage, especially meekness, submissiveness, painfulness and trustiness. This will work a man into favour, even with an hard master, but I spoke of that matter a little before, I will show you his carriage to the prisoners, to whom he was an Attendant, it is commendable in these three respects. First he showed himself desirous to comfort them, Gen. 40. 3 He strives to comfort the prisoners, being sad, which he attended upon. when they were sad and dejected, ask them why they were sad: had he not been of a kind and tender disposition, he would not have heeded how a person, to whom himself had no, more relation, had fared, whether sorrowfully, or merrily; but so kind was he, that he seeks to comfort them, by ask them the cause of their sadness, and seeking to remove it. We should all learn to practise this courteousness to all men, chiefly to such as are in affliction otherwise, even help to raise up their hearts with good words, and so much as we can, to become instruments of cheering them, as you see Joseph entreating to know their Dreams, and diligent to interpret the same. It is an excellent virtue to be ready to comfort the afflicted, and to revive the spirits of them that be cast down, so far as we be able, but a churlish, careless temper, whereby a man cares not whether men cry or laugh, be merry or sad, is a proof of much pride and stupidity of spirit, and must be abhorred. 3. He was faithful in interpreting their dreams. Again, you see him faithful in interpreting their dreams, not seeking to flatter the Baker in regard of the likeness of the dreams, You must learn to deal truly with men, telling them as the thing is, not falsifying your words to please them, and to prevent their sorrows. Most of all, must men deal truly in interpreting and applying God's Word, and you must learn to be so wise, as to accept such true and plain dealing. 4. He was careful to get out of prison. Lastly, joseph was so wise, and so prudently careful of redeeming himself out of prison, that he would not let slip the opportunity of speaking to the Butler to remember him. It is very lawful for any man to use good means of getting out of a cross, and to take all such advantages as God shall afford, of suing and supplicating unto such as may be helpful to him in that behalf, as joseph doth, but still we must take heed that we be not overapt to accuse and disgrace others, whilst we seek to gain friends to ourselves. joseph spoke nothing sharply against his brethren, no nor yet against his Mistress, the more to prevail in his request to the Butler, that might speed him. 3. Joseph's good carriage in public. 1. To strangers. 1. To Pharaoh. 1. Before his preferment 1. He deals plainly and faithfully with him. Hitherto of Joseph's private life, now of his more public carriage: 1. To strangers. 2. Towards his own kindred and Father's house. First, towards the Egyptians, both to Pharaoh, and then to the Communality of Egypt. First, in his carriage to Pharaoh. 1. Before his preferment, & then after. Before his preferment, 1. he deals plainly & faithfully with him (as before) in interpreting his two dreams; After he had shaved himself & changed his garments he came in speedily to the King, and told him the meaning of his dreams, fully showing what was signified by the seven fat and lean Kine, and what by the seven full and lean Ears of corn, and then what by the seven lean Kine and lean Ears, which devoured the fat ones, viz. By the former, seven most plentiful years, in which the earth should bring forth corn and all fruits in great abundance, and by the latter, seven most scant and penurious years of great famine in which the earth should yield none increase at all, so that the plenty should be utterly forgotten, and the Land should be consumed with scarcity, and the doubling of the dream, he saith, did show that the thing was certain to be accomplished without all fail, and also the speednesse of the thing which should begin presently to be accomplished. Dreams one of God's ordinances. Thus joseph tells the things to come with all plainness, and most fully: Dreams were one of God's ordinances, by which he did in those times reveal those things to men, which he intended they should know, and the interpreter of Dreams was to show the true meaning of God, plainly without adding or diminishing, and without any doubting or ambiguity. Hence all those to whom the interpretation of Gods will revealed unto men shall be committed, must learn to deal plainly, fully, and truly. They must with all evidence and perspicuity show the things which God hath told them, and must not not hide or alter any thing at all; what God declareth, they must declare, making manifest also the certainty and speediness of the things, both that they shall surely come to pass and presently, in the due time appointed. Oh that the Lord would thrust out into his Church able, faithful and painful men, that might search diligently into the meaning of his Oracles, and fully declare his will unto his people, carefully stirring them to believe the things, and to expect them, and make use of them: now you see his faithfulness. Secondly, mark his wisdom and prudence, 2. He shows prudence and love. joined with love and good will, for he persuades Pharaoh to appoint fit persons to gather up the abundance of the plentiful years, and keep the same in store against the penurious and scant years, that so he may prevent the misery, which else would have fallen on the land. So those that are to interpret God's Word to his people, must add counsel, advice, persuasions, and exhortations to provide them to make good use of their knowledge, even to provide against the danger to come, and to make use of all those good helps, which God shall afford them for that purpose. We have now plentiful times of spiritual provision, by which we may get knowledge how to prevent the danger of eternal death: who can tell what scant and thin times may come hereafter, in which we may feel a sore famine of the Word, and not be able to get instruction and exhortation, which now we have in abundance? Let us store our heart with knowledge, now in these times of plenty, that our souls may not perish for want of true knowledge: & then when the means of knowledge shall be diminished, make use of God's goodness, that you perish not for want of true knowledge: Yea the Lord in his Word hath plainly revealed his mind concerning the damnation of impenitent sinners, and salvation of the penitent. O now labour to get repentance in these happy seasons of Repentance, wherein God offers grace unto you, and put not off these great works till after uncertain times, when no more means of repentance shall be granted, than the Egyptians had of getting corn, in the seven years of deadly famine; use the opportunity of getting grace, as Pharaoh did of getting Corne. Now it is the day time, now the light shineth, now the Lord continueth to stretch out his hand, oh turn to him, feed of the Word of life; hear the Word, read it, and ponder upon it, obey it, and turn to God, and believe, and obey, whilst it is called to day, that you may not hereafter labour in vain, about so necessary a business. Thirdly, you shall see in joseph's carriage great humility, 3. He carried himself humbly. lowliness of heart, he brags not of himself and his own skill and ability, he doth not lift up himself, because this rare gift of interpreting of Dreams was given unto him from God, but saith, it is not in me, God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. We see the same humility in Daniel, when he did likewise interpret the dreams of Nabuchadnezzar, Dan. 2.30. for he saith expressly, as for me, this secret is not revealed unto me for any wisdom that I have more than any living. Lo he depresseth himself, and gives the glory to God, we must learn to bestow God's gifts humbly, not vainegloriously, and with ostentation, setting up ourselves, but humbly acknowledging our own meanness, must give God the honour, and labour ourselves to be made instruments of good to men, by those endowments, wherewith the Lord shall enrich us. Humility adorneth and beautifieth all graces, it is this Virtue that addeth lustre to all graces, and commendeth him in whom it is, more than all his abilities besides: but vain glory and ostentation, and self conceitedness, and vaunting one's self, and being puffed up, doth as it were soil and sully, and defile and dawb all gifts, and maketh him, in whom they work this effect, as loathsome and contemptible, as if he wanted all of them, learn not to exalt yourselves, that God may exalt you. 4. He showed all reverence and due respect to the King. Another thing to be noted in Joseph, he showed all reverence