AN ORDINARY LECTURE.  
Preached at the Black- Friars, by M. Egerton.  
And taken as it was uttered by Characterie.  
MACTE: OFFICIUM, OFFICII, Fructus.  
AT LONDON ¶ Printed by john Windet for john Dalderne, and are to be sold in Canon lane at the sign of the white horse. 1589.   

The Preface.  
IT hath been (christian Reader) till of late, much wished, that there were an ordinary way of swift writing, whereby, Sermons and Lectures of godly Preachers might be preserved for the use of the absent and posterity hereafter. That whereas no more remaineth after the hour passed, then so much as the frailty of memory carrieth away. By the benefit of speedy writing the whole body of the Lecture and Sermon might be registered. This desire of many, hath lately been satisfied, by an Art called Characterie, which I having learned, have put in practice, in writing sermons thereby to preserve (as it were) the life of much memorable doctrine, that would otherwise be buried in forgetfulness: whereof I here give thee a fruit, (christian reader) in publishing this godly sermon so taken. I have not miss one word; whereby, either the truth of doctrine might be perverted, or the meaning of the Preacher altered. Such is the use of the art, which I have learned. And as at this day God is plentiful in variety of gifts, so if some occasion had not hindered, I would have made thee partaker, (and may hereafter) of other godly men's labours in this kind, that, although one cannot hear all: yet by Charactery and my endeavour, the divers gifts of God may by this means be communicated to many. Farewell in the Lord.  
Thy well willer A. S.   

❧ An ordinary lecture preached at the Blackfriars.  Gen. Chap. 12. ver. 17.18.19.20. 
LEt us mark with reverence that part of holy Scripture that followeth in the 12. Chap. of Gen. the 17.18.19. and 20. verses.  
17 But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, because of Sara Abraham's wife.  
18 Then Pharaoh called Abraham and said, why hast thou done this unto me? wherefore didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?  
19 Why saidst thou she is my sister, that I should take her to be my wife? now therefore behold thy wife take her and go thy way.  
20 And Pharaoh gave me commandment concerning him, and they conveyed him forth and his wife, and all that he had.  
IN this same first journey & wandering pilgrimage of Abraham, we did observe the cause which compelled him to take this journey upon him, and also that which did be fall him in this journey. The cause of his journey, was the famine and dearth, which did drive him out of the land of his inheritance, which God had given him, which was the land of Canaan. That which did befall him in this place, was a grievous temptation & trial, and shaking both of the firmness of his faith and confidence, & also of his obedience to God. The occasion of this same temptation was the favour and beauty of his wife which thing he considered more deeply, when he beheld the complexion of those women to whom he went, that is of the Egyptians. The event and issue of this temptation is partly heavy and grievous, and partly comfortable unto him. For hereby Abraham was driven to his shifts, he was moved through the malice of the adversary, and the corruption of his nature to sin against God, and to use a means and a way which is not prescribed & squared out by the law of God, and partly the issue of this temptation was comfortable in respect of the providence of God and his heavenly father, who did not only keep him from suffering wrong at Pharaohs hand, but also did so guide the heart of that profane and wicked Prince, that he went away rewarded & largely recompensed.  
Out of the former verses, the last time we showed, that these outward benefits and ornaments, wherewithal God of his love, doth beautify & deck either our body or our person, are fit baits to move us to tempt God. For such was the occasion that riseth here unto Abraham, whom the beauty of his wife did make to run to this shift, which otherwise he would not have done. Therefore concerning such benefits, though they be the blesing of god, yet in respect of our corrupt nature, we must take heed & beware lest we be drawn by them to do those things whereby we may bring upon us many crosses and calamities. Secondly I noted, that the most dear and faithful servants of God, though they be persuaded in the general grounds of their faith, yet oftentimes they trip in the particulars, and that though they be assured that God will preserve them, yet concerning the way whereby he will work their preservation, therein they show the weakness that is in all flesh. For though Abraham had the promises of preservation, yet he was not to look for it by any inordinate means, for the promises of God are made with a condition of our duty in the behalf of ourselves, as is said after unto Abraham: Walk before me and be sincere. Out of which we have to learn, that this must be our wisdom, to rest upon God, and to lean to him, and not to our own wisdom, as Solomon saith.  
