TWELVE PROPHETICAL LEGACIES.  
OR TWELVE SERMONS UPON jacob's LAST Will and Testament, Recorded by Moses, in the 49. Chapt. of Genesis: containing his Be●●●●●● and Blessings, bestowed upon his twelve Sons.  

Reuben.  
Simeon.  
Levi.  
judah.  
Zebulun.  
Issachar.  
Dan.  
Gad.  
Asher.  
Naphtali.  
joseph.  
Benjamin.   
Preached by Francis Rollenson, Bach: of Divinity, and sometimes Fellow of S. john the Euang: College in Cambridge.  
LONDON. Imprinted by T. C. for Arthur johnson, dwelling at the sign of the white horse, by the great North door of Paul's. 1612.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THOMAS LORD ELLESMER; LORD CHAVNcellor of England, my very singular good Lord, such happiness and honour in this life; as may be seconded with the glory and felicity of Saints in the world to come.  
RIght Honourable, Counsel and Help, as the Platonistes affirm, be the Two main pillars and Supporters of every commonwealth, of which that saying of Ecclesiastes is verified, Two are better than one; for One of these Two without the other, is but as a Reed shaken with every blast of wind; but being both together, they are like the Two brazen pillars set up by Solomon in the Temple at jerusalem, of which the one was called jachin, which is, he will establish, and the other BoaZ, that is, by interpretation in strength; for Counsel and Help united do Establish and Strengthen any state, whether it be Ecclesiastical or Civil; as for instance; what avail the laws and constitutions of Sage Counsel, made to establish the Truth, unless the Lawemakers put to their helping hands to strengthen by favour and maintenance, such as be the Ministers & preachers of the Gospel? Certainly nothing at all: & therefore our Saviour may herein be a pattern to all great personages (whom God hath ordained to be jachin and Boaz: namely, Establishing and strengthening pillars of his Temple) of whom it is written, that when he appeared in a vision to john the divine, his two feet seemed as fiery pillars, the one standing upon the land, and the other upon the sea; and the spouse in the Canticles, compareth his legs to Marble pillars set upon sockets of fine gold; whereby is intimated, 
Aug. in Psal. 58.  that Christ does walk in the midst of his Church by Counsel and Help, so establishing & strengthening it; that neither the malice of Satan, though he be Leo apart saeviens, & draco occuliè insidians, one that by open & outrageous cruelty shows himself a Lion; and by his covert and secret poisoning of religion, a very Dragon; nor the Enchantments of the world, though she like the Purple whore, makes such as he of her attendance, drunk with the Cup of her abominable vanities; nor the gates of hell, though like the great red Dragon they vomit and cast up continually floods of poison; shall never be able to prevail against it. This Counsel and this Help, are the Pillar like feet of every Noble Theophilus, who treadeth the steps of Christ, & walketh in his paths; and such a Theophilus may your Lordship be justly accounted; for not only by Counsel, as being one of the chiefest Oracles of this land, but also by Help, as being one of the best nursing fathers of the Church, your Honour seeketh the welfare of Zion, and the good of God's Temple. It is not I alone that say thus; but it is Musarum vox, the voice of the learned Twins of this Realm, the Two universities, many of whose sons had died and been buried in their cells, had not your Honour called them forth, and sent them into God's vineyard; amongst these I may rank myself, having lately tasted of your unlooked for, and undeserved bounty towards me: In liewe whereof, as a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, I offer up and dedicate to your honourable name, and protection, these my Labours, being the sincere testimonies of my thankful heart; humbly desiring almighty God, that as your Lordship hath been a Pillar of his Temple upon earth, so he would make you in the life to come, a Pillar of his Temple in heaven, and write upon you his own New name.  
Your Lordship's most bounden in all duty and service, Francis Rollenson.   

THE FIRST SERMON OF REUBEN.  Genesis 49. Chap. 1.2.3.4 verses. 
Then jacob called his Sons, and said; Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you, what shall come to you in the last days.  
Gather yourselves together, and hear you sons of jacob, and hearken unto Israel your Father, etc.  
THE main subject of this chapter, is the Prophetical Benediction of jacob: concerning the twelve patriarchs his sons; this Title I give it, as most correspondent & suitable to the nature and quality of the Text; Antiquity calls jacob's last words, The Blessing of the patriarchs, but 
a Amb. de bened. pat. ca 2.  S. Ambrose, 
b Ruffi. in li●. eiusd. tit.  Ruffinus, and 
c Theod. in Gen. quaesi. vlt.  Theodoret say, it is a soloecism, or incongruity, so to style them, because therein Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are cursed; wherefore they term them only jacob's Prophecy, alleging for the Truth hereof jacob's words, saying; Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall come to you in the last days. Hereupon they conclude, that the words which jacob spoke unto his sons severally, were Predid●ctions, not Benedictions. Rabbi Solomon, held a very strange opinion concerning this matter, but as ridiculous as strange; Namely, that jacob minding to bless his children, suddenly the Spirit of God departing from him, the want whereof caused him in a dotting manner, to speak he knew not what; and from this distemper and defect it came to pass that he blessed some, and cursed others: but to omit this frivolous and impious conceit, the abortive of a blasphemous brain, I return to that Title, which best agreeth to the last speech of jacob; namely, a Prophetical Benediction, which neither abolisheth the usual and customary stile of Antiquity, nor disparageth the judgement of S. Ambrose and the rest; for it is a mixture and composure of both their Titles. A Blessing, and a Prophecy. For though this holy Patriarch doth sharply reprove Reuben for incest, and Simeon and Levi for cruelty, yet his curse is but a temporal chastisement, and a fatherly correction for their amendment: nay they are crowned, though not in so ample manner, with a blessing as well as the rest of their brethren, because they are counted among the Tribes, and had their inheritance among them, being thereby included within the Covenant. 
d joseph. judaie. Antiqu. lib. 2.  There is in this whole speech a harmony betwixt jacob's tongue and his heart, the Tongue foretells, the heart prays, the one declares the future prosperity of the patriarchs, the other wisheth for the accomplishment. So then in Prophesying he blesseth, and in blessing, he prophesieth; that he prophesieth, no man can deny, and that he prayeth for them (which is a blessing) who will not confess, that marketh his prayer; 
e Gen. 49.18.  O Lord I have waited for thy salvation: wherein he maketh supplication unto God, to be a Tower of defence unto his children, against the face of all their enemies.  
Then jacob called his Sons, etc. in the two first verses of this chapter is contained the Prologue or preamble to the ensuing Prophetical Benediction, and in this preamble there is a Summons and a Charge.  
The first branch is the summons: jacob citeth his sons to appear, and calls them before him, that he may speak unto them before he dies. This was a custom amongst the holy patriarchs, when they felt death approaching, to call their children and their friends before them; First, to acquiante them with the knowledge of things to come: and secondly, to instruct them in sacred Aphorisms, and rules of good life. So did 
f Deuter. 33.  Moses, 
g josu. 24.  josuah, 
h 1. Reg. 2.  David, and many others, making their deathbed their Pulpit to Prophecy and preach in. But why should they choose such a time, a time of pain and anguish, and a time of mourning & lamentation? because it is the fittest time: 
i Xenoph. lib. 8 Plat. in apel.  Some Philosophers have thought that the soul of man upon the approach of death, grows more divine, and by a supernatural inspiration, is made even then most able to discourse of future events; but this Assertion is repugnant to reason: For the soul, though in its own nature it be impassable, yet doth it sympathise with the body: and therefore when the body is ill affected, and afflicted with sickness, than also the faculties of the soul begin to languish, to grow faint, and dull: Let then Xenophon bring in his Cyrus, and Plato his Socrates, to avouch that at the time of death, a man's soul is inspired with the power of divination, yet will this position prove to be but like a house founded upon the sand, and one of Satan's fallacies and illusions. The cause then why jacob prophecies upon his deathbed, is not because his soul was then more divine, but that the remarkable circumstance of the time might procure in the memory of his sons, a deeper and more permanent impression of his Prophecy.  
The second branch of the Preamble, is the Charge in these words, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall come to you in the last days, gather yourselves together, and hear you sons of jacob, and hearken unto Israel your Father. This Charge is very emphatical, as appeareth by this threefold doubling of the words; Gather yourselves together, gather yourselves together, Hear, Hearken unto jacob and Israel your Father: 
k Tharg. Hieros' in hunc locum.  This shows, that the holy Patriarch will speak of some great and important matters concerning his sons, & that he will instruct them both as a natural and spiritual Father, and therefore because he will not have them stand like idle spectators and careless auditors; First, he chargeth them to gather, and gather themselves together; wherein he requireth, not only the presence of their bodies, but also of their cogitations. Secondly, he commands them to hear and hearken unto jacob and Israel their Father; which is, as if he should have said, let me have both the 
l Rup. in Gen. lib. 9 Com. cap. 25.  attention of your ears, and the intention of your minds, that I may tell you what shall come to you in the last days: in this speech jacob allegeth the cause, both why he summoned them to appear, & also why he giveth them so strict a charge: This cause is the seal of his commission, and a testimony that he is one of God's Prophets, because the ground of his speech must be a Revealing of things to come, which is only proper & peculiar to God, & them whom he vouchsafeth to employ as his instruments. It is not registered by the pen of God's spirit, how the Patriarch jacob attained unto this foreknowledge; whether by Oracle, dream, or vision, which are the 
m Num. 12.6.7.8.  three ordinary means of Revelation, yet it is very likely. that God was known unto him by vision, which is three manner of wares, either when true things are discerned by an infused light, and the mere understanding, or else when besides that light, Images are also described; & that, either in the mind, as when Zachariah saw the 
n Zach. 18.  Horns, and the 
o & 4.2.  candlestick; & 
p Hier. 1.13.  Hieremiah the Pot; or else in the eyes and outward sense, as was that 
q Dan. 5.5.  hand, spoken of by Daniel, which appeared on the wall; and as Angels were seen to talk with men, in a bodily shape; now it is most probable, that by the first of these three means jacob prophesied, telling his sons what should come to them in the last days: Touching the bounds or limits of jacob's Prophecy, there is some question made amongst expositors, both jewish and Christian. 
r Rab. Kimhi in 2. cap. Esa.  Rabbi Kimhi, 
s Hieron. in Michaeam. cap. 4.  S. Hierome, and Lyranus affirm, that as often as dies novissimi, (the last days) are mentioned in the Scriptures, the (Time or coming of the Messiah is signified) and that his time is therefore called the last days; because he should be the period or end of the jewish state, both in regard of the Law, the Priesthood, the Kingdom, and the figures or types of the Old Testament, and that after the preaching of the Gospel, no other priesthood, law, nor Sacraments were to be expected; though I do not gainsay (but that the Time of the Messiah may be called the last days) yet in these words that Time is not principally implied; for jacob in this prophecy foretelleth diverse things which were fulfilled long before the coming of CHRIST, therefore in this Text by the Last-days, is signified the Succeeding ages and Times, from the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt, till the coming of Christ.  
In this prologue of jacob, we may for our instruction observe two things; First, The pattern of dying; Secondly, the Art of hearing; the first is couched in the Summons, the second in the Charge of jacob: For the first, it is upon record, that the holy men in former times used to assemble their friends, kinsfolk, and children, to bless and instruct them before they died, 
t Gen. 27.  so Isaac blessed his two sons, jacob and Esau. 
v Deut. 33.  Moses, the Tribes of Israel; so 
x 1. Chro. 29.  David blessed Solomon, and our blessed 
y john. 17.  Saviour prayed for his disciples immediately before his death: these actions of them ought to be precedents for us to follow and imitate, and herein by their example, are we taught to have a special care of the spiritual welfare of our children, bequeathing them golden legacies, wholesome counsel, and good instructions, how to serve God, to walk in his ways, and observe his statutes; 
z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Death is common to all (as well to the rich glutton, clothed in purple and fine linen, as to the famished Lazar, whose body is embroidered with sores, but to die well and make a good end like Isaac, jacob, David, and josuah, is a peculiar blessing, and therefore all men do not attain unto it. The worldling when sickness (the harbinger of death) arresteth him, 
a 2. Sam. 17.  like Achitophel, putteth his house in order & dieth, even when he is to make a surrender of his soul, his mind like 
b Luc. 10.41  Martha, is altogether entangled in temporal objects, and cumbered about worldly affairs, scarce reserving one minute to dispose of his spiritual estate; and in the calling of his friends, he does as 
c 1. Sam. 16.  Ishai did, in the calling forth of his sons; first comes Eliab, than Abinadab, than Shammah, but David the anointed of the Lord, comes last of all; So when his body gins to decay, First, he sendeth for his Physician, his jupiter Menecrates, who must (if Art be powerful) restore him to health, & preserve him from the ●awes of death, and from the unsatiable grave; next, if the Physician fail in his practice, like 
d 2. Reg. 1.  Ahaziah, he will inquire of Beelzebub the god of Ekron, some Wizard, Witch, or Sorcerer, whether he shall, and by what means he may recover of his disease; If this course prove disastrous and insuccesfull, than the Lawyer or Scribe must take his case in hand, to entail and perpetuate his Lands and possessions; And lastly, when his sickness grows desperate, in comes the Minister, whose presence but for fashion-sake, is as irksome as was the sight of 
e 1. Reg. 22.8.  Micheah to Achab, this is the worldlings end, who thinketh he hath done God good service, if he can but cry Lord, Lord, at the last gasp, and presumeth, that thereupon our Saviour will say unto him, as he did to the Thief, 
f Luc. 23.43.  To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Oh no, 
g Mat 7.21.  not every one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that dith the will of my Father which is in heaven, saith Christ. Now Gods will is, that upon our deathbed we should do as jacob and the other patriarchs did, to wit, Sanctify his Name, by praying unto him, by praising him for his goodness, and by blessing and instructing our children how to cleanse their ways, by framing themselves according to the word of the Lord. If we hope then to take a joyful farewell of the world, and to die the death of the righteous, we must in the flower of our age, & in the days of our youth, 
h Eccl 12.  remember our Creator, before the keepers of the house tremble, & the strong men bow themselves before the grinders cease, and they wax dark, that look out by the windows, before the golden Ewer be broken, and the Almond tree begin to flourish: while our legs be strong as Marble pillars, let us be glad with David to go into the house of the Lord, and while our arms are fresh and able, let us like Daniel seven times a day, lift up pure hands without wrath or doubting; while we have the organs of speech, and eyes to behold the heavens, and the firmament, which declare and show the glorious handy work of our GOD, let us with them both magnify and praise his holy Name, and while our memory is unbruised, and our understanding unblunted, let us Dedicate, Devote, and Consecrate, to heavenly meditation these two, being the best members that we have: 
i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Plato.  The true professors of Philosophy ever think of death saith Plato, because the thought thereof is the bridle of vice, and like the water of jordan, washeth away the leprosy of the soul; If amongst the Pagans, no otherwise directed but by the glimmering light of Nature, the remembrance of death was prescribed as a sovereign Antidote against the poison of vice, ought not Christians, to whose feet the Word is a Light, and a lantern unto their paths, to be far more careful how to live, and how to die then they? If we then have a desire to pattern jacob, in the manner of his dying, we must imitate him also in the fashion of his marrying; jacob could not enjoy his best beloved Rachel, till he had married Leah, because as 
k Genes. 29.26.  Laban answered him, It is not the manner of this place to give the younger before the elder. Even so, like Leah and Rachel, living well, and dying well, are two Sisters, the Twins of Grace, all men long for the younger of these; For she is beautiful and fair, but the elder is neglected, because she is blear-eyed and of harder favour; The very reprobate wisheth to partake with the righteous, in his well-dying, but renounceth his fellowship in well-living, but the followers of jacob contract themselves to both. These two are like the two 
l August. de civit. Dei. lib. 5.  Temples (of Honour and Virtue in Rome,) which were so contiguously built, that no man could go into the Temple of Honour, unless he went first through the Temple of Virtue; Even so is the conjunction of well-living, and well-dying; For none can attain to the happiness of well-dying, unless first he accommodate and apply himself to well-living.  
Secondly, in the charge of jacob to his sons, is enfolded the Art of hearing God's oracles, an Art so necessary and requisite, that without the theoric and practice of it, it is as hard for a man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, as for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle. For Faith cometh by hearing, and without Faith it is impossible to please God; therefore it is expedient for all men to be studious in this Arte. In hearing then the Prophecies of God, and the preaching of his Word, four things are required; The presence of the body, the assembling of the cogitations, the attention of the ears, and the intention of the mind; for as jacob said to his sons, so God says to us all, Gather yourselves together, gather yourselves together, Hear, o ye people, and hearken unto the word of the Lord: these four, like the four 
m Ezek. 1.9.  beasts which Ezechiel saw in Vision, must all go one way together, for if they be separated, all Preaching is effectless; if the body be only present, and the cogitations absent, than the words of the Preacher will be to less purpose, than the Prophets speaking to the 
n Ezek. 37.4  dry bones; if the ear be only open, and the mind shut and sealed up, then though the ministers lips preserve never so much knowledge, and like lilies drop down pure myrrh, yet is his doctrine but like seed sown in a sandy ground: some are like unto the 
o 1 San 5.5.  Priests of Dagon, who because their God falling before the Ark, broke off his head and the two palms of his hands upon a Threshold, would never tread on the Threshold of Dagon in Osh●od; these are Recusants who have made a vow to avoid our Churches and Temples, as Synagogues of Satan, because in them the Truth of God's word hath foiled and overthrown their Romish Idol. Some have Mary's body but Martha's mind, they will frequent the Temple and sit at Christ's feet, but their cogitations are else where, distracted with earthly affairs, concerning a Yoke of Oxen, a farm, or a new wife, these hearers are like unto the monstrous people of India, called Monosceli, who as Pomponius Mela writes, have but one leg to hop upon, Monsters in religion, they run, but with no desire to obtain, they draw unto God with their ears, but their hearts are far from him, they sacrifice the worse part to God, and the better to Mammon, doing as the Israelites did, who kept a holiday to the Lord, but offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to the molten calf. Some have attentive ears but their minds are ill disposed, such are Athenians, thirsters after novelties, not after righteousness, men of itching ears, to which all music is harsh and tedious, but the Chaldean consort of Cornets, trumpets, haps, sackbuttes, psalteries and dulcimers, these must be fed according to their humorous appetite, with new, and fresh broached opinions, strange inventons, and devices, or else in their Censure the preacher is but a babbler, hence it is that the pulpit which like the ark of God should be the storehouse of no other food but Manna, the bread of life is made a dish to serve in Athenaeus his 
p Athen. lib. 11.  Pentaploon, or galimaufrie consisting of wine, honey, cheese, meal, and oil, for the preacher being a light and wanton person, the slave of Tham●ur, and a polluter of the Sanctuary, in hop● of popular applause, suiteth his sermon to the giddy ear of his auditory, stuffing it with poetical fragments, strained allegories, and Egyptian eloquence, here is like people, like priest, both like Ephraim, fed with wine, and puffed up with vanity. Again, some will present both body and ear externally very devout, but the heart imagineth and contriveth mischief, these are our modern pharisees, and Herodians, that under pretence of religion, and the cloak of sanctity, come to entrap the ministers of Christ, these cry hail master & kiss the preacher, but afterwards betray him, slander his doctrine, wrist his speeches, and speak evil of the way of truth, Woe be to such hearers, for they follow the way of Cain, and are cast away by the deceit of balaam's wages, and perish in the gainsaying of Corah: these are like unto adders which refuse to hear the voice of the charmer charm he never so wisely, and therefore as they, so these stop one of their ears by laying it close to the earth and the other with their tails; the ear of the body, and the ear of the soul, the attention and the intention, being both depraved by an inbred and natural hatred of goodness; Aristotle wished that young men might be secluded from the lectures of moral Philosophy, because for the most part they be unprofitable hearers, in regard that they want experience, and are carried away with the stream of evil affections, and of the same mind was Pandarus, and Homer, saying, For light wits want experience, and young folk are always rash and unstaid; whether the Philosophers advise be authentical or no, I will not here dispute, only I wish that such hearers as these aforenamed, either had their ears and hearts circumcised, so that they might prove worthy proficients in this heavenly art, or that if they will not hear with zeal and devotion, they would cease to be like jebusites, pricks in the sides of the Israelites and forbear by absenting themselves, to profane God's temple, discourage his ministers, and corrupt others with the leue● of their lewd life and evil example.  
REUBEN.  
Reuben mine eldest son, thou art my might and the beginning of my strength the excellency of dignity, 
Verse 3.  and the excellency of power.  
Thou wast light as water, thou shalt not be excellent, because thou wentest up to thy father's bed, than didst thou defile my bed, thy dignity is gone.  
REuben was the first son of jacob, begotten of Leah, and his name by interpretation is the son of vision, 
(q) Gen. 29.31.32.  for when the Lord saw that Leah was despised in respect of Rahel, he made her fruitful, but Rahel was barren, and therefore when Leah had conceived and borne this first son, she called his name Reuben, for she said, Because the Lord hath looked upon my trouble, now therefore my husband will love me; if we survey all the sons of jacob, we shall find that every one of them hath a significant name grounded upon reason, and imposed upon some occasion according to the interpretation whereof, jacob for the most part frames the letter of his prophecy. It was the wish of Socrates that Children might have significant and well-sounding names given them; for to wander up and down without a name as many of the 
(r) Plut: in vita Coriolani.  Savages of in ●●t Atlas in Africa have done, is beastlike; and like the Troglodytes, to call children by the names of beasts, or by their Surnames, as many of our fantastic witnesses do, is both brutish and ridiculous; therefore the ancient Hebrues, Greeks, and Romans, being civil nations, were ever careful to give their children well-boding and significant names, as may here appear by the name of Reuben, The sons of vision, in the imposition whereof Leah first expresseth how thankful to God she is for this benefit of a son, and secondly how desirous she is to win her husband's love; God had looked upon her in her tribulation with the eye of Pity in giving her a son, and therefore she hopes that this son will also draw the eye of her husband's affection as well to her as Rahel. Reuben mine eldest son, etc. jacob speaking to Reuben giveth him five titles, calling him his Eldest son, his might; the beginning of his strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power; but we must consider, that these words of jacob being truly tasted, are to Reuben 
(s) Apo. 10.  as the little Book of the Angel was to john the divine, Sweet as honey in the mouth, but bitter in the belly, for though they seem to intimate Reubens' prerogative, yet indeed they are spoken of purpose to whip and scourge him for his incest, which sin disrobed him of all these ornaments.  
Reuben mine eldest son: he was indeed the eldest and first borne, but the Birthright was bestowed upon joseph, which should have been his, if he had not defiled his father's bed; what profit then or honour is it for Reuben to be called the Eldest son, and to be disinherited and deprived of the 
(t) Deut. 21.  double portion which was ordinarily due to the first borne.  
Secondly, says jacob, thou art my might; or thou shouldest have been my might, and the strength and staff of mine age, but the remembrance of thy heinous & loathsome sin, hath been a corruption unto my bones.  
Thirdly, the beginning of my strength: so jacob calls him because he begat him when his body was fresh & strong; the latin translation is Principium doloris, the beginning of my sorrow; which howsoever it is by some expositors misliked and rejected, because the Hebrew word is mistaken, yet doth it fitly declare the grief of jacob for his sons sin, because the child's fall is the father's corrosive.  
Fourthly, The excellency of dignity; this is spoken in respect of the priesthood, to which office in regard of birth Reuben should have been consecrated; for the first borne are mine saith God; and this was not only after, but even before the law was writ.  
Fiftly, The excellency of power: in these words Reubens' Royalty is enfolded; for by right of his eldership he should have been the supreme head of his brethren, and kings should have descended out of his loins; It was thine by birth o Reuben, saith the Chalde paraphrast, to have been preferred before thy brethren, in the birthright, priesthood, and kingdom; but because thou didst sin, the Birthright was given to joseph, the kingdom to judah, and the priesthood to Levi, See here jacob's wisdom in the prologue of Reubens' reproof, he giveth him these excellent titles, that the consideration of the loss of them, might drive him to repentance. Thou wast light as water, etc.: or Thou wast powered out like water; that is to say, thy intemperancy was so great, that thou couldst not bridle thy lust, but running headlong unto iniquity, and carried away with the wings of itching pleasure thou didst commit folly with greediness; here jacob comparing Reuben to water, doth display and lay open his inconstancy; for as water is of that fluent substance, that it willbe contained in no vessel, wherein the least cranny can afford an issue, so Reuben was of such an intemperate disposition, and so inconstant in goodness, that upon the least occasion of sin, he would commit it; Lyranus apply these words to Reubens' loss of all his prerogatives; saying; 
(u) Lyra: in h●●c locum.  This is the difference betwixt water and other liquors, as wine, oil, and ink, because these when they are powered out of the v●ssell, wherein they were kept, yet ever they leave some remainder in the vessel, either of their substance, as honey or of th●●r taste as wine, or of the colour, as ink, or of the smell as oil; but water when it is powered out leaveth neither substance, nor taste, nor colour, nor smell behind it; So Reuben was utterly bereaved of all his prerogatives, the Birthright, the priesthood, and the kingdom; but I think that the first exposition is most consonant and agreeable to the words of jacob, who having first in these words Thou wast light as water, laid open his intemperancy, doth in this speech following Thou shalt not be excellent, punish him for his sin with the loss of pre-eminency.  
Because thou goest up to thy father's bed, etc.: here jacob giveth instance of Reubens' lightness, for which he is deservedly degraded and put from all his prerogatives; the history of his offence is set down in the five and thirtieth chapter of Genesis; 
(x) Gen. 35.22.  there it is written, that when jacob dwelled beyond Migdal-eder, Reuben went and lay with Bilha his father's concubine, and it came to Israel's ear; in which foul and detestable act, three sins are enfolded; first adultery in that he violated another man's wife, for Bilha howsoever she is called a Concubine, yet she was the wife of jacob; this only being the difference of the name; a wife is she that was first a free-woman and publicly married, a Concubine, a bordwoman, and only privately contracted, Secondly, incest, for he leie with his father's wife, who was therefore his mother in law, this is a vile sin, as may appear by S. Paul's exaggeration of it saying; 
(y) 1. Cor. 5.12.  It is heard certainly that there is fornication among you, & such fornication as is not once named among the gentiles, that one should have his father's wife; and afterward he saith; that he hath determined in the name of our Lord jesus Christ, to deliver him that hath done this thing unto Satan. Thirdly Contumely, for Reuben is so far from honouring his father, which is the duty of a child, that herein he dishonoured him, in defiling his bed, even as afterwards 
(z) 2. Sam. 16.  Absalon did in lying with his father's Concubines; 
(a) Isa. 5.18.  Woe unto them, saith Isaiah, that draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as with cart-ropes, Reuben then must needs be cursed in joining these three sins together, Adultery, Incest, & contumely; for with three he is deprived of three great dignities, the Birthright, the priesthood, and the kingdom.  
In this speech of jacob to Reuben, we may observe four things; First the holy Patriarch doth very sharply reprove him for his fault, wherein we gather, that it is the duty of a wise father to censure & rebuke a wicked son, and to chastise him according to his merits, for such as soothe their sons in their folly, and wink at their children's misdemeanours, are ever by them as just scourges beaten for their connivency; remember 
(b) 1. San. 3.  Heli, remember 
(c) 2 Sam. 13.14.  David; Heli laid the rains upon the neck of his two sons, they ran into slander, and he stayed them not, wherefore the Lord swore unto the house of Eli, that the wickedness of his house should not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever; and what a lamentable end befell both him and his sons, they were both slain in the battle against the Philistines, with the loss of the Ark, and Eli himself astonished with the report fell backward, and broke his neck; as for David, it was the just judgement of God, that Absolom (whom he so dearly loved, and therefore too easily pardoned for the murder of his brother Ammon) should rise up to trouble all Israel and spoil him of his crown and Sceptre; we therefore saith the wiseman; 
(d) Ecclus. 30.11.12.13  Laugh not with thy son, lest thou be sorry with him, and lest thou gnash thy teeth in the end, give him no liberty in his youth, and wink not at his folly; bow down his neck while he is young, and beat him on the sides while he is a child, lest he wax stubborn and be disobedient unto thee, and so bring sorrow unto thine heart; chastise thy child, and be diligent therein, lest his shame grieve thee, also Solomon saith; 
(e) Pro. 22.13.  foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the Rod of correction shall drive it away from him; in this excellent aphorism of the wiseman we may see how all children by reason of their 
(f) Psal. 51.1.  inbred and natural corruption drawn from the loins and teat of their parents are prove and addicted to sin; 
(g) Exod. 15.25.  but correction altereth nature, and casteth them in a new mould; like the branches of the tree, that God showed Moses, it turneth bitterness into sweetness, and an ill disposition into a good inclination; be ye wise therefore o ye parents, and learn by jacob's example, to crush & kill the Crocodile in the shell, to root up weeds before they be stemmed; and to beat down sin in your children before it be ripened & come to its full growth; Custom in sinning is the nurse of necessity, saith Bernard; nay it is another nature saith the Philosopher, therefore be cautelous and wary to prevent this inconveniency by due correction. jacob reproves his son, and his Eldest son, this his action condemneth such parents, as are like unto the Image of Diana in the Island C●ios, which was so artificially carved, that on the one side being looked upon, it seemed to smile, but on the other to frown; so we have some which will pamper and make too too much of their eldest sons, overlook their vices, and continually smile upon them, but make no difference betwixt servants or slaves and their youngest, ever checking, controlling and dejecting them with their frowns; hence it comes to pass, that very often the Hieroglyphic of the Ape is verified in them; which is this; 
pier: in hierogl.  A she ape painted with two young ones, one embraced in her arms, and the other lying at her feet, and the motto, is Inuisus haeres, The envied or the hated ape proves to be the heir, and the reason is, because with overmuch cockering she kills him whom she loves; so do parents with their eldest sons; but let us hear the good advise of S. Ambrose; 
(h) Amb: in gen. 37.9.  The father ought to take heed (saith he) if he have more children than one, that he show not himself more loving to one than another, for so may he easily mar that child which he favoureth above the rest, sith by reason of his father's good will he will soon take a liberty of sinning; further, the rest of his brethren willbe easily inflamed, with hatred or envy against him; I wish therefore that all earthly fathers would be like our heavenly father, who chastiseth whom he loves, and correcteth every son that he receiveth; In the vision of the majesty of God which john saw 
(i) Apoc. 4.3.  he that sat upon the throne, was to look upon like a jasper stone, & a Sardine, the jasper is green, and is the emblem of Mercy, the Sardine is red like blood, and is the figure of justice; of this complexion should all carnal parents be, if their children be virtuous and religious; then let them be cherished, that kind usage and clemency may stir and spur them up to perfection, but if like Reuben they follow lewd courses, then let them curb them, and restrain their intemporancie with correction and severity.  
Secondly Reuben is punished with the loss of his Birthright, priesthood and kingdom forty years after his fault was committed, and though jacob was the Herald to proclaim this curse, yet God was the primary cause and author of it; wherein we may learn, That the Revenge of sin though it be late, yet it is ever certain; 
(k) Dan. 7.9.  though God Sat upon his Throne, yet his throne standeth upon wheels, his Sitting portendeth delay, but the wheels show that he will come to judgement, though it be said that after the fall of Adam, God walked in the garden, 
(l) Gen. 3.8.  which motion is slow, yet he came with a voice which was heard far off; so doth he now, with us which are the children of Adam; before he utter his Vbi es? where art thou? he walks, or makes delay, to see if his adiournying and long suffering will work any repentance in us, and his voice is this, Except you repent you shall all likewise perish; but at length he comes, and when he comes, he rides upon the wings of the wind, and sitteth between the Cherubins, the Wind imports Swiftness, and the Cherub, as Aquinas interprets the word, fullness of knowledge; so than his long stay breedeth in him no forgetfulness of our sins, he hath a catalogue of them all, & in this book are all our offences written; & though it be long before he come, yet when he comes he comes swiftly; and his feet are like 
(m) Apo. 1.13.  fine brass, burning as in a furnace, of so hard and hot a temper, that at his appearance the heavens melt like wax, and with his only touch the wicked are bruised in pieces like a potter's vessel, God's long sufferance should be in us all a motive to repentance, but it is the very seed of security and the impunity of sin daily committed, groundeth this persuasion in our hearts, That there is no God, or if there be, Tush the Lord sees not; Oh let not our merciful father's love and kindness be so mistaken; you that are like the Idol of Dagon, half fish, half flesh, I mean Christians in Name, but Atheists in life and conversation: go to the Heathen writers, Orpheus and Socrates, and they will both teach you that there is a God; go to the school of Reason and it affords you this conclusion, He that made the Eye shall he not see, and he that planted the ear, shall he not hear? and have but recourse to former examples and daily experience, and they will signify thus much; The punishment of sin (though it be late,) yet it is ever certain.  
Thirdly, Reuben for a little short pleasure lost his Birthright, & all his dignity; Hence we are taught, that one momentany delight may deprive a man of many great blessings: For as God hath 
(n) Cam. 5.14.  Hands like wings of gold, set with the Chrysolite, full of liberality and bounty, to bestow his favours where he discerneth any sparks of goodness, so hath he a Hand wherein there is a Fan, and a Sword, to cut off the unrighteous, and divide them from his graces. God gave to Solomon more than he desired, 
(o) 1. Reg. ●.  both Wisdom & wealth: and CHRIST bequeathes upon the Cross to the penitent Thief, more than he requested 
(p) Luc. 23.43.  the Fee simple, and full possession of Paradise, whereas his wish was but a Memento, Lord remember me, when thou comest into thy Kingdom; Lo here is bounty, but of the contrary part, where he finds in stead of salomon's discretion, and the thieves contrition, vanities adoration, than he closeth his hands, and withdraweth his favour: if Esau prize a mess of pottage before his Birthright, Esau shall lose his Blessings, and become the servant of jacob; if the rebellious Israelites long for the flesh-pots of Egypt, they shallbe debarred from entrance into the land of promise; and if Reuben follow the Flesh, 
(q) Gen. 27.4  and forsake the Spirit, Reuben must lose his Birthright, Priesthood, and kingdom. Thus doth one temporary pleasure rob a man of many excellent blessings; Go to then ye garish daughters of Zion, walk with wavering Eyes, mince it as ye go, and keep a tinkling with your feet, glory in your wires, your wimples, & your crisping-pins, your Hoods, your lawns, your earelings, and your bracelets, go to, betrothe and contract yourselves to vanity, bake cakes as the idolatrous women of Israel did, and offer them to Follie, the Queen of your heaven; but for all this remember Reubens' case, your seed time is Pomp, but your harvest time shallbe Penury, 
(r) Isa. 3.24.  for in stead of sweet savour there shallbe stink and in stead of a Girdle a rent, and in stead of dressing of the hair, baldness, and in stead of a stomacher, a girding of sackcloth, and burning in stead of beauty; Oh, who then is, or would be so fond, for a little gorgeousness in this life, to adventure upon so many curses and plagues, both in this world and the world to come; and yet such are the allurements of Satan, & so powerful the bewitching smiles of vanity, that even the strongest Samson, and the wisest Solomon are caught in their snares, and being once entrapped, they are so benumbed with a spiritual lethargy or drowsiness, that they quite forget both God and themselves, being herein fitly to be compared to the companions of Ulysses, whom Homer mentioneth, who by the enchantments of Circe, were turned into hogs; and hogs I may justly call them, for they are without understanding and Reason, else would they never for one dram of Pleasure purchase a pound of sorrow, for one spoonful of honey, a gallon of gall and vinegar, and for one minute of mirth, an eternity of weeping, mourning, and gnashing of teeth. Is not then 
(s) Luc. 16.  the Rich glutton a Hog, that for a little purple, linen, and delicious fare, will lose and forego the inheritance of heaven? Is not judas a Hog, that for the love of thirty pence will make shipwreck of his soul? And it not Reuben a Hog, that for a little dalliance with Bilha, will forfeit his Kingdom, Priesthood, and Birthright? but what need I to dig up Reubens' grave, and uncover his shame, since notwithstanding his punishment, the remembrance whereof me thinks should even mortify the most lust-strong Carnalists, yet the world swarms now with Flesh-worms, & wanton Chamberers, who are so blinded with pleasure, that they suffer themselves to be led by strangewomen, like Oxen to the slaughter; Well, the greatness and heinousness of a sin is discerned in the punishment, & therefore as our Saviour saith to all backsliders, Remember Lot's wife; so say I to all incestuous persons, Adulterers, and fornicators, Remember Reuben.  
Fourthly, here we may learn what a grievous offence it is in the eyes of God, to offer any wrong or contumely to our parents; 
(t) Gen. 9  Cham that mocked his, Father Noah, for his nakedness, was cursed: 
(u) 2. Sam. 18.14.  Absolom who to make himself odious to David, lay with his concubines, died a bloody death: and Reuben, that here pollutes his Father jacob's bed, is punished by the loss of all his dignities; Contumely against parents, is the breach of this law 
(x) Exod. 20.12.  Honour thy Father & thy Mother, therefore whosoever is guilty of it, is thus censured; 
(y) Pro. 30.17.  The eye that mocketh his Father, & depiseth the instruction of his mother, let the Ravens of the valley pick it out, and the young Eagles eat it. Every man here upon earth hath three parents, whom to touch with the least finger of reproach is a great sin; Namely, his Natural, Civil, and Spiritual father; Our natural parents, are not only they which begat and bore us, but also according to the use of the world in the civil law, our grandfathers, and great grandfathers, all these we are obliged and bound to honour, both by the law of God, which saith, Honour thy Father & thy Mother, that thy days may belong in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee: & in another place, 
(z) Ex. 21.17.  he that curseth his father or his mother shall die the death: [viz] he which frets & grieves them, with any contumelious word or action; and also by the law of Nature, which ministereth many reasons to enforce a duty and respect of a child towards his father; The Hebrues call in their language a son Ben, signifying that he should be a Building to his parents, and the prop & staff of their decrepit Age: the Chaldeans call him Bar, which signifies both a son and Bread or corn, whereby they admonish all children to imitate the nature of the 
(a) Lex Cycon. ap. Aristop. Aelian lib. 3. c. 24.  Stork in loving, fostering, and feeding their parents; the counsel 
(b) Isoc. ad Demon.  of Iscorates to Demonicus concerning the avoiding of all contumely towards father and mother, is excellent; saying, So behave thyself towards thy parents, as thou wouldst have thy children to bear themselves towards thee; & 
(c) Eurip.  Euripedes saith, whosoever in this life honoureth his parents, he both living and dying is a friend of the Gods: but to omit these, let us return to the word of God, and hear what the Apostle saith; 
(d) Eph. 6.1.  Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right; 
(e) Colos. 3.20.  Children obey your parents in all things, for that is well pleasing unto the Lord; This is the commandment of God which whosoever transgresseth, being guilty of Reubens' sin, he deserveth Reubens' penalty. Secondly, by the civil father, I understand him that hath rule and dominion over us, whether it be the King, or any other inferior magistrate; these as being God's vicegerents, and by him substituted for parents to protect and rule us, are by us to be honoured and reverenced with all duty and loyalty; for he that showeth himself obstinate, and contumelious towards them, resisteth the ordinance of God; it is written, 
(f) Exod. 22.28.  Thou shalt not rail upon the judges, neither speak evil of the ruler of the people; here is a prohibition against all kind of Contumely towards Princes, whether it be in word or in deed; how obsequious and obedient to the civil parent, and how respective of his honour, the children of every commonwealth should be, S. ●era: teacheth us by his own example saying; 
(g) Ber. Ep. 221. ad Ludonicum regem.  If all the world should conspire against me, to move me for to attempt any thing against the kingly majesty, yet would I fear God, as not daring unadvisedly to offend the King, by him appointed, for I know that it is written, that who so resisteth power, resiseth the ordinance of God, and purchaseth to himself damnation.  
Lastly, the spiritual father, is the Minister and Preacher of God's word, who thereby, as Paul did, begetteth children unto Christ; though this Father in respect of his function, be superior to the rest; For in the whole world saith S. Ambrose, 
(h) Amb. lib. de dig. sacerdot. cap. 3.  Nothing is more excellent than the Priest, nothing more 
(i) 2. reg. 2.23.  high and eminent than a Bishop; yet of all the rest, he is ever most despitefully, and disgracefully used by ungracious Reubenites; as Elisha was scoffed at by boys, one of the children of the Prophets sent to anoint jehu, termed by the servants of jehoram, 
(k) 2. King. 9.11.  a mad fellow, and our Saviour by the jews, 
(l) joh. 8.48.  a Samaritane that had the devil; even so are the ministers of the Gospel at this day, usually rated and reviled, especially, if according to their duty they boldly reprove sin; speak but against adultery, and Herodias will lay a plot to take away thy head? Touch but Pride, and then haire-frizled and face-painted jezabel will persecute thee; Such is the misery of all spiritual fathers, & such is the contumely of this viperous generation: but let them remember Reuben, wrongs offered to any kind of parent, whether Natural, Civil, or spiritual, never pass without a sharp and bitter censure; The children that mocked Elisha, were rend in pieces by Bears; and jezabel, the persecuter of God's Prophets was eaten up with dogs; Thus I will close and shut up this point, desiring GOD that this punishment of Reuben, may be an instruction to all kind of Children, whether Natural, Civil, or Spiritual, to honour, reverence, and respect their Parents.   

THE SECOND SERMON OF SIMEON, and Levi.  
Simeon and Levi brethren in evil, 
Gen. 49 5.6.7.  the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.  
Into their secret let not my soul come: my glory be not thou joined with their assembly, for in their wrath they slew a man and in their self will they digged down a wall.  
Cursed be their wrath, for it was fierce; and their rage, for it was cruel: I will divide them in jacob, and scatter them in Israel.  
SImeon and Levi were the second and third sons of jacob and Leah, the interpretation of their names is, hearing: and Coupled or joined; and the occasion why they were given them was this: 
(a) Gen. 29.33.34.  Leah after she had brought forth Reuben, conceived again, and bore a son, and said, because the Lord heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also, and she called his name Simeon, which signifieth Hearing. And she conceived again, and bore a son, and said now at this time my husband will keep me company, because I have borne him there sons, therefore was his name called Levi, which is Coupled or joined: the names of these two sons, declare unto us double desire that was in Leah; the first of Children, the second of her husband's Love; she saw that she was despised in respect of Rachel, and therefore it seemeth, that she prayed unto the Lord to take away her rebuke, as afterward 
(b) 1. Sam. 1.  Hannah the wife of Elcanah did, by giving her children; and because God heard her petition and complaint, she in token of thankfulness, called her child name Simeon: also because her husband preferred Rahel before her, because she was beautiful and fair; therefore by obtaining children from God by her prayers, she both hopeth and desireth that the sight of her sons may be attractive, and so win the affection and love of jacob, that he will with greater contentment now then before keep her company; in desire hereof she nameth her third son Levi.  
Simeon and Levi Brethren in evil, etc.: jacob speaketh to the rest of his sons severally, but he joineth these two together, because they being confederate in sin, may be partakers in his curse; the history of that sin, for which jacob curseth them is set down in the four and thirtieth chapter of Genesis; there it is written 
(c) Gen. 34.  that Dinah the daughter of Leah which she bore unto jacob, went out to see the daughters of that country, whom when Shechem the son of Hamor, the Hiuite Lord of that country saw, he took her and lay with her and defiled her; so his heart clave unto the maid, and he loved her, and spoke kindly unto her; after Hamor at the entreaty of his son communed with jacob concerning a marriage betwixt Shechem and Dinah, and it was concluded upon this condition that all the males in the city should be circumcised, which covenant being performed, upon the third day when they were sore, two of the sons of jacob, Simeon and Levi Dinah's brethren, took either of them a sword & went into the city boldly and slew every male, they slew also Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of shechem's house, and went their way; again the other sons of jacob came upon the dead, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister, they took their sheep, their beeves and their asses, and all their children and their wives, and whatsoever was in the city and in the fields: now when jacob reproved them for this bloody ro●t, Simeon and Levi answered him saying, Should he abuse our sister as a whore? this was the cause why jacob in stead of the balm of his blessing, and the oil of gladness, anointeth them with his curse, and poureth upon their heads a vial of vengeance.  
Simeon and Levi, Brethren in evil; etc.: jacob in sign that the detestation of this murder of Hamor and Shechem still remained in his innocent heart, written in leaves of marble with a pen of steel; g●ueth his two sons upon his deathbed two Titles, in which we may read a volume of reproof: to wit, Brethren in evil, and Cruel instruments in their compacts, (for so the word Mechereth is better interpreted, then in their habitations, because they made 
(d) Gen. 34.13.  a subtle agreement with the Sichemites; first he calleth them Brethren in evil; not so much by nature, as in the wickedness of this action; these two were thought to be the principal contrivers of joseph's death, if the rest would have consented, and some are of opinion, that the two tribes descending from them, put Christ to death, judas of Simeon, and the Priests of Levi, and that therefore upon the foresight hereof jacob calleth them, Brethren in evil: but the words of the text do only point, direct and refer as to the murder of Hamor & Shechem; now though the rest of jacob's sons consented to this action, yet Simeon and Levi are only t●xt and blamed for it, because they were Captains and ringleaders to the rest: hence we are taught what a dangerous sin it is, to be the devils lieutenants, and lead others, either by word or example to Sin;  

(e) 1. Reg. 12  jeroboam for that he set up two Golden calves the one in Bethel, the other in Dan, and made proclamation saying, Behold o Israel thy Gods, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, by which means the people were drawn to commit spiritual fornication, therefore to this day he is branded with this title jeroboam the son of Nebat, that made Israel sin. And Saint Gregory saith, He whosoever he be deserveth so many several torments in Hell, as he hath left evil examples to posterity; therefore as there shall be in the world to come a greater measure of glory bestowed upon such as like the 
(f) Exod. 13.22.  fiery Pillar conduct the Israelites out of Egypt towards Chanaan, and like the star lead Wisemen out of the east, 
(g) Mat. 2.9  to come adore CHRIST, offering him Mirth, Gold, and Frankincense, as the Prophet Daniel saith, 
(h) Dan. 12.3.  The righteous shall shine as the Firmament, and they that draw many to Righteousness, shall shine as the stars for ever and ever, wherein there is an apparent difference set down to be betwixt the Follower and the Ringleader, in Righteousness; even as 
(i) 1. Cor. 15.41.  o●● star diff●rs from another in glory, so of the contrary part, in the wicked, there shallbe a different distribution of stripes amongst Satan's lieutenants and satans soldiers; all ●he ungodly, that march under the devils standard, shallbe tormented with an ever-gnawing worm, & an unquenchable fire; but in these torments there shallbe a magis and a minus, according to their knowledge, and their ignorance. For he that knows not his masters will, & therefore does it not, shallbe beaten with fewer stripes, but he that knows it, and does it not, shallbe beaten with many stripes; Then they that like Simeon and Levi, do not only sin themselves, but also lead others to sin, shallbe more grievously censured, and more bitterly tormented then their followers; because they be not only vicious, but also precedents & because they be not only vicious, but also precedents & patrons of iniquity: The devil here upon earth hath two Simeons', and two Levies, Brethren in evil; namely, the Sin-teacher, the Sin-d●fender, the Sin-wincker, and the Sin-soother; These four are Satan's schoolmen, Satan's lawyer, Satan's magistrate, and Satan's minister; Now as 
(k) Ezech.  the four wheels spoken of by Ezechiel, moved, even whither their spirit lead them: so these four do continually accommodate and apply themselves to their General's will and pleasure. The Sin-teacher, is he that Tutors others in wickedness; him I may fitly compare to the picture of 
(l) Fire in high. rogl.  Hercules Ga●us, who was pictured with a Golden 〈◊〉, coming from his tongue, and tied to the ears of a multitude of people, where by it was siginified that he with his eloquence and fluency of speech, drew his auditors after him, and even stole away their hearts; Such a one is the Sinne-teacher, the devil ever furnisheth him with an enticing & bewitching tongue, to charm and ravish the ears of men and consequently, thereby to lead them as it were in a chain like staves, and vassals to vanity: such a sin-teacher was 
(m) Gen. 3.  the first woman whom Satan used as his instrument to entrap man; such tutors were 
(n) 1. Reg. 11  Salomon's wives and outlandish concubines, who by their allurements turned away his heart from God, to work wickedness, in following Astaroth, the god of the Zidonians, & Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites; & such a one 
(o) 1. Reg. 21  was jezabel, who so provoked her husband Ahab, that he fold himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord. But I may well overpass the instances of the old world, since our age affordeth examples sufficient of this nature. We have too great store of Symeon's & Levies; Sin-teachers I mean, & tutors in wickedness; Have we not Aretine's, that by the picture of their own life prescribe unto their beholder's Aphorisms & rules of chambering and wantonness; Have we not slow-bellied Cretians and drunken Epicures, which instruct Novices in the swinish art of Carowssing? Have we not professors of every sin, that read the lectures of damnation, in the devils freeschoole? O yes; As the Pagans had for every thing a God or Goddess: as of wisdom, Apollo; of beauty, Venus; of theft, Mercury; of fire, Vulcan; of bread, Ceres; of wine, Bacchus; and of love, Cupid: Even so we, for every sin, may find one patron or other; O woe be unto such Doctors of iniquity, 
(p) 2. Pet. 15.  which forsaking the right way, have gon● astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, which loved the wages of unrighteousness.  
Secondly, the Sin-defender is he, that taketh upon him the protection of sin; him I may liken to the troglodytes 
Pomp. M●l.  in Aethy●pia, that feed on Snakes and Serpents, for the very poison of vice is his meat, & like 
(q) Act. 8.23.  Simon Mangus, he is in the gall of bitterness, & in the bond of iniquity; there is not the most loathsome sin, but it hath a Practitioner, and there is no act so odious, but it is warranted by a Defender. The 
(r) Aug. de haeres.  Caiani, a sort of heretics, did commend and approve of the fact of judas, in betraying CHRIST, saith Augustine: And of late times, the murder of Princes, who are the Lords anointed, is privileged in the Church of Rome, by the maxims & positions of Jesuits. 
Vid. Ich. nNar. Ies. tolet. de reg. lib. 1. cap. 7.  If you should read Mariana the jesuits works, you shall find him to be a perfect advocate for murder, and the true patron of all traitorous and rebellious assascinates; for he teacheth his disloyal auditors, that Emperors, Kings, and Princes, by sword or poison, may lawfully be killed by their subjects, if in the opinion of divines and learned men they be tyrants; is it not a sin to shed the blood of an Infidel? much more of a Christian, and a Prince: and yet these Locusts of the bottomless pit, Mariana and his brethren in evil, jebusites not Jesuits, blush not to publish in print the defence of this crying sin, and thus by their doctrine a gap is opened to infidelity, disloyalty, and murder; of whom I, and all Christendom may say, as job of himself 
(s) job. 3.3.4.  Let the day perish wherein they were bo●ne, and the night wherein it was said, there is a manchild conc●●ued: let that day be darkness, let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it. Wherein that disorderly order by Ignatius Layola, was instituted, and by the pope of Rome confirmed.  
Thirdly, the Sin-winker, is the remiss magistrate, that in stead of the sword of justice and severity, which is like the flaming 
(t) Gen. ●. 24. Apo. 1.16.  blade of the Cherubins, and the two edged sword of Christ, carrieth in a scabbard of gold a leaden blade; by whose connivency it comes to pass, that the commonwealth, like the field of the sluggard, is overgrown with nettles, briers, and brambles, to wit, all kind of vice and sin; whosoever then hath power to punish offenders, and winketh at them, he by his remissness encourageth others to commit the like offences. By lenity the king grows into contempt, the law is despised, and the people infected, but by gravity and severity the magistrate is honoured, the law is kept, and the people preserved; wherefore the officer of justice, in regard that he is God's deputy upon earth, should have a special care to supplant sin, whereby his Lord is dishonoured. But alas, for one righteous judge, ye shall find ten that will oppress the innocent, and justify the wicked for reward; for there is an evil spirit like that of king Saul, that haunteth earthly Tribunals, called Countenance in the court; this Alastor and hellish fury maketh our laws to be like the Spider's web, through which great flies easily break, & in which little ones are soon caught; these magistrates are not Gods vicegerents, but Satan's lieutenants for by their partiality they countenance wickedness, and increase the devils kingdom.  
Fourthly, the Sin-soother, is the flattering minister and preacher of the word, that cannot but espy the sins of great men, they be usually so gross, and palpable, and yet he will not open his mouth to speak against them, ●ut doth with them as dogs in Egypt do, when they come by the river Nilus, only lap a little, and then run away for fear of the Crocodile; either altogether overpassing them, or else touching them very lightly for fear of displeasure; indeed this is the wisest course; for the faults of mighty men be like unto the Carbuncle which Physicians call noli me tangere, touch me not; no, when thou preachest before them, do as the 
(u) Herod. lib. 2.  lawyers and wisemen of Persia did with Cambyses, who, as Herodotus reports, having a desire to marry his own sister, asked the opinion of the Magi, whether that matrimony were lawful or no? to whom they answered, That they indeed had no law for the brother to marry the sister, but yet they had another law among them, whereby 〈◊〉 lawful for the King of Persia to do whatsoever himself lusted; such doctrine as this willbe both pleasing and plausible, it will be a soft pillow for the elbow and a sovereign oil to supple the joints of sin; well make much ye fat kine of Basan, of these quacksalvers and mountebanks in divinity, these Pulpit-parasites, and sinne-soothers, let them break your heads with their precious balms, and poison you with their sweet drugs, but remember that a time will come when you shallbe compelled to confess with Diogenianus that flattery is a sweet, but deadly poison, drunk in a cup of gold. What is the cause that sin so reigneth in greatness as it doth? nothing else but the servile & timorous minds of mercenaries, who are so fearful, that they cannot endure to hear a Tumpet in their sleep, or to dream of the frown of a great man; and therefore to avoid checks, and gain favour, they do as Zidkijah did to Ahab, ever speak such things as be pleasing and plausible; And thus by the agency of these four lieutenants; the sin-teacher, the sin-defender, the sin-winker, and the sin-soother, millions of souls are corrupted and eternally perish.  
Simeon and Levi brethren in evil; the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations: The second title that jacob giveth there his two sons, is this; Cruel instruments in their compacts, for so the original expounded is better, herein jacob hath reference, as I said before, to the murder of Hamor and Sechem: the cruelty whereof appeareth in these particulars; First, the slaughter of the Shechemites, was made against the peace and covenant concluded; Secondly, they made a fraudulent league, having no purpose to keep it, that with more ease they might murder Hamor and Shechem, being unarmed and taken unprovided; thirdly, they dishonoured their own profession, in killing those that were contented to be circumcised. Fourthly, they chose such a time of execution of their bloody enterprise as was unseasonable; For it was when the men of the City were sore of their cutting, and not able to defend themselves. Fiftly, they put not Shechen alone to the sword, who had offended, but all the rest of the City that were innocent; Lastly, they were not satisfied with the slaughter of men, but they also made spoil & ●●●ock of the City, and took away their wives, their children, & their cattle, for these causes jacob calls Simeon and Levi, Cruel instruments, and condemneth them of six several sins, the ingrediences of this their Cruel action.  
The first is, Breach of the Peace concluded, and the violating of the Vow of Affinity, which was made by jacob and Hamor; herein is an evidence of their cankered hearts, and cruel natures, that could not be restrained from murder, by the law of Nature, which is Civil, and delighteth in society, wherefore next unto God, and godliness to himward, there is nothing which men ought more to esteem then Faithfulness, which wonderfully furthereth the society of men; for without it, it is impossible for men to live together; if their covenants and promises be not kept faithfully, the life of man will be liable to more danger than the life of a beast; Though we do not read, that any Oath passed betwixt jacob and his sons, and Hamor and Shechem in this League of Peace, yet may Simeon and Levi be justly taxed of perjury, because this is a Canon and Rule in godliness; 
(y) Hieron. ad Celantium.  Whatsoever thou speakest, think that thou hast sworn it; they had spoken peace, and yet imbrued their hands in blood; they had made a contract of affinity, and yet broke it; and canceled the obligation of their faith: if Peacemakers be blessed, as indeed 
(z) Mat. 5.9  they are by the verdict of our Saviour; then of the contrary part Peacebreakers must needs be cursed; an oath or a promise given for an unjust cause may lawfully be cut off, but if equity be the ground of it, it must be performed; Are not then Simeon and Levi justly condemned of perfidiousness? who slew Hamor and Shechem notwithstanding a lawful contract and promise; like unto these two Brethren in evil, and Ringleaders in cruelty, is that bloody Simeon and Levi of Rome, that 
(a) Bonifa. 8. in. C. unam sanct. extrauag. ne maior. & obedientia.  audacious challenger both of spiritual and temporal jurisdiction: who not only himself maketh small conscience of any league and promise of peace, but also taketh upon him by his dispensations to & break the oaths and promises of other men, though they be never so just and lawful: Pope Zacharie loosed the Frenchmen from their oath and promise of allegiance to their Prince, and deposed the King from his kingdom, & placed Pippin in his stead. Pius quintus by his 
(b) Pius 5. ponti●ā bulla: volumus & jubemus ut adverse. regin. Angliae subditi arma capessant, etc. et absoluimus subditos vinculo juramenti, quo reginae Elizab. constricti tenebantur.  Bull commanded the subjects of England to take arms against their Queen, absolving from the faith, that they had plighted to Elizabeth their sovereign; is this beseeming the pretended vicar of Christ, to be the author of infidelity and disloyalty? let this doctrine pass for currant, that the Pope may dispense with the oaths and promises of allegiance made by subjects unto their sovereigns, 
(c) Exod. ●0. 13.  & it will prove to be like the East wind spoken of in Exodus, which brought the plague of grasshoppers upon all the land of Egypt, for it will fill all countries & kingdoms full of Traitors, Rebels, and bloodsuckers, and make them like Simeon and Levi, contrary to the covenant of peace and loyalty, to shed the blood of the innocent, both Prince and people.  
The second sin of jacob's sons is fraudulency, for they made a league, having no purpose nor resolution to keep it, the Text saith 
(d) Gen. 34.13,  They spoke deceitfully, when they answered Shechem and Hamor his Father, because he had defiled Dinah their sister: and therefore I may say of them, as David doth in the like case 
(e) Psal. 12.  Under their tongue was deceit and fraud, they flattered with their lips, and spoke with a double heart; they were like unto our modern hypocrites, I mean 
(f) Pro. 30.12.  that generation that are pure in their own conceit, & yet not washed from their filthiness: which sacrifice their tongues to God, speaking like Angels of light, but consecrate their hearts, and their hands to Abaddon the destroyer, for their imaginations are mischievous, and their actions cruel and rigorous, being fair Flowers with fulsome smells, guilded sepulchres full of rotten bones, and figtrees decked with leaves, but barren of fruit; even such as these were Simeon and Levi, Fraudulent and deceitful in their compacts, and herein they heaped sin upon sin, because they linked cruelty and guile together, 
(g) Psal. 34.13.  What man is he, saith David, that listeth to live, & loveth to see good days, Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips, that they speak no guile: upon these words S. Augustine thus commenteth, 
(h) Aug. hom. 1.  It is guile or fraudulency, when one thing is close shut up in the breast, and another is expressed either by word or deed; as Flatterers use to do, which commend some contrary to that they think: thereby either to eat their meat, and drink their drink, or else to get some other benefit at their hands, and that which he speaketh of flatterers, may also be understood of open friends, and secret backbiters; As for example, here it may be averred of Simeon and Levi: for there was not a harmony or Symphony betwixt their Tongues and their hearts; their words were softer than oil, but the imagination of their hearts bloody and violent; but there should not be this discordance betwixt these two members, The tongue and the heart: for it becometh all men to deal plainly and uprightly; The very ethnics condemned fraudulency, as we gather by the words of Achilles in Homer, where he protesteth, That he hateth those men as he hateth death, which speak one thing & think another; yet this did Simeon and Levi, being not Gentiles, but of the seed of Abraham, and therefore within the Covenant, the circumstance whereof doth aggravate their offence.  
Their third sin is Scandal, which consisteth in this, that they dishonoured their profession, in murdering such as were circumcised as well as themselves; what would the Gentiles being idolaters, judge of their religion, of which Circumcision was the badge and cognisance, seeing the practice of perfidiousness and murder? must they not necessarily conclude, surely these men are not the worshippers of the true God, but the children of Beliall.  
Upon this outrage, jacob said unto Simeon and Levi, (i) Ye have troubled me, & made me stink among the inhabitants of the land: wherein he implieth, not only a detestation of his person, but also an abhorring and Contempt of the true Religion that he professed; Woe be unto them by whom the ways of God are ill spoken of, and therefore woe to Simeon and Levi, which by their misdemeanours brought the true worship of God into contempt. There must be a Diapason, and a true or even proportion betwixt our life and profession; and therefore S. Paul thus writeth unto the Ephesians saying 
(k) Ephes. 4.1.  I therefore being prisoner in the Lord pray you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation whereunto ye are called. Amongst the Pagans, those were ever condemned, that only played the Philosophers with their tongues, as Aristippus did, whom Diogenes in scoffing manner, called The King's dog; the knowledge of goodness availeth us nothing without the practice: It is not sufficient to have the wing of a Cherubin, unless under that wing there be a hand, this wing is the emblem of Contemplation, and the hand of Action; Not every one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven saith Christ; every one then that is a true Israelite, and hopeth to be enfranchised in God's kingdom, must endeavour to dignify his profession by his works: It is said in the Canticles, that our Saviour, as he had 
(m) Cant. 5.13.14.  Lips like Lilies, dropping down pure myrrh, so had he also Hands like Rings of gold, set with the Chrysolite; That is to say, his Language was sweet, and heavenly, and his Actions spiritual and divine.  
Such lips and such hands must all true professors have, for he that only speaketh well, and doth ill, is a tinkling Cymbal, but he that both says and does well, is Christ's true Disciple: but o how much did Simeon and Levi, baulk this way, and consequently blemish and defame their profession; They might brag that they had Abraham to their father, and that they were of the Circumcision, but they did not the works of Abraham; but of their father the Devil, whereby they made the Name of GOD to be blasphemed amongst the Gentiles, their Father jacob to be abhorred, and their religion to be condemned.  
The like scandal is offered to Infidels at this day, by Christians; who having received the seal of Grace, yet for the most part live ungraciously; what can the mahometans judge otherwise of our Faith, but that it is false and counterfeit, seeing that we lead the life of Libertines, Epicures, & Atheists being not half so devout & strict in the worship of our blessed Saviour, as they in the adoration and service of that Impostor and false Prophet Mahomet; But to leave foreigners, and come to ourselves, we that are Protestants and members of the reformed Church, how much do we disgrace and vilify our Truth, in the eyes and opinions of Papists, by our want of good Works and Charity? Oh would than we had some of their Zeal and devotion, and they some of our knowledge: So should neither we to them, nor they to us be scandalous.  
The fourth sin of Simeon and Levi, is their Treacherous impiety, for they chose a time to be revenged on the Shechemites, when they were so sore with Cutting, that they could not defend themselves; This was the 
(n) Genes. 34 25.  third day after all the males of the city were circumcised; upon which day saith Hypocrates, all wounds and ulcers are ever full of pain and anguish.  
See here Cruelty and Treachery meet together, and kiss each other; Had they sought for revenge before the league was concluded, the fact had not been so heinous, or if they had given them some respite till their sores had been healed, and then fallen upon them, the murder had not been so odious, but oh impious treachery, and treacherous impiety, the day of their revenge, must be the day of their greatest pain, whereby they were disenabled to make any resistance; it is barbarous immanity to persecute or strike the harmless man, or him that is dejected and cast down, and the more barbarous, if herein there be any show of fraud or guile: The case of Abner should rather have been pitied, than himself murdered, 
(o) Sam, 3.27.  and yet joab took him aside, in the Gate to speak with him peaceably, and smote him under the fifth rib, that he died: Even so the Sichemites, by their supposed allies and friends, were slaughtered when they least dreamt of it; The like impiety we may observe in the whole course of this world; wherein the wicked Symeons and Levies do ever seek to trample and tread down him that is in any adversity and tribulation; crying out as the Edomites did against Jerusalem, when it was sacked by the enemy, down with him, down with him, even to the ground.  
Their fift sin is Injustice: for, for the fault of one Shechem, in abusing one Dinah, all the males of the City were put to the sword, justice requires a proportion betwixt the Crime and the Punishment; And therefore GOD, who is the Father of justice, is said by Isaiah, 
(p) Isaiah. 19  to exercise judgement in Measure, and justice in Weight; if then Simeon and Levi had done justly in this enterprise, only, the offender Shechem should have smarted for his folly, but they did not use God's balance; For even against the rule of Reason, (by violence) they spoiled the whole City.  
Furthermore, they did not only deal unjustly with the Shechemites, but also with GOD, and jacob their Father; First with God, in that they wrested the sword of Revenge out of his hands: For it doth not belong to a private man to correct offences, or to punish sin: Revenge is the Lords, and theirs, in whose hands he putteth the sword of justice. secondly, herein they offered wrong to their Father, in attempting it without his counsel or knowledge, whom it most concerned, and by whom they should have been ruled.  
Ramban excuseth this act, Thinking that by the decrees of Noah, if the Magistrates punished not Adultery, others might: but this Apology of Ramban may thus be answered; It is uncertain, whether ever Noah enacted any such thing: Traditions are unstable foundations, and he that relieth upon them, trusteth to that broken reed Egypt, as Rabsecah spoke of Hezechiah. Moreover, who seethe not what confusion and disorder this Doctrine venteth and bringeth in; That every man should take upon him to be a punisher of sin: grant this, and we shall be like the Madianites, sheathing our sword in each others sides; The Apostle teacheth the contrary, Saying: 
(q) Rom. 13.4.  The Power or Magistrate beareth not the sword for nought, it is then peculiar to him to exercise the sword of vengeance, herein than Simeon and Levi are to be condemned. First, in that they undertook to do this without Commission. secondly, because they executed it without all moderation.  
The sixth sin is Covetousness, Of which, not only these two brethren, but also the rest of jacob's sons were guilty, 
(r) Gen. 34, 27.28.29.  For they came upon the dead, and spoiled the City, because they had defiled their sister; They took their sheep and their beeves, and their Asses, and whatsoever was in the City, and in the Field: and they carried away captive, and they spoiled all their Goods, and all their Children, and their Wives, and all that was in their Houses.  
Had it not been a satisfactory revenge to have slain Hamor, Shechem, and all the males that were men in the City, but they must also fall to pillage? not sparing the dead, nor the buildings of the City, nor the Wives, nor the Children, nor the cattle; Behold here Covetousness, in Cruelty, and cruelty in Covetosunesse, the one boundless, the other unsatiable; These two may well be called the daughters of the Horseleech, which continually crieth 
(s) Pro. 30.13.  Give, Give; and will never say it is enough: As there is no mineral, wherein there is not some quicksilver and Sulphur, so there is not one sin wherein there is not a mixture of Covetousness.  
Our proud haman's and jezabels are for the most part the greatest land-rackers, oppressors, extortioners, grinding the faces of the poor, and selling the needy for shoes, that by the sweat of their Tenants brows, they may clothe like the rich glutton, their bodies in purple and fine linen, Our wanton Chamberers, the sons of Messalina, who are; often wearied, but never glutted nor satisfied with pleasure, are as near and needily minded as any: Even like the covetous Roman Soldiers spoken of by josephus, ripping up the bowels of the meaner sort, therein that they may find some jewel, some gold, or some pearl, to bestow upon their Dalilah, their Crocodile, their Siren, their Cockatrice, their Lady and Mistress: The greatest Tyrants and Monarches of this world, as Nabuchodonozer, and Alexander, could never stop the mouth of their own craving desire, though the whole earth by their conquering swords was compelled to do homage unto them. Covetousness keepeth company with every sin, with Pride, with Luxury, with Cruelty, & with all the rest, and the object thereof, namely, wealth and Mammon, is every man's Idol; hence it is, that honesty is so rare, because covetousness is so rife: for it is impossible saith Plato, that a man should be very rich, & very honest. It is no wonder then that the sons of jacob were so cruel, considering they were so covetous; well therefore and deservedly doth jacob call Simeon and Levi the Captains in this bloody exploit, Instruments of cruelty in their compacts, because they were Peace, and Promise-breakers, Fraudulent, Scandalous, Treacherous, Unjust, and Covetous.  
This Title that jacob giveth his two Sons, calling them cruel instruments in their compacts, is full of reproof, and therefore hereout we may collect, how hateful Cruelty is in the sight of God. It is a Crying sin, that never escapeth a bitter punishment; Cruel Cain that killed his brother Abel, had 
(u) Gen. 4.13.  a mark set upon him by God, that being thereby known, he might be abhorred and cursed of all that saw him. 
(x) 2. Reg. 9  Cruel jezabel that persecuted the Prophets, was eaten up with dogs; 
(y) jud. 1.6.  Cruel Adonibezek, as he had served seventy Kings, so was he served himself, for the Thumbs of his hands and feet were cut off: And 
(z) Acts. 12 23. Acts 12.2.  cruel Herod, that killed james with the sword, and put Peter in prison, was in the midst of his pomp, and sitting upon his royal throne, strike by the Angel of the Lord, and was eaten up by worms: o would that the roaring lions, and wolves of this Age, that eat up the flesh of innocent & harmless doves, not leaving the very bones till the marrow. Whom for their filthy and sanguinary conditions, I may term, as once the Romans termed one of their Emperors, Dirt soaken with blood; would but cast their eyes upon these Examples, and tremble at the view of God's judgements; but Cruelty is blind and cannot see: Cruelty wants that which the Fathers call Noctilucam Cer●b●i, the Glow-worm of the brain, Reason. But let us hear what the Lord saith against the cruel Edomites, & in them against all of the same stamp, 
(a) Obad. 10  For thy cruelty against thy brother, shame shall cover thee, & thou shalt be cut off for ever; And the Psalmist saith, That God hateth the blood-thirsty, and the cruel man. All cruelty is damnable, even that which is showed towards infidels & beasts; but of all cruelties, that is the most unspeakable, when like Simeon and Levi, we defile and stain our hands in the blood of our confederates, either in Amity or profession, is not then the Church of Rome that Scarlet-whore, spoken of in the Revelation, who is said to be drunken with the blood of Saints and martyrs of jesus? if there were no other argument to prove Rome to be Babylon but this, 
(b) Apo. 17.  yet this is sufficient, the cruelty of that synagogue is a most pregnant demonstration, directing & pointing us to the seat of Antichrist As it was with the sons of jacob, Hamor, & his city, so is it with us & the church of Rome, there was an alliance made betwixt them, in regard that Dinah, was given to Hamors son, and also because of the circumcision, whereby they became members of Gods visible Church. So in like manner there is a spiritual consanguinity betwixt the Papists & the Protestants, we are their brethren, we worship as they do, one God and three persons, we acknowledge as they do, Christ to be our Mediator, we have the same Baptism, with them in substance, though differing in Ceremonies, and are marked with the same seal of Regeneration; yet notwithstanding this alliance their sword are as sharp, and as maliciously pointed against us, as were the swords of Simeon and Levi against the Shechemites, witness their cruel opinions concerning us, and their bloody practices against us: First, in their opinion we are all heretics, excommunicated, and damned, and is not this an uncharitable and bloody opinion, so peremptorily and rashly, to bind us hand and foot, and cast us into hell-fire: some of them to make us odious, and to bar and seclude us from all civil society, blush not to write 
(c) And. jurgivicius: lib. tit. evang. quinti professores.  that Protestants do not hold any one article of the Apostles Creed, 
(d) Reinald: in libr: qui ●nscr. Caluino-Turcismus.  that our Religion is Calvinish-Turcism, and plain Mahometisme, and that calvin's doctrine, which they call ours, is worse than the Koran of the Turks; what Arrows can they shoot against us more venomous than these? whereby they strive to wound the truth, and to disgrace us; neither are their practices less violent than their opinions, for both are most cruel and bloody; the sword of Magog, Christ's open enemy in the East, the Turk, hath not been so baneful and deadly, 
(e) Gifford. in praef. in lib. Reinaldi.  as the keys of Gog, Christ's secret enemy in the west: what murders, what massacres, what rebellions, what treasons hath that man of sin, that Beast with two horns, that false prophet caused? have not our bones lain scattered on every side of jerusalem? doth not the Inquisition, like the 
(f) Apo. 2.  great red-dragon, that persecuted the woman in childbirth, hunt and pursue after the true professors of the Gospel? jews, stews, and Turks are privileged in Rome, but if a protestant be taken, he is shut up in the Bull of Phalaris the tyrant, the holy house: is not this as ill, if not worse, than the act of Simeon and Levi? may not I then as well as Nemiensis, say that Rome is a place of monsters, yea, like Nilus, breeding cruel Crocodiles; may not I with the Bishop of Bitonto, call Rome a stews of lechery, a furnace of covetousness, and a hell of all mortal sins? I may, and that deservedly; if I should but make a catalogue of all her cruelties: But let all the members of this Romish Hydra consider, that being instruments of cruelty, they cannot possibly shun the vials of God's vengeance, 
(g) Obadiah. vers. 15.  as they have done, it shall be done to them, their reward shall be upon their own heads, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, and blood for blood.  
Truth and Falsehood are in the Scriptures set forth by two Colours, White and Red, the Spouse of CHRIST is ever white, as it is in the Canticles, Like 
(h) Can, 2.2.  a Lily among the thorns, so is my Love among the Daughters, but the Concubine of Satan is 
(i) Apo. 17.4.  arrayed in Purple and Scarlet. The Lily is white, and betokens innocency, but Scarlet is red, and signifies Cruelty.  
If we then be Meek, Harmless, and Innocent, then are we the Disciples of CHRIST, and bear his badge, but if we be cruel and bloodily minded, like Simeon and Levi, than we have no fellowship with him, because we wear the Cognisance of Satan, who 
(k) joh. 8.44  is a murderer from the beginning: as then Elias said unto the Israelites, 
(l) 1. Reg. 18.21.  How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God follow him, but if Baal be he, then go after him; So say I: Here Death and Life is set before you, if you will follow the steps of Christ, which are Mercy and innocency, then shall you find mercy in heaven: But if you will cleave to Satan, and be his instruments of Cruelty, accept then this Final sentence, far more bitter than jacob's curse; Ite Maledicti; Depart ye cursed into eternal fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels.   