and due respect to the King, as Daniel also did, giving him dutiful words, and carrying himself submissively: so must we do whensoever we approach before Rulers and Kings, our words and gestures must be decent and respective, tending to express an honourable esteem of them, because of the Image of God's Majesty and greatness, which shineth in them. Joseph would not come before Pharaoh, in the sordid garments of his prison house, nor with the hair of the dungeon, but polleth himself, and getteth on better attire, and sets himself in all his carriage to honour the King, saying, God hath showed Pharaoh, what he is about to do, and God will answer for Pharaohs peace. Oh that we could learn mannerly, and dutiful, and respective carriage towards Princes and Superiors, even for conscience sake to God. How frequently doth the Scripture mention the good carriage of godly men to Kings, they bowed to them with their faces to the ground, they worshipped them, they gave them fit titles, and did not think it much to stoop low unto them, as we see in the stories of Scripture. Woe unto them therefore that despise government, speak evil of dignities, and slight those whom God hath advanced, no thing but foolish pride, and a want, as it were, of seeing God's face, in these his Vice-gerents, hath emboldened them to contemptuous words, and carriages: Yea, you must know, that not alone to Monarches, Potentates, and great Commanders in the World, this reverend carriage is due, but to all Governors in their several, though far lower places, seeing all the places are of God, and not only the highest powers. Therefore to inferior Magistrates, to husbands. Fathers, Masters, doth the Scripture call for Reverence, and whosoever is bold to despise inferior Governors, doth not for any Conscience appear reverend to the higher powers, but alone out of carnal sear and sinister respects. Ah, repent of your irreverent, disdainful, and intemperate behaviour towards, Governors, and now learn to declare your fear of the great Ruler of all things, by showing fear towards all those for his sake, whom he hath been pleased to set over you. Another point of faithfulness, respect and loyalty, 2. After his preferment, he was also faithful and loyal to Pharaoh. Joseph also showed to Pharaoh King of Egypt, after his advancement, he did not send for his Brethren, nor place them without the licence of the King, nor would take his journey after to bury his Father till he had attained the King's good leave. So must all Princes, high Officers, and Nobles under a King, show themselves so loyal and respective to the King, as to do no matter of weight, but by his licence and direction, neither must they advance their friends and kindred, nor show respect unto them otherwise, then with due subordination and subjection to the King's authority and will. King's must be honoured, respected, obeyed; and all faithfulness must be showed towards them; the safety of a Kingdom is upheld by the respect declared unto him, whom God hath made head of it. Let all that would show themselves to fear God, be careful to follow Joseph in thus honouring the Royal Majesty, we must not wrong them, nor slight them, nor presume too much on them, nor advance those we like, with injury to them. joseph's carriage after his preferment, in other respects was commendable; Pharaoh seeing his great wisdom, is so taken with it, that he makes him the chief ruler over the Land of Egypt, and giving him his ring from his own hand, makes him the chief ruler under him, as you would say, the Lord Chancellor of the Kingdom of Egypt. Now in this great office, 2. He behaved himself in his office most faithfully, diligently & discreetly. 1. He was diligent and faithful in gathering Corne. he carrieth and behaveth himself most faithfully, diligently, and discreetly, for he, goeth out from the presence of Pharaoh, and goes throughout all the Land of Egypt, and gathers up all the food (meaning the overplus of food) of the seven plentiful years, and laid up the food of every City of the field, that was round about it, till it was past numbering; he himself did not every thing, that were impossible, but himself took care to prepare fit store houses, and fit persons, and Money, and all things requisite for so great, a work, and was a careful Overseer of the business, that no failing or false hood might be found in any one. Here I pray you to fulfil the Offices that are committed unto you with all painfulness, care and diligence, refuse no labour, be weary of no pains, but always give yourselves to your businesses in your offices, let him that hath an office, wait on it. Paul speaketh it, especially of ecclesiastical offices, it is true also of civil: as Joseph in this matter did discharge the trust reposed in him, so do you in all places whereto you shall be called: if any man be preferred to any place of command in Church or commonweal, he is as much tied to undergo the labour of the works of that place, as Joseph was to this of collecting corn: and he that in his place is careless, negligent, or unfaithful, sins against God and his own soul, and the commonweal; therefore the Apostle bids us, not to be slothful in business. We must not suffer ourselves to wax weary of the pains, and be tired with the works of our callings, in such places, but by a conscionable consideration of God's Providence, in setting us in such places, we must quicken ourselves against all dulness and wearisomeness. This shall be an honour to a man, before those that are truly wise and judicious, for not the possessing of a place of power, but the due discharge of it is a credit unto men. Magistratus virum indicat: The worst and most unworthy man, may be lifted up on high, as was Haman, but it is a proof of true virtue to do the work of the place, fitly, as did Daniel when Cyrus advanced him to be the third Ruler in the Kingdom. This also shall comfort the heart of a man, when that time cometh that he must give an account to God, and his conscience, of his behaviour in his place: for you must consider brethren, that every man from the lowest to the highest must give an account of his stewardship, and then, not the great honour that he hath possessed, nor the great state he hath gotten, shall cheer up his soul, but his faithful and conscionable discharge of his duty. Set up joseph's practice therefore before your eyes, and follow him, that God may honour you at the last day, as Joseph is honoured in the Book of God. But another thing is to be learned hence, even a point of prudence and good husbandry, that is, to lay up the overplus of great abundance, against a time of scarcity. This was wise counsel of Joseph, and wisely followed by Pharaoh, and by Joseph executed. It is not alone lawful, but needful and useful, when God doth send great store of corn, or any like commodity, that may be fitly kept in store, then to reserve some part of the plenty for a future time, when perhaps there shall be no such plenty: we must not spend all the store of a plenteous year; it is not for me to counsel States and Princes, but it is fit that every man be wise for himself, as well as a King for his Kingdom. The proverb for a wise and good proverb, that saith, when a thing is cheap, lay it on a heap. Such hoarding is no oppression, but good husbandry, he whom God hath furnished with means, shall do well in doing so. To force a dearth by engrossing, by making things dear, when they are in one hand, when a man inriches himself with the common loss, this is a sin, and an act of covetousness; but to provide, in laying up the surplusage of Plenty, is a thing to be commended. It were good that men of ability would deal thus wisely, not alone for their private, but also for the public good, the pismire lays up in summer, man should be wiser than a silly creeping thing: oh how foolish and naught be those, that when they get much, spend all, and reserve nothing for harder times? You have some men can earn much in health, but lay up nothing against sickness, can get much in youth, but reserve nothing for age. Most just it is that they should be pinched in a dear year, which lavished and surfeited in a plentiful. Brethren, you must not always have such years, as will bring forth by handfuls, be wise therefore for our estates, I wish you not to be niggardly, and defraud yourselves, but to be discreet, and lay up for yourl selves: if God send no more than is needful, spend it and trust his providence, if he send an overplus, so much I mean as will serve for the present, and some to spare, waste not all at the present, but know that now he calleth to storing up, remember Salomon's Proverb, in the house of the wise is treasure and oil, but