The Creation of the WORLD.

WHen GOD went about to Create the World, and all that therein is, the first thing he began with,Anno Mundi 1. before Jesus Christ 4004 years. was nothing but Matter with­out Form; a confused and obscure Chaos, without that excellent Beauty, and that admirable Order, which afterwards appear­ed in the World; For Darkness was upon the face of the Deep, and the Spirit of GOD moved upon the face of the Waters. The Scrip­ture tells us, That God finished this great Work in six days.

In the first Day, He commanded that there should be Light, and there was Light; and he divided the Light from the Darkness; the Light he called Day, and the Darkness Night.

The Second Day he made the Firmament, which he called Heaven; dividing the Waters which were under the Firmament, from those above the Firmament.

The Third Day he separated the Dry Land from the Waters under the Heaven, which he gathered together unto one place; the Dry Land he called Earth, and the Waters he called Seas. Then next, God commanded the Earth to bring forth Grass, and all sorts of Herbs yielding Seed, and all sorts of Fruit-Trees yielding Fruit after their kind, whose seed is in it self, that they might multiply and in­crease, each according to its Kind.

The Fourth Day, God made those two great Luminaries in the Firmament of the Heaven, which we call Sun and Moon; the Sun to Rule the Day, and the Moon the Night; and to be (by their Regular Motions) for Signs and for Seasons, and for Days, and for Years. He made also the Stars, which he placed likewise in the Firmament, to shine in the Night season.

On the Fifth Day, God passed from the Crea­tion of Inanimate, to that of Liv [...]ng Crea­tures; and it was in the Waters that he began with forming such Creatures, as were endow'd with Life and Motion: He produced an infi­nite multitude of Fishes of all sorts, forms, and sizes; and bade them, to Increase and Multiply. Immediately after the Creation of Fishes, God proceeded to that of Fowls, which were also created out of the Sea, and the same Day that Fishes were; them also he commanded, to Multiply in the Earth, and would have them fly above the Earth in the open Firmament of Heaven: And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply.

On the Sixth Day, God commanded the Earth likewise to produce the Living Crea­tures after his kind, Cattle and Creeping Things, and Beasts of the Earth after their kind. The same Day he Created Man also, which (tho' the last) was to be the most per­fect of all his Creatures, and for whose sake all other Things were Created; seeing of all the Terrestrial Creatures, Man alone is capa­ble of the Knowledge and Love of his Crea­tor. And.

On the Seventh, God Rested from his Work, and therefore He consecrated that Day parti­cularly, for his Worship and Service.

Indeed, Moses mentions nothing concern­ing the Creation of Angels; but yet the An­cient Fathers are of Opinion, That they were then Created, when God speak these Words, Let there be Light: And S. Austin according­ly does take the Separation which God made of Light from Darkness, to be nothing else than the Separation He made betwixt Angels and Devils. GOD design'd then to shew (in the very beginning of the World, and by the Example of some of his most excellent Creatures) That there is no true Happiness to be found, but in a constant Union with, and Dependence upon him; and that he would cast down from the highest Top of Happi­ness and Glory, into the deepest Pit of Misery and Shame, those who ungratefully forgetting his Benefits, should attribute to themselves, that which they had received from him: And as he hath given us (in his Holy Angels) an excellent and everlasting Model of the inviolable Fidelity we owe to him; so the dreadful Punishment he hath awarded the Devils, is a standing Monument of his aver­sion against Pride, and a never to be forgot­ten Instance of what the Scripture saith, That God resisteth the Proud, but gives Grace to the Humble.

[Page]

[Page 9]The Creation of Man, and Formation of Woman.

AFter GOD had Created Heaven, the Earth, and the Sea; and that (to give a Master to the World) He had made Man after his own Image, Before Jesus Christ 4004 Years. of the Dust of the Ground, and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life; He blest him, and said, Increase and Mul­tiply, and replenish the Earth, and subdue it. He gave him Sovereignty over the Fish in the Sea, over the Fowls of the Air, and over every Beast, and every Living thing that moveth on the Earth: He also gave him eve­ry Herb bearing Seed, and every Tree bearing Fruit, for meat: He placed him in that Para­dise, which he had planted himself, and [...] in he could plentifully enjoy all that could be imagined in a Garden most delightful to the Eyes, and most pleasant to the Taste.

This Garden was Eastward in Eden, and a River went out of Eden to water the Garden, and from thence it was parted and became into four Heads; the Name of the first is Pi­son, the second Gihon, the third Hiddekel, and the fourth Euphrates; which bears the same name to this day.

There was in the midst of that Paradise the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; which Trees the Lord God commanded him not to eat of, saying, That in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die. GOD putting Man into that Garden to dress it, and to keep it (saith the Scripture) would give him an occasion to shew his Fidelity to his Maker, and his readiness to depend upon him, as his Supream Master, and only Bene­factor: Therefore after that he gave a Com­mand most just in it self, and most easie to be obey'd; Of every Tree of the Garden (saith God to him) thou maist freely eat; but of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, thou shalt not eat: For in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.

Then afterwards the LORD brought be­fore Adam, every Beast of the Field, and every Fowl of the Air, which he had formed out of the Ground, to see (saith Moses) what he would call them; And whatsoever Adam called every Living Creature, that was the Name thereof And Adam gave Names to all Cattel, and to the Fowl of the Air, and to every Beast of the Field; and that (without doubt) according to the several Natures and Properties which he had observed in them.

But as Adam was still alone of his kind, and that there was not found amongst all other Creatures, which God had brought be­fore him, an Help, nor a Companion meet for him; The LORD said, It is not good for Man to be alone, I will make an Help meet for him. And the Lord God caused a Deep Sleep to fall upon him; and while he slept, He took one of his Ribs, and closed up the Flesh instead thereof: And the Rib (saith Moses) which the Lord God hath taken from Man, made he a Woman, and brought her unto the Man. As soon as Adam saw her, he pre­sently said, That she was Bone of his Bone, and Flesh of his Flesh; That she should be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man; and that therefore Man in all future Ages, (from that time forth) should leave his Fa­ther and his Mother, and cleave unto his Wife, and be both but me Flesh▪ And they were both Naked, the Man and his Wife, and were not ashamed.

GOD gave in the First Adam, a plain and sensible representation of all that which should long after befal the Second: And the Ancient Fathers do tell us, That the Deep Sleep of Adam, was the Figure of Jesus Christ Sleeping upon the Cross, because it was then that the Church was formed by Jesus Christ: And that the Water and Blood, that issued forth from his Pierced Side, were the Foun­tain and Spring from whence our Sacraments did flow. The Divine Bridegroom leaving in some manner his Father in Heaven, came down upon Earth, to joyn himself eternally to his Bride the Church; and having made us worthy to be joyned with him by a Spiritual and inexpressible way of Marriage: He may now truly say of his Church, what Adam said of Eve, That she is the Flesh of his Flesh, and Bone of his Bone.

THE FALL OF ADAM.

ADam and Eve had hardly begun to enjoy the Pleasures and Delights of Paradise, but the Devil (who was already fallen by Pride, 4004 Years before Jesus Christ ▪ and could not consequently see without En­vy the Fidelity and Happiness of those two Innocent Creatures, which were more obedient and subject to GOD, tho' they were living upon Earth, and in Bodies made out of the Earth, than he had been with all the Advan­tages of his Spiritual Nature, and of his liv­ing in the Presence of GOD in Heaven) resolved to assault them, that so by undoing and vitiating them that were to be the Flock of Mankind, he might undo at once their whole Posterity.

To that end, he made use of the Serpent, (the most subtil of all Beasts) and set upon the Woman, as judging her of the two, the most likely to be prevail'd upon, and the most easie to be drawn into a compliance: Yea, (saith he to the Woman) hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden? Now Eve, instead of shutting her Ears to his Seducing Words, answered him and said, We may eat of the Fruit of all the Trees of the Garden; but of the Fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden, GOD hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

The Devil having thus far insinuated him­self into her Favour, made no more scruple to assure her, (against God's express Word) that they should not die; he boldly ascrib'd the Prohibition of God to a base Envy: God knows (saith he) that in the day ye eat thereof, that your Eyes shall be opened; and ye shall be as Gods, knowing Good and Evil.