THE third SERMON OF SIMEON AND LEVI.  
Into their secret let not my Soul come, my Glory be not thou joined with their Assembly: 
Genes. 49. vers. 6.7.  for in their wrath they slew a man, and in their self-will, they digged down a Wall.  
Cursed be their Wrath for it was fierce, and their Rage for it was cruel, I will divide them in jacob, and scatter them in Israel.  
IN the former verse by two titles, jacob having blazed the Cruelty of his two sons, Simeon and Levi, doth now in these following, first make his own Apology, by the form of a prayer, and secondly, chastiseth the offenders with a Temporal curse.  
His Apology is couched in these words, Into their secret let not my soul come, etc. The Paraphrase whereof is this, God forbidden that I should consent to so foul a sin; But it may be objected against jacob, that he seemeth to be a partaker with his sons in their cruelty, howsoever he doth now at the last inveigh against it. Because when that horrible fact was fresh and new, he passed it over with so slight and easy a reprehension: for he only said unto them 
(a) Gen. 34.3  Ye have troubled me, and made me stink among the inhabitants of the land; wherein he seemeth only to be grieved at his own imminent danger, & not directly to censure them for their bloody riot and misdemeanour.  
But his objection may thus be refelled, and jacob excused; He partly considered the justice of God upon the Shechemites, for the outrage committed against Dinah, partly, he was moved with her complaint and moan, for the loss of her virginity, and partly he gave place to the rage of his sons, which were in their fury, and this is the cause why they were rebuked so slenderly. But now upon his deaths-bed, he maketh himself trans-parent, by disclosing and opening his detestation of their bloody act, saying, Into their secret let not my soul come.  
That which jacob abhorreth, is of all men to be eschewed; namely, Consent in sinning; it is the guise and fashion of the wicked, as the Psalmist observeth, When they see a Thief to consent unto him, and to be partakers with the adulterers: but such as be like blessed jacob, will not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful. There is small difference (saith S. Augustine) betwixt the Actor and Consenter in sinning: As for example it was 
(b) 2. Sam. 11.17.  David's sin to murder Vriah, but joab consented because he put the King's letter in execution; and it was the sin of the jews to stone Steven, but Paul kept their clothes, stood by, and consented unto his death, and therefore in the course and rule of justice, joab may be said to have contrived the death of Vriah, as well as David: and Paul to have stoned Steven as well as the jews. It is not enough when we see any sin committed, to go aside, and call for water, and wash our hands as 
(c) Matt. 27.24.  Pilate did, when the high Priests and the rest cried out against JESUS, Crucify him, Crucify him; and to say as he did, I am innocent of the blood of this Just man, look you to it; No, Pilate herein did imitate the pharisees, washing the outside of his cup; but not cleansing it within: So than every one is a right Pilate, that doth not to his power hinder sin and thwart Satan: It is the duty then of a true Christian, if he see any proud Herode 
(d) Act. 12.22.  hoven and puffed up with the acclamations of his practices, to cry out against his sin, as the Prophet Isaiah did, saying, 
(e) Isa. 28.1.  Woe to the Crown of Pride; if a covetous extortioner, to say with james, 
(f) jam. 5.1.  Go to ye rich men, weep, & howl, for your misery that shall come upon you; and if a deceitful and cruel person, to say with jacob, Into thy secret, let not my soul come.  
My glory be not thou joined with their assembly. Rabbi Solomon is of opinion that in this, and the former branch of this speech jacob aimeth at 
(g) Num. 25.  Zimri his unclean act with Cosbi, and at 
(h) Num. 16.  Corah, with his rebellious assemblies, The one being of the tribe of Simeon, the other of Levi; No doubt jacob being endued with the spirit of prophesy did foresee both Zimri his incontinency, and Corahs' schism and obstinacy, but here his words are to be understood of the cruel exploit of Simeon and Levi, against the Sichemites, and have only relation to the Time past.  
jacob by his Glory meaneth two things; First, 
(i) Ps. 30.12  his Fame or good Name; secondly, his Tongue, which is the instrument of praise and glory, as it is used in the Psalm; Therefore shall my tongue praise thee, & not cease, etc. There the Hebrew word [Chebodh] is translated Tongue: & yet it signifieth Glory, because the Tongue is the organ whereby Gods Name is glorified; So then, the meaning of this place is this; First, he prayeth that his good and glorious name may not be blemished by his sons conspiracy; And secondly, he protesteth, that as he gave no consent unto them in his heart, so neither would he afford their action any approbation with his tongue.  
The first Doctrine that like fruit groweth upon the stem of jacob's speech is this, It is good and requisite for every man to be jealous of his name, credit, & fame; 
(k) Pro: 22. 1●  A good name saith Solomon, is to be chosen above great riches, and loving favour is above gold & above silver: The consideration whereof grieved and troubled jacob, for he feared that the infamy of his sons would blur his glory, & that their misdemeanour would be imputed unto him, & laid to his charge: & yet if the inhabitants of the land have fastened any tooth upon his credit to backbite it, he might justly say as David did, They lay to my charge things that I kn●w not: as then jacob is jealous of his glory, so should we all be cautelous and wary of our credit; A good name is like an Ointment powered out: which leaveth behind it a sweet perfume; such a name have all we; for our Saviour, who is the Messiah, and CHRIST, which signifieth anointed, hath written upon us his own Name, & thereupon we are called 
(l) Hier. in Esay, 62.7.  Christians, it behoveth us them to take heed that we blemish not this glorious name, by our lewd life, for 
(m) Eccles- 10.1.  as dead flies cause to stink & putrefy the ointment of the apothecary, so doth a little folly him that is in estimation, for wisdom & for glory; Now what name is more esteemed than the Name of JESUS CHRIST, at the hearing whereof all knees ought to bow, and what title so Honourable as a Christian?  
Who then, that is a Christian, will be so careless of this blessed Name, as to taint it with ill-living? Sins are those Dead-flies, that putrefy, and cause to stink this excellent ointment: therefore saith the son of Syrach 
(n) Eccl. 7.2.  Depart from the thing that is wicked, & sin, or the reproach of sin shall turn from thee; judas was a Christian, so was Ananias & Saphyra, Simon Magus, and Demas, but the dead fly of Treason caused this name to stink in judas, & the dead fly of hypocrisy corrupted it in Ananias & Saphyra, the dead fly of vainglory, putrefied it in Simon, and the dead fly of Apostasy did rot it in Demas. If then we have a desire to preserve our name sweet, we that are Christians, must take heed like jacob, that no dead-flie come into our Box of Ointment; we must keep it shut with two Covers, the cover of Faith, & the cover of Love; First, the cover of Faith will 
(o) Eph. 6.16  shield thee from all the fiery darts and temptations of Satan, whereby he striveth to pierce and wound thy Christian Name: and secondly, the cover of Love will hinder and put back sin, 
(p) Gen. 4.7.  which ever lieth at the door of the wicked. 
(q) Pindar.  They are Christians, (saith justine Martyr,) that observe the Commandments of CHRIST. If then we bear this worthy Name, we must not disgrace it by our impiety; He is happy saith Pindarus, who is followed with a good name, and this happiness no doubt did attend jacob, and shall accompany every true Israelite after his death that can but truly say, as jacob did upon his deathbed against the wicked, My glory be not thou joined with their assembly.  
Secondly, as I said before, by Glory is signified the Tongue; and therefore jacob saith, my glory or my tongue be not thou joined with their assembly, that is to say, God forbidden that I should by my silence give countenance to your cruelty, or by my tongue approve of your actions. Hence ariseth this doctrine; The tongues of God's children must ever be at open defiance with sin; words are tokens of those passions and affections which be in the mind; saith Aristotle: out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, saith the spirit of God, 
Democ.  and Democritus taught that Speech was a certain flowing of reason; if then our hearts be upright, and wholly given to God, then also will our tongues be his instruments, but if our hearts be like Cakes baked on the one side as Ephraim was, half soft, half hard, half hot and half cold, then are our tongues likewise slack in God's cause; it proceeded from a good heart, that jacob with his tongue did so sharply reprove his sons; the abundance of zeal in the heart made Eliah stand up, as the wiseman saith like fire, and tell Ahab 
(t) 1. Reg. 18.18.  That it was he and his father's house that troubled Israel; it came from a heart that loathed uncleanness, 
(u) Luc. 3.19.  that john Baptist so boldly checked Herod, saying, it is not lawful for thee to have thy brother Phillip's wife; such jacobs, such Eliahs', and such johns are all the true children of God, they be ever like john and james Boanerges, sons of Thunder, with boldness & confidence crying out against sin though it wear a crown, sway a sceptre, and be clothed in purple and gold; and so indeed should it be; for it is far better to please God then men with our tongues; Oh then let the Tongues of all that love God and regard his honour be like those 
(x) Act. 2.3.  that sat upon the Apostles, fiery tongues to consume and burn up sin, what though Satan frown and the worldlings furiously rage together, when they hear their shame and condemnation; what though in requital for preaching the truth, thou be like 
(y) Epiphanius.  Isaiah sawen in pieces with a wooden saw, like jeremy stoned to death, like Ezechiel slain with the sword, and like Amos have thy brains dashed out; yet let this comfort thee; He that looseth his life for Christ's sake shall find it again; whereas of the contrary part such as flatter sin with their tongues, and bow down to the golden Calves of mount Horeb, our licentious worldlings; though they preach in Christ's name, yet because it is not in sincerity, our Saviour will say unto them at the last day, Verily I know you not.  
For in their wrath they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall; in these words the holy patriarch delivereth the cause why he so bitterly inveigheth against Simeon and Levi, and also why he is so careful to wind himself out of Infamy, and free or clear his name from all imputation of cruelty; namely, because, In their wrath they had slain a man and in their self-will digged down a wall; concerning the meaning of these words, there is some difference amongst expositors; because the hebrewe word Shor, which is here interpreted a wall, signifieth both a Wall, and a Bull, therefore some read this text thus; In their wrath they slew a man, and in their self will they haugh-stringed a Bull; they than which follow this interpretation, refer the former part of the words to Shechem, and the latter part to 
(z) In ira sua occiderunt virum & in voluntate sua vendiderunt joseph qui assimilatus est bovi; Tharg. Hieros'.  joseph, whom Simeon and Levi would have slain; indeed Moses when before his death he blessed the Tribes of Israel, compareth the family of joseph to a 
(a) Deut. 33.17.  Bullock, and there the hebrewe word Shor is used; yet in this place it cannot be meant of joseph, because he was not murdered, and therefore I think, that by these words they digged down a wall, jacob only expresseth the Violence of their passion, by the stream whereof they were carried headlong unto this cruel and bloody act, making their entrance not by the Gates, but by digging down, or through the wall of the City; though this be not directly expressed, yet these words intimate as much, mentioned in the four and thirty chapter of Genesis, They went into the City boldly: that is, breaking into it violently, and overthrowing the Wall before them. Wrath is the Rage of the mind, and the eclipse of Reason; and self-will the issue of a foolish proud heart: Wrath is like the water of the river Lyncestis, of which whosoever drinketh, becometh presently mad, for it robs a man of himself, and Self-will bewrayeth the nakedness of the soul, and divideth Follie; So then, these two sons of jacob, because of their wrath and self-will, may justly be termed Fools and Madde-men, and so are such as parallel them in these humours, according to the saying of Solomon, He that is slow to Anger or wrath, is of great wisdom, but he that is of an hasty mind exalteth Follie.—  
For in their wrath they slew a man, etc. jacob before declared how much he abhorred the cruel murdering of Hamor and Shechem, when he called Simeon and Levi Cruel instruments in their Compacts: And now he inveigheth against the two Wings that carried them to this bloody rage, namely, Wrath, and self-will; Passions are the wings of the soul: A righteous soul's wings are like the silver wings of a white Dove, Swift for flight, and fair to look on, these are Knowledge and Zeal; and by them the children of GOD, like winged-Cherubins, are carried with speed to every good Action: but the wings of a wicked-soule, are like the wings of the Locusts, spoken of in the Revelation, 
(b) Apo. 9.9  The sound whereof, were like unto the sound of charets, when many horses run unto battle; and these are Wrath and Selfewill, whereby the ungodly are carried violently to the executing of every evil enterprise. Wrath made Cain 
(c) Gen. 4.8.  kill Abel, and Self-will, caused Rehoboam to threaten his subjects. But Cain's wrath was punished with horror of Conscience: & Rehoboams' 
(d) 1. Reg. 12.14.  self-will with the Revolt of his subjects: and even so in all men, wrath & self-will are never unrewarded, wherefore as S. james saith, so say I 
(e) jam. 1.19  My dear brethren: Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, & slow to wrath.  
Cursed be their wrath, for it was fierce, & their rage, for it was cruel; I will divide them in jacob, & scatter them in Israel.  
jacob having before made an Apology for himself, doth in these words chastise his sons with a Temporal curse, saying: Cursed be their Wrath, etc.: These bitter words of the Patriarch being spoken so emphatically, as they are, and no doubt, not without the direction of God's spirit; show that this fact of Simeon and Levi, is inexcusable, and therefore it condemneth the doctrine of diverse Writers, who have pleaded in the behalf of these two sons, and sought to cloak their cruelty with an excuse.  
First, some of the Rabbins have excused this act of Simeon and Levi, because Hamor & Shechem went first about to break the Covenant, thinking to spoil them of that they had; for thus they said 
(f) Gen: 34.23.  Shall not their flocks & substance be ours? but it appeareth not that Hamor and Shechem went about any such thing: they speak thus to persuade the people to be circumcised, who most respect their profit, or else they mean that by Trading, and having intercourse with them, they should in a manner possess their goods, but grant it were so, only Hamor and Shechem had been guilty of the violating of this league, there was no cause to punish the whole city, & although they had reason to revenge themselves, yet such a cruel massacre cannot be justified.  
Secondly, some do in part excuse Simeon and Levi, making a threefold consideration, 
(g) Carthusianus, in lib. judith.  on the behalf of God, say they, the punishment was just, and also on the behalf of the Shechemites, who because they were consenting unto that grievous sin of Shechem with Dinah, were justly punished; but on the behalf of Simeon & Levi, this judgement and execution was unjust, because they did it craftily; but this allegation maketh nothing for the justifying of these two brethren in evil, for God knoweth how to turn the wicked enterprises of men to his own Glory, neither did these furious mē●ime at any such ends, as the hatred of vice & the glory of God, but only to satisfy their own revengeful minds  

(h) Caiet. in cap. 34. Gen.  Thirdly, some affirm that this act was not evil, in respect of the thing, because the Sichemites had grievously sinned: but in regard of the manner, because they did it fraudulently; this is the opinion of Caietan, whose assertion is not sound, because it is doubtful & uncertain whether all the Sichemites that were slain, were guilty of this crime or no. Fourthly, 
(i) Thom. Anglic. in cap. 34. Gen.  some hold that the first motion of this slaughter, was of God, & therefore good, and that Simeon and Levi are for this only to be blamed, because in the execution, they exceeded measure, & passed the bounds of their commission, & of God's decree, by being transported with passion; but this cannot be true, for jacob condemneth not only the execution, but also the very first devise & counsel, saying: Into their secret let not my soul come.  
Fifthly, some proceeding further, have defended both their fact, and the manner of it, calling their craft & dissimulation, a prudent caution: and their reasons be these, First say they, All the Sichemites were consenting unto that wickedness, & therefore they deserved punishment. But to this I must answer as I did before: It cannot be gathered, that all the Sichemites were consenting to the sin of Shechem; and though the whole City had offended herein, yet Simeon and Levi had no such calling or commission to put them to the sword, because they were not magistrates. Secondly, there is a text of scripture alleged for this purpose, out of judith, where it is said, that the Lord gave unto 
(k) judith. 9.2.  Simeon a sword to take revenge upon the strangers, that opened the womb of the virgin & defiled her, & discovered the thigh with shame, & polluted the womb to reproach: & afterward the text saith 
(l) jud. 9.4  That they, that is Simeon & Levi, were moved with zeal, and abhorred the pollution of their blood: If then God gave them a sword, & they used it with zeal, than was the fact rather commendable then to be blamed, this argument is thus avoided; Though Simeon & Levi were ministers of God's justice upon the Sichemites for their sin, yet they did it not without sin, and therefore against this book which is no Canonical Scripture, where their zeal is commended, we may expose the censure and sentence of jacob which saith, That they did it in their self will, therefore not by any motion of God's spirit: Also he curseth them, saying: Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce, and their Rage for it was cruel; Now if they had done it in zeal, he would rather have blessed them.  
Cursed be their wrath, etc. There be two kinds of cursing, the one proceeding from a Tongue, under which there is a poison of Asps, and this is damnable. So 
(m) 1. Sam. 16.5.7.  Shem●i cursed David, saying, Come forth, come forth, thou murderer, and wicked man; The other, is the language of a zealous heart: And so, as we read, many times the servants of God have used imprecations, & denounced curses; David saith 
(n) Psa. 35.4.  Let them be confounded & put to shame, that seek after my soul; And jacob here saith, Cursed be their wrath, etc. But this was not done by them in wrath, or malice, but with these considerations and regards; First, they spoke as Prophets, & as Mnisters, and denouncers of God's sentence, and decree; So then, their speeches were not so much maledictions, as predictions: Secondly, for the most part they accursed such only in temporal things, for their amendment and reformation: and if they denounced any spiritual curse, it was upon such as were incorrigible; Thirdly, they did not hereby revenge their own particular cause, but did tax and censure them as enemies to the whole Church. Though this kind of Cursing hath been used by diverse holy men, yet their action must not be our pattern to imitate, because we have not the like spirit of Prophecy; before we curse any man, we must examine ourselves what spirit we are of: otherwise, though like john and james we be inflamed with the zeal of Elias, our Saviour will say unto us, as he said unto them, 
(o) Luc. 9.55  Ye know not of what spirit ye are.  
Curse be their wrath, etc. jacob spareth not his own sons, but pronounceth against them the curse of GOD, laying aside all natural affection, and fatherly disposition; This may teach all men, but especially the Prophets of GOD, and the Ministers of the Word to look upon sin with impartial eyes; They must not spy a mote in the eye of poverty, and overlook a beam in the eye of greatness; They must not be bold in the mountains of judah, and be Tongue-tied, when they come to Bethel, the Kings-chappell; but in every place, and to every person of what degree soever he be, if he be guilty of sin, speak boldly, and power upon his head the vial of God's vengeance, and proclaim his Execrations and Curses, that thereby he may be terrified from sinning, & drawn to Reformation & newness of life. Partiality is like to the evil and lying 
(p) 1. Reg. 22.2.  spirit in the mouth of Ahab's Prophets, it corrupteth both Pulpits and Tribunals, it maketh judges which should punish sins, blind, and Preachers that should cry out against sin, Dumb-dogges; Partiality maketh great personages presume, and assume a Liberty and privilege in sinning; but would judges and Ministers do as jacob did, lay aside all Respects, the Tribunal, and the Pulpit would be more regarded, and sin better restrained.  
I will divide them in jacob, and scatter them in Israel: In these words is contained the punishment of Simeon and Levi; their Vnton is requited, and recompensed with a Division; They were brethren in evil, and Confederates in mischief, and therefore they must be Separated and Divided in Israel; Herein the speech of the Prophet is proved true; 
(q) Ezech. 18.2.  The Fathers have eaten sour Grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge: For, for the sins of Simeon and Levi these two tribes or families are punished; and this accordingly came to pass: for Simeon had no possession or inheritance by himself, but was 
(r) josu. 19  intermingled with judah▪ 
(s) 1. Chron. 4.  and was constrained afterward by force of Arms to enlarge his bounds; And some are of opinion that the poor 
(t) Tharg. Hieros'.  Scribes which were dispersed in Israel, came of Simeon; howsoever, certain it is, that the tribe of Simeon was ignoble, base, and contemptible in comparison of the rest; insomuch as 
(u) Deut. 33.  Moses omitteth it in his blessing: whether it was for this act against the Sichemites, or for that Simeon was ringleader in the conspiracy against joseph, for which cause afterwards, 
(x) Gen. 42.25.  joseph of all the rest, picked him out to be his pledge and prisoner; Or for that Zimri, a prince of the tribe of Simeon had lately committed uncleanness with the Madianitish Cosbi: or else for because judas Iscariot, that betrayed our SAVIOUR, was foreseen by Moses, to be of the tribe of Simeon; I know not, neither can it certainly be resolved; only thus much may suffice to manifest their baseness; Moses neglected them in his blessing. Levi also was divided in Israel, for the 
(y) Josh. 21.  Levites had no certain inheritance, but only some cities allotted unto them among the rest of the Tribes, to the number of 48. they went also wandering up & down to gather the Tithes of their inheritance.  
I will divide them in jacob, etc. Simeon and Levi only offended: and yet they are not only punished, but even all their posterity: this seemeth to be extreme rigour in jacob, and injustice in God, to make the children bear their father's iniquity; and yet so it often cometh to pass; For God saith, that he will visit the wickedness of the Fathers upon the children, to the third & fourth generation; Instance hereof we have in the dispersed Levites & scattered Simeonites; for this speech, & other instances, diverse heretics, as the Marcionites, the Valentinians, and the Carpocratians rejected the old Testament, and affirmed God the Author thereof to be an evil God, because he would spare the parents that were sinners, and punish the children that were innocents; Besides, God in doing thus, is at contradiction with himself. For thus he answereth the prophet Ezechiel, 
(z) Ezech. 18.4.  All souls be mine, like as the soul of the father is mine, so is the soul of the son mine also: the soul that sinneth, the same shall die, and the Son shall not bear the iniquity of the Father; For clearing of this difficult point, First, I will show that God is not contrary to himself; and secondly, though he punish one for the fault of another, yet he is not unjust. For the first, 
(a) Deu. 5.9  God in Deuteronomie saith, that he will visit the wickedness of the Fathers upon the children, to the third & fourth generation: And in Ezechiel, he saith, That the son shall not bear the iniquity of the Father: these speeches seem to be as contrary one to the other, as light, and darkness, Christ and Belial, God and Mammon: and yet if we observe this distinction, we shall easily reconcile them, Punishments are twofold, temporal, & aeternal; temporal punishments have their end in this life, aeternal, are such as appertain to everlasting damnation. Now then in Deuteronomie, God speaketh of temporal punishments, & in Ezechiel, of aeternal; in this world, both children are punished for the sin of their parents, as 
(b) Gen. 9.25  Chanaan was cursed by Noah, for Cham's sake, and subjects for the faults of their princes, 
2. Sam. 24.15.  as the Israelites that died of the plague for David's sake, & many men for one private man's offence, as in the host of the Lord, many perished by the sword, for 
(d) Josh. 7.5.  achan's sake, but in the world to come every one shall bear his own burden, & the soul that sinneth, the same shall die: And thus it appeareth, that God is not contrary to himself.  
For the second, Though God punish one for the fault of another, yet is he not unjust. justice giveth every one his due: therefore concerning the punishments of this life, as sickness, poverty, banishment, death, & such like, no man can be said to suffer them unjustly, because there is none perfect; no, not the child which is yet but one day old: wherefore seeing the case so standeth, and that we be all guilty of sin, we must not complain, that God dealeth too sharply with us, if being children, we be punished for the sin of our parents, for God can so direct those troubles, as they may belong not only to his own glory, but also to the salvation of the parents 
(e) Chrysost. hom. 29. in Gen.  oftentimes he punisheth the fathers in the children, & the prince in the people: for the punishment of children no less grieveth their 〈◊〉, then if themselves were afflicted, but if so be the childrē●e dispersed & scattered for their sake, as the Simeoni●●● & Levites were, or if they suffer death for their sake, as David's child borne in adultery did, yet have they no injury done unto them, for death is due unto them also, & otherwise it is certain, that they must die; Now then, if God will use their death in that sort, to be the punishment of another man's sin, he may do it lawfully. Moreover, Children be as it were certain parts of their parents, and have somewhat of theirs in them, therefore it is not unjust if God punish that part of the parents in the children, 
(f) Plut. lib. de sera. num: vindictae.  Plutarch being an Ethnic, did consider and understand this equity in God, and therefore he accuseth the rashness of such men, who so often as these things do happen, complain, that God dealeth cruelly, saying, The Eye is grieved, & the vein of the Arm is lanced, even so the father did offend, & the son is punished, the Prince behaved himself amiss, & the people are afflicted. And so here Simeon and Levi commit murder, & their posterity therefore are dispersed in jacob, and scattered in Israel. Seeing then as Plutarch saith, in the body one member doth suffer for an other, it is no absurd thing that the same should happen in the society of men.  
I will divide them in jacob, and scatter them in Israel: See here the wisdom of God in the punishment of sin; because Simeon and Levi were united and combined together in the sin of murder: therefore they must be separated in the Land of Israel; It is the custom of God to punish sins with contrarieties. The rich and covetous Nabals of Mount- Carmel, that join house to house, and land to land, and which like the 
(g) Dan. 7.5.  Bear, that Daniel saw in his vision, will not be content with one, but they must have three ribs in their mouths, at length find it true, that poverty is the daughter of plenty, even as Peace is the child of War; what is more contrary to Abundance then Beggary? and therefore God out of his wisdom punisheth the avaricious minds and unsatiable desires of Rich men, with penury and want, forcing them as job saith, to spew up the riches which they have devoured: And hereby he inflicteth upon them a most grievous pain, because there is no worm like Want, no Torment like Poverty, to him that maketh Gold his God, and Mammon his Idol, experience proveth this judgement of God to be usual and ordinary. How many of the children of Usurers, Extortioners, Fraudulent Merchants, Inclosers, and Land-rackers, continue in the estate that their Fathers left them? Not one of a hundredth; but falls like Lucifer, into the bottomless pit of Distress, and Poverty. Lo here the finger of God, which maketh the Rich man's gold to be corrupt, and his garments to be moth-eaten; punishing sin with a contrariety.  
The Lascivious Chamberer and Wanton, that like a Spider, spendeth his body in weaving the web of carnal pleasure, that lieth upon a bed of Ivory, decked with laces and hung with Carpets of Egypt, & that like Samson, lieth and sleepeth upon his 
(h) judg. 16.  Dalilahs' knee, at length like the Prodigal Son, falls into the griping jaws of Misery, and is forced to cry Peccavi, when he finds, that his seed-time of Mirth, is turned into a Harvest of Mourning, and his day of rejoicing, into a dark night of sorrow. This alteration never altars; For God punisheth sin with contrarieties. The like may be justified in every other sin, which though like the 
(i) Apoc. 9.8.10.  Locusts, spoken of by john, They have hair and faces like women, beautiful to look upon, and be pleasant at the first taste, yet are they tailed like Scorpions, and their sting is Repentance. The issue of Pride, is Shame and Contempt. For they that are clad in Scarlet shall embrace the dung, saith the Prophet; The reward of Epicurism, is Woe. 
(k) Isay. 5.11  for woe to them that rise up early to follow drunkenness, continuing until night, till the Wine do inflame them; the end of Laughing is Mourning; For, Woe be to them that laugh, for they shall mourn, saith CHRIST; And the end of Union in mischief, is Division and Dispersion; For so saith jacob, concerning Simeon and Levi, who were brethren in evil, and instruments of cruelty in their compacts. I will divide them in jacob, and scatter them in Israel.   

THE FOURTH SERMON OF JUDAH.  
Thou judah, thy brethren shall praise thee, thine hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies, 
Gen. 49.8.9.10.11.12.  thy Father's sons shall bow down unto thee.  
judah as a lions whelp shalt thou come up from the spoil my Son, he shall lie down, and couch as a Lion, and as a Lioness, who shall stir him up?  
The Sceptre shall not departed from judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until SHILOH come, and the people shall be gathered unto him.  
IVdah was the fourth son of jacob and Leah, & his Name by interpretation, is Confession, or praise; for when Leah had borne him, she said Now will I praise the Lord, therefore she called his name judah; she had given thanks before to God, for his grace towards her, at the birth of Reuben, saying, 
(a) Gen. 29 33.  The Lord hath looked upon my Tribulation: And likewise when she had brought forth Simeon and Levi, but now upon the occasion of a newe-benefite, she praiseth him again, and uttereth the Thankfulness of her heart, in naming her child judah, which word is derived of judah, to praise; wherein she teacheth all men, So to multiply the praises of God, as God doth multiply and increase his mercies: as the Prophet saith, 
(b) Isaiah. 42.10.  Sing unto the Lord, a new Song 
(c) Exod. 28.34.  the skirts of the Ephod that Aaron wore, were hung about with Pomegranates & golden Bells, the pomegranate nourisheth, & a Bell soundeth. This is the Emblem of thankfulness: when God feedeth us with his graces, we must ever sound out his praises: for every Pome-granate upon the Ephod there was a bell, and for every bell there was a pomegranate; So for every benefit that we receive, there must be in our mouths a new song of thanksgiving, and then we may assure ourselves, that for every new song we shall receive a new benefit. In all things saith the Apostle, Let there be giving of thanks, in all things we are beholding unto God, for our Creation, our Redemption, and our Sanctification; Therefore we must give praise and glory to him for all things. The Physicians write, that a man hath so many bones in his body, as there be days in the year; Every joint then that we look upon, may be like the red letter in a Calendar, to put us in mind that every day ought to be a holiday unto the Lord, wherein the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving must be offered: as Thankfulness is in the nostrils of God like sweet incense. So of the contrary part, Ingratitude is vile and loathsome, for this he so often punished and plagued the Israelites, because they forgot him in the Desert, who had done such wonders for their sakes in the land of Ham; The wise man saith, 
(d) Wisd. 16.29.  The hope of an ingrateful person shall vanish like snow in winter. And as Socrates saith in Xenophon, the Athenians would not suffer an ungrateful person either to bear rule, or remain in their City; because as the same Author affirmeth 
(e) Xenoph.  Impudency is the companion of Ingratitude, which Impudency conducteth men to all filthiness; I can compare such persons as are unthankful to God, to nothing so fitly, as to a certain Bird, called by Catullus, Caprimulgus, which useth in the Night to suck the udders of Goats, and by her unlucky beak to mortify them, and make the goats blind; such are all ungrateful persons, that for a benefit received from God, requite and recompense him with oblivion and neglect; but so did not Leah. For she as a sign of her thankful heart calleth her son judah, saying, Now will I praise the Lord. jacob having in his former speeches, reproved Reuben for incest, and cursed simeon and Levi for cruelty, now changeth his phrase, and stile, turning his maledictions into benedictions, when he speaketh to judah, 
(f) Gen. 38.18.  judah had committed incest with his daughter in law Thamar, as well as Reuben with Bilha; and judah's hand was in the spoil of the Sichemites, as well as Simeons' and Levies; yet jacob passeth over his offences, & maketh no mention of them; the reason is, because of his Confession and Charity, for though his sin with Thamar was heinous, yet he confessed it, and no doubt was sorry for it, 
(g) Gen. 38.26.  for he said, she is more righteous than I, for she hath done this because I gave her not unto Shelah my son. So he lay with her no more. Here he acknowledgeth his unrighteousness, which is the first step of repentance, and abstains from the company of Thamar, as being sorry for that which was past, which is the second step to Grace, his confession with his contrition, caused jacob to bury his fault in the grave of Oblivion. Again, his Charity and Compassion was showed towards joseph, who being by his malicious brethren cast into a pit, there to be starved to death, was saved by the advise of judah, who said unto his other brethren 
(h) Gen. 37.27,  Come, and let us sell him to the Ismaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our Brother, and our Flesh.  
Though it was cruelty in judah to sell joseph, and make him a bondslave, yet it is the rather to be pardoned, because it was done out of pity and compassion, to avoid a greater mischief.  
The Chaldee Paraphrast in steed of these words, judah, thy Brethren shall praise thee: readeth, Thou hast confessed, and wast not ashamed. Now, what it was that judah confessed, I cannot conjecture, unless it be his sin with Thamar, and the selling of joseph to the Ismaelites, the story whereof, (it may be) he told his Father, 
(i) Gen. 45,  after his return out of Egypt, the better to persuade him that joseph was alive, and therefore jocob doth not only not upbraid him for his sins, but also bestoweth Commendation upon him as a Blessing.  
judah thy brethren shall praise thee; or as it is in the hebrewe, judah thou shalt be called judah, or Praise: the first blessing then that jacob bestoweth upon judah, is Glory, his tribe must be more glorious than any of the other tribes of Israel; first in regard of the kingdom, secondly in regard of Messiah: all Israel shall praise the tribe of judah, because the two kingly Prophets were of that families. David and Solomon, and all the world shall honour judah, because the light of the gentiles, and the glory of the people of Israel came from the loins of judah.  