the fool consumeth it up. Be not fools, but in plenty remember dearth, as in dearth you wish for plenty, you know that by well, husbanding of plenty, a wise man should take such an order, that he may feel no dearth. The love of riches is a baneful thing, but the wel-husbanding of abundance, is not always a fruit of loving riches, but of a wise foresight. And so much for one part of joseph's care, diligence and fidelity in gathering corn. Now he is in like manner faithful in bringing out the corn in due time: for when all the corn of private men was spent, 2. He is faithful in bringing forth the corn in due time. and that Egypt also began to be affamished, Gen 41.55. and the people cried unto Pharaoh, and he sent them to Joseph, it is noted that Joseph opened the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians: one would have conceived, that the Egyptians having heard of Pharaohs dreams, the interpretations, as such a rare thing must needs fly throughout all the Kingdom speedily, as having occasioned the strange preferment of joseph, a prisoner, and an Hebrew, which could not but fill the mouths of people with discourse, should each man have provided of his own abundance to serve their turn in hard times, for they were informed both how long, and how strange the plenty would be, and how hard, and of what continuance the dearth: but it is apparent that most of them were so foolish, that they did not so, therefore now the public storehouses must supply them, or else they must die. See in them the fault of improvident carelessness, whereof we spoke before: but note joseph's faithfulness; he doth open the storehouses, now that pinching want began to bite them, and sells them Corne. It is fit that men in dearth, should bring out and sell Corn, if they have it, and not to suffer their neighbours to starve for want of that, which themselves have in their possession. We must not love gain more than the lives of men, ye see that Joseph sold to strangers too, and not alone to Egyptians, so that our charity in this case must exercise itself, as ability will serve, to men of other Nations, as well as our own country men. The Natives must not mutter, because foreigners are helped with some of the abundance of their own countries: see here joseph's charitableness, to put you on the like good disposition, when time shall call for it, and if you have store of corn, bring it forth. The people shall curse him, saith Solomon, that hoardeth up corn, but they shall bless him which doth Sell it. To that purpose his Proverb is, do not bring a curse upon yourselves, but a blessing, for when God saith, they will curse or bless, his meaning is, not only that the people shall do thus, but that the thing shall fall out accordingly, they shall so curse and bless, that neither shall be in vain. Gen. 47.14. Again, it is noted, that Joseph by his means got all the money in the Land; you may see here that it is lawful to make a gain of ones providence, and by dear selling of what he bought in plentiful times, to enrich himself much, so did Joseph; I think his example is a due warrant; indeed care is to be taken, that oppression be avoided, and then it is lawful to make one's self a gainer, not by other men's losses, but by his own providence, for by this means Joseph did gain also the land, and persons for the King: it is not contrary to equity to sell things at a great and dear rate, when there is great want of them. A thing must be esteemed worth so much, and may be sold for so much as the present dearth doth make it worth, and in such case he doth not wrong, that takes the present times; only note, that Joseph did not oppress the poor, but they had of him as well as the rich, the one gave all, and the other could give but all, and both had necessaries, so should it be done in hard times by public charity. The poor must be provided for, as well as the rich; but note also joseph's faithfulness, no doubt himself was not wanting to his own enriching, how else could he have maintained his Father's household with necessaries? but he contented himself to take what was allowed him, and brought the money to Pharaohs house, not to his own, and made the Cattle and land sure to Pharaoh, not to himself: Oh that all Officers would learn to enrich the King above themselves, and themselves but in such a proportion as is fit under the King, but in our times it hath been noted, that often the Officers rise, and the King is indebted, would we had joseph's under his Majesty, and then he could not want for money. 3. He shows himself just. And last of all, note his Justice as well as his wise dealing, for to assure the land to the King, he removes and translates the inhabitants, so that wise care may lawfully be used, to assure a man's title to that which is his own, and then he makes this order, that Pharaoh shall have a fifth part of the increase, and they four parts to live on. He lets the land out unto them again at a reasonable rate, whereby themselves might live comfortably of it, and this is the duty of all Landlords that have such things to set, they ought not to raise rents to so high a rate, that the people shall toil the hearts out and get nothing, but remember that themselves be God's Tenants, who hath commanded all men to do as they would be done to, and that we should not seek every man his own things only, but the things that are another's, they must as well look, that the people have to live of cheerfully, as that themselves be made rich. But how unconscionable men be now a days, in ordering themselves to those that must live upon them, whether by taking lands from them, or being set a work by them, it is evident, for which God will one day reckon with them severely. I beseech you learn of joseph a better lesson, and let those which are under you live well by your lands or payments, as yourselves gain by their labours. He doth not love God that doth not love man, and he doth not love man, that in these kind of bargainings and dealings, hath not respect to another's well living, as to his own enriching. Wealth gotten by grinding the poor, shall never prove good meal, God will mix it with gravel to them that eat it. He that eats and drinks the blood of men, as they do that are hard exactors in this kind, sucking such as are under them to great penury and unreasonable hardness, shall one day find, that God accounts of such, none otherwise then of ravenous beasts, that live by tearing and devouring flesh. Let not this admontion taken from Joseph's example be sounded in your ears to no purpose, but be you charitable and conscionable in this case, as the pen of Moses noteth, that he was. And so much of Joseph's carriage to strangers. Now see how he behaved himself to his own kindred: 2 His good behaviour to his kindred. 1. To his brethren. 1. Before he made himself known to them. 1. He deals roughly with them, and mixeth love therewith. 1. He takes them for spies. 1. His brethren, and that before he made himself known to them, and after. Before he carried himself strangely with a kind of admixture of anger and love, that they might be driven to wonder▪ and so be drawn to repentance. His harsh dealings are these. 1. He takes them for spies, and will not entertain better thoughts of them, though they gave him a satisfying reason, viz. that they were the sons of one man, and it was never heard of, that one man would venture ten sons at once upon such a dangerous business, as that of going to spy out a nation, yet because they said they were twelve brethren, and one was not, and the youngest was with their Father, he continued to charge this crime upon them, making exceptions against them, as if they had contradicted themselves in their speech. Secondly, he will be satisfied by nothing else, 2. He sends one of his brethren to fetch their younger brother, the rest remaining prisoners till he came. but by sending one of them to fetch their younger brother, the rest remaining prisoners till he came. Little did joseph think how burdensome a thing it would be with jacob to part with Benjamin, but this he doth alone to have occasion of keeping them longer in hold, that they might have leisure enough to repent, and therefore, 3. He kept them in prison three days together. Thirdly, he kept them in prison three days all together. This was harsh dealing at their first coming down, yet here he shows some kindness betwixt, viz. in that on the third day he calls them forth, and takes pity of them, propounding to them an easy condition, viz. That one of them should remain bound, and the rest should return with corn for their families, and bring their younger brother thither: now he shows love also in going away, weeping, when