Eve was easily seduced by these Promises, and then her looking too long upon the Forbid­den Fruit, did soon after bring about the Devil's Design, and her own Destruction; for instead of keeping her Eyes off from looking upon the Fruit, which was forbidden her, she lookt upon it with delectation, and was well pleased to see, that it was pleasant to the Eye, and so fancying it was so too to the Taste; she put forth her Hand, took it, and eat it.

Thus Sin entred into the World by a Wo­man; for after she had eaten of that Fruit, she gave some also to Adam, who was not seduced by Satan, but prevailed upon by his Foolish and Uxorious Complaisance. He had not (as the Ancient Fathers do observe it) so much firmness and resolution in Paradise, as Job had afterwards upon his Dunghil; he chose to disobey GOD, rather than to disoblige his Wife. Such was the Fall that hath been ever since, and shall be to the End of the World, the Cause of so many Evils and Miseries. This was the Sin which the Fathers call, Unspeakable in its Greatness, which kil­ling the Children in the Father, maketh us obnoxious to Death, and Slaves to Satan, even before we are born; for the Devil having made Adam his Slave, hath got a just Right now over all his Children.

The Danger of this deep Wound, shews, that we cannot sufficiently cherish and ad­mire the Grace of him, who is come among us to Cure it. The continual Thankfulness we owe to GOD for it, ought to inspire us with a generous abhorrence against all the Temptations of the Devil, who remembring always the success of his first Artifies, endea­vours still every Day, to perswade us on all occasions, that we may innocently and safely do that which GOD hath forbidden us.

But as Eve was made sensible at last, that the Threatnings of GOD were true, and the Promises of the Devil false; we ought also to be fully perswaded, that the Threatnings of GOD against Sinners are very true; and so we ought to look upon all the false Inter­pretations wherewith the Devil endeavours to falsifie them, and so to frustrate God's design, as so many malicious and vain Artifices, by which he still attempts to deceive the Chil­dren, as he then did the Father.

[Page]

[Page 11]THE PUNISHMENT OF ADAM.

THE first Effect which Adam and Eve did feel, as a Consequence of their un­happy Fall, Before Christ 4002 Years. was to see that they were Naked; they were not sen­sible, or at least not ashamed of their Na­kedness, as long as they continued in the State of Innocency, because they were then pure like Angels, and their Body was perfectly subject to the Soul. It was then, immediately after their Fall, that they begun to be asha­med, and to take Fig-Leaves to cover their Nakedness.

As soon as they heard afterwards the Voice of God walking in the Garden, instead of rejoycing at it, as they had always done before, they fled from his Presence, and hid themselves amongst the Trees. And GOD calling Adam, saying, Adam, Where art thou? He answered and said, Hearing thy Voice in the Garden, I was afraid to appear before thee, because I was Naked, and I hid my self. And the LORD said, Who told thee, that thou wast Naked? Hast thou eaten of the Tree, which I commanded thee not to eat of?

GOD having upbraided him with his Diso­bedience, which alone had discovered his Nakedness to him, he excused himself, and accused his Wife; The Woman (saith he) whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the Tree, and I did eat. The Woman being ask'd, why she had done so? excused her self in the like manner, and cast the blame of her Sin upon the Serpent; saying, The Ser­pent beguiled me, and I did eat. But GOD admitting of no such Excuses, for their Vin­dication in violating his Law, did presently curse the Serpent, the first Author of it; saying, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all Cattel, and above every Beast of the Field; upon thy Belly shalt thou go, and Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy Life. And I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed; it shall bruise thy Head, and thou shalt bruise his Heel.

He pronounced afterwards his Sentence against both Adam and Eve: In Sorrow (saith he to the Woman) thou shalt bring forth Children, and thy desire shall be to thy Hus­band, and he shall Rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkned unto the Voice of thy Wife, and hast eaten of the Tree, &c. cursed is the Ground for thy sake, Thorns and Thistles shall it bring forth to thee; in the Sweat of thy Face shalt thou eat Bread, till thou return unto the Ground, for out of it wast thou taken; for Dust thou art, and unto Dust shalt thou return.

He made them also Coats of Skins; and then he said, Behold the Man is become as one of us, to know Good and Evil; Let us therefore prevent his eating of the Tree of Life, lest he live for ever. So the LORD drove the Man out of the Garden of Eden, and placed at the East of it Cherubims, and a Flaming-Sword, which turned every way, to to keep the Way of the Tree of Life.

Thus they were expelled out of that De­licious place, to lament their Sin and Misery in the other parts of the Earth: In which they saw every where the sad effects of their Rebellion; they remembred the Happiness they were formerly possest off; and being sensible of the Misery they had brought upon themselves, this Melancholy Comparison of their former and present Condition, (which they could make then by their own woful Experience, much better than we can now) cast them into a deep Sorrow.

The Consideration of so many Children, of whom they were the Murtherers, before they were Parents, pierced them to the Heart; so that if they were the first Authors of Sin, they were also the first Patterns of Penitence.

All Men are infinitely beholding to that Saviour, who hath repaired the Loss and Prejudice they all suffered by Adam's Fall, in such advantagious a manner, that the Church may now call his Sin an Happy and an Useful Sin. The Consideration of this Future, but certain Reparation, was the only comfort Adam and Eve had, to mitigate their Sorrow and Grief.

THE MURTHER OF ABEL.

ONe of the saddest effects of Adam's Sin, was the Murther of Abel his Son. The Devil, not contented with the wrong he had done to Man, Anno Mundi 128. before Christ, 3872. by corrupting his Soul, and subjecting it to Sin, soon gave another instance of his Malice against his Body; for when he saw that Abel was careful of pleasing God, and of serving him faithfully, he presently filled the Heart of Cain with Envy against him.

Abel being a Shepherd, offered always in Sa­crifice the best of his Flocks; so Cain did some of his Fruits, as being an Husbandman: But God perceiving his Malice against his Brother, had no respect to his Sacrifice, but rejected it; and on the contrary, was well pleased with Abel's; which did so exasperate Cain, that the more Favour God shewed Abel, the more did he hate and envy him. Then was seen the first Figure and Representation of that which was to conti­nue in all Ages of the Church; viz. That Good men should live amongst the Wicked, and be forc'd to suffer their unjust Dealings and Persecutions.

God himself endeavour'd by his Word, to cure Cain's Heart, so impoyson'd with Envy; saying, Why art thou in wrath with thy Brother? Why is thy Countenance fallen? Why dost thou pine for grief and vexation? If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? Shalt thou not be rewarded accordingly? And if thou dost ill, Sin (that is, the Punishment of this Sin) lies at the Door. Thou shalt reap what thou sowest; thou shalt re­ceive the Retribution of thine own, and not be prejudiced by another Man's Works.

But it is with great Reason, that even the Word of God proves ineffectual upon those Souls that are possest with Envy; and that this sove­raign Remedy against all other Distempers of the Soul, do's rather enflame, than allay the rage of this.

Cain's Passion, against his Brother increas'd more and more, notwithstanding he could see in him nothing but good; so the Wretch dissem­bling his Hatred, went to Abel, and with all the Expressions of Kindness imaginable, desired him to walk with him in the Fields. Poor Abel, meaning and fearing no hurt, easily comply'd with his desire; for he was of too good and meek a Nature to suspect, that his Brother should have such an Hellish Design dgainst against him.