Again, we observed that it is the property of profane men, and carnal professors, to take away & to remove whatsoever may hinder them in the enjoying of their lusts. For this was the ground that Abraham did build upon, & this was his suspicion that he thought he could look for nothing but wrong and rapine at the hands of the Egyptians. And this hath been the occasion, why the Godly have been always kept under and have been odious in the sight of the profane men of this world. Especially the Ministers of the word, the Physicians of our souls who are to purge of that poison which slayeth the soul, in this respect they have been usually abhorred of the world, they are imprisoned, impoverished, and every way dispitfullie used. This made the Prophets of god in old time to be so pursued. This made the head of john the Baptist to be strooken of, because he was a hinderer of the lust of Herode. Therefore seeing this was so from the beginning, and seeing that Abraham the father of faithful, and the dear servant of God had experience of it, we must not think it strange, that we which are his children and come short of his faith, if we shall be at any time imprisoned, and kept under in respect that through the calling of jesus Christ, we are such as must stand in the gap to reprove them, and to admonish them, and to tell them that this is not expedient for them, though they long never so greedily after it. Concerning the entertainment of Abraham and Sara in Egypt, we noted the property of carnal men, both of the common people, of Courtiers, and Princes themselves. How they do more wonder at beauty then at wisdom, more wonder at a fair & beautiful face, then at a reformed and holy affection, for this is that Moses here noteth in the Princes and officers of Pharaohs Court.  
And hereby it cometh to pass, that Princes are more commonly informed. What beautiful personages, what proper tall men they have belonging unto them, than what religious and obedient, and faithful subjects be in their land, and that thorough their own default. For this is the nature of such godless officers, that they seek to feed the corruptions of their Princes, rather than to remedy them, and rather to increase them, then by any means to make them less. For surely if they were as well moved in the behalf of the faithful, of the wise, and of the learned, as they be in the behalf of those that be proud and beautiful, and Atheists & such like, they would surely receive such into their Courts aswell as others. Finally, in that Pharaoh did not only take him up into his palace, but also rewarded him liberally in respect of his wife. I showed you that his liberality and bounty was not a thing unworthy a Prince, but it was nought in that respect, that he did it even to stop up the mouth of Abraham, and to close up his eyes and his ears, that he should not see with his eyes, nor hear with his ears, nor speak of the lust and of the riot and wrong of the king. Wherein I noted, that it is the property of Princes that are carnally minded. to spare no cost upon those, by whose silence, or by whose speech their delight and lust may be furthered and nourished.  
If a man will but let them sleep in their sin, if he will but speak so softly, so slily, & so warily, that his speech shall not a wake them, but be unto them as a charm, whereby they shall sleep the more, if he will do but any of these he shallbe well recompensed. Therefore not only traitors and rebels are enemies to Princes, but dissembling hypocrites are also enemies, yea even such flattering teachers, which though they understand, yet they do not touch nor ransack that sore which they ought to deal withal, & these are such as the Prophet je. maketh mention of whom he speaketh of the false ptophets of his time, which would heal the outside, and make it look fair, but afterward the sore shall break forth, and then it shall be more dangerous and more deadly than ever it was before. Such are oftentimes willingly, and easily admitted into the Courts of Princes, which though they be profane, and careless, yet to hear such, it is a delight, it never troubleth them or disquieth them. They had as leave hear such a one as see a play, for the one doth come no nearer the heart than the other. Such gifts I say though they be liberal, they are not blessed unto the giver, nor yet to him that taketh them in any such respect. But the Lord will punish and correct such a giver and such a receiver.  
Now concerning these words that follow, we have here set down, how the Lord did take Abraham's part: how he took his cause into his hand, and how he pleaded in his behalf, Briefly, we have the reward of that sin & injustice that was done unto Abraham, though under some colour of favourable, and compassionable dealing, (as indeed it was). For we have many professors of religion that will not do the like, where is set down both the punishment, and the fruit that it had in Pharaoh. The punishment was inflicted by the Lord:  The Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house for Sara Abraham's wife. 
The Lord is the author of the punishment, who without respect of person doth punish, and that Princes. It is said, that he plagued Pharaoh, and that not with a small plague, or with few plagues, but with great plagues, and many plagnes. The cause why, is also lighty touched which was before expressed, because of Sara Abraham's wife, because of the wrong and injury which was offered by Pharaoh, who would also have taken away his wife. That work which this punishment had in Pharaoh, is two fold. The first it driveth him to an angry expostulation with Abraham, and he expostulateth & reasoneth the matter hotly with him, and secondly it driveth him to a restitution and a restoring of that which he had taken away before from him, namely, of his wife, with a care that the thing which he did restore, might remain with him, and might not be taken away from him by his officers.  
This is briefly that which we are to mark in these words. Out of which we are to learn for our instruction. First, that the lord God is a most faithful keeper and protector of those which depend upon him, yea although they seem through the weakness of their faith, at some time to slip and to offend his Majesty, for this seemeth to be an infirmity of Abraham, that he would conceal that part of truth which was most necassary, and would rather hazard the chastity of his wife, and the displeasure of God which he might provoke thereby, than he would commit himself to the providence of God. Yet God taketh his part against Princes, which is a general rule and instruction of faith unto all the children of Abraham which are his children, not according to his profession, but according to his faith. This is that which is set down in the hundred and fifth Psalm, where speaking of the covenant which God made unto Abraham, Isaac, and jacob. He saith the Lord did defend them, although they were few in number, yea though they were very few, and strangers in the land, and walked from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people, yet suffereth he no man to do them wrong, but even rebuked kings for their sake, saying: Touch not my anointed, & do my Prophets no harm. Here the Lord speaketh roughly unto Pharaoh. He speaketh unto him by punishment, the kind whereof is not here expressed: but it is to be thought, that it was some grievous kind of punishment, which might not only correct the sin which was committed, but also prevent others. For so the Lord directeth his punishment, that thereby he may not only correct them for the sins committed, but also prevent such as hereafter may be committed.  
This is then the first instruction that we have here to learn: an exceeding great comfort unto all that walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham. Those that do them wrong, they shall not escape free, the hand of the Lord will be upon them. Though they be never so strange and unknown, the Lord will be unto them a friend, a●d a father to defend them and to guard them, and to restore their wrongs upon their enemies,  
Secondly, in that it is said, that the Lord did plague Pharaoh with great plagues because of Sara Abraham's wife. We do learn, that the Lord as he is a punisher of sins without respect of persons, so he is a particular judge of this sin of adultery, according to that general and holy doctrine in the thirteenth to the hebrews, the fourth verse, where he saith: that marriage is honourable among all and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers, and adulterer's God will judge, or as it is here said, God will plague and condemn them, and correct them whatsoever they be. For the use of marriage is holy, but the abuse thereof is detestable. For fornication, and adultery, and uncleanness, are accursed in all and among all.  
It is not the power and authority of the prince that doth hide and cover the sin of a Prince. Sin seemeth as ugly in the eyes of God being committed by the mightiest monarch of the world, as by the basest beggar of the earth, Therefore, foolish and blind is that conceit, which hath overcast the minds of many, they cannot see the sins of Princes and Magistrates. They cannot discern of the devilish and horrible uncleaneness of these sins that are committed by Princes & rich men. Especially they themselves think that because God hath set them above others, therefore they have more authority to sin than others. I confess indeed, they have more means to do it: but that saying shall be fitly applied unto them: the mighty men shall be mightily punished for their sins. For as all sins are joined with ingratitude, and by reason of it are made more sinful: so, especially the sin of rich men, of wise men, of learned men, is joined with most detestable ingratitude against the majesty of God, because his benefits to them are far more than to others.  
A third thing is here to be noted, in that it is said, GOD did not only plague Pharaoh, but his house also: not meaning the walls and the timber of the house, but his Family, his Servants, his kindsemen, and those that were of his house. Which teacheth us this, that we are not so lightly to think of the sins of magistrates, of Parents, and of the chief of families, and we learn also by this, that God doth punish oftentimes a whole kingdom, for the riot, & lust of the governors, and guiders of the same. Therefore we must all set our hands to this thing, and according to that measure of grace which we have received, to admonish them, to make suit unto God, for his spirit of sanctification, to light upon them: and we ought not only to pray for their long life, but also for the spirit of sanctification and regeneration, that their hearts may be renewed according to the image of jesus christ, whereby their imaginations may be subdued by the working of the spirit of God. For otherwise we shall not be only fearfully plagued, but our sins shall be upon our own head, and we shall be accessary to the punishment, if we have not performed this duty towards our governors, either in the Church or Commonwealth. Let us not therefore think the sins of great ones to be little ones, but even such as touch us to the very skin, and such as will bring a plague upon our bodies if we do wink at them, and if we do not endeavour to prevent them, our punishment is just, and may justly say that we have a part in those sins, which we did not labour to prevent in them, by whom we have received benefits.  
Lastly, we learn out of this seventeenth verse, that God doth not only punish the act of adultery; the very fact committed, but even the endeavour, the purpose and resolution to do it, although the same be shadowed with some excuse of want of the knowledge of the truth. For Pharaoh had not accompanied with Sara, for the Lord smote him & laid his hand upon him, and destroyed him by a violent hand, and though he had a resolution to do it, yet not as an adulterer with an adulteress, but as an husband with his wife, as appeareth after by the expostulation that he maketh with Abraham. Yet we must know and acknowledge, that the Lord God is just, and holy, and upright, and equal in all his ways, and that all the unevenes, it is in ways and not in his ways. Therefore even ignorance is not excused when we sin; for though the sin by it may seem to be less, but yet it cannot make it, but still it shall be a sin, and such as deserveth everlasting condemnation: much more therefore a bodily punishment. Now, if God without respect of persons, be so just a punisher of Magistrates and mighty ones of this world: and that only for the purpose and resolution of continuing sin. How shall we think to escape free, which make little conscience of the fact itself, when as we make no reckoning at all, of the purpose and resolution, when as nothing standeth between us and the actual committing of sin, but only the want of occasion. The commandments of God as touching this sin, are plain, the threatenings great. No whoremonger shall enter into the kingdom of God, and as it is said in the Revelation, that the fearful and unbelieving, and abominable, & murderers, and whoremongers, etc. shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire & brimstone, which is the second death, who though they had been daily revoked, and called back from their unclean conversation, yet they were like horses, that neigh after their neighbours wives and daughters. If neither the commandment, nor threatenings of God can serve, yet let this pattern of a king move them to forsake their unclean life. GOD did not spare that holy and religious king, which was a man after his own heart, I say he did not spare David, when he committed this sin against God and his Church, the Lord did plague him fearfully for it. How much more then, shall not such wretches escape the hand of God, that never sought to frame their hearts according to God's mind? & yet they are as confident in sinning, as those that have all the colours and pretences in the world, yea oftentimes none more vile than they which ought to seek unto the Lord, and to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.  
Then Pharaoh called Abraham and said: Why hast thou done this unto me, etc.  
Here, behold the Lord did not punish him in vain. His case and condition was not so desperate, as the estate of those that be the members of the Church, yea the very Church of God and such as will be counted the only professors: when it could not be said of him: I have plagued thee in vain. This is the complaint of God in the first of Esay. Wherefore should you be smitten any more, or wherefore should you be plagued? for that is the same in effect. Seeing that you fall away more and more: so that the very heathen, that have no knowledge of God, they are many times, more just and more tender hearted than we, and do more profit by the punishments of God than we, of whom it may be justly said as it was said of the jews. Wherefore should I smite and wound your minds with many sorrows, why should I cast reproach upon you, and give you over into the hands of your enemies, and of the merciless men. It doth no god, you are nothing the better for it. And what natural father will correct that child that is hardened and made worse by stripes, than any whit bettered. For the end of correction is the amendment of the party who is corrected, Now if no sin be prevented, if the party be not made to fear to do ill, it is to no purpose. I say let this example & pattern of a heathen king be an example and a pattern unto us to follow: lest it be a witness against us in the day of judgement, when it shallbe laid to our charge, that we have read: that cruel Pharaoh, merciless Pharaoh, wicked Pharaoh, was made the better: and the more vigilant, and how he was made the more careful to clear himself: & we have not laboured to make this use of it. If we do not, we are farther from God then Pharaoh was, though we seem to be never so near unto him.  
The first part than is the expostulation with Abraham, and a clearing of himself, wherein he doth accuse Abraham of a double fault, both of speech and of silence: For by these two, he was in danger to have committed this sin, and by consummating of it, to break wedlock; and whereas Abraham concealeth part of truth which was expedient to have been opened, and declareth that part which was to no purpose: now he telleth him of both. This thing generally in itself is to be commended, for this is a property of godly sorrow, which as it is in the 2. Cor. 7. chap. the 11. verse, worketh in us a clearing of ourselves. Even this kind of defending & clearing of ourselves, is good, if it be not in hypocrisy, as Adam and Eva, but when it is done in truth and sincerity of heart. But here Pharaohs sorrow and feeling of his sin, did not proceed from the grief of heart for sin, but from the sharpness of his punishment which god had laid upon him. And here is a difference, that is to be put between the clearing of the children of this world, and of the children of God: for a punishment hanging over them, doth cause them topurge themselves. How much more than ought the love of God to compel us to reconcile ourselves unto the Lord, against whom we have sinned. Another thing in Pharaoh is this: we may see the corruption of nature, which doth rather complain of the instrument of sin, then of the root and cause of sin which was at home within him. Of this you hear him not complain: here is no acknowledging of his own sin, therefore no repentance, & therefore no christian clearing. Here is why didst thou that, or why didst thou not this, here is not why did I this or that: or why had I no more grace to think with myself, and to dread the poison that is within me. Well, I wish you to look unto this matter: for marriage is a matter of great weight, a man must not take in hand upon the bare report of some man, as appeareth in the 24. chap of Gene. clean contrary to the custom of this world, wherein men content themselves with any thing that may stop the mouth of men, and satisfy the law, not considering that God looketh into the heart. It is not enough to plead thus before god, & to say he said this, or she said that, but it is that which our soul must have respect unto. We must look whether lust, or riches, or wealth, do move us to marry, for this is a poor shift before God, to say he said this or that, and I know not what. Again, in a word we may note this in Pharaoh, which we shall find many times wanting in the professors of the gospel, that he doth judge the same sin, if it had gone forward, to have been a more greeveous sin, and so to have brought upon him a more grievous punishment, for so he expostulateth with Abraham in regard of his dealing, saying: for by this thy dealing I was like to have taken her to be my wife, and so to have brought a greater plague upon me. For he did consider that if he had enlarged and increased his sin, the Lord would have increased his punishments upon him. The other fruit which this plague that God laid upon Pharaoh, and his house brought forth, was a restitution of that which he had taken away.  
Now therefore behold thy wife, take her and go thy way here she is.  
Where I see yet a farther work that the hand of God hath in the heart of Pharaoh: not only to make him to fume, and to chafe at Abraham, & his dealing, but it driveth him unto a fear and care, and as I may say, (a conscience) for it was more conscience than many that make a great show of holiness have, to provide for that, that which he restored, might not be taken away from him again. Surely if the naked hand of God did make him this wise, not only to purpose, but also to perform, what shall we think of many at this time, whom the hand of God joined with his word, cannot compel to restore that which they have wrested from others. Surely Pharaoh shall be our judge, he shall stand up before the son of God; and condemn such as have said Lord, Lord, and yet have not done the will of God; then shall they hear that terrible and fearful voice. Depart from me ye cursed etc. Hear is your judge, he trembled at my judgements, & restored that which he had taken away, but you have not. Finally, he doth confirm his purspose by giving charge to his officers, that, that which he had restored, might continue & remain with Abraham: where we learn that it is not only the duty of a Prince, to make good and wholesome laws, and injunctions; but also to see them well ordered, and executed. For if Pharaoh had been as wicked as some Christians are, though he had said, here is thy wife; yet he would have set others there, to have taken her away from him, & to have killed him, and all they that were with him. This then is for our last instruction, that we do not only yield to that which is good, but to persever and continue in it, and that not only before God, but also before men: always dealing uprightly as in the sight of God.  
Let us pray.