he heard them talking of their sin, and confessing that for that cause this cross came on them; But it was some matter of hardness, that he took Simeon and bound him, because he was the eldest next to Reuben, and was present when he was sold, but did not labour to save him from selling, as Reuben saved him from killing, Another act of kindness to them was, that he commanded their sacks to be filled with corn, and that their money should be restored to them. wherefore he forbore to take and bind Reuben. Another act of kindness to them was, that he commanded their sacks to be filled with corn, and the money also to be restored unto them, which he did of purpose to put them in a fit of wondering and amazement, that still they might be furthered in the work of repentance, which he perceived was begun in them. Now at their second coming up, he shows nothing to them almost but kindness, saving in one thing, whereby he casts them seemingly into a great danger, that he might thoroughly humble them, and try them before he revealed himself unto them. First, he invites them all to dinner with him. 2. He entertaineth their present, and talketh lovingly with them of their Father, ask how he doth, and salutes Benjamin, towards whom he was so affected, that he hasts to weep, being hardly able to forbear, till he could step into a corner to do it there. Lastly, he carries himself most cheerfully with them at dinner, placing them in the order of their age, and sending them messes from his own table, and sending five times as much to Benjamin as to any of them. All which he seemeth to have done to have brought them to some knowledge of himself, if it had been possible. Another thing is by hiding his cup in Benjamins sack, he causeth them to be brought back again as it were guilty of theft, and then seems to be much displeased at such ill dealing, and would hold Benjamin in prison, till judah's Oration melted him, and then with much secrecy and great affectionateness he shows himself to them plainly, and weeps over them, and comforts their astonished spirits. Some acts of Joseph's carriage were doubtful and extraordinary. Now many particulars of Joseph's carriage are somewhat doubtful & extraordinary, and we cannot tell what to say of them, viz. his charging of them to be spies, when he knew they were not, and his picking quarrels with their answer, and imprisoning them, and then causing his cup to be hid in one of their sacks, and so bringing them into the guilt of theft causelessely. But all this was done in seeming, only to bring them to thorough repentance for their sin, which when he perceived by judah's speech and all their carriage, that it was effected, than he shows himself to them speedily. The thing we must imitate is this, to use all care of bringing those that are near to us, to repentance for their faults, by intermixing seasonable sharpness and kindness, as joseph did to his brethren. Again, it may seem to be lawful by the example of joseph in way of probation and trial, to counterfeit discontent, and to lay grievous things to the charge of men, and press them as if they were guilty, though one know the contrary: I still say, if it be done by way of trial, so that at last it be made manifest, that it was merely in trial, and that which would seem a lie, if it were affirmed expressly and not with reference to such an end, being said to such an end is not a lie, because it is indeed not an affirming, but a seeming to affirm for a time. For in such a case a man's words do not differ from his mind and meaning, but alone he conceals his meaning for a time. So Solomon seemed angry, and commanded to divide the child betwixt the two wrangling harlots that came before him, our Saviour made as if he would have gone further, when the Disciples had him in with them at Emmaus. So if a Judge seeing great probability, and in a manner certainty of the guiltiness of an offendor, shall affirm something to him, to draw a confession from him, as for example, that some companion of his hath confessed it, and that it is in vain for him any longer to deny, or that he was seen at such time in such a place, by such and such, when indeed these things were not so, but somewhat equivalent to them, was true, viz. Arguments convincing their guiltiness, even as much as these things would, though not to make them confess. I say such courses taken by way of probation and trial, and finding out guiltiness, are not to be esteemed lies, because here the meaning is to be taken according to that which shall be shortly discovered, and not according to the present show of words. These be but a kind of ironical carriage, no more lies than an irony, that by affirming one thing in such and such a manner and gesture, doth affirm the quite contrary. But to do thus in way of excusing or hiding a fault, and keeping one's self from the knowledge of a Governor, is altogether sinful and naught, and must not be allowed. Take heed that you do not embolden yourselves to deny, and to shift them off from your Superiors examining you, because you see joseph trying his brethren, by talking with them, so as is apparent he meant not as he said. Again, joseph made it evident, He forgot all his brethren's wrongs. that he had forgotten all his brethren's wrongs, and therefore useth them exceeding kindly, for he weeps over them, and comforts them, bidding them not to be sorry that they had sold him, and he sends for their families, and gives them gifts, and maintains them and their families, and sets some of them before Pharaoh, and prevails to get them the Land of Goshen to dwell in, and after their Father's death when they send and come to him, he useth them with all kindness, weeping and comforting them, as is manifest in the story. So that he had utterly forgotten all wrongs, and loves them no whit less now that they have repent, then if they had never sinned. Hence we must learn the duty of Brothers one to another, even to communicate their wealth one to another, and the richer to help to maintain the poor in case of dearth or want, or any hand of God afflicting and distressing them. Indeed if any bring want upon themselves, abler kinsmen are not bound to provide for them that spend it on their lusts; if they will serve the Devil with what they have, let them be pinched, no man is to pity them in such case. But when God's hands brings affliction, when they frame to good courses, than they are to be helped by those of their kindred that are of ability. And one able person should improve his wealthiness to the helping and enriching of those that be poorer, and to their maintenance in their necessity as joseph did, else they are guilty of wanting natural affection, and of great uncharitableness. Further you see, that when men have truly repent of their sins, be they never so great, their sins must be forgotten, and they must be accepted and regarded, even as if they had never sinned. joseph is as loving to his brethren, as if they had been the honestest men in the world, because now they were truly changed. So should men be to the greatest offenders, when a sound and thorough reformation and amendment shows itself in their lives. Till sins be amended, it is not requisite to show such respect, but when they be amended. Therefore every sinner should hasten to amend, that he might repair his broken estimation, and regain the love which he hath lost with good and wise men. And those must not please themselves in their folly, that to a man truly reform, are still objecting and upbraiding former evil deeds. Herein they show not the detestation of the vices, but wrath and discontent against the persons, and are far unlike to God himself, who doth blot the sins of his converting children out of his remembrance, and that so, as if they commit them no more, he will no more remember them. He was easy to pardon. Again, in Joseph's carriage to his brethren, we see how easy he was to pardon, for though he showed himself rough at first, yet that was not out of a revengeful passion, but out of a desire to bring them to repentance for their sins, for he knew they had been very wild and faulty in their youth; but he still shows love and kindness, notwithstanding the hatred that they showed to him, and he sees God in it, and would have them see God in it, and so comforts them, and pacifieth himself. All good men must imitate him in this, forgive and forget huge, great, and enormous injuries. If one have gone about to deprive us of our liberty, our goods, of our lives, yea have not alone gone about it, but effected it so much as in him lay, and after falls into our hands, so that we may if we will revenge ourselves of him, yet we must not yield ourselves to thoughts of revenge, but must do good against evil, especially if a near kinsman or brother have so forgotten himself, yet must not we so far forget ourselves, as to requite like for like, evils with evils, but must do them all the good we can, and blot their faults out of our minds. Our Saviour teacheth this in the Parable; you know, he that hath been forgiven the 1000 Talents, as all of us have, must be easily persuaded to forgive the hundred pence. And this will make us forgive and forget our brethren's offences, if we frequently remember our own, to admire the goodness of God, that so graciously doth pardon us. If any therefore find themselves apt to remember and requite wrongs, yea petty small wrongs, nothing so high as these of Joseph's brethren, they must blame the greatness of their stomaches, and condemn that rancour which swelleth within them as a great fault, showing, that they have not well considered the love that God showed to mankind in Christ, to forgive iniquity, transgression and sin. And now learn all of you this excellent virtue, strive to be of a sweet, and a mild, and an amiable nature, ready to pass by great injuries, to show great kindness against great unkindness, and to overcome bad with good. This is a thing well pleasing to God, and shall comfort the conscience in the day of any affliction, more than all the riches in the world. Revenge tastes sweet in the doing, but after, it shall lad the conscience with terrors; passing by faults, loving enemies, doing good to those which have done us evil, be hid things to the flesh and blood, and seem difficult in the practice, but the remembrance of them after, shall afford unspeakable content. I have spoken of Joseph's good deeds in some part, viz. Those that he showed in his Father's house, and some of those that he showed in Egypt, viz. In his private estate, both in his Master's house, and his prison house, and in his public estate before his advancement to Pharaoh, in respect of his dreams, and after his advancement to Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians and his brethren. Lastly, joseph after his Father was dead, Gen. 50.16. to 22. carried himself lovingly to his brethren, for had he revenged himself after his Father's death, every one would have said, he had but dissembled before; so we must continue doing good, Joseph's good carriage to his Father. 1. He loved him. 1. He inquired of his health. when natural and carnal motives are gone, and not resemble joash, who served God only as long as good jehojadah was alive. Now followeth Joseph's good behaviour to his Father. He did those 3 things which children are taught in their infancy, viz. To love, honour, and succour their Father, 1. He enquired of his health and welfare, and welfare, as soon as he saw his brethren; he visited him in his sickness, Gen. 48, 1. and he showed great love to him after his death. 2. He honoured him in private and public. 50. Gen. as soon as he saw his brethren, Gen. 43.7. and in 45. 3● 9 and 46.29. he did gratify him in his request 47. chap. 29 30.2. Visited him in his sickness, Gen. 48.1.3 He showed great love to him, after his death. Gen. 50.5. If you do thus to your Parents, the Lord will prosper you, if not, curse you, all the people were to say, Amen. When a curse was pronounced against a wicked child. 2. He showed his honouring of him by these effects. 1. He sent honourably for him, Gen. 45.21. He presented him to Pharaoh, Gen. 47.7. and used him respectively when he was with him, Gen. 48.12. He bowed down to the ground to him, and afforded him a very honourable burial. Thus he honoured him in private, in public, alive and dead. The eye of him (saith Solomon) that despiseth Father or Mother, the Eagle of the valley shall pick out; Cursed is Cham to the world's end, 3. He succoured him. for slighting his old Father. 3. He succoured his Father, readily and abundantly he promised it. Gen. 45.11. And accordingly performed it. 47. Gen. 12. Honour is required expressly in the Commandment, and love followeth necessarily from this. And 1 Tim. 5.4. the other is enjoined. If I must either see my Father starve or my son, I must relieve my Father first. Joseph's faults, His faults are few, there is nothing spoken of any thing done amiss by Mordecai, Nehemiah, Ester, little by josiah, Moses, joseph. 1. 1. He swore. He swore Gen. 42.15.16. Undoubtedly it was a sin. 1. The matter did not require an oath. 2. He should not however have sworn by the life of Pharaoh: yet there were some things to extenuate it. 1. He was out of the Church. 2. He had not such means then to reveal this to be an oath, Mat. 5. so catching a thing as a rash oath may befall a good man. Learn therefore to take heed of committing faults ordinarily practised, fashion not yourselves according to this world. 2. In special takeheed of this common fault, 2. He came too near an untruth. an oath. Secondly, he did trench a little too near upon an untruth, you are spies, saith he, and to see the nakedness of the Land are you come. This was spoken of him merely by way of probation, and not with an intention of accusing them, but trying them, it was a long irony. His crosses were many. 1. His brethren's hatred. 2. They consulted to take away his life. Now follow the crosses and benefits which joseph had. His afflictions were many, 1. The hatred of his brethren which proceeded from envy. 2. They consulted to take away his life, Gen. 35. Saying, You comes the Dreamer, come let us kill him, and then shall we see what will become of his dreams, but God raised up Reuben at that time, to show him favour for his Father's sake, because he knew how dear he was to jacob, 3. They sold him as a bondslave. 4. He served as slave in Pautiphars' house. and he persuaded them not to be so unnaturally as to imbrue their hands in their brother's blood, burr rather to cast him into a pit, to deliver him out of their hands for the present, intending himself after to pull him out in due season. 3. They sold him for a bondslave to Midianitish Merchant. 4. He served as a slave in the house of Puriphar, and toiled, 4. He served as a slave in Puriphars' house. and moiled there like some base person, though God showed him some favour by inclining his Mistress' heart towards him, but all was over turned again, by means of his lewd Mistress. Fiftly, he was cast into prison by his Mistresses false accusation, 5. He was cast into prison by his Mistress false accusation. 6. He was forgotten by the Butler. The Use of all his crosses together. and there he lay at least for two years, Psal. 105. till the iron entered into his soul, that is, he was so laden with chains, that his flesh was eaten with them. Sixtly, He was forgotten by the chief Butler. Be ye thankful to God, if you have escaped many of these crosses, make your crosses easy, by laying them by the hard ones of Joseph, who was better than you: then learn to prepare for crosses, forget not what you may be, slaves, accused of foul crimes, prepare for the hatred of your Brethren. Secondly his Benefits. His Benefits. The Lord bestowed upon him a great number of Benefits. First spiritual. Secondly Natural. First for spiritual. 1. Spiritual. He did partake of the Holy Ordinances, and was made holy by them. The Lord was exceeding gracious to his soul, not only giving him the outward Ordinances, which he enjoyed in his Father's house, than the Church of God, for then the form of the Church-Governement was domestical, where he had sacrifices, circumcision, and teaching by the Prophets of God. viz. His Grandfather Isaac, and his Father jacob, for Isaac lived till he was of years fit for teaching; but also vouchsafing by these Ordinances to work Faith, and true holiness in his heart, so that he was an heir of the righteousness of faith, and partaker of the promises made to his Forefathers. And this is the greatest of benefits that can be granted a man in this life, even to cause him so to live in the Church, as to become an holy man, that is a true member of the same. So God dealt with Isaac, and with jacob, and at last also with other Patriarches, Jacob's sons, and joseph's Brethren; but he sanctified joseph betime, and let his Brethren run on a longer time, in the course of unregeneracy. Wherefore beloved brethren, let each of us so look upon the goodness of God to joseph, as to consider whether himself have attained the same favour, even to be sanctified, and to be made a true believer, an holy man, a Saint of God, we must be Saints in this life, if eVer we hope to come to these fellowship of Saints hereafter. If any of you find himself to be converted, and see that GOD hath dealt very favourably with him, as with joseph, and that perhaps also in his Childhood, and Youth; let him enlarge himself in thanks, and stir up his heart to bless the great and Holy Name of GOD, for this benefit, and the greatest of all benefits, and let him prise and esteem this goodness of God, at a high rate. Secondly, the Lord having made him good, did confirm him in his goodness, 2. He was confirmed in goodness. for that he was not turned out of the ways of Righteousness, by all the changes and alterations that befell him. His fathers indeed excessive and somewhat fond affection, did not make him wax conceited, and so decline to evil ways, and wax worse than before. The envy and hatred of his Brethren could not make him forsake the trade of piety, and join with them in their disordered courses. His service in Putiphars' idolatrous house, nor his preferment there could not alter him. His Mistress' love and solicitations did not change him, nor the irons eating in his soul, did not diminish goodness in him; nay his high and sudden preferment in Egypt, did not make him forget God, and turn either an Egyptian idolater, or a wicked man: but Joseph was Joseph still, in all his toss and tumblings of his estate; if you be still good in all estates, adverse and prosperous as JOSEPH was, magnify God's grace, that hath established you in every good word and work, 2. Thes. 2.17. and confess that you have stood by his power: 1 Pet. 5.10. but if any have declined or back slided from his goodness, let him see his misery, and do his first works, jer. 3.22. returning to God, who calleth backsliders, and promises to heal their back-sliding. 2. Natural. So much for Joseph's spiritual benefits, now for the natural benefits. 1. In General. Gen. 39.2.23. He was a prosperous man. 1. job. And first in general. He was a prosperous man, and God made all he did to prosper, both in Putiphars' house, and in the Prison. So God prospered David where ever he went, and job too for a while; this brings contentment to a man's self, and getteth him a good esteem from others. See therefore whether God vouchsafe you this mercy, ascribe the praise of your prosperity to him, and let this goodness allure you to love, fear and obey him, to seek his honour, and to do all good with that prosperity of thine, but if contrarily, God crosseth any of you, and sets himself against you so, that nothing thrives with you; see God's hand that doth walk contrary to you, and find out the cause, and turn this adversity, into an occasion of the greatest prosperity. There is a sanctified adversity, as well as cursed prosperity, labour to fear God, and walk in uprightness before him, and disesteem earthly things. 2. More particularly. And so much for his general good estate, more particularly. 1. God delivered him out of heavy and grievous calamities. First God delivered him out of sore, heavy, and grievous calamities, and by his special providence, and in a manner, more than ordinary. First when his Father sent him to his Brethren, he lost himself wand'ring about, and knew not where to go, than God caused a man to meet him, that it may seem did know him, and told him where he should find his Brethren. Secondly, when his Brethren consulted to take away his life, God raised up Reuben to deliver him, and when they thought after to have dispatched him, the Merchants came by, and so God took them off then; when he was in bondage, God inclined Putiphars' heart towards him, and his Masters likewise in the prison, and lastly, the Butler remembered him when he had long lain there, and by that means God brought him out of the prison, and advanced him to be chief Officer in Egypt. Thus you see strange and happy escapes out of misery, so that Joseph might well have called God by the same title, that his old Father Jacob did, the God that delivered his soul out of all adversity, as David also entitles him. Hath God strangely also delivered you out of great miseries, either from keeping them from falling upon you, when in all likelihood they must have come, or in helping you, when yourselves could see no way out? if so, acknowledge God's Providence and goodness, and forget not him in your good estate, that remembered you in your low estate: let those that are in misery, learn to cast themselves upon God, as Joseph did, submit, be patient, trust in him. The Lord in bringing his servants into calamities, aims at their bettering by them, and his Glory, in their deliverances: learn patience therefore and confidence. So you see how God pulled him out of evils. Next consider what good things he stored him withal, 2. He laded him with benefits. for indeed he laded him with benefits, as it is in the Psalm. And to begin with the gifts of his mind. First the Lord gave him that extraordinary gift of interpreting Dreams, even from his childhood almost, 1. God gave him the gift of interpreting Dreams. with which he furnished Daniel too, and made it a means of great preferment to them both. You know how readily he could tell the Butler and the Baker, what was meant by three vine branches, three days, and the wring of them into Pharaohs Cup, and giving them into, Pharaohs hand, the restoring of him again unto his office. So in the Dream of the other servant of Pharaoh. 3. Baskets are three days, the eating of meat out of the highest by the fowls upon his head, signified the devouring of his flesh by birds, after that Pharaoh had hanged him on the third day. So for Pharaohs Dreams, the number of the kine, and ears of corn 7, and 7, signifying each seven years, the quality of the kine and ears, full and good ears, with fat, fleshy, and well favoured kine, plentiful years; thin, blasted, and empty ears, with lean ill fleshed and ill favoured kine, years of famine. The eating up of the fat and goodly by the lean, the utter forgetting of the past abundance, by the following of the famine, and the number of dreams. Secondly, the certainty and near approaching of the things which was to be. surely and instantly fulfilled. You see how apt these dreams were to signify these things, and when God gave to Joseph the spirit of interpretation, how easy the interpretation is, and how fit and handsome, as it were, all things sorting so reasonably for such a meaning. Doubtless this interpretation by its own clearness, and fitness, did carry the credit of truth with, it. Now at those times, when God did please to make Dreams an ordinance of his, for the revealing of things necessary, it was a special favour of his to give the power of interpreting them too, for what is a dream if it be not interpreted, but a means of perplexed thoughts and fears? Now God that gave power to show the meaning of Dreams, when Dreams were his Ordinance, is able also to give the gift of interpreting his Word unto men, seeing the Word is now his Ordinance, for the revealing of all truth to men, needful to salvation. We must beseech God to pour gifts upon his servants now, even to give unto his Minister's skill and will, to become faithful interpreters of his Word; and if God do give to any an extraordinary gift this way, let him be thankful to God, and use it for their good that need it. 2. Great wisdom in managing any business. Another gift of his mind, was great wisdom and dexterity to manage any business committed to his charge: You see how he dispatched matters in the great household of Putiphar so, that they perceived, that all things went well, which could not have been so, if the person that ordered all, had not had an excellent head to guide them; and after, when he was in prison, by little and little his Master found out his excellent sufficiencies, to do any work, and therefore, as the former master did, so he entrusted him with all. Where shall we find one wise like this? And when from ordering a family, he came to order the whole Kingdom of Egypt, he underwent that busy and toilsome work with so much discretion, as gave the King and all his people content, so that to Joseph, Pharaoh sent them, and unto Joseph they gladly repaired. It is a singular favour, when God gives one, as they call it, a good Head-piece, an aptness and fitness, to contrive matters discreetly, and to order them prudently, as it is said of the Deputy in the Acts, that he was a prudent man, one that could resolve and execute well, and square out fit means for each end, and follow it accordingly. This wisdom as well as other Learning, was given to DANIEL, and to SOLOMON, and to many good men, and the same was found out also in ACHITOPHEL and in bad men. It is not a gift of holiness proper to those who must be saved, but a gift which the LORD sees fit for the common benefit of Mankind, to bestow upon wicked and unsanctified men. Indeed many times God chooseth, rather the simple heads