But as they were both in the Field together, Cain rose up against him, and perfiduously slew him. His rage and fury was so hot and extreme, that even the committing of this barbarous Murder did not make him sensible of the hei­nousness of his Crime; so that when God ask'd him, where Abel was? he could audaciously an­swer, That he knew not, and said, Am I my Brothers keeper? But God having a mind to make the Punishment of Cain's shedding Innocent Blood, an Example for all future Ages, to deter all Men from the like Crimes; and to shew, that He would always be the Protector of Just Men, and the Avenger of all the Injuries done unto them by Wicked Men; He severely upbraided Cain with his Crime, saying, The Voice of thy Brothers Blood cries from the Earth unto me.

The Lord condemned him to be Cursed upon the Earth, which his Hand ha [...]d defiled with his Brother's Blood, and to be a Fugitive and a Vagabond upon the Earth, as long as he should live, putting a Mark on him, to the end that those that shou'd meet him, shou'd not slay him: And thus Cain went from the Presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the Land of Nod; where he took a Wife, had Children, and built a City which he called Enoch, from his First-born Son.

The Fathers have always look'd upon the Death of Abel, as a Type of the Death of Christ, and of all those Christians, that fall as a Sacri­fice to the Envy and Malice of their Brethren. They thought it worthy of their Admiration, that Cain (that was the first Child of Adam) should by his Example teach all his Posterity this important Lesson, That thô they do not fear God, yet they ought at least to take care, not to imitate the Envy and Hatred of Cain, by per­secuting or hating their Brethren; seeing they may commit Murder in their Heart, by Envy and Hatred alone, without embroiling their Hands in their Blood. And if they be of the Number of the true Disciples of Christ, they will not fear the being exposed in this World to the Persecution of Men; seeing (as S. Gregory hath it) That that Man refuseth to be an Abel, who will not patiently suffer the hatred and violence of a Cain, when he cannot otherwise lawfully secure himself against it.

[Page]

[Page 13]THE ARK OF NOAH.

THE same Evil Spirit which tempted Cain to kill his Brother, did not long delay to defile the whole World with all sort of Wic­kedness and Vice. A. M 1536. before Christ 2468. As Men did multiply, so did also Impiety proportionably increase upon Earth: Adam was hardly dead, but the Wickedness of his Children grew up to that height, that GOD could no more bear with it. He saw with grief and indignation, that the Wickedness of Man was great in the Earth, and that every Imagination of his Heart (as Moses expresses it) was only evil continually; therefore seeing almost nothing remaining of his own Image in that degenerate Creature, It grived him at his Heart (saith the Text) that he had made Man on the Earth; because he was dishonouring and polluting it by his Vices, contrary to the first design of his Crea­tion; which was, That he should be the Glory and chiefest Ornament of all Terrestrial Creatures.

He resolved then at last to destroy and ex­tirpate Man from the Face of the Earth, and with him all the Beasts of the Fields, and other Creatures which had been infected (in some manner) by the contagion of his Sin.

But yet amidst that universal Corruption of Mankind, amidst that general Flood of Impiety, there was a Just Man found that had kept his Innocence and saved himself from the Pollution of the World; that Just Man was Noah, who found Grace in the Eyes of the LORD: It was he that pacified God's Wrath against the World, and reconcil'd him to Man ▪ It was him GOD made use of according to Scripture) to preserve Mankind from an entire Destruction, GOD then told him, That he design'd to punish the Earth with a general Del [...]ge; but yet, that as he had observed, he had had always been careful to walk Uprightly before him, and to keep himself untainted from their Corruption; so he would not have him involved in the same Punishment with o­ther Men, but would keep him safe from the Destruction that was ready to fall upon them.

In the Year of the World 1556, and before Jesus Christ 2448, GOD ordered Noah to build an Ark, and withal told him exactly all the Measures and Proportions it was to have, to the end, that at the time of the Flood he might save himself therein with his Family, and the other Creatures which GOD should send unto him.

Noah did all according to the LORD's Command. He was an hundred Years about building the Ark; and the Rapid Insensibility of the Men of that time, who both seeing the Ark a building, and knowing the design there­of, yet never regarded to go about the re­forming their Vices and dissolute Manners, is an exact Figure and Representation (as our Saviour himself observes it) of the Insensibi­lity of the generality of Christians, who know­ing the Punishments GOD threatneth to inflict upon them hereafter, in the great and terrible Day of Judgment, and their slighting these Threatnings, do not care to reform their Lives, shall on a sudden be surprized by God's Vengeance, as Men were then by the Flood.

GOD, who never punisheth Men, but with a kind of regret and reluctancy, gives always some Tokens and Assurances of his Mercy, even when he is most in wrath and anger: Therefore we may discern here▪ That all his design (in forewarning Men of their future Ruin, so long before it fell upon them) was only to make them prevent it by their Refor­mation.

Thus he does still now-a-days under the Go­spel, and that more plainly than ever he did before, invite Men to Repentance, by repre­senting unto them the certainty and severity of his Judgment hereafter upon all Impenitent Sinners; and if Christians do slight his Threats and Warnings as Men did then, the multitude of Offenders cannot secure them­selves from GOD's just Punishment.

The Flood is a plain and dreadful Proof, that GOD will not spare wicked Men, tho' all were so; and that after we have long neg­lected the Offers of his Mercy, he will at last deliver us into the Hands of his severe Justice.

The Deluge, and Entry into the Ark.

WHen the time was come that GOD had appointed for the purifying the Earth, by a Flood from the pol­lution of Man's Crimes, Anno Mundi 1656 before Christ 2348. GOD ordered Noah to provide and carry into the Ark all necessary Provisions, both for him­self and for all the Creatures that he was to take with him into the Ark.

He commanded him to take to himself of every clean Beast by Sevens, Males and Fe­males; and of every unclean, only by Two's. After these Orders had been executed, Noah, entred into the Ark himself, with his Three Sons, Shem, Ham, and Japhet, with his Wife and the three Wives of his Sons; and when they were entred, the Scripture saith, that GOD shut them in: which was no sooner done, but the Waters did break out from Heaven, and prevailed upon the Earth, the LORD causing violent Rain to continue for forty Days and forty Nights: and that Rain pouring down from Heaven in such an abundance, did soon overflow and cover the Face of the whole Earth: nay, the Scripture saith, that the Waters prevailed fifteen Cubits upwards above the highest Hills and Mountains; so that in this Innundation all Flesh (as the Scripture ex­presses it) perished, both of Men, of Fowls, of Beasts, and of every creeping thing upon the Earth.

But as all living Creatures were thus pe­rishing and drowning in the Waters of the Flood, Noah was saved alive in the Ark, with all those that were therein with him; for the Waters and Storms of the Flood could never prevail against it to sink it; because the more they increased upon Earth, the nearer they brought it to Heaven. It was then that those M [...]n, who before derided the Builders and the Building of the Ark, began to bewail and accuse their own Folly; nay, their Destru­ction, which was now become unavoidable, did the more afflict them, that they had not prevented it when they might.

The Ancient Fathers have observed, that this Ark (wherein Noah and his Family was saved from perishing with the rest of Man­kind) was an express Figure and Type of the Church, which is the sole Ark wherein we may find a sure Refuge and Salvation, and out of which there is nothing but Destruction and Perdition to be look'd for. The vast Great­ness of that Building which was carried upon the Waters, and the gathering and mixture of all sorts of Beasts Clean and Unclean, did re­present and signifie the extent and propaga­tion of the Church throughout all the World; as also the calling and gathering of so many Nations and People, differing among them­selves by the diversity of their Ways, Customs, and Manners, whom GOD (who will have all Men to be saved) would one day gather up together, and bring into that Sanctuary, to save them from the terrible Flood of his E­ternal Wrath and Vengeance.

The Wood and the Water do represent two great Mysteries of our Christian Reli­gion: The Water signifies our Baptism, which cleanseth us from our Sins, as the Flood did purge the World from all its Abominations; and the Wood signifies the Cross of our Savi­our, who by his Meritorious Death upon it wrought the Redemption of Mankind so per­fectly, that this Cross, this Death, this Satis­faction of our Saviour, is still the sole Object of the Hope of all good Christians, who expect no Salvation but from the infinite Me­rit of Christ's Cross and Passion.