(k) 2. Cor. 10.18.  Praise is a Blessing, if it be from God, but Praise is dangerous, if it come from men that are not the instruments of God, as jacob was; the first of these may be called God's praise, the second the devils praise. God's praise is that of which the Apostle speaketh, saying, 
(l) 1. Cor. 4.  When the Lord shall come, then shall every one have praise of God; this Praise is the godly man's Cordial wherewith he is comforted, when the blackemouthed world backebites him, when his good name is impeached, and when the things that he hath well done, are brought into slander by evil tongues; this was our saviours Cordial when the jews called him a friend of publicans and sinners; this was john Baptists Cordial, when the jews said, he had the devil; this was Peter's Cordial, when the jews mocked him and the rest of the Apostles, and said they 
(m) Act. 2.13.  are full of new wine, and this was Paul's Cordial, when the scoffing Athenians termed him a Babbler; the more righteous a man is, the less praise he is to expect in this world, and therefore the children of God are taught, only to look for praise from Christ, and with a noble courage to contemn the praise that cometh from men, which for the most part is counterfeit and vain; it is not material, if the World be evil tongued; if we can but truly say with Saint Paul, 
(n) 2. Cor. 1, 12.  Our glory is this, the testimony of our conscience: and with job, Lo my witness is in the heaven, and my record is on high. S. Augustine saith, that (p) all mortal men desire to be praised; and no marvel, seeing man is according to the Image of God, and God will have his praises to be most highly celebrated; but seeing this is thus, a Virtuous man when he heareth himself commended, and praised, must use a double remedy, lest he be puffed up with vain glory; first let him rejoice on the behalf of his neighbours, because they be so appointed by God, and inspired by his spirit, as they will praise and allow of those things, which they shall think worthy to be praised, which benefit of God is not common; secondly what praise soever is given unto him, let him turn all that upon God himself, who is the author of all good things, taking special heed that he be not desirous out of a vainglorious humour, to be praised of men.  
The second kind of praise is the devils praise, who as he is a liar from the beginning, so is his praise ever feigned and adulterate; this is Flattery, the food of Folly, and the Spur of vainglory, wherewith when the ear is infected the soul is soon perverted; as it appeared in Herod, Antiochus, Philip the Macedonian, Alexander the great, Dyonisius of Sicily, Sylla, Crassus, Nero and diverse others, who by this 
(q) Psal. 141.5.  oily language, were inspired with arrogancy, self-love, and vainglory: it is reported of 
r Oros. lib. 6. hist. cap. 22.  Augustus Caesar, and Tiberius, that they were both deadly enemies of flatterers, and contemners of this precious Balm, human praise, insomuch that they would not endure to be called Lords by their own children; if they were so wise to discover the vanity hereof living in darkness, much more ought we that are the children of light to detest this Sweet poison: against which this is the most Sovereign Antidote; If thy friend praise thee to thy face, give no countenance to his words, lest of a friend he become a dissembler; and if a common parasite commend thee, reject and contemn his praises because he is a flatterer. If this preservative were used, Satan would cease to transform himself into an Angel of light, and his Orators, who (as Diogenes affirmed) are worse than Crows, should in stead of living men be compelled to pray upon carrine, the fittest food for such ravenous Harpies, and greedy fowls.  
Thine hand shallbe upon the neck of thine enemies. etc.: here jacob prophesieth of the victory that the children of judah should have over the Chanaanites; and this prophecy was in part presently fulfilled after the death of josuah, at what time the tribe of 
(s) judg. 1.2.  judah by the appointment of God went first up to fight against the Chanaanites, and overthrew Adonibezek, but it was more evidently accomplished, when David triumphed over them; this is the second Blessing, which jacob from the spirit of God bestoweth upon the posterity of judah; namely, Victory over their enemies; if Victory in war be a blessing, then doth it follow, that some kind of warfare is lawful: and yet the anabaptists being the furies & plagues of our time, say absolutely, that it is not lawful to war; because our Saviour saith 
(t) Math. 5.39.  If a man give thee a blow on the right cheek, reach thou unto him the left, and if a man take away thy coat, give him thy cloak also: and in an other place he saith, 
(u) Math. 25.52.  he that striketh with the sword shall perish with the sword; and S. Paul saith 
(x) Rom. 12.  Revenge not yourselves my beloved, but give place unto wrath; hereout they conclude, that all kind of War, whether undertaken for the avoiding or revenging of injury is unlawful; but who seethe not that both our Saviour, and also the Apostle, in these alleged places speak only against private quarrels and dissensions betwixt man and man; & not against the Public enterprise of war, which being justly managed is lawful; the better there fore that we may understand what kind of War God blesseth with victory, let us see what War is; War is a hostile dissension, whereby through the Prince's edict, mischiefs are repressed by force of arms, to the end that people may quietly & peaceably maintain justice and godliness. This definition of war, showeth which is Just & which Unjust; first it is called a hostile dissension, because contrary unto War is Peace, for as peace is a kind of Union; so war is a kind of Dissension; and this word hostile is added to make a difference betwixt it, and particular or private disagreements, such as are in opinion, in the manner of life, or in the will; this kind of Dissension is by the Hebrews called Milchamah, because therein many slaughters are committed by the sword; secondly to make war just, there is required the edict and authority of the Magistrate, who beareth the sword, without whose command or consent, it is not lawful to take Arms; this condemneth all mercenary soldiers, who by covetousness, as their conductor are drawn out of their native soil to follow and fight under foreign ensigns, these are not true soldiers, but like Barrabas, thieves and murderers, because their actions are not truly authorized: thirdly in a just war there must be a repression of mischief by force of arms; in this clause of the definition, is set down the true cause of war, which is to punish offenders, such was the war of the ten tribes against 
(y) jud. 20.  Benjamin for offering violence to the Levites wife; lastly the end of a just war is, that the people may quietly maintain justice and godliness, according to that of 
(a) Aug. in josu: quaest. 10:  Saint Austin, All things are quiet when wars be made, for wars are not made for pleasure, nor upon a greedy desire of getting, nor upon cruelty, but for a desire of peace that good men may be advanced, and evil men restrained; that War, wherein these conditions or circumstances are observed, is without all controversy most lawful, and where the sword is thus drawn, it is ever at the last victorious: I might produce many testimonies out of the Scriptures to convince the anabaptists; but this is sufficient; if it be a Blessing out of the mouth of jacob for judah to lay his hand in the neck of his enemies, then certainly War is lawful; 
(b) 2. Sam. 24.13.  flight in war is one of the arrows of God's vengeance: as appeareth by the words of Gad the Seer unto king David after he had numbered the people, and Famine & the Pestilence be the other two; with which three God useth to chastise and punish the sins of the people: of the contrary part 
(c) Deut. 31, 6.  Victory in battle, Plenty and health, are Gods great blessings, wherewith he endoweth such as serve him in truth & sincerity, the first of these is judah's portion, for according to the Chalde paraphrast, jacob prophesieth that his hand shall prevail against his enemies, they shall be dispersed & overthrown, and shall come in submissive sort to beg and entreat for peace.  
Thy father's sons shall bow down unto thee, etc. Here Reubens' royal prerogative is given unto judah, for he is ordained Lord and King of all his brethren, this was not presently accomplished for joseph; for the time present had the temporal honour, but his authority took beginning in his posterity; even at that time, when after the death of josuah, the 
(d) jud. 1.2.  Tribe of judah was appointed to be as the Captain to the rest; and it grew to eminency, when Saul was cast off, and David anointed in his place, and though the ten tribes did revolt from judah, yet the right of the kingdom remained with judah still, and it continued, notwithstanding it was often by Israel impugned, when the other was utterly dissolved. As it is a great happiness, and a blessing that cometh from the Lord, in this world to be seated in the throne of honour and sovereignty by the special ordinance and appointment of God, as judah was, for he that is thus installed, is a God upon earth; so contrariwise to be advanced by Satan unto power and dignity, which often falleth out by the permission of God, is a miserable, and an accursed preferment, because as the Psalmist saith Such have no understanding, but are compared unto the beasts that perish; of such Kings the Prophet Hoseah thus saith: 
(e) Hos: 8.4.  they have set up a King, but not by me: they have made Princes, and I knew it not; there is as great difference betwixt one of God's Kings and Princes, and betwixt the devils Princes, and his Kings, 
(f) jud. 7.  as betwixt the fa● Olive, and the pricky Brier in jotham's parable: & yet as the Apostle saith, All power is from God; but the power of good Princes and Potentates is by special ordination, and the sovereignty of tyrants by permission, the first are sent & anointed by God for the good of the people, & for the comfort of the realms, wherein they reign, but the other as scourges for to punish the sins of those countries, wherein they tyrannize; of such we may say, as it was said of Boniface the eight, they enter in like foxes, rule like Lions, and die like dogs; and yet though they be wicked, the people are bound to bow their necks unto them, because S. Paul saith 
(g) Rom. 13 1.  Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, for howsoever they be good or evil, their sovereignty either actively or passively is derived from God, by whom Kings do reign, and this power of God thus communicated, is in them absolute and independent. judah as a Lion's whelp, shalt thou come up from the spoil of my son, he shall lie down, and couch as a Lion, and as a Lioness, who shall stir him up? In these words jacob prophesieth of the jews; that they should be a nation Courageous & fearless, their Courage is manifested, in that they be compared unto a Lion's whelp coming from the spoil, and their fearlessness, in that they shall lie down as a Lion, and as a Lioness, & none shall stir them up.  
First he is compared to the Lion's whelp, or a young Lion, in respect of courage, for the Lion's whelp is ever more bold and venturous than the old Lion, either because he hath had no trial of the strength of other beasts, or for that he hath stronger teeth; or else for that he is more greedy of his prey; such a one was judah, for as the Rabbins write, he was the most generous & valiant of all his brethren, and such like was his family, the Tribe of judah, a most warlike, and a most valiant nation; as it may appear by their wars against the Chanaanites, 
(h) jud. 1. joseph. lib. de bell. jud.  recorded in the book of the judges, and since the coming of Christ, against the Romans mentioned by josephus.  
Secondly he is likened to a Lion & a Lioness Couchant or lying down; other beasts having killed their prey, betake themselves to flight, being carried away with a natural fear, but the Lion & Lioness lie down as being not afraid of any revenge, or if they go, it is with such an undaunted masty, as declareth them to be void of fear, whereupon Solomon saith, 
(i) Prou. 30.30.  The Lion is strong among beasts, and turneth not at the sight of any. jacob then comparing judah and his tribe to a Lion and a Lioness Couchant, intimateth that all the Gentiles should be afraid of the jews, but they should stand in fear of none; this was fulfilled in David and his son Solomon; David was this lions whelp, who conquered the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Idumaeans, and the Syrians, even to Euphrates; and Solomon was the old Lion, for in his reign peace flourished, and there was no kingdom that durst provoke him to battle. This Lion-like courage in judah and his posterity, was no inherent quality, but a mere gift of God; as the Psalmist confesseth, saying 
(k) Psalm. 144.  Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to battle; it is God alone that maketh the 
(l) Pro. 28.1.  Righteous man as bold as a Lion, & the wicked to flee when none pursueth. God promised the people of Israel that one of them should chase a thousand; & ten, ten thousand, this seemeth impossible to flesh and blood, yet such is the power of the almighty, that he can with the 
(m) jud. 7.22.  sound of trumpets, and the noise of broken pitchers overthrow the whole host of the Midianites, and with 
(n) 1. Sam. 17.50.  a stone out of a sling dash out the brains of the mighty giant Goliath, and this he doth by strengthening weakness, and by weakening strength, thus he dealt with the Edomites, and the inhabitants of Palestina, as Moses singeth 
(o) Exod. 15 15.  the dukes of Edom shall be amazed, and trembling shall come upon the great men of Moab, all the inhabitants of Chanaan shall wax fainthearted; it had not been possible that the Israelites, being but a handful in comparison of the Chanaanites and their confederates, should ever have obtained such worthy victories, but that God did strike their strong enemies with fear, and strengthened them from above with Lion-like courage: 
Psal. 44.3.  for they inherited not the land (saith David) by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them, but thy right band, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou didst favour them.  
The Sceptre shall not departed from judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and the people shall be gathered unto him, etc. These words contain the continuance of the kingdom in judah's line; for saith jacob, the Sceptre, or the Royal Rod, or the Prince shall not departed from the house of judah, or fail in his posterity, nor a judge or lawegiver from between his feet or coming from his loins, till Shiloh or the Messiah come; the greatest intricacy in this speech of jacob lieth in the word Shiloh, which some derive of Shalah, which is to be peaceable, others to Shalach to send; some read Shil-oh dividing the word, which signifieth which to him, supplying are due or laid up, but it is most like to come of Shil, which is a Son, and then Shiloh is by interpretation his Son, howsoever whether by Shiloh be understood peaceable, or which to him is laid up, or his Son, certain it is that every one of these may justly be applied to Christ, for he is the Prince of peace, he was laid up in the promise of God, in the predictions of the Prophets, in figures, in signs, and in all the jewish ceremonies, and he is the only begotten son of God, till whose coming, jacob prophecies that the Sceptre shall abide in the tribe of judah, but afterward, the people shall be gathered or be obedient unto him; Christ then by the prophecy of jacob, is made the end and period of the jewish state, and until his Incarnation, God by the mouth of this holy patriarch promiseth, that the Sceptre shall not departed from judah, nor a lawegiver from between his feet.  
Concerning the accomplishment of this prophecy, and the true meaning of the words, there be two questions propounded; the first is by jews, who deny this prophecy of the coming of Messiah to be fulfilled, and the second, by Christians, who demand how this prophecy of judah was accomplished?  
For the first; when the jews since the coming of Christ, have been urged with this text of Scripture, to prove that the Messiah is already come, they cavil, and say that by the word Shebeth, which signifieth a Sceptre, or a Rod; is only understood that Affliction, which the jews should endure till Messiah; indeed it cannot be denied, but that Shebeth, or a Rod, betokeneth Tribulation & oppression; for so it is taken in the second psalm, where David saith 
(q) Psal. 2.9.  thou shalt bruise them with a rod of Iron, & break them in pieces like a potter's vessel; yet it cannot bear that meaning in this place, for the words following. Nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, do show that it is here taken for a Sceptre, rather than the rod of Affliction.  
Secondly, some of the Rabbins read the words thus. The Sceptre shall not departed from judah after that Messiah is come, for he (say they) shall restore the kingdom of judah, thus they imagine and dream that Christ shall be a Temporal Monarch, but this doth flatly repugn, both the meaning of jacob, & the letter of the Text, which cannot bear any such interpretation.  
Thirdly, Rabbi Solomon granteth that according to this prophecy, the Sceptre shall continue in the tribe of judah, till Messiah come, but yet he denieth that Messiah is come, because, as yet in those Regions which lie about Media, Assiria, Babylon, and mount Caucasus, the jews have regiments and principalities; but this is most ridiculous, for it is notoriously evident to all the world, that they have no commonwealth in Chanaan, the Land of promise, of which place only jacob spoke; & if they have any regiment in the provinces about Media, Assiriah, Babylon, & mount Caucasus, it is not absolute; for they are tributaries and subjects to other Kings, as to the Persian, the Great Turk & others.  
Fourthly, some hebrews take Shiloh for the proper name of that city where the Ark of God continued a long time, whereupon they make this exposition, The Sceptre shall not departed from judah, till Shiloh come: that is to say, till Saul be anointed King in Shiloh, and till Hieroboam be made King over Israel; in this short gloss, there be many errors; first neither Saul, nor Hieroboan were created kings in Shiloh, but 
(r) 1. Sam. 10.17.  the one in Nizpeh, 
(s) 1. Reg. 12.25.  the other in Sichem; secondly, it is absurd to affirm that the Sceptre was taken from judah, and given to Saul, before judah had any regal authority, for it is most clear, that while Israel was ruled by judges, most of them were of other Tribes; judah's authority over his brethren began to be absolute only in David & his posterity; & as for Hieroboam, though the 
(t) 1. Reg. 12  Ten Tribes called him unto the assembly, and made him King over all Israel, yet the Tribes of judah & Benjamin followed the house of David; in which family the Sceptre continued till the coming of Shiloh; thirdly, Shiloh the city in the time of K. Saul was forsaken and became desolate; the coming of Shiloh then is improperly taken for the Ruin and desolation thereof.  
Fiftly, some by Shiloh understand Nabuchadnezzer the King of the Chaldeans, who was sent by God to punish the sins of the jews, as it is recorded in the prophecies of Hieremiah & Ezechiel; therefore say they, this is jacob's meaning. The Sceptre shall not departed from judah till Nabuchadnezzar come, he shall bereave judah of the crown, as it came to pass in 
(v) 2. Reg. 25. Cyril. Alex. lib. 8. cont. jul.  K. Zedekiah, who having his eyes put out, was bound, and carried away captive to Babylon: after whom say they, Noah of David's posterity reigned over the jews, this was also the opinion of julian the Apostata, as Cyrill saith. Here we may see the obstinacy of the jewish nation, who rather than they will acknowledge the Messiah to be come, will wrest the Scriptures against all reason; that by Shiloh cannot be meant Nabuchadnezzar, the words following are a pregnant proof, which are these, and the people shall be gathered unto him; or according to S. hierom's translation, He shall be the expectation of the Gentiles; now this cannot be applied to Nabuchadnezzar, for all nations were so far from Desirng or expecting him, as they accounted him a most deadly enemy, and a bloody Tyrant, rejoicing over him, when he was fallen into misery, saying 
(r) Isa. 14.12.  how art thou fallen from HEAVEN o Lucifer. Again whereas they affirm that after the Captivity of Zedekiah, none of the tribe of judah, or lineage of David swayed the jewish Sceptre; I answer, that it is a mere untruth; for in the time of the Captivity, the jews that remained for seventy years were permitted to choose themselves a Governor of the house judah, whom they called 
(y) Thalmud in tract. Sanh-ca, Dinei. manmonoth.  Reschgaluta: and after their delierie 
(a) Ezr. 2.2. Agg. 1.1.  Zerubabel, the son of Selathiel was the prince of judah, and a captain and lawgiver to the people.  
Lastly, some of them say, that this promise of the continuance of the regal authority in judah until the Messiah came, was only conditional, if their sins did not deserve otherwise; but no such condition can be gathered out of the words of jacob, for he speaketh absolutely, that the Sceptre shall not departed from judah, till Shiloh come; furthermore though God sometimes make both conditional promises and Comminations, yet it is observed that the promises concerning the Messiah are ever absolute, as that he should come of the seed of Abraham, and of the root or stock of David, and that he should be born of a Virgin, and that till the coming of him, who is the true Shiloh, The sceptre should not departed from judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet.  
Concerning the second question, it ariseth amongst us that be Christians, who are much troubled about the accomplishment of this Prophecy; namely, how, and when it took place.  
The Israelites had four kind of governments: the first by Moses and josuah, who were Captains, and this continued threescore and six years, for Moses ruled them forty years, and josuah twenty six; the second was by judges, from Othoniel unto Samuel, for the space of three hundredth and thirty years; the third by Kings till the captivity, to wit, from Saul to Zedechiah, five hundredth and thirteen years; & the fourth by Priests, that were as Kings until Herod, five hundredth and twenty years, now these alterations of the state of Israel being considered, wherein we find, that unless it were only under the kings, the government was least of all exercised by the Tribe of judah; I would know how this can be justified, that The Sceptre did not departed from judah till Messiah came?  
Eusebius is of opinion, that by these words of jacob, 
Euseb. lib. 8. de praepar. Euangel.  The Sceptre is not strictly and necessarily tied to the Tribe of judah, till the coming of Messiah, but only a Principality in respect of the other Tribes; which might be, though the other Tribes had sometimes the regal authority; but this is not probable, for the word Sceptre, or as it is in the hebrew, The regal Rod; or as the Septuagint readeth it, a Prince, doth manifestly note a supreme power & sovereignty; now how could judah have the principality, or be accounted the chiefest Tribe, when another had the imperial authority; seeing then that till the time of David, the Sceptre was never in judah, but only when Othoniel, and Ibzah did judge Israel; how can the prophecy of jacob be fulfilled? this exposition of Eusebius then doth no whit at all clear this point in controversy; wherefore I think with Pererius, that the meaning of jacob is this, When the tribe of judah shall be absolutely possessed of the Sceptre, it shall keep it continually till Shiloh come; there was a beginning of judah's principality, when after the death of josuah, his Tribe was appointed by God to be as a Captain to the rest; and likewise in the government of Othoniel and Ibzah, but when David was anointed and installed, then was the Sceptre confirmed in him, and entailed as it were to his posterity; wherein it continued without any interruption, till Zedekiah was carried away captive to Babylon; but afterwards, how it remained until the coming of Christ in the family of judah, is the greatest matter in question.  
As I said before, all those seventy years, wherein the jews were captives in Babylon; those that were left behind by Nabuzaradan to dress the vines, and to till the land, had evermore licence to choose themselves a governor of the house of judah, whom they called Reschgaluta; and after their return from Babylon, Zerubabel of the same Tribe was their captain, and others after him, until we come down to the Maccabees, who were both Captains and Priests, for that they were as Rabbi Kimhi holdeth, 
Rab. Cimhi. come. in agg. joseph. lib. 13. & 14. antiq. Cyrill. lib. 8. cont. julian. apostate.  by the mother's side of the Tribe of judah, and by the father's side of the Tribe of Levi; and from these men down to Hircanus and Aristobulus whom Herod slew, there continued still the same line as josephus declareth; S. Cyrill is of opinion, that the posterity of Zerubabel held the Sceptre, and exercised princely authority till Herod, but josephus that writ the history of that Nation, avoucheth the contrary, affirming, that the chief government was in the Maccabees and their line, who were of Levi, and that Aristobulus the son of Hircanus, the son of Simon was the first Levite that wore a crown; in whose race it continued till the reign of Herod; if then the Levites swayed the Sceptre, did not the Sceptre, (contrary to jacob's prophecy and promise) depart from judah? It is answered that the Sceptre was not taken away from judah, though the Levites held it; because they that were both Priests and Princes, were by the mother's side of the Tribe of judah; this answer is not sufficient for 
(b) 2. Chr. 22.11.  though jehoida the Priest married jehothabeath, sister to Ahaziah the king of judah, yet it is uncertain whether the high Priests did always take their wives out of the Tribe of judah, nay it is more probable that they did not; and though they did, yet could they not be said to be of the Tribe of judah, because the Tribes were counted by the father's side not the mothers: Because this solution hath been deemed insufficient to take away all scruple and doubt; Therefore others understand this prophecy of the seventy Elders, called 
(c) Galatin. lib. 4. de arcanis sidei.  Sanhedrim; which were elected out of judah, to whom the cognisance, of the weightiest causes, and establishing of laws, appertained, who were of such supreme authority, that they cited Herod, who hardly escaped the sentence of death for his contumacy; these Sanhedrim continued until Herod, who not long before CHRIST'S birth rooted them all out. I will not deny, but that there was in those times, such a Sanhedrim, or Council of Elders, resembling those 
(d) Numb. 11.16.  seventy ancients appointed by Moses from GOD, to be assistants unto him in the government of Israel, yet it is uncertain whether they were elected out of judah or no; and though that should appear, yet they were but counsellors of Sat, the Regal Sceptre was not in judah, as here jacob prophesieth, but in Levi, of whom were the high Priests & Kings after the Captivity: to leave then all ambiguities; this seemeth to be our surest refuge; by judah not to mean particularly the tribe of judah, but the whole nation of the jews, both because, although there were of the Tribes of Levi & Benjamin among them, yet the whole commonwealth had the name of judah, & also the kingdom was in this lot, tribe, and territory that appertained to judah, though it might be usurped by some, which were not of the tribe of judah really; and in this sense it is true, that the jews had always a king, and a governor of their own nation, until 
(e) joseph. lib. 14. antiquit. cap. 2.  Herod an Idumaean, who had married Mariamnes the daughter of Hyrcanus, by the special help and favour of Anthony, who ruled together with Octavius, obtained to be created king of jury, without any title or interest in the world; in the thirtieth year of whose reign, Shiloh or the Messiah was borne.  
He shall bind his ass foal unto the vine, and his asses colt unto the best vine, he shall wash his garment in wine, and his cloak in the blood of grapes; his eyes shall be red wine, and his teeth white with milk.  
Onkelos, and Rabbi Solomon do think, that this speech doth indeed demonstrate the fertility or fruitfulness of judea; but yet they affirm, that these words are not to be taken properly, but figuratively; and therefore whereas jacob saith first, he shall bind his ass foal unto the vine, etc.: herein say they, jacob prophesieth, that both old and young men in the Tribe of judah, shallbe just and righteous, ever cleaving to the doctrine and the law of God; thus they make the foal to signify a Son; the ass a parent; and the Vine the law: Secondly, by the washing of the garments in wine, and the cloak in the blood of grapes; they say is signified the Rich and costly apparel of scarlet colour, which the Princes of judah should wear; and lastly, by the Eyes red with wine, and the teeth white with milk, they understand, the wine presses of judah, and the hills and fields full of sheep and corn; this is a strained exposition, and altogether disagreeing from jacob's intention; wherefore the meaning is no more but this: jacob thus speaketh only to declare the fruitfulness of that Region in the land of Chanaan, where the posterity of judah, should dwell, and this is expressed by three Arguments: First, that therein should grow so great vines, and so loaden with grapes, that an Ass might be bound unto one of them, and have his full burden of the grapes thereof; secondly, that there should be such abundance of wine, that it would be sufficient for them to drink plentifully, and also (if they would) even to wash their clothes therewith. And thirdly, that it should be excellent wine, such as maketh the eyes of them that drink it red, and that there should be such store of good Pastures in judah's portion, that they might eat milk in great abundance. Thus doth jacob prophesy six things of judah; First, praise or glory, for his brethren shall praise him: Secondly, victory over his enemies, for his Hand shallbe in the neck of his enemies; Thirdly, principality, for his Father's sons shall bow down unto him. fourthly, Courage, for as a Lyons-whelpe he shall come from the spoil, and like the Lion and the lioness, he shall couch or lie down, and none shall stir him up. fiftly, Continuance of his Kingdom; for the Sceptre shall not departed from him till the coming of CHRIST; And lastly, outward plenty or prosperity, for he shall bind his Asse-foale unto the vine, and his Asses Colt unto the best vine, he shall wash his garment in wine, and his Cloak in the blood of Grapes, his eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.  
The particulars of this prophesy were temporally fulfilled in judah's posterity, but spiritually in Christ, who came of the Tribe of judah, and of the house of David.  
First, as judah was Praised by his Brethren; So is CHRIST▪ of whom judah was a Type, honoured, and ever praised by the Elect, as well Angels as men, who be the Brethren of Christ, through the grace of Adoption; so saith S. john, 
(f) Apon. 5.8.  The four Beasts, and the four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one Harps, and golden vials full of Odours, which are the prayers of the Saints: By these Cherubims, & these Elders, are meant all the Saints, both of the Old and the new-Testament, which offer unto CHRIST the Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving.  
Now the reason why our SAVIOUR by the Adopted children of God is praised, is, because (g) He was killed, and Redeemed them to God by his blood, out of every Kindred, and Tongue, and People, and Nation, and made them unto God Kings and Priests.  
If then we be the Brethren of CHRIST, we must imitate the Angels and Saints in heaven, by having his Praise ever in our mouths; our Harp must be Thanksgiving, our Vials full of Odours, Devout prayers: and the Song that we sing this, O my God and King, I will extol thee, and will bless thy name for ever, I will bless thee daily, and praise thy name for ever. Great is the Lord, and most worthy to be praised, and his greatness is incomprehensible. Whosoever is such a physician, is surely Christ's brother, for as Faith is showed out of works, so is this spiritual Brotherhood tried by Praise.  
They are not then the Adopted children of God, not the Brethren of Christ, that in stead of praising him with their lips, scoff at him, mock him, spit upon him, buffet him, and blaspheme him, as the jews did: by taking his name in vain, by execrable cursing, and by damnable swearing; oh no such black mouthed persons be the children of darkness, and the Brethren of Belial, as among the 
(i) Luc. 17.12.  Ten lepers, that our Saviour cleansed, one alone was found to be thankful, the other nine went away, and never returned to requite him with praise; so in the world for which Christ died, there can scarcely be found one of a thousand, that doth truly honour and praise his Redeemer, and if there be any, the proportion of their number, is but as One to Nine; For Reformation then of this vice of Blasphemy & Swearing, whereby as S. Chysostome saith, Christ is continually crucified again, it were to be wished that that Law made by Ludovicus Pius the king of France, were universally established: namely, That whosoever sweareth vainly, should be burned in the mouth with a hot iron. Sed procul ite profani; I will leave them; and return to the Brethren of CHRIST, of which number, whosoever desires to be, let him but look upon the Picture of the three Graces, 
Pausan. in Eli.  as Pausanias relateth it, and it willbe an excellent pattern for him. Amongst the people of Elis, thus saith he were the Graces engraven; one of them, in her hand held a Rose, the other a Myrtle tree, and the third a Die;  
These Graces being in number three, may fitly express that Praise and Thankfulness, which from the Creature is due to the Creator, namely, 
(k) Isai. 6.3.  the Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord GOD of Sabaoth. The Rose which is a sweet flower, signifieth the Grace & mercy of Christ towards mankind, who as David saith, is a sweet & merciful Lord, & whose commiseration is above all his wondrous works: in regard whereof, he saith of himself 
(l) Cant. 2.1  I am the Rose of the field; this Rose, the Brethren of Christ must ever hold in their hands; that is to say, they must ever acknowledge his favours, & be mindful of his benefits. Secondly, the Myrtle, though it be but a little plant, yet it bringeth forth store of berries; So must the Brethren of Christ, for every kindness received, bring forth Clusters of Praise and Thanksgiving. Thirdly, the Die is the emblem of Chance, and this may put us in mind still to praise our Messiah, howsoever the world run, whether with us or against us.  
Secondly, as judah's hand was in the neck of his enemies: So Christ hath gotten the victory over his Adversaries, Satan and the world, as the Psalmist saith, 
(m) Psal. 110  The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool; The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Zion, be thou ruler in the midst of thine enemies. This Triumph of our Saviour, was shadowed or figured in the dream of Nabuchadnezzar, by 
(n) Dan. 2.  The great glorious Image, whose Head was of fine gold, whose Breast, and Arms of silver, whose Belly and Thighs of brass, and whose Feet were part of Iron, and part of Clay, which Image was broken all in pieces, by a Stone, cut without Hands; This Image resembles the four Monarchies: The Golden head, is for the Chaldean: The Silver Breast and Arms, for the Persian: The Brazen Belly, and Thighs, for the Macedonian; And the Feet, part iron, and part Clay, for the Roman Monarchy; All these were destroyed and broken by this Stone cut without hands; namely, our victorious SAVIOUR, whose Kingdom shall never be destroyed, but stand for ever.  
The like is expressed by S. john, saying, 
(o) Apo. 19  And I saw heaven open, and behold a white horse, and he that sat vp●n him was called Faithful and True, and he judgeth, and fighteth righteously, and his Eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his Head were many Crowns, and he had a Name written, that no man knew but himself, and he was clothed in a Garment dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of GOD, and the warririors which were in Heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed with fine linen, white and pure: and out of his mouth went a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the Heathen, for he shall rule them with a rod of iron: for he it is that treadeth the Winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty GOD: These words do most lively set forth the glorious victory that Christ hath over all his enemies: He is the 
(p) josuah, 5.14.  Captain of the Lords Host; that quickly foileth, and in the twinkling of an eye putteth to flight all his Adversaries; and therefore he is said to Ride upon a white horse: He never fighteth but upon a just quarrel, for the defence of Truth, and therefore he is called Faithful and True: It is long before he strike, but when he comes, he is as a Giant, ready to run his course, fierce and terrible. And therefore his Eyes are said to be like a flame of fire; when he maketh war, he ever vanquisheth; and therefore as tokens of Triumph, upon his Head he weareth many Crowns: It is bootless for any to withstand his power, for he is Omnipotent: and therefore he hath a Name, and this is THE WORD OF GOD; the mystery whereof none perfectly knoweth but himself, who is Light of Light, and very God of very God; As he is merciful to spare the lives of such as yield, and Repent, so is he most severe against such as be obstinate and impenitent, and this is signified by his Garment dipped in blood; And likewise the Psalmist saith: he shall wash his footsteps in the blood of his enemies, though he need not the assistance or aid of any, because he is most strong and mighty; yet because the Righteous, for whose cause he fighteth, shall be avenged of their enemies, and be partakers of his glory, they also are said to follow him upon white horses; and being his soldiers, their armour is linen white and pure: pure innocency, and white Patience. The enemies whom he smiteth with the sharp sword of his justice, and whom he ruleth with the Iron rod of his power, be the heathen, that is to say, all unbelievers or Infidels; so than 
(q) Mar. 16.16.  he that shall believe and be baptized, shall be saved, but he that will not believe, shall be damned; lastly, though the children of God suffer much violence in this world, yet must they bear it with patience, and refer their revenge to Christ, for it is he alone, that readeth the winepress of the s●●reenes and wrath of Almighty God: and it is only he, That layeth his hand upon the neck of his enemies.  
thirdly, as judah was the Sovereign of all his Brethren, for his father's sons bowed down unto him; So our SAVIOUR CHRIST JESUS is a King, 
(r) Isai. 9.7,  for he sitteth upon the throne of David, & upon his Kingdom, to order it, & to st●●●●h it with judgement, & with justice: He is a King, but his Kingdom is not of this world: & therefore none bow down unto him, or worship him out of zeal and love, but only his Father's Sons, namely, the Elect, who are the adopted children of GOD the Father. 
(s) Philip. 2.8.9.10.  He humbled himself, saith Saint Paul, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross; wherefore GOD hath also highly exalted him, and given him a Name, above every Name: That at the Name of JESUS, should every knee bow, both of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.  
According to this edict and statute of Almighty God, the Angels and Saints in heaven do worship and adore him: Also the Chosen vessels that live upon the earth, do in all humility, honour and reverence him: and under the earth, even Satan himself, and the spirits of darkness, though not voluntarily, yet compulsivelie: do bow down their necks, and kneel down before him, 
(t) Mark. 1, 24.  acknowledging him to be The holy one of God.  
Melchisedech was a King, and a Priest. David was a King and a Prophet; and Solomon, a King and a Preacher: But CHRIST JESUS was both a Preacher, a Prophet, a Priest, and a King; and therefore, if every one of them in regard of their Office, deserved honour, his due is triple Honour.  
We must therefore bow down our necks unto him, because he is a King and a Priest; we must bow our hearts, because he is a King and a Prophet; and we must bow our knees, because he is a King & a Preacher, offering unto him, like the Wisemen of the East, Gold, Myrrh, and Franke-incense: That is to say, whatsoever we take pleasure or delight in, to do him or his servants service; our goods with Zacheus we must divide amongst the poor; with our garments like Lydia we must  the naked; with our Spikenard, like Marie, we must anoint the heads of them that be sick; for in doing this service to one of these little ones, we manifest our love and loyalty to our King Christ jesus; 
(u) Mark. 11.  It is written that our Saviour, rid into jerusalem upon a young ass, and that a great multitude of them that believed, when they heard that he should come into the city, went forth to meet him; & some of them cast their garments upon the asses colt, some spread their clothes in the way, and others cut down branches of palm trees & strewed them before him, every one showing some sign of reverence and honour; and they that went before, and they that followed, cried saying, Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. This act of the faithful jews must be our precedent, though jesus Christ rid but upon an ass, which is a contemptible creature, yet they blessed and glorified him, because they knew that his kingdom stood not in outward things; so must we acknowledge him to be our King, though his earthly crown was but a thorny wreath, his Sceptre a reed, and his royal rob a white coat wherewith 
(x) Luk. 23 11.  Herod in mockage arrayed him; they unclothed themselves to  his ass, and made their garments his carpets; so must we hold nothing too dear for Christ; but with 
(y) Phil. 3.7  S. Paul account the things that are vantage unto us, loss for Christ's sake; again, they which had no garments that might be spared to spread in the way, cut down palm branches; hereby like the poor widow, with her two mites, testifying that their hearts did offer up unto him a large tribute of homage & obedience; so must we according to our ability tender our duty & allegiance to him who is the Prince of Peace and King of glory, by showing our affection to the meanest and poorest of his Subjects: to conclude; whosoever will cry Hosanna, confessing him to be a King & Saviour, he is one of God's sons; but such as will not bow down unto him, be Rebels and strangers to the kingdom of grace; first therefore then we must needs conclude, that the high Priests, Scribes, pharisees & jews at this day be Rebels, for they will not acknowledge jesus whom we worship to be their King; and therefore in them is fulfilled the saying of Isaiah 
(z) Isaiah. 6.9.  ye shall hear indeed, but ye shall not understand; ye shall plainly see, and not perceive; it is a wonder, (but that God hath made their hearts fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; that the jews of all other nations should be incredulous, considering that they had in their custody the Prophecies and Oracles of God which point them to our Christ, in whom they were all fulfilled; nay further, their own Rabbins & doctors, howsoever they do still expect a Magnificent Messiah, that shall conquer the world like an other Alexander, and bring them all back to the land of Promise, confess that the Messiah is come already; 
(a) Thalmud in tract. Au●dazara.  some of them affirming that about the time of Augustus his reign (wherein jesus was borne) the Messiah should appear; some of them a great while ago have complained, that there seemed to them seven hundredth & fourteen years, since Christ (according to the Scriptures) should have manifested himself, & therefore they marvel why God does so long defer the same. Rabbi Moses whom the jews call the doctor of justice, in his epistle to his countrymen of Africa, 
Rab. Moses ben Maimon epist. ad judaeos Affri. Rab. joshua ben levi in Thalm. tract Sanhed. cap. helec.  thinketh that in his days, the time of Christ's appearance was passed above a thousand years, according to the Scriptures; & Rabbi joshua holdeth, that according to the Scriptures, the Messiah was to be borne before the destruction of the second temple; but he saith, the Messiah for our sins doth hide himself for a time in the sea, and other desert places, until we be worthy of his coming; thus by the confession of jewish Rabbins Christ is come, and yet the jews, being stiff-necked rebels, will not believe in him, nor bow down unto him as to their Sovereign; and thus he came unto his own & his own knew him not. Secondly, as there be stiffnecked, so there be stiffe-hearted Rebels, and these be the mahometans, and Infidels, who in derision speak unto CHRIST, as the Soldiers did, saying, Hail King of the jews: Hail thou crucified God of the Christians.  
These Infidels, (notwithstanding their own prophet Mahomet, 
Alcoran. Azoar. 14. 11. 13.  upon whom they rely, affirmeth, that jesus the Son of Marie, was a great Prophet, & wrought his miracles by the only power & spirit of God) yet will they not forbear, even to spit in his face, and blaspheme him.  
It is strange to observe the Obstinacy of these unbelievers, who will not be brought by any means to submit themselves to the KING OF KINGS, considering that the very spirits of darkness, whom they worship, have confessed Christ to be the Son of the living God, as it appeareth, not only in the Gospel, but also by the writing of Porphyrius, who was an enemy of Christ, saying: It is exceeding wonderful what testimony the gods (these are the evil spirits) do give of the singular piety & sanctity of jesus, 
Porphyr. lib. de laud. Philos.  for which they avouch him rewarded with immortality, but yet (saith he) these Christians are deceived in calling him a God.  
Thirdly, as there be stiff-hearted, so also there be stiffe-legged Rebels, who are so hoven up with self-conceit, & are so proud of their own righteousness, sincerity & integrity, that in their imagination they themselves be Kings, and therefore they think they need not to bow down to Christ, such are hypocrites, & pharisaical dissemblers, who have jacob's smooth tongue, but Esau's rough hands: These will not kneel, like penitent Publicans, but stand and justify themselves, and say, They are not as other men.  
Against all such as these our Saviour crieth, saying: Woe be to you Scribes and pharisees, Hypocrites: which bitter invective of him, doth plainly prove, that Hypocrites are not his humble subjects, but proud, insolent, and stiffe-legged Rebels, and consequently, neither they, nor Mahometans, nor jews, his Father's sons, because they will not bow down to him, who is the LORD OF LORDS, and KING OF KINGS.  
Fourthly, as judah, in regard of his Magnanimity and courage, is compared to a Lyons-whelpe, the old Lion, and the Lioness: Even so CHRIST, because he spoilt powers and Principalities, & openly triumphed over them, is called, the Lion of the Tribe of judah.  
Saint Ambrose saith, that CHRIST is called the lions whelp: To signify, 
Amb. in Gen. 4●. de benedict. pat.  that he is in Nature and substance like unto his Father; Even as the whelp is to the old Lion: But because, in being called the lions whelp, he may be suspected to be inferior to God the Father: therefore to take away that suspicion, these words are added by jacob, He shall lie down, & couch as a Lion, & as a Lioness, who shall stir him up. Though it be not amiss, thus with Ambrose, to apply these words to Christ, yet I think that best congruity, betwixt the literal & figurative sense will be, if by the lions whelp, the old Lion, and the lioness, we understand the undaunted Courage of our Saviour, showed in the Conquest of Hell, Death, and Satan, he was a Lion in his Birth, and a Lion in his Death: For in both he spoiled the kingdom of the Devil: And therefore I may call him, as Isaiah called the Child of the prophetess, 
(b) Isa. 8.3.  Mahershalalhash-baz, which by interpretation is, Make speed to the spoil, or, Make haste to the pray. For when he came into the world, though he was a 
(c) joh. 1.29.  Lamb in regard of his innocency, yet he was a Lion, in respect of his power and magnanimity. For he was no sooner borne, but the Gods of the Earth began to tremble: According to the prophecy of Zephaniah, saying, 
(d) Zeph. 2 11.  The Lord will be terrible unto them, for he will consume all the Gods of the Earth.  
And so it came to pass, for as Dagon could not stand before the Ark of GOD, no more could the Spirits of Darkness abide his glorious presence, as it may be verified by divers instances, both out of the Scriptures, and human writers. We read in the Gospel, that the evil Spirits did divers times beseech him, not to afflict, or torment them before the Fire. Not to command them presently to return into the depth, but rather to suffer them, some little time, though it were but in a Herd of Swine.  
Also Suidas reporteth, that Apollo, whom the Grecians called the god of wisdom, but we more truly Apollion, 
Suidas in Thulis.  or Abadaon, the Destroyer: made this answer to one of his priests, who demanded some questions of him concerning God, and the true Religion; Oh thou unhappy priest, why dost thou ask me of God, that is the Father of all things, & of this most renowned Kings dear & only Son, and of the Spirit that containeth all? Alas, that Spirit will force me shortly to leave this habitation, and place of Oracles.  
Also Nicephorus writeth, that Augustus coming to know of Apollo, who should succeed him in the Romans Empire, 
Niceph. lib. 1. hist. cap. 17  was put off with this answer, An Hebrew child's that ruleth over the blessed Gods, commandeth me to leave this habitation, and out of hand to get me to Hell.  
Thus by the testimony of the Devils themselves, CHRIST even by his Birth, like a lions whelp, overthrew and spoiled them, 
(e) 1. joh. 3.  For to this end (saith Saint john,) appeared the SON OF GOD, that he might lose the works of the devil.  
Secondly, in his death, he was as the Lion, and the Lioness, for neither Hell, Death, nor Satan, could get the upper hand of him. These three enemies of mankind, like the Princes of the Philistims, thought they had gotten the victory over this Samson, when he was nailed to the Cross, but in his Death he vanquished them; he subdued Hell by his Descension, there openly triumphing over all the infernal spirits, and he 
(f) Coloss. 2.15.  led Captivity captive, as the Apostle saith, making that place which should have captivated us, to be his captive.  
Oh Hell then, Where is now thy victory? He subdued Death, by his own Death; insomuch, that Death, to which we were all subject and liable by the Law, hath now no more power over us. 
(g) 1. Cor. 15.55.  Oh Death, then where is thy sting? And he subdued Satan by his Passion, who though he be Ashteroth, the Accuser of men: yet his informing tongue can now have no advantage against us, 
(h) Isai, 53.5  because CHRIST hath borne the punishment of our infirmities: He was grieved for our transgressions; The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes are we healed.  
johannes Leo, speaking of the nature of the Chameleon, 
joan. Leo.  saith, that with one little drop of a water, issuing out of her mouth, she will kill the most poisonous Serpent; CHRIST is this Chameleon; who with blood and water, flowing from his heart, hath slain the Old Serpent, that subtle seducer; and as David's Harp being touched, 
(i) Sam. 16.23. Strab. libr. Georgr. Pluto. de defect. oracul. Porphy. lib. 1. cont. Christi.  did drive away the evil spirit from king Saul; so hath the sweet sound of the Gospel put Satan to silence: witness Strabo, who saith, that the Oracle of Delphos at this day, is to be seen in extreme beggary and poverty: witness Plutarch, who lived one hundredth years after Christ, and who wondereth that the Oracles of the Gods were ceased in his time: witness Porphirius, who saith, that both Aesculapius, & all the other Gods, were departed from Messina in Scicile, by the coming of Christians. And witness Apollo himself, 
Euseb. lib. 5. de praep. evang.  who told the Emperor Dioclesian, That the just men were the cause that he could say nothing. And thus CHRIST is not only a Lion himself, but also he maketh his Disciples and Followers Lions, 
(k) Matth. 10.8.  giving them power over Devils and unclean spirits.  
Fiftly, as it was said of the posterity of judah, The Sceptre shall not departed from judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, till Shiloh come. So may it be said of the Church, which is the household and family of Christ, It shall never be destitute of a Lawgiver & a governor, till the second coming of Shiloh, or Christ. The Romish writers do mystically by the Sceptre & lawgiver, understand the power & jurisdiction of the Pope of Rome, who calleth himself the Vicar of Christ; but herein they err, for since by the coming of Christ, the Church is spread throughout all the world, whereupon it is called Catholic or Universal, therefore no one man can be the Ministerial head thereof, but rather every bishop and Pastor representeth Christ in his charge, the Papists cannot deny but that Christ is the Head of the Church, because the Apostle doth 
(l) Eph● 1.22 2●. Colos●. 18. Rom. 2.  in diverse places avouch it; but yet they say she wants a general head and Lieu●tenant to govern her; and that is S. Peter in his successors, whom for distinction sake they call the Ministerial Head of the Church; this their assertion hath no relish of reaso; n; for first, we must not imagine that the Church is an earthly Kingdom; for Christ's Kingdom is not of this world; no more than must his be, whosoever challengeth to be his Vicar or Lieutenant; but his administration or government must be Spiritual, to wit, the ministery of the word, 
(m) Rom. 14.1.  In peace, righteousness, and joy, through the holy Ghost: such a Vicar is not the Pope of Rome, for he stretcheth his arms over the Empires of the earth, and calleth himself both a Spiritual and Temporal Monarch, usurping that Title and name, which is only peculiar to Christ, 
(n) Apo. 19.16. Bonifac. 8 in C. unau sanct: Extra: de maior: & a-bed.  for it is written upon his garment, and upon his thigh, The King of Kings, & Lord of Lords, so saith Boniface the eight, both the spiritual and Temporal sword are in the power of the Pope; whereby he taketh more upon him then Christ did when he lived upon earth, for he saith, Give unto Caesar, the things that are Caesar's; but the Pope will take from Caesar, that which is Caesar's; Namely, the Temporal sword, and use it himself; this is a pregnant demonstration that he is not the Vicar of Christ, but rather the Lieutenant of him, who is the Prince of this world, that ruleth in the air, and worketh in the children of disobedience; In a word. Christ's Kingdom consisteth in this, that he governeth his children, and giveth power to the preaching of his word, & to his Sacraments by the virtue of his Spirit, and the ministery of his Gospel consisteth in the administration of that word, amp; of his Sacraments. Now there is not any man, that can boast of giving and disposing of the holy Ghost, because he is only of the Father, and of the Son, therefore none other but Christ, God, and man, can exercise the ministery throughout the world; wherefore it is to be concluded, that no one man can be the Ministerial Head of the whole Church, but every Bishop and Pastor in his charge, 
(o) 1. Pet. 2. ●5. Tertul. develand. virg. cap. 1.  under the Bishop of Bishops, and Pastor of Pastors, Christ jesus, and hence it is that Tertullian assigneth no other Vicar or Lieutenant general in the Church, but the holy Ghost, who proceeding from the Father and the Son, was sent after his departure, to the end (saith he) that the discipline of the Church, might be by little and little directed, ordained, and brought to perfection by this Vicar of our Lord, the holy Ghost; and in another place he saith, that Christ was taken up into heaven, where he sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and that he sent Vicariam vim Spiritus sancti, the power or efficacy of the holy Spirit to hold his place (or be his Vicar) by whom he guideth and conducteth the faithful. In this text of Scripture, then by the Sceptre and Lawegiver, is not meant the jurisdiction of the Pope of Rome, for that is almost departed and abolished by the brightness of the Truth, but another more excellent, and heavenly government of the Word, and the Spirit, which shall never fail in the Church of God, till the glorious appearance of our Shiloh Christ jesus. First, the Word is the Sceptre, whereby all the faithful must be ruled, 
(p) joh. 10.17. Orig. Hom. 3 in Cantic.  my sheep (saith Christ) hear my voice, and he that is my Disciple, abideth in my word: jesus Christ (saith Origen) appeareth always in the mountains, and in the hills, therefore we must never seek him, but in the mountains of the Law and Prophets, and in the hills of the Gospel. And this word is the Rule of faith, the Mistress of virtue, and the Sceptre of the true Church. Concerning which the Psalmist saith, The Sceptre of thy Kingdom, is a right Sceptre. Secondly, the holy Ghost is the Lawegiver, and our Comforter; of him our Saviour thus speaketh 
(q) joh. 16.13.  when he is come which is the spirit of Truth, he will lead you into all Truth: for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. According to his directions must we frame our lives, and upon his grounds must we build our faith as Constantine the Emperor said to the Fathers in the Nicene Synod: We have the doctrine of the holy Ghost written, therefore laying aside all contention, let us out of the divine inspired Scripture, take the resolution of those things which we seek for. But to this Sceptre, and this Lawgiver, he that pretendeth to be the Vicar of Christ, will never subject himself: no he is so far from submission, that he equalizeth his own traditions to the word of God, and taketh upon him like the holy Ghost, to bind the consciences of men, by his own decrees and constitutions; this is not to be the Vicar of Christ, but to exalt himself ever both above the spiritual Sceptre, & the eternal Lawegiver; both which notwithstanding his ambition and tyranny shall never departed from judah till Shiloh come.  
Lastly, as the posterity of judah did enjoy these temporal blessings, great store of wine, and abundance of milk; even so the family of Christ spiritually, is plentifully fed with wine and milk: insomuch that it may be said of Christians, as it was by jacob prophesied of the jews. Every one of them does bind his Asse-foale unto the vine, and his Asses colt unto the best vine; they wash their garments in wine, and their cloaks in the blood of grapes; their eyes are red with wine, and their teeth white with milk. This Vine is Christ, whose father is the husbandman: This Wine is Grace, this Milk is his word, the food of the soul; wherewith such as be of the household of Faith, are fed and nourished to eternal life; and this Wine & Milk, is both bestowed and prepared by Christ; as it is in the Canticles; 
(r) Cant. 5.  I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse, I have gathered my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my honey comb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk, & likewise in Isay, 
(s) Isaiah 55 1.  ho every one that is thirsty, come ye to the waters, & ye that have no money, come buy and eat, come I say, buy wine and milk without silver, and without money; and in joel, 
[t] joel. 3.18  the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, all this is fulfilled in such as be spiritually of the Tribe of judah, or true believers, for the Milk of God's word is their restorative, and the Wine of his grace their cordial, with which whosoever is once fed, he will never hunger or thirst again, and therefore as Christ said, eat o my friends, drink and be merry, o my well-beloved: so say I, eat, eat, this milk, & drink this wine, that is, hear his word with zeal and reverence, and practise it in your lives and conversations; receive this grace which is freely offered you in Christ jesus, and do not presumptuously continue in sin, that grace may abound; this if you do, then be merry my well-beloved, for your reward is in heaven; but if as the Israelites loathed Manna, you make light of this heavenly food, preferring to it Esau's Red Pottage, and the flesh-pots of Egypt; then be assured, that Death is in the Pot; for by this neglect of his word, and this contempt of his grace, ye shall like Esau lose your blessing, and be debarred like the rebellious Israelites from entering into the land of Promise.   

THE FIFTH SERMON OF ZEBULUN.  
Gen. 4.13.  Zebulun shall dwell by the Sea side, and he shall be a haven for Ships, and his border shall be unto Zidon. 
ZEbulun was the sixth son that Leah bore unto jacob, and his name being interpreted, is a Dwelling; for upon her delivery, she said, 
(a) Gen. 30.20.  God hath endued me with a good dowry, now will mine husband dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons, and she called his name Z●bulun; in this name Leah first acknowledgeth that there can be no perfect and strong Bond of Love and liking betwixt a man and his wife, except God tie it by his means. Riches and Beauty are bonds; but they are but like unto the green cords, and new ropes, wherewith Delilah bond Samson, 
(b) judg. 16.12.  for they are soon broken, even as a thread of tow, when it feeleth fire; Beauty is but Nature's privilege and a short Tyranny, saith the Philosopher, beauty is like grass that withereth with the wind, and like a flower in summer, which soon decayeth: if then beauty be the only bond of love, the heat of that love will be quenched, when the lustre of the face fadeth, and when the pleasant form is blasted with sickness, or spoiled with the wrinkles of age, riches likewise may for a time continue friendship, betwixt the man and his wife, but because commonly, men that marry for wealth be like Midas, 
(c) Crysomanes.  mad for gold, therefore when they have obtained their desire, they make so small account of their wives, that I may say of them, as Augustus the Emperor said of Herod the great, who having a desire to kill Christ, 
(d) Mat. 2.16.  sent and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, & for more assurance, amongst these he slew a● infant of his own, 
Phil lib. de Tempo. Macr. lib. 2. Satur. cap. 4.  for that (as Philo noteth) he was descended by the mother's side, of the line of judah; upon the report of which cruel massacre, Macrobius writeth, that Augustus said he had rather be Herod's swine, than his son, for that he being a jew, was forbidden by his religion to kill his son, though not ashamed to kill his son: even so say I, it is better to be such a husband's bag of gold, than his wife: because he makes his God of the one, but his slave of the other: that then is the most permanent and firm bond of love, which Leah calleth a good dowry, namely, store of children, which are the gift of God, and an inheritance that cometh from the Lord: she that hath no children, be she never so fair, will soon be neglected by her husband, and if she be barre●, though she brought with her never so much wealth, she will quickly be disliked; Children than are like chains of gold that combine and join together the hearts of husbands and wives; and hereupon Leah calleth her six sons a good dowry, and her son Zebulun, a dwelling, saying; Now will my husband dwell with me, or love my company, because I have borne him six sons; this was the work of God, who saw that Leah was despised in respect of Rachel, and therefore he bestoweth upon her, the fruitfulness of the womb, as the best dowry, and strongest bond of love. Secondly, in that Leah calleth him Zebulun, or a dwelling: she manifesteth, how desirous she is to enjoy the favour, and love of her husband jacob; and in this she may be a pattern for all married women, teaching them, that their desires must be subject to their husbands; that is to say, not only obedient, but affectionate and loving unto them; some women are like 
(e) Hest. 1.12.  Vasty the Queen of King Assueroh: proud and insolent, not suffering their husbands to bear rule in their own houses; some are like 
(f) 1. Sam. 1.6  Peninnah the wife of Elkanah, full of upbraiding words; some like the 
(g) Pro: 7. 1●.1●.  harlot that Solomon speaks of, will never abide in the house, but go abroad with impudent faces hunting after strange lovers, being always glad when their husbands are not at home; These and such like are a Canker and Corruption to their husband's bones, and he that dwelleth with them, had not only need (as Alphonsus the King of Arragon said) to be deaf, but also to be blind, for if he have eyes to see their wanton behaviour, and ears to hear their immortal tongues, his life will be more tedious and irksome, then if he conversed with a she bear rob of her whelps: concerning such kind of wives as these, jesus the son of Syrach, saith, 
(h) Eccles. 26.7.  an evil wife is as a yoke of oxen that draw diverse ways, he that hath her, is as though he held a Scorpion; and S. Ambrose saith, a wicked woman is the devils gate, the way of iniquity, and the stinging of a Scorpion, & of the same mind is Homer; though I allege these sayings to blaze the arms of wicked wives, yet let me not be censured, as once one of my profession was, of whom it was reported, that he was (as it is written of Euripides,) a woman-hater; for I am not of Plutarches opinion, who thought that when the candle was taken away, all women were alike; no; there be some, 
(i) Eccle. 26.15.  who by a double grace, and to whose continent mind no weight is to be compared; there be some whose price is far above the pearls, but they be as rare as pearls; these are the truebred daughters of Leah; obedient and loving to their husbands, and it were to be wished, that the rest would conform and frame themselves according to this blessed Matron; who is so far from driving her husband out of the doors, as Xantippe did Socrates with her malapertness, pride, or peevishness, that she acknowledgeth it as an especial dowry from heaven, that God hath sent her six sons, by whom she hopeth her husband willbe won to continue his love towards her, and the rather for their sakes, to keep her company, and Dwell with her, in sign of which hope and Desire, she calleth her youngest son Zebulun.  
Zebulun shall dwell by the seaside: etc. Zebulun was jacob's tenth son according to the order of birth, and his sixth son begotten of Leah, but he blessed him next unto judah, thereby giving him precedency over Isachar, Dan, Gad, Naphtali, and Aser, for according as he names them, so were all the Tribes to take place, excepting judah, who had the kingdom, Levi who had the Priesthood, and joseph who had the Birthright; some think that Zebulun is put before Isachar, in respect of the situation of his country, because Isachar had his lot between Zebulun and Dan, but I rather think that jacob deals with Zebulun and Isachar, as Abraham did with 
(k) Gen. 25.5.  Isaac and Ishmael, as Isaac did with 
(l) Gen. 27.29.  jacob and Esau, and as himself did with 
(m) Gen. 48.19.  Ephraim and Manasseth, preferring the younger before the elder, being moved so to do by the spirit of God, who directed his tongue, for the Tongues of the Prophets were the pens of that ready writer the Spirit: and this translation of the eldership to Zebulun from Isachar being made by the ordinance of God, may teach us, two things; First, that God bestoweth his gifts without respect of persons; Secondly, that it is only he which preferreth or raiseth up one, and dejecteth or casteth down another.  
First, it is often seen (saith Theodoret) in the Scriptures, 
Theod. in Gen. Quaest. 108.  that the younger Brethren are put and placed before the Elder, as Abel before Cain, japhet before S●m, Isaac before Ishmael, jacob before Esau, judah and joseph before Reuben, Ephraim before Manasseh, Moses before Aaron, David before his brethren: and here Zebulun before Isachar, and this is not done for any desert in themselves, either good or evil; for jacob and Esau, before they were borne, and before they had done good or evil, were the one loved, and the other hated, as the Prophet 〈◊〉 
(n) Malach. 1.2.  I have loved jacob, and ha●●● Esau; and it was said of them, even whiles they were both in 〈◊〉 womb, 
(o) Gen. 25.23.  The Elder shall serve the younger, but hereby these Mysteries are revealed: First, the Mystery of our elect●on to Grace & eternal life: which doth not depend upon any merit in us, but proceedeth freely from the will of Almighty God, Who (as the Apostle saith 
(p) Eph. 1.4.5.6.  hath chosen us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace. The second Mystery declareth the precedency, that Man, who was last created, by the incarnation of the Son of God, hath obtained above the Angels, 
(q) heb. 1.13.  for, unto which of the Angels said he at any time 
(r) heb. 1.3.  Sat at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool, saith the Author to the Hebrues. The third mystery, is of the jews and the Gentiles: The jew was the Elder brother, and he was first called to Grace, but seeing that he stopped his ears, like a Serpent that would not be charmed, the Gentile, who receives Christ, is now preferred before the jew, as it is expressed by our Saviour 
(s) Luc. 15.  in the parable of the prodigal son. The fourth Mystery, setteth forth the difference that is betwixt the judgement of God, and the judgement of men, as the Prophet Isaiah saith, in the person of God, 
(t) Isai. 55.8.9.  My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, for, as the Heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways. Also thus God speaketh unto Samuel, when he came to Ishai his house, to anoint one of his sons king over Israel, 
(u) 1. Sam. 16.7.  God seethe not as man seethe, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord beholdeth the heart; and accordingly, David the youngest son of Ishai, was taken from the sheepfold, as he was following the Ewes great with young ones, and exalted above Eliab and the rest of his elder brethren.  
Thus we see, That God 
(x) Deut. 10 17.  is a great God, mighty and terrible, which accepteth no persons, he regardeth not the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands, and 
(y) job. 34.18.  therefore without any respect of persons he bestoweth his gifts; the eye of God is a single eye, but man is double eyed; and therefore God judgeth justly, but man partially; Gods eye beholdeth the heart, but the eyes of man only the outward appearance; Birth, wealth, and gorgeousness, are the objects of human eyes; him we respect and reverence, that is, an elder brother, that can show us his painted arms, the ensigns of his rotten antiquity, and honourable and worshipful alliance; to him we bow down as the 
[z] Exod. 32  Israelites did to the golden Calf of mount Horeb, we bless his fortunes, admire his greatness, and flatter him in every thing, though he be as insolent as Haman, as foolish as Rehoboam, who was the foolishness of the people, as vainglorious as Rabsecah, as wilful as an untamed heifer, and as full of ill qualities as Naaman was of leprous spots; yet all these infirmities are veiled and covered by his birth; and thus in the opinion of men, folly is set in great excellency, as Solomon saith; again, him we Idolize, whose barns are fraught with corn, and who like Midas toucheth nought but gold; if he be rich the world respects him, though he be as very ●hurle as Na●al of mount Carmel, as greedy as a horseleech, and as basely covetous as Vespasian, who laid an impost upon the excrements of Rome, or as they that would have drawn an annuity amongst us, out the packs of vagabonds and pedlars; yet if he be rich, howsoever his wealth was gotten, whether by decaying of tillage, enclosing of commons, usury, or by unjustly bereaving Naboth of his vineyard; yet he is accounted a God upon earth. Furthermore, him we magnify, who like the 
[a] Luc. 16 19  rich glutton is clothed in purple & fine linen, or that like the Princes of judah, followeth after strange fashions: & that woman is ever the gallantest in the world's eye, the which like 
[b] Apoc. 17.7.  the Whore of Babylon is arrayed in purple, and scarlet, and guilded with gold & precious stones, & pearls, or who as the 
[c] Isa. 3.16.  daughter of Zion, walketh with a stretched out neck, a wandering eye, and a mincing pace, man more esteems & regards the tire of women's heads, wherein I have known some as variable as the Moon; or a Wire, or a Wimble, or a Crisping pin, than he does Chastity, Virtue, and Modesty; whereby a woman is made 
(d) Psal. 45.13.  like the King's daughter, all glorious within, such men, and such women as these pass for currant, though their minds be as ragged and beggarly, as the body of Lazarus; when as the rich in wisdom are set in low place. Lastly, the human eye is not only deceived in these outward objects, of Birth, Wealth, & Gorgeousness; but also in such things as concern the worship of God; as for example; an Hypocrite that can but put on an Angel's vizard, hang down his head like a bulrush in sign of humility; make long prayers in public places, blow a trumpet at his doors, when he gives alms, wash the outside of the Cup, & look demurely, carrying the counterfeit of gravity, 
(e) Prou. 30.12.  as that generation useth to do; that are pure in their own conceit, and yet are not washed from their filthiness; shall I warrant you be extolled by the people, who will bless the womb that bore him, and the paps that gave him suck; notwithstanding he is but like a painted sepulchre full of rotten bones, or like one of the Egyptian temples, which were outwardly curiously wrought, and guilded, but within which nothing was to be seen, but some filthy Idol or other, as a Dog, a Serpent, a Calf, or Crocodile; such like is that Saint upon earth, the hypocrite, a mere body of iniquity covered over, and wrapped in the cloak of sanctity, & thus does the human eye, like the eyes of blind Bartimeus, take men to be trees, and trees to be men; but it is not so with God, for his Eye beholdeth the heart, and therefore if he that is an elder brother, and honourable, be not also virtuous; he accounts him a fool, and compares him to the beasts that perish; and so may he justly censure the greater part of that rank; bacause ordinarily, Worldly honour & heavenly wisdom like the Oak and the Olive, never grow in one ground; as it was most lively declared among the Romans, (by the report of Fulgertius in their picture or Image of honour: they (saith he) painted honour like a woman, riding in a Chariot, wrapped in a mantle of divers colours, in one hand holding a Sceptre, in the other a Peacock and drawn by four Lions; first honour was resembled by a woman, because great men like Hevah are soon inveigled by the Serpent; for ordinarily in matters spiritual, they be more frail than any: by the Sceptre they did intimate sovereignty, by the coloured mantle, variety of pleasures, and by the peacocks spangled train, garish ostentation, hereby signifying that great personages, do cloth themselves with delights, as with a garment, and fix their felicity in matters of no moment; the Lions which draw the Chariot of honour, are indeed emblems of Royalty, yet being but bruit beasts, they show that Man being in honour, hath no understanding, but is compared unto the beasts that perish. As God respecteth not these mighty Nimrods', so likewise he regardeth not the wealthy Nabals, and the gorgeous Herod's of this world; the naked Lazarus, or john Baptist in Camel's hair, or Eliah clad in haircloth, are more dear and precious in his eyes, than any of these sheep with golden fleeces; for in his sight honour is but a bubble, wealth but the angling rod of Satan, as S. Basile calls it, and gorgeous attire, but like unto Adam's figleaves, the cover of man's shame. And as for the hypocrite though he cast a mist before the eyes of men, yet he cannot blind God with his impostures: no, for his eye can pierce and enter into the most secret cavern & closet of the heart; and therefore when he discovers a discordance betwixt the heart and the tongue, his judgement is this, woe be to thee thou pharisaical hypocrite; and thus does God contrary to the guise & fashion of the world bestow the birthright upon younger brothers, preferring David with his scrip & sheep hook, before Saul with his Crown and Sceptre, Lazarus in his poverty before the rich glutton in the midst of all his wealth, Ioh: Bap. in his garment of camels hair, before Herod in his royal apparel, & plain Nathaniel without guile or fraud, & the poor publican, before all whited walls, dissembling hypocrites & proud pharisees; wherefore we may conclude this point, and say with Peter, 
[f] Act. 10.34.  of a truth now we perceive that God is no accepter of persons, but in every nation, & in every degree, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness is accepted of him.  
Secondly, it was by the ordinance of God that Zebulun hath precedency of Isachar, who thereby teacheth us, that it is only he which preferreth or raiseth up one, and dejecteth or casteth down another; when Ezechiel saw in a vision the Majesty of God, after the appearance of a man, there were 
[g] Ezech. 1.18.  four wheels that moved before him full of eyes; whereby it was signified, that there is nothing done within the compass of this round world, but the eye of God's providence appeareth in it, we must not think as the Stoics did, that all things are governed by Fate or destiny; or by Chance and fortune, as the Epicures dreamt, and the Poets have imagined; but whatsoever falleth out, we must believe, that it is brought to pass, by the providence of God; whether generally in the whole world, or particularly in the actions of men; 
[h] Mat. 10.29. August. in Psal. 31.  a sparrow (saith our Saviour) falleth not to the ground without the will of our father, yea and all the hairs of our heads are numbered; Saint Augustine saith, that is a great offence for a man to say, it was my fortune, it was my chance; and Saint Basile doth grievously reprehend such as use these kind of phrases; saying, do not say this fell out by fortune, & this happened by chance, for in things created, there is not any one disordered, confused, or rashly done, but all by God's providence. But as amongst the Gentiles, this opinion concerning Chance and Fortune, did as the same Father affirmeth, grow from Atheism, and the ignorance of God; so amongst us that be Christians, the like conceit springeth from the want of divine knowledge, when we see a wicked man raised from the lowest ebb of poverty, to the height or greatest pitch of honour; we usually say, that such a man had good fortune; again, when we behold the head of a virtuous, and honourable man, brought with blood unto the grave; we commonly say, his chance was disastrous, and he had very ill luck; is not this plain Epicurism, when we bring in fortune, and exclude God's providence? Fortune's wheel is but a fable, or a poetical fiction, it is the finger of God alone that governeth and changeth all things, and it is only his powerful arm, that putteth down one, and raiseth up another; but it may be objected, if providence govern all things, why is there such a confusion here upon earth, for we often see the godly to be oppressed, and the wicked to flourish; as David saith 
(i) Psal. 73.  They are lusty and strong, they are not in trouble as other men, their eyes swell with fatness, they have more than their heart can wish, they are licentious, & they talk presumptuously; but of the contrary part, the righteous are weak and feeble with want, their lives are shut in the dungeon; waters flow over their heads, their eyes drop without stay, and cease not, their hearts are broken with sorrow, & their mouths are in the dust; the consideration of this difference betwixt the ungodly and the righteous, did in former times shake the faith even of the Saints of God, as it may appear by David's speech, 
(k) Psal. 73.  Lo these are the wicked, yet prosper they always and increase in riches, certainly I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency; and likewise job saith, 
(l) job. 1.6.21.  o that a man might plead with God, as a man with his neighbour; his meaning is, that if this liberty were granted, then would he know why God suffereth the wicked to live, and to wax old, and grow in wealth, why their breasts are full of milk, & their bones run full of marrow, when as the righteous dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure; thus by the observation of this supposed confusion, these holy men were almost brought to infidelity, and to say as the Atheist doth; 
(m) job. 21.15.  Who is the almighty, that we should serve him, and what profit should we have, if we should pray unto him. To this objection it is answered; that herein there is no confusion, for the reasons of God are most good and just, why he suffereth the godly to be oppressed, and the wicked to triumph and wallow in pleasure; for hereby the patience of the righteous like gold is tried in the fire; & the wicked are made inexcusable, who being in this sort advanced to honour and wealth, will not acknowledge God to be only he which raiseth up one and casteth down another.  
Zebulun shall dwell by the sea side, etc. or as Pagnine translates the words; Zebulun shall dwell in a Haven of the Sea, and he shallbe in the port of ships, and the bounds of his country shall stretch unto Zidon; the Chalde Paraphrast maketh this gloss upon them, Zebulun shall dwell upon the sea shore, he shall subdue the nations with his ships, and shall be fed with the goods of the sea, and his limits shallbe unto Zidon; in these words jacob prophesieth of the country, which was to fall by Lot to the Tribe of Zebulun; but in that he saith, his border shallbe unto Zidon, it is to be understood, that he meaneth, Over against Zidon; for otherwise his prophecy had not been fulfilled, for in the book of josuah, where the 
(n) Ios. 19  dwelling of Zebulun is bounded there is no mention at all made of Zidon; when Moses before his death blessed the Tribes of Israel, he spoke thus unto Zebulun 
(o) Deu. 33.18.  Rejoice Zebulun in thy going out, that is to say, in thy prosperous voyages upon the sea, and and a little after he saith, that the Zebulunites should suck of the abundance of the sea, and of the treasures hid in the sand; this speech of Moses is an Explanation of jacob's words, who telleth Zebulun that his posterity shall have their portion in a place of great plenty, and very fruitful, and that they should be very wealthy & rich; as for the most part all Merchants be, & such as dwell in haven towns; hence we may learn that the lot of men for their habitation or dwelling upon the earth, and also their portion either of wealth or penury falleth not out unto them by fortune or chance, but by God's providence and appointment, for as it is in the Psalm, 
(p) Psal. 24.  The earth is the Lords, and the fullness thereof, therefore every one should be contented with his portion & lot, as being assigned unto him by God.  
There be four Vocations or professions of men most necessary in a commonwealth, & all these by the assignment of God were in the land of Israel a Priest, a Soldier, a Husbandman, and a Merchant; Levi was the Priest, as Moses saith, 
(q) Deut. 33.8.  Let thy Thummim and thine urim be with thine holy one; Gad was the Soldier, for of him it is said 
(r) Deut. 33.20.  he dwelleth as a Lion that catcheth for his pray the arm with the head, 
(s) Deut. 33.18.  Isachar was the Husbandman, for he must rejoice in his tents, and Zebulun was the Merchant, for he shall rejoice in his going out; these four professions, are most necessary & profitable, & yet like balaam's ass, even where they deserve well for their service they receive stripes.  
First the vocation of a Priest is most honourable, because the Priest or the minister, is God's Angel, without whose instructions the people must needs perish, because faith comes by hearing, and none is allowed by God to open the sealed book of his my stories, but only whom his lamb Christ jesus sendeth forth to preach, and to baptise; and yet for all this of all other men the Minister of the Gospel is ever the most hardly used, both in reputation and maintenance; as it was with our Saviour, so is it with him; if he but eat and drink, our jewish scoffers will say he is a friend of publicans and sinners, if he neither eat nor drink, they will say of him as it was said of john Baptist, he hath the devil; and whereas it is fit that such as serve at the Altar should live of the Altar, the griping worldling to his power abridgeth the minister ever of his duty, saying to him, as the devil said to Christ, 
(t) Maih. 3.  if thou be the son of God command these stones to be made bread; so he, if thou be'st the minister of God, command the stones of the Altar to be turned into bread, and eat them or elsie starve; in former time when gross popery reigned the laity was like Pharaohs 
(u) Gen. 41.2.3.  lean kine, and the Clergy like they fat; but now the world is changed, for the Eyes of the moiety are swollen up with fatness, and the Clergies visage 
(x) Lam. 4.8.  like the famished Nazarites is blacker than a coal, and their skin cleaveth to their bones; Impropriations and Simoniacal contracts of patrons, whose language is ever that of the Traitor judas; quid dabitis? what will you give? are like unto the strong teeth of Leviathan, by which the laity, (whom I may well liken to the bear with three ribs in in his mouth spoken of by Daniel,) 
(y) Dan. 7.5.  hath eaten up & devoured three parts of the livings of the Church; But with what face & conscience can you receive tithes and oblations, 
Damas'. decr. 3.  seeing you are neither able to pray for yourselves nor others? saith Damasus, and thus the Minister, who is the most necessary member of a commonwealth, is not only disgraced, but also peeled, spoiled, cut short, and half shaven like 
(z) 2. Sam. 10.  David's servants by the King of Ammon.  
The second honourable vocation is of the Soldier, who exposeth his body to imminent danger, and putteth his life in his hands, for the defence of his country, without whose sword, no Realm can be secured from the invasion of foreign enemies; and yet (alas) if he return as it often falleth out, dismembered from the wars, with the loss of a leg, or of an arm, sacrificed for the safeguard of his nation; he is rewarded with unthankfulness, having the same entertainment, that Christ had amongst the jews, to wit, the Gall and Vinegar of affliction for his meat and drink, and a Whip for his entertainment; I do not here speak in the behalf of such, as without the commission of their Prince and Magistrate go to the wars to make a benefit, and to purchase their maintenance by the slaughter of men; as the Mercenary Suitzers use to do, for the action of such is a crying sin, and every drop of blood so shed cries out against them for vengeance, as the blood of 
(a( Gen. 4.10.  H●bel, did against Cain; neither do I in terming the vocation of a Soldier honourable give any applause to such, as are commonly called Carpet Knights, that in stead of Tents lie upon beds of ivory, in stead of armour are clad in silk and satin, and in stead of the cold earth lie upon their Delilah's, knees, and yet they be called Milites, or Soldiers, though their Soldiership or or Knighthood be but gotten, as 
(b) Act. 8.18.  Simon Magus would have purchased the power of giving the holy Ghost by the imposition of hands; namely, by Bribery; but when I commend a Soldier, my aim is at such a one, as being sent forth by the authority of the Prince for the defence of his country and nation, ventreth his life; such a one deserves to be respected, and relieved; because he is a necessary member in a commonwealth.  
Thirdly, the vocation of a Husbandman, is both most ancient and honourable; it is ancient, for 
(c) Gen. 3.19.  Adam was a husbandman, & his children were tilers of the ground; and it is honourable, because in former times 
(d) 1. Sam. 11.5.  Kings have not scorned to follow their cattle out of the field; also it is most necessary, for by the Plough the King is maintained, and but for tillage the people of the land would be eaten up with famine; and yet there is no man more oppressed and trodden upon, than this poor laborious Pismire; how is he continually set upon the Rack, and tenturd in his rent by his imperious & tyrannical Landlord, who like another Procustes stretcheth him upon a bed of steel; In Pharaohs dream 
(e) en. G 41.4.  The seven lean kine did eat up the seven fat; but now, The fat kine of Basan eat up the lean; that is; the Landlord, the husbandman, and the Gentleman, the farmer, in whom is verified the saying of God in the Psalm; They eat up my people like Bread, there be four little things upon the earth, and yet they do much hurt to the Husbandman; 
(f) joel. 1.4.  the palmerworm, the Grasshopper, the canker-worm, and the Caterpillar; The Palmerworm is the Extortioner, such a one was 
(g) 1. Reg. 21.  Ahab, who could not rest till he had gotten Nabaothes vineyard; and like unto him be all such great great men, as will not suffer a Husbandman that is a freeholder, to live by their good will in their Lordship, but by one sleight or other, they will worm him out of his inheritance, that so they may join house to house, & land to land.  
The Grasshopper, is the Encloser of Commons, making that part of his demain and Freeholde, which in former times, out of charity was given, & laid out for the relief of the poor. The Cankerworm, is the Improver & enhauncer of his Rents, by whose cruelty it comes to pass, that Beggary like a weed overruns the Commonwealth. For whosoever falleth into his Rough hands, is in as miserable a case, as 
(h) Luc. 10.  the man that travailing from Jerusalem to Hiericho, fell among thieves. Lastly, the Caterpillar is the decayer of Tillage, and the turner of arable Land into Pasture; Hence groweth the famine of Bread, and our cleanness of Teeth, and by these four is Husbandry spoiled, and the husbandman oppressed, whose profession is both necessary and profitable.  
The fourth honourable vocation is of the Merchant, and it may well be called Honourable; for I read that mighty Princes have been of that order; For 
(i) 1. Reg. 9.26.27.28.  Solomon and Hiram were Venturers, for they sent their Navies to Ophir, which I rather take to be the East Indies, then as Arias Montanus, and Vatablus think, Peru in America, because that country though it be rich in gold, 
Aria's Mont: in appa. suo ad Biblio. Vatablus in scholijs, sup. 9 cap. 1. lib. Reg.  yet it bringeth forth no Elephants, Apes, nor Peacocks, as Pererius affirmeth: All which together with Gold, were brought from Ophir, by the servants of Solomon & Hiram; by which means the land of Israel was so enriched, that in Jerusalem gold was as plentiful as stones: And even so there is abundance in all those countries where Shipping is maintained, and where the Merchant with encouragement, goeth down to the Sea in his ship, & occupieth his business in the great waters, for hereby the commodities of any land that may well be spared, are transported, and other brought in, with great advantage, and increase; Notwithstanding the Merchant is so profitable to the Commonwealth, that his Ship may fitly be called a kingdoms Mint, and a kingdoms storehouse; yet the Merchant as well as they whom I mentioned before, is not free from hard usage: for oftentimes burdens are laid upon his back, too heavy for him to bear; In portu navigo: or, my Ship is in the harbour, had wont to be the proverb of tranquillity & Rest, but now it falleth out that the Customers countenance is more terrible and harmful unto them then the Tempestuous north-wind; & the Merchant is as much troubled in the Haven, as amidst the raging waves of the Sea: for he can arrive in no Port, whether it be in Turkey, or Christendom, but the Officer like Saules evil spirit, will haunt him, & ransack his Ship; and therefore it cannot be said of the Merchants of our Time, as it was said of the Zebulunites, who were the Merchants of Israel. Rejoice Zebulun in thy going out, because their voyages are not so prosperous.  
Many of our Venturers, by shipwreck or piracy, are sunk, and utterly undone, but the 
(k) Deut. 33.  Zebulunites, as Moses saith, Did suck of the abundance of the Sea, & of the creatures hid in the Sand: that is to say, they were very Rich Merchants; for both Sea and Land did yield them fruits of increase: for they dwelled by the Seaside, which soil is for the most part very fruitful, and their Cities were Havens for Ships.  
Zebulun shall dwell by the Seaside, etc. The Zebulunites had a great portion or inheritance, and large borders, which was a singular blessing bestowed upon them by God; also their Port-townes & Havens were a marvelous benefit to their whole Tribe; but besides these, there be three things, which make the land of Zebulun most famous.  
First, the Mount-Tabor, where CHRIST was Transfigured; secondly, the City Nazareth, where CHRIST was Conceived, and brought up; and thirdly, because in that country he began to preach, to the people that sat in darkness, therein fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah, who saith, 
(l) Mat. 15.16.  The land of Zebulun, & the land of Nepthalim, by the way of the Sea, beyond jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, The people which sat in darkness, saw great Light, and to them which sat in the Region and shadow of death, Light is risen up. Herein we may observe the wickedness of the tribe of Zebulun, and the great Mercy of God.  
First, the Zebulunites in the time of Christ, were become as Gentiles, for they did not only Walk in Darkness, which sometimes Gods chosen do: for as the Wiseman saith, The righteous man falleth seven times a day, but they sat in darkness: that is, they had settled themselves in Gentilism, and were wholly addicted to Idolatry, or the worship of False Gods, having quite forgotten the GOD of Abraham, Isaac, & jacob; by whose outstretched arm they were placed in that fruitful land, & in those rich Havens. In them as in a Glass, we may see two things; First, what is the ordinary effect of worldly prosperity: and secondly, how soon such as dwell by the Sea, and in Port-townes are corrupted.  
For the first, the Zebulonites were blest with prosperous voyages by Sea, for they rejoiced in their going out: for these they should have been thankful to God, Whose wonders and glory they had seen in the deep. But lo, Prosperity makes them forget God, poverty, is like the Frenzy, and Plenty is like a Lethargy.  
And therefore, against these two Solomon prayeth, saying, 
(m) Pro. 30.8.9.  Give me not poverty, nor riches, Feed me with foo●e convenient for me, lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord, or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the Name of my God in vain.  
Many when they are pinched with want, will not bear it patiently as job did, who saith 
(n) job. 1.21.  Naked came I out of my Mother's womb, & naked shall I return thither, the Lord hath given it, & the Lord hath taken it, blessed be the name of the Lord; but with jobs wife, they are presently in the gall of bitterness 
(o) job. 2, 9  Cursing God, & dying desperately. Of the contrary part, Many that are Rich, will not call upon their Lutes & Harps, as David did, saying, Awake Lute and Harp, singing unto them this ditty, 
(p) Psal. 30.1.  I will magnify thee O Lord, for thou hast exalted me; but they attribute the increase of their wealth to their own policy and endeavour: and in their prosperity they say, I shall never be moved, therefore Soul take thy rest. This was expressed by our Grandfather Adam, in the names of his two sons, Cain and Habel, the first signifying Possession, the second Vanity: whereby he would give us to understand, that Man, the richer he grows, and the higher he climbs, the more he is devoted to Vanity, and the more he dotes on Follie.  
The like consideration moved joseph to call one of his sons Ephraim, and the other Manasseh, which are by interpretation, Increasing and Forgetfulness: As if he should have said, Abundance of wealth darkens the eye of the soul, and breeds an oblivion of God: this was true in the Zebulonites, and likewise for the most part, in such as be most wealthy. For, who are more negligent in the service of God than they? and who more careless of his holy Word, and Sacraments? These make Christ stand at their doors & knock. For unless it be to show their pomp, they will never enter into the gates of the house of Prayer: These make the Ministers of the Gospel, like 
(q) judg. 17 10.  Michaes Chaplain, serve their turns for meat and drink, and preach at their tables ends, only for Countenance.  
These are so cold in devotion, that they think it pains to go unto God's Temple, to receive the Sacrament, and therefore the Sacrament must come unto them.  
Belike these Slowe-bellies also are in hope, that when they die, God will send 
(r) 2. Reg. 2.11.  a fiery Chariot for them, as he did for Eliah, and thereby in State convey them into heaven; No, no, they deceive themselves, it is to be feared, that a fire will come down from heaven to consume them but no Chariot, to carry them from hence; Better is the poor man that is wise unto salvation, them the rich man that is a fool, & says in his heart, there is no God.  
For the second, the Zebulunites were Sea-borderers, and therefore the more wicked: for they that dwell by the Sea are most given to corrupt manners, either because of their wealth, which maketh them proud, or else because their Situation ministereth occasion of Robberies and Piracies, and their Trading with other countries breedeth a moral infection among them; and for this Plato in his Commonwealth, would not have the Metropolis, or chief City of a Kingdom to be near unto the Sea, but distant ten miles, as 
(s) Euseb. li. 12. de praepa. evang. c. 27.  Eusebius writeth, that Jerusalem was situate; Certain it is, that in places most populous, Satan bears the greatest sway; as in Cities & great towns, in them you shall find the Schoolman's ninefold rank of Devils; As first Hypocrites, or 
1 (t) Pseudothei.  false-gods, that by their feigned sanctity, lead captive simple women, and by their dissimulation, win reverence and adoration among men. Secondly 
2 (u) Spiritus mendaciorum.  Spirits of lies, these are Shopkeepers, which vent their wares with lying and cozenage, and use false- Measures, which are an abomination unto the Lord. Thirdly 
3 (x) vasa iniquitatis.  Vessels of iniquity, these are cheaters & deceivers, the disciples of Theutus, which devil, as Plato says, was the first inventor of Cards & Dice. Fourthly 
4. y ultores scelerum.  Revengers, assascinates, or cutthroats, that for less than judas Iscarioth, will be hired to stab & kill a Christian. Fiftly, 
5. (z) Praestigiatores.  jugglers, that is to say, deceitful Scribes and Lawyers, that by their legerdemain can mould the body of the Law like a Nose of wax, and alter the case according to the Clients fee. Sixtly, 
6. (a) Aereae potestates.  Airy powers, or turbulent & rebellious spirits, that are never contented with the present government: Such are all schismatics, that wilfully cut & divide themselves from the unity of the Church. seventhly, 
7 [b] Furiae.  Furies, or kindlers of debate & discord betwixt man and man; by carrying of forged tales, and whisperings in the ear. Eightly, 
8 [c] Exploratores.  Intelligencers, that like joab will embrace a man, & kill him; and like judas, kiss a man and betray him. And ninthly 
9 [d] Tentatores.  Tempter's, that like shadows, will follow and haunt men, provoking and inciting them to mischief, and afterwards exclaim and cry out against them, as the Devil himself useth to do, who is therefore called Astaroth, the accuser of his brethren.  
All these, and many legions more dwell in the City, that are far remote from the Sea; and for this cause our Saviour saith unto his spouse in the Canticles, 
(e) Cant. 7.11.  Come my well-beloved, let us go forth into the field, let us remain in the villages. Herein he declareth, that in solitary places, there is the greatest integrity, and in the Country there is the most plain dealing, and truest honesty. Sin & Sincerity, are like the Gout, and the Spider; the Spider is for the Cottage, the Gout for the Palace; if the Gout come into the cottage, it will want a pillow, and if the Spider go into the Palace, her web will be swept down; Even so Sin is for the City, and Sincerity for the Country: For if Sincerity should appear in the City, the Citizen will make a scoff at her Coat: because it is without seam, and therefore out of the fashion: and if Sin should abide in the country, it would soon be weary, because the country being not so rich as the city, cannot afford Sin so good entertainment as she desires.  
If then Cities, that are far distant from the Sea, be Caves of unclean Birds, and holds of foul spirits, what may we judge of Haven-townes, wherein not only domestic sins reign, but also at whose ports or keys continually arrives the Ships-of-foole; The Moabitish women were stumbling blocks to the Israelites, and they of tire & Zydon, no doubt, did in the land of Zebulun, corrupt & deprave the true worship of God, with their Idolatry; And so it is in all Nations; by intercourse & Confederacy, one learns the manners of another. Hence it is, that Englishmen, by conversing with Foreigners, are become like the Beast called Camelopardalis, which in one part resembleth the Camel, and in an other the Panther; For they sometimes fashion themselves, according to the Dutch, Sometimes they imitate the Italian and spaniard; And sometimes they follow the French, not only in Apparel, but also in manners, in borrowing Sobriety from the Dutchman, Sincerity from the Italian, and constancy from the Frenchman; And so did the Zebulunites, with their borderers; by which Imitation, the Light of true Knowledge, concerning God, was in the time of CHRIST utterly extinguished, and put out, and all the people, (as the Prophet saith) sat in darkness.  
Having discovered and laid open the sins and wickedness of Zebulun; Let us now take a survey of God's Mercy: In this Land of Darkness, was CHRIST by the Angel Gabriel, promised to the Virgin Marie, there he was conceived, and there brought up.  
Secondly, upon Tabor, a Mountain in this Country, he was Transfigured in glorious manner. And thirdly, amongst the tribes of Zebulun, and Nepthalim, which were become Gentiles, and so odious in the opinion of the jews, that they thought, that No goodness could come out of Galilee: CHRIST began to work his miracles, and to preach the gladsome tidings of eternal life.  
This teacheth us, that God hath mercy in store, even for them that are most wicked, if they will repent. And for this cause, sent his dear & well-beloved Son into the world, To gather together the lost Sheep of Israel.  
If then we have lost ourselves in the Darkness of sin, yet if we be Sheep that will hear his voice, we shall not perish, though for a time we be Lost sheep: Zacheus was a Publican, but after Christ had called him, he became the child of Abraham. Marry Magdalene was possessed with seven Devils, and yet Many sins were forgiven her, because she loved much; and one of the Malefactors that was Crucified with our Saviour, was a Thief, and yet he was made a free-denizen in Paradise.  
If therefore (saith S. Chrysostome,) any man have sinned grievously, yet let him not despair, but looking upon these examples of God's mercy, comfort himself. For Christ was Conceived amongst the Zebulunites, by his conception, instructing us, that he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance; he was transfigured upon mount Tabor in the land of Zebulun; to signify that he is not only the glory of Israel, but also a light unto the Gentiles; and he first preached among them that sat in darkness, declaring hereby; that if sinners will be converted unto him, they shall enjoy that which the Gospel promiseth, eternal life: for sweet and merciful is the Lord, and his commiserations spread over all the rest of his wonderful works.   

THE SIXTH SERMON OF ISACHAR.  GEN. CAP. 49.14.15. 
Isachar shall be a strong Ass couching down he ween two burdens, and he shall see that rest is good, and that the land is pleasant, and he shall bow his shoulders to bear, and shall be subject unto tribute.  
ISachar was the fift son of jacob and Leah, and his name signifies Wages, and Reward, according to the first signification, it hath relation to Reubens' Mandrakes, for the which Leah bargained with Rahel, that jacob should sleep with her, whereupon she conceived and bare Isachar, the history hereof is thus recorded by Moses; 
(a) Gen. 30.14.15.16.17.  Reuben (saith he) went in the days of wheat harvest, and found Mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah, then said Rahel to Leah, give me I pray thee of thy sons Mandrakes; but she answered, is it a small matter for thee to take my husband, except thou take my sons Mandrakes also? then said Rahel, therefore he shall sleep with thee this night for thy sons Mandrakes; and jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said come into me, for I have bought and paid for thee with my sons Mandrakes, and he slept with her that night, and God heard Leah, and she conceived and bare unto jacob the fift son, who was called Isachar, which name is agreeable to the circumstance of his conception, for when he was begotten, she paid wages to Rahel for her husband's company; These wages were 
(b) Epiph: in philol. cap. 4. Aug. lib. 22. cont. Faust. cap. 36. Rhodigin; l. 7 Lect: antiq: cap. 3.  as some think, Mandrake apples, and that therefore Rahel was so desirous of them, because they have virtue to cause women to conceive; but this is a mere fable, for the Mandrake apple is very refrigerative, a great procurer of sleep, and forgetfulness, and 
(c) Galen: lib. 7. simple. medicament. Oleast. in gen. cap. 30.  Galen saith, that it is cold in the third degree; furthermore Rahel notwithstanding these Mandrakes conceived not, neither would Leah, having now ceased to bear, have given them away, if they had any such virtue; others take them to be flowers, which were wondrous fair in colour, and sweet in smell; Oleaster says they were lilies; Onkelos holdeth, that they were violets, and some think they were enchanted, or loveflowers, but Rahel needed not to use any enchantments, for her husband did already love her most dearly; most likely it is, that they were lovely flowers both for sight & smell, as the Hebrew word Dudaim signifies, but what flowers they were, it is uncertain; howsoever certain it is, that they were very pleasant, else would Rahel never for them have foregone her husband's company one night, in this bargain of Leah we may observe, both how desirous she was of children, and also how loving she was to jacob, because rather than she will want his society, she will buy him, & pay for him with her sons Mandrakes; Secondly Isachar signifies a reward; & accordingly, Leah after her delivery of this son, frameth her speech, saying, 
d) Gen. 30.18.  God hath given me my reward, because I gave my maid unto my husband; in these words she both manifesteth the chief occasion of Isachars name; and also bewrayeth her own infirmity; in that she assigneth that to be the cause of her reward, which by the institution of God was forbidden; namely, Polygamy, or the multiplicity of wives and concubines, as it may appear by the words of God, saying, 
e) Gen. 2.24.  Man shall leave his father and his mother, & shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh; the breach of any law is sin, and therefore as jacob's tetragamie cannot be justified, no more can Laban, Rahel and Leah be excused, who were the causes impulsive of this error in him: and yet Leah thought that she had done well, in giving her handmaid Zilpah to jacob, and therefore she saith, that God had given her a reward for it, and this her conceit she expresseth in the name of her son Isachar, which is by interpretation a reward: and thus in stead of acknowledging her fault, she braggeth and boasteth of it; as I cannot but commend her, in that she would give wages to buy her husband; so I cannot but condemn her, in that she maketh God accessary to evil, in calling him a Rewarder of her guiltiness in jacob's trespass. Isachar shall be a strong Ass, etc. these words contain the character of Isachar & his posterity, whom jacob compareth unto an Ass; not out of any contempt of them, though the Ass be a contemptible beast: but only by comparing the one to the other, to show what kind of men the Isacharites should be; The Ass is an humble, profitable, and a gentle creature; whereas then Isachar is likened unto an Ass, jacob does hereby make the Ass an Emblem of three things which were praise worthy in the tribe of Isachar, to wit, humility, public utility, and meekness; first the Isacharites were men 
(f) Deut. 33 18. Prou. 30.28 judg. 9.5. 2. King. 11.1 1. Sam. 22.9. Amos. 7.10. 1. King. 12.31.  that rejoiced in their tents, (as Moses saith) they were not like unto the ambitious spider, which (as Solomon writeth) taketh hold with her hands, and is in King's palaces, as most worldlings be, some catching hold with the bloody hand of violence, and thereby striving to mount, as Abimelech and Athaliah did: some by fraudulencies smooth hand, advancing themselves as the Talebearing Do●g did in the Court of King Saul, and flattering Amaziah in the King's Chapel at Bethel, and some by the guilded hand of Bribery, procuring preferment, as jeroboams Priests did, and as many clergy men at this day do, the scholars of Simon Magus, who though they be asini coronati, as one of the Emperors censured them in his speech to the King of France, yet they have as aspiring minds as Lions: such were not the children of Isachar; for they were humble and lowly minded; in this respect, it is good for every man to be an Ass like Isachar, because the humble are blessed; and the proud are cursed: for 
n) 1. Pet. 5.5  God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble; he cast down the high 
o) Gen. 11.8.9.  Tower of Babel, and raised the low Tabernacle in Siloh: he deposed proud 
p) Dan. 4.30  Nabuchadnezzar, and advanced humble David: and he resisted the haughty and insolent 
q) Hest. 7.10  Haman, but graced the poor-spirited Mordecai; humility, though in the world's eye, it be but like Hagar in Abraham's house, a despised bondwoman, yet in the sight of God, it is as S. Bernard saith, the Queen of virtues, that standeth upon the right hand of the King of heaven in a vesture of gold, wrought about with divers colours; for 
r) Luc. 1.52.  God casteth down the mighty from their seats, and exalteth the humble, and them of low degree; humility is one of those flowers that grew in the cheek of Christ; of whom the spouse thus speaketh in the Canticles, 
s) Cant. 5.13  his cheeks are as a bed of spices and sweet flowers; and these flowers were Humility, Purity, Charity & Patience, in sign of his humble mind, he rid into Jerusalem upon an 
t) Luc. 19.35.  Ass, thereby teaching us to learn of him to be humble and meek; though like Serpents we stop our ears, because we will not be charmed, with Christ's exhortation, yet me thinks the frailty of our own nature should abate the swelling humour of Pride, being truly considered and examined; 
v) Psal. 144 3.4.  Lord what is man? man is altogether vanity, his time passeth away like a shadow; what is man? 
x) Gen. 3.19  Dust that must return to dust; then why art thou proud, o dust and ashes? what is man? an Idol and a light shadow saith Sophocles, and what are the greatest of men? they be but like unto y nabuchadnezzar's Image, which he saw in his dream; though their heads were golden diadems, though their breasts and arms be arrayed in cloth of silver, though their thighs be harnessed with brazen armour, and though their legs be as strong as pillars of iron, yet are therefore but Clay, and therefore their state is most frail and brittle; our grandfather the first man was called Adam, because he was made of Adamah, which is Red clay, or red earth, and we that are his children, are framed of the same metal or matter, and therefore like potten vessels we be soon bruised and broken in pieces; oh then why should any man be proud; or puffed up with vain glory? art thou honourably descended, yet be not proud of thy birth or alliance, for he that brags of that, boasteth of that which is his own, saith Seneca; art thou fair and well-favoured like Absolom or Hester? though beauty be as Plato saith, the principality of nature, and according to Aristotle, a greater commendation than all epistles; yet let it not make thee Proud; because All flesh is grass and quickly withereth; art thou Rich? yet let not thy wealth make thee prouder, for naked thou camest out of thy mother's womb, and naked thither thou shalt return; art thou learned? yet be not proud; for human knowledge is but foolishness in God's sight; seeing then that man hath nothing to be justly proud of, why should he not rather strive to be like the humble ass, than the headstrong horse, that must be holden in with bit and bridle;  
Secondly, the Isacharites, were very profitable members to the commonwealth of Israel, for they were Husbandmen, & did exercise tillage; and therefore jacob compareth his son Isachar to an ass both in regard of his laborious vocation, and also in respect of that commodity which is reaped by husbandry; what beast taketh more pains then the ass and what beast can be more for profit, then that which taketh pains; the Isacharites then being Husbandmen were right Asses, because they were both painful and profitable; they did not like the 
(z) Amos. 6.4.  fat kine of Bashan, or the noble men of Zion lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their beds; but they did rise up early and went to bed late; They did not spend the time in singing to the sound of the viol, in inventing to themselves instruments of Music, in drinking wine in bowls, anointing themselves with the chief ointments; but making the Pismire their precedent; of which Solomon saith, 
(a) Pro. 6.6.  Go to the Pismire o sluggard, behold her ways, and be wise; in the sweat of their brows they ate their bread; by whose labours it came to pass, that the rest of the Tribes were well fed, and plenty of meat and drink was in their Prince's palaces; the Plough is the true Cornucopia, or horn of plentifulness, and where it is not followed, Scarcity comes like an Armed man, and Dearth upon a 
(b) Apo. 6.5.  Black horse with balances in his hand; the one violently, the other speedily; In a well-governed commonwealth therefore, every man ought to be an Isacharite, and put his hand unto the Plough; that thereby he may show himself to be a profitable member; The King's plough is a vigilant care over his Subjects, in making good laws and seeing them executed, in suppressing the wicked and protecting the good, and in ministering justice without respect of persons; the bishops plough is Watchfulness; the word Episkopos says Plato, 
Aug. de Sanct. Ser. 51. Iliad. 10.  signifies a Vicegerent or an Overseer; he is called a Bishop (says Austin) who is the superintendant; Homer calls the Scoutmaister in an army Episkopos, and Andromache named her husband Hector the Bishop of Troy, because to him principally was commended the defence of the city, the very name then of a Bishop, tells every Bishop, how he must follow his Plough, and look to his charge; he is the Church's sentinel that must sit in the watchtower; 
(c) Cant. 2.14.  the Church is a dove in the holes of the rock, therefore he must preserve her from the harpies talant, 
(d) Cant. 2.2.  The Church is a lily therefore he must look to her that she be not gorged & galled with thorns, the Church is a Rose, therefore he must keep her from the Cankerworm, Heresy and Schism be the ravenous Harpies, pricking thorns, and venomous worms; as the King and the Bishop have their several Ploughs, so every inferior person whether clerical or Laical, must have his hand ever at his Plough, for if the Clergiemans' Plough rest, the souls of men will starve for want of the Bread of life; and if the Layemans' plough lie idle; the commonwealth like the 
(e) Pro. 24.31.  Sluggards field willbe overgrown with thorns and briars, want and penury; Thirdly, the Isacharites, were a people so meek and gentle, that they would bear any burden upon their backs rather than kick against the Prick, or seek revenge; and herein they fitly resemble the ass, which of all living creatures will bear strokes with the greatest patience; as may be gathered out of Homer's words, 
Hom. li●. 11.  who saith, that the slow ass, though many staves be broken upon his back, yet will he not be moved, and driven from his pasture; The Egyptian Priests in their Hieroglyphickes, deciphered a patiented meek man, by painting an asses-head upon a man's body; and if we look into the history of Balaam and his Ass, we shall there see the perfect picture of a hasty man and a meek Beast; Balaam because his Ass would not go forward, smote her divers times with a staff, & also wished that there had been a sword in his hand, that therewith he might have killed her; But the Ass when the Lord had opened her mouth gave him no harder language but this; 
(f) Numb. 22.28.30.  What have I done unto thee that thou smitest me three times? am not I thine ass, which thou hast ridden upon since thy first time unto this day? have I used at any time to do thus unto thee? these words were framed by the Angel of the Lord, who maketh the asses tongue his instrument of speech, as the devil used the 
(g) Gen. 3.1  Serpent when he tempted Eva; but yet the phrase and manner of speaking does aptly agree with the asses meek and gentle nature; whereas then jacob saith that Isachar shallbe an ass; his meaning is, that his posterity shall not only be lowly minded, and profitable to the commonwealth, but also patiented, long suffering, and meek spirited; such an ass must every true Christian be, namely, Meek and gentle; it was no shame for our Saviour in that he was compared to a 
(h) Isa. 5.7.  Sheep in regard of his meekness, and it is no disgrace for us if we be his disciples to be likened to an ass in respect of our gentleness; amongst the people called Cumai, the Adulteress that had ridden upon an ass, which was their customary punishment, 
Plut. in probls.  was ever afterward in disgrace called, Onobatis, or Asse-rider; now it were to be wished, that all such hot spurs, and impatient Shimeihs, as will not imitate the ass in meekness, might like the Cumaean adulteresses, when they offend with their fiery tongues, & shoot out their arrows, even bitter words, be compelled to ride upon asses, that being so put to shame, shame might force them, to learn of Christ to be meek; 
(i) Math. 5.5.  Blessed are the meek (saith Christ) for they shall inherit the earth, and the Psalmist saith, that 
(k) Psal. 37.11.  meek men shall possess the earth, and shall have their delight in the multitude of peace; but of the contrary part, our Saviour tells us, 
(l) Mat. 15.22.  that whosoever is angry with his brother unadvisedly, shallbe culpable of judgement, and whosoever saith unto his brother Raca, which word in the Syrians language, is Idle brain, shallbe worthy to be punished by the counsel; and whosoever shall say foul, shallbe worthy to be punished with hell fire; seeing then that Blessedness attendeth upon the Meek & gentle, and that judgement and the Curse of God hangeth over the houses of Angry and fiery persons, let us all strive to conquer and subdue this hot and wilful passion; which (as the Philosopher saith) is worse than madness; what though Heraclitus say it is hard wrestling against anger, and Plato, that anger is neither to be striven with, nor to be subdued; yet by the help of God's spirit we may easily extinguish this immoderate heat, if we but set before our eyes the Great reward of Meekness and the sharp punishment of Anger.  
Isachar shallbe a strong ass, etc. The Ass is a word of Disgrace, but strength is commendable, so than though according to the letter of this text jacob seems to vilify Isachar, in saying he shall be an ass; yet he magnifies and blesseth him and his Tribe in comparing him to a strong Ass; or as it is in Hebrew, an ass of good bones, or as Oleaster interprete the words, An ass with a strong, & a spiny back: that is to say, as Onkelus translates them, Rich, and Wealthy, and according to jacob's speech it fell out; for the portion or lot of the Isacharites, in regard of the soil was more fruitful than the inheritance of any other Tribe, for in it lay Esdrelon, abounding with Corn, wine, and oil, there likewise were the mountains of 
(m) 2. Sam. 1.21.  Gilbo●h, which were cursed by David, because upon them Saul & jonathan were slain, & these were very fertile, Isachers' posterity then, were both asses, and strong, that is, rich and humble, rich and profitable to others, & Rich and Meek, in them we may behold Three rarities, or three Wonders.  
First, it is a very strange thing to see a Rich man humble; for Riches are of the nature of the dropsy, they make a man swell; every foolish & churlish Nabal, that hath a possession of his own in Carmel, and is master of three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats, will scorn, & disdain the worthiest David; saying, 
(n) 1. Sam. 25.10.  Who is David, and who is the son of Ishai? also these Cormorants which like Caterpillars are but engendered ex putredine, of some muddy and slimy stock, when they have scraped together store of wealth, and have commenced Gentlemen, or are made simoniacal Knights, they, I say, will look for more reverence and worship, than he which is truly generous and noble borne; and indeed their expectation is seldom frustrated; for the poorer sort do crouch unto them, and bow their knees to these Baal's and unrighteous Mammon's; but yet I may say as Aristodemus of Sparta was wont to say, Riches, Riches are the man; it is the Wealth of these men, not their Persons, which all people so much respect; & therefore they may well be compared to the ass, which amongst the Egyptians bore upon her back the Image of Isis; This ass going along the streets, and seeing the people kneel & do reverence, thought that this obeisance was made to her, not knowing that it was for the Goddesses sake, whom she bore upon her back; hereof there is an Emblem; with this motto, Non tibi sed Isidi; Not to thee, but to Isis; this Ass may be the Rich & proud churls looking glass, wherein he may see how he imitates the Ass in stupidity and simplicity, but not in humility; I do not condemn him because he is strong, for 
(o) Eccles. 6.2.  Riches are the gift of God; but for that his strength makes him proud and insolent; if the worldling would like Isachar be a strong ass; that is, join Wealth and Humility together; then should I commend him, like Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, who were very Rich and very Humble; but such kind of strong asses, are as rare as black Swans; for it is the nature of wealth to make men arrogant; & therefore I account it a wonder in the Isacharites, that were both asses & strong; wealthy & poor in spirit; so should all men be, for if we look upon this world's pelf with judicious eyes, we shall find, that they be not so honourable things, as Euripides esteemed them, and likewise, Antiphanes, Herod, and Menander; the first of which writes thus; O god the m st excellent ornament of mortal men: the second, Silver is the blood and soul of a man: the third, Riches are the souls of miserable mortal men: and the fourth, Our Silver and our gold, are our best Gods: Are Riches blood? why then do rich men grow old? Are Riches the Soul? why then do rich men die? are Riches Gods, why then do rich men go to hell? but leaving these poets and Idolaters that make Mammon a God, let us see what there is in Wealth that can make a wiseman proud; What are Riches? Things gotten with much labour and care, kept with suspicion, and jealousy, and lost with anguish of mind and despair; what are riches? an unhappy or miserable harvest, and the snare of the soul, for they which be rich fall into many temptations: what are Riches? impediments and hindrances of salvation? 
(p) Math. 19.24.  it is more easy for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God: If the Proud worldling would but imprint this consideration in his mind, he might prove to be an Isacharite, rich, and humble, and hereby work a miracle.  
Secondly, it is wonderful, to find a Rich man, that is profitable to others; the Rich man is a golden Ass, but his gold as little profiteth the Commonwealth, as Midas his meat being turned into gold, did profit or pleasure him; Nay, he is so far from distribution to any man, that the more he desireth; his tongue like the horseleeches daughters, crieth continually Give, Give; his throat is an open Sepulchre, and his desires like the barren womb, and Hell-mouth will never be satisfied.  
I have read of a covetous Richman, who lying upon his Deathbed, made his last will or Testament, and therein because no man living should far the better by him, he bequeathed all his lands and goods to himself: There be many as unwilling to be beneficial to others, though not so foolish as that miserable wretch. The Poets feign Plutus, whom they make the god of wealth, to be blind and lame: Blind, because he blindeth rich men, in such sort, that they will neither look upon, nor look unto any but themselves; and lame, because he maketh richmen so lame, both in their hands & feet: that neither their hands can give any meat to the hungry, nor their feet walk to visit the sick, & such as be in prison; because wealth maketh a man more covetous than otherwise he would be, and less profitable to the commonwealth. Therefore Plato wished that out of his Commonwealth gold & silver might be banished; for as he thought, it was impossible for a man to be rich & good; I cannot absolutely subscribe to this position, because we read of divers in the Scriptures, who were both goodmen, and richmen; as for example, Abraham, Isaac, jacob, & job: and even in our days, there have been many richmen so good both to the Church and Commonwealth, that they deserve to be called Patres patriae, & Ecclesiae nutritij: The Fathers of their country, and nourcers of the Church; These are builders of Hospitals, Founders of Colleges, & Charitable workers.  
O let all such men O Lord, be had in perpetual memory, & ever flourish in thy house like green Baie-trees: but as the number of them which bowed not the knee to Baal, was nothing comparable to them that went a whoring after that strange-god; so there be scarce seven of seven thousand richmen, that will voluntarily disburse a mite for the public good either of the Church or the Commonwealth.  
thirdly, it is rare to see a Richman that is meek and gentle; for wealth is the mother of Pride, and pride begetteth impatience. richmen therefore are like Aesop's Ass, wrapped in a lions skin, cruel and rigorous in their carriage and behaviour: He that is truly meek and patiented, when he is smitten on the right cheek, will turn the other also: & when he is sued at the Law for his coat, will deliver up his cloak also: being so far from seeking revenge, that like a sheep, dumb before the shearer, he will not so much as open his mouth to complain of any wrong, but bear all with meekness: but richmen do quite contrary: & therefore few of them be meek & gentle; Let but one of their inferiors offer to touch their cheeks, they will presently do to them as 
(q) 1. Kings, 25.7.  Nabuchadnezzar did to Zedekiah, pluck out his eyes: or if he lay any claim to their cloak, they will serve him such a trick as the 
(r) 2. Sam. 16.7.  king of Ammon did David's Ambassadors, cut his garments so short, that he shall want wherewith to cover his nakedness; There be five foolish virgins, which continually follow this Ass, 
(s) Apo. 14.4.  as the five wise virgins follow the Lamb; & these are sorceresses, that make him drunk with the cup of impatience: the first is, Orgilotes, she upon every slight and light occasion stirreth and provoketh him to anger; the second is Acrocholia, & she filleth his heart with the gall of bitterness, & anointeth his tongue with the poison of asps; the third is Picrotes, she makes him Engrave his wrongs & discontents in marble, so that they may never be forgotten: the fourth is Chalepotes, her office is to remove out of his body the fleshy-heart, and to give him a heart of stone; the fift is Menis, and she maketh him so perfectly outrageous and mad, that any little trespass moves him forthwith to take his neighbour by the throat.  
These are the Euill-spirits that haunt richmen, by whose charms it comes to pass, that it is a great wonder if any of them be like Isachar both strong and asses; that is to say, Rich, and Gentle, Isachar shall be a strong Ass, couching down between two burdens, etc.  
judah by jacob, is compared unto a Lion couchant: whereby is understood that his victorious family should be afraid of no enemy; but Isachar is likened to an Ass Couchant, because he must yield his back to the burden, and his shoulders to bear; some Hebrews say, that by Isachars Couching like an Ass, is meant their great labour and study in the Law; because in the first book of the Chronicles, and the twelfth Chapter, it is said, 
(t) 1. Chron. 12.32.  that the children of Isachar had understanding in their times, and knew what Israel ought to do; this is but a strained interpretation; for all that can be collected from hence, is this, that the Isacharites which took David's part against the house of Saul, were men of good experience, which in the managing of war, and ordering of battles, knew at all times what was to be done; more truly, by the Ass Couchant is signified, the great labour and toil which the Isacharites did endure in the tillage of the ground, and this exposition is most correspondent to the quality of a husbandman; whose custom is to rise up early, to go to bed late, and to eat the bread of carefulness, which three will make the strongest body couch, and droop, and these are incident to all husbandmen; for if they hope to prosper and thrive, they must not say as the Sluggard in the proverbs did, 
(v) Prou. 24.33.  Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, and a little folding of the hands to sleep; but they must rise up early, neither must they follow the course of the Sun in going to bed when it sets; nor like the Epicure say, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die; but they must be watchful and careful, for otherwise 
(x) Prou. 24 34.  poverty will come upon them, as upon one that traveleth by the way; if a man be an Ass rampant▪ and play the prodigal, he will soon be brought to keep hogs; and if a man be an Ass dormant, and neglect his business, he will quickly, according to the Proverb, scratch a poor man's head: therefore he that desireth to rejoice in his tents like Isachar, must like Isachar Couch like an Ass between two burdens.  
Couching between two burdens, etc. the word in the original which is Mishphat, signifieth both a Bound, a Lot, & a Burden; and therefore some have interpreted the words thus; Isachar shall be a strong Ass, lying between two bounds; the Sea of Galilee on the one side, & Thabor on the other: some thus, Isachars portion shall lie between the Lots of Manasseh and Zebulun, having the Lot of Manasseh upon the South, and Zebulun upon the North, but the most natural exposition is, to say that Isachar coucheth between Burdens, for so shall the translation not vary from that metaphor which jacob useth, calling Isachar an Ass, betwixt whom & Isachar there is this similitude; as the Ass yieldeth his back to the burden, and willingly beareth it, and plieth his provender notwithstanding his burden, so shall Isachar labour as an Ass in tilling of the ground, and shall yield to the payment of any tax or tribute, rather than leave his tents or go abroad: but here this question may be demanded; were the Isacharites more burdened then the rest of the Tribes of Israel? they were, first because of the fruitfulness of their country, for they were very rich, and therefore in equity they were to allow large subsidies to the King; secondly, being wealthy, they were content to buy their rest & quietness with money; thirdly, being husbandmen, they were therefore liable to the most burdens, because ever the weakest in reputation go to the wall; & therefore their plough must feed the Epicure with dainty fare, & it must clothe the rich glutton with purple and fine linen, the Burden then between which the Isacharites did couch, were these two; Tillage, and Tribute; And he shall see that rest is good, and that the land is pleasant, and he shall-bowe his shoulder to bear, and shall be subject unto tribute; in these words jacob allegeth the causes why Isachar is an Ass; and these are the Sweetness of rest, and the pleasantness of the land; for because Rest is good, & the land pleasant, therefore he shall pay tribute to procure rest, & willingly take pains, because the land yields him fruits of increase; Tillage and tribute were Isachars burdens; the first whereof, though it be heavy, yet the carriage of it to delightsome, the second, though it be troublesome to his back, yet it dischargeth him of many encumbrances; so than his Rest was painful, and his labour pleasant: his rest was painful because it made him subject to tribute, but he was contented with any imposition to obtain his freedom, and live at home; because the Retired and quiet life is the best of all other; the rest of the tribes of Israel, which had not so heavy a burden laid upon them; were ever at the King's command, either for service in the war, or attendance in the Court; now Isachar seeing that the companions of War, are Death and Danger; and that the Court is a gorgeous or sumptuous prison, where the greatest nobles wear golden fettars; therefore he chooseth rather to rejoice in his Tent, & to live privately, and quietly, though his rest be costly; certainly, notwithstanding the husbandman's burden is heavy, yet his manner of life is very sweet and happy; first because he lives very laboriously, and ever eats his bread in the sweat of his brows; and this his labour is Physic, both for his body and his soul, first it preserves his body from diseases; for what man is so healthful as the husbandman? who can have a better appetite, and better digestion than he; of the contrary part, such as wallow in pleasure, & live idly; are ever either chastened as David was by their reins in the night season, or else like Mephiboseth, they are lame of their feet; the Stone and the Gout, cleave (like 
(y) 2. Reg. 5.27.  the Leprosy to Gehazj) to such as lead idle and intemperate lives; secondly the husbandman's labour is the devils obstacle; for what is the cause that the labouring man is ordinarily less vicious than such as live at ease; because ease and slothfulness are the occasions of many sins, as appeareth in the Sodomites, 
(a) Ezech. 16.49.  whose iniquity, was pride, fullness of bread, & abundance of idleness. S. Ambrose showeth by the similitude of the crab-fish and the Oyster, how Satan tempteth and inveigleth such as live idly: The crab (saith he) most willingly eateth the meat of Oysters, but for so much as the Oyster is well fortified on both sides with most strong shells; so as they cannot be broken by force, therefore the Crab doth craftily watch, till the Oyster do open herself to the sun, & to take the air, & then she putteth a stone into the mouth of the gaping Oyster, whereby being hindered from closing of her shells, she safely thrusteth in her claws, & feedeth of the meat; so (saith he) while men be given to idleness, and open their minds to pleasures, the devil cometh and putteth in filthy cogitations; so that when they are not able to draw back their shell, wherewith they were armed before, they are presently devoured; it is Idleness then that layeth a man open to the temptations of Satan: but Labour 
(b) Eph. 6.16.  like the shield of faith, quencheth all the fiery darts of the devil; The husbadman is like Demosthenes, he spends more oil than wine; but the Wanton Chamberer is like the Epicure, he spends more wine than oil; hence it is; that the one is so honest, and the other so dissolute; because the one takes pains, and the other lives idly; Secondly, the husbandman's life is both happy and sweet, because it is a Quiet life; and therefore in that Isachar chooseth it before any other, he may well be compared to the Olive tree, the figtree, & the vine in jotham's parable; 
(c) judg. 9  The trees (says jotham) went forth to anoint a King over them, & said unto the olive tree, reign over us: but the olive tree said unto them, should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to advance me above the trees? then the trees said to the figtree, come thou and be King over us; but the figtree answered them: should I forsake my sweetness & my good fruit, & go to advance me above the trees? then said the trees unto the vine, come thou and be King over us; but the vine said unto them should I leave my Wine? whereby I cheer God a● man, and go to advance me above the Trees? So Isachar, like the figtree, will not forego his sweetness, like the Olive-tree, will not departed from his Fatness: and like the Wive, will not forsake his cheerfulness, for to wear a Diadem, or sway a Sceptre; And his reason is, because there is no life like the quiet and private life, either for the service of God, or for the contentation of the mind.  
Let us but cast our eyes upon the Ambitious Brambles, which desire to grow in Palaces, and to have other Trees put their trust under their shadow, and we shall find that in them there is neither Fatness, Sweetness, nor cheerfulness; No, for in stead of these, they bear Pricks, the Prick of Fear, the Prick of Suspicion, the Prick of Emulation, and the Prick of Discontent.  
For one of them being grown to great height, is afraid to be cut down suddenly, as Haman was; An other being high, & having goodly branches or Offices, suspects that every one that looks upon him, will strive to lop him; Another, because he is outstripped in growth, withers and pines away with envy; and the last when he feels his sap dried up, dies with grief and discontent.  
These are Courtiers, being barren of Cheerful Grapes, sweet Figs, and fat Olives, that is to say, Peace, Content, and inward Mirth, as the fruitless Tree, which our Saviour cursed; Seeing this is true, Isachar is not to be marveled at, because to obtain Rest at home, he couched like an Ass under the burden of Tribute; thereby purchasing his freedom from service to the king, both in the wars, & in the Court. The second cause of Isachars couching like an Ass, is the pleasantness of the land; for he saw that the land was pleasant, and therefore he bowed his shoulders to bear; the inheritance of the Isacharites, as I said before, did abound with Corn, Wine, and Oil; And therefore seeing this soil was so fertile, it made them take pains in Tillage & husbandry, for they followed the Plough for Corn, they dressed the vines for wine, and they planted Olive Trees in hope of oil,  
Tillage than was Isachars second burden, which he bore with alacrity, because the heaviness thereof was counterpoised with the pleasant fruits of the land; the like consideration in former times moved great Princes and Potentates to give their minds to Tillage, as a thing most pleasant and profitable.  
Xenophon called it a Royal study, and Cyrus the king of the Persians, was accustomed to sow Corn, & to plant Trees.  
Also we read of divers worthy Romans, that have been called from their Husbandry in the Country, to come and bear office in the City, and afterwards return to the Plough again; which they never would have done, but that they perceived that the Pleasure, and the Profit of the Plough, were far greater than any other pleasant, but unprofitable delight.  
Isachars lot is every true Christians case; for as he was an Ass couchant, so are they: The wicked worldling is an Ass, but not an Ass in humility, public profit, and meekness, but an Ass rampant, that is so proud, that he careth not for his Master, GOD ALMIGHTY; at whose Crib he continually feedeth: but the Righteous, an Ass Couchant between the burdens.  
These Burdens are, Tribute and Tillage; the Tribute of a Christian, is the patiented bearing of the Cross, which by the Imperious World is laid upon his shoulders.  
Concerning this burden, our SAVIOUR saith, He that will be my Disciple; let him take up his Cross, & follow me. 
Cic. lib. de Senect.   
Though this Cross be so heavy, that it makes many a one groan under it, yet it is in this respect pleasant; because at the length it procureth rest; (d) For blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness sake, For theirs is the Kingdom of heaven; as the Isacharites under their burden, for great content: so do the righteous under the Cross; For it is like unto 
(e) Num. 17.8.  Aaron's rod, which brought forth buds, Blossoms, and ripe Almonds, the bud of the Cross, is the certain mark of Salvation: for whom God loveth he scourgeth, and whom he chasteneth he receiveth: the Blossom of it is, an assured hope, that he is one of them that enters in at the strait gate; because the Apostle saith, that by many afflictions and tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of heaven; and the Ripe almonds that grows upon it, is a Confidence, that neither height nor depth can separate him from the love of GOD, considering that he beareth the mark and badge of his well-beloved son CHRIST JESUS; This Cross is the Burden of all Christian Isacharites, neither must we grudge at the bearing of it, seeing that our SAVIOUR did not only carry the wooden Cross upon his torn and wounded shoulders, but also bear our infirmities, and was chastened for our transgressions; and then ought the Disciple to be above his Master? indeed the Cross is heavy, and he had need of sampson's shoulders that can with patience support it, but as Simon of Cyren did help CHRIST to bear that Cross upon which he was put to death, so CHRIST helpeth his followers by strengthening their weakness with his omnipotent arm; 
(f) Aug. in Psal. 93.  The Church is a Ship, the world is a Sea; by the swelling waves whereof this Ship is continually troubled, but the power of CHRIST is such, that when he awaketh and cometh to judgement, he will rebuke the winds and the Sea, and then there shall be a great Calm; john in his preamble to the Revelation thus styleth himself; 
(g) Apo, 1.9.  I john even your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the Kingdom, and patience of JESUS CHRIST; herein we may observe how he placeth this word Kingdom, between Tribulation and Patience, to teach us that there is no obtaining of eternal rest, without the patiented bearing of the Cross; No man says Augustine, can rejoice with the world, and reign with CHRIST. and Saint Hierom saith, It is impossible that any man should enjoy both preseent and future delights; as then the Isacharites did willingly bow their Shoulders to bear the burden of Tribute, because they saw that Rest was good, so must all true Christians be contented to undergo the Cross in this life, if they hope after death to rest from their labours.  
Secondly, Tillage is the other burden of a Christian: God is a Husbandman, and he sowe● good wheat, and the Devil also is a Husbandman, but his grain is, tars; these two have their several bailiffs of husbandry; God's Bailives, be zealous and industrious ministers that labour in his harvest, at his plough, and in his vineyard, the devils Bailives be Heretics, and schismatics, which by their corrupt doctrine, poison the souls of men; both of these Bailives have their Burdens, but herein there is a difference, the devils burden is light, and is borne with ease and pleasure; but God's burden is heavy, and the carriage of it painful and troublesome, for when the Devil entertains any Bailive into his service, he makes the same promise that Syrus did, saying, 
h) Plut. in apoth:: prisc. regum.  Whosoever will come and be my servant, if he be a footman, I will make him a horseman: if he be a horseman▪ I will make him ride with Coaches: if he be a farmer, I will make him a Gentleman: if he possess a cottage, I will give him a village: if he have a village, I will give him a City, if he be Lord of a City, I will make him a Prince of a Region or Country, and as for gold, I will power it forth unto them by heaps and weight, and not by number; these are the wages of Satan's hirelings, wondrous glorious in pomp of words, and ostentation of stile: but of the contrary part, God's proclamation to his husbandmen, is Repent, for except you sow in tears, you shall never reap in joy; 
i) joh. 16.2.  in this world you shall receive affliction, they shall whip and murder you, and you shall be hateful in the sight of all men for my name sake; this is the entertainment proposed by God to such as will come and serve at his plough, and bear his burden; hence it is, that Satan hath so many, & God so few husbandmen, because the Burden of the one is so light, and the others so heavy; but this ought not to discourage a true Christian from Tillage; remember Isachar; he saw that the land was pleasant, and yielded him for his pains and labour, Corn, wine and oil, and therefore with alacrity he bowed his shoulder to bear the Burden of tillage; so let us look upon the pleasantness of God's Land which we till; and then we shall find that the fruits thereof do overbalance all our Labours; for in stead of corn we reap Christ himself, who is The bread of life, in stead of wine, we enjoy the Grace of God, and in stead of oil, we shall be partakers of everlasting joy and gladness; o than who would not like an ass couch under God's burden in this life, by holding his plough, labouring in his vineyard, and sweeting in his harvest, considering that his Penny is eternal life, and his wages, joys everlasting.   

THE SEVENTH SERMON OF DAN.  GEN. 49.16.17.18. 
Dan shall judge his people, as one of the Tribes of Israel.  
Dan shall be a Serpent by the way, an Adder by the path, biting the Horse-heels, so that his Rider shall fall backward.  
O Lord I have waited for thy Salvation.  
DAN was the Son of jacob, by Bilhah the Handmaid of Rahel; for when she saw that she bore jacob no children, she envied her sister, and said unto jacob, Give me children, or else I die; Then jacob's anger was kindled against Rahel, and he said, Am I in God's stead, which hath withholden from the fruit of the womb? and she said, Behold my maid Bilhah: Go in to her, & she shall bear upon my knees, and I shall have children also by her, than she gave him Bilhah her maid, and jacob went in to her: So Bilhah conceived; and bare jacob a son: then said Rahel, God hath given sentence on my side, and hath also heard my voice, & hath given me a son; therefore she called his name Dan; which is by interpretation, judgement. This name of Dan being given by Rahel, discovereth in her three infirmities; the first is Envy, because her sister Leah was fruitful, & she barren: 
August. con●. Faust. lib. 2. cap. 54.  therefore she envied her. S. Augustine excuseth Rahe, saying, non invidit, sed zelavit sororem; she did not envy her sister, because she bear children, but she had an earnest desire to be like unto her in fruitfulness; but the Word Dan which signifieth a Sentence or a judgement, is an evident demonstration of her malice and envy; the second is foolishness, for she said unto her husband give me children: she saith not so: as though jacob of purpose had restrained his natural force as Rabbi Levi thinketh: neither is it her meaning that jacob should by his prayers obtain children for her, as Isaac had done for Rebeccah, for then jacob would not have been angry with her, but her womanly heat had in such sort dampt reason, that she had forgotten that God was the only giver of children: for there be four 
(b) Paraph. Hierosol in cap. 30. Gen.  keys in God's hand, which he hath not committed to any other: the first is the Key of rain: as it is in Deuteronomie, 
(c) Deut. 28.12.  The Lord shall open his good treasure the heaven to give rain: the second is the Key of food, of which David saith, 
(d) Psal. 104.28.  Thou openest thine hand, and they are filled, the third, is the Key of the Womb, of this there is mention made in the history of joseph's conception, where it is said, 
(e) Gen. 30.22.  that God remembered Rahel, and God heard her and opened her womb: the fourth is the Key of the Grave: as it is in Ezechiel: 
(f) Ezech. 37.13.  Behold my people, (saith the Lord) I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your sepulchres: now Rahel showeth her foolishness herein, that she would take the Key of the Womb from God, and put it into jacob's hand; the third is her Impatience: couched in these words: (or I die,) her meaning is not, that if she die without children her name should perish, but that if she remain barren still: she can live no longer, for inward grief and discontent will macerate and consume her: three things moved This envy, foolishness and impatience in her: namely, an emulation of her sister's happiness: a desire to be endeared to her husband, and a fervent longing to be interessed in the promised seed; herein she doth ill that good may ensue: which is not to be allowed or justified; neither is there any inconvenience, to yield to such holy women as Rahel their infirmities: but here is not the lowest ebb of her weakness; for she goes further, and gives her handmaid to her husband; hoping to be comforted by her issue; and upon that contract with Bilha was Dan borne; as I said before in my lecture upon Isachar; Laban by deceit made jacob to divide his Rib and to have two Sisters to be his wives; and his two wives being sisters by their persuasions made their own husband to be Tetragamoes the husband of sour wives, the one giving him Bilha, the other Zilpha, their handmaids to be his Concubines; now herein how can jacob be excused? or the children of Leah, Bilha, & Zilpha be accounted legitimate, considering that by the first Canon and institution of marriage made by God in paradise, 
(g) Gen. 2.24.  One man was to have but one wife▪ and they two saith Christ, shallbe one flesh; the breach of every law is sin; jacob breaking then the law sinneth; and consequently all his children, except joseph and Benjamin, the sons of Rahel to whom jacob was first contracted were illegitimate: S. Augustine thus answereth, as long as it was the custom to have many wives, it was no sin; 
Aug. Cont. Faustum. manich. lib. 22. cap. 47.  but now it is a sin because it is not the custom, some sins are against nature, some against Custom, some against the law; now saith he; jacob is not to be blamed for he transgressed not the law of nature because he used his plurality of wives not for lust, but for the increase and multiplication of mankind; neither did he break custom, for in those days in the east country's Polygamy was usual, neither was it prohibited by any law; concerning Custom Saint Augustine he holdeth the Truth; but as for the Law of nature, and the Law of God; they Both are opposite to the multiplicity of wives; first the law of Nature appeareth herein; 
(h) Zanch. de sponsal.  that God when he was to give Adam a wife, took only one Rib, not two, and made only one woman not two, teaching us thereby that one man should be contented with one wife, and one wife with one Husband. This Law of Nature is confirmed by that which God commanded Noah to do, when he destroyed the world with water. 
(i) Gen. 7.7.8  Noah, & his wife, & his 3. sons, & their wives, & of beasts both clean & unclean, the male & the female, entered into the Ark. This coupling of Creatures both reasonable, & unreasonable, showeth that Nature in her Seminary, requires no more but one Male, and one Female; Furthermore, these are two Axioms, or Maxims in Nature; Quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri ne facias: Do not that to another, which thou wouldst not to be done to thyself. Also, Ne quod alterius est invito eripiatur; Let nothing which belongeth to another be taken from him against his will; Now in Polygamy, these two Rules are broken off.  
For, first a man will not bear nor brook it, that his wife should take unto her another man; Then why should he have another wife? Secondly, the 
(k) 1. Cor. 7.4.  Married man as the Apostle saith, hath not power over his own body, but the wife; How then can the Man without offering manifest wrong to his Wife, bestow his body upon an other woman?  
Concerning the law of God it doth directly forbid Polygamy, as appeareth by the words of Christ, who is the best interpreter of the Law, saying, 
(l) Mat. 19.5.  For this cause▪ shall a man leave father, & mother, & cleave unto his wife, & they twain shallbe one flesh; Herein our Saviour teacheth us, that the wife is not only not to be put away upon every cause, but also, that the Husband ought not to take unto himself another Wife; Thus both by the Law of God & Nature, Polygamy is condemned: Can the Custom be jacob's protection? How can his tetragamie be justified? and the rest of his Sons, excepting joseph & Benjamin be legitimate? I answer, by Dispensation. For God according to the state of those times, dispensed with the patriarchs, for the Law, which he had made at the beginning; And this is evident out of the examples of Abraham, jacob, & Elcaenah, & other godly Fathers, who were not reproved by any Prophet, for their multiplicity of wives; Nay, which is more, God gave Saules wives, as 
(m) 1. Sam. 12.8.  Nathan saith, into the bosom of David; Now then, if God gave David wives, notwithstanding his first institution is for the contrary; we may conclude, that he dispensed with his own Law; & gave the Patriarches liberty for Polygamy. The reason of this dispensation was this, in those times God had chosen the seed of Abraham to be his people, in whose lineage the true worship of the Deity was preserved, for all other people were given to idolatry, & went a whoring after strange gods. Therefore it was necessary that the Children of Abraham should be permitted to use Polygamy, and have many wives, that mankind might be spread by procreation; because this propagation of the flesh was the increase of godliness; Seeing God would that the people in whom true religion was planted, should continue even unto Christ; So then, it was by dispensation lawful unto the Patriarches, to have many wives, to the intent that that people whom God had chosen, namely, Israel, might be many in number; neither can it appear, that they sinned when they did so; but here sin must be distinguished. For if to sin, be to stray from most perfect reason, surely they sinned; but if we determine that to be sin wherewith God is offended, & provoked to revenge, they sinned not, sith God dispensed with his law, to the end, that the people of whom he would be worshipped, might be of the greater number. For although amongst other Nations, some perhaps were good men, yet the public worshipping of God, was no where else, but in Israel. Furthermore, Abraham, jacob, & the rest, though they had many wives yet they were not hereunto led by lust, but by a chaste desire, to augment & multiply God's family; This was jacob's motive, when he went in unto Bilha, & begot Dan. And therefore considering both God's dispensation, & his own intention, jacob is not to be condemned, neither his children borne of concubines to be debased; yet rahel's act in giving her handmaid, cannot be excused; because she was moved thereunto, by the spirit of Pride & Envy; she knew it was a glorious thing to have children, & a shame to be barren, and therefore she desired to have a child, though borne by her maid, to free herself from infamy in the world, & to be more equal with her sister. Herein is manifest, that she aimed at glory and victory over her sister, not the worship of God and propagation of the true Religion.  
From this example of jacob, some have concluded, that Polygamy is lawful unto us. But let such Opinionists know, that a General Canon cannot be infringed, by a particular example.  
If we can claim the same Dispensation that the patriarchs had, than I grant that a man may have many wives, but we cannot. For now there is no Nation more peculiarly God's people then another, (as it was before the coming of Christ; 
(n) Acts. 10, 35.  But in every Nation, he that feareth him, & worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.  
Furthermore, our Saviour canceled the dispensation, when he said concerning the Husband, & the wife, 
(o) Mat. 19.5.  They twain shallbe one flesh; Not only now the law of God is against Polygamy, but it seemeth also that the law of Nature, which by Socrates is called A permanent and firm Edict of God; and by S. Paul, The law written in our members, caused the Roman Emperors being Infidels, to make decrees against Polygamy; 
(p) Cod. lib. 5. alt. 5. de incestis, & inutilibus nuptijs.  brading such with infamy, as had more wives than one: And when as 
(q) Socrat. in hystor. eccles. lib. 4. cap. 31.  Valentinian a Christian Emperor, to cover his own filthiness, having besides his legitimate wife Seuera, taken also to wife a young maid called justina; made a law that every man might lawfully have two wives; This law published by him, was not only rejected, but also afterwards condemned, as contrary to the law of Nature. And therefore I conclude this point with Clemens Alexandrinus, saying, 
(r) Clemens Alexand. in stromat. lib. 4  that Polygamy which was granted unto the Fathers, is not now lawful unto us; And therefore he that hath two wives, is like unto wicked Lamech, and his second wife like unto his second wife Sela, which by interpretation is, umbra eius, or his Shadow; because she is rather to be esteemed the shadow of a wife, than a wife indeed.  

(s) Gen. 4.19  Dan shall judge his people, as one of the Tribes of Israel, etc. jacob in his prophecy concerning Dan, alludeth unto his name which by interpretation is judgement, or revenge, according to which significations, these words Dan shall judge his people, may two manner of ways be paraphrased; first Dans tribe as well as any other of the tribes of Israel shall afford a judge, or one that shall be a Prince and ruler of his people, this was accomplished in 
t) judg. 16.31.  Samson, who judged Israel twenty years, and this was a great glory to the tribe of Dan; for the Tribes of Reuben, Simeon, Gad, and Aser, were the more ignoble, because God did not raise up any out of them to judge Israel, secondly, Dan shall judge his people, that is to say, 
v) Rab: Solomon in hunc locum.  One of his family shall be avenged upon the Philistines for their hatred and cruelty against Israel, and this was Samson, than whom never was there any Israelite more miraculously victorious over the enemies of God, for 
x) judg. 15.15.  with the Ia●e bone of an Ass, he sl●we a thousand men, in these words jacob comforteth his son Dan, who because he was the son but of a Concubine, was therefore no doubt the less regarded in his family; and also foreseeing that the inheritance of his Tribe in the land of promise, should not be like unto the rest, therefore that the other tribes should not contemn Dans, in comparison of themselves, he tells them, that his Birth, and small possessions do nothing at all impair his worthiness, because out of his loins should come a Ruler, and a Revenger in Israel: The worthiest & most valiant of all the judges of Israel was Samson a man of a mean Tribe, and yet God chose him to deliver his people out of the hands of the Philistines, herein teaching us first, that he himself is not an accepter of Persons; for the ostentation of Birth, and Parentage in his eye, is but a Bubble, and worldly Possessions and wealth like Chaff, or dust before the wind; secondly, he instructeth hereby, all great families, how they should behave themselves towards their inferiors, judah though he have the Kingdom, though joseph hath obtained the Birthright, and though Levi be invested in the Priesthood, yet must neither Levi, joseph, nor judah contemn Dan the son of a Concubine, because he also as well as they shall judge his people, and deliver Israel; it is ordinary amongst us, one to debase another, as the Ephraimites did the Gileadits, saying, 
[y] judg. 12.4.  Ye Gileadites are runagates of Ephraim among the Ephramites, and among the Manassites; So the Nobleman scorns the Gentleman, and the Gentleman overlookes the Farmer; as the jews contemned the Galileans, and all this is, because of a little eminency in Birth and Blood, which is nothing, for what difference is there in nature between one man and another? I have read of a King, who was too too much conceited of his own worth in regard of his descent, and he on a time did boast that he could draw his pedigree even from Noah's ark; his Fool or jester hearing him, answered him thus; Then of necessity we are kinsmen, for my ancestors likewise came from thence; and thus was his vainglory checked by the Tongue of Follie; This world is a theatre, the earth is a stage, our life a Tragedy, and every man is an actor, one man plays the kings part, and another the servants, whose robes being changed, the servant becomes the King, and the King is turned to be a servant; and thus the state of man like a Planet in its orb or sphere is moved circularly by the finger of him that raiseth up one, and casteth down another; why than should any man take too much upon him? why should any one trust so much to that reed shaken with every blast of wind, greatness? if the honourable in birth be more virtuous than other, than it is injustice to abridge or deprive them of their reverence and due respect; but if (as it often falleth out) they blemish their birth by folly, why should we commit Idolatry in worshipping them? Virtue is neither the Bondwoman of birth nor wealth; she is tied to neither; for as worthy men both for policy at home, as for war abroad have been bred in cottages, as in palaces, as then jacob would not that Dan should be contemned by the rest of his sons for his mother's sake, who was but rahel's handmaid, so God would that such as are of great birth, should forbear to vilify, others of meaner descent, because in his sight there is no difference of mankind, the King & the beggar are all one.  
Dan shall be a Serpent by the way, & an adder by the path, biting the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backwards.  
These words are to be considered both generally, & particularly 1. generally they describe the quality of the children of Dan, who are compared to the Serpent & Adder, because they were a crafty & a subtle generation, as may very well appear by their sudden surprise and sacking of 
z) judg. ●8. 27.  Laish, secondly the particular sense which is most proper, hath relation to Samson, being of the tribe of Dan; who is therefore called by jacob a Serpent, and an Adder, because he used to set upon the Philistines suddenly & subtly, he was avenged upon them subtly, when 
a) judg. 13.5  he took three hundred foxes, & turning them tail to tail, put a firebrand in the midst between two tails, with which being fired, and the foxes sent out into the standing corn of the Philistines, both the ricks & their standing corn with their vineyards and olives were burned, also by his means destruction light upon them suddenly, 
b) jud. 16.30  when at his death he pulled down the house, wherein both the Princes of the Philistines & a great multitude of the people were assembled, & met together, to make him being blinded their laughing stock; as then 
c] Paraph. Chalda. in hunc locum.  the Serpent & the Adder use to fly upon a man, to bite & sting him when he lest thinketh of them, so Samson by policy & sudden assaults like a Serpent or Adder biting the horse heels, to give the rider the overthrow, obtained victory over the enemies of Israel, some think that this speech of jacob tendeth to the dispraise of Dans tribe, but I rather apply them to the commendation of his family, because it is a good thing to imitate the Adder or Serpent in wisdom, & therefore our Saviour exhorteth his disciples 
d] Mat. 10.16.  to be wise as Serpents, but harmless as Doves, which is as if he should have said; join to the Serpent's subtlety, the doves innocency, so shall no man be able to wrong you because of your innocent subtlety, and you shall be loath to offend any, because of your subtle innocency; the Serpents or Adder's wisdom than is to be imitated of all men as well as Samson, but their poison and malice is to be avoided and shunned: There be four kinds of Serpents, whose imitation all Christians ought to beware of; 
(c) Plin: l. 8. cap. 21.  the first is the Basilisk, a serpent so poisonous, that with her only touch herbs whither, and stones are broken, and with her hissing all other venomous worms are terrified & affrighted, like unto this Serpent be such violent & supercilious people, as with their very eyes astonish such as come before them, imperious and furious Rabsecah's, virulent and bitter-tongued Shemeis, and impatient and mad Saules, who upon no occasion will cast their javelines at the most righteous David; or guiltless Nathaniel; in the I'll of Rhodes there dwelled a kind of people called Telchines, who with their very looks would infect and poison a man: such as these are, all such persons as are high-minded, and have proud looks: whose aspect is as terrible to their beholders; as the 
(d) 1. Sam. 17.24.  face of Goliath was to the timorous or fearful Israelites: it is said of our Saviour in the Canticles, that 
(e) Cant. 5.  his eyes were like doves eyes washed with milk, that is to say, he had an innocent and gentle countenance, and such Eyes must all his followers have; Christ will allow us the Basilisks heart, but not the Basilisks Eye; the Basilisks heart is full of subtlety, & his Eye full of poison; if the● a man should have both the Eye and the heart of a Basilisk, he would be both subtle and harmful; therefore to avoid this, it is our saviours will, that in his Disciples the doves eye should be joined to the serpent's heart, that so wisdom and innocency may meet together & kiss each other. The second is the Asp, whose poison lieth in her teeth, if she once bite a man, he dies without remedy or cure; like unto this Serpent is the Backbiter and detractor, concerning whom the Psalmist saith, The poison of asps to under their lips, and their words are very swords, these bite a man by the heel, and wound him behind, not daring to confront, or assault him face to face, in such we may behold malice and subtlety mixed together, against these S. Peter writeth, saying, 
f] 1. Pet. 2.1.2.  Wherefore laying aside all maliciousness, & all guile, & dissimulation, and envy and all evil speaking, as new borne babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby. The Backbiter in some respect is of a more venomous nature than the asp; for Pliny affirmeth that the Asp being kept tame, will never bite or hurt them that feed her, 
Plin. lib. 10. cap. 37.  and for proof hereof he allegeth a strangestorie of an Asp, which was fed continually by an Egyptian at his table, this Asp saith he, having brought forth young ones, it so happened, that one of her young Asps bit and killed one of this Egyptians children, which when she perceived she presently herself killed her own young one, and afterwards as ashamed that any wrong was offered to her feeder she went away, & never returned to his house, & can there be found such humanity in a backbiter? oh no; for such is his poisonous disposition, that he will fasten his malicious & venomous tooth even upon his dearest friend, when the spouse in salomon's song describes her well-beloved, she thus saith of him; 
g] Cant. 5.13  his lips are like lilies dropping down pure Myrrh; the lily is white, and Myrrh is sweet, these two then do lively set forth our saviours phrase & manner of speech, in whose mouth there was no black rancour, no poisonous backbiting, no venomous detraction, for his words were ever charitable, and his speech gentle, whosoever then is his Disciple must in stead of lips full of guile, have lips like lilies, and these in stead of the poison of Asps, must drop down pure myrrh; 
h] levit. 19.16.  Thou shalt not wa●ke ●bout with tales among the people (saith God) thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy neighbour, as a slanderer, backbiter, or quarrelpiker. The 3. Serpent, whose poison we must beware of, is the Scytale, 
Solin. ca 39  she (saith Solinus) is wondrous stowe in her pace▪ and marvelous beautiful, for her back is as it were embroidered, and spangled with golden spots, with these she entangleth the eyes of her beholders, whom while they stand astonished & amazed at her strange form, she suddenly surpriseth and stingeth; in her behold the true picture of hypocrisy; what man cometh more near to the heavenly shape of an Angel than the hypocrite; and yet who can more justly be called one of the generation of Vipers than he? for like the Scytale he hath a glorious outside, but within he is full of the poison of Dragons, and the bitter gall of asps; the golden spots wherewith he dazzles and deceives the eyes of men, be feigned holiness, counterfeit gravity, long prayers in public places, pretence of conscience, words softer than oil, and almsdeeds with the sound of a Trumpet; with that he purchaseth reputation, commendation, and admiration; but were there, as Momus wished, a window in his breast, that his heart might be seen, then would his viperous nature be discovered, and then should he appear to be as he is, a wolf in sheeps clothing: against such Serpents as these our Saviour inveyeth, saying 
(i) Mat. 23.14.  Woe be to you Scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; and the reason is, because under colour of long prayers, they devoured widows houses, as there is no Viper so dangerous as the Scytale, because first with her beauty, she bewitcheth, & afterwards with her sting she killeth; so there is no man more to be feared then the hypocrite, because he will 
(k) 2. Sam. 3.27.  like joab embrace Abner, and stab him, and kiss Christ like judas and betray him, as than our Saviour said to his Disciples, Beware of the leave of the pharisees, so say I, take heed of the Poison of this glorious Scytale the hypocrite; if we imitate him, we have our reward, which is a little airy reputation among men: & if he close with us, we are in danger to be damaged by him. The fourth is the serpent called Cerastes, so named of his horns, wherewith being shaken, as a bait, he allureth and draweth the birds of the air unto him, whom being within his reach he snatcheth up and devoureth, 
Pline lib. 8. cap. 23.  having before shrouded the rest of his body in the sands, this is that Serpent to which Dan by jacob is compared, according to the latin translation, which is thus; Fiat Dan Coluber in via, Cerastes in Semita etc., let Dan be an Adder in the way, and the Cerastes in the path, etc. the wisdom and policy of this Serpent is great, but his malice is to be feared; if he had only wrapped his body in the sand to avoid danger, I could not condemn him, but when he useth his horns as a train to entrap souls, and lieth in the sand, as in an Ambush, I cannot but abhor his peevishness, and venomous disposition; this Cerastes is a lively emblem, of all such men as lay baits to ensnare and catch their brethren; concerning these Serpents, thus saith David: 
(m) Psal. 10.8.9.  They lie in wait in the villages, in the secret places do they murder the innocent, their eyes are bend against the poor; they lie in wait secretly, even as a Lion in his den; they lie in wait to spoil the poor, they do spoil the poor, when they draw them into their nets, like Cerastes, the wicked have horns, wherewith they betray the innocent and harmless soul; sometimes in stead of a lure or bait, they show the horn of friendship, by feigned amity and colour of love, deceiving such as trust them; so was David caught, as he affirmeth himself, saying. It was not mine enemy that hath done me this wrong, but mine own familiar friend; the mischievous intentions of an open enemy may easily be prevented, but the malice of a secret Serpent can hardly be eschewed; wherefore the Greek Poet saith well in his Epigram, I hate a man that hath two faces, and is only a friend in the tongue, and an enemy in the heart, and sometime they shake the horn of Religion, making semblance of sanctity and piety, that with the greater ease they may wind themselves into the Simple man's bosom, and consequently with their sting pierce his heart; such a Serpent was Simon the Pharisie, who desired our Saviour Christ, that he would eat with him, therein making show that he did love our SAVIOUR'S Doctrine, but when he saw the poor penitent woman that was a sinner, wash his feet with her tears, wipe them with the hairs of her head, kiss them, and anoint them: then he cast up his venomous gorge saying within himself 
(n) Luc. 7.39.  if this man were a Prophet, he would surely have known, who, and what manner of woman this is which toucheth him, for she is a sinner; against this Serpent I will pray with the Psalmist, and say o Lord break his horns, and let not his wicked imaginations prospero; thus have I deciphered the nature of these four Serpents, the Basilisk, the Asp, the Scytale, and the Cerastes; the first being the Character of Cruelty, the second of detraction, the third of hypocrisy, and the fourth of fraudulency; to imitate these in wisdom is Christianity, for our redeemer saith, Be wise as Serpents, but to have the Basilisks deadly eye, the Asps baneful tooth, the Scytales fair skin with treacherous spots, or the Cerastes his dissembling horns is devilish; for to be such a one, is to be the old Serpent's discipline, who is like the Basilisk in his eyes for he is a 
(o) joh. 8.44.  murderer from the beginning; an Asp in his teeth; for he is a Backe-biter, and the accuser of his brethren, like the Scytale for his skin, for he can transform himself into an Angel of light, and like the Cerastes for his horns, for he is a dissembler, a liar, and the father of Lies, o Lord I have waited for thy salvation, jacob having under the similitude of a Serpent and an Adder expressed both the Quality of the Danites, and also the policy and valour of Samson, who was one of the Tribe of Dan, turneth now his speech to God, and prayeth: saying, o Lord I have waited for thy salvation, or according to the Child paraphrase, Thy Redemption, or as some translate the words Thy Saviour, this speech is something obscure, and the obscurity thereof appeareth in the multiplicity of expositions; First Oleaster upon this place saith thus; 
Oleaster in hanc locum.  Even as old and sick men, use to make a pause, breathing, and sighing, when they speak, so did jacob; who being wearied with speaking to his sons, diverteth his voice from them to God, and saith, O Lord I have waited for thy salvation; which is as if he should have said; I hope that thou wilt heal, or heal me and make me sound o Lord, for my trust is only in thy salvation; but saith he if we join these words to the words going before, than the sense of them is this; Because I perceive o Lord that the family of Dan will be like the Serpent and Adder, subtle and malicious, therefore I hope that thou wilt preserve me from their venomous imaginations; this is Oleasters exposition; which may partly be admitted, and partly rejected, first in that he maketh jacob pray for help, it is not to be disliked; but secondly, whereas he bringeth in jacob praying against Dan as he did against Simeon and Levi; his conceit is frivolous; for though Dan be likened to a Serpent, yet this comparison is not to his Dispraise, but to the commendation of his Wisdom and policy, by which one of his posterity, to wit Samson, redeemed Israel, and conquered the Philistines their enemies.  
Secondly, some think that these words contain that prayer which 
(p) judg. 15.18.  Samson used when he was sore a thirst after his slaughter of a thousand Philistims with the jawe-bone of an ass; or rather as some are of opinion, they are to be referred to the time of his death, when he called unto the Lord and said, 
(q) judg. 16.28.  O Lord God I pray thee, think upon me; O God I beseech thee strengthen me at this time only, that I may at once be aged upon the Philistims for my two eyes.  
Thirdly, S. Hierom, Rupertus, and ●yranus say, that jacob foreseeing the admirable and rare virtues of Samson, began to demur and think with himself, whether Samson should be the Messiah or no? but when he considered that Samson after his death should not presently rise again; and also that after his government the Israelites should be led into captivity; he acknowledgeth that he was not to be the Messiah, and therefore he crieth out saying; O Lord I have waited for thy salvation; as if he should have said, 
(r) Tharg. Hieros'. in hunc locum.  I expect another Saviour of my people, then either Gideon or Samson; but this cannot be the meaning of jacob, for he knew that the Messiah should come of the Tribe of judah; and therefore he saith, that the Sceptre should not departed from judah, till Shiloh come.  
Fourthly, 
(s) Ier●nae. lib. 5. adverse. hae●es. Amb. lib. de bened. p●t. cap. ●. August. quaest. 22. in josu.  many of the fathers have thought, that Antichrist should be of the Tribe of Dan, & that therefore jacob th●s prayed to convince the jews of error, which in time to come should take Antichrist for the Messiah, of this opinion was Irenaeus, Ambrose, Augustine & diverse others; and at this day it is held as an article of faith in the Church of Rome. That Antichrist shall be of the Tribe of Dan gotten by the devil, as Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost; by this means the ancient father's turn that to a curse, which by jacob was pronounced as a Blessing upon Dan; & whereas jacob speaketh of one that should be a deliverer of his people, which is very fitly applied to Samson, they would have him point ou● an enemy, and an adversary to the Church of God; but I will leave these fathers, who being men might err in their opinion; & come to the Papists, who willingly embrace this exposition, because it freeth their holy father from being Antichrist; the which title the Bishop of Rome, and his adherents are marvelously afraid of, & therefore in the Council of Laterane strait charge was given to all preachers, that none should dare once to speak of the coming of Antichrist, which prohibition argueth the guilt of their conscience;  
First, the church of Rome maintaineth, that Antichrist shall be one singular man; for proof whereof they stand much upon this greek article: 
(t) 1. joh. 2.18. Bellar. lib. 3. cap, 2. Rhem in 2. Thess. 2. Sect. 8.  ho● ho Antichristos; the Antichrist shall come, hereby say they is expressed some singular and notable person; likewise our Saviour saith 
(u) john. 5. 4●.  I come in my father's name, and ye receive me not, if another come in his own name him will ye receive; this opposition of One to one saith the jesuite, is of Antichrist to Christ, of One person to ●●other; furthermore S. john saith 
(x) Revel.  here is wisdom, let him that hath wit count the number of the Beast, for it is the number of a man, & his number is six hundredth, sixty, six; Hence they conclude that Antichrist should be but one man, and no whole body, tyranny, or kingdom; these reasons are broken reeds, quickly shaken▪ & dispersed with the least blast of wind; for the first, is the greek article of that importance, that it ever implies a singularity? then must there be but one devil, because Christ saith, [hó èchthros] 
(y) Mat. 13.25.  The adversary came & sowed tars, & but one righteous man, because S. Paul saith [hó tou theou anthropos] that the man of God may be absolute, being made perfect to all good works▪ which to grant should be most absurd; their second reason is, the direct & peculiar opposition of Antichrist, unto Christ's person; and that he sh● be received of the jews, 
[z) 2. Tim. 3 17.  as their Messiah: but no such collection can arise out of the text; It is apparent that our Saviour spoke only of 
(a) joseph. lib. 20. Antiquit. cap. 4.  Theudas judas Galileus and such like false prophets, as both before & after him rose up, boasting themselves to be the Messiah 
(b) Act 5.36  to whom resorted a number of men, saith Gamaliel: all which were adversaries to Christ, but not that Antichrist. As for the proper name of the beast, which is the number of a man, that little availeth them: for as there is mention made of a man whereout they would enforce a singularity; so is there of a Beast, which ever implieth a plurality. For 
(c] Dan. 7.17 Dan. 8.20.21.  Beasts in the scriptures signify Kingdoms, Empires, & Monarchies. The Rhemists themselves, by the Beast do understand the universal company of the wicked: now the Beast & the man, are both one name; wherefore by their own confession, it must be understood of a company or congregation, & not of one particular person; of the contrary part, the spirit of God teacheth us, that Antichrist shallbe a whole Body, company, synagogue, & succ●ssion of heretics; whose conception was in the time of the Apostles. For S. Paul saith, that 
(d) 2. Thess. 2 7.  the mystery of iniquity doth already work; 
(e] Theod. in 2. Thess ca 2  which mystery (saith Theodoret) signifieth nothing else but these heresies, by which the devil maketh way to Antichrist, until such time, saith S. Augustine, 
(f) August▪ de civit. De●. lib. 20. ca 9  that they have gotten unto him great people, & then shall the wicked man be revealed, o● show himself openly; How then can Antichrist be one Man, seeing 
(g) 2. Thess. 2.8.  he was conceived in S. Paul's time, born, or revealed afterwards, & shall die, or be abolished with CHRIST'S coming? Also, S. john saith, 
(h) 1, john. 4.3.  Every Spirit, which confesseth not JESUS CHRIST come in the flesh, is not of GOD, & the same is the spirit of Antichrist (which you have heard that he cometh, & now he is in the world, 
(i) 2. joh. v. 7.  There are many deceivers entered into the world, which confess not jesus Christ that he is come in the flesh, the same is the deceiver, and the Antichrist.  
What more evident testimony can be required then this? the Apostle calls many deceivers by the name of one Antichrist, who was come in mystery, & secretly in the Apostles time; which mystery by the malice and subtlety of Satan, which is the spirit of Antichrist ceased not to work until the open, and plain revelation of his pride was publicly professed in the papacy: this truth is confirmed by the writings of the Fathers; for Tertullian calleth Antichrist 
(k) Tertulide resur. carn. cap. 25.  A City prostitute to spiritual fornication: S. Ambrose 
(l) Ambros: in Apoc. 17.  The City of the devil; S. Augustine 
(m) August. homil. 10. in Apoc.  The body of the ungodly, fight against the Lamb; and A people contrary to the people of God, which jointly with their head, are called Antichrist: Aquinas, 
(n) Aquinas in Apoc. ●●.  a body, not a man. Hugo Cardinalis: an assembly, or a company. And lastly, the Gloss saith, The head & the body together, make up the whole Antichrist; Here is a cloud of witnesses, proving that Antichrist is not one man, & then consequently, how is it likely that one woman of the tribe of Dan should be his mother, 
(o) Rhem. 2. 2. Thess. 2.  and the devil his father; But let us proceed to examine the reasons why the Papists affirm, that Antichrist should be of the family of Dan, begotten by the Devil; and therefore a Devil incarnate? the sandy grounds of this dream are these.  
First, because jacob saith 
(p) Gen. 49. 1●.  ●an shall be a Serpent by the way, an Adder by the path bytin●●he horse-heels, So that his rider shall fall backward. Secondly, because Hieremie saith, 
(q) Hier. 8. 1●.  The neighing of his Horses was hear● from Dan, the whole Land trembled at the Neighing of his strong Horses. The third foundation of this conceit is in the Apocalypse, where tw●lue thousand of every tribe are reckoned, only 
(r) Apoc. 7.  Dan is left out. These are pithy reasons, if well examined, let us appeal to Bellarmine's censure; the speech of jacob to Dan, saith he, was fulfilled in Samson, and herein he jumpeth with Saint Hierom; the same father even according to the Prophet's intention, apply the second speech to Nabuchadnezzar's coming to destroy Jerusalem; as for the omission of the tribe of Dan in the catalogue of the Elect, that is no forcible argument; for might not then Antichrist be as well an Ephramite, as a Danite, considering that Ephraim, as well as Dan is left out? Ephraim is omitted, because joseph supplieth his place, & to fill up the number of the twelve tribes, Levi is put for Dan, & of all the Rest Dan is secluded, not that all of his tribe are condemned, or for that Antichrist should be of his stock, but because it was more accursed than the rest, for their great 
(s) Amos. 8.14.  Idolatry in worshipping the golden calves; of the contrary part, we are taught by the Apostles words, that the mother of Antichrist, must not be any woman of the tribe of Dan, but the Carcase of the Roman empire; for S. Paul saith, 
(t) 2. Thes. 2.7.8.  The mystery of iniquity doth already work, only he which now withholdeth▪ shall let till he be taken out of the way; in these words is contained the history of antichrist's nativity; his Conception lasted 3. hundredth & 16. years, or there about; all which time Rome was governed by Ethnic Emperors: and the Bishops thereof, even to the loss of their lives laboured in God's harvest. But when Constantine reigned, who was the first Christian Emperor & who translated the Seat of the empire to Byzantium, which he called Constantinople, leaving the city of Rome to Pope Silvester the first and his successors, who was the first Bishop that lived in Rome unmartired, & the first that ever possessed patrimony, rents, or dignity; then was Antichrist borne, & his regiment spr●ng up out of the ashes of the Roman Empire, if then the time of his birth or revealing falleth about the year of our Lord, 3. hundredth and 16. for then 
(v) Deret distinet. 96.  did Constantin the Great give to Silvester the City of Rome, and bestowed upon him a triple Crown for his coronation, in token that he had made him Supreme head over all the Churches in Asia, Africa, and Europe; and at that time saith Platina, there was a voice heard from heaven saying, Now is poison sown in the Church of God; doth not this history accord with Paul's prophecy; whom then shall we judge to be the mother of Antichrist? a woman of the Tribe of Dan? no, that is but a fable; whom then? even the Carcase or Ruin of the Roman Empire; which seeing it is most apparent, if we will look for Antichrist, we must go to Rome, and there we shall find the Purple whore sitting upon the Beast, with seven heads and ten horns: I could (if I would) make a larger digression from my text, & with pregnant arguments, prove Rome as it now stands, to be that Babylon spoken of in the Revelation of Saint john: and the Succession of Popes there reigning to be That man of sin, and that child of perdition, but this shall suffice, to show that Antichrist is not one man but a Multitude, and that he shall not be, as the Papists imagine, of the Tribe of Dan.  
O Lord I have waited for thy salvation; having delivered the variety of opinions concerning this prayer, I will now in the close show what was jacob's intention, and why he thus prayed; being a Prophet, he did foresee the double Danger, which the Tribe of Dan should fall into; the first Temporal, in being oppressed of their enemies, as they were of the Amorites; the second Spiritual in being corrupted with Idolatry, and therefore he maketh this prayer, therein imploring, 
(x) jud. 18.30.  first Gods gracious assistance & deliverance; and secondly, the illumination of his spirit, that thereby they might be taught that there is but One God to be worshipped, namely, the Creator of heaven & earth, and that the Idols of the Gentiles are but the works of men's hands.  
In this prayer we are taught, what is the most Sovereign Remedy, both against temporal and spiritual afflictions; namely like jacob to call upon God, for his aid and help. Penury, oppression, sickness and such like be Temporal afflictions, whereby God usually trieth the patience of the Elect, if then like Lazarus we be poor: like joseph fettered till the iron enter into our souls, or like Hezechiah sick unto death, yet let us not say; The Lord hath forgotten us, he hideth away his face, and will no more see: but lifting up our hearts & our hands; make our supplication, saying, O Lord I have waited for thy salvation. God is the Lord of hosts; and in his hand are three arrows, The sword, famine, and pestilence▪ these he shooteth sometimes amongst the thickest troops of his children, as well as amongst the wicked, to chastise the one sort for their sins, and utterly to destroy the other; against these then the best armour of proof is the Shield of prayer; it quencheth the fire of God's wrath, and kindleth his love; what is the cause that the Bloody sword of God hath pierced the very entrails of so many Christian Nations, which at this day do groan under the servile yoke of mahometans and Infidels; is it not Want of prayer and devotion? they have forgotten God, and never truly and fervently call upon him who is the surest refuge, but rely upon their own policy, & power, which alas are but reeds shaken with every blast of wind; what is the cause that in many kingdoms Famine plays the Tyrant, and like one of Pharaohs Lean kine, eateth up the people as if they were bread? is it not Negligence in the service of God? would the people but call upon him for relief; rather than they should perish, he would satisfy them with Quails, and Manna from heaven, or else command the Ravens to feed them, as he did to the Prophet Eliah; what is the cause that in this Realm the Pestilence hath devoured so many both in the city and the country? it is because we sleep securely upon Satan's lap, as Samson did upon Delilah's, never lifting up our eyes to heaven to entreat almighty God to command the destroyer to stay his hand, and cease from slaughter; would we but call upon God, when we are afflicted either with the Pestilence, Famine, or the Sword, saying as jacob did in the behalf of his son Dan; O Lord I have waited for thy salvation; there is no doubt but that God would look upon us with the Eye of pity & compassion, 
(y) jonah. 4.2.  for he is a gracious God, and merciful▪ slow to anger, and of great kindness, and rep●rteth of the evil.  
Secondly, as prayer is the best remedy in Temporal afflictions; so likewise in spiritual; God permits Satan for trial sake to tempt us, that our faith like gold may be tried in the fire; it was 
(z) job. 1.12  jobs case; but the devil he assaults us like a Roaring Lion, seeking to destroy us; to withstand his violence, our safest course is prayer; for our Saviour teacheth us, that the Devil is not only repulsed, but also cast out by Prayer, as 
(a) jug. 7.22  Gideon only with the sound of Trumpets, and the Breaking of Pitchers, put the Midianites to flight; even so the voice of him that prayeth devoutly, and the groaning of a broken & contrite heart, resisteth, driveth back, and vanquisheth the whole army of darkness; as the children of Dan, so every one of us, is alured by Satan to forsake God, and commit spiritual fornication, with one Idol, or other; the covetous person boweth down to Mammon; the envious man to Abaddon, the proud in heart to Lucifer, the Fleshworme to Belial, the heretic to Sathanas, the intelligencer and talebearer to Asteroth, & every sinner hath one familiar Spirit of darkness or other, who with sweet enticements and allurements, leadeth him like an Ox to the slaughter-house; and then delivereth him up to these two bloody Butchers, Despair and Death; for when we have committed sin, 
Chryso. hom. 2. in Ps. 50.  the Devil standeth by (saith S. Chrysostome,) whetting his sword of desperation, and saying unto every one of us; Thou hast lived wickedly all thy youth, and thy former days hast thou misspent, thou hast haunted plays and spectacles with thy companions, and followed after lose and lascivious women, thou hast taken other men's goods from them wrongfully, thou hast been covetous, dissolute, & effeminate, thou hast forsworn thyself, thou h●st blasphemed and committed many other heinous and wicked crimes, and therefore what hope canst thou have of salvations truly none at all, thou art a mere castaway, & canst not now go back, therefore my counsel is, that now thou use the pleasures and commodities of this world, and pass over thy time in mirth of heart, without any cogitation of repentance or hope of God's mercy; This is the devils oration, persuading Security and Desperation, now what greater affliction can light upon the soul than this? to be enthralled by Satan, and to be made the bondslave of Despair? to free our captivated Souls of these deadly fetters, we must do as the Doves in Persia do, who when they are pursued by the Serpent, use to fly to a certain Tree called Pedixion, and there safely shroud themselves, because no venomous creature dare approach or come near unto it, so must we do, when the Old Serpent hunteth us, to destroy us with the poisonous sting of Despair, let us speedily betake ourselves to the Tree of Life, the Cross of Christ, and holding fast by it, implore God's mercy, and beg pardon for Christ's sake, saying, as jacob did, O Lord, I have waited for thy salvation.   

THE EIGHTH SERMON OF GAD.  GENES. 49.19. 
Gad, an Host of men shall overcome him, but he shall overcome at the last.  
AFter the birth of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, & judah, Leah left bearing; wherefore she seeing that her sister Rahel had given her handmaid Bilha to jacob, 
(a) Gen. 30.9  who had borne him two sons, Dan, and Napthali; she I say, in like manner took Zilpah her maid, and gave her jacob to wife; thus Zilpah bore jacob a son, 
(b) Gen. 30.11,  them said Leah, A company cometh, & she called his name Gad, which signifieth an Army, or Troop of men. In this history of Gad's nativity, & the imposition of his name, we may discover two infirmities in Leah. The first is, sins imitation, the second is Enui●s correspondency; First, she imitates her sister in evil, in that she gives her handmaid to her husband; for Polygamy is in itself a sin, because it is contrary to the first institution of Marriage; Howsoever it was dispensed withal in the Patriarches, 
(c) Aug. contra Faust. lib. 22. cap. 18.  who entertained many wives, not for lust, but for propagation, as S. Augustine saith.  
As it is an evil thing to give evil example, as Rahel did to Leah, for such persons (saith Gregory,) deserve so many several torments in Hell, as they have left evil examples to posterity upon earth. So likewise, it is a great fault in any man to make an evil example his pattern, and yet such is the corruption of our nature, that generally, we are all in this, like Leah, more prone to follow Satan in the footsteps of sin, than GOD in the pathway of Righteousness. CHRIST is the Pattern of the Elect, he is the 
(d) Apoc. 14.1.  Lamb upon mount Zion, whom the virgins follow whither soever he goeth: 
(e) 1. Pet. 2.21.  and he suffered, for as (saith S. Peter) Leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps. His steps be Meekness, Humility, Mercy and Charity. But alas, few there be that follow them; but millions of men run after Satan, which is the Precedent of Reprobates, saying unto him, as the young man said unto Christ, Master, we will follow thee whither-soever thou goest.  
The devil according to his qualities, hath certain names given unto him, by the Spirit of God, and according to his several names, he hath his several followers, which imitate him most exactly; As he is Astaroth, which is by interpretation, a Calunniator, or an accuser; he is attended by Intelligencers, talebearers, detractors, whisperers, & backebyters, which with their tongues as two edged swords, strike their brethren & neighbours secretly 
(f) Prou. 26.21.  As the coal maketh burning coals, and wood a fire, so these kindle strife; As he is Belial, which signifies Irregular, & one that is subject to no yoke or discipline: he is garde● with Atheists, which say in their hearts there is no God: & therefore like untamed Heifers, refuse to submit their necks to Gods two yokes, the Law, & the Gospel; As he is Mammon, he is followed by Extortioners, Oppressors, Usurers, Land-rackers, Inclosers of Commons, Decayers of Tillage, and Depopulatours, which ravenously eat up the poor like bread; As he is Sathanas, which is, being interpreted, an Adversary, & a Serpent, he hath the attendance of Hypocrites, which like judas, will kiss a man, and betray him: And like joab, embrace and stab him; As he is Beelzebub, which signifies the Master of Flies, he hath five sorts of Flies, that continually swarm about him, making his bosom their hive; Namely, Golden-winged Cantharideses, which breed upon high Cedars and Olives.  
These are the haughty minded, whose eyes are lofty, and their hearts swelling with pride & ambition; the Pyr●●llides, which fly so long about the flame of a Candle, that they burn their wings, these are Carnalistes, whose felicity is dalliance, chambering, and wantonness: the fiery Pyra●stae, which being bred, and living in the fire, die presently when it is quenched; these are the envious & malicious, whose tongues set on fire the course of Nature, and are set on fire by hell; The bloodsucking Solipungiae, I mean Assassinates, manslayers, & murderers, whose glory is to imbrue their hands in innocent blood; And lastly, the Idle drones, which lie upon beds of yourie, & stretch themselves upon their beds, which fold their arms, and say, yet a little sleep, as the sluggard doth in the Proverbs. Of all these Flies & many other, Beelzebub is master: so that if whole mankind should be surveyed, it would evidently appear that Many are called, but few chosen; because few follow CHRIST, but many Satan. The second thing blameworthy in Leah, is envies correspondency: 
(g) Gen. 30.1  Rahel envied Leah, because of her fruitfulness, and her envy she expressed in the name of her handmaids second son, whom she called Napthali, or Wrestling; saying, 
(h) Gen. 20.8  with excellent wrestling have I wrestled with my sister, and have gotten the upper hand; & Leah envied Rahel because of jacob's love. This her envy she manifesteth, in calling her handmaides first son Gad, which is an Army, or Troop of men; herein Leah answers Rahel in her kind, saying, an Army cometh: which is, as if she should have said, though my sister hopeth to be revenged upon me in having a son, whom she hath named Dan, which signifies judgement or revenge, and also wrestleth and contendeth with me for superiority, as appeareth in the name of Napthali; yet I shall overcome her, for I have five sons, and an Army of children: Here than is Leahs sin, she strives with her malicious sister, and pays envy with envy again, contrary to the rule of godliness, which thus instructeth us, 
(i) Rom. 12.21.  Be not overcome of evil; but overcome evil with goodness. In this infirmity of Leah, we are taught not to be provoked to a correspondency in envy, by the envy of others; but rather to bless them that curse us, to pray for them that hate us, and to heap coals upon the heads of the envious, by rendering good for evil, Gad, an Host of men shall overcome him, but he shall overcome at the last.  
The Chalde Paraphrast expoundeth these words of jacob to Gad, thus; A Camp of Armed men shall come out of the house of Gad, and pass over jordan, before their brethren to battle, and with much substance shall they return; According hereunto, 
(k) Hier. in hunc locum.  some do apply this prophesy to the marching of the Gadites, with the rest of the Tribes against the Canaanites, and their returning back again over jordane to their own possessions; but this cannot be: for the Tribe of Reuben, & the half Tribe of Manasses, went also before their brethren as well as Gad, according to the covenant that they made with Moses, 
(l) Numb. 32 17.  promising that they would go armed before the children of Israel, until they had brought them unto their place. Furthermore, this exposition is disagreeing to the text, for jacob prophesieth, that the Gadites should be overthrown, but in their first exploit against the Canaanites, under the conduct of josuah, they were not overcome, but had prosperous success.  
Saint Hierome thus interpreteth this speech; Gad, a Thief, shall spoil or pray upon him, but afterwrd he shall pray upon, or spoil the Thief; Hereupon 
(m) Caiet. in hunc locum.  Caietan referreth this Prophecy to jephthe, who was first a 
[n) judg. 11.3.  Captain of Robbers, and Idle-fellowes, afterwards chosen to be the 
(o) judg. 11.6.  General of the Israelites, in their wars against the Ammonites, 
(p) judg. 12.4.  and last of all, compelled to fight against the Tribe of Ephraim; To make good this exposition, by a Thief, in the first part of the prophesy, the king of Ammon is to be understood, who made war with Israel, especially with the Tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, who dwelled beyond jordan, from Arnon unto jabbok, which Countries were taken from the Ammonites, and given as a portion ro these Tribes, and thereupon war grew betwixt Ammon and Israel; and in the second part, by the Thief, is meant jephthe, who was, as I said before, A Captain of thieves. There is some appearance of truth in this exposition of C●ietan, if it were certain that jephthe was one of the tribe of Gad: but he is rather thought to have been one of the tribe of Manasseh, because Gilead was his father, not Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, but another of the same name and kindred; 
(q] josu. 12.31.  Also the children of Manasseh had the half of Gilead in their lot, as the Gadites had another part.  
So then, though jephthe was a Gileadite, both in respect of his father's name, and the country where he was borne: yet it cannot be necessarily concluded, that he was one of Gad's Tribe.  
The Patriarch jacob then in this prophesy may more truly be thought to aim at the diverse Conflicts, which the Gadites had with the Hagarenes, with jethur, Naphish, and Nedab; whom 
(r] 1. Chron. 5.20.  at length they overcame, when as they carried from them fifty thousand Camels, and a great prey of cattle besides. This also is agreeable to 
(s) Deut. 33.20.  Moses his prophesy, comparing him to a Lion, that catcheth for his prey, the arm with the head.  
Gad, an Host of men shall overcome him, but he shall overcome at the last: jacob in this Prophecy dealeth with Gad, as 
(t] 2. Reg. 2.20.21.  Elisha did with the waters of Hiericho, into which being bitter, he cast salt, to make them sweet: for the beginning of his prophecy is Bitter, being the prediction or foretelling of an overthrow; but the end is Sweet, for it promiseth conquest and victory: Both in the Bitterness and Sweetness of this prophecy be contained excellent points of doctrine, and instruction.  
First saith jacob, an H●ste of men shall overcome Gad, etc. The Gadites, though they were Israelites, members of God's Commonwealth, and the seed of Abraham, yet their enemies by the permission of God, laid their hands in their necks, & overthrew them in battle; And this did God not only suffer, but also ordain, without whose providence 
(u] Mat. 10.30.  a sparrow falleth not to the ground; out of his great and unsearchable wisdom: namely, to teach both them & us, that Man hath no strength in himself to defend himself; for it is the Lord only that giveth the victory.  
It is the Lord (saith the Psalmist) that breaketh the bow, and knappeth the Spear in sunder, and burneth the Chariots with fire. And in another place, 
(x) Psal. 44  I do not trust in my bow, neither can my sword save me, but thou hast saved us from our adversaries, and hast put them to confusion that hate us.  
Pliny observeth, that 
(y) Plin. lib. 7  Nature hath given armour and covering to all other living things, shells, crusts, hides, prickles, hairs, feathers, fleeces, scales: and Chrysostome addeth Talants, Tusks, & Horns. So likewise, Anacreon singeth in his Odes; only Man upon his birthday she casts forth naked, and upon the naked ground, to weeping and howling.  
The reason hereof, is thus given by Chrysostome, God hath so disposed of man, that himself might be his only protection; and that he should not put any trust or confidence in his own strength, which at the best, is but like a Reed shaken, & at the worst, a Reed broken with every blast of wind: Upon this consideration, David thus inferreth; 
[z] Psal. 146  Put not your trust in Princes nor any son of man, for there is no help in him, his breath departeth, & he returneth to his earth, than his thoughts perish.  
Here the Psalmist displayeth the feebleness of man, who of himself hath neither power to defend others nor himself; and therefore GOD only must be our Hope, our Strength, our Shield, & our Bulwark, we must not 
(a] 2. Kings. 18.  like Senacherib, presume upon our mighty Host, for though his Army was like a Swarm of Bees, yet it was soon extinct, even as a fire of thorns; we must not 
[b] 1. Sam. 17.  like the Philistimes, vaunt of Goliath, for a little Stone out of a sling, laid him groveling upon the ground, nor must we trust in the courage of our horse, for a horse is counted but a vain thing to save a man 
(c) Exod. 15.3.  the Lord, then, is as Moses saith, the only Man of war, his name is jehovah; he is power of himself, and there is no power but from him.  
Secondly, it was by the providence of God, that the Gadites were overcome; for being a warlike and a valiant people, if they had always been prosperous, and successful in the field against their enemies, they would have been hoven and puffed up with pride, and have ascribed their victory to their own sword and their own arm, and therefore God to humble their hearts, to make them know themselves, and to give all the glory to him alone, who is the Lord of hosts, suffereth them to be overcome by an host of men. Prosperity maketh men forget God, but adversity and affliction maketh them both acknowledge him, and to fly unto his throne for succour.  
This appeareth in Saneherib the King of Assiria, 
(d) 1. Reg. 19  who because he had conquered Hamath, and Arpad, and Sepharuaim, Hena, and juah, began to insult, not only over the Gods of the heathen, whom he himself worshipped, but also did lift up his arm against the God of Israel, and blasphemed him, saying; Who are they among all the Gods of the nations, that have delivered their land out of mine hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand? thus victory and good success in battle put this Tyrant in his Ruff, and made him so proud that he cared not for God; wherefore because he was become like the horse and the mule that hath no understanding, (as the Psalmist saith) but must be holden in with bit and bridle, 
(e) Esay. 37.29.  God put his hook into his nostrils, and his bridle in his lips, and by the sword of his Angel smote in the Camp of Asshur, a hundredth fourscore, and five thousand, and afterward slew him in the Temple of Nisroch his God, with the sword of Adramalech & Sharezer his sons. Thus did almighty God resist the proud, and humbled the mighty; as for Saneherib, so for every man, he hath his hook and his Bridle; whereby he ruleth him, even as 
(f) jam. 3.4  great ships driven of fierce winds are turned about with a very small rudder; if the Rich man grow insolent, and brag of his full barns, saying, Soul take thy rest: God hath a Palmerworm, a Cankerworm, a Caterpillar, & a Grasshopper, to devour and eat him up: If the fair daughters of Zion, boast of their beauty, and gorgeous apparel, he hath to abate their arrogancy 
(g) Isay. 3.  stink, a rent, baldness, a girding of sackcloh, and sun-burning: And if the Gadites or any else, presume upon their own strength, because they have obtained some victories against their enemies, an overthrow is his hook, and his bridle, to bring them back, that they may acknowledge their own weakness & his power.  
Thirdly, God not only suffereth, but also ordaineth, that the Gadites should be overthrown, to teach both them and us, that we must not only confess our own weakness, & humbly acknowledge him to be the only giver of victory, but also by earnest prayer to crave his aid and assistance against our enemies, 
(h) Numb. 10.35.  as Moses said, when the host of Israel marched with the Ark before them, Rise up o Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee. So must we say, first following the Ark, that is, making God the captain of our host or army, & secondly, putting our whole trust & confidence in his protection, without whom, no enemy can be scattered, & no adversary be put to flight, when 
(i) Exod. 17.11.  joshua fought against Amalek, ever as long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed, but when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed: so it is in every skirmish and conflict, where there is a fainting in prayer, there is a failing in victory, but where prayer is fervent, there the sword is powerful, for the ear of God is ever open to a just prayer.  
Fourthly, The Gadites were overthrown by such as were Gentiles, and the enemies of God; here it may be demanded why God would use the sword of the uncircumcised, to strike the seed of Abraham, to whom he had promised that he would be their God, & they should be his people; it is answered, that God used the Gentiles in this kind as his instruments, that he might exercise his children in patience, and in humility, and that by them as the messengers of vengeance he might destroy such as were stubborn, and stiffnecked, this is proved by the words of God himself, saying, 
(l) levit. 26.23.24.25.  if you will not be reform, but walk stubbornly against me, then will I also walk stubbornly against you, and I will smite you seven times for your sins, and I will send a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: yet as a father burneth his rod when he hath chastised his son, so God ever dealt with the gentiles, assoon as by them being his Rods he had scourged his own people for their sins, he consumed them with the fire of his fierce wrath.  
Gad an host of men shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last, in the former part of this prophecy, Gad is overthrown, but in the later he is victorious: herein we may see the difference that God makes in his chastisements: when he overthroweth the gentiles, he strikes them with a Rod of Iron, and bruiseth them in pieces like a potter's vessel cutting them off, as he threatened 
(m) Obad. 10.  the Edomites for ever; but when the Israelites were overthrown, he struck them with a Rod like 
(n) Numb. 17.8.  Aaron's, which budded, and bare ripe almonds, a Rod of gentle correction, whereby they were not destroyed but humbled, & though he suffered them to be evil-entreated for a time, and to be overthrown, yet at the last, he delivered them out of all distress, and gave them victory over their enemies. In Gad we may behold the estate and condition of the whole Church of Christ, and particularly of every member thereof, both in regard of his Name, his overthrow and his Victory.  
First, this word 
(o) Hierom. in tradit. haebraicis in Genes.  Gad doth not only signify an Army, or troop of men, but also a Soldier girt in armour, or harnessed; in the first signification it may be applied very fitly to the Church of Christ here upon earth, which is called Militant; as in the Canticles, 
(p) Cant. 6.3.  Thou art beautiful my love as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners; and in the second, to every one, that is the son of Christ's spouse; for such a one is 
(q) Cant. 3, 7.8.  one of the strong men about salomon's bed, which handle the sword, and are expert in war, every one having his sword upon his thigh for fear by night, and both the Mother and her sons, namely the Church and the true members thereof, are called militant, because they 
(r) Eph. 6.12.  Wrestle against principalities, and powers, and worldly governors, the Princes of the darkness of this world, and Against spiritual wickednesses, which are in high places, that is to say, against the devil and his Angels, with whom the elect have continual warfare, as it appeareth by the Vision of the battle betwixt 
(s) Apo. 12.7.  Michael and the Dragon: So than the life of a Christian is a Warfare upon earth, as job saith, and therefore every one of us must be a Gad girt in armour, that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the devil; as Saint Paul exhorteth us, saying 
(t) Eph. 6.10.11.  finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the devil; the better that we may be prepared for this spiritual combat, let us consider these four particulars;  
First against whom must every Christian Gad fight? It is against Satan the adversary of mankind and his Angels, who are not as the Sadduces dreamt, only the affections and Perturbations of the mind, but real substances, for the Apostle saith, 
(u) Eph. 6.12.  that we wrestle not with flesh and blood, from whence our Affections arise, but with powers and principalities; namely with such creatures as be most excellent in regard of their substance, and are endued both with Will and Understanding, which were created in heaven, and afterwards for their sin cast down from thence, into these lower regions under the moon: and S. Peter, and S. Jude witness, these Enemies are the more to be feared, because they be invisible, or not seen of us, for they be spirits, mighty in performance, bold in adventures, subtle in contriving plots, expeditious in executing them, never wearied in taking pains to effect their designs, and purposes: and in a word, there is nothing wanting in them which can be desired in a Soldier; besides we are to fight with them in their own kingdom, which is This world, which makes the war more dangerous; moreover the evil spirits are above, 
(x) Eph. 6.12.  in the high places, over our heads, which is a great disadvantage unto us, and lastly, their Leader or Captain is as a 
(y) 1. Pet. 5.8.  Roaring Lion that goeth up and down seeking whom he may devour; in which words the Apostle doth most lively describe the fierce adversary of mankind; first he compareth him to a 
(z) Prou. 30.30.  Lion, which is strong amongst beasts, and turneth not at the sight of any: thereby setting before our eyes his great power and strength; Secondly, he calleth him not simply a Lion, but a Roaring Lion, therein showing the Greedy desire of the devil to destroy man, for he is wondrous fierce and cruel, as it is in the Revelation of S. john 
(a) Apo. 12.12.  wo● to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea, for the devil is come down unto you, which hath great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time. Thirdly, he doth not only Roar, but also goes up and down, or as it is in job, 
(b) job. 1.7.  he compasseth the earth too and fro, and walketh in it; as the pharisees did compass sea and land to make a Proselyte, so doth the devil range through all the corners of the world; he is upon the mountains, and in the low valleys, in cities, and in villages, in courts and in cottages, as the woman in the Gospel did, to find her lost groat, so doth he sweep every room to find his prey, whereupon the Apostle addeth, that he doth not only walk up and down, but also he Seeketh whom he may devour. The devil like 
(c) Gen. 10. ●  Nimrod is a great Hunter, and he pursueth us by our scent, and footsteps.  
Now, if as S. Peter exhorteth us, we follow the 
(d) 1. Pet. 2.21.  steps of Christ, which are Meekness, humility, mercy, and charity, than he may hunt us, but he cannot hurt us: But if our footsteps smell of impatience, pride, cruelty, and hatred, them are we sure to fall into the snare of the hunter; but this is not all, if only this General and Prince of Devils, did lie in wait to entrap our souls, the danger were not so great, because we should have some truce and intermission of pursuit, for the devil cannot assault every man at one time, for being a Spirit, he is definitively in a place, wherefore that manlike 
(e) Gen. 8.  Noah's dove, may find no rest for the sole of his foot; the devil hath his Lieutenants, who like their master, are Roaring Lions, only they go not up and down from man to man, too and fro, as he doth, but they haunt one man, and him they seek to devour: these are the Mali-Genij, Evil spirits, that follow us continually, and attend us from the Cradle to the grave, evermore enticing and alluring us to sin, as every man that is Elect, hath ordinarily One good Angel, and extraordinarily many, by the assignment of GOD, to guard and accompany him from his nativity to his death. So of the contrary part, as many of the Fathers held for trial sake, he hath one evill-spirite ordinarily, & extraordinarily many by the permission of God. The two branches of this position grow from these roots; In the Gospel by Saint Matthew▪ Our Saviour saith, concerning children, 
(f) Math. 18.10.  See that you despise not one of these little ones▪ for I say unto you that in Heaven their Angels always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. Hereby our Saviour meaneth nothing else, but that young children, and also when they be grown men, have their spiritual Tutors, to teach them, to defend them, and to implore vengeance from God against him that offereth them any injury. So doth Chrysostome, Hierome, and Augustine expound this place.  
Likewise in the Acts of the Apostles, when Peter being by an Angel delivered out of prison, came to the house of Marry the mother of john, 
(g] Acts. 12.  whose surname was Mark, and knocked, a maid came forth named Rhode, to hearken, who it was that knocked, and when she knew Peter's voice, it is written, that she opened not the entry door for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the entry; but they said unto her, Thou art mad: yet she affirmed it constantly, that it was so. Then said they, It is his Angel.  
Here the women spoke according to the opinion of the Hebrews at that time, which was, that Every man hath his good Angel assigned unto him, for Direction, and Protection. And from the Hebrews, as justine and Eusebius affirm, the Gentiles learned the same Doctrine, as it appeareth in 
h) Menand.  Menander, saying; A spirit stands by every one as soon as he is borne, being the good guide of his life.  

(i) Chriso. in Matth. 18. hom. 60.  Saint Chrysostome saith, that All the Saints have their Angels: and 
(k) Basil. in Psalm. 33. Concien. 9  Saint Basile, Every one that believeth in the Lord hath his good Angel ever about him, if we drive him not away with our evil works. Of the same opinion is 
l) Hiero. tom. 9 in Mat. ca 18.  Saint Hierome, whose words are these, Great is the dignity of our souls, when as every one of them from the nativity, hath an Angel appointed unto it, for the preservation and custody thereof: and of the same mind is S. Augustine, who thus speaketh unto God in his meditations 
m] Aug. libr. med. cap. 12.  I esteem it a great benefit, that from my Nativity thou hast assigned unto me an Angel of peace, to krepe me even unto my end.  
I might allege many other testimonies out of the Fathers, but these are sufficient to show that every one that is Elect, hath his good Angel. But the mai●e doubt is of the contrary part, whether every one hath his evil spirit.  
Concerning this point, I find no universality in opinion among the Fathers. Yet it is affirmed, not only by the Gentiles, but also by the Christians.  
The Platonists say, that every man hath his Evil spirit assigned unto him: and so likewise doth 
(n) Orig. peri. archon. lib. 3. & in Luc. tom. 2. hom. 2.  Origen in two seu●rall places of his works; Every man saith he, hath two Angels; The one is an Angel of justice, the other of iniquity; If there be good cogitations in our heart, without doubt, the Angel of the Lord speaketh unto us; but if evil thoughts arise in our mind, than one of the devils angels speaketh unto us.  
Of this opinion was 
o) Chry. hom. 2. in Mat. ca 4. hom. 5. Mag. senten. lib. 2. dist. 11.  Chrysostome, and S. Gregory, as he is quoted by the Master of the sentences. The Scripture telleth us, that King 
(p) 1. Sam. 16.14.  Saul had an Evil spirit, sent of the Lord to vex him; and S. Paul confesseth that he was buffeted by the spirit of Belial: but it cannot be proved directly, that these did follow them from their birth. Certain it is, that every man is beset continually with legions of evil spirits. And it is probable, 
(q) 2. Cor. 12 7.  that as God appointeth extraordinarily many good Angels, who are his ministering spirits, and ordinarily, one to attend and guard us; so he permitteth ordinarily one, & extraordinarily many evil spirits daily to assault us. So that a Man hath no time wherens he can be free from the Tempter. For his life is a daily warfare. As 
(r) Zach. 3.1  with jehoshua, so it is with every one of God's children, even when we stand before the Angel of the Lord, either preaching or praying, Satan or some of his angels stands at our right hand to resist us.  
Secondly, the Fight that every spiritual Gad, or Soldier, hath with the devil and his angels, is not for a Day, a month, or a year, but all the days, months, and years of our life, we must combat & skirmish with them, without any truce or intermission.  
That speech in job mentioned before, where it is said, according to the Latin translation, Vita hominis est mili●ia super Terram; The life of man is a warfare upon earth: is by the Septuagint Translated, (Peiratérion.) which is, A Place of Piracies, and Temptations, the Greek word doth aptly express the danger to which the life of man lieth open. For Satan being both a Pirate, or a Thief, & a Tempter, by his subtle temptations seeketh continually to rob us of eternal life: therefore it concerns our freehold to resist him courageously.  
When the jews under Nehemiah repaired the walls of jerusalem▪ it is said that 
(s) Nehem. 4.17.  They which builded on the wall, and they that bore burdens, and they that laded, did the work with one hand, and with the other held the sword: And this they did for fear of Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite, who were their enemies, being ever ready both to work and to fight.  
So must the Christian Soldier do, whatsoever his temporal employments be; let him ever have the Sword of God's word in his hand, for fear that spiritual Sanballat, the Devil surprise him at unawares.  
We must not think to conquer Satan by delaying and prolonging the fight from day to day, as Quixtus Fabius did Hannibal, the Carthaginian; Of whom Ennius thus writes, 
(t) unus homo nobis ●unctando restituit rem, Ennius.  One man by delay our ruins hath repaired; No, the case is not alike.  
Hannibal was far from his own country, and therefore could not be speedily supplied with victuals, men, and munition, the want of which, was the cause of his overthrow; but the Devil is in his own Dominion: 
(u] Eph. 2.2,  for he is the Prince of this world, that ruleth in the Air, and worketh in the children of disobedience; wherefore in us rest or delay breeds danger, because it weakens our own forces, and strengthens him.  
Therefore we must ever stand upon our guard; as the Apostle counsels us, saying 
x] Eph. 6.14  Stand therefore, and your loins gird about with verity. We must never lay aside the Helmet of Salvation, nor the Breastplate of Righteousness, nor the Shield of Faith, nor the Sword of the Spirit: but 
y) Pet. ●. 8.  Watch and be sober continually, lest our Adversaries find us, either disarmed, or sleeping; 
z) 2. Sam. ●. 7  Remember Ishboseth the son of Saul, he was slain by two captains Baanah and Rechab, while he slept on a bed at noon; and Samson was spoiled of his long hair wherein lay his strength, while he slept on 
(a) judg. 16. ●9.  Delilah's knee; even so shall we be served if we sleep at noontide, or be bewitched by this harlot our own flesh to continue in sin securely, therefore it behoveth us while we have light, to walk in the light for fear the rebellious spirits of darkness murder us sleeping, and to beware of the devils stumbling block our own Carnal desire, lest it clip our locks, and deprive us of all spiritual strength, thereby disabling us to withstand the furious assaults of our enemies.  
Thirdly, there be two causes of our fight, the first is, the Glory of our God, the second is our own salvation, for the devil is an adversary both to God and man, and his chiefest study is to rob God of his honour, and to deprive man of aeternal life; this his attempt appeareth in his first conflict with our Grand-parents in paradise, where persuading Hevah to eat of the forbidden fruit; he first beginneth to condemn God of 
(b) Gen. 3.4.  falsehood; for whereas God hath said▪ 
(c) Gen. 2.16.17.  Thou shalt eat freely of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death; he tells her a contrary tale, saying, ye shall not die at all; but God doth know that when ye shall eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil; in this practice with Hevah, we may see his malice bend even against his creator, in that he contradicteth his commandment, and therein like a Rebel striveth to spoil him of his honour; and secondly with the glorious, and golden promise of a deity, included in these words, ye shall be as Gods, he traineth them to disobedience, knowing assuredly, that if they did eat the fruit, though pleasant to the eye, and good for meat, would be their bane; thus with one blow he strikes both God and man, God in regard of his glory, and man in respect of his life, and therefore our Saviour calls him 
(d) joh. 8.44.  a Liar and a murderer from the beginning; a Liar because he ever oppugneth the Truth of God, & a Murderer, because he is delighted with the ruin and destruction of man; if then we have care of God's glory and our own salvation, we must ever be at open defiance with Satan; as jehu answered the King of ●●reel, who said unto him, Is it peace jehu? so must we answer the devil, who oftentimes offereth us fair conditions of peace, that by security he may betray us; jehu his answer was this, 
(e) 2. Reg. 9.22.  what peace? whiles the whoredoms of thy mother jezabel, and her witchcrafts are yet in great number? so ought we to say to the devil, whiles by spiritual whoredom and fornication which is Idolatry thou robbest God of his honour, & by innumerable witchcrafts or temptations makest havoc of the souls of men, we will have no peace with thee, this aught to be the resolution of a Christian Soldier; for as there is no fellowship betwixt light & darkness, God & Mammon, Christ and Belial, so there must be no amity, or truce betwixt the champions of God and the spirits of darkness.  
Gad an host of men shall overcome him, etc.: though the Gadites were a warlike and stout people, yet they were overcome; and this (as I said before) fell out by the ordinance of God, first to teach them and us, that a man hath no strength in himself to defend himself; secondly to humble them and make them know themselves, and thirdly, to move them to crave by prayer God's assistance and aid, as it was with the Gadites, so is it with every Christian Soldier; there is not any so strong, 
(f) Gen. 9.21.  be it Noah a preacher of righteousness, 
(g) Exod. 37.4.  or Aaron the anointed of the Lord, 
(h) 2. Sam. 11 ●.  or David a man after Gods own heart, or 
(i) Luc. 22.57.  Peter the Apostle of Christ jesus, but a mote may be found in his eye, either the mote of drunkenness, or of Idolatry, or adultery & murder or apostasy; none then, when as even the most righteous adorned with epithetons of grace are frail, can presume of his own strength, wherefore as the Prophet Hieremiah said of the noblemen of Zion, 
(k) Lam. 4.2.  The noblemen of Zion comparable unto fine gold how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers? So may I say of the children of men; in our creation, we were golden vessels, and vessels of honour for we were made after the 
(l) Gen. 1.27.  image of God himself; but by the transgression of our first parents and the infection of original sin, we are become earthen Pitchers, brittle, and dishonourable vessels, soon cracked, and broken in pieces by Satan, even like the work of the hands of the potter; the spirit of God exhorts us to stand to it and sight manfully, saying, 
(m) Eph. 6.14.  stand therefore; but who is so strong that can say, I will stand; oh no; that freedom of will which was in Adam before his fall, is quite extinct and buried in us; before we be regenerate; for, as the Apostle saith 
(n) 1. Cor. 2 14.  The natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned; in these words the Apostle by a Natural man, understandeth him that is estranged from Christ, being guided by his own reason, and left to the powers of his corrupt nature; the proper guise of such a one, is not only Not to understand the things of the spirit of God, but also Not to be able to perceive them; for there is in him a natural impotency and weakness towards God, and all good things; as then the strongest man is but as chaff before the wind in respect of bodily strength, so likewise in regard of spiritual power and ability 
(o) joh. 6.44.  No man can come unto Christ unless the father draw him; 
(p) joh. ●5. 5.  without Christ we can do nothing, 
(q) Phil. 2.13.  it is God that worketh in us both the will, and the deed; 
(r) jerem. 0.23.  for the way of man is not in himself, neither is it in man to walk and to direct his steps. 
[s] Aug. de lib. arbit.  God is the author of merit, (saith Augustine) who apply the will to the work, and the work to the will: seeing than that the natural man wanteth freedom of will in the choice of that which is good, it cannot otherwise be but he must needs be overcome, and be made the bondslave of Satan, and the servant of sin; But our Saviour saith 
(t) joh. 8.36.  if the son shall make you free, then are you free indeed; be like then whosoever is regenerate, hath freedom of will, being redeemed by grace both from the thraldom of the devil and sin; and consequently, he Overcometh, and is not overcome.  
I answer, granting indeed, that after a man is regenerate, and borne anew of the water and the spirit, he hath some freedom of will. because in the new birth his will being instructed by the holy spirit, doth willingly consent to Gods will, and worketh with God for the attainment of salvation; this is proved out of S. Paul's words to the Philippians, saying, 
(u) Philip. 2.12.  Work your salvation with fear and trembling: but this freedom in this life is not perfect, if it were, as it shall be in the life to come, when the whole Image of God shall be renewed in man; then should our reason be ever sound, our affections stayed and settled, and our will most just; but we find the contrary, for there is civil war in ourselves, the flesh rebels, and fights against the spirit, and we are daily overcome by the temptations of the devil, it was Saint Paul's case, and it is ours; who saith, 
(x) Rom. 7. 1●.19.2●.21.22.23.  for I know that in me, that is in my fl●●h, dwelleth no good thing, for to will is present with me, but I find no m●anes to perform that which is good, for I do not the good thing which I would, but the evil which I would not▪ t●at do●●; now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but the sin that dwelleth in me, I find then by the law that when I would do good, evil is present with me; for I delight in the law of God concerning the inward man: but I see another law i● my members, rebelling against the law of my mind, and leading me captive unto the law of sin, which is in my members; hence we may learn our weakness; and in S. Paul, as in a looking glass, behold our imperfections. No man is so just, but he is forced by the rage of concupiscence or lust, to be the captive of sin▪ sometimes, yet here is our comfort, that nothing done by infirmity of concupiscence, without consent of the inward man, can make the regenerate man guilty before God, because the grace of GOD in JESUS CHRIST, doth discharge and quit him in God's sight, without which he were a miserable and an unhappy man: As the Apostle confesseth of himself, saying, 
y] Rom. 7.24  Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  
secondly, as the Gadites were overthrown by an Host of men, so the children of God are often foiled and overcome by the evill-spirites, the enemies of our salvation; & this falleth out by the ordinance of GOD, to humble Man, and to make him confess his own unworthiness. If a man should never fall before his spiritual enemies, he would presume that his perseverance in Righteousness, grew from his own inhaerent justice; And thereupon, like the Angel of the church of Laodicea, boast 
z) Apo. 3.17  that he was rich, and increased with goods, and had need of nothing. And therefore GOD in his great Wisdom, permitteth the Devil oftentimes to get the upperhand, and to overcome his Children, that by this means in feeling their own weakness, they may be brought to humility, and that he in raising them up again, may declare his powerful grace and mercy; As than it was said of the Angel of Laodicea, by CHRIST, Thou art wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.  
So it may be said of all Mankind; For there is no man, so happy in Grace, so rich in the spirit, so quick-sighted in understanding, and so clothed with the raiments of Righteousness, but that he had need to Buy Gold of GOD, tried by the Fire, that he may be made Rich, and white raiments, that he may be clothed, and eyesalve, that he may see. It was a confident protestation of Peter saying unto Christ 
(a) Mat. 26.33.34.  Though all men should be offended by thee, yet will I never be offended; but yet the sequel proved the words of Christ to be true, who replied thus, Verily I say unto thee, that this night before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice, 
(b) Mat. 26.75.  for he denied our Saviour with swearing & cursing 3. times, heaping sin upon sin: & drawing iniquity with cartropes; thus did God for a time suffer him to be overcome of Satan, to humble him, so that afterward he should not presume upon his own strength, but acknowledge his weakness, and attribute the gift of Perseverance to God's grace alone; As then the Apostle said, so say I, let him that standeth, take heed lest he fall; beware of presumption, though we be now the children of God, yet we know not what we shall be.  
If we resist Satan, and vanquish him to day, yet let us not like the proud Pharisi●, say within ourselves, we are not like unto other men, but more holy, and more righteous; for if we do, the devil and his host shall overcome us to morrow, that we may be humbled: God rejecteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble; If then we be lowly in our own eyes, God will strengthen us with his grace, & thereby make us able to withstand the adversary: but if we justify ourselves like insolent hypocrites, and trust in our inherent righteousness, he will check our haughty hearts, by suffering the Tempter to overcome us.  
thirdly, as God did not only suffer, but also ordain, that the Gadites should be overthrown, to teach them by prayer to crave his help against their adversaries, & not to rely upon their own strength; So it is his will & pleasure in our spiritual skirmishes, to permit Satan to overcome us, that groaning under his hellish yoke, and the burden of sin, we might by the consideration of our own infirmities, be moved to fly only unto him for succour, by humble and devout prayer. For it is not sufficient for a spiritual Soldier to be arme● with the breastplate of Righteousness, the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, but he must 
(c] Eph. 6.18.  pray always, with all manner prayer, and supplication in the Spirit, and watch thereunto, with all Perseverance.  
God permitteth the devil to go up and down, and to compass the earth; therefore it concerns us to watch, and he Roars continually, as a Lion greedy of his prey; and therefore it behoveth us to pray, that GOD would assist us with his Grace, and break the jawe-bone of this fierce Lion, and his cruel whelps; Fervent prayer is the strongest and most powerful Exorcism, that can be used to give Satan the repulse.  
It is reported by the Herbalists, 
Remb. Dod●●.  that the perfume made of the root of Lysimachion, will drive Scorpions and Serpents out of a house: and we read in the book of Tobit, 
(d) Tobit. 8.3.  that Tobias with the perfume made of the heart and liver of a Fish, by the direction of the Angel Raphael, did put to flight the evil spirit which loved Sara the daughter of Raguel, and killed those which came to her; Such like is devout prayer; It is that 
(e) Exod. 30.34.  sweet perfume burnt upon the golden Altar, wherewith GOD is delighted, and Satan affrighted: but yet the smell of it is neither pleasing to God, nor of any virtue to repel the devil, unless it be burnt upon the golden Altar.  
Which Altar of pure gold is 
(f) Apo. 8.3.  CHRIST JESUS, in whose Name alone we must pray, because he is our only Mediator and Advocate; If then in his Name, we implore assistance and aid, against our spiritual enemies. 
(g) Mat. 7.7  it shall be given us: for so hath our blessed Saviour promised; saying, 
(h] joh. 16.23.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you.  
lastly, though Gad was subdued for a Time, yet he overcame at the last; So the Church of GOD, and every member thereof, which fighteth under the banner of CHRIST, though they be liable to the fiery darts of Satan for a little while, that thereby God may bring them to the knowledge of him, and his great power, to humility, and to prayer, yet they shall triumph and have the victory in the end, as our Saviour saith to his Apostles, 
(i) joh. 16.33  In the world ye shall have trouble, but be of good comfort, I have overcome the world. And in another place he saith, The Prince of this world shall be cast forth.  
So then, though the life of a Christian be a Warfare upon earth, and though 
(k) Apoc. 12.7.  the Dragon and his angels fight against Michael and his Angels, that is to say, against Christ the 
(l) josu. 5.14  Captain of God's Host, and his Soldiers, yet they shall not prevail, but being overcome, be cast out, even into the earth, or the bottomless pit. The consideration hereof bindeth us to give thanks unto GGD, which giveth us 
(m] 1, Cor. 13.57.  victory, through our Lord JESUS CHRIST.  
The reason then of our victory is, because athan and all the evil spirits are the captives of Christ, so that they can do nothing against Man, but by permission; as appeareth by diverse places in the word of God. For it is written in the book of Genesis, that 
(n] Gen. 3.15  God hath put enmity betwixt the Serpent & Man; insomuch as the serpent shall seek to bruise or wound the heel of man: but the man shall break his head. These words do specially belong to Christ, the seed of the woman, who by his death & Passion, hath 
(o] Rom. 1● 20.  trodden Satan under his feet: 
(p] Col. 2, 15  & hath spoiled powers, & principalities, & hath made a show of them openly, and hath triumphed over them in the same Cross: but generally they are to be applied to every Christian Gad or Soldier, who by the power of his Redeemer, vanquisheth at the last, his Adversary the devil, & breaketh the head of the old Serpent. The like may be showed out of the prophecy of Isaiah, who saith, 
(q) Isa. 27.1.  In that day the Lord with a sore, & great, & mighty sword, shall visit Leui●than, that piercing Serpent, even Leviathan that crooked serpent, & he shall slay the Dragon that is in the Sea; Here the devil is compared to Leviathan, or the Whale, in regard of his great strength, and his attributes be Piercing, and Crooked. He is called a piercing Serpent, because his kingdom stretcheth far and near, and a Crooked Serpent, because he is full of guile and subtlety; And yet 
(r] job. 41.  Though he be so fierce, that none dare stir him up, though his Teeth be fearful, round about, though the majesty of his scales be like strong shields, and are sure sealed, so that no wind can come between them; though his neising make the light to shine, and his eyes be like the eyelids of the morning, though out his mouth go lamps & sparks of fire leap out; though out of his nostrils comes a smoke, as out of a boiling pot or cauldron; though his heart be as hard as the nether millstone, and though the mighty be afraid of his majesty, & he cares neither for sword, spear, dart, nor habergeon, being King over all the children of pride, yet God draws out this monstrous beast with an hook cast into his nose, and pierceth his jaws with an angle, and with his sharp and mighty sword he visits him, this Sword, this hook, this angle, is Christ, the wisdom, and power of God, who by his death, hath put to death, The dragon that is in the sea: 
(s) Origen. Hom. 8. in josu.  The Cross of Christ then, as S Origen saith, is a Victorious Chariot, in the upper part whereof Christ sitteth as a triumphant Conqueror, and in the lower part of it, the devil is drawn as a captive, and is made an open spectacle of ignominy and reproach: hence it comes to pass, that the devil and his angels by sufferance may assault, wound, and overthrow the elect for a time, even as the Gadites being Israelites, and of the seed of Abraham were overcome by an host of men, but they do never utterly vanquish the children of God, because they do ever rise up again in arms, and at the last by the help and grace of Christ, triumph over Satan and his whole army: for Christ as he professeth, hath such care over them, that he suffereth none of them to perish or to be taken out of his hand. And the Apostle saith; That God is faithful, and will not suffer us to be tempted above that which we are able to bear; but it is not so with Reprobates and Castaways, for the devil dealeth with them as Nabuchadnezzar did with Zedekiah the King of judah, 
(t) 2. Reg. 25.7.  who put out his eyes, and bound him in chains and carried him to Babel, even so Satan, who worketh powerfully and victoriously in the children of disobedience, when he hath subdued the wicked and s●eked the city of their souls, putteth out their eyes, so that they shall have no understanding of God; and binds them in Chain●s, so that they cannot turn to goodness by repentance, and at the last carrieth them along with him to Babel, the land of confusion and death aeternal: as then after the death of Goliath, and the overthrow of the Philistims the woman of Israel came dancing with timbrels to meet Saul and David, and sang by course, 
(u) 1. Sam. 18.7.  Saul hath slain his thousand, and David his ten thousand, so may all we the elect of God dance for joy, that Christ the son of David hath slain the mighty Giant, that reviled the host of the living God, thereby giving us victory over powers and principalities, which are in the high places; and to our dance we may join this song; 
(x) 1. Cor. 13.55.  O death where is thy victory, o hell where is thy sting?   

THE NINTH SERMON OF ASHER.  GENES. 49.20. 
Concerning Asher, his bread shall be fat, and he shall give pleasures for a King.  
ASher was the second son of jacob by Zilpah Leahs handmaid, and afterward his concubine; whose name signifieth Blessedness; & it was given him by Leah, whose adopted son he was, because he was borne upon her knees, and therefore upon his birth she said, 
(a) Gen 30.13.  A● Blessed am I for the daughters will bless me; and she called his name Asher; which name is the discoverer of Leahs passions; ●●rst she said, Ah I am blessed; because her sister had not, 
(b) Gen. 30.8.  as she herself had said upon the birth of Naphtali gotten the upper hand; so then in these words, she doth not only rejoice, but also insult over her Sister; to whom barrenness was a great affliction; though Rahel did ill, in calling the two sons of her handmaid Bilhah, the one of them 
(c) Gen. 30.6.  Dan, which signifieth judgement, as though God had given sentence on her side; and the other 
(d) Gen. 30.8.  Naphtali; which is wrestling, as though by excellent wrestle she had overcome her sister in fruitfulness; yet Leah, who indeed was more blessed with children than she, having at that time four sons from her own womb, and two from Zilpah's, should not by Insultation have vexed her that was grieved at the heart, but rather have given the loser leave to speak, and winked at her emulation, Insultation is the daughter of Pride, and it seems that Leah was grown proud with prosperity, and therefore she insults saying, Ah I am blessed, for the daughter will bless me; as if she should have said, every one will proclaim me to be happy, but my sister miserable; it is the nature of man, 
(e) Hos. 12.1.  like Ephraim to be fed with wind, and to follow after the east wind; for prosperity makes him arrogant, and insolent; ●●d yet the chiefest prosperity of this world is but wind, and to become proud upon it, and to insult, is but to follow the east wind, which of all the rest is most hurtful and dangerous, being cold and moist; The second reason, why Leah uttereth this passionate speech; Ah I am blessed, and thereupon calleth Zilpah's son, being hers by adoption, Asher is the Multiplication of Children, which in those days was accounted a great Blessedness, because among the daughters of Abraham Barrenness was reproachful: first, because it seemeth to be repugnant to that precept, wherein God commanded, both immediately after the making of the world, and also after the flood, saying, 
(f) Gen. 1.28. & 9.1.  Increase and multiply: secondly, because they which be barren, attain not unto that blessing of God which he promised unto Abraham; to wit, that his 
(g) Gen. 22. 1●.  seed should be as the stars of heaven, and as the sand of the sea: thirdly, they which wanted children, seemed after a sort to be hated of God, in that he would not have their generation or stock to be spread any further abroad: four, among the jews, (as some have thought, barrenness was infamous, because Messiah should proceed from their posterity, and therefore every one endeavoured to have many children, that out of his progeny Messiah might one day be borne: not only amongst the people of God, it was a reproachful thing for a woman to be barren, but also amongst the gentiles. The Romans that had begotten many children were excused by the civil law, both from charge, & public offices, and three was sufficient for an excuse amongst them; but the Italians admitted of four, and the provinces of five, so that they were not adopted, nor yet taken of the enemies, nor died out of the wars. Howbeit this number of children excused the parents only from personal offices, but not from offices of inheritance, but 
(h) digest, de iure immunitatis leg. semper pertinax.  sixteen children excused from both kinds of offices, afterwards, twelve did excuse. Furthermore, the bearing of children hath always been esteemed an honourable thing amongst all Nations, as may appear in the history of the Lacedaemonian, who being a Nobleman, & unmarried, as he passed by the way, 
(i) Cod. de decurionibus leg. siquid decurio.  saw a man that did not rise up to give him honour, whom he asked why he did so; to whom the young man answered, because thou hast left none unto the commonweal, that may rise up unto me when I am old. Children in the opinion of the Gentiles, were a furtherance to felicity: but yet this furtherance is conditional: namely, if they be well instructed, and virtuously brought up: For otherwise they be rotten impostumes, & cankers, as Octavius Augustus spoke of his daughter & niece, when they were unchaste. Also Tiberius sorrowed, that he did nourish in his house for the people of Rome, Caligula, a most cruel Snake. Thus in this name Asher, which is, being interpreted, blessedness, we may observe the causes of Leahs rejoicing: the first whereof was evil, for it includeth an insultation; the 2. was good, for it containeth her exultation, for the increase of God's family.  
Concerning Asher, his bread shallbe fat, & he shall give pleasures for a king: In these words spoken to Asher, jacob prophesieth of the plentifullnes, & pleasures, which the Asherites should enjoy in the land of promise. First, their plentifulness is set down in these words, his bread shallbe fat, which is to be understood, of the abundance of oil & corn, which the land of Asher did yield. As it was said of judah 
(k) Gen. 49.11.  he shall wash his garments in wine, & his cloak in the blood of grapes; & as job said of himself, 
(l) job. 29.6.  I washed my paths with butter, & the rock poured me out rivers of oil. So doth Mos. speak of Asher 
m] Deut. 33.24.  saying, he shall dip his foot in oil: In these texts of scripture, by washing of the cloak, the paths, & the feet, in wine, butter, & oil, is meant the plentifulness, & great store of wine, oil & butter, which judah, job, & Asher had. 
(n) joseph. lib 4. de bell. jud.  josephus reports that the inhabitants of Giscala, a city within the lot & portion of Asher, were all tilers of the ground, & that their chiefest wealth consisted in Corn & oil. This is a plain testimony, that the land of Asher was both a great Corne-countrey, in that they had Bread, & an oyle-country, because their Bread was fat. It is a singular blessing to dwell in such a country as that, which by the providence of God, became Ashers portion; for as famine is one of the arrows of God's vengeance, so of the contrary part, fullness of Bread, is a sign of his favour. As no man can so well judge of the happiness of health, as he that hath been long sick, so the great blessing of plentiefulnes is best declared in the consideration of want & penury. The inhabitants of Thule, or Island, have no corn growing, & therefore in stead thereof, they make bread of dried fish, as Munster reporteth. The Scythians & Tartarians feed upon horseflesh, & mare's milk: and the Troglodytes, upon snakes and serpents, for want of better food, as Pomponius Mela writes: How much more happy than were the Asherites, that had both Bread & Oil? namely, fat bread to satisfy them?  
The kingly prophet David affirmeth, that GOD, for the love that he beareth unto his Servants, 
(o) Psal. 107.33.34.35.36.37.  changeth the order of nature for their commodity. This his Assertion may be drawn out of the Psalm, where he saith, He turned the floods into a Wilderness, and the springs of water into dryness: & a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. Again, He turneth the Wilderness into pools of water, and the dry land into water-springs, and there he placeth the hungry, and they build a city to dwell in, and sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which bring forth fruitful increase.  
Here the Prophet showeth unto us two things; First, who is the author both of Fertility & Barrenness of soil: Namely GOD, whose powerful hand alone, altereth the course of nature; for if he but say (Fiat) let there be plenty, or let there be want, both heaven & earth obey him, even as the handmaid looketh unto the eyes of her Mistress. And secondly, what is the impulsive cause, whereby God is provoked to lay the yoke of misery or penury upon the neck of man; Namely, Wickedness: God setteth before our eyes a Blessing, and a Cursing; the one, the stipend of righteousness; the other, the reward of disobedience. 
(p) Deut. 7.12.13.  If ye hearken (saith Moses,) unto these Laws, & do them, than the LORD thy GOD shall keep with thee the Covenant, and the mercy, which he swore unto thy Fathers: and he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee, he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy Land, thy Corn, & thy Wine, and thine Oil, and the increase of thy kine, & the flocks of thy Sheep in the Land, which he swore unto thy Fathers to give thee. 
(q) Deut. 28.15.16.17.  But if thou wilt not obey the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep & do all his Commandments & Ordinances, which I command this day, than all these Curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee. Cursed shalt thou be in the Town, & cursed in the field, cursed shall thy Basket be and thy Dough, cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, & the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy Kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, etc. As God dealt with the Israelites, so he doth with us; if we walk before him, with upright hearts like Ashers, our Bread shall be fat; But if we be stubborn and stiffnecked, and go on still in our wickedness, etc. he will strike our cornfields, with Blasting, and Mildewe, and they shall pursue us till we perish; He will make our land, which like Chanaan flows with milk & honey, Barren; he will send amongst us cleanness of Teeth, the tongue of the sucking child shall cleave unto the roof of his mouth: For first, the young children shall ask bread, & no man shall break it unto them: they that feed delicately shall perish in the streets, & they that were brought up in scarlet, shall embrace the dung: Our visages with famine, shall grow blacker than a coal: Our skin shall cleave to our bones, and whither like a stock.  
What is the cause that our land comparable to the land of Asher for fat Bread, in former times, is now become as a Wilderness, for scarcity and want? Why do we sow much, and reap so little? and why do the Powers of heaven fight against us? If we do but as Moses did, 
(r) Exo. 4.6  put our hands into our bosoms, and take them out again, behold, they will be as leprous as snow; Our Sins alas, which like a leprosy cleave unto us, have brought these punishments upon our heads; 
* Spots.  from the head to the sole of the foot, we are full, both of white & black spots, & like the 
(s) Gen. ●0. 32.  sheep, which were jacob's wages, we are become particoloured, in regard of the variety of our wickedness. For we have not used this Blessing of fat-bread, to the glory of God, and the good of his poor members; No, no, the invective speech of the Prophet Isaiah, against the princes of judah, may well be applied to our mighty & rich men: 
(t) Isai. 1.23  They are all rebellious, & companions of thieves; & for their Thieverie, our Fatness of bread is turned into scarcity; First, they are thieves unto GOD, for they devour holy things, & seek after vows, that is, they Rob his Church of Tithes, pretending they were given to superstitious uses; and therefore may lawfully be taken away from the Church: but are not impropriations sacrilege? considering GOD himself saith 
(u) Leu. 27.30.  All the Tithes of the land, both of the Seed, & of the ground, & of the fruit, of the Trees, is the Lords, it is holy to the Lord: & by the mouth of the prophet he saith, Bring my Tithes into my Barns, and see if you shall not prosper; The want of paying Tithes then, which is a robbing of God, is the first cause, why the Seed rotteth under the clods, why the garners are destroyed, why the barns are broken down, & why the corn withereth. The 2. is, the oppression of the poor & needy, by such as 
(x) Amos. 6.3.4.5.6.  put far away the evil day, & approach to the seat of iniquity, which lie upon beds of ivory, & stretch themselves upon their beds, and eat the lambs of the flock, & the calves out of the stall, which sing to the sound of the viol, & invent to themselves instruments of music like David, which drink wine in bowls, & anoint themselves with the chiefest ointments, but are never sorry for the affliction of joseph: the wickedness & cruelty of these tyrants, is the 2. cause that the land trembles, & every one mourns. For so saith the prophet Amos 
(y) Amos. 8.4.5.6.7.8.  hear this, o ye that swallow up the poor that ye may make the needy of the land to fail, saying, when will the new month be gone, that we may sell corn, and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, and make the Ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsify the weights by deceit, that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for shoes, yea and sell the refuse of the wheat, the Lord hath sworn by thy excellency of jacob, surely I will never forget any of their works, shall not the land tremble for this? yes; Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of the hearing of the word of the Lord, which is the food of the soul, this is the true fat bread, that cometh down from heaven, that bread of life dipped in the oil of gladness, which maketh both the heart and countenance cheerful, and of this bread are the Israelites deprived, because of their sacrilege, and oppression.  
Secondly, the Pleasures of the Asherites are expressed in these words, And he shall give pleasures for a King; or he 
(z) Chal. paraph. Pag-m●.  shall enjoy the delights of Kings, the meaning of both which readings is this; the Land of Asher shall bring forth such delicate fruits, that even Kings shall desire to eat of them, and be much delighted with them; this is the ordinary paraphrase of this speech, but yet it doth not truly declare the meaning of the word Madam in the original, which though it be sometimes used for to signify delights, and pleasures; yet more properly it signifieth a Thing, that breedeth or procureth Pleasure, and delight; and so I think is it here to be taken; now, what those things be, Moses declareth, in his Blessing of Asher, of whom he thus said, Asher shall be blessed with children, 
(a) Deut. 33.24.25.  he shall be acceptable unto his brethren, and shall dip his foot in oil; thy shoes shall be iron and brass, and thy strength shall continue as long as thou livest: here Moses being the Herald of God promiseth five things to the children of Asher, which even the Kings of the earth do desire and wish for. The first is to be blessed with Children, and to have store of them, which according to the Philosopher's is a furtherance to felicity, and the Psalmist confirmeth the same, saying, 
(b) Psal. 127.  Behold, children are the inheritance of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb his reward, as are the arrows in the hand of the strong man, so are the children of youth, blessed is the man that hath his quiverfull of them, for they shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate. The second is to be acceptable unto his brethren, that is to say, to be beloved of the rest of the Tribes; not because the daughters of Asher did excel the rest of the Israelitish women in beauty, as Pererius thinketh, but because all his brethren should be benefited by the plentiful and pleasant commodities of his country; 
(c) Senec. de beneficijs.  It is better to give, then to receive a benefit, saith Seneca; Asher then is happy in this, that the Lot or inheritance of his posterity should fall in so good a ground, as that he may be enabled to give bountifully, and to distribute amongst such as want, the increase of his land, for which kindness he should be requited with love and friendship, which according to Aristotle is one of the props of man's felicity.  
Thirdly saith Moses, he shall dip his foot in oil, whereof he shall have such abundance, as he may not only anoint his head, but also his feet therewith, 
(d) Psalm. 140.  the use of ointments made of oil was very frequent amongst the Kings and Princes of the East, whereas then it is said, that Asher shall dip his feet in oil, the meaning of Moses is, that the Asherites, like mighty potentates, should feel the want of nothing, but have all things according to their hearts desire.  
Fourthly, his shoes must be iron and brass: hereby is signified the mines of brass and Iron, which were in the land of Asher, of which there was store, and hereupon one of the cities of Ashers' portion was called Sarepta, because there these metals were melted, refined, and sold in shops; how necessary these matters are for a commonwealth, we may conjecture easily, if we do but consider into what straits the Israelites were driven for want of a Smith; now than if the Artisan be so profitable a member, the metal, wherein he works, must of force be needful and very commodious; the Asherites then were happy in their mines of Brass and iron, because thereby they were stored with vessels for their houses, with instruments for husbandry, and with weapons for the wars.  
Lastly, his strength shall continue as long as he liveth. Which words are thus interpreted by Saint Hierome, As the days of thy youth, so shall be thine old-age; full of strength and ability; as Balaam speaking of the Israelites, made this wish, 
(f) Numb. 23.10.  Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his: even so the Kings of the earth, if their desire might be granted, would say, Let us live the life of Asher, let us be blessed with children, whom we may make Princes in all lands; Let us be acceptable unto our brethren which are our subjects, for their love, friendship, and loyalty, are the surest guard; let us dip our feet in oil, for plenty is the sinew and strength of royalty; Let us be shod with brass and iron, for the sword and the mattock are a kingdoms bulwarks, and let our strength continue as long as we live, because, if our arms grow feeble, the hearts of the people will faint, seeing then that Kings desire these things, therefore they may fitly be called Pleasures, or Blessings for a King; but it often falleth out, that those things which are given unto us by God for our good, prove to be by our abusing of them occasions of our falling, so that of blessings they become Curses, and of pleasures, Corrosives; As for example;  
First it is a singular Blessing for men to dwell in a fertile land, where they may be fed with fat bread, as the Asherites were; but if this Plentifulness breed in them a forgetfulness of God, as it did in the Sodomites, whose crying sin sprang from Pride, 
(g) Ezech. 16.49.  fullness of Bread, and abundance of Idleness; than it had been fair better to have dwelled upon the barren mountains, or in a wilderness void of water-springs: though God give fat bread unto many, yet few there be that make right use of it; the true use of it, is to preserve our own lives, and to be beneficial to the poor, according to the direction of the wiseman, saying 
(h) Eccl. ●1 1  Cast thy bread upon the waters; that is, be liberal to the poor, and though it seem to be as a thing ventured on the sea, yet it shall bring thee profit, for after many days thou shalt find it; for as the Apostle saith it is a Sacrifice wherewith God is pleased; and as the Table of showbread in the Tabernacle, was circled or compassed about with 
(i) Exod. 25.24.  a Crown of gold, even so such as keep a Table for the poor, which is holy unto the Lord, shall be 
(k) Luc. 6.36.  rewarded, because he that giveth unto the poor, dareth unto the Lord, and the giver of a cup of cold water in Christ's name shall not lose his reward, but for one Tabytha, that maketh almes-coates for the naked, we shall find ten jezabels, that will strip Naboath, both out of his vineyard, and of his life; for one David that will give bread and water, and figs & rasons to an Egyptian the servant of an Amalekite his enemy, we shall find ten Rich Gluttons, who will not relieve poor Luzarus with the crumbs which fall from their tables, but rather suffer him to starve for want: so incompassionate are the fat of kine of Bashan, the wealthy worldlings, who by abusing their Blessings of fat bread, heap upon their own heads the Curse of God Wealth, whether it consist in corn, in cattle, in land of inheritance, or in coin, is called Goods, first because it is the good gift of God, 
(l) job. 1.21.  for it is the Lord that giveth, and the Lord that taketh away; and secondly, in respect of the end for which it is given, namely, that thereby a man might be enabled to do good; now then; if we employ these good gifts contrary to the intention of the giver, either by spending them prodigally upon our bellies, like Epicures, whose daily language is this; Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die: or by Idolising our backs, as many men do, in imitation of the princes of judah, who in their apparel, as the Prophet saith, followed after strange fashions, or by maintaining strange women, who like Horseleeches cry continually, give, give; or by Carding and Dicing, which are the Cankerworms of wealth, than the Fat Bread becomes like mouldy Manna, and God's Blessing is turned into a curse.  
Secondly, it is a great Inheritance that cometh from the Lord, for a man to have many children, and therefore because Asher had many, he is said to be blessed with children, but this Blessing is conditional, to wit, if they be so brought up as they may be worthy members in the church, and commonwealth: Otherwise they be, as I said before, Cankers and Impostures, and more happy is the barren womb, than she that is mother of many ungracious and ungodly children.  
Therefore, if Parents desire to have them be, as they are called, Blessings, they must ever be careful to give them good education and bringing up; for education altars nature, and maketh such children, as without it would be like Branches of the Sicomore, or foolish Figtree, to become like Olive branches round about the table.  
The 
[m) Plut. de instit. puer.  two dogs spoken of by Plutarch, which Lycurgus showed to the Spartans, proveth this to be true; For these two dogs being both of one litter, were different in qualities, because there was a difference in their bringing up. The one was trained up in hunting and pursuing the Game, the other was suffered to lie by the fire, and to be fed upon the trencher; Wherefore, when Lycurgus would demonstrate to his Citizens, how necessary good education was for children, he only showed them these Two Dogs, having set before them a Quicke-Ha●s, and a Pot of Meat, and letting them both lose, either of them showed their several delights, for the one ran to the Pot, the other followed the Hare. So is it with children, if they be pampered, and suffered to live idly: like the field of the sluggard, they will be overgrown with thorns, briars, and thistles, that is to say, with innumerable vices, which by custom willbe so habituated, that they shall commit sin necessarily: but if they be stricken upon the sides while they be young, & taught to fear God, and honour their parents, then will they prove to be good members in God's Church, and profitable to the Commonwealth.  

(n) Eccl. 22.3.  An evil nurtured son, saith the Wiseman, is the dishonour of his father, & the daughter is least to be esteemed. And in another place he saith, 
(o) Eccl. 16.1.2.3.4.  Desire not the multitude of unprofitable children, neither delight in ungodly children, though they be ma●ie, except the fear of the Lord be with them, trust not thou to their life, neither rest upon their multitude: For one that is just, is better than a thousand such, and better it is to die without childen, then to leave behind him ungodly children.  
Seeing then, that the multitude of children is rather a curse then a blessing, if they be not trained up in godliness, it concerneth parents to have a special care of their education. They must not be like the forgetful 
(p) job. 39.17.18.19.20.  Ostrich, The which as job saith, leaveth his eggs in the earth, and maketh them hot in the dust, and forgetteth that the foot might scatter them▪ or that the wild Beast might break them; He showeth himself cruel unto his young ones, as if they were not his, & is without fear, as if he travailed in vain. For God hath deprived him of wisdom, & hath given him no part of understanding.  
The children of careless parents be like these Eggs left in the dust, and the parents themselves like unto the foolish Ostrich; Did the Ostrich sit upon her Eggs, the foot of the wild beast should not break them, but being neglected, they are often scattered. So is it with children; if parents would look to them, and have an eye over them, that wild beast Vice, should not make a spoil of them, but by their carelessness it cometh to pass, that they are soon corrupted, and soon destroyed.  
Thirdly, it is a Happiness, for a man to be acceptable unto his Brethren, and to be beloved of them, as Asher was. If that this Love and Friendship proceed from a good cause, and be erected upon a firm ground, otherwise, it is better to be hated then beloved.  
The true root of Friendship & love, is virtue and godliness: To be beloved then for wisdom, for justice, for integrity, for charity, for humility, and such like spiritual ornaments of the soul, is a Blessing: but to be acceptable unto men, as many are, for their prodigality, & riot, is a Curse: The world loveth her own (saith Christ) but hateth the children of God: Of the contrary part, God's children are acceptable unto him, but the children of this world are hateful in his eyes; To be beloved then of the world is a curse; because it showeth that we are of the world: but to be hated of the world is a blessing, because it declareth us to be the beloved children of God. As then Asher was acceptable to his brethren the Israeltes, not to the Gentiles; so must we endeavour, so to be have ourselves, that the Servants of God may be friendly & loving unto us: As for the wicked, their love is not material, it is better to be abominable in their eyes then acceptable. Even as 
q) 1. Sam. 17 10.  Goliath the giant did defy the host of Israel, & challenged any man to fight with him: such was his hatred against God's people; so every Philistim, or child of man, doth naturally abhor the sons of God, because there is an antipathy betwixt vice & virtue, light and darkness, the flesh & the spirit; These strive evermore together, as 
(r) Gen. 25 22.  jacob & Esau, wrestled in Rebeccah's womb, so that there can be no true friendship or love betwixt them now. It is an impeachment, & a blemish to a true Israelite, that is the child of God, to be in grace & favour with an Alien to Strangers, and one that is not of the household of faith.  
Such are to be esteemed of, as Goliath was by David, namely, uncircumcised & unclean persons, we must not regard whether we be acceptable unto them or no; for they are not our Brethren, but the children of their father the Devil; Whosoever then desires to be accepted of God, and of such as he the brethren of Christ (for so are they called, which do the will of our Father which is in heaven) but must in imitation of David with Goliath, to enter combat, and be at open defiance, and with all worldly Giants, loathing their love, and rejecting their friendship.  
Of these Giants there be divers sorts, with whom to hold friendship is a sin; For we are commanded not to say so much 
(s) ●. joh. 10  as God speed unto them. The first be Anakims', or Chayne-men, to wit, the bloody Tyrants of the world, who are so wicked and so proud, that they care not for God, but Hunt the poor, and when they have gotten them into their Nets, eat them up like bread; The second be the ●●mims, these are uncontrollable Giants, who with their terrible countenances astonish the beholders: Tell any of them of the judgements of God, and they will answer, Who is the Lord, and who is Lord over v●● such a Giant is that monstrous man of sin, the pope of Rome, for 
(t) Dec. can. 32.  if he lead a thousand souls to hell, no man must call him to any account for it. The third be the Zamzummims, Namely, the wealthy, and the greedy worldlings, who trusting in their Riches, presume they may commit any sin whatsoever, because they are countenanced by Mammon. The fourth be the Rephaim, or Dead men, for so does the word signify, or rather, men of death, because they be the bane of the people amongst whom they live, and these be Usurers, who like the Roman soldiers (spoken of by josephus) make no conscience to kill the afflicted citizens of jerusalem, 
[u] joseph. de bello judaico.  that fly unto them for succour, hoping in their bellies being ripped up, to find some jewels or treasure. The fifth be the Nephilims, or Rushers upon men, and these are such judges as the prophet Zephariah speaketh against, saying, 
[x] Zeph: 3.3  Her judges are as Wolves in the Evening, which leave not the bones till the marrow; men whose hands receive gifts, and who by bribery will be drawn to condemn the innocent, and let the guilty go free: thus were the Giants of the old world called in the Scriptures, Hanakim, Emim Zamzummim, Rephaim, and Nephilim: and so may the wicked generation of this age, be truly termed, for they do most exactly the one sort parallel the other. I will not say, that the spirits of darkness, which keep company with women in carnal manner, be the fathers of these our modern Giants, as Franciscus Georgius and Psellus thought, that the Giants before the flood were forgotten, neither that the Incubi were their fathers, as Paulus Burgensis surmiseth; for these are but conjectures, not warranted by Scripture; but sure I am, They are not our Brethren: for they do the works of their spiritual father the devil; and therefore to be accepted of them, is to be rejected of God, for it is a sin either to give unto them, or to receive from them the right hand of fellowship.  
Fourthly, it is a happiness from heaven for a man to dip his foot in oil, and to have plenty of all things, but if, as it often falleth out, abundance cause greediness; and that the more a man hath the more he desires, than it is better to dip the foot in water, then in oil; & to feel scarcity, then to have superfluity; for if we be both Rich and Covetous; them Riches be snares whereby Satan entangleth our souls, they be like Bunches upon the back of a Camel; they hinder us, that we cannot enter in at the strait and narrow way of heaven, which is compared to the eye of a needle; so says our Saviour 
(y) Mark. 10.25.  it is as hard for a rich man to enter into the knigdome of heaven as for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle; he doth not mean all Rich men, for Abraham was rich, and so was job, yet both righteous; but he points only at such as make wealth their felicity, and therefore hunger and thirst after it: as long garments (saith Socrates) are hindrances to them that walk, so Riches are impediments to the souls of men; the reason is, because ordinarily they increase covetousness, even as they themselves increase; for this cause the spirit of God saith, If riches increase, set not thy heart upon them; but they must be used like Wives, which is to have them as though we had them not: Aristophanes in his comedy bringeth in Plutus, (whom the poets make the God of Riches) Blind, and saith that he is 
(z) Aristo. in plut.  Unsatiable: and Horace compareth the 
(a) Hor. lib. 2. carm. od. 2.  rich man to one that is sick of the Drepsie, who the more he drinks, the more he calls for drink; and the wiseman likens him to the 
(b) Prou. 30.15.  Grave, and the barren womb which will never say, It is enough. It is a curse for a man after this manner to have his feet dipped in Oil, and to abound in riches; so it may appear to be, out of the words of the Apostle, saying; 
(c) jam. 5.1.2.3.  Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you, your riches are corrupt; and your garments moth-eaten, your gold, and silver is cankered, and the r●st of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh, as if it were fire, oil being put in the lamp causeth the flame to burn, so riches being ill used▪ set the soul on fire, therefore if we look that our oil shall be a blessing unto us, we must not pour it into the lamp, that is to say, we must not like the griping Cormorant in the Gospel, lay up our corn in our barns, and our oil in our storehouses; and say 
(d) Luc. 12.20.  Soul take thy rest; for thou hast treasure heaped up for many days; but we must do as the woman that was a sinner, did with her ointment; 
(e) Luc. 7.38.  anoint Christ's feet with our oil, and do good works with our wealth; the feet of Christ be first, such men as bring good tidings of Salvation, or the ministers of the Gospel, and secondly his poor afflicted members; these are the feet of Christ, whom the rich man ought to anoint with his oil; and precious ointments; In the making of the oil of the holy ointment of the tabernacle, Moses by the appointment of God did put unto 
(f) Exod. 30.24.24.  en● Hi● of oil olive, four principal Spices; pure Myrrh, sweet Cinnamon, Calamus, and Cassia, of every one of them a certain quantity, whereby the oil olive was sweetened: so must all Rich men use their Oil, wherewith they ought to anoint the feet of Christ; to the Oil of their wealth they must join the Spice of liberality; which will make their abundance to be a Sweet Blessing; but if they add unto their Oil either the poison of Covetousness or Prodigality, then shall their Plenty be made unto them a noisome and unsavoury Curse, the first Spice that they must put into their Oil, is pure Myrrh, Myrrh that issueth out of the Tree of it own accord, without any incision or cutting of the bark: hereby is meant a voluntary giving with Cheerfulness, 
(g) 2. Cor. 9.7.  for God loveth a cheerful giver; a●d our Saviour saith 
(h) Matth. 6.3.  Let not thy left hand knew what thy right hand doth; for he that giveth unwillingly, is like him that in stead of bread giveth a stone, and in stead of fish a Serpent: the second Spice, is Cinnamon, which is very hot both in the mouth and the stomach, and by this is understood zeal and love to Christ, for whose take, the rich man ought to extend his bounty; assuring himself that whatsoever he doth unto one of the 
(i) Mat. 25.4.  little ones of Christ's flock, he doth it unto him: the third Spice is Cal●●us, being a powder made of a sweet Reed; which though it be very sweet, yet it is but a Reed, this reacheth all them that do works of charity, not to put any confidence in them as Meritorious in themselves, because, when a man hath done the best that he can, he is but an unprofitable servant, and his choicest work is like these combustible things, timber, ha●e, stubble, and reeds. The fourth Spice is Cassia, which is as sweet in smell as the rest, but yet it is a very low shrub; this is a figure of that humility, which must ever be mixed with the Rich man's bounty; when he doth anoint Christ's feet with oil, and give alms; 
(k) Mat. 5.1.2.4.  he must take heed that he do it not before men to be seen, of them, neither must he cause a trumpet to be blown before him, as the hypocrites do in the Synagogues, and in the streets, to be praised of men, but it must be done by him in secret, and then God that seethe in secret, will reward it openly; he that can thus use his Oil, God will anoint him with the Oil of gladness, and give such a blessing unto his substance, that his store shall never be diminished; it shall be said to him, as it was by Eliah to the widow of Zarephath; 
(l) 1. Reg. 1●. 14.  the meal in the barrel shall not be wasted, neither shall the oil in the cruse be diminished: for God receiveth not benefit for the use of his, but he promiseth a most ample recompense for the same.  
Fiftly, it is a singular blessing to be Shod with iron and Brass, and to dwell in a country where there be store of mines; whether they be of gold, silver, tin, lead, copper, brass, or iron, for there can be no want of any thing, where such rich commodities can be found in the bowels of the earth: yet if they be not rightly employed, it is better to want them then to have them: the minerals of the earth are indeed the strongest sinews in the body of a commonwealth, and by the Prophet David they be called hidden treasures, yet we see by experience, that the possession of them is the root of these branches, violence and oppression, according to the saying of the Poet, effodiuntur opes irritamenta malorum: Riches are digged out of the earth, being the Instigations of mischiefs; they make men insolent and proud, because a servant, as Euripides saith, if he be rich, is honoured, but an ingenious poor man is weak in estimation, and the wiseman saith: 
(n) Eccl. 10.6, 7.  folly is set in great excellency, and the rich set in the low place: I have seen servants on horses, and Princes walking as servants on the ground: these fools that Solomon speaketh of, be such as be Rich and proud, and these Rich Princes be such as be wise and poor: these vainglorious fools are made proud by their flatterers, who like shadows follow them, and fawn upon them; and for this cause Demosthenes was wont to compare Rich men to Sheep with golden-Fleeces, because their wool doth not profit themselves, but is shorn to  their Parasites.  
Again, from Pride and Arrogancy, caused by wealth and flattery, ariseth Oppression and violence; For Rich men will neither do right, nor suffer wrong. Their will stands for reason; for with Gold they can blind the eye of justice, corrupt Law, and make the tongues of the Advocates, which are for the most part mercenary, plead against innocency.  
Such is the power of this Mineral, it wrought strange effects in salomon's time; for he saith 
(o) Eccl. 4.1.  I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought under the Sun, and behold the Tears of the oppressed, and none comforteth them, and lo, the strength is in the hand of them that oppress them, and none comforteth them.  
The consideration of this violence and Oppression which grow from Wealth, moved Plato to banish Money out of his Commonweal. And Aristotle removed Riches from Felicity, because they belong unto violence. Seeing then that Minerals bring forth such effects, it appeareth that Brass and Iron be rather hurtful then profitable, unless they be well used.  
If therefore we desire to possess them as Blessings, we must not of our Brass make a Brazen Bull, as Phalaris did, therein to fry and Torture such as be poor and helpless. We must not of our Iron make an yron-bedde, as Procustes did, thereupon to Tenter and Rack the stranger; That is to say, we must not, presuming upon our wealth and greatness, offer violence to the poor, and oppress the needy; For if we do, into the same pit shall we fall that we have digged for others: and according to our own measure, it shall be measured unto us again: An Eye, for an eyes, Tooth for a Tooth, Oppression for oppression, and violence, for violence.  
Sixtly, it is a blessed thing to live long; but to live long, & to have strength as in the days of youth, is a far greater blessedness; yet neither the one nor the other, are to be regarded as Blessings, except both the life that a man lives, and the strength that he enjoys, be used to the glory of God; happy was Moses that he was a hundredth and twenty years old when he died; 
(p) Deut. 24.7.  more happy, because his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated, but most happy, because he was the Servant of the Lord; 
(q) josu. 14.10.11.  Caleb was four score and five years old, and yet as strong then either for war or government, as when he was but forty; to have then the years and strength of Moses and Caleb, as Asher had is a blessing, if Age, strength, and godliness go together; but if they be separated, then is their quality altered; Age without strength is wearisomeness; and strength without godliness, is the anvil upon which Satan hammers his temptations; the days of a man are pain and sorrow, when the 
(r) Eccl. 12.3.  keepers of the house, (as the wiseman saith) begin to tremble, when the strong men bow themselves, when the grinders cease because they are few, and when they wax dark that look out by the windows: if the eye, the teeth, the legs and the hands, grow weak and fail to do their office, a man them is but the image of a man, or a breathing coarse: but join strength to age, and disjoin godliness, then behold what an odious creature a strong old man is: is it not a hateful thing in the eyes of God, that an old man should be lecherous: or that an old man should be a drunkard, and yet there be flocks of such grate-bearded goats, and herds of such aged swine, who will never leave sin, till sin forsake them; the long life and strength of such persons, is unto thee an occasion of falling, and of increasing their sins: but if godliness do accompany Age and strength, then is L●ng life a Crown: so says Solomon 
(s) Prou. 16.31.  Age is a crown of glory when it is found in the way of Righteousness; o then let all that are old and strong, strive to walk with God as 
(t) Gen. 5.24.  Henoch did, and if, notwithstanding their years, they be lusty as Eagles, let them mount upwards, by meditating upon the laws of God night and day, 
(u) Psal. 102.  as David did; and glorify God in their strength; so shall they be crowned with glory: for the eye that seethe them shall give witness of their integrity, and the ear that hears of their good life, shall bless them.   

THE TENTH SERMON OF NAPHTALI.  GENES. 49.21. 
Napthali shall be a Hind let go, giving goodly words.  
NAphtali was the 2. son that Bilha the concubine of jacob bare, and the signification of his name is, wrestling, or comparison; which upon this occasion was given unto him: 
(a) Gen. 30.7.8:  when Bilha rahel's maid had conceived again, & borne jacob the second son; then Rahel said, with excellent wrestle have I wrestled with my sister, & have gotten the upper hand, and she called his name Naphtali; This name shows how far Rahel did proceed in sin, and how many steps she went towards hell; being notwithstanding a godly woman; for it cannot be denied, but that the most righteous have their infirmities, & that by the corruption of nature, & the suggestion of Satan, they are even compelled to do that which otherwise they would not, as the Apostle saith, 
(b) Rom. 7.19.  I do not the thing which I would, but the evil which I would not, that do I. And herein they may be compared unto the Planets, whose natural motion is from the West to the East, but by the violence of the first Mover, whose course is contrary to theirs, they are daily wheeled about the Centre of the world, from the East to the West.  
This is seen in Rahel, she like a Planet, is carried headlong, by the forcible motions of Satan into many sins, contrary to the course of Righteousness; first she is Envious, for when she saw that she bore jacob no children, 
(c) Gen. 30.1.  she envied her sister. Secondly, she is foolish, for she said unto jacob, give me children, not knowing that it is God alone, 
(d) Psal. 113.  which maketh the barren woman to dwell with a family, and to be a joyful mother of children. Thirdly, she is Impatient, for she must either have children or she dies, not being content to stay the Lords leisure. Fourthly, she is Revengeful; for after the birth of Dan, she said, 
(e) Gen. 30.6.  God hath given sentence on my side; or he hath revenged me on my sister. Fiftly, she is vainglorious; for having but only two adopted sons, Dan and Naphtali; whereas Leah had six of her own body, and two borne upon the knees by Zilpha her handmaid; she boasteth that by wrestling, she hath gotten the upper hand of her sister; Insultation and Imperiousness are hateful things, and therefore God by the mouth of the wiseman saith, 
(f) Pro. 30.21.22.23.  for three things the earth is moved, yea for four it cannot sustain itself; for a servant when he reigneth, and a fool when he is filled with meat for the hateful woman when she is married, and for a handmaid that is heir to her mistress; such a hateful woman as is here spoken of, was Rahel, being both malicious and insolent; and out of the very words of the text, wherein is set down the occasion of Naphtalies' name, she discovers herself first to be malicious, because she is a wrestler. Secondly blasphemous, & a taker of God's name in vain, for she calls her own opposition against her sister, an excellent wrestling, or as it is in the original, the wrestle of God; as though he should be accessary unto sin. And thirdly foolish, for she triumphs over Leah before she had gotten the victory. In her we may see that one Sin never goes alone; for Rahel draws, as the prophet saith, 
(g) Isaiah. 5.18.  iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin with cartropes: for first she is Envious, secondly foolish in her envy; thirdly, impatient in her folly: four, revengeful in her impatience: and fifthly, vainglorious in her revenge; all this is manifested in the name of Naphtali, which is by interpretation, wrestling or comparison.  
Naphtali shall be a Hind let go, giving goodly words.  
jacob compareth five of his sons unto five Beasts; judah to a Lion; Ishachar to an Ass; Dan to a Serpent; Benjamin to a Wolf; and Naphtali to a Hind; not that they were like unto the beasts that perish, which is David's comparison concerning men of honour; saying, Man being in honour hath no understanding, but is compared unto the beasts that perish; wherein he taxeth such as be puffed up with a high conceit of their place, and precedency; but the reason why jacob thus calleth them, is, because in respect of some good qualities, they resembled these bruit beasts; As for example, judah is likened unto a Lion, and so likewise Benjamin unto a Wolf, not for cruelty, but for courage; Ishachar is called an Ass, not for stupidity, but for patience and humility; Dan is said to be a Serpent, not in regard of poisonous malice and hatred, but for his Wisdom and policy: and Naphtali is named a Hind, not for Timorousness, but for Swiftness.  
Naphtali shall be a Hind; etc.: Of these words there be divers expositions; first the Hebrews apply them to Barack, 
(h) judg. 4.  who being of the Tribe of Naphtali, by the commandment of Deborah who was a Prophetess, & judged Israel; gathered together of Zebulunites and Nephthalites ten thousand men, & fought for his country against Sisera the captain of the Canaanites, and with great speed put him to flight: and therefore he is compared to a Hartora Hind; because he both undertook & also managed that exploit with such expedition: 
Chald: paraph: in hunc locum.  secondly, the Chalde paraphrast, seemeth by this comparison of the Hind, to understand the forwardness of fruit in the land of Naphtali; for as the Hart or the Hind hath the speed of all creatures, & easily overturneth them; so the portion or inheritance of Naphtali, did bring forth corn, & all other kind of fruits, sooner than any other province in the land of Israel. Thirdly, Andreas Masius in his commentaries upon the 19 chapter of the book of josuah, 
And: Masius in omment: super Ios: 19  thinketh that the meaning of jacob was, that the Nephtalites, like Hearts or Hinds should live & feed at ease, dwelling in a country full of grassy plains, & all kind of pleasant fruits: but I rather follow the opinion of the Hebrews, so that the speech may be applied generally to the whole Tribe, and not to Barak alone; this then is jacob's meaning; he calleth Naphtali a Hind, thereby signifying that his posterity, should be quick & speedy, for the dispatch of business, whether pertaining to war or Peace; Resolution for warlike affairs, & acuteness or sharpness of wit, for matters civil were Naphta●●es commendations; & these two are admirable gifts, both for Soldiers and Politicians; he that is a Soldier must be like a Hind in Swiftness; for delay breeds danger; such a Hind in war was julius Caesar, for he saith of himself, Veni, vidi, vici; I came, I saw, I overcame; & such a Hind in Counsel, was Nestor, whom for his wit & wisdom, A●amemnon preferred before a thousand Aiaces; so then in this place jacob commending the Tribe of Nephtali, compareth it unto a Hind, because the Naphtalites were Swift in battle, and quickwitted in counsel: amongst many other excellent endowments which God bestowed upon David, this was one, that he made his feet like Hinds feet, whereby is intimated, David's speedy victory over the enemies of Israel. In an other sense our Saviour Christ jesus is compared to a young Hart or Hind; for so doth the Church his spouse call him, saying, 
(i) Cant. 2. 1●.  Until the day break, & the shadows flee away: return my well-beloved, & be like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of Bether: in these words the Church by the breaking of the day, understandeth the Incarnation of Christ, the Star of jacob, & the Sun of righteousness; at whose rising & approach, the shadows did fly away: that is to say, the Priesthood of Aaron, the paschal lamb, and all other sacrifices and ceremonies, which were but shadows of things to come; and by his returning like a Roe or young Hart upon the mountains of Bether, is signified his Speedy victory over hell, death and Satan; the Mountain upon which he conquered these three Enemies of mankind, was mount Caluarie or Golgotha, the place of his Passion, which by similitude may well be called Bether: for Beth in the Hebrew tongue signifies a house, 
(k) Aug. lib 22. cont. Faust. cap. 48.  and Ere signifies sometimes watchful; sometimes it is interpreted Pellicius, of skin or leather, and sometimes desolation and Destruction: which three significations may well be applied to our saviours passion: for first, when he was about it, he was watchful: for the same night that he was betrayed, the burden of our sins would not suffer him to sleep, but he watched and prayed in Gethsemane, and at that time his agony was so great, that while he prayed, his 
(l) Luc. 22.44.  Sweat like drops of blood trickled down to the ground: secondly, when he came before Pilate, he was stripped to his very skin and whipped, & when he hung upon the Cross, he was naked, and his body so stretched & tentard, that all his bones (as the Prophet David saith) might be counted: thirdly, in the midst of his Passion, he was desolate & forsaken, being like a sparrow upon the house top, like an owl in the desert, and like a pelican in the wilderness, and therefore he cried out, saying, 
(m) Math. 27.46.  Eli, Eli, Lammasabachtham, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me; and not only forsaken but also the Temple of his body was destroyed, for he yielded up the ghost, and died; but by his Death upon this Mountain of Bether, he got the victory over hell, death and Satan: and that very speedily, for within the Compass of three days by his resurrection, he openly triumphed over powers and principalities, and led Captivity captive. Now then as Christ in the work of our redemption, was like a Roe, and a young Hart or Hind upon the mountains of Bether, running quickly over the heads of our spiritual enemies: so must we in imitation of him strive to be swift, and Speedy in our Course: it was a great commendation for Naphtali, that he was like a Hind; and it will be a glory for us, if we can run well. The Apostle Paul would have all true Christians to be good Runners, like unto the Hind: for he saith 
(n) Gal. 1.5.  So run that you may obtain: The life of Man is a Race, from the Cradle to the Grave. He that Runs well, shall receive a crown of glory, he that runs ill, shall lose his reward. The Race that we must Run, lieth along the straight and narrowe-way, spoken of by Christ, saying, 
(o) Math. 7.  ●nter in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in th' reat, because straight is the gate, and narrow is the waey, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  
This showeth that it is a very hard and difficult thing to run this race, which is the race of Righteousness, because of the streitenes aed narrowness of it 
p) Math. 19.24.  it is like the Eye of a Needle; & therefore he that like a Camel, hath a Bunch upon his back, can never pass along through it.  
This Bunch is the round world, together with the Honours, riches, and pleasures thereof; with which Burden, whosoever is loaden, can never run well: Because it is impossible to serve GOD and Mammon. And therefore, if if we desire to be good Runners, we must be as slender and smooth-backt, as Hearts or Hinds, and this we may attain unto, if we cast away the Care of this world; which is the greatest hindrance and impediment that can be in our passage towards heaven. Such Hearts and hinds were the Apostles, for they left their wives, their children, their houses, goods, and all things whatsoever, to follow CHRIST, and therefore they ran a good race; for our Saviour said unto them 
(q) Math. 19.28.  Verily I say unto you, that when the Son of man shall fit in the throne of his Majesty, ye that have followed me in the regeneration, shall sit also upon twelve seats, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. This then is the Path that we must follow, & the way that we must Run in; namely, Righteousness, by endeavouring to do well, as the Prophet Isaiah exhorts us, saying; 
(r) Isai. 1.16.17.  Cease to do evil, learn to do well; To learn to do evil, and to cease to do well, is a Broad way, easy for flesh and blood to find, but it leads to destruction; but to cease to do evil, and to learn to do well, is a Narrow-path, hard to be found of any but the Regenerate, and yet it leads to Life eternal; This Path of Righteousness is like the passage of the Israelites through the red Sea, 
(s) Exod. 14 22.  when the Waters were a Wall unto them, on their right hand, and on their left hand. For they that run their race in it, are so compassed and hemmed in with watery walls, that if they baulk the way, and run not straight forwards, they are sure to be swallowed up by the waters. These Waters are the first & second Death, which shall be the reward of them that keep not a direct course, and which frame not their lives according to the rule of justice; therefore it concerns every one that Runneth, to have an Eye to the mark, unto which he runs; following the example of the Apostle, who thus saith of himself, 
(t) Phillip. 3.14.  But one thing, I forget that which is behind, & endeavour myself to that which is before, and follow hard towards the Mark, for the prize of the High calling of GOD, in CHRIST JESUS. In these words S. Paul maketh himself every man's pattern, to imitate and follow, in running of the race of Righteousness.  
First, he aimed only at One thing, and at one mark. So must we have but one, and no more. For one thing is perfection, but many things are confusion: One thing is Mary's choice, but many things be Martha's encumbrances; This one thing, that we must seek for, is the Kingdom of heaven; And these many things that we must avoid, be the Cares of this World; which if we look upon with any regard, they will be unto us like Hippomenes his golden-balles to Atalanta, impediments to stop and stay us in running; Wherefore, when we begin to take our race, we must forget that which is behind. Namely, all those things wherein we took delight, and which were before unto us the occasions of sinning. We must not look back to Sodom, 
[u] Gen. 19.26.  with Lot's wife, nor with the 
[x] Numb. 11.5.  Israelites, remember the Cucumbers, Pepons, Leeks, Onions, Garlic, and flesh-pots of Egypt; but go on forwards towards Zoar; and towards Canaan, the city of Refuge, and land of Promise; to forget that which is behind, and not to go forward, is all one, as to be like Lot's wife, turned into a Pillar of Salt. Non progredi, est regredi: Not to go forward, is to go backward. Therefore, it is not sufficient for us, when we begin our Race, to forget, and to forsake the things of this world, but we must also Endeavour ourselves to that which is before: which no man can do, that either stands still, or is idle. As long as we remember that which is behind, we are like unto the 
(y) Marc. 2.11:  man that lay in his bed sick of a palsy: but when we forget that which is behind, & endeavour ourselves to that which is before, then are we cured of our lameness; and therefore we must arise, take up our beds, and walk to our own house.  
First, we must arise from sin to Righteousness, 
(z) Aug. de civit. Dei, lib. 20. cap. 6.  this is the first Resurrection, which only pertaineth to the Elect; and this is it of which our Saviour speaketh to Nichodemus, saying: 
(a) joh. 3.3.  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be borne again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Secondly, we must take up our Beds: These beds are the Sins & vanities, wherewith in former times we have been delighted; And these we are to bear upon our backs, because we must remember them to avoid them, and not upon our Breasts, because we must forget to practise them. 
[b) 1. Tim. 1.13.  So did S. Paul, he remembered that he had once been a persecutor, and he repent of it, and made amends for it, and was afterwards ten times more zealous to save the wicked, then before he had been to destroy the godly. Thirdly, we must walk, Nay, we must Run to our own house; which is, as Zoroastres calls it, Heaven, the bright and glorious country of the soul; The Body is not the house, but the prison of the soul; neither is the world the mansion or abiding place of the Body and Soul, but rather the Pilgrim's Inn. And therefore when we run or walk, it must be, not to another's, but to our own house, if we walk or run to the flesh, and follow the lusts thereof, than we go to the house of Belial, who being a disobedient spirit, and subject to no yoke, forceth the members of the body to be servants of uncleanness, and if we run or walk to the world, than we go to the house of the Devil, 
(c] Ephes. 2.2  who is the Prince of this world, which ruleth in the Air, and worketh in the children of Disobedience; Therefore, leaving these two Houses, we must endeavour our selves towards that which is before; namely, the kingdom of Heaven; the Greek word which the Apostle useth is, [Epecteinómenos:] which signifieth stretching; This very word showeth how we must Run our righteous race; It must be with all our Power and strength: we must be like the Giant, ready to run his course: and like the Hind, that is, strong and swift. For if we run not strongly, every stumbling block will cast us down; and if we run not swiftly, the world and the flesh will overtake us, and catch us by the Garment, 
(d) Gen. 39.12.  as Potiphars' wife did joseph, to stay us. As then we must not run too slowly, nor too weakly, for than we be lukewarm. So must we beware that we run not too fast, for they that run so, are transported with a superstitious and a blind zeal; and do easily either run by, or overshoote the mark. Our pace then must neither be too fast, nor too slow, but an endeavouring or stretching of ourselves to follow hard, and to run well towards the mark.  
He that hath Knowledge and no zeal, is like 
(e) 2. Sam, 4.4.  Mephibosheth, lame of his feet, he will never run fast; and he that hath Zeal, and no Knowledge, is like 
(f) 2. Sam. 2.23.  Asahel, he will run upon his own death; Therefore knowledge & zeal are those hinds feet, which carry the soul neither too slowly, nor too fast, towards the mark. And such feet must Christians have, else they can never Run a good race; So sayeth S. Bernard, as zeal must erect our discretion, that we run not too slowly, so discretion must direct our zeal, that we run not too fast: but grant that we keep a mean in running, yet all is to no end or purpose, unless our eye be still upon the Mark: the Cherubims, which covered the mercyseat, were so made and placed, that though their wings were stretched out on high, 
(g) Exod. 25.20.  yet both their faces looked towards the Seat of Mercy; so must we, howsoever we Endeavour or stretch ourselves, ever fix our Eye upon the Mark, for fear we lose the way, and wander by unknown Paths; This Mark is the Word of God; the light unto the feet, and the lantern unto the paths; 
(h) 2. Tim. 3.15.  It makes a man wise unto salvation, and it is, as S. Chrysostome saith, the most exquisite Rule of faith, and good life; he than that is directed and led by this light, as the Israelites were in the night time by a Pillar of fire, shall never need to grope and feel with his hands for the way, 
(i) Gen. 19.11.  as the Blind Sodomites did; he that makes the Scripture his guide, he shall be a wise virgin and follow the lamb whithersoever he goes; in the Hebrew tongue a virgin is called Nagnara, because of her agility, and Simplicity; and even so every one that follows God's word, is a Right Nagnara, a true virgin, for he runs nimbly, and plainly, neither too much on the left hand, as the foolish Atheists do, in the broad way of Sin; nor too much on the right hand, as Schismatics do, in the broad way of humour, and Selfe-conceite; again, he that maketh the word of God the Rule of his belief, and life, shall ever go directly forward, and run continually in the right way, and it is a Pleasure to see him Run, his pace is so graceful; so says Christ to his Spouse, the Church; 
(k) Cant. 7.11.  how beautiful are the doings with shoes o Princes daughter; this shoe is by S. Paul called 
(l) Eph. 6.15.  The preparation of the Gospel of peace; he that is shod with this shoe, is ever prepared both to believe, and to do as the Gospel commands; if it, as the Centurion, say Go, he goes: and if it say Come, he comes: the 
(m) Concil. Trid. Sess. 4. pag. 11. & 12.  Papists cannot endure to wear this shoe, because it is too strait for their feet, & therefore they prefer to it, the Old shoes of the Gibeonites, namely, the Traditions and beggarly Rudiments of their forefathers: and hence it comes to pass, that they cannot run forward, because they want a Certain mark to direct them, but they turn round like a wheel, and are ever found in the same place; sometimes they turn towards traditions and human constitutions, making them equal to the Scriptures; sometimes to counsels, & sometimes to their Idol the Pope, whom being a Man, they place in the Temple, as if he were a God, 
(n) Bellar: de Rom: pont: lib: 4: cap: 2:  affirming that he cannot Err; and that therefore 
(o) Mosconius. de mayest milit. eccl. lib. 1. cap. 1.  all men ought to stand to his sentence; also they lift him up above the Scriptures, being not ashamed to avoch, 
(p) Carol. Ruinus. consil. 100LS. num. 1. vol 5.  that he hath power to decree against the Epistles of S. Paul, because he 
(q) Anton. de Rosellis. in tract: de concilijs.  is greater than Paul; never a one of these three, Traditions, Counsels, or the Pope, are sure Marks; for if they were, they would abide; but they are as uncertain as those that be led by them; one Tradition shoulders out another, one Council crosseth an other, and one Pope cancels the decrees of an other; as for instance, whereas the Council of Nice alloweth the Marriage of Priests, and the communion under both kinds; the Counsels of Constance, and of Basile, take the cup from the laity and that of Trent, both the cup from the Layickes, & marriage from Priests: The Council of Constantinople beateth down Images; but the second Council of Nice commandeth them to be worshipped; the third Council of Carthage, doth Excommunicate, & declare him that shall name himself universal Bishop, the forerunner of Antichrist; but the Council of Trent decreeth the contrary, making the Pope not only Universal Bishop, but also King of Kings: as for Popes, they are like Herod and Pontius Pilate never at unity, but when Christ is to be crucified in his members, & the Truth to be suppressed; therein indeed they shake hands & are combined together; but in other things they may be compared to the three 
(r) joseph. lib. de bello judaico.  seditious captains in jerusalem, Simeon, jehochanan, & Eliazar; for every New pope's sword is in the neck of his predecessor; as for example, Gregory the first abolished the decrees of Pelagius, Innocent, and Sabinian; disannulled the Constitutions of Gregory the first; Steven, the which Formosus made, & Romans did abrogate the decrees of Steven; and that most often in such as concerned matters of faith, how then can any of these be Marks, which be so variable & uncertain: of force them the Papists like men in Mazes or Labyrinths, run round in a circle, & never go forward, because they do not endeavour to follow hard towards the mark, namely, the written word of God, which is, as Ireneus saith, 
(s) Irenaeus. lib. 3. cap. 1.  the Pillar & the firm Mark of the Church. Arnobius writeth that the Pagans had a Goddess, 
(t) Arnob. adverse. gent. lib. 4.  called Vibilia, whom they used to pray unto in their journeying, that she might keep them from erring out of their way; their Goddess was but a shadow, for an Idol is nothing, says the Apostle, and such like Idols, be ceremonies, traditions, counsels, & decrees, for he that trusteth to their direction, is like him that in the night runs after Ignis fatuus, or the fiery Exhalation, that fools them that follow it, but the Word of God is a Right vibilia indeed, it never deludeth, it never deceiveth us, if we make it our Mark, it will like the 
(u) Math. 2.9.  Star of the wisemen conduct us to Christ: Running was one of the Games of Olympus, & to stir men up to this exercise, there were Prizes appointed for such as ran best; so it is in our Spiritual race: for the reward of them that Run well, is the prize of the high calling of God, (as Paul saith) in Christ jesus: this high calling, is everlasting life, eternal glory, joy in the holy Ghost, and the whole kingdom of heaven: who then would not like a Hind run swiftly to attain unto this infinite felicity; as then the 
(x) Gen. 28.12.  Angels which jacob saw in his vision were not Idle, but either ascending, or descending the heavenly Ladder: so let us be ever in Motion, & ever going forward, from grace to grace, from goodness, to goodness, from virtue to virtue, till we come to perfection, 
(y) Eph. 4.13.  even the measure of the fullness of Christ's age: as he was like the heart or the Hind upon the mountains of Bether, so let our feet in the imitation of him be like unto Hinds fleet, swift, not to shed blood, but to Run a good race, even the race of Righteousness: this if we do, we shall be sure not to lose our labour, for Christ will meet us at the end of the Race, & say unto us, well run good & faithful servant, enter into the joys of thy Lord, and take the price of the high calling of God, for thy reward.  
Naphtali shall be a Hind let go, giving goodly words.  
jacob proceedeth in his Comparison, and says, that Naphtali shall not be only a hind, but also a Hind let lose, not imp●rkt, not impaled, not impent, but living at Liberty; and enjoying freedom; when he prophesied of I h●char, he said, that he should be an ass Couching between the burdens, being liable to exaction and oppression: but Naphtali is let lose, and his posterity must be free; Bondage is a great misery, but freedom is a wonderful Blessing; the felicity of the one may be discovered in the misery of the other; for first Bondage is a thing against Nature, 
(z) Gen. 1.26.  for Adam was created to bear rule over the fish of the sea, and over the foul of the heaven, and over the beasts, and over all the earth, and over every thing, that crept, or moved on the earth; by creation therefore all the children of Adam are freemen, but Bondslaves by sin: secondly, Bondage is one of those means whereby Sin is punished, for when the Kings of Israel & judah together with their people did forsake God, which had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and went a whoring after strange Gods, God suffered their enemies 
(a) 2. Reg. 17.  to conquer them, & 
(b) 2. Reg. 25.  carry them into captivity, binding their Kings in chains, & their nobles in links of iron; thirdly, Bondage, is so irksome & so grievous a yoke, that many have rather chosen present death then to endure it; 
(c) jud. 16.30.  Sampson preferred death before imprisonment; 
(d) 2. Maccab. 14.42.  Razis was willing rather to fall upon his own sword, & to die manfully, then to give himself into the hands of Nicanor: and Cato the Roman slew himself, because he would not become Caesar's slave: four, Servitude and bondage is a Curse and this appeareth out of the words of Noah, saying, 
(e) Gen. 9.25.  Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren: seeing then that Bondage is so miserable, we must needs conclude that to be let lose, and to have freedom is a singular happiness: for thereby a Man is delivered from Fear and Care, which two, like evil Angels, be the daily Attendants of Servitude; First, a Servant is ever afraid to displease his Master, whose supercilious look like the Gorgons-Head, in Perseus his shield, astonisheth the beholder. For ordinarily, Masters be like unto 
(f) 1. Reg. 12 11.  Rehoboam, great threatners & oppressors of their bondmen: and therefore S. Paul, chargeth them, 
(g) Eph. 6.9.  to put away threatening, knowing that they have a Master also in Heaven, with whom there is no respect of persons. Secondly a servant is continually careful to please his Master, be he never so vile and wicked a man, he is compelled to say, as he says, be his words never so unsavoury, to flatter and praise him, be his actions never so ignoble & dishonest, & to bow the knee unto him, is the servants of 
(h] Hest. 3.2.  Ahashuerosh did to Haman, though he be but an Agagite and of base condition. And therefore they may well be likened unto the Indians, who are accustomed to offer sacrifices unto the devil, and this worship they give him, not for love, but out of fear.  
As then the Poet spoke of Husbandmen, so may I say of Naphtali, and his tribe, O happy Naphtalites, if ye knew the worth of your own happiness; Reuben lost his prerogatives, Simeon and Levi were cursed, scattered in Israel, and Isachar had his back overloaden with burdens, but ye are as a Hind let lose, free from the Chain of bondage, & the yoke of oppression.  
If it were a Blessing for Naphtali, to be like a Hind let lose, and to enjoy freedom and liberty, which was but only in regard of his body, and his temporal state: oh how happy are all spiritual Naphtalies'. 
(i) Eph. 6.12  that wr●stle against powers, & Principalities? I mean, true Christians, who being by the first birth Bondmen to sin, death, & Satan, are in their second birth, through the Passion & Merits of Christ, made freemen, & heirs of Salvation. So saith our saviour to his disciples 
k) Ioh 15.15  Henceforth I call you not servants but friends 
(l) Mat. 5.  not cursed Goats, but blessed sheep 
m) Gen. 8.  not black Ravens, forsaking the Ark, but white Doves, making your Nests in the holes of the Rock; 
(n) Apoc. 20.  not chained Serpents in the bottomless pit, but Hinds let lose in the green Pastures. While we were Gentiles, we lived like the Israelites, under the bondage of that spiritual Pharaoh the devil, but since Christ came into the world, and wrought his miracles. Of which place Egypt, as S. Augustine saith, is a type & figure. He by opening the Red-Sea, with his Cross, hath set us free, and delivered us out of that land of darkness, where no order, but everlasting horror abideth, and our enemies, the Devil, Hell, and Death, are fallen into the same pit, that they digged for us, and fettered in the same chains, wherein we by them were bound. First, by the Passion of Christ, the Tyrannical dominion of Satan over man was dissolved. For the Apostle saith, that by his Death, he did not only overcome death, but him also, which had the power of death, the devil. And therefore S. Origen saith, that there were two crucified upon the cross of Christ. Namely, CHRIST himself, visibly, and with his will; The Devil invisibly, and against his will.  

(o) judg. 16.  As the Philistims thought themselves sure of Triumph, when Samsons eyes were out; Nay, they called him out of prison, to make a laughing stock of him, & set him between the Pillars, but yet he was avenged on them, by pulling down the house upon their heads. So the Devil thought himself a glorious conqueror, when the Eyes of Christ, being nailed to the Cross, were closed up with dim death: Nay, the jews (being the devils jesters) made mows at him, and ceased not, saying 
(p) Matth. 27.42.  If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the Cross; But yet even at that very time, all the spiritual Powers & Principalities received their Bane, and were stripped of that usurped Empire, which they held over mankind, and by the Preaching of the Gospel, which is 
(q) Apo. 20. 1●  the key of the bottomless pit, whereby Hell is shut up to the Faithful, and opened to Infidels: the Dragon, that old Serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan was utterly put to silence, and bound, as it were in a Chain, for a thousand years: And thus was he that led man into captivity, made a captive, and a bondslave himself.  
Secondly, his Death was Death's destruction, and therein he was as good as his word. For before he was incarnate, by the mouth of his Herald, the prophet Hoseah, he challenged Death, saying, 
(r) Hos. 13.14.  O Death, I will be thy Death; O Grave, I will be thy destruction; And in his Death, he subdued Death, by taking his sting from him. And therefore the Apostle (in the person of Christ) insulteth over Death; and derideth him, saying, 
(s) 1. Cor. 15 55.  O Death where is thy sting? Sin was the cause that 
(t) Gen. 2.17  man was made captive to Death: 
(u] Rom. 6.23.  For the wages of Sin is Death; but Christ being Righteousness itself, by laying down his Life, and taking it up again, 
(x] Acts. 2.24.  loosed the bonds and the sorrows of it. So that to all true Believers, Death is no longer bitter, but sweet, 
(y) And. Caesar. in Apoc. cap.  Not a thief, that surpriseth suddenly, but the Harbinger of joy.  
Thereupon, in the old Testament, the Death of the righteous, which believed in Christ to come, is called Gevigah, that is to say, without pain or grief; because that though 
(z) Numb. 21.6.  like the Israelites that spoke against God, they were stung with this fiery Serpent, yet by looking unto the Brazen Serpent, their M●ssi●h, the wound of death was healed in them. Though like 
(a) Dan, 6.16.  Daniel, they were cast into the greedy lions den, which is the Grave, and like 
(b) jonah, 1.12.  jonah, into this Whale's belly, which is unsatiable; yet for all that, neither had this Lion power to devour them, nor this Whale ability to digest them. The reason is, because Christ the head hath tasted Death for all his members, to set them free, and lose them from their bonds.  
Thirdly, as by his Passion upon the Cross, he hath Redeemed us from the tyranny of Satan, and by his Death freed us from the bondage of the Grave; So likewise, by his descension into Hell, he hath delivered us from the Thraldom of the bottomless Pit; Had not he broken the Serpent's Head, by the drops of his Blood, the Serpent would continually have bruised our heels. Had he not taken away the sting of death, death would never have ceased from stinging us: and had he not descended into hell, there to manifest his glory, by leading Captivity Captive, Hell would never have been satisfied, nor ever have said, It is enough; but the Teeth of the Mouth thereof, would have been as sword, and the Chaws as knives, to eat up mankind out of the earth.  
Therefore as 
(c] Iud 16.1.2. ●.  Samson, in spite of the Philistims, who laid wait to entrap him all night, in the gate of the City, went forth of Gazzah carrying upon his shoulders along with him, the Doors, the Posts, and the Bars of the Gates of the City; So CHRIST, maugre all the Spirits of darkness; Descended into the nethermost parts of the Earth, that is, the Depth, or Hell; And there having bound the strongman of that Infernal house, returned with victory, and Triumph. And therefore the Apostle mocketh Hell, saying: 
(d) 1. Cor. 1●. 55.  O Hell where is thy victory?  
Though all true Christians be Hinds, let lose, and delivered from the bondage of Hell, Death, and Satan, yet are they still Servants, and so ought to be, to him that loosed and Redeemed them. By the Civil law, 
(e) Code. de captivis postliminio reversis. Honorius.  if any Captive be delivered at the costs and charges of another, he when he shall be returned home, aught to repay the charges to him that redeemed him; and if perhaps he shall not be able to repay him, than he should satisfy his redeemer by labour and service.  
This is the case of all Christians, and this is a plain Law, that aught to bind our Consciences; We were Ca●tiues, and CHRIST hath redeemed us, not with corruptible things, as Gold and Silver, but with his own Blood.  
Now then, because we are otherways unable to repay him his Charges, we are bound to satisfy him for his Cost, with our Labour, and our Service:  

(f) Rom. 6.17.18,  This Service is A Sweet yoke, and is to be esteemed above all carnal liberty; 
(g) Euseb. tract. de prepa. evang.  it was said of Democritus & Chrysippus, that The one of them made men slaves altogether, and The other half slaves: so it may be said of Christ and the Devil, the Devil by sin made man a servant wholly: but Christ hath made him half a Servant: for he is both a freeman and a servant: first he is a freeman because he is made free from sin: secondly he is a servant, because he is made the 
(h) Rom. 6.18.  servant of Righteousness, this then is the duty of every one of us which be spiritual Naphtalites: seeing that Christ hath bought us and loosed us from the bondage of hell, death, and Satan, first we must be willing to serve him truly, and to labour in his vineyard: as under the law of Moses; 
(i) Exod. 21.6.  such as were content out of their love to their masters, to be servants for ever, did willingly lay their Ear to a post, and their masters did boar it through with a nawle, which was a sign, that they were made servants for ever: so must we, if we desire and be willing to serve Christ perpetually, suffer our Ears to be bored through with a Nawle, which Boring is the badge of our voluntary servitude, hereby I understand, the mortification of the flesh: for as the Cutting off of the foreskin amongst the Israelites was an outward sign of the inward circumcision of the heart: so is this Boring of the ear with a nawle, a figure of the mortifying of all carnal desires: according hereunto Saint Paul saith: 
(k) Rom. 6.19.20.21.22.23.  as you have given your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity to commit iniquity, so now give your members servants unto righteousness in holiness, for when ye were the servants of sin, ye were freed from righteousness: what fruit had you then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed: for the end of those things is death: but now being freed from sin, and made servants unto God, ye have your fruit in holiness, and the end everlasting life: for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through jesus Christ our Lord: secondly, we must not only be willing to serve Christ, in lieu of his charges in our redemption, for certain years; 
(l) Cod. de Captivis post liminio reversis. Honorius.  as by the law of the emperor Honorius, Captives that were unable to make satisfaction were enjoined to serve five years, but our Service must continue, as the service of that Hebrew, whose Ear was bored with a Nawle against a Post, even until the year of jubilee; which is the day of our death; Though we be Hinds let lose, yet it is to run in the race of Righteousness, after the example of Christ, and not to Run away like Vagabonds from Christ; wilfully enthralling ourselves to them from whose tyranny we are delivered; such Vagabonds be Dogs returning to the vomit, and Swine to their wallowing in the mire; Backesliders, and Apostates; concerning such the Apostle saith, 
(m) Heb. 6.4.5.6.  It is impossible that they which were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come, if they fall away, should be renewed by repentance, seeing they crucify again to themselves the son of God, and make a mock of him; hence it appeareth, that it shall be far Easier at the last day for them, that were never enlightened by the word of Grace, and never let lose by the preaching of it; then for such as have been set free, and loosed out of the Dungeon of Ignorance (whereof the Devil is jailor or keeper,) by the Key of the Gospel; if they start aside, like broken bows; and depart from the service of Christ, wherein there is sweet freedom, to follow the liberty of the flesh, which is a bitter Bondage.  
Naphtali shall be a Hind let go, giving goodly words; Though the Naphtalites, as jacob prophesieth of them, were like Hinds let go, namely, Quick and expeditious in war; and as forward to battle as Giants, ready to run their course, yet he saith, that They should give goodly words, and seek by friendly and peaceable words for Peace, before they would rashly attempt war; some are of opinion, that jacob by the Hind meant Baracke one of the Tribe of Naphtali, who overthrew Sisara; and by the goodly words the song of Deborah; 
judg. 4. & 5. And. Masius in hunc locum.  but Andrea's Masius in my opinion of all other expoundeth these words most truly, by applying them to the affability, courtesy, and gentle behaviour of the Naphtalites both in word & deed; which Courtesy, & urbanity was in them an excellent quality, and worthy to be embraced of all men; for it winneth a good report, & even stealeth away the hearts of men; of the contrary part, rigorous language, venomous invectives, lying clamours, aspish and waspish eloquence, such as ever drops, nay flows from the tongues of supercilious, overweening, & insolent hot spurs, make a man odious, hateful, and detestable in the eyes of all men. The lips of a virtuous Naphtalite are like Lilies dropping down pure myrrh: the lily is white, & myrrh is sweet, such like are the lips of the righteous, full of innocency, full of courtesy; for when a godly man is reviled, he is like a sheep dumb before the shearer; and blesseth them that curse him, but under the Tongues of wicked men lies the poison of Asps; and with their tongues as bows of steel they shoot out their venomous arrows, even bitter words; 
(n) jam. 3.5.6.7.8.  The tongue (saith the Apostle) is a little member, and boasteth of great things, behold how great a thing a little fire kindleth, and the tongue is fire, yea a world of wickedness: so is the tongue set among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire of hell, for the whole nature of beasts, & of birds, & of creeping things, & things of the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of the nature of man, but the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evillful of deadly poison, was it not then an admirable virtue in the Naphtalites to bridle this unruly member, and to force it even against nature to give goodly words? There be two sorts of Tongues, the one is Gods tongue, the other is the Devils; the one speaketh or uttereth the language of Canaan, the other of Ashdod; the one says shibboleth, the other says Siboleth, the one swears by the Lord; the other by Milchom: and the one gives fowl and filthy, but the other goodly words: God's Tongue, is a Praising, praying, preaching, and a blessing Tongue; touched with a fiery coal from his own Altar, & therefore, zealous and impolluted; but the devils Tongue is a lying, blaspheming, boasting, and a Cursing tongue, set on fire by hell, and therefore mischievous and wicked: as jacob and Esau might be discerned by the Smoothness, and roughness of their skins: so may Tongues be known whose they are, by their rough and smooth words: The Tongues of the Righteous do praise God without ceasing, do pray unto God continually, do preach the gladsome tidings of salvation in season and out of season, and speak well of all men: but the Tongues of the wicked are always ready to make lies, and their most delightsome language, is swearing and blasphemy: boasting and cursing: as the Tongue is, such is the heart, for out of the abundance of the heart the Mouth speaks: he than that hath a Tongue like Naphtali giving goodly words, hath a great jewel, let him preserve and keep it as the apple of his own eye; for Solomon saith that, 
(o) Prou. 10.20.  The tongue of the just man is as refined silver; and as for him that hath A Tongue giving fowl and unseemly words; I will not say unto him, Wo● be unto thee thou evil tongue, but I wish and counsel him to set these words of the Psalmist, as a watch before his lips 
(p) Psal. 34.12.13.  What man is he that desireth life, and loveth long days to see good, keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile; In this world these two Tongues are contrarily censured: for God's Tongue that giveth goodly words, is ever blamed, but the devils tongue, which is the Organon or instrument of wickedness, is always extolled, this iniudicious censure is caused through the corruption of man's nature, which embraceth vice, and abhorreth virtue, the world being a land of darkness, hath no fellowship with the light, and therefore it blameth the good tongue, be the words thereof never so godly.  
All the Prophets of the old Testament, either were persecuted or murdered because of their tongues.  
john Baptist, who was the Common limit of the old and the new Testament, for his Tongue, lost his head; and most of the Apostles of the new Testament, because of their tongues, were like sheep led to the slaughter.  
So is it in these days, the Tongue that utters the Truth, is accounted an unquiet, seditious, and factious tongue: As Eliah was said to be a troubler of Israel, Amos a conspirator, & john Baptist, a tumultuous person, so all such as speak with zeal against vice, are by Worldlings reputed evil tongued railers, and babblers: But let the blind world judge as it will; Sure I am, that such Tongues as give goodly words, and speak the Truth boldly, are the Silver Trumpets of God's Tabernacle. Of the contrary part, the evil tongue, though it swell with the venom of Blasphemy, Swearing, Insolency, Lying, and Flattery, yet it is admired, and highly esteemed, if it can but say, as the Tongues of the false Prophets did, Peace, Peace, and make a covenant with the devil, and the world, not to speak against sin.  
To conclude, seeing that it was so excellent a quality in Naphtali, to give goodly words; Let us all study to speak his language, and though for speaking the truth, the world hate us, yet this is our Comfort, God will love us.   

THE ELEVENTH SERMON OF JOSEPH.  GEN. 49.22.23.24.25.26. 
joseph shall be a fruitful Bough, even a fruitful Bough by the Well side, the small Boughs shall run upon the wall.  
And the Archers grieved him, and shot against him, and hated him.  
But his bow abode strong, & the hands of his arms were strengthened, by the hands of the mighty GOD of jacob, of whom was the feeder appointed, by the stone of Israel.  
Even by the God of thy Father, who shall help thee, and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with heavenly Blessings from above, with blessings of the deep, that lieth beneath, with blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.  
The blessings of thy Father shall be stronger than the blessings of mine Elders; unto the end of the hills of the world, they shallbe on the head of joseph, and on the top of the Head of him that was separate from his brethren.  
joseph was the Son of jacob and Rahel, who had been barren long, for he was borne in the end of jacob's fourteen years service; In the history of his birth, it is said that 
(a) Gen. 30.25. Gen. 30.22.23.24.  God remembered Rahel, and God heard her, & opened her womb: So she conceived, and bore a Son, & said, God hath taken away my rebuke, & she called his name joseph, saying, the Lord will give me yet another Son. The circumstances of joseph's birth, are demonstrations of rahel's repentance; In my former lectures upon Dan & Naphtali, I laid open her envy, folly, impatience, & vainglory. But now she is another woman, and a true convert. For in that God first remembered her, secondly, heard her, & thirdly, opened her womb; all which are signs of grace and favour, it is evident, that she had repent and sorrowed for her sins, and also that she had prayed unto God to make her fruitful, whereupon God remembered her, heard her, and opened her womb. This name of her son joseph, is by interpretation, Increasing: And therein is enfolded or included, Rachel's hopeful desire of a threefold increase. The first is, the increase of her husband's love, who loved her before, better than Leah: yet now upon the birth of this son, she hopes that his love will be augmented; for children are bellows, that kindle mutual affection betwixt man and wife, and this was one cause why Sarah, Rahel, and Annah, were so desirous of children. The second is, the increase of glory, for she said, God hath taken away my rebuke, or infamy. For barrenness in the family of Abraham was reproachful, as may appear by the words of Isaiah, saying 
(b] Isai, 4.1  And in that day shall seven women take hold of one man, & say, we will eat our own bread, & we will wear our own garments: only let us be called by thy name, and take away our reproach. The third is, the increase of issue, for she said, the Lord will give me yet another son: and this increase, as she truly acknowledgeth, must come from God: for none but he carries the Key of the womb; Barrenness & fruitfulness do both of them depend upon his providence.  
Of the first of these, there be diverse Natural causes, as either some original defects in the Birth. For some are borne unapt for Generation. 
(c) Arist. lib. 2. de gen. animalium.  Or it may come by diseases; and sometimes the constitution of the body is an impediment, as in fat bodies, where nature is turned into the nutriment of the body, but the supernatural cause of Barrenness is, when it pleaseth GOD to restrain the womb, which he doth sometimes for a punishment, 
(d) Gen. 20.18.  as in the women of Abimelechs' house, whose wombs God shut up, because Abimelech had taken Sarah Abraham's wife; And sometimes for the manifestation of his own glory and power, as when he maketh Sarah and Elizabeth continue barren, even until they be stricken in years, and until it ceaseth to be with them, as with other women; that contrary to the course of nature, he may make the barren woman to bear & to be a joyful mother of children. Secondly concerning fruitfulness, even the heathen Philosopher confesseth thus much; Though generation [saith Plato] be done in a mortal creature, 
Plat. Sympos.  yet it is a a●●ure thing, procured by an immortal power: & though jacob and Rahel were both very desirous of children, yet for all that, nature could do nothing, till God had opened her womb.  
joseph shall be a fruitful Bough, etc. In this speech of I●cob to joseph, there be three things contained, a prediction, a narration, and a Benediction. First, the Prediction or Prophecy is implied in these words, joseph shall be a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough, by the Well-side, the small boughs shall run upon the wall. In this prophecy, which is a declaration of things to come, jacob expresseth the multiplication of joseph's seed, by comparing him to a Bough, and therein he useth a gradation, raising his speech by steps, his first step is this, joseph shallbe a bough: the second is, joseph shallbe a fruitful bough by the well side: and the third is, the branches of this Bough shall run upon the Wall.  
First, joseph shall be a Bough, or as a bough, according to Pagnine, and Rabbi Kimhi, but Montanus translateth the words in the original thus: joseph shallbe a Son increasing. The reason of this variety in reading is, because the Hebrew word Ben, signifieth both a bough & a Son: but the Rabbins have observed, that this word Ben, doth never signify a son, but when it is joined with a Real relative, that is to say, with the name of a father or a mother, wherefore the best reading is to say. joseph shallbe a bough, because of the words following, a fruitful bough by the well side; for hereby the Metaphor is continued. jacob was the planter of this Bough, Rahel was the barren stock wherein it was graffed, and God was he that watered it, and made it grow; when the barren stock begins to bud, that Bough proves excellent; Sarah, Rahel, Annah and Elizabeth were all of them barren stocks, but when they bear; their boughs or Branches proved admirable; Isaac was Sarah's bough; Samuel was Annah's, john Baptist was Elizabeth's, and joseph was Rachel's, all worthy Boughs; and such like are those Branches, that spring from spiritual Barrenness, for they that are truly converted from a sinful life, do ever prove most excellent instruments in God's tabernacle; as for instance S. Paul, before his conversion was a Persecutor of Christians, but afterwards there was none of the Apostles that laboured more abundantly in God's harvest than he; The Bough is the Emblem of Excellency; because it is the highest part of the Tree; and therefore jacob compareth joseph to a Bough, to show that he was more excellent than all the rest of his brethren; first in regard of the prerogative of Birthright, which was taken from Reuben, and bestowed upon him; and secondly in respect of his great dignity in Egypt, for God had made him Lord of Pharaohs house, and ruler of all his substance; so that according to his two Dreams, 
(e) Gen. 37.7.9.  the sh●●es of his brethren did reverence unto his Sh●fe, and the Sun, the Moon and the Eleven stars did bow before him; for a long time he was cast out like an abominable Branch, 
(f) Gen. 37.28.  being for twenty pieces of silver sold to the Ishmaelites by his brethren; and by the Ishmaelites brought down into Egypt, of whom 
(g) Gen. 39.1.  Potiphar an Eunuch the steward of Pharaohs house bought him: afterwards through the false accusation of his mistress he was cast into Prison, 
(h) Psal. ●05. 18.  and there he lay in the stocks, till the iron entered into his soul; but in process of time he became a flourishing Bough; for the Lord sent & delivered him, & the Prince of the people set him free; in this humiliation and Exaltation of joseph; we may observe the singular mercy, and providence of God; who though he suffer his children to be oppressed for a time, that their faith & Patience, like gold & silver may be tried in the furnace of Affliction; yet doth he never utterly forsake them, but is ever present with them to sustain them and comfort them; he was with Daniel in the Den, and muzzled the fierce Lions: he was in the whales belly with jonah, and cast a hook in the nostrils of Leviathan, to bring him to the shore, he was in the Inner prison to visit Paul and Silas, being fast in the stocks, 
(i) Gen. 39.21.  and he was in the dungeon with joseph, and showed him mercy: and because he was constant in his humiliation, he promoted him to honour, and made him eminent in his exaltation, for of a bondslave he made him a Lord: of a Prisoner a Prince, and of an abominable Branch as a flourishing bough: joseph shall be a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by the well side: here is the second step: joseph is not only compared to a Bough, but to a fruitful bough by the well side; hereby jacob foretelleth, 
Chal: paraph in hunc locum.  that joseph should be a mighty people: for so doth the Chalde paraphrast expound these words saying, joseph my son shall be multiplied as a Vine, that is planted by the fountains of water; and so it came to pass, for 
(k) Numb. 26.34.37.  we find that when the children of Israel were numbered in the plain of Moab from twenty years old & above, the families of joseph did far exceed the rest in multitude: jacob did foresee this, and therefore in this comparison, he doubleth these words, saying, joseph shall be a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough, that is to say, very fruitful in children, & the more fruitful, because growing by the well side, for places of temperate moisture are the fittest to plant trees in; This well is mystically the Blessing of God; without the water whereof the stem & root of every tree will grow dry, that is, every womb will be barren; for Children are the gift of God, and an inheritance, that cometh from the Lord.  
Thirdly, jacob steppeth further, & says, that The small boughs of this fruitful tree, shall run upon the wall: the word in the original is Banoth; which signifieth both Daughters and Branches; and therefore some read this text thus, his daughters have run upon the wall; which Rasi expoundeth of the daughters of Egypt, that did strive to behold joseph riding in his chariot; and some of joseph's mistress that gazed upon his beauty, but this cannot be; for the Daughters of Egypt cannot be called his daughters; neither is there any likelihood that jacob prophesying of things to come, would turn back to speak of Potiphars' wife: & therefore howsoever the Hebrew word signifieth Daughters, yet in this place it is more fitly translated Branches; whereby is meant the Increase of the two Tribes, Ephraim & Manasseh, both which branched out of joseph; & so is it in the Septuagint: Two tribes shall come out of his sons & shall receive their part & inheritance; joseph is here likened unto a fruitful Bough by the well side, in regard of the Increase of his family, which is a Temporal Blessing; & in the first Psalm the Righteous man is compared unto a 
(l) Psalm. 1.3.  Tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth fruit in due season, which is a Spiritual happiness; now if we respect both these blessings, spiritual & temporal, I say, in respect of them both, joseph was a fruitful Bough: first because he had many branches or children, secondly because he was a righteous man, and a true Israelite, in whom there was no guile; Whosoever is like joseph in goodness, shall not want joseph's blessings; for his leaf shall not fade, and whatsoever he shall do, it shall prosper; A good Bough: or a good Tree hath these three properties; Increasing, fructifying, flourishing: therefore as the figtree is known from the Sycomore, by the leaves & the fruit, for the one bears only leaves, the other both leaves & sweet fruit: as the Olive is discerned from the bramble, and the vine from the brier, the one by oil, the other by wine, both which the Brier and the bramble want, so are the righteous known from the wicked by these Properties, as infallible touchstones.  
First the Elect like good Trees do ever Increase, and strive to attain to perfection, by increasing in knowledge and Zeal: and though there be no perfection in this life; 
(m) Luc. 17.10.  for when a man hath done his best, he cannot but acknowledge himself to be an unprofitable servant; 
(n) Isaiah. 64.5.  his righteousness to be like a stained cloth, and his 
(o) 1. Cor. 1●.  greatest strength weakness, yet for all that they Endeavour to grow continually from faith like a grain of mustard seed unto fullness of faith, from Grace as low as the hyssop on the wall, to Grace as high as the Cedars of Libanus, and from Goodness to Goodness; 
Nyssenus Peritel●iótetos.  It is a kind of Perfection (saith Gregory Nyssenus) to labour for perfection; his words be these; It is perfection not to stand at a stay, but still to grow better, and never to limit or confine our perfection; wherefore as Solomon went by 
(p) 1. Reg. 10. 1●.  steps up into his ivory throne; so must we ascend into heaven by degrees, where the golden throne of Perfection stands; It was a grace for Saul, that he was higher than the rest of the people by the head: of the contrary part we use to call such as be of a low stature, dwarves, in disgrace; so it is in spiritual things, a shame for a man who by Sin is a born dwarf, not to alter his stature, and grow higher by grace; considering that God hath planted every man by the well side, and offers grace freely to all.  
Secondly, the Elect like good trees do ever bring forth fruit, and hereby we may know, who are of God, and who are not; 
(q) Mat. 7.16.17.  for as grapes are not gathered of thorns, nor figs of Thistles: so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and a corrupt tree bringeth forth either no fruit at all: or that which is evil; God in paradise planted two 
(r) Gen. 2.  Trees, both which bare fruit: the one was called the Tree of knowledge; the other The tree of life; like unto both these Trees be the Children of God: for first by hearing the word of God attentively, by reading the scriptures diligently, and by meditating in the law of God continually, they Increase in knowledge; and secondly by joining Practice to their Theory, & action to their understanding, they bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life. Ferus saith, It is nothing available for a man to eat of the tree of Knowledge, unless he eat also of the tree of Life. So say I, It is to no purpose for a man to be like the Tree of knowledge, unless also he be like the Tree of Life; For what is Faith without works? is it not dead? and what is knowledge without Love? doth it not puff a man up? Therefore, whosoever is a true joseph, must not only be an increasing, but also a fructifying tree: like unto that 
(s) Apoc. 22.2.  Tree of life, spoken of by Saint john, which b●re twelve manner of fruits, and gave fruit every month. These monthly fruits, be works of Charity, whereby Faith is approved and known to be lively and iustificant: So saith S. Bernard, Dost thou believe in Christ? why then do the works of Christ, that thy faith may appear, not to be a dead, but a lively faith.  
The Sycomore is a fair tree, but it bears no fruit, such like be hypocrites, whose holiness is altogether in show, not in substance: The Cedar is a high tree, but yet it yieldeth nought but leaves; Such like are they that have the 
(t) Ezech. 1.  Wings, but not the Hands of the Cherubims, which mount up to the highest pitch of Knowledge, but never second their knowledge with good works.  
Solinus saith, that there be Appletrees in Assyria, the fruit whereof is as yellow as gold, but yet being touched, it is rotten; such like be Papists and Operists, which strive to be superabundant in works, and believe them to be meritorious; but yet because they do not proceed from a true Faith their most glorious works of supererogation, are but as rotten apples. 
(u] judg. 9.9.11.13.  There be three Trees very fruitful, the Olive-tree, the Figtree, & the vine: such like Trees, should all Christians be; First, like the olive, they must yield the oil of gladness: & this is, to seek peace, & ensue it; namely, Peace with God, peace with themselves, & peace with men: Secondly, like the Figtree, they must give sweet fruit, this fruit is mercik, which is showed in feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, harbouring strangers, and in visiting them that be sick and in prison. Thirdly, like the vine, they must bear the Grape of cheerfulness: and this Grape is a good Conscience in all things. As the blood of the Grape cheereth the heart of man, so is a good Conscience like a continual Feast, delighting, comforting, and solacing the soul, Peace, mercy, and a good Conscience, are the fat, sweet, and cheerful fruits of good Trees, that grow by the well-side of Grace.  
Thirdly, the elect are Trees, whose leaves do never fade, but they are green, as well in winter as in summer, that is to say, their Faith and their Love do continue unto the end. These two leaves may indeed be blasted for a time, but they do not perish utterly, nor become withered like Chaff, which the wind driveth away: because the Trees upon which they grow, are planted by the waterside, which is the grace of God, being a Well of living-water springing up to Eternal life; by which whosoever is planted, can never be transplanted or removed; 
Bellar. lib. 3. de justif. cap. 14.  The Church of Rome teacheth the contrary: Namely, that a Man may fall from grace, and consequently make shipwreck both of Faith and love. But this cannot be. For whom God loveth, he loveth unto the end, and none can take them out of the hand of CHRIST, whom the Father hath given unto him.  
If then Grace be a water that springeth continually, How can Faith and Love, which are like the leaves of a Tree, ever finally fade or whither? Want of moisture is the cause why Trees die. So then, if the Elect be Trees planted by the water's side, as the Psalmist calls them; then surely they shall flourish, like the Palm and the Baye-tree, and bear green leaves continually.  
Faith and Love in some men are like grass, which to day flourisheth, and to morrow perisheth. This Faith is dead, and this Love is counterfeit; but the lively justifying Faith, and true Love, which are proper, and only belonging to the children of God, do never fade or decay; For 
(x) joh. 5.24  he that believeth saith Christ, is already passed from death to life, 
(y) 1. Cor. 1●. 8.  and he that hath true and perfect Love, never falleth away altogether from God; 
(z] Cant. 8.7 Aug. de Cor. & gra: ca 7.  for his love is so hot, that by much Water it cannot be quenched, neither can the Fleuds drown it. Concerning this Faith and this Love, thus saith S. Augustine, He that is Elect, and whose faith worketh by Love, either never falleth at all, or if he do, he is revived, and raised up again, before this life be ended.  
By these three properties, Increasing, fructifying, and flourishing, every man may examine and try himself, whether he be such a Tree, as shall for ever grow in the Court of God's house, 
(a) Mat. 3.  or such a one as shall be hewn down with the Axe of judgement, and cast into the fire.  
And the Archers grieved him, and shot against him, & hated him. But his bow abode strong, and the hands of his arms were strengthened by the hands of the mighty God of jacob, of whom was the feeder appointed by the stone of Israel.  
The second general part of jacob's speech is contained in these words, being a history of joseph's misery, and his deliverance.  
First, the misery that he endured is set forth by this Allegory; The Archers grieved him, and shot against him, and hated him. By these Archers be understood his Brethren, and Putiphars' wife his Mistress, all which were the instruments of cruelty, for they grieved him, they shot against him, and they hated him.  
First, his Brethren shot against him two Arrows, the one drawn out of the Quiver of the Heart, the other of the Tongue, namely, Malice and Mocking; For 
(b) Gen. 37.4  they hated him, because his Father loved him: and because of his Dreams, they derided him, and called him 
(c) Gen. 37.19.  the Dreamer in scorn. These two arrows were headed with steel, and wondrous sharp, for there is no malice to the malice of a brother. For proof whereof we may instance in jacob's Sons, who conspiring against joseph, said one to another, Behold this dreamer cometh, come now therefore and let us slay him, & cast him into some pit, and we will say, a wicked Beast hath devoured him, then shall we see what will come of his dreams. Afterwards, being dissuaded by Reuben from this bloody practice, they sold him unto the Ishmaelites, to be made a Bondslave, betwixt which condition and present death, there is but little difference.  
joseph's Grace with his Father, and his Excellency in virtue above the rest, stirred up his brethren to shoot against him the Arrow of malice and envy. Envy caused Anger and hatred. These two being the feathers of this Arrow, made their will swift and speedy in the desire of killing him, wherein being overswayed by Reuben, yet was not their fury stinted: for they rest not, till they have sold him.  

Amb. lib. ●. de joseph.  Saint Ambrose hereout observeth, this to have been an oversight in jacob, for preferring one of the brethren before the rest: who if he in joseph loved and preferred virtue, should rather have concealed his affection. For as he well saith, it is no marvel, if brethren fall out for Houses and Land, when joseph's brethren hated him for a Coat which was particoloured. There is nothing more sweet than the concord of brethren, and therefore the Wiseman saith 
(d) Eccl. 25.1.  Three things rejoice me & by them am I beautified before God, and men: The unity of Brethren, the love of Neighbours, and a man & wife that agree together. And the Psalmist compareth the concord of 
(e) Psal. 133.2.  brethren to the precious Ointmten, which was powered upon the head of the Highpriest. For this cause Xenophon bringeth in Cyrus the Persian, 
Xenoph. lib. 8 Cyropoed.  being ready to die, making this grave exhortation unto his sons, concerning Love, and mutual friendship, saying: They which are sprung from one & the same seed; which have been brought up by the same mother, & have been Nursed in one house together, how should they choose but be most loving, friendly, and familiar? To this league of Love both God and Nature exhorteth brethren, 
Arist. polit. lib. 7. cap. 7.  and yet how often is it violated and broken? Nay further, when Brethren or such as be allied in blood, begin to shoot the arrow of malice one against an other, their shot is ever most violent, so saith the Philosopher. The contentions of Brethren be ever most bitter; had the sons of jacob hated joseph for some notorious vice, than their hatred had been commendable, for it is the duty of God's children, 
(f) Ps. 139.21.  to hate them that hate him, and earnestly to contend with them that rise up against him, but their malice was devilish, for they abhorred him because jacob conceived a greater hope in him then in them, both of virtue and worthiness; again, had they mocked him 
(g) 1. Reg. 18.17.  as Eliah did the Priests of Baal for some hamous sin: then had they followed the steps of God himself, who useth to laugh at the wicked, and to scoff at them as they did at Adam, saying 
(h) Gen. 3.22.  Behold the man is become as one of us: that hereby, as by the most sharp reproof, he may force them to repentance, and newness of life: but they did not so: for out of rancrous envy, and the very gall of bitterness, they mocked and derided him: and with these Two arrows, to wit, Malice and Mocking, they shot at him and grieved him; and his Grief was so much the greater, because he received his wounds from his own brethren, who should have loved him because he was their brother, and pitied him, because he was their younger brother, and their father's joy, and chiefest comfort.  
Secondly, his Mistress Potiphars' wife, shot likewise against him two poisoned arrows: the one was hatred, the other Lying, for because he would not yield unto her wanton allurements, 
(i) Gen. 39.12.  but left his garment in her hand and fled away; 
(k) Gen. 39.14.15.  she called unto the men of her house and told them, saying, behold he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us, who came in to me to have slept with me, but I have cried with a loud voice: and when he heard that I lift up my voice, and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled away and got him out: here we may see, that this adulterous woman's love was turned into hatred: even as (l) Ammon's filthy love, 
2. Sam. 13.15.  or rather lust toward Thamar was changed after his unclean act; such are the affections of the wicked, variable, inconstant, and unsteadfast.  
To her hatred she joins a lie, and by the means of them both joseph was cast in prison, where he endured for a long time much misery; had he suffered as an evil doer, his case were not to be pitied or lamented, but to be bound in fetters of iron for well doing, who that readeth his history, is so stony hearted, as not to bear him company in his grief? yet 
(m) Mat. 5 10.  Blessed are they that suffer for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; and therefore joseph was a happy man, and one that might rejoice in his bonds, because howsoever he was accused, 
Amb. lib. 5. de joseph.  yet he was not a malefactor; but a true servant both to God and his master; first he served God truly because he did not give his members as servants to uncleanness, secondly he was loyal to his master, because he would not be drawn to pollute or defile his bed; and this may be gathered out of those words which he spoke unto his mistress, when he refused to satisfy her desire, 
(n) Gen. 39.8.9.  Behold (saith he) my master knoweth not what he hath in the house with me, but hath committed all that he hath to mine hand; there is no man greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept any thing from me, but only thee, because thou art his wife, how then can I do this great wickedness, and so sin against God? The fear of God and loyalty towards Potiphar, who had put him in trust, restrained joseph from committing folly; whereupon Satan, who is an Enemy of goodness, put it in the heart of his mistress to shoot against him these two arrows of hatred and lying; But notwithstanding the bloody shot both of his Brethren, and Potiphars' wife, his Bow abode strong, and his arms were strengthened by the hands of the mighty God of jacob; who never forsook him in the midst of all his miseries.  
In this history of joseph's Misery, we may behold generally the condition of all the afflicted members of God's Church; as he was, so they are continually grieved and wounded by the arrows of Envy, hatred, mocking and lying; the Devil shoots against them the Arrow of Envy, 
(o) Greg. Moral. li. 5.  for being himself already condemned, and despairing of mercy, he is grieved that any one should have hope of life eternal, and therefore he seeketh by all means possible to hinder the Salvation of the elect. 
(p) Wisd. 2.24.  Through the envy of the devil (saith the wiseman) Sin entered into the world, and they that hold of his side prove it; and for this cause in the Gospel he is called The adversary, because wheresoever God sows wheat, he casteth tars; and where he gives a commandment, which may stir men up to godliness, he hath his countercommand to provoke them to vice: and all this is done by him out of envy to impair God's kingdom, and to enlarge his own: for as the sons of jacob hearing joseph's two dreams, concerning the sheaves, the sun, the moon and the eleven stars, did prognosticate, and foresee that joseph should be exalted above them, and therefore they envied him; and consequently to cross his rising, sold him for a slave, so the devil knowing that man shall be exalted above himself, and enjoy that happiness which he hath lost, endeavoureth by all plots and stratagems that he can devise, to hinder him, the Arrow of hatred is shot against the Elect by Potiphars' wife, The world, so says our Saviour; 
(q) Math. 24.9.  They shall deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake; what Christ spoke particularly to his Disciples, is verified in all Christians; whether clerical or Laical; for as Herodias laid a plot to bereave john Baptist of his head, because he preached against her and Herod for their Incestous life, so the wicked of the world are fired with malice, and seek for revenge upon that minister that shall but glance, or speak never so covertly against their Herodias, their lawless concubine, the sin that lies in their bosom, 
(r) Wisd. 2.12.13.14.15.  Come (say they) let us defraud the righteous for he is not for our profit, and he is contrary to our doings: he checketh us for offending the law, and blameth us as transgressors of discipline; he maketh his boast to have the knowledge of God, and he calleth himself the son of the Lord, he is made to reprove our thoughts, it grieveth us also to look upon him, for his life is not like unto other men's, and his ways are of an other fashion: thus is the minister of the Gospel made the mark, at which the wicked worldlings shoot their arrows of hatred; as for the laity, if any one amongst them be like Nathaniel a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile, a zealous hearer of the word, a hater of sin, a lover of righteousness, and one that makes conscience of all things, him they call by the hated name of a Puritan: I know there be many Wolves in sheeps skins, and many Rotten bones enclosed in painted sepulchres, and many hypocrites, which are shrouded under the Cloak of Purity: for the devil can transform himself into an Angel of light; yet our Saviour saith, 
(s) Mat. 5.8.  That the pure in heart are blessed. It is then an open wrong to wound one of God's Puritans with the venomous shaft of hatred: for the rest, I say nothing in their defence; they are wise enough (at least in their own conceit) to speak for themselves; Lastly, the same Archers that I spoke of before, shoot likewise the Arrows of Mocking and lying against the servants of God: with these two the jews pierced the reputation of the Apostles, when they said, 
(t) Act. 2. 1●.  They are full of new wine; and the Athenians of Paul, when they called him 
(u) Act. 17. ●8.  a Babbler: and the Children of Bethel, of Elisha when they said unto him 
(x) 2. Reg. 2.25.  Come up thou bald head: Come up thou bald head; our Saviour was not only Belied, but also mocked by the jews, when he hanged upon the cross; and every one that takes up his cross, and follows him, is sure to drink of his cup: for it is a pleasure to the wicked, by Lying and telling of untruths, to seek the overthrow of the righteous, and by flouts and taunts to disgrace them: So saith God to the Prophet Ezechiel 
(y) Ezech. 33.32,  Lo thou art unto them [meaning the idolatrous Israelites) as a jesting song, of one that hath a pleasant voice, & can sing well. Thus we see that joseph and the Elect are Parallels: For as his Brethren, and Potiphars' wife, were Archers; So the Devil and Worldlings are Archers, both sorts shooting, the one at joseph, the other against the Elect, the Arrows of Envy, Hatred, Mocking, and Lying.  
And the Archers grieved him, and shot against him, and hated him, etc. The Bow and the Arrow are terrible and fearful weapons in battle; And therefore, when God's wrath is kindled against the wicked, and when he is resolved to destroy them, he is said to use the Bow and the Arrow, whereby is signified Speedy vengeance: as in the Psalms, 
(z) Psal. 7.11.12.13.  God is a Righteous judge, strong and patiented and God is provoked every day.  
If a man will not turn, he will whet his Sword, he hath bend his Bow, and made it ready, he hath prepared for him the instruments of death, he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.  
Whereas then jacob useth this Allegorical speech, and compareth his Sons and Potiphars' wife to Archers, and their Envy, Hatred, Lying, and Mocking to Arrows, we may gather, that his meaning is to express how dangerous weapons these four are, and therefore not fit to be used by the children of God, who are bound to profess in imitation of Christ, humility & meekness.  
The first Arrow is Envy, an Arrow made in Hell, by the Envious man, the Devil: the Feathers whereof are these two; Sadness, or Discontent in the prosperity; and Gladness or rejoicing, 
ovid. Metamor. lib. 2. Horat. lib. 1. Epist. 2.  in the adversity of another man.  
It is Headed with a Desire to do hurt: and yet it is a weapon that ever hurteth him that useth it, more than him at whom it is shot, and therefore 
a) Pro. 14.0.  Solomon calleth Envy the rotting of the bones, and the Poet tells us, that Envy is a Pale woman, and very lean, with Rolling eyes, Rusty teeth, Breasts full of gall, and a Tongue sprinkled over with poison: One that never laughs but for grief, & never sleeps, but pines away continually, & even dies with discontent. So saith job, 
(b) job. 5.2.  doubtless anger killeth the foolish, and slayeth the Idiot. Envy then is but a fools Bolt soon shot: and ever most hurtful to him that shoots it, wherefore, as the Apostle saith, so say I to all men, 
(c) 1. Pet. 2.1. Basil: in serm. de Invidia.  Let us lay aside all maliciousness, and all guile, and dissimulation, and envy, and all evil speaking; for as Blasting (saith S. Basile) spoileth corn, so Envy is the bane of Friendship. In this world, 
(d) Apo. 22.25.  and in the life to come, such as be Envious and dogged, shall be excluded out of the society of the Elect: For without shall be Dogs, etc.  
The second Arrow is Hatred; and it may fitly be likened to that which by the Psalmist is called Sagitta volans, The Arrow that flieth by day, Namely, the Pestilence, because by it many have been destroyed and overthrown; It is like the javeline 
e) 1, Sam. 18 11.  which Saul darted against David, thinking therewith to have nailed him to the wall. He that shooteth it, is 
(f) 1. joh. 2.11.  a Manslayer, & a murderer: that walketh in darkness, or in the shadow of death. Such Archers as use it be like unto the Old Serpent their father, whom our Saviour calleth a 
(g) Ioh, 8.44  murderer from the beginning. It is the nature of the Serpent when he cometh to a fountain, before he drink, to cast up his poison, & after he hath drunk, to lick it up again; So the hateful Man, though for a time he voideth his stomach of venom, and maketh show to be in love and charity with all men, yet forthwith here turneth to his vomit, and reneweth his hatred.  
I know by experience some such Serpents, whose poisonous hatred is so inveterate, that it can never be forsaken, nor left utterly. It is written, that Germanicus the Emperor did naturally hate a Cock, so that he could not endure his sight, nor his crowing, and it is reported, that the Arabians and Aethiopians do naturally abhor the mouse: like unto these be some sort of men, in whom a hatred of their brethren and of their neighbours, is inbred by nature; but let all such hear what Christ saith 
(h) Mat. 5.43.44.  ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy, but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you: here we may learn, that our Saviour would have all men to eschew hatred as a most deadly sin, and the root of many ill branches, as, detraction, slander, murder, and such like abominable vices.  
The third Arrow is Mocking or Taunting; and this Arrow, as it is used, is both Good & Evil, if it be shot against the devil, it is a good arrow, if against God, it is evil: Psellus saith, that some devils are driven away by jesting; and a Mock or Taunt is one of the most forcible medicines of sin, and therefore some of the Prophets used it in desperate cures; 
(i) 1. Reg. 18. 17.  Eliah mocked the Priests of Baal, teaching them by his witty mirth, that Baal was no God, 
(k) Isa. 44.  and Isaiah doth pleasantly deride the Idol maker, because of the one half of a tree, he maketh a fire to warm himself, and to seethe his meat, and with the rest of the block he frameth an Image, before which he afterwards falleth down, giveth honour unto it, worshippeth it, calleth upon it, and serveth it; to shoot thus is the wounding of Satan, and the kill of sin. But when a man makes God his mark to shoot at, then is the Arrow evil; the arrow of Mocking is shot against God, either directly or indirectly: directly by foolish Atheists, which say in their hearts, there is no God, and laugh at them that serve him, saying, Tush the Lord sees not; indirectly when such as sincerely honour and love him, are scorned and taunted; concerning this Arrow the Apostle saith, Let not there be in you (l) [Auchrótes, that is, filthy and foul communication, [Morología, fond & foolish words, neither [Eutrapelia, that is, urbanity and pleasant jesting. In this place S. Paul by [Eutrapelía, doth note Bomolochía, which signifieth Scurrility, whereby Scoffs and railing speeches are rashly cast out against others, rather with offence unto the godly hearers, then with any edifying.  
This Arrow ever sticketh under the girdle of the proud and vainglorious man; whose custom is to shoot it against such as he meaneth to disgrace; with this Arrow was Samson wounded by the Philistims, when they made him their 
(m) jud, 26.25.  laughingstock: & our SAVIOUR by the jews, when they plaited a Crown of thorns upon his head, and put a Reed in his Right hand, and bowed their knees before him, and mocked him, saying, 
n) Math. 27.29.  Hail, King of the jews.  
The fourth Arrow is Lying; of all the rest this is the worst, and the most venomous Arrow, for it is the devils sharpest weapon, 
(o) joh. 8.44.  who is a Liar, and the father of Lies. 
(p) Gen. 3.4.  Herewith he woundeth the Truth of God; Herewith he putteth out the eyes of men, so that they walk in the way of error; Herewith he stirreth up strife and dissension; Herewith he depriveth men of their lives, and herewith he taketh away the good name and fame of the innocent.  
This Arrow is so hateful in the eyes of GOD, that by an express commandment, he forbiddeth the shooting of it, 
(q] Leu. 19.11.  saying; Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie.  

(r) Coloss. 3.9.  And the Apostle saith, Lie not one unto another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his works.  
Furthermore, GOD doth not only forbid lying, but also threatens all such as use this hellish Shaft.  

(s] Psal. 5.6,  Thou shalt destroy them (saith David) that speak Lies, the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful Man. And the Wiseman saith, 
[t) Pro. 6.19 12.  That the LORD GOD abhorreth a lying tongue, and a false witness that speaketh lies. The very heathen Philosophers and Poets have in their writings condemned the shooting of this arrow; for Plato saith, it is 
(u) Plat. politic. cap. 2.  odious both to God and men: And Menander affirmeth, that every wiseman hates a lie: And yet there be some amongst us Christians, that call this arrow, 
(x) Mart. Navar. Azpil. in d.c. humanae, pag. 352. & 349  good wisdom, 
(y) Greg. de Val. jesuit. Tom. 3. disput. 5. quaest. 13.  a profitable art, and a wise defence; these are those croaking frogs that come out of the mouth of the Beast, and the false Prophet; the fry of Satan Rommish unclean spirits; I mean the Jesuits which teach equivocation, and mental reservation, thereby to deceive, perverting the way of truth; concerning such Impostors and deceivers, even Homer the heathen Poet saith, That man to me is as unjust as the gates of hell, which reserveth or concealeth one thing in his breast, and speaketh another: seeing than that these four arrows shot against joseph by his unnatural brethren, and his lascivious mistress, are so hellish and so hateful, it concerneth all men that fear the Bow and arrow of God's vengeance, to abstain from shooting them against their Brethren: to be an Envious person, to be a hater, to be a mocker, and to be a liar, is to be the devils Archer, and he that shooteth in his Bow, shall be sure of his pay, which is torment everlasting.  
But his Bow abode strong, and the hands of his arms were strengthened by the hands of the mighty God of jacob, of whom was the feeder appointed by the stone of Israel.  
In the words going before, we saw joseph's misery; in these we may behold his Deliverance, which containeth two parts; first, his resistance, secondly, his Advancement.  
The Archers shot at him, and grieved him: for with their shooting, they did drive him into bondage, and into Prison: yet for all that, they could not utterly foil or overthrow him; for like a valiant Boweman, he resisted and withstood them with his strong Bow; this Bow was his Confidence and Sure trust in God; that he would deliver him out of all distress; we here read of his Bow but not of his arrows, whereby it may be collected, that he used a Defensive, but no offensive weapon; this Bow was unto him as a shield or a Buckler; whereby he did retort and beat back the fiery darts or shafts of his enemies that hated him; being a weapon of such a temper, that it will never break, but always abide strong; David protesteth that he will trust in the Lord, and upon this Confidence he grows courageous, for he saith, 
(z) Psal. 56.  I will not fear what man can do unto me; though a man be never so strong and mighty, yet if he want this Bow, his greatest strength is weakness, and let a man be never so weak and feeble, yet if he have this Bow, the gates of hell shall not prevail against him; joseph was never without a Bow; when his brethren shot against him the arrows of Envy, and mocking; his confidence in God armed him with charity and patience; wherefore he did not Recompense evil with evil; when his mistress shot against him the arrows of hatred and lying, the Bow of his confidence, even in the dungeon abode strong, making him free from discontent, and fearless of death; They that trust in the Lord shall be like unto the mount Zion (saith the Psalmist) which shall not be removed, but standeth fast for ever; like unto this Mount was joseph, for because he trusted in God, neither Bondage nor Imprisonment had power to daunt him; 
(a) Pro. 20.26.  The Coneys (saith Solomon) are a people not mighty, yet make they their houses in the rock; these creatures are weak by nature, and yet it is hard to overcome them because of their strong fortresses wherein they dwell; a man is like unto a Conie, impotent and feeble in himself, yet if he have the Coney's wisdom, (as joseph had) to make his house in the rock, which is to Trust in God, who is a fortress and a Bulwark, then is he sure, that neither the world nor the devil, are able to endamage, or do him harm. As joseph was, so ought we to be all of us Bowemen: but not Archers; he is an Archer, that useth both Bow and arrows; and he is a Boweman, that hath a Bow, but never shooteth arrow out of it; the Bow with an arrow in it, is an Instrument of offence; but the Bow without an arrow is an Instrument of defence Christians must be Bowemen in defending themselves; but not Archers to offend others, so says Saint Paul,, 
[b] Rom. 12.17.19.  Recompense to no man evil for evil; avenge not yourselves, but give place unto wrath, for it is written vengeance is mine, and I will repay, saith the Lord; and Tertullian saith, It is the property of a christian, 
Tertulan a pologet. Plato. in hip. minor.  rather to be killed then to kill, and Socrates (as Plato reporteth) held it far better for a man to suffer, then offer an Injury. There be two Bows, which never ought to be out of the Eye and the hand of a Christian: the one is for contemplation, the other for action; the one is an excellent weapon to resist the temptations of the devil; the other, to withstand the assaults of the world.  
The first is the Bow of the Covenant, 
[e] Gen. 9.15.  which is seen in a cloud, commonly called the Rainbow, 
[d] Apoc. 4.3. Greg. hom. 8 in Ezech.  with which the throne of God was (as Saint john saith) compassed; when he saw his majesty in a vision, herein as Saint Gregory hath very wittily observed, there be two principal colours, Blue, and Red, the one is Colour of water, the other of fire, that of water is a Remembrancer of the Deluge or Universal flood, wherewith for sin God overwhelmed and drowned the whole world; the other of fire, foreshoweth the destruction by fire at the general and last judgement; This Bow ought to be the object of every Christians eye; for there is no consideration, that is a more forcible restraint of sin then the remembrance of God's judgements, whether past, or to come, joseph's mistress when she first beheld him, shot at him three enchanting arrows, therewith to make him a vassal to her pleasure: the first was her Eye: for the text saith, that 
(e) Gen. 39.7.  she cast her eyes upon joseph; these were wandering and wanton eyes sparkling lust; the second was her Speech, for with enticing words she said, Come lie with me: the third was her impudent behaviour and continual soliciting of him: for she did very unshamefastly day by day move and provoke him: 
(f) Gen. 39.10.  but he harkened not unto her, to lie with her, or to be in her company; because he had this Bow continually in his Eye; the sight whereof put him in mind, 
(g) Gen. 6.2.  that Lust was one of the causes why the whole earth was overrun with waters: and therefore he was afraid to commit folly, in yielding to her allurements: besides, he foresaw that such as 
(h) Eccles. 11.9.  rejoice in their youth and walk in the ways of their hearts, and in the sight of their eyes, must be brought to judgement: therefore he made conscience of sin; choosing rather in this life to suffer imprisonment for his innocency, then at the last day to be condemned to eternal fire for adultery: if all men had but that grace, as joseph, had to look continually upon the Two watery and fiery colours of this Bow, and remember the judgements of God; this enticing mistress of ours, the Flesh should not lead so many as she doth daily, 
(i) Prou. 7.22.  like oxen to the slaughter, and like fools to the stocks.  
The second is the Bow of Confidence, or Trust in God, this Bow is made of the tree of life, for whosoever holdeth it in his hand shall never see death, and he that useth it shall never be confounded; It is like unto 
(k) 2. Sam. 1.22.  the Bow of jonathan which never turned back, he that maketh it his defensive weapon, shall be ever in the end victorious, and therefore it is called a strong bow; because it maketh such as use it, strong in the Lord, & in the power of his might: what maketh the Righteous man to be as bold 
(l) Prou. 28.1.  as a Lion, but only this Bow? and what is the cause that the wicked flee when none pursue: is it not the want of this weapon? 
(m) Math. 13.45.  as then the wise merchant will sell his whole substance to buy a rich pearl, so ought every Christian to esteem this Bow above all things, because without it we lie open to the shot of our enemies, the devil and the world: there be some that have no Bow at all; these be apistoi faithless people, or Infidels; which neither know, nor believe, nor trust in the living God; some have a Bow, but it will not abide the bending, these be Dúopistoi, men that like Thomas are hard of belief; and therefore very backward in putting their trust in God; some have a Bow that will bend, but it is marvelous weak, these be Oligopistoi, such as are of a little faith, as the Apostles were, when our Saviour said unto them, O ye of little faith; & therefore according to their faith is their Confidence, small and weak; Lastly, some have a Bow, and it is strong like joseph's, these be Megalópistoi, to wit, such as be great in faith, and therefore their Trust in God is ever firm and steadfast; This is the bow which the children of God ought to have, by the means whereof they may be shielded and defended from their enemies: David had this bow, and therefore he thus saith, I will not fear for ten thousands of people, that shall beset me round about, though an host were pitched against me, my heart should not be afraid; and joseph had this bow, & therefore neither bondage, nor imprisonment did dismay him, or weaken his faith; for it abode strong.  
Secondly, the advancement of joseph is implied in these words; And the hands of his arms were strengthened by the hands of the mighty God of jacob, of whom was the feeder appointed by the stone of Israel; the hand and the arm in the scripture, signify Power and Might, and therefore God, because he is powerful and mighty, is said to have an outstretched arm, and so is it here taken; for as the Chalde paraphrast saith, 
(n) Chal. Paraph. in hunc locum.  because joseph kept the law of God in secret, and put his firm trust in him, therefore his arms were adorned with gold, and he possessed a kingdom and strengehened it: the meaning then of jacob is this; the hands of his arms were strengthened; that is to say, he was promoted and advanced, for he was made Lord of Pharaohs house, and ruler of all his substance: the history of joseph's deliverance and Advancement, is after this manner, registered by Moses: 
(o) Gen. 41.  when none of the Scothsayers and wise men of Egypt could interpret Pharaohs dreams; his Chief Butler who had been joseph's fellowe-prisoner, and whose dream joseph had truly interpreted, told Pharaoh, that there was a young man an Hebrew, servant unto the chief steward, who had declared unto him his dream, even as it came to pass: upon this, Pharaoh sent and called joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the prison, and he shaved him, and changed his raiment, and came to Pharaoh: who said unto him, I have dreamt a dream, and no man can interpret it, and I have heard say of thee, that when thou hearest a dream, thou canst interpret it: joseph hearing this, wisheth prosperity to Pharaoh, and insinuateth himself by a dutiful comprecation, saying, without me God shall answer for the wealth of Pharaoh: hereupon the King declareth his Two dreams, in the first whereof he saw seven fat fleshed and well favoured kine, eaten up by seven poor, very ill-favoured, and leanefleshed kine: and in the second seven full and fair ears of corn springing out of one stalk devoured by seven ears which were withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind: joseph having heard the dreams, first interpreted them, and secondly gave him counsel what was best to be done; these dreams, saith he, are One in signification, though diverse in respect of the vision: the seven fat kine, and seven full ears of corne●, betoken seven years of plenty, and the seven lean, and seven withered ears of corn, signify seven years of famine and scarcity, and the doubling of the dream, showeth the certainty, and speedy accomplishment thereof.  
Now therefore, (saith he) let Pharaoh provide for a man of understanding, and wisdom, and set him over the land of Egypt, let Pharaoh make, and appoint officers over the land, and take up the fift part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years, and let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh for food, in the cities, and let them keep it, so the food shall be for the provision of the land, against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land perish not by famine.  
This interpretation, and this Counsel pleased Pharaoh, wherefore he said unto his servants, Can we find such a man as this is, in whom is the spirit of God? and thereupon he advanced him, and made him the chiefest of all his Princes in the land of Egypt; that he might bind them unto his will, and teach his Senators wisdom.  
In his Advancement, we may behold eight prerogatives, which are the Cognisances and ensigns of his Power and strength.  
First by the judgement of Pharaoh, he was held to be the wisest man in the land; and therefore the fittest for government; can we find (saith he) such a man as this is, in whom is the spirit of God? this was a glory for joseph to be so censured by a King; herein we are taught two things, first what an admirable endowment or gift wisdom is; it makes poor joseph to be respected by a King; and it lifteth him up from the dungeon to the throne, and therefore as the wiseman saith, so say I to all men, 
(p) Pro. 4.5.6.7.8.9.  Get wisdom: get understanding; forsake her not, and she shall keep thee, love her, and she shall preserve thee, wisdom is the beginning, get wisdom therefore, and above all thy possessions get understanding, exalt her, and she shall exalt thee, she shall bring thee to honour if thou embrace her; she shall give a comely ornament unto thy head, yea she shall give thee a crown● of glory. Wisdom makes as great difference between man and man, as Reason doth between some men and some beasts: for a man of understanding, learning, and knowledge, doth as far outstrip an Idiot, as an Idiot doth some beasts.  
Secondly, this Censure of Pharaoh showeth, that none ought to have the hands of their arms strengthened with authority, or to be called to place of Rule, or oversight, either in the Church or commonwealth, but such as are thereunto fitted and furnished with convenient and sufficient gifts, and graces of the spirit: 
(q) Eccl. 10.16.  woe to thee o land (saith the preacher) when thy King is a child; and the Prophet threatening the people for their sins, saith, that women shall reign over them, as a curse and a punishment: here by a Child and a woman, is meant a foolish and a wanton governor. By whose indiscretion a flourishing kingdom is quickly ruinated, now because joseph was a man of wisdom, therefore Pharaoh strengthened his arms, in setting him over his house, and giving unto him the second place in the kingdom.  
Secondly, 
(r) Gen. 41.42.  Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon joseph's hand; here is joseph's second prerogative: for he is made keeper of the King's Seale-ring; in former times Princes used to wear such kind of rings therewith to seal their letters, and their edicts; for we read that Alexander the Great, when he had conquered Darius the Persian Monarch, used two rings: when he sent letters into Europe, he sealed them with his own ring, but when any were carried from him into Asia, they were sealed with the ring of Darius. Quintus Curtius saith, that 
(s) Curt. lib. 6.  the Ring is a sign of government; wherefore this Ring being given by Pharaoh to joseph, did not only signify principal honour and dignity, but also power and authority; for the text saith, at thy word shall all my people be armed; or as some read it, They shall kiss thy mouth, that is, they shall obey thee in all things: here joseph's arms are strengthened by his office, and authority, for whatsoever he sealeth with this Ring, is accounted the King's act, and accordingly obeyed. Pharaoh in bestowing this office upon joseph, which never any in the land of Egypt had before that time, teacheth Princes whom to put in trust, not such as Haman (t) to whom Assuerus gave his Ring to seal letters in the King's name; 
(i) Hest. 3.9.  for such as be like unto him be proud, are ever foolish, and such as be foolish and proud are ever cruel, and being Cruel: they will play the tyrants in their office; but if Kings make choice of such as like joseph be wise, humble, and gentle, then are they sure to be well served, and their kingdoms discreetly governed.  
Thirdly, 
(u) Gen. 41.42.  joseph by Pharaoh was arrayed in garments of fine linen; or white silk, whereof there was great store in Egypt, made of certain cotton or bombasine, 
(x) Plin. lib. 18.  that came of the Gosipon tree; these white silken garments were only worn by Princes, and Priests amongst the Egyptians; Pharaoh then in clothing joseph with these Robes, doth him the greatest honour that can be, for he createth him one of the Peers of his Realm, and thereby proclaimeth him also to be as wise, if not wiser than any of his Priests; Garments in all countries are ensigns of honour and dignity, 
(y) Dan. 5.16.  Belshazzer promiseth Daniel, that if he could read the writing upon the wall, and show the interpretation thereof, he should be clothed with purple; and 
(z) Hest. 6.10.  Assueroh cammandeth Haman to apparel Mordecai in royal Raiments, because he had discovered the treason of the two eunuchs Bigtana and Teresh, who sought to have laid hands on the King; as among the Egyptians, Chaldeans, and Persians, so likewise amongst other nations, Rich apparel, made of Purple, Scarlet, and such like stuffs; distinguisheth Princes, and personages of worth, and extraordinary quality, from the base and common sort of people: wherefore that it might be publicly known to the Egyptians, that joseph was both a Prince and a wise Prince, Pharaoh clotheth him with a garment made of fine white linen, which was the peculiar and proper habit of Kings and Priests.  
Fourthly, Pharaoh put a golden chain about the neck of joseph; amongst the Barbarians, the Captains and Soldiers in the time of war, used to wear chains of gold about their necks for ostentation sake, the Gauls (saith Virgil,) when they besieged the Capitol of Rome, had their white necks adorned with golden wreaths; and the Soldiers of Darius, which were by the Persians, called Immortales, the Immortal Band; when they fought against the Macedonians, wore about their necks Chains of gold; and the Giants in the scripture called Anakim were so named, because they did wear Chains, for Anaks in the Hebrew tongue is a Chain. In times past, the Chain was the proper ornament of such as were valiant in war; and therefore Pharaoh to grace joseph for his fortitude, (as indeed he was a man truly courageous; for as the Poet saith, fortiter ille facit qui miser esse potest; he behaves himself valiantly, that can live miserably,) put about his neck a chain of gold; joseph being adorned with these compliments of honour, a ring, a fine linen garment, and a Chain; teacheth us, that such ornaments are not to be condemned by men of honourable place & condition, if these two rules be observed, first that such things be not ambitiously sought & desired, and secondly that they be not used for ostentation and vainglory,  
Fiftly, Pharaoh set joseph upon the best chariot that he had save one; the Kings of Egypt had one chariot, which belonged only to themselves, another for the Viceroy, who was next in authority to the king, we read that Assueroh minding to honour Mordecai, 
(a) Hest. 6. ●1.  caused him to ride upon his own horse through the street of the city, but Pharaoh doth not so, he placeth him in the second chariot, & yet he honoured joseph, as much as Assueroh graced Mordecai: though Pharaoh (God moving him thereunto) strengthened the arms of joseph's hands in making him the second man in the kingdom, which is signified by his riding in the second Chariot; yet he keeps the chiefest chariot for himself; and holds still the Sovereignty in his own hands, so should all wise Princes do, they may at their own pleasure advance whom they will to honour & authority; but yet they must take heed that they keep their Throne and Sceptre to themselves; for if a Subject grown great by favour, & the accumulation of honours & dignities, do but once top his Prince, the sweetness of Sovereignty, will cause him to break and cancel the bond of fealty, & allegiance; wherefore such Kings as like Assueroh place any of their subjects upon their own horses, in making them equal to themselves, may be spoken of for their exceeding bounty and favour, but never commended for their wisdom.  
Sixtly, by the commandment of Pharaoh, they cried before joseph, as he rid in his Chariot: Abrech, this word hath three significations: 
(b) Hiero. in tradit. Heb. super. hunc locum. in Gen. 41.43.  first, it signifies the father of the King: whereupon the Chalde Paraphrast saith, that the herold, by crying Abrech, proclaimed joseph to be the father of the King; Secondly, it is sometimes taken for a young father: & hereupon some have made this exposition, saying, & behold they cried before joseph, & said, 
(c) Tharg. Hierosoli. in hunc locum. in Gen. 41.43.  long live the father of the King, who is a Prince in wisdom, & tender or young in years; Thirdly, it signifies, Bow the knee, & accordingly some have thought, that the Herold's in the street, in crying Abrech commanded the people to kneel down and to do honour & reverence unto joseph; this word Abrech, being the proclamation of joseph's authority & dignity, shows, how his arms were strengthened; First in that he was styled the King's father, or principal Counsellor; Secondly, in that he was called a young father: for it is a glory for a man of joseph's years to be so wise, as to be able to give counsel unto a king.  
Thirdly, in that the people were commanded to bow● their knees unto him in sign of honour and reverence.  
seventhly, Pharaoh called joseph Zaphnath-paaneah; which in the Egyptian tongue signifies the Saviour of the world: because by his wisdom, and industry he preserved not only Egypt, but also many other provinces besides, from destruction in the time of famine: 
(d) Philo. lib. de joseph. joseph lib. 1. antiq. Chrysost, & Theodoret. super hunc loc. Gen. 41. August. in gen. qu. 134. paraph. Chald.  some do interpret this name otherways, and say that it signifies a Revealer of secret things, and that therefore joseph was so called, because he understood what Pharaohs Dreams did presage; howsoever this name be interpreted, it agreeth with the qualities of joseph; for he was both a preserver of Egypt, and a Revealer of secrets, and yet I think that herein we are to follow the Egyptian tongue, in which Pharaoh spoke, rather than the Hebrew, so saith Saint Hierome; 
(e) Hier: in trad. heb in Gen. cap. 41.  though Saphanath-phaanecha in the Hebrew tongue signifieth a finder out of hidden things, yet because it was given unto joseph by an Egyptian, we ought to have consideration of that tongue, in which these two words Zaphnath-paaneah signify a Saviour of the world; thus did Pharaoh not only strengthen joseph's arms by giving him Princely authority, but also by bestowing upon him a most honourable name: and all these dignities by the appointment of God did light upon joseph (as Rupertus saith) because of his Confidence and Trust in the Lord: who thereby did recompense him for his former afflictions; making him of a Bondslave, a Prince and keeper of the King's Ring, giving him in stead of fetters, a chain of gold; in stead of Rags, garments of fine linen, changing his Prison into a royal Chariot, the hateful lie of his mistress, into an honourable acclamation, and the base name of a servant into this glorious title Zaphnath-paaneah, the Saviour of the world; that is of Egypt and many other kingdoms, in the days of dearth.  
Lastly, Pharaoh gave Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, Prince or Priest of On., unto joseph to be his wife, this is an augmentation of his Honour, that the King will provide a wife for him; Pharaoh did this, as Philo saith, the more to advance and honour joseph, for Potipherah, Asenaths' Father, was one of the worthiest men among the Egyptians.  
Furthermore, he thought by this bond of affinity and alliance, to tie joseph for ever, to make his abode in Egypt. This Potipherah, the Father in law of joseph, was not he that bought him of the Ishmaelites, and whose wife tempted him to lie with her, as S. Hierome following the opinion of the Rabbins imagineth.  
For howsoever S. Augustin thinketh, 
Aug. quaest. in Gen. 136.  that it would have been a glory for joseph to marry his Master's daughter, & therefore if it had been so, the scripture would not have concealed an Accident so memorable, and remarkable:  
My conceit is, that such a Marriage would rather have been a Cross then a Credit unto him, because Potipherah's wife, who must be supposed to be the mother of Asenath, was an impudent harlot.  
Wherefore I subscribe to the opinion of Chrysostome, 
Chrysost. in Gen. 63. ●  who thus saith, The King that he might heap more honour upon joseph, giveth him the daughter of Potipherah to wife. Furthermore, because he that was his Father in law, and he that was his Master, were both of one name, therefore the Scripture distinguisheth them by this addition; The Prince or Priest of On: joseph's master was the chief Steward of Pharaohs house, but his Father in Law was the chief Priest of On., or Heliopolis; and both of them were called Potipherah.  
It was an extraordinary grace for the Kings of Egypt, to bestow wives upon their subjects, to call any of them Zaphnath-paaneah; to proclaim any of them to be the King's father; to suffer any of them to ride in the Second Chariot; to put a chain of gold about any of their necks; to array any of them in fine linen garments, to commit to their custody the seal-ring, or to make a Bondman a Viceroy; yet all these honours were by Pharaoh given unto joseph, being a stranger by birth, by the envy of his brethren a bondslave, & by the hatred of his Mistress, a prisoner. Men (saith Gregory) do often most of all fulfil the will of GOD, when they seem most of all to strive against it: as joseph's Brethren, by consulting to kill, and afterwards, by selling him, thought to have prevented his dreams; but all this in the end wrought for joseph's preferment and advancement. 
Gregor. lib. 6. moral.  Though both his brethren and his Mistress were Archers that shot at him, yet his Bow abode strong. And because it did not start aside, or break, therefore the hands of his arms were strengthened: that is to say, He was raised to Honour, by the hands of the mighty GOD of jacob, of whom was the Feeder appointed by the Stone of Israel.  
Though Pharaoh was the instrumental cause of joseph's advancement, yet the Mighty GOD of jacob, in whose hands are the hearts of Kings, was the primary and efficient cause, to whom it principally belongeth To cast down and to raise up whom he will; It was the Stone of Israel; the Rock of Salvation; and the Fortress of the faithful, powerful JEHOVAH, that appointed joseph to be the Feeder, both of his Father, his Brethren, and the Egyptians.  
Here we learn, that in one and the same action, Man may aim at one end, and God at another; as for instance, the brethren of joseph, when they sold him, thought to have prevented his dreams; But the providence of God did thereby procure his preferment. So the Devil, when he had put in the heart of judas Ischariot to betray CHRIST, and had stirred up the jews to Crucify him, thought himself surely seated in his kingdom, but yet that ignominious death of our SAVIOUR, was contrary to the devils expectation, the means whereby both Hell, Death, and he himself were subdued.  

(f) Act. 4.27.28.  As than GOD did not only Permit, but also Decree, the Treason of judas, and the iniquity of the jews, against his anointed SON, as it is confessed by the Apostles, That Herod and Pilate, with the Gentiles and people of Israel, gathered themselves together, against the Holy Son of God, JESUS, to do whatsoever his hand and his Counsel had determined before to be done.  
So likewise, he did not only suffer, but also ordain, that joseph should be sold by his Brethren, as it is affirmed by joseph himself, saying thus unto his Brethren, upon his discovery; 
(g) Gen. 45.5.3.  Be not sad, neither grieved with yourselves, that you sold me hither: for God did send me before you, for your preservation.  
Now then, you sent me not hither, but God, who hath made me a Father to Pharaoh, and Lord of his house, and Ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.  
God did determine before, that Christ should be betrayed and Crucified; and likewise that joseph should be sold and imprisoned: yet not in the favour of the sin committed by the jews, and jacob's sons, but for our Redemption, and their preservation.  
As in the History of joseph's Misery, we did figuratively behold the Afflictions of the Elect, of whom joseph was a Type: So in his Preferment, after the same manner, we may see the Advancement of God's children, betwixt whom & joseph, there is a true correspondency.  
First, as joseph lay in the stocks, till the King sent and delivered him, and made him the chiefest of his Princes, so the children of GOD were bondslaves, till CHRIST the King of Kings, by his Passion, unloosed the bonds of Death, wherein Satan by the means of sin, had chained them. Again, as joseph for his wisdom was made a Lord and a Ruler in Egypt, so by Faith in CHRIST Crucified, whereby a man is made wise unto eternal Life, the Elect are made 
(h) Apo. 1.6.  Kings and Priests, being 
[i) Gala. 4.7.  no longer Servants, but Sons and heirs o● God, through Christ. Secondly, as joseph had a Ring pu● upon his hand by Pharaoh, 
(k) Luc. 15.22.  so have the Elect a ring given unto them by God, as a token and pledge of his love. This Ring is an assurance that 
(l] Rom. 8.38.39.  neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, shall be able to separate them from the Love of GOD, which is in CHRIST JESUS.  
Thirdly, as joseph was arrayed in fine white linen: So the children of God in sign of honour, are clothed as Christ was, in 
(m) Apoc. 7.13.14.  long white raiments, washed in the blood of the Lamb; And therefore, they are in the presence of the Throne of God, & serve him day & night, in his Temple, & he that sitteth upon the Throne will dwell among them. Fourthly, as joseph had a golden chain put about his neck: So do the Elect wear chains, as it is in the Canticles, 
(n] Cant. 4.9  My Sister, my Spouse, thou hast wounded mine heart, thou hast wounded mine heart, with one of thine eyes, and with a chain of thy neck. This Chain, is Perfection, the Golden links whereof be Faith, Hope, Charity, Grace, Peace, and Mercy: which Chain is put about the neck of God's children, by GOD himself. For every good gift is from above.  
fiftly, as joseph was placed in Pharaohs second Chariot, whereby he was made almost equal to himself: So the elect ride triumphantly in God's second Chariot, 
(o] Rom. 8.15  which is Adoption: the first Chariot, is Generation, and none sits in that but CHRIST, 
[p) Gal 4.6.  who is the only begotten Son of GOD; but in the second every one hath his place, that is ordained to eternal life. sixtly, as the Heralds of Egypt, by crying Abrech, commanded the people to kneel down and reverence joseph; Even so GOD cries Abrech, or, Kneel down ye Spirits of darkness, to my joseph, whom I have chosen and advanced: So than that is verified of all true Christians, which the Psalmist speaketh of CHRIST, saying 
q) Psal. 72.  The Kings of the Earth shall kneel down before him, his enemies shall lick the dust.  
seventhly, as joseph had a new name given unto him by Pharaoh; So likewise have the Servants of Christ a new Name given unto them by him, who is the true Zaphnath-Paaneah, or Saviour of the world, as it is in the Revelation; 
(r) Apo. 2.17  To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Mannah that is hid, and I will give him a white stone, and in that stone a new Name written: By this new Name, is meant that Renown and Honour, which God out of his bounty, bestoweth upon such as honour, love, and fear him. Lastly, Pharaoh the more to grace joseph, gave him a wife of his own choosing, thereby perpetually to bind him unto himself. The like favour does God show unto his chosen; only in this there is a difference betwixt joseph and the Elect, joseph by his marriage was made a Bridegroom, and 
(s) Cant. 4.9  the elect by their marriage, are made 
(t) Apo. 21.9  the Bride, & Spouse of Christ, which union is most honourable.  
To conclude this point, the 
u) Gen. 41.46,  afflictions of joseph and his misery, did continue but for a short time; till he was 30. years of age, and of them but 14. but his prosperity lasted unto the day of his death, which was in the hundred and tenth year of his age; Even so the Saints upon earth wear crowns of thorns upon their heads, & carry Christ's Cross upon their shoulders, only threescore & ten years, which are ordinarily (as David saith) the days of man, but they shall wear crowns of gold, and carry Palmebranches in their hands, which are the signs of glory and immortality for ever; and therefore S. Paul saith, 
x) Rom. 8. ●8  I count that the afflictions of this present time, are not worthy of the glory which shall be show ●●to us, and in another place he saith, 
(y] 2 Cor. 4.17.  Ou● light afflicti●● which is but for a moment, causeth unto us, a far more excellent, and an eternal weight of glory.  
The third general part of jacob's speech, being a Benediction or Blessing, lieth in these words, Even by the GOD of thy Father, who shall help thee, and by the Almighty, who shall bless therewith heavenly Blessings from above, with blessings of the deep, that lieth beneath, with blessings of the breasts, and of the womb; The blessings of thy Father shall be stronger than the blessings of mine Elders. Unto the end of the Hills of the world, they shall be on the head of joseph, and on the top of the head of him, that was separate from his brethren.  
The Blessings that jacob bequeatheth unto joseph, are of God, he only being the Herald to deliver them. And therefore he saith, The Almighty shall help thee, the Almighty shall bless thee; And these Blessings are in number three.  
First, joseph is blest with a Blessing from above, or from heaven, whereby is understood, not only the pleasant showers and Rain, wherewith the portion of his posterity should be watered, but also the goodness and wholesomeness of the air, & the sweet influence of the stars, as Moses more at large explaineth this prophecy, saying 
(z] Deut. 33 13.14.  Blessed of the Lord is his land, for the sweetness of heaven, for the dew, for the sweet increase of the Sun, & for the sweet increase of the Moon.  

(a] 1. Reg. 17  To want rain, is the empoverishment of the earth; and drought bringeth Famine. And therefore, such as will not observe and keep the Commandments of God, are thus threatened, 
(b] Deut. 28.24.23.  The Lord shall give thee for the rain of thy Land, dust and Ashes, even from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed: the Heaven over thy head shallbe brass, and the earth that is under thee iron.  
Of the contrary part, moderate rain and showers ma●e the earth fruitful, and cause plenty; And therefore the Lord saith that unto such as fear him, and call upon his Name 
(c] Deut. 28.22.  He will open his good Treasure, even the Heaven to give Rain unto their Land in due season.  
This then, is joseph's first blessing, that his Children shall dwell in a Land, the Climate whereof shall be wondrous pleasant, and the soil very fertile.  
Secondly, he is blest with the Blessing of the Depth, that lieth beneath, by which is meant, the Rivers and Springs, which do arise from beneath and water the earth.  
Such Countries as have store of Rivers and Springs, are ever accounted the most pleasant, and the most plentiful of all things; and for this cause they be called Paradises; As it may appear by that description of Sodom and Gomorrha, made by Moses; where he saith, 
(d] Gen. 13.10.  So when Lot lifted up his eyes, he saw that all the plain of jordane was watered every where, For before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha, it was as the Paradise, or the Garden of the Lord.  

(e] Gen. 2.  The garden of Eden, which God planted, and wherein Adam and Hevah were placed, because it was so well watered, is ordinaarilie called Paradise; which word as some think, is derived from the Hebrew word pards, which signifieth A Garden, or place enclosed for pleasure.  
Some will have it to be a Persian word, 
Septuag. interp. jul. pollux. li. 2. Onoma.  because Xenophon and Philostratus, called such places as were made and planted for the delight of the Persian Kings, Paradises, and others, (as Suidas) draw it from the greek verb [Paradeúein,] which is, to water: So every Country that is well watered and moistened with Springs, as the Garden of Eden was, with these four rivers, Pishon, Gihen, Hiddekel, and Perath, may rightly be called a Paradise; both in regard of profit & pleasure, with the possession of such a Province, (as jacob saith) the Tribe of joseph shall be blessed and endowed.  
Thirdly, he is blest with the Blessings of the Breasts and of the womb; God made the womb to bear, & the breasts to give suck; by these two then, is signified not only the plentiful increase, & prosperous education of Children: but the multiplying also of Beasts and cattle. This is one of those blessings which God promiseth unto such as cleave unto him, and obey his voice; So saith Moses, The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, & in the fruit of thy cattle; And the prophet David amongst other Blessings, reckoneth up these two. First, the increase of children, for he saith, 
(f) Psal. 128 1.2.3.  Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord, and walketh in his ways, when thou eatest the labours of thine hands, thou shalt be blessed, and it shall be well with thee, thy Wife shall be as the fruitful vine on the sides of thine house, and thy Children like the Olive plants, round about thy Table.  
And secondly, the multiplying of cattle, for he counteth it a great happiness, when 
(g] Ps. 65.13  the Oxen are strong to labour, when the Pastures are clad with Sheep; and when they bring forth thousands, and ten thousands in the streets.  
As the increase of the womb is a blessing, So contrariwise, Barrenness is a punishment, not only in women, but also in dumb creatures; And therefore because the Ephraimites did forsake God, and went to Baal-peor, Hoseah the Prophet prayeth against them, 
h) Hos. 9.14.  O Lord give them, what wilt thou give them? Give them a barren womb, and dry Breasts; which is, as if he should have said, O Lord, turn jacob's blessing upon joseph's posterity into a Curse, because of their Idolatry.  
Also Moses saith, 
(i) Deut. 28.18.  If thou wilt not obey the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep and to do all his Commandments and Ordinances, Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy Land, the increase of kine, and the flocks of thy Sheep.  
These are the great Blessings given unto joseph, being so much the greater, because, as jacob addeth, They shall be stronger than the blessings of mine Elders. Which is, as if he should have said 
k) Chald. paraphr. in hunc locum.  Let not only those blessings which I bestow upon thee, light upon thy Posterity, but also all those blessings of mine Ancestors, Abraham and Isaak, which were such, as great Princes desired to enjoy them.  
Furthermore, he prophesieth not only, that they shall be great Blessings, but also of long continuance. Even to the end of the Hills of the world, that is; They shall 
(l) Rab. Kim. in hunc locum.  continue, as long as the Hills endure, and be upon the head of joseph, and on the top of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. Here we must consider that these Blessings promised to be perpetual, concerning things temporal, were conditional; namely, if the Children of joseph would walk in the ways of the Lord; otherwise, they should be turned into Curses; seeing then that both the promises of Blessings, and the threatenings of Curses, are sealed & signed, upon this Condition 
(m) Gen. 4.7.  if thou do well thou shalt be accepted, and if thou dost not well, sin lieth at thy door: the consideration hereof, aught to be a motive unto every one of us, to be careful, how we live, and to endeavour ourselves to observe and keep the statutes and ordinances of God: in hope to be blessed and accepted: and out of fear to be cursed and rejected.  
As in other things, so in respect of these Blessings: joseph is a type and a figure of the Elect; for as his posterity by the providence of God, were to dwell in a land, the furrows whereof should be watered abundantly with reign from above, and the valleys with springs from beneath: and where the Breast should not be dry, nor the womb barren, evenso the Children of God, have their dwelling in such a land; and this is the land of promise, or the Catholic Church; herein the Reign that comes from above, is the Grace of God, the River and spring beneath, is Faith, and the Increase of the Breasts and the womb, the works of Charity: and all these are heavenly Blessings: for God is the Causer of them all: as Reign, Rivers, and fruitfulness of the womb, do every one of them come from God: 
(n) Eph. 4.7.  so, Grace is given from above, 
(o) 1. Cor. 12.8.  faith is engendered by the holy ghost: 
(p) Gal. 5.22.  and Charity is the fruit of the spirit: again as the Tribe of joseph was blessed with these three Blessings, Reign, Rivers or Springs, and the Increase of the breasts and the womb, so the elect, and none but they, have these three heavenly gifts bestowed upon them, Grace, faith, and Charity: and these three may well be likened to the Reign, to a River or Spring, and to the Breast and womb of a fruitful woman, in regard of their effects: For first as Rain moisteneth the earth, and maketh it apt to bring forth fruit: so the grace of God mollifieth the heart of man, which is naturally stony▪ and thereby maketh it not only fit to receive the Seed of the word, but also to bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life. Secondly as Rivers and Springs run continually and water the Valleys, so faith which is lively and justifying, after it is once infused from above, never ceaseth working, but is in the heart of man, like living water springing up to everlasting life. Thirdly, as the Increase of the Breasts and the womb, is the Increase of God's Church and the commonwealth: so the Charity of the Elect bringeth forth good works: whereby God is honoured: and the members of Christ relieved: to conclude; Herein only is the difference betwixt the Blessings of joseph, and the Blessings of the Elect: his were conditional: theirs are not, but do continue unto the end of the hills of the world: that is, 
Aug. de cor. & gra. cap. 7.  for ever: for Grace, Faith, and Charity, are never finally lost by the Elect, nor taken away by God, because he bestoweth, Grace Faith, & Charity only upon them whom he loveth, and whom he loveth, he loveth unto the end.   

THE TWELFTH SERMON OF BENJAMIN.  GEN. 49.27. 
Benjamin shall ravin as a Wolf: in the Morning he shall devour the prey, and at Night he shall divide the spoil.  
BEniamin was Rachel's second Son, and the youngest of the twelve Patriarches; at his birth Rahel died, 
(a) Gen. 35.18.  and when she was about to yield up the Ghost, she called his name Ben-oni; which name signifies two things.  
First, the Son of Strength, and secondly, the Son of Sorrow.  

(b) Oleaster  Some think that she by calling him Ben-oni meant that she herself had showed great Strength in bringing him forth, or else, that he was a Strong child, and stronger than she was, because he overlined her; but I rather hold with them, which by the Hebrew word On, in this Name, do understand Sorrow; Being of opinion, that Rahel hereby expresseth the ●orrow of child-bearing-women; and the sorrows of Children when they are borne.  
First every Child may truly be called the child of Sorrow, because it is conceived, and brought forth in Sorrow; and this punishment was laid upon Hevah and her Daughters, because she was seduced by the Serpent; Unto the Woman he said, I will greatly increase thy Sorrows, 
(c) Gen. 3.16.  and thy Conceptions: In Sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children. The pains of Conception be the headache, 
Plin. lib. 7. cap. 6.7. Arist lib. 7. de hist. animal. cap. 4.  dizziness, abhorring or loathing of meat, overflowing of the stomach, and such like, as Aristotle, and Pliny affirm; Also the pains of Childbirth be wonderful grievous, and therefore S. Basil, explaining these words of the Psalmist; The snares of death compassed me, and the pains of hell caught me; compareth the sorrows of a woman in travail to the torments of hell; in regard of their extremity; and they are the more fearful, because oftentimes women in travel give up the ghost as Rahel did, and many of them are ripped up before they can be delivered; After this pitiful manner, were the mothers of Scipio Africanus, 
Plin. lib. 7. cap. 9  julius Caesar, and Manlius used; and therefore our Saviour saith, 
(d) joh. 16.21.  a woman when she travaileth, hath sorrow, because her hour is come; And the Apostle when he would express the great pains which the ministers of the Gospel suffer, compareth their travel to the labour of a woman in childbirth.  
Secondly, every man is Ben-oni, the son of sorrow; because his life is a painful pilgrimage upon this earth, which is a valley of tears; so says God unto Adam; 
(e) Gen. 3.17.  Cursed is the earth for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life: And accordingly, jacob spoke unto Pharaoh, saying, 
(f) Gen. 47.9. Herod in Terpsich.  The whole time of my pilgrimage, is a hundredth and thirty years, few and evil have the days of my life been: For this cause the Thracians used to lament and weep, when their children were borne, but to laugh and rejoice, when any of their friends died; and the reason hereof is given by job: who saith, Man that is borne of a woman, is of short continuance, and full of trouble, he shooteth forth as a flower, and is cut down, he vanisheth also as a shadow, and continueth not.  
Thirdly, every one is the Child of sorrow, in regard of original sin, 
(g) Rom. 6.23.  the wages whereof is death; this Natural corruption which by the fall of Adam is transfused upon his whole posterity, maketh man not only liable and subject to infinite calamities in this world, but also to death eternal hereafter, unless 
(h) Psal. 5●. 1.  this Sin wherein all men are borne, and this iniquity wherein they be conceived, he washed away by the blood of Christ; 
(i) Eph. 2.5.  By nature (saith S. Paul) we are the children of wrath; that is not by creation, but by Adam's transgression, and so by birth: And job saith; That a child of a day old is not pure in God's sight; seeing then that every man is borne in sin, therefore is every man a Ben-oni, the son of Sorrow, because Death and Sorrow be the effects of sin.  
Rahel having called this son, Ben-oni, in his Name, (as I have said,) declared, both particularly and generally, the pains of Childbirth, the sorrows of man's life, and the reward of sin: and thereupon, to give instance, for the truth of her assertion, she gave up the ghost; proving by her own example: that women bring forth children in sorrow, that man's life is a painful pilgrimage, and that the wages of sin is death; these are the reasons why she called his name Ben any, the son of sorrow; But his father called him Benjamin; that is, the son of his right hand. Amongst the ancient Hebrews nothing was rashly or inconsiderately done, either in the imposition or Changing of names; Rahel had reason to call her son as she did Ben-oni, and jacob likewise had good cause to change his name, as he doth, by calling him Benjamin. It is apparent both out of divine and profane histories; that in former times, all men had an especial care to give unto their children, fair, fit, and well-boding names; and they greatly disliked, unpleasant, dismal, and unlucky names; Herodotus writeth, that Cyrus was first called Spaco, which in the language of the Medes signifieth a Dog, & because this was a foul name, it was changed into Coresch or Cyrus, which in the Persian tongue soundeth a Lord; Theophrastus (as Strabo saith) was so named by his Master Aristotle: 
Strabo. lib. 13.  in exchange of his filthy name Tyrtanus, and amongst the pope's of Rome, the Changing of names was first brought in by Sergius, who before was called Os porei, or Swinesnout; so here jacob doth change Ben-oni which is a name of grief and Sorrow into Benjamin, a name of strength and honour: some think, that he calleth him Benjamin the son of his right hand, because he only was borne in Canaan, in the south part, which is upon the right hand, if one turn his face to the sun rising; some, because he was borne in Bethlem, within the Tribe of judah. Lyranus is of opinion, that he was so called, because jacob bore so strongly and patiently the heavy cross of his rahel's death; and Oleaster saith, that jacob hereby showeth that he had, notwithstanding his age, strength to beget a child; But it is most probable, that Ben-oni was changed into Benjamin by jacob; first lest it might have brought still to his remembrance the loss of his dearest wife; And secondly to show how dear he should be unto him, both because he was his youngest son, and also for his mother's sake; In the Scripture, the Right hand hath eight several significations; First by it is meant, strength and fortitude; So doth the Psalmist use it, saying; 
(k) Psal. 44.3.  They inherited not the land by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou didst favour them. Secondly it is taken for help or aid: as it is in job; Stretch forth thy right hand to help the work of thine own hands; Thirdly, for the exuperancie of honour and glory: as it is in the Psalm; The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool; Fourthly, it signifies the Sweetness of Christ's love towards his Spouse, the Church; As it is in the Canticles, 
(l) Cant. 2.6.  His left hand is under mine head, and his right hand doth embrace me.  
Fiftly, by it is understood the abundance of divine and heavenly pleasures; so says David; 
(m) Psal. 16. 1●.  In thy presence is the fullness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.  
Sixtly, it is used to declare that which is good, just and holy; So says the wiseman, The Lo d knoweth the ways which are upon the right hand, but the ways which are upon the left hand are froward, and perverse.  
seventhly, it signifies such things as be spiritual blessings; And so does Solomon apply it saying: The length of his days is in his right hand, and in his left hand be rich●s and glory. In this speech the Wiseman by the length of days which is in the right hand of a righteous man, meaneth the eternity of blessedness in heaven: And by riches and glory, which are in the left hand, the temporary goods and prosperity of this life.  
Lastly, the Preacher saith, 
(n) Eccles. 10.2.  the heart of a wiseman is at his right hand, but the heart of a fool is at his left hand; the meaning of which words, showeth the difference betwixt the righteous & the wicked: For the cogitations and the actions of the one sort, are ever Right, that is full of honesty, innocency, and wisdom: But the imaginations and enterprises of the other, are foolish & wicked, declining unto the left hand, which leadeth unto destruction: hence it appeareth that it is a sign both of Love & well-wishing in jacob towards his son, because he changeth the disastrous name of Ben-oni into the well-portending name of Benjamin; To be the Son of the father's Right hand, is a great favour, 
Xenoph. li. 8. Cyropaed.  & yet the ancient Persians (as Xenophon reporteth) used to place such as they meant to honour upon their left hands; But the Hebrews observed a contrary custom 
(o) ●. Reg. 2.19.  for we read that Solomon placed his mother upon his right hand, & at the general judgement, it is said that 
(p) Math. 25.33.  Christ shall set the sheep upon his right hand, and the goats on the left; Therein honouring the Elect, and disgracing the reprobates.  
These two names Ben-oni & Benjamin imposed by Rahel, & jacob, do mystically decipher the two estates of mankind: The first, under Adam by birth, & the second under Christ by grace; 
(q) Rom. 5.12.19.21.  for as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death went over all men; for as much as all men have sinned; so by the obedience of one, are many made righteous; that as sin had reigned unto death, so might grace also reign by righteousness, unto eternal life through jesus Christ our Lord; by original sin then which is corruption engendered in our first conception, whereby every faculty both of body and soul is prone and disposed to iniquity; Every one man is Ben-oni, the son of sorrow; but through the Grace of God in Christ jesus, who was borne and died for the redemption, and justification of the world, every man that truly believeth, is a Benjamin, the Son of God's right hand.  
Benjamin shall ravine as a wolf, etc. The wolf, according to the phrase of the scripture, is the emblem of four things, Tyranny, fraudulency, Hypocrisy, and Courage; for the first our Saviour saith unto his disciples, 
(r) Mat. 10.10.  Behold, I send you forth like sheep among wolves; these wolves, are bloody tyrants, enemies of the Cross of Christ; which like the wolves of Africa that all night long bark at the moon, do continually blaspheme that sacred name, at the sound whereof all Kings ought to bow; such were the Roman Emperors successively from Tiberius unto the reign of Constantine the great, and the first Christian that swayed the Imperial sceptre; and therefore their Succession in regard of Cruelty and Tyranny, is resembled in one of those visions which Saint john saw, 
(s) Apoc. 17.3.  by a scarlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemy, which had seven heads and ten horns; and such a wolf at this day is the Turk; who not only with his tongue striveth to pierce the side of Christ, by calling him in derision the crucified God; but also by his Sword maketh havoc of the poor members of Christ jesus; But shall Benjamin be such a wolf? shall his posterity be given to tyranny, no: for than should the words of jacob tend to the disgrace of Benjamin; is indeed they do to the contrary; for there is no man so odious, and so much subject to hatred, as is he that is a Tyrannical wolf; such ravenous Beasts are hateful both to God and man; God (saith the Psalmist,) abhorreth the blood-thirsty and cruel man. And therefore, 
(t) 1. Reg. 22 34.  He covers him with shame, and cuts him off for ever; The wolvish kings, Ahab and Herode, and the wolvish Queens jezabel & Athalia, which all of them imbrued their hands in the blood of innocency, were by the Hand of GOD, put to violent and shameful deaths.  

(t) 1. Reg. 22 34.  An Arrow shot from the bow of an Aramite, 
(u) Acts. 12.23.  a Worm, 
(x) 2. Reg. 11 16.  the Sword, 
(y) 2. Reg. 9.35.  and Dogs, revenged the blood of the guiltless, which had been by them unjustly shed; Thus doth the rigour of punishment from heaven, plainly demonstrate, how hateful the Tyrannical Wolf is in the Eyes of him who is Compassionate and Merciful, our heavenly FATHER.  
Seeing then that all men are commanded to be merciful, as the Father in heaven is merciful; Oh let every one that hopeth to find Mercy, beware of being a wolf in cruelty; and strive to be like unto Christ, a Lamb in meekness and innocency. But alas, Experience proveth, that for one Lamb, that is chosen, there be many wolves, that shall be rejected for their cruelty; We may know them by their works, Oppression of the fatherless & the widow, Extortion, the grinding of the poor man's face, & the selling of the Needy for shoes, art brands and marks of their wolvish profession.  
The eyes of these wolves though for a time they swell with fatness, yet when the day of slaughter comes, they shall surely be sacrifices of wrath, because God hates & abhors them: neither are they less odious unto men; for who is it that will not rejoice when a Tyrant dies? even as the 
(z) 1. Sam. 18 6.  women of Israel did sing & play upon instruments, when Goliath was slain, so the people rejoice, when a wolvish Giant dies; because by his death, they one delivered from oppression & wrong. The Romans did not only rejoice at the death of Nero Caligula, and the rest of their imperious Wolves, but did also insult ever their dead bodies, haling them along the streets of Rome; and hanging them upon Gibbets, as the fittest meat for ravenous fowls.  
Hence it comes to pass that Tyrants like Dyonisius, dare never go abroad without A strong Guard, because they know that Cruelty causeth hatred; and the hatred of the people, raiseth revengeful Rebellions and insurrections.  
Secondly, the Wolf is the Emblem of fraudulency, and therefore the Prophet Zephaniah calleth unjust judges, such as oppress the innocent, and let the guilty go free, Wolves, saying, 
a) Zeph. 3.3.  Her judges are as Wolves in the evening, which leave not the bones till the morrow; Neither doth he miscall them. For this name is suitable to the disposition of such as will be corrupted with bribes; Some judges and some Lawyers being weighed, will be surely found to be deceitful upon the weights; And these are they which by their subtlety and fraud devour the afflicted, and eat up the poor from among men.  
If in this respect Benjamin had been compared by jacob to a Wolf, then could we think no otherwise, but that both he and his posterity were Cursed creatures, because 
b) Psal. 32.2.  They only are blessed, to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile. But this is not jacob's meaning; For in these words he blesseth Benjamin. And so likewise doth Moses, saying, 
c) Deut. 32.12.  The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him, the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and dwell between his shoulders.  
Now then, if either Benjamin, or his children had been like unto Wolves in fraudulency; Moses before his death would never have bestowed such a Blessing upon them; The fraudulent and the Tyrannical wolf, are like Samsons Foxes, tied together by the tails: for in the aim & end of their cruel & deceitful actions, they agree & are combine together like brethren in evil, to prey upon the poor, and so eat up the innocent and the harmless man.  
thirdly, the Wolf is the figure of Hypocrisy, and so we may gather out of the words of our Saviour, saying: 
d) Mat. 7.15  Beware of False Prophets, which come unto you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are Ravening wolves: An Hypocrite is A whited wall, a painted Sepuleher, and a Wolf in a Sheep skin. Though he have a countenance which promiseth goodness, yet is he stonie-hearted; Though he make a glorious show of Sanctity, yet is his mind full of corruption; And though he seem to be clad with meekness and innocency, yet is he proud and cruel: For 
e) Matt. 23.14.  under a colour of long Prayers, he will devour the House of the Widow: And therefore in the Hebrew tongue, he is very fitly called Chaneph, which signifieth Impure, or Polluted; and also such a one as boasteth of himself, and braggeth of his own virtue: As the proud Pharisie did, who 
(f) Luc. 18.11.12,  stood & prayed thus with himself: O God I thank thee, that I am not as other men, Extortioners, Unjust, Adulterers, or as this Publican. I Fast twice in the Week, I give Tithes of all that ever I possess.  
There be many of these wolvish Impostors, and deceitful Wolves in the world, which because of their sheeps clothing, can hardly be known and discovered from the Sheep of Christ's Fold, unless they be examined by the Rule of our Saviour, which is this, You shall know them by their Fruits; Do men gather Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of thistles.  
The Thorn hath fair Blossoms, but it bears no Grapes: the Thistle brings forth a flower, but never a Fig; So the hypocritical Wolf will transform himself into the heavenly shape of an Angel, and give goodly words, softer than oil; but it is as impossible to find a good work done by him, as a grape upon a thorn, or a fig upon a thistle; jacob doth not liken his son Benjamin to this Wolf: for if he had done so, then had he exposed both him & his tribe to the curse of God, fox hypocrites are a 
g) Matt. 23.13.  cursed generation, 
(h) Mat. 3.7  and a generation of vipers.  
Fourthly, by the Wolf is signified Courage in fight, for though he be neither so strong, nor so well armed as the Lion, yet he is as fierce and resolute as he. And therefore jacob compareth in this place, the Tribe of Benjamin to a Wolf, in regard of courage and valour in battle, for though the children of Benjamin were neither so strong in respect of number, nor so well armed in respect of power and authority, as the Tribe of judah was, who is compared unto a Lion, yet they were as courageous in fight as they: 
(i) Theodor: ultim. quaest. in Gen.  wherefore this Prophecy showeth the warlike disposition of the whole Tribe of Benjamin; whose children were indeed, as they are called Wolves, as may appear 
(k) jud. 20.15.16.17.  by that fierce battle, which they fought with the other tribes, wherein they twice overcame them, being but six and twenty thousand men, and seven hundredth, which fought against four hundred thousand men that drew sword, even all men of war; and also by the wars which the house of Saul had with David, and the Tribe of judah, for the Kingdom. These several conflicts are sufficient testimonies of Benjamins courage and resolution in Fight; for which cause he is compared unto a Wolf, that shall ravin, or make havoc of his enemies, as indeed the children of Benjamin did, for at two several times, they slew of the men of Israel forty thousand, which could handle the sword.  
In the morning he shall devour the Prey, and at might he shall divide the spoil Of these words there be five several interpretations. First, Rabbi Solomon saith, that hereby is signified 
(l) judg. 21.23.  the exploit of the Beniamites, in taking as a prey, the daughters of Silo, as they came forth to dance, to be their wives, which afterwards they distributed and divided as a spoil amongst themselves. Or secondly, saith the same Author, these words of jacob may be applied to Saul, who in the morning, or the beginning of the Israelitish kingdom, preyed upon the Amalekites, and to 
(m) Hest. 7.10. & 8.5.  Mordecai, and Hester, being both of them Beniamites by birth, who in the evening, that is to say, after the decay and dissolution of the Kingdoms of Israel and judah, 
Hiero. in tradit. Hebr. in Genesim.  made prey of Haman, and of their enemies. Thirdly, S. Hierome saith, that some of the Hebrues were of opinion, that by this speech jacob meant the Temple of jerusalem, which was built within the portion or inheritance of Benjamin, and that therefore it was by him called a Wolf, because it did devour and spend innumerable sacrifices of beasts, which in the Morning were slain and offered unto God, and in the Evening divided amongst the Priests.  
The Chalde Paraphrast subscribeth to this exposition, 
Chald. paraphr. in hunc locum.  for thus he saith, Benjamin in his Land the presence of the Divinity shall rest, & in his possession shall the Sanctuary be built, in the Morning, & at Evening shall the Priests offer Oblations, and in the evening they shall divide the remainder of the things that be sanctified.  
Fourthly, many of the ancient fathers, as Ambrose, Hierom, Ruffinus, Chrysostome, & Augustine, thought that this prophecy principally was fulfilled in S. Paul; and therefore they refer it unto him; because 
(n) Rom. 11 1.  being of the tribe of Benjamin▪ at the first, as a Ravenous Wolf, he persecuted the Church before his conversion, 
(o) Acts. 9.1.  breathing out threatenings & slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord; but afterward, when he was converted to the Faith of Christ, he divided the spoil, that is to say, according to Rupertus, the word of God, and the doctrine of Salvation; distributing to his Disciples and auditors this heavenly spoil, according to their capacity & understanding; for to some he gave Milk, & to some he gave strong meat. Fiftly, though all these 4 interpretations may in some sort be received, as consonant to the Text, because both the Beniamites, which carried away the daughters of Siloh, as also Saul, & Mordecai, the Temple, & S. Paul, were a Wolves devouring the prey, & dividing the spoil; yet if we do but consider that jacob in every speech, which he maketh to any of his Sons severally, doth chief prophecy of the state of their whole posterity, and not of any private person, we must then needs acknwledge that the exposition of these words by Theodoret, 
Theodoret. quest. ultim. in genes.  comes nearest both to the letter, and to the intention of jacob, which is this; Benjamin shall ravine as a wolf: that is, the Beniamites shall be a fierce and courageous people in war. Again, In the morning he shall devour the pray, and at night he shall divide the spoil: that is, the Beniamites shall be prosperous and successful in battle, for having overcome their enemies, they shall return home being made glorious by victory and rich by the spoil.  
In this speech of jacob concerning Benjamin, we may observe three things which make for moral use, and instruction. The first is this: Rahel called her youngest son Ben-oni, the son of sorrow, and presently gave up the ghost, but jacob changed his name and called him Benjamin, lest it might have brought to his remembrance the loss of his dearest wife, and so have prolonged and continued his sorrow; This holy patriarch even in the reason of this Change, teacheth us to use a mean and a moderation in mourning for the dead; The name of Ben-oni tells us, that we ought to mourn; But the name of Benjamin bids us not to mourn too much. First when any Christian dies we ought to mourn, because of our sins which have brought death upon all men: As the Apostle saith, 
(p) Rom. 6.23.  The wages of sin is death; And hereunto we are drawn by diverse motives; First mourning for the dead is not only allowed, but also commanded by God, for the Apostle saith, 
(q) Rom. 12.13.  weep with them that weep; And David when Saul was slain, thus spoke unto the daughters of Israel, saying, 
(r) 2. Sam. 1.24.  weep for Saul, which clothed you in scarlet, with pleasures, and hanged ornaments of gold upon your apprell; Furthermore in the book of Leviticus: 
(s) Leu. 21.2.3.  we read that God made a Canon or constitution concerning lamentation and mourning for the dead; by which the Priests, the sons of Aaron, are forbidden to mourn over any man, except it be their kinsman that is near unto them, or their mother, or their father, or their son, or their daughter, or their brother, or their sister being a maid: for any of these, they were not only permitted, but also commanded to lament: for in this restraint which is negative, there is included an affirmative injunction; As if God should have said, Let the Priest mourn over his kinsman that is near unto him, as for instance, his father, & mother, his son & daughter, his brother and sister, that hath had no husband: but let him not defile himself by any other that is dead among his people, either by touching them, by being at their burial, or by lamenting over them. Secondly, in this case, there be many examples of holy men which have mourned for the dead, who in doing so, are not to be condemned either of Ignorance, or any other sin: 
(t) Gen. 23.2.  Abraham mourned for Sarah in Hebron, and wept for her, by his weeping, he showed his affection, and by his mournful voice, he bewailed his own loss. 
(u) Gen. 37.  jacob lamented the death of joseph many years: 
(x) 2. Sam. 18.33.  David wept for Absalon: 
(y) Act. 8.2.  The faithful made great lamentation for Steven: And our Saviour Christ when he saw Marie weep for Lazarus, 
(z) joh. 11.33.  groaned in the spirit, & was troubled in himself; The scriptures are full of such like examples both in the old, and in the new testament; Seeing then that the faithful by their use & example, do approve of mourning for the dead, and seeing that Christ, doth not only not rebuke, but also by his groaning allow it; no man can justly deny but that it is a godly duty, one to bewail the death of another. Thirdly, the holy Scriptures do count it a great plague or punishment, for a man when he is dead, not to he lamented, & not to be buried. This appeareth out of the words of the Psalmist, who making a Catalogue of the plagues that God brought upon the Israelites for their Idolatry, reckoneth the want of lamentation over the dead to be one of them; His words be these, 
(a) Psal. 78.63.64.  The fire devoureth their chosen men, & their maids were not given in marriage, their Priests fell by the sword, & there were no widows to make lamentation; Also (b) God commanded the Prophet Ezecheel not to 〈…〉 funeral of his own wife, that thereby as a sign he might teach the rebellious jews, that they should perish, & be slain by the sword of their enemies in such sort, as none should be left alive to bewail them: by these reasons it is plain and apparent, that mourning for the dead is lawful: being commanded by God, and approved by the example of our Saviour himself, and yet there been some that altogether disallow it; The stoics did condemn it, esteeming such as did lament and weep for the dead, effeminate and weak: and we read of many, that when their dearest friends died, have abstained from all appearance of sorrow. Anaxagoras, when he heard news of the death of his two sons, made no other answer but this; Scio eos mortales esse natos, I know that they were borne mortal, and when it was told Xenophon, that his son Gryllus was slain in fight, he being at the sacrifice only for a while, laid aside his garland, and immediately took it up again: Of this kind there be many examples, whereby the stoics endeavour to make their opinion plausible; but it is not for Christians, to have minds void of all affections, as these impassionate Philosophers would have men to be, for he that cannot, or will not weep for the dead, is like an Idol, that hath eyes but cannot see, that he himself is Ben-oni the son of sorrow, because of his sinful conception. Concerning this matter the son of Syrach giveth us excellent counsel, saying, 
(c) Ecclus. 38.16.17.  My son power forth tears over the dead, and begin to mourn, as if thou hadst suffered great harm thyself, and then cover his body according to his appointment, and neglect not his burial; make a grievous lamentation, and be earnest in mourning, and use lamentation as he is worthy, and that a day or two, lest thou be evil spoken of, and then comfort thyself for thine heaviness. Hence we may learn that we ought to mourn, but our mourning must be mixed with moderation; they that mourn not at all, offer violence to nature, and they that mourn too much, break the rules both of reason and religion.  

(d) Gen. 23.3.  When Abraham had wept over Sarah, he rose up from the sight of the corpse; lest that he might have been overwhelmed with grief, he removeth the object thereof. And when Rahel dying, had given her son a sorrowful name, calling him Ben-oni, jacob changeth his name, and called him Benjamin; lest the sound of Ben-oni in his ●are, should have continually raised up groans from his heart; and herein they behaved themselves as the Apostle wisheth all Christians to do, saying: 
(e) 1. Thess. 4 13.  I would not Brethren have you ignorant, concerning them which are a sleep, that you sorrow not, even as other which have no hope.  
GOD by whom Death is inflicted, would have the nature thereof to be such, that it should bring tears and sorrow, not only unto them which die, but unto those also, of whom they that die are beloved: but yet he hath taken away the sting of Death, by promising that there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead, and this promise is an Antidote against the poison of grief.  
There is a Law in Deuteronomie concerning the mourning for the Dead whereby the Israelites are forbidden 
(f) Deut. 14.1.  Not to cut themselves, nor make any Baldness between their Eyes for the Dead; 
(g) Homer. Iliad.  in imitation of the Gentiles, who having no knowledge, nor hope of a Resurrection, used to lament and bewail their dead Friends, without any moderation; shaving themselves, piercing, their left hands with sharp Arrows, 
(h] Herod. in melpom.  and killing some of the dead man's Wives or servants, to keep him company.  
This kind of mourning hath in it no mixture, either of Reason or Religion; and therefore God made a Law against it.  
And it is observed, that 
(i) Gen. 53.3.10.  the Egyptians mourned for jacob seventy days, but joseph mourned but ten: to show the difference between the excessive grief of men that have no Hope, and the moderate sorrow of the Faithful. Seeing then that, Not to mourn at all, is a Stoical stupidity, and to mourn too much, is a Heathenish infirmity; let us take heed of these extremes, remembering always that saying of Seneca, Nec fluant Ocult, nec sicci sint, Let your Eyes neither be drowned nor dry.  
Let them not be dry at the Funeral of thy Brother, because every man by birth is Ben-oni, the Son of sorrow; and let them not be drowned with the excess of tears: because whosoever Believeth, is by Grace Benjamin, the Son of GOD'S right hand.  
secondly, jacob doth not only change the name of Ben-oni, to take away the object of grief, lest in sorrowing for Rahel, he should pass the bounds of moderation, but he gives his youngest son a Name of strength and Honour, calling him Benjamin: the Son of his righ● hand. By the Hand in the Scriptures is signified strength and by the Right hand, Honour.  
In the imposition then of this Name, we may behold A precedent for all Parents; who are here taught by jacob, how to respect and regard their youngest sons.  
It is a Custom as usual as discommendable for Fathers (too fondly) to cocker and pamper their Eldest sons; but to neglect their youngest children, esteeming them no better than servants; and herein they show themselves unnatural. For Children of the same Parents, being all alike in blood, why should not the Parents use them all alike? A Disparity in usage and respect, maketh the Elder brother to contemn the younger, and the younger to envy and hate the elder.  

(c) Ambr. in Gen. 37.9.  And therefore S. Ambrose hath well noted, that if a Father have more children than one, he ought to take heed that he show not himself more loving to one of them, then to another. For thereby he may easily spoil that child which he favoureth, by puffing him up with pride and contempt, and cause the other to be inflamed with hatred and envy, in seeing themselves contemned & disgraced. And therefore as jacob esteemed his youngest son as well, if not better, than his eldest, manifesting the same, by calling him The Son of his right hand: So should all Parents do; looking upon their children with impartial eyes.  
It is the bloody policy of the Turkish Emperors, to make only one of their sons a Benjamin, & every one of the rest a Ben-oni; for it is a custom among them to strangle all the younger sons; and to place the eldest in the Imperial throne; Such like is the barbarous cruelty of those parents, which to raise one of their sons to be a gentleman, make all the rest beggars. Let us consider how contrary hereunto is the practice of God; he hath two sons, the jew & thee Gentile; The jew is the elder brother, and the Gentile the younger. Doth he therefore place the one upon his right hand, and the other upon his left? Doth he call the jew Benjamin, and the Gentile Ben-oni? 
k) Act. 10.35.  No; For he is no accepter of persons, but in every Nation, he that feareth him, & worketh righteousness is accepted of him. If the jew which is the elder brother, will not believe in CHRIST, GOD will set him upon his left hand, & say veto him, Depart thou cursed into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil & his angels: And if the Gentle, which is the younger brother, have a lively faith, and showeth his faith out of his works, 
(l) Matt. 25.41.  God will set him upon his right hand; and say, 
m] Matt. 25.34.  Come thou blessed inherit a Kingdom prepared for thee from the foundations of the world. If the jew & the Gentile, do both of them believe, either of them shall be a Benjamin, but if the jew and the Gentile be both of them Infidels, then either of them shallbe a Ben-oni; This is God's justice, and this should be man's equity, God regardeth not one man more than another, but only in regard of faith & righteousness, so should fathers value & prise their children; not according to priority in birth▪ but excellency in virtue  
thirdly, jacob compareth Benjamin unto a Wolf, in regard of Courage in Fight, and this comparison maketh for the praise and commendation of the Beniamites. It had been a shame for Benjamin; and so likewise is it a disgrace for all men to resemble the Wolf, either in Cruelty or in Craft, but to be like the Wolf, courageous and resolute, is commendable and praise worthy. There be diverse kinds of wolves, of which to imitate some, is a virtue, but to follow others, a vice.  
First, there is one kind of Wolf, called Lupus Canarius, the Dogge-wolfe, being so called, because he is like unto a Mastiff; This is a ravenous, a greedy, and a cruel beast, which forbeareth neither to devour cattle nor men.  
Like unto this Wolf, be Oppressors, Extortioners, and Usurers; which do not only swallow up the substance, but also the Blood of their brethren. These he unsatiable Cannibals, and merciless Men-eaters, hated of all people, and abhorred of God.  
Against there the Prophet Isaiah crieth out, saying: 
(n] Isaia. 5.8  Woe unto them that join house to house, and lay field to field, till there be no place for the poor to dwell in, that ye may be placed by yourselves in the mids of the Earth.  
The second is, the Hyena, 
(o] joan. Lec. histo. Afric. lib. 9  which by the Arabians is called Dabuh, and by the Africans jesef. This beast is held to be a kind of Wolf, because in bigness and shape it resembleth a Wolf, saving that the legs and feet thereof, be like to the legs and feet of a man; It is not hurtful unto any other beast, but will rake the carcases of men out of their graves, and will devour them, being otherwise an abject and seely creature, and the Hunters being acquainted with his Den, come before it singing and playing upon a Drum, by which melody being alured forth, his legs are entrapped, and so he is drawn out and slain.  
Like unto this Beast be all wicked men, that commit sin with greediness, and take pleasure in filthiness, hungering and thirsting after it: even as the Hyena longeth after the rotten and corrupt Carcases of dead men; And therefore as this Beast, so those which have the Greedie-worme of sinning, do as it were open the graves such as have been heretofore noted for exorbitant sinners, to find out their vices, and put them in practice: the grave of Cain is digged up by murderers, of Nimrod by oppressors; of N●bal by merciless cormorants; of Corah by obstinate Schismatics; of Delilah and jezabel by wanton harlots; of jeroboam by Idolaters; of the rich glutton by belligods, and drunkards; and of Simon Magus by such Magi or ministers as creep in at the window, by buying, by bribery, and by Simony. But mark the end of these men: the Devil is their physician, and they dance after his pipe so long, that at length he ensnares them, and carries their souls along with him into the bottomless pit, and into utter darkness, where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth. The third kind of wolf 
(p) Solinus. cap. 8.  is this Lynx or Los, which by nature is so envious, that when he voideth his urine, he covereth it with sand, because men should reap no gain or profit from him. Theophrastus & Pliny affirm, that the urine of the Lynx being congealed, is like amber, and that it is that precious stone which we call Lyncurion, and that therefore the Lynx hideth it, as repining that any man should see it, or find it: Like unto this wolf in disposition, be all those unprofitable servants to whom God giveth a 
(q) Luc. 19.13.  Talon, commanding them to Occupy it till he come, or to employ and use it for the good of other men: but they, lay it up in a napkin, and conceal it; Such a wolf is the Idol, and Idle Shepherd, whom God hath endued with knowledge, and learning, thereby enabling him to reprove, & to instruct, but like a 
(r) Isaiah. 56.10.  dumb dog never openeth his mouth, but lies, and sleeps, and delights in sleeping, and burieth his precious Lyncurion, to wit, the gift of preaching, in the earth, that is to say, in the affairs of this world. Such a wolf likewise is the covetous rich man, to whom God hath given wealth, and treasures, and honour, of purpose, that he should cast his bread upon the waters, that he should strengthen the arms of the weak, and refresh the needy, and such as be in distress: but he like the Dog in the manger, which will neither eat hay himself, nor suffer another to feed by him: is unwilling either to do good unto himself with his goods, or unto the poor. Concerning this wolf the Wiseman saith, 
(s) Eccl. 6.4.  he cometh into vanity, and goeth into darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness The fourth kind of wolf, is the Thos or Thoie, being so called, because of his swiftness in running; 
(t) Solin. cap. 13. Aristot. li. 9 de hist. animal. cap. 44.  He liveth by hunting, he loveth men, and never hurteth them, but fighteth with dogs and lions. To be like unto this wolf, is to be like unto Benjamin: Courageous and valiant, which is both commendable and pleasing unto God; For as God said unto joshua, so he says unto every man, 
(u) Josh. 1.6.  Be strong and of good courage, which is as if he should have said, Be strong to resist and fight against 
(x) 1. Pet. 5.8.  that roaring lion the devil, which walketh about seeking whom he may devour, and be of a good courage to withstand that kennel of greedy and Impudent 
(y) Phil. 3.2.  dogs, which make concision in the Church of Christ; 
(z) Math. 7.6.  wh●ch contemn the Gospel, 
(a) 2. Pet. 2. ●2.  which forsake the faith, 
(b) Isa. 56.10▪ 11.  which can never have enough, and which open their mouths wide to bark against the Truth; these are Schismatics, Gospel-contemners, apostates or backeslider, unworthy ministers, and Atheists, or infidels; They that fight against this Lion & these Dogs, and overcome them, In the morning devouring the pray, that is in this life behaving themselves valiantly and courageously under the standard of Christ, shall in the evening that is to say, at the last day, divide the speils, and triumph over their enemies; So says the Prophet Isaiah; 
(c) Isai. 66.24.  And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men, which have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh; Seeing then, that to Resemble the wolf in Courage, is a blessed thing, but to be like unto him either in cruelty, or greediness, or repining and envy, is hateful and abominable; Oh let all true Christians avoid the wolves evil qualities, and embrace that which is good; In him namely, fortitude and valour. Hereunto the Apostle exhorteth all men saying, 
(d) Eph. 6.10.  finally my brethren be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; This invincible Soldier of Christ S. Paul, according to his own exhortation, 
(e) 1. Cor. 15.32.  fought a good fight, for he fought with beasts at Ephesus, and yet he divided the spoil, and overcame them, by the strength of his faith, and by the Gospel of christ jesus, which is the power of God's might; as God assisted him, so will he aid and help every one that is his Soldier; For he will give them such spiritual strength, as that they shall break the jaw bones of the hellish Lions, and dip their feet in the blood of their dogged enemies. To this immortal, almighty, all-sufficient and most merciful God, the Bulwark and fortress of all faithful Beniamites, be ascribed and given, praise, power & glory, both now and evermore.  
FINIS.   

Errata.  
divideth folly, read decyphereth folly, p 49. lin. 11. derived of judah. 1: judah, p. 59 lin. 13. kill his son. r. kill his swine, pag, 93. li. 11. who by a double grace read: who be a double grace: p: 94. lin. 25. apollion: read: Apollyon. pag: 86. lin. 5. are therefore but clay: r. are they but clay: pag: 118. lin. 1. gorged, read gored: pag. 119. lin. 31. wine, 1. vine; pag: 130. lin. 4. Syrus: r: Cyrus. pag: 133. lin. 18. can the custom, r: can then custom: pag: 138. lin. 28. more equal: 1: made equal: pag. 139. lin. 37. entrap souls: r: entrap fowls: pag: 147. lin. 7. and S. Peter and S. Jude witness: read, as S. Peter: etc.: pag: 168. lin. 4. if then the time, r. so then the time: pag. 153. lin. 34. but must to enter combat: 1. must enter combat: and with all worldly giants, 1: with all worldly giants: p. 196. lin. 6.7. forgotten, r: begotten: page. 197. lin. 11. unto the an occasion of falling: r: unto them: pag. 202. lin. 32. the knees: r: her knees: pag. 205. lin. 14. Romans, r: Romanus, pag. 214. lin. 36.