of the world, than these nimble and deep pates, that it may appear 'tis of his grace, and not of nature, that men be godly and virtuous. But an excellent gift it is, and makes way for their preferment in worldly things that have it, but let them which have it take heed of suffering it to degenerate into Craft, for than it will become pernicious. Craft is natural wisdom, separated from Justice, Truth, Craft, what it is. Charity, and other graces, and joined with falsehood, injuriousness, and self-love, as it were a weapon in the hands of Traitors, a fort possessed by Rebels, by which they do make war against their Prince. Again, take heed that you wax not proud of this gift, but stir up yourselves to bless God for it, and make use of it for the good and benefit of simpler heads, and not only for your particular advantage, and let men be careful to beg, not only natural, but spiritual wisdom of God, both are promised by him. Thus far of his gifts of mind, I go on to speak of external gifts, I mean the good things that were without himself. The first is, that where ever he came, he was esteemed, loved, 3. Where ever he came, he was esteemed, loved, trusted. trusted. His Father loved him above all his Brethren, and esteemed more of him, then of them all, and put confidence in him, so that he believed his reports of his Brethren, and observed his dreams: his Master Putiphar, the Egyptian, loved him above all his servants, and trusted him with all his estate, and had him in great account: putting all into his hand: his mistress esteemed him, but too much, and loved him too much, and durst trust him, with her name and honour, in the case you know of; then Pharaoh trusted him with his ring, and the command of all Egypt, and employed him in that most important affair of providing and selling Corn, and what estimation he had with Pharaoh is evident, and what love, when for his sake he so respected his Father and Brethren as to give them the land of Goshen for a possession, the people also they loved and honoured him exceedingly, and even put their lives and lands and all into his hands. A man more affected, respected and esteemed, than Joseph in his time, no story can name; it is a singular thing to be loved, regarded, trusted, accounted, not only a wise, but a just, good, worthy man, and to have the good wills of men attending him always. So it was with David, all loved and honoured him, but he which should have honoured him most, his father in Law, Saul. let all strive by showing all joseph's virtues, to get the good will, as of God, so of men, that they may be capable of doing and receiving so much more good, by how much he hath more command in the hearts of men. Indeed God's people have lived sometimes amongst so evil persons, and in so evil days, that their virtues have begotten hatred and reproach; but if men's practice be not evil, and times be not very bad, good carriage will get good will and good esteem, be not so far carried with men's words and liking, as to condescend to their sinful courses; for the attaining thereof, but so far, as faithful, wise, loving and virtuous behaviour will win men, every man should labour and seek to procure the affections of others. 4. He had great outward preferment. Secondly, Joseph had great outward preferment, he was made a chief Commander and Counsellor of State in Egypt, to teach his Senator's wisdom, as is in the Psalms, and withal he had an heart given him to use his preferment well, for the common benefit of mankind, and opportunity too, to use it for the particular good of his father and family, and for the preservation of the Church. To be preferred unto a place of great honour and authority, is a thing that most men's eyes do gaze after, and ambitiously wish and seek after; but to have it cast upon man, by God, for his good deservings, and then to be so blessed in it, as to make it a means of benefitting many, especially the Church of God, this is a great benefit. So did Hester use her preferment, and Mordecay his, so Daniel his, so David and Solomon theirs: you are not likely any of you, to come to very high place, yet who can tell perhaps, there may be some young scholar or other amongst you, that may come to high place; let me speak such a word to him now, that may come into his heart hereafter and do him good. If you be advanced, strive to do good to the Commonweal, and let the Nation fare the better for you: strive to do good to your kindred, & the Church, though the Church may not consist only of your family. Honour and great titles, and offices, will be but like a high gibbet, to expose men unto disgrace, if they be used at the Commandment of self-love, and other vices, bat happy is, and shall he be, that hath joseph's preferment, and joseph's heart to use it according to his example. But woe unto those persons which being lifted up to honour prove like a stone in a sling to destroy many, and chiefly to batter down virtue and piety and them that follow it. 5. He had a strong and able body. Thirdly for gifts of body, joseph had a strong and able body, as appears by his living to a 110 years old. This is a great benefit to them in whom it is found in the way of righteousness, live so, young men, that you may be capable of it: and you that are old, be thankful if God have granted you it in the same manner as he did to joseph, even to be long in the world to enjoy the comforts of the world as he did. For he was thirty years old at his preferment, & therefore he lived in that flourishing honourful eighty years. A happy recompense for all the service he did to the Church of God, and for his true fear of God not offending him, to get his Mistress favour, and to rise that way. For his misery into which he seemed to cast himself by his goodness, was even a pair of stairs to lift him up into the place of honour, wherein the Lord caused him to continue eighty years. His goodness in complaining of his brother's faults, made them hate him, his goodness in denying his Mistress' solicitations, made her hate him. Their hatred made him a slave, her hatred made him a prisoner, bondage and imprisonment brought him acquainted with the chief Butler, made himself known to Pharaoh, and so brought him up to this exceeding height of place. Blessed be God for his goodness to his people, no man shall hazard himself to temporal misery for conscience sake, but God will requite him with a hundred fold (at least more comfort) here, as well as with life eternal hereafter. Let Joseph's wages make you not afraid, so far as you are called to it, to do Joseph's work, that is, to say and do good, and forbear evil, though you incur hatred and danger, and much affliction thereby. 6 He was blessed too in his posterity. Lastly, joseph was blessed too in his posterity, to make his welfare up fully, he lived to see the sons of Manasseth and Ephraim his two sons, and he lived to see the part of the birthright even the double portion conferred upon his children, and that by the mouth of his Father, inspired by God, when he made his last will. jacob adopted his two sons to himself to make two Tribes, and God made them both great, but especially the younger he made him a principal Tribe for possessions, and command afterwards; and this also is some satisfaction to a Father, if he know that his children after him shall flourish for many generations. O that we could fear God and follow true virtue and piety as joseph did, that he might bless us also as he did him, in ourselves and posterity, in our state and our name, in our bodies, and in our souls, and in all that pertaineth to us according to his promise. And let all that fear God be assured, that so far as is good for them, the Lord will give them prosperity in these things, for he made the same promises to all his people and will confirm them, so far as they are capable, and it may stand with their spiritual good. Now you have heard of Joseph's life, conclude we with the conclusion of his life, his death. His death. For neither honours, nor favours, nor grace, nor any thing could keep death away, and it must befall me, and you, and all that now live and are to live hereafter: only mark that he died a godly and comfortable death, for in the close of his life, he made profession of his being an Hebrew, not an Egyptian, by taking an oath of them for the carrying of his bones into the Land of Canaan, gave them a promise of their return thither which was also an exercise of his faith, to demonstrate his comfortable expectation of life eternal, whereof the Land of Promise was a figure. You are not ignorant Brethren, that within the compass of an hundred years a minute being compared to eternity, the whole number of you must be as well as joseph dying and dead men. Be entreated to divorce your hearts from sin, the cause of death, from the world, which at death you must leave, and from men which cannot help you, neither in nor after death, and labour to get righteousness which will deliver from death, some assurance of heaven, that ye may have a place of comfort after death, and interest into Christ, who can save you from the hurt of death. And these things if you attain, you may triumph over death with Paul's question, Death where is thy sting? else death will triumph over you, with the question of Christ, Whose then shall be these things of which thou gloriest? So much of joseph. THE TWENTY SEVENTH EXAMPLE. OF Joseph's STEWARD. ONE person alone remaineth to be spoken of, whom we cannot name to you, Joseph's Steward. His name is not expressed in Scripture, neither any thing said of his birth or death: he was a good servant. for the Scripture giveth him no name at all. He hath a good name, a good report in Scripture for a good man, but no name, that is, no particular surname, or proper name, by which he was usually known and distinguished from other men of his Country or progenitors: of his birth or death we have nothing, but he is set forth by his relation to joseph, he was Joseph's Steward; for as joseph sowed, so did he reap, what a kind of servant and Steward himself was to Putiphar, such a kind of Steward in some degree, did God provide for him. He himself was a good servant to his Master, and himself being a Master, enjoys a good servant to himself; many times the Lord sees fit to bring a man's good deeds into his own bosom, a good child to his Parents, hath good children himself, a good servant hath good servants, and so in the rest. Let this encourage you that be in the place of servants, to perform your duties diligently unto your domestical Rulers your Masters, for by this means you may lay up for yourselves, a comfortable hope of being served with like care and diligence yourselves. God no doubt hath a special hand in disposing of servants to every Master, it is he that ordereth things so, as such a man hath good, and such a one bad servants▪ men often use great care to choose a servant, and meet with a very bad one contrary to all their hopes and care, again sometimes by mere casualty almost men light upon a very good servant. He was good to his Master and to his brethren. 1. Teachable. Gen. 43.23. More particularly his carriage was good to his Master, and to the strangers, brethren to his Master, but not by him known so to be. 1. Teachable, they learned some knowledge of the true God from him. The God of your Fathers, saith he, and your God hath given you this treasure. How came this man to know a distinction of Gods? How came he to know that they had a God of their own, peculiar to them and to their Fathers, which was not then acknowledged to be the God of all the world? Egypt had many Gods, this man acknowledgeth one God, and that one God which was acknowledged and worshipped by these men and by their Forefathers. It is not likely, that joseph told his Steward, that these were his brethren, but it is undoubtedly manifest, that they were some such as he knew to be worshippers of the true God, which he knew by some few men, to be worshipped in the Land of Canaan. Therefore you see how kindly he speaks to them, that a man may even perceive by his words, that they were so much dearer to him, because they pertained to that God. This was the more observable, because he was an Egyptian servant; O that all you which be servants to godly Governors, would learn some goodness from them, even to know and serve God; you all have some knowledge of that one God: but learn also the fear and love of that God, the sincere and careful worship of that God from your Governors, that would fain teach it you, and would count themselves happy if you would learn it from them. But for a servant to live in the family of a joseph, that laboureth to teach godliness unto him by word and example, and yet declares no sense nor feeling of God, no knowledge or respect of him, how great a sin is this, and how certainly shall this Steward of joseph rise up against such in judgement? 2. He was a very dutiful servant. But secondly, Joseph's servant was a very obsequious and dutiful servant, whatsoever his Master bade him do was presently done, c. 42. ver. 25. joseph commanded him to fill their sacks with corn as much as they could carry, and to put every man's money into his sacks mouths, and to put his silver cup in the youngest sacks mouth, and his corn money, and he did according to his Master's words, and c. 44.4. He bids him run after them, and say, Why have you returned evil for good? is not this the cup in which my Lord drinks, and for which he would make diligent search, That was an evil act and unlawful. for so I think it should be rendered, for the matter of divining was far enough from Joseph's. Lo the obedience of this servant; he by the light of nature without Scripture, was taught to do that, and did it, which the holy Scriptures teacheth us to do, viz. to be obedient to our Masters, as you read by Saint Paul to the Ephes. Co●os. As also to Timothy, and by Peter. Therefore they are to be blamed, that living in times of clearer light, and enjoying more helps towards virtue, are yet far less obedience than this man was. As vinegar to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes, Solomon in Proverb. so is a slothful messenger to him that sends him, and even so is a slothful or careless servant to them that employ him: as vinegar sets the teeth an edge, smoke makes the eyes to mart, so these provoke anger and grief in their Governors. Fulfil therefore the honest commandments of your Governors, with speed and diligence, what things they appoint you to dispatch, let them be dispatched in fit season, and manner. If thou wert a Master thou wouldst have such a servant, be thou therefore such a one, and do as thou wouldst be done by. O but his Master (may some say) bade him do that which was not lawful, viz. To lay snares for the men, in putting the cup into Benjamins sack unawares to him, and then following after them with a grievous accusation; that they had done great wrong, and showed great ingratitude in taking away his Master's cup, and so bringing them back as if they had been great malefactors. I answer, that it is probable, joseph had acquainted his Steward with his meaning, that he did this not with an intention of bringing them into servitude, or doing them any wrong, but making a little further trial of them for some consideration, and so the thing was not ill done of joseph, nor of him. Let your obedience, therefore know its due limits, obey your Masters in all things, so far as justice and your duty to God will permit. Thirdly, 3. He was very kind courteous to Joseph's brethren. his carriage to Joseph's brethren was very kind and courteous, he brings them to his Master's house, speaks comfortably to them, saith peace be to you, freeth them from their fears, wherewith they were perplexed, lifts up their hearts to God, and saith, he had given them that money, brings Simeon forth to them whom they had left bound behind, and gives them water to wash their feet, and provender to their Cattle. Lo what store of kindness and courtesy he shows to these strangers? his Master appointed him to bring them to his house, but all the other kind usage is from himself as it were an overplus, besides that which was enjoined him, out of a good and affable nature, and out of some good will he bore them, because he had been informed of the God of their Fathers. Now let him be an Example to us, of practising like courtesy to strangers, and specially when we see them troubled and grieved, and most of all, if we perceive them to be servants to the true God, learn that virtue of this Steward, though he was a servant, and bondman, yet it was to joseph. Thus have I finished the Examples of the Book of Genesis, which contains a short and brief story of the things done from the beginning of the world to the death of joseph, for the space as it is thought by some, of 2309 years or thereabouts, and of some, of 60 more, because they do differ in judgement, so much about the age of Terah, when he begat Abraham. The main thing in the whole story to be observed is, how wonderfully the providence of God, wrought by degrees, to bring his Church from out of the loins of Abraham, and to make it a great and mighty Nation, which was but a little family, preserving truth, and Religion, in that household and lineage, when he suffered all other Nations by little and little to follow their own way and run into Idolatry and abominations. FINIS.