Thus GOD was pleased to give a Figure of his Church in the Ark, which was the In­strument he made use of to preserve his Ser­vants, and to renew the World. We can never shew our selves thankful enough to GOD for his infinite Mercy in bringing us into the Ark of his Church, to save us from the general and dreadful Flood of Errors and Impieties, which prevail in the World.

We may indeed in that Ark (according to the Ancient Father's Observation) be subject to some Fears, be obnoxious to some Troubles, Evils, and Scandals; but however, there is no other Refuge against God's Vengeance, no other Sanctuary than that Ark; so that those that do not belong to it, shall infallibly pe­rish in the Floods of his Eternal Indignation.

[Page]

[Page 15]The Going out of the Ark, and the Rainbow.

AFter the Earth had been thus Over­flow'd, and Drown'd by the Waters, for 150 Days, GOD at last remembred Noah, Anno Mundi 1657. before Christ ▪ 2347. and every Living Creature that was with him in the Ark; He caused a great Wind to pass over the Earth, so that the Waters did soon abate, and 7 Months after (from the first Day the Flood began) the Ark rested upon the Mountains of Armenia.

Noah, four Months after this, opened the Window of the Ark, and sent forth a Raven; which being in the Scripture set forth as the Figure of a Sinner, did not care to return into the Ark again: But the Dove, which Noah did also send forth seven Days after, having found no Resting-place, return'd unto him into the Ark; and seven Days after that, having sent forth the same Dove, she return'd to him in the Evening, and brought in her Bill a green Olive-Leaf pluckt off the Tree, which was a Sign of GOD's being reconcil'd to the World.

Noah, by this green Olive-Leaf, understood that the Waters were abated; then he remo­ved the Covering of the Ark, and saw that the Waters were dried up from off the Face of the Earth: And after he had received an Order from GOD, to go out of the Ark, wherein he had continued a whole Year, he went out with his Wife and Children, and all other Creatures that were therein.

The first thing Noah did after his going out of the Ark, was to build an Altar unto GOD, and to offer unto him upon it an Offering of every Clean Beast, and of every Clean Fowl, in thanks of his favourable Pro­tection of him amidst of that Universal De­struction of the World. GOD accepted of his Offering, and promised to Curse the Earth no more for Mans sake: He blessed Noah and his Children, and commanded them to multiply, and to replenish the Earth: He promised them, that the Fear of them should be upon every Beast of the Field, and upon every Fowl of the Air; he gave them an absolute Dominion over them, and over the Fishes of the Sea; nay, he gave them leave then to eat the Flesh, which was never granted to Man before the Flood.

He made an Eternal Covenant with Noah, and his Children, and establish'd the Rain­bow as the Sign of it; to the intent, that when ever it should appear in the Clouds, he might remember his Covenant with them, and prevent a second Inundation of the Wa­ters over the Earth. He hath always re­membred it accordingly, and there was never seen (since the first Flood) any thing like it in the World; tho' there have often been as many, and as great Crimes committed by Men upon the Earth,

But GOD is faithful to his Promises; he hath contented himself of having once ex­erted visibly his terrible Vengeance, in inflict­ing that general Punishment upon all Sin­ners that were then, living upon the Earth; to shew, that it is always in his power to punish Sin, and to extirpate Sinners; tho' he seldom now inflicts any other than invisible Pains and Torments upon them.

His Rainbow is to us, a Security of his Goodness to us; and he charges us in his Word, to bless and praise him whenever we see it.

But GOD forbid (saith Ambrosius) that by that Celestial Bow, which GOD establish'd as the Sign of his Covenant with Men, we should only understand the Rainbow: It is the Church that this Bow did figure, which is already in some manner in the Heavens, and sheweth and spreads every where upon the Earth, the liveliness and variety of its Colours, amidst the Dark and Black Clouds that sur­round it.

Those bright and lively Colours (saith that Holy Father) are the several Graces GOD poureth down upon that Divine Spouse, who faithfully acknowledges, that she receives them all from GOD, whom she adores as her true Sun, that makes her shining in the World: It is that Church which is the true Bow of GOD's Covenant, and a standing Sign of his Reconciliation with the World.

HAM CURSED BY HIS FATHER.

AFter the Curse of GOD was taken off from the Earth, and that Noah and his Children began to breath and recover them­selves, of all the Miseries and Dangers they had undergone and weathered, by GOD's ex­traordinary Providence over them; there was an Action committed in Noah's Family, which plainly shewed how far the Corruption of Man can go, and how ineffectual even the consideration of GOD's most dreadful Judg­ments proves in the restraining of it, and in making Man wise.

Of the three Sons of Noah, who had been so wonderfully preserved with him in the Ark, to re-people the World; there was one of them, who having deserved the Curse of his Father, drew also the Curse of GOD upon himself, and instead of being the Head of an Holy Race, was the Father of so wicked a Posterity, as was to be the Object of GOD's Anger and Reprobation.

It is observed by Moses, that Noah (after the Flood) began to be an Husbandman; and that amongst other Improvements which he made of the Ground, he planted a Vineyard: But it hapned, that drinking of the Wine, without being aware of its intoxicating Vir­tue, he fell into Drunkenness; during which he lay in an undecent Posture, having his Body uncovered, in his Tent, and so exposed to the Eyes of his Children. Ham, the Father of Canaan, was the first of them who spied his Father in that condition, and instead of doing that which the discretion of a wise and dutiful Son should have obliged him to do, he exposed the Shame of his Father, and made it the Subiect of his Derision and Railery: Nay, he was not contented thus to Laugh by himself at his Father, but to expose him the more, he would also have both his Brothers for Companions of his prophane and unnatural Mirth, and for Complices of his Crime: So he went out presently, to tell them what he had seen.

But Shem and Japhet abominating his ill Nature and Prophaness, and withal being ashamed ad much concerned to see their Father thus lying in that immodest Posture, they took a Garment, and laid it upon both their Shoulders, and so went backward and covered his Nakedness, which their pious Mo­desty did not allow them to look upon.

After Noah's Fit of Drunkenness was over▪ and he understood what had past, and knew what his Son had done; not only condemned his Action, but presently cursed his Son Ca­naan, and foretold, That he should for ever be the Servant of Servants unto his Brethren. And he said, Blessed be the LORD GOD of Shem, and Cannan shall be his Servant: GOD shall enlarge Japhet, and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be his Servant: And promised them an happy and numerous Posterity, to continue in all Ages of the World.

This Story which does plainly teach Chil­dren to reverence their Parents, and to cover their Faults instead of exposing them, is (ac­cording to St. Austin) an admirable Figure of the great Reverence all Christians ought to have, for the Humiliation and Sufferings of Christ Jesus, their true Father; the Ignominy of his Death, and the Nakedness his Sacred Body was exposed unto upon the Cross, was figured by the Nakedness of Noah; as the mysterious Drunkenness of that Holy Man, did represent the terrible effect of the Cup, which his Father gave him to drink, and the Fruit of that ungrateful Vine which he had planted himself.

And altho' there is no Body so audaciously Impious and Prophane, as to laugh openly at the Humiliation and Ignominious Sufferings of Christ; yet that good Saviour (saith S. Austin) is derided and mocked, whenever any Disho­nour is offered to his Truth, and to his Word. His Humiliations are despised by all those who chuse to live a voluptuous and worldly Life. His Sufferings and his Cross are scorned and laughed at by all those, who do insult over those that suffer as the Members of his Body. and the Imitators of his Patience.

[Page]

[Page 17]THE TOWER OF BABEL.

THE Children of Noah beginning to mul­tiply on the Earth, found themselves within a few years increa­sed to so vast a number,Anno Mundi 1 [...]57. before Christ 2247. that seeing they were not able any longer to continue together, they thought of di­spersing themselves into divers Countries: But before their Separation they undertook an Enterprize, which was a pregnant Argument of their Folly and Vanity. And as the Scrip­ture taketh notice of, That as they journeyed from the East, they found a Plain in the Land of Shinar, where they dwelt: And they said one to another, Go to, let us make Brick, and burn them throughly; and they had Brick for Stone, and Slime for Mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a City, and a Tower whose Top may reach unto Heaven; and let us make us a Name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the Face of the whole Earth.

This extravagant Design of theirs was the effect of two Causes, equally vain; the one to eternize their Memory by this Superb and stately Structure; the other was, to se­cure themselves against GOD himself, if he should ever again attempt to punish the World by a Deluge, which would not be able to hurt them, when once they should have finished their intended Building. But GOD willing even then to make it appear, that there is no way for Man to raise himself, but by Humility, and that he must rather think of appeasing the Wrath of GOD by Repen­tance, than of defending himself against his Just Vengeance, by vain and successless At­tempts: Came down (saith the Scripture) to see the City and the Tower, which the Chil­dren of Men built; and mocking at their ridiculous Undertaking, said, The People is one, and they have all one Language, and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do. Go to (saith the LORD) let us go down, and there confound their Lan­guage, that they may not understand one anothers Speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the Face of the Earth, and they left off to build the City; therefore the Name is called Babel; for the LORD so confounded their Tongues and Words, that it was impossible for them to un­derstand what they spake to one another.

Thus were they forced to leave the Work of their Vanity unfinished, and to disperse themselves over the Face of all the Earth; and that was the occasion of calling that Tower, the Tower of Babel, that is to say, of Confusion.

And this Proud Building has ever since (according to St. Bernard) been a Figure of what the World would do in all Ages after, who seem to think of nothing, but how to raise to themselves a Tower against GOD, to secure themselves from his Justice and to oppose themselves against his Majesty, endea­vouring rather to immortalize their Names upon Earth, than to become truly Great in Heaven. GOD was willing then to punish the Vanity of Men in that Member, where it reigns most, that is, in the Tongue, which Man makes use of to express his Vanity, and to do­mineer over others.

And this diversity of Languages, which has since overspread the World, and continues to this day, is as a continual Voice, ecchoing throughout the whole Earth, and teaching all People (as St. Austin saith) That the shortest and surest way to mount Heaven, is not to raise great Edifices, nor to hatch vast Designs in a proud Heart; but by humbling ones self before GOD, and preventing his Wrath with re­lenting Tears, and not by pretending to elude it by a vain and fruitless Resistance.

THE CALL OF ABRAM.

AFter that Men had taken so great pains to build Babylon, that rebellious City against GOD, Anno Mundi 2083. before Christ 192 [...]. which was to continue to the end of the World; GOD also from that very time thought of laying the Foundations of an Ho­ly City; that is to say, his Church,; and de­sign'd Abram to be the Head of a Race Elect and Faithful, which should never end.

This Holy Man was the Son of Terah, and dwelt with his Father in the City of Ur, in the Land of the Chaldeans, which was an Idolatrous Country. It was there that GOD commanded him, saying, Get thee out of thy Country, and from thy Kindred, and from thy Fathers House, unto a Land that I will shew thee: And I will make thee the Head and Fa­ther of a great People; and make thy Name great and famous; and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all Families of the Earth be blessed.

Abram, without any Hesitation, believed the Word of God, which promised him two such great Advantages; the first, to make him the Head of a Great People; and the o­ther, to bless all the VVorld in him who was to proceed from his Loins. So he left his own Country, with Terah his Father, and came to Haran (a City in Mesopotamia) where Terah died; after whose Death, he departed from Haran with Sarai his Wife, and Lot his Bro­ther's Son, and came into the Land of Canaan, where GOD again promised to give him all that Land; and Abram adoring that GOD, who with such Sovereign Power disposeth of Kingdoms, giving or taking them away at his pleasure, built an Altar to the LORD, there to call upon his Name.

After some time of his stay here, there hapned a great Famine in the Land, which forced him to go down into Egypt, with Sarai and the rest of his Houshold. But fore­seeing that the Beauty of Sarai his Wife might be prejudicial to him, and that the Egyptians being enamour'd of her, might [...] of killing him, to enjoy her without lett or hindrance, made use of that innocent Policy, and pray'd Sarai to say, She was his Sister, as indeed she might without telling any Lye, to the end, that instead of killing him (as they would have done had she passed for his Wife) they might on the contrary shew him all manner of Kindness, supposing her to be his Sister.

What Abram had foreseen, so came to pass: For the Egyptians admiring Sarai, spoke of her before Pharaoh, who took her into his Palace, and treated Abram very kindly for her sake, as supposing him her Brother: But GOD knew how to deliver the Chastity of Sarai from the Hands of Pha­raoh; and he afflicted that Prince with so many Plagues, that enquiring into the Cause of them, he came at length to know, that Sarai was indeed the Wife of Abram; whereupon he restored her to him again, complaining only, that he had not told him so at first.

So much (saith St. Ambrose) did that Prince (though an Idolater) abhor Adultery, and fear to injure a Stranger, whom the Famine had forced to retire into his Dominions. Thus it was that GOD began to call to himself, him, whom he had chosen to be the Father of the Faithful. He dealt with him according to the firmness of Faith, making him to leave his own Country, where he was rich and powerful, to go and settle himself in a Land, where at first he meets with a grievous Famine, which forced him to run a thousand Hazards amongst strange Nations, without finding any other Com­fort, but that of knowing, that he was come thither by the Order of him, to whom his Faith had yielded such an unreserved Obedience.

However, GOD (by delivering him from all Dangers) gave him full Evidence, that we need not fear any thing in following of GOD, and that whenever we expose our selves to any trouble­som Events, for being faithful to his Word, he himself becomes our Protector, and with ho­nour and advantage delivers us from all the Evils that surround us.

[Page]

[Page 19]LOT PARTS FROM ABRAM.

ABRAM being returned out of Egypt with Sarai his Wife, and Lot his Bro­ther's Son, to the Place of their former Abode,Anno Mundi 2084. before Christ 1920. that is, to Bethel: He was soon made sensible of the Troubles which were always to attend Riches. For being both of them very wealthy, there oft arose Quarrels between the Herds­men of their Cattel; which made it evident (as saith the Scripture) that they could no longer live together, and that one Land was not able to bear them both.

Abram abhorring those Contests, and fore­seeing the fatal Consequences, that these Divisions between the Domesticks of one Family were likely to produce, by passing at last from the Servants to the Masters them­selves, resolved to prevent them by a sudden parting. Wherefore meeting with Lot, he said to him, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between thy Herdsmen and my Herdsmen, for we be Bre­thren: that is to say, very near of Kin: Is not the whole Land before thee, to choose what part pleaseth thee best? Separate thy self, I pray thee, from me: If thou wilt take the Left Hand, then I will go to the Right; or if thou depart to the Right Hand, then I will go to the Left.

But Lot was not so wise in accepting this Offer, as Abram was in making of it: for not sufficiently weighing, how vast a loss he was about to expose himself to, by parting with the Company of such an Holy Man, and a Prophet as Abram was; and not consider­ing that he ought rather to have done or suffered any thing, than to consent to the Separation, without any considerable Oppo­sition, gave way to Abram's Proposal, and thereby launched out too imprudently into a Sea of a thousand Dangers. He only apply'd himself to consider, which way he had best turn himself, and advising only with his Eyes about the Choice he was to make, he deter­mines it for that Country which pleased and flattered them most: For as the Scripture tells us, Lot lifted up his Eyes, and beheld all the Plain of Jordan, that it was well wa­tered every where, as the Garden of the LORD. This Allurement readily induces him to fix his Abode in the Cities of that fruitful and tempting Valley, and to pitch his Tent near Sodom.

Thus he from the Company of the most Holy Person, that was at that time upon the Face of the Earth, precipitates himself into the Society of the most abominable Crimi­nals amongst the Sons of Men; and by re­tiring too unadvisedly from his Uncle, he comes to a City, which GOD look'd upon as the Object of his fierce Anger, as having by their Wickedness out-sinn'd the bounds of Di­vine Mercy and Forbearance.

We meet with in this History (as St. Ambrose observes) two important matters. We learn from Abram's Behaviour, the Horrour and Aversion we ought to have for Differences and Disputes, and how wary we ought to be of Servants in this Respect, who often are the first Cause of them, and take pleasure to fo­ment them.

And in Lot we see, of how great concern it is, especially for younger Persons, not lightly to quit them, in whose Company their Hap­piness consists, and who are of greater use to them than they can imagine. A Separation here consented to without sufficient Circum­spection, makes the Party concerned sensible of its pernicious Consequences, during the whole Gourse of his Life: And though Lot was a Righteous Man (as saith St. Peter) yet we tremble at the view of those Dangers, Sorrows, and Temptations into which he plunged himself, and from which the Charity of him, whose Company he had too lightly parted with, might have rescued him; and which he might have wholly prevented, by continuing in the Holy Company of his Uncle, that Man of GOD.

ABRAM DELIVERS LOT.

NOT long after Lot had separated him­self from Abram, an Accident hap­ned,Anno Mundi [...]092. before Christ 1912. which fully eviden­ced, that Abram had not propounded their parting from any want of Love, and that Lot had too unadvisedly con­sented to it.

Four Kings, to wit, Amraphel King of Shinar, Arioch King of Ellasor, Chedorlaomer King of Elam, and Tidal King of Nations, having joyned their Forces together, and ravaged all the Country about Sodom; the King of Sodom, with those of the four neigh­bouring Cities; to wit, Bersha King of Go­morrah, Shinah King of Admah, Shemeber King of Zeboim, and the King of Bela which is Zoar: all these were joined together in the Vale of Siddim, which is the Salt-Sea, and march to fight the aforesaid Princes. But the five Kings being defeated by the four, and Bera the King of Sodom (with his Allies) put to flight, the Victorious Kings hasten with their Army to Sodom, and plunder it, and amongst other Captives carry away Lot, with all that he had. A Man escaping from the Fight, brings the News to Abram; who being touched at Heart with his Nephews Misfortune, spends no time in fruitless Complaints▪ but casts about how he might best rescue him out of the Hands of his Ene­mies, and without delay puts himself at the Head of three hundred and eighteen of his trained Servants, born in his own House, and pursues the four Kings unto Dan, and brought back all the Goods, with Lot and his Goods, and the Women and the People.

GOD gives his Blessing to a War, which Charity had made this Holy Patriarch under­take, trusting much more in the Divine Aid, than in the strength of his Forces. With this small number he stops the Course of the Victories of those four Kings, and succeeds in that wherein the united Force of five Kings had fail'd: for falling upon them by Night, he makes a great Slaughter amongst them, and pursuing them to Hoba, which is on the Left-hand of Damascus, he brought back all the Spoil they had taken, and in particular his Nephew Lot, and all that be­longed to him.

The King of Sodom having Advice of this glorious Action, goes out to meet Abram, and congratulates his illustrious Success. Upon this occasion also Melchisedeck appears, that famous Person, whom the Scripture stiles, The Priest of the most high GOD, and pre­sents Abram with Bread and Wine; which all the Fathers have considered as a Figure of the Holy Eucharist, which Jesus Christ, the true Priest, not according to the Order of Aaron, but of Melchisedeck, was to establish in his Church to the end of the World. This Melchisedeck blesseth Abram, and blesseth GOD, for that he had delivered his Enemies into his Hand.

And that nothing might be wanting to Abram's Glory, the King of Sodom would needs force him to take all the Spoil he had recovered, as of right belonging to him: which Abram generously refused, swearing, that he would not so much as take one Thread of the Spoil, lest he should give him occasi­on to say, he had enriched Abram.

Thus reaped he more Glory (as St. Ambrose notes) from the use he made of his Victory, than from the Victory it self; and taught all Christians, never to wage War, but on the account of Charity; and that they ought to have so much pity for the Sufferings of others, to hazard their own Lives to save their Bre­thren: And that when GOD has blessed their great and glorious Undertakings with Success, in making them Saviours to others, they are not to look▪ for any other Glory upon Earth, except that of having been faithful to GOD, and In­struments to effect his great Designs.

[Page]

[Page 21]THE FLIGHT OF HAGAR.

ABRAM being return'd from the Defeat of the Four Kings, and the Rescue of Lot, The same Year. wanted nothing now to compleat his Happiness, but a Son, that might inherit his great Riches: GOD there­fore was willing to gratifie his Desires in this Point also, and to reward the humble Sub­mission he had exprest during his Wives Bar­renness, with a Son, whom he promised him contrary to all outward appearance. Abram, who was assur'd of his Power, who had made him this Promise, believed it without wavering, or the least hesitation; and chose rather to renounce his Natural Reason, than to que­stion the Veracity of him that spoke to him.

Some time after, Sarai being troubled to see Abram without Children, wished him to make use of Hagar his Bondmaid,Anno Mundi 2093. before Christ, 1911. as his Wife, that the fertility of her Servant might sup­ply the defect of her Barrenness. Abram perceiving (as the Fathers observe) that Sarai was moved to make this Proposal, by a Di­vine instinct, agreed to her Desires: But she soon found, that what she had intended for her comfort, became her most sensible affli­ction, trouble, and vexation; For Hagar see­ing her self in her Masters Bosom, and ra­vish'd with Joy, that she had Conceiv'd by him, was (upon the sudden change of her Condi­tion) not longer able to contain her self within the bounds of Prudence and her Duty, but began to despise her Mistress, and forget the respect she owed to her.

Sarai immediately makes her Complaints to Abram; who to testifie, as he had not already, so would not for the future contri­bute any thing to the Insolence of Hagar, and that it was only to please her that he had taken her into his Bed, left her wholly to her dispose, to deal with her as she pleased. Whereupon Sarai making use of her Autho­rity, dealt so hardly with Hagar, that not being able any longer to abide with her (by reason of her rigorous Carriage,) she left the House and fled.

But as she was in the Desart, near a Foun­tain of Water, the Angel of the LORD ap­peared unto her, and asked her, Whence she came, and whither she would go? To which she answered. That she fled from the Face of her Mistress. The Angel commands her to return to Sarai, and to humble her self under her hands, acknowledging the just Authority she had over her; and at the same time as­sures her of the Care GOD had of her, and that the [...]hild she had conceived by A­bram, should become the Father of a nume­rous and powerful Nation.

Thus GOD made use of the Ministry of an Angel, to restore things into their Natural Channel, whence Disorder and Passion had diverted them. He saw (as the Fathers take notice) That the Cause of Hagars flight, was not so much to be attributed to Sarai's Seve­rity, as to the difficulty she found, to submit her self to the just Authority of her Mistress; and without condemning Sarai's Carriage in the matter, who was prompted to this Rigour by a Zeal of Charity, he contents himself to advise this Fugitive Servant, to humble her self under her Mistresses hands, and to appease her Anger by her lowly and dutiful Submis­sion. For GOD, who never disturbs the Order of Justice, wills always, that those who are under Authority, submit themselves to those on whom they depend, notwithstanding any extraor­dinary Favours and Graces they may have re­ceived from him.

And whereas Hagar lifted up her self, because she was become a Mother, He on the contrary will have our Humility to increase according to the degrees of our Elevation; because none de­serve the Title of Great with him, but so far only as they are humble.

SARAI'S CONCEPTION OF ISAAC

HAGAR being return'd to Abram's House, soon after bare him a Son, who was called Ishmael. Anno Mundi 2107. before Christ 1897. But thirteen years after that GOD appeared to Abram, in order to renew his Covenant, and the Promises he had for­merly made him. Upon this occasion he changed his Name, so that whereas before he was called Abram, he would have them from thence forward to be called Abraham; and that his Wife, who till then had been named Sarai, should be called Sarah ▪ He instituted also Circumcision, as a Token of the Cove­nant made between them; and promised him, that Sarah should bring forth a Son, upon whom he would heap his Blessings, and from whose Loyns many Kings, and great Nations should proceed. At which words Abraham fell on his Face, and laughed, saying in his Heart, Shall a Child be born to him that is [...]n Hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is Ninety years old, bear? But GOD having assured him, that so indeed it should be; left him for that time.

A while after, as Abraham was sitting in the Tent Door, in the Heat of the Day, he saw three Men coming towards him, which indeed were three Angels; and as his Charity would not permit any one, to pass by his Tent with­out offering them a Friendly Entertainment, he ran to meet them; and having saluted them with a profound Respect, prays them to repose a while with him, to have their Feet wash'd, and to refresh themselves with a bit of Meat. He had no sooner obtained this of them by his instant Entreaties, but he hastens into the Tent to Sarah, and bids her make ready three Measures of fine Meal, and make Cak [...]s upon the Hearth; and himself runs to the Herd, and fe [...]heth thence a Calf tender and good, and having got it drest speedily, he sets it before his Guests.

After they had eaten, they askt Abraham (who had stood by as one waiting upon them all the while they were eating under the Tree) where his Wife Sarah was? Abraham answers, She was in the Tent. Then the Angels assured him, that within a short time after, Sarah should conceive a Son. Sarah standing in the Tent Door overheard what was said, and laughed within her self, saying, After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure, my Lord being old also? But the Angel demanding of Abraham, wherefore Sarah laughed, because he promised her a Son, and whether any thing were too hard for the LORD? Sarah being afraid, denied that she laughed; and the Angels having reproved her for not speaking the truth, rose up, and Abraham went with them to bring them on their way.

The Fathers admire the Vertues which shine forth in this History, which the Scrip­ture gives us so particular account of. And as they cannot, on the one hand, but commend the great Charity of Abraham in receiving his Guests, and pressing them in so obliging a manner to stay with him; so on the other hand, they no less admire the Modesty of Sarah, who being far estranged, as S. Ambrose notes, from the usual and modern temper of her Sex; who desire nothing more than to appear in publick, under pretence of doing Acts of Charity, continued all the while in her Tent, without so much as appearing be­fore the Angels, which her Husband enter­tained.

This her Example, teaches all Christian Women, to place their delight within their own Doors, and in taking care of their Fa­milies; for in living thus modestly retired, (as the same Father adds) GOD will vouch­safe them the Grace to conceive the Fruit of Salvation, and to bring forth Jesus Christ himself as the true Isaac, who shall fill them with Peace and Joy for ever.

[Page]

[Page 23]Lot Entertains Two Angels at Sodom.

AFter the Formal Promise GOD had made to Abraham, that Sarah should shortly bear him a Son, The same Year 2107. before he parted with him, he acquaints him, that he was going to destroy Sodom, be­cause the Cry of their Sin was come up to Heaven; and Promises Abraham, upon his earnest Intercession for that City, for the sake of the Righteous that might peradventure be there, that if he found only Ten Righteous amongst them, he would spare them all for their sakes.

Now two Angels being come to Sodom towards the Evening, Lot (who at the same time was sitting in the G [...]te of that City) no sooner perceived them, but he ran to meet them; and having lowly saluted them, en­treats them to lodge with him that Night, making it appear by this his Carriage, that even in the midst of that detestable City, he still retain'd the Vertues he had learnt in the Company of Abraham.

The Angels at first refused to accept his Offer, saying, they would abide in the street all night: But true Charity, which enflames it self by opposition and resistance, made Lot so earnestly to press his Guests, that giving way to his Entreaties, they entred his House; where he entertain'd them with all possible Marks of his Affection, making them a great Feast. But when they were ready to take their Rest, the Men of the City, pusht on by that detestable Passion, which was so common amongst them, compassed the House round; demanding of him, where the Men were that came to him that Night, and pressing him to bring them forth, that they might satisfie their abominable Lust with them.

Lot being pierc'd with Sorrow, to see he was like to be forced to deliver up the Persons, whom by the Rights of Hospitality he was bound to secure, and in the heat of his Cha­rity, which made him consider Guests ▪ and Strangers as inviolable Persons, came out to them, and entreated them to quit that abo­minable Design: But they pressing in upon him, reproach'd him, that being a Stranger amongst them, he carried it like a Judge, and were proceeding to commit the utmost Outrage upon him, had not the Angels put forth their Hand and pull'd him into the House to them; and having shut the Door, they smote the Men that were without with Blindness, who (as the Scripture takes notice) by all this were not reclaimed from the Fury that flam'd in their Hearts; but still seeking to satisfie it, wearied themselves to find the Door.

The Fathers have consider'd this Event, as an admirable Figure of the Righteous, that live amongst the Wicked, and of the Sufferings they are exposed to.

S. Gregory compares the Sodomites struck with Blindness, who notwithstanding endea­vour'd to force Lots House, to Back-biters, who with a Spirit of Envy and Malice, seek an occasion to calumniate Good Men, whom they hate, tho' they find nothing but solid Walls opposing them on every side, without being able to find any Entrance for their Evil-speaking. Their Passion blinds them in such a manner, that they do not perceive those Vertues in Just Men, which all others do; but think they see Crimes in them, which indeed subsist only in their own Imagination. But when ever Calumny thus attacks them, GOD supports them, and the Angels protect them, because they prefer Godliness before all other things whatsoever; and choose rather to lade upon themselves the Anger of Men than to make themselves obnoxious to the Wrath of GOD.

SODOM BURNT.

THE Angels having delivered Lot from the Outrage of the Sodomites, acquaint him,The same year 2107. that GOD had sent him to destroy that City; that therefore, if he had any Sons, Daughters, or Sons-in-Law, he should perswade them to leave So­dom, because the Cry of them being come up before the LORD, they were to receive the just Reward of their Abominations. Whereupon Lot immediately went out, and gave notice hereof to those he had design'd to be his Sons-in-Law; but he seemed as one that mocked unto them.

When the Morning was come, the Angels hastned Lot to depart the City with his Wife and two Daughters, that he might not be consumed in the Iniquity of the City; and while he lingred, they laid hold on his Hand (the LORD being merciful to him,) and brought him out of the City, with his VVife and two Daughters, ordering him to escape for his Life, and not to look behind him, lest he should be consumed. But Lot having desir'd leave of them to retire to Zoar, they granted his Request, on condition that he should haste thither, for that they could not do any thing till he was arrived in that City, which they would save at his Request.

Lot was no sooner entred into Zoar, but the LORD rained Brimstone and Fire upon Sodom and Gomorrha from the LORD out of Heaven: And he overthrew those Cities, and all the Plain, and all the Inhabitants, and that which grew upon the Ground. Lot's Wife frighted at the sudden Noise she heard, and forgetting the Angels Command, imme­diately received an Exemplary Punishment, for looking back she became a Pillar of Salt, to serve as a Remedy for time to come, a­against the Corruption of weak Souls, who after they have entred upon the strait VVay, make a halt to look back to the things they have abandon'd.

Lot affrighted at what had hapned to the four Cities, and fearing lest the same might befal Zoar, where he then was, went up from thence and dwelt in the Mountain, ac­cording to the first Advice the Angels had given him, and there dwelt in a Cave with his two Daughters; who imagining, that they and their Father were the only remains of all the Inhabitants of the Earth, thought it their Duty, not to suffer the whole Genera­tion of Men to perish; wherefore having made their Father drink Wine, they did not stick to commit Incest, in hopes of being Mothers. And tho' we cannot think on that Action of them without horrour, yet the Innocence of their Intention did much lessen the guilt of it.

Thus was Lot miraculously delivered out of the midst of detestible Sinners, at the Prayer of Abraham; and GOD punished their horrible Lusts by a proportionable Pu­nishment, shewing by the Fire, the burning Lust of the Sodomites; and by Brimstone, the abominable Stench of their Filthiness.

This unhappy People (according to S. Gre­gory) were a lively Figure of the Punish­ments of the Damned, and of those Eternal Burnings which the World mocks at, as Lot's Sons-in-Law made a Jest of the Vengeance he threatned them with. The Fear which seized Lot, in seeing so strange an effect of the Divine Anger, ought also to lay hold on us, since Jesus Christ assures us, That the Men of Sodom (how abominable soever they have been) shall be treated with less Rigor in the Day of Judgment, than those who having heard his Holy Word, have neglected it.

But it seems, as if Men were become wholly insensible: For as that terrible Vengeance (as S. Bernard saith) doth not prevent the flying about of the Ashes of those Abominable Cities in most parts of the World: So neither doth the Comparison Christ made between these Cities, and they that despised his Word, open their Eyes, to prevent the Fire of Hell by sin­cere Repentance.

[Page]

[Page 25]Abimelech Afflicted by GOD.

ABraham being obliged, soon after the Overthrow of Sodom, to quit his for­mer Abode,The same Year 2107. came to Gerar; where he was expos'd to the same danger by the King of that City, upon the account of his Wife, as before he had been by Pharaoh King of Egypt. For Abra­ham was no sooner arrived there, but Abime­lech King of Gerar sent and took Sarah, who call'd her self Abraham's Sister, as she had done before in Egypt.

But GOD, who was the continual Prote­ctor of Abraham's Life, and Sarah's Chastity; and who spared not Kings themselves, when they intended them any Injury, threatned that Prince in the Night time, telling him, He was a dead Man, if he offered to touch Sarah, for that she was the Wife of Abra­ham.

Abimelech was strangely surprized to see himself so likely to have fallen into the great Sin of Adultery, and represents to GOD the sincerity of his Heart, and innocency of his Hands in that Matter, she having declar'd her self to be Abraham's Sister. GOD ac­cepts of his Apology for himself, and tells him, That for that Reason he had with-held him from committing so great a Sin, thereby sufficiently testifying the Judgment he makes of those, who defile the Purity of the Mar­riage B [...]d, by unlawful Lusts, thereby pro­faning and violating the Sacredness of that Divine Ordinance and Institution.

Abimelech terrified by the Threats of GOD, and the Idea of the Crime he was upon the point of committing, rose early in the Morn­ing, and called all his Officers and Servants, and told them what GOD had acquainted him with; he sent also for Abraham, and reproves him sharply for having concealed the Truth, asking him wherein he had offen­ded him, to make him and his Kingdom guilty of so great a Sin? and continuing these his Complaints, Abraham tells him, that upon his coming to his City, he not knowing but that the Inhabitants were alto­gether void of the Fear of GOD, and so might think of killing him for his Wives sake: This was the only Reason had induced him▪ to desire Sarah to say, she was his Sister, as indeed she was, as having hoth had the same Father, tho' not the same Mother; and that in that he had done no more, than what he had usually done in all other places, where he sojourned.

Abimelech being satisfied with this Answer of Abraham, restored to him Sarah his Wife, besides the great Presents he made him in Silver, Herds, and Servants; and taking his leave of Sarah, told her, That he had given her Brother (as she called him) a thousand Pieces of Silver, to buy a Veil to cover her (as became a married Wife) that for the time to come, none might be so deceived in her as he had been, but all might know her to be what indeed she was, Abraham's Wife. He desired her also to remember the Sin and Mis­chief she had like to have made him fall into, that so for the future she might take care, not to occasion the same to others.

Abraham (before his Departure) prayed to GOD for Abimelech, and GOD healed him, and his Wife, and his Maid-Servants of the Plague he had laid upon them, because of Sarah.

Thus exemplarily (as St. Ambrose saith) was GOD pleased to evidence his hatred of Adultery; and that as he was the Author of Marriage, he tooke care also to avenge the Violaters of the Purity of that Divine Ordi­nance. And it is enough, that formerly he has expressed his abhorrence of this Crime; for though he does not so openly declare himself against it at present, we ought not therefore the less to apprehend his avenging Justice (as saith the same Father) nor think that he will be less severe in punishing Adultery, because Men commit it with less Scruple, and more daring Licentiousness.

ISHMAEL CAST OUT.

GOD fulfilling his Promise to Sarah, she brought forth a Son in her old Age, at the set time of which GOD had spoken:Anno Mundi 2108. before Christ 1896. Abra­ham gave him the Name of Isaac, and Cir­cumcised him the eighth day, as the LORD had commanded.

Sarah in suckling him her self, though she was look'd upon as a great Princess, gave the Lesson to all Mothers (as saith St. Ambrose) That they ought to esteem it their Glory and Joy to give suck to their Children; and that they are but Mothers by halves, who neglect this Duty which GOD and Nature have im­posed upon them; and which doth greatly en­force and encrease the reciprocal Love between the Mothers and their Children, during the whole course of their Lives.

When the time of weaning Isaac was come, Abraham made a great Feast, to express his Joy;Anno Mundi 2113. before Christ 1891. which was a Fi­gure of the great Joy the true Pastors of the Church receive, when they see their Children advance in Godliness, being able to digest strong Meat; and stand in need no longer of being fed with Milk.

In the mean time, whilst Sarah had so great cause to rejoice, and that her young Son did now abundantly recompence the Grief and Reproach of her past Barrenness, Ishmael (Hagar's Son) becomes an occasion of as much Trouble to her, as his Mother had been some years before. This Lad finding him­self frustrated in his great Hopes by the Birth of Isaac, whom he considered with regret, as the Heir of those vast Riches which he had already promised to himself, could not endure to see the Joy his Father and Mother took in him, without conceiving a secret Envy against him, which he evidenced by his outward Carriage, behaving himself abusively towards him.

Sarah foresaw the fatal Consequences this Hatred might entail upon them, and being most tenderly concerned for her Son, whom she knew was design'd by GOD to be the Heir of all their Goods, she earnestly entreats Abraham to cast out the Bond-woman and her Son. This Request at the first greatly affli­cted Abraham, as seeming very harsh and grievous to him; but GOD having advised him in all things to do as Sarah had said, he rose up early in the Morning, and took Bread, and a Bottle of Water, and gave them to Hagar and sent her away with her Son.

Hagar thus turn'd out, wanders in the Wilderness of Beersheba; where her Water being spent, she cast her Son underneath one of the Shrubs, and sat down over-against him a good way off, that she might not see her Son die. But behold, as she lift up her Voice and wept, an Angel calls to her from Heaven, and speaking comfortably to her, commands her to take up her Son, for that GOD heard the Voice of the Lad, and would make him the Father of a great Nation; and opens her Eyes to discern a Well of Water, which was near her. Hagar com­forted by this seasonable Refreshment and Di­vine Support, educates her Son in the VVil­derness, where he became a dextrous Archer; And his Mother took him a VVife out of the the Land of Egypt.

St. Paul plainly tells us, That GOD did then (in Isaac and Ishmael) set forth a lively Picture of what was to happen in the Church in all Ages, where the Children of the Pro­mise should be persecuted by their own Bre­thren. He who will be Isaac, must always suffer the Envy and Insultings of Ishmael; and be so far from rendring Evil for Evil, that he rather bemoans the unhappiness of his Brother, who is for ever banished from his Father's House.

'Tis the Grace of GOD alone, and so we must own it, that makes us Sons of the Free-woman; and to chuse rather to be persecuted with Isaac, than to persecute others with Ishmael, because the Anger and Envy of Ish­mael is only Temporal, whereas the Inheri­tance of Isaac is eternal.

[Page]

[Page 27]ABRAHAM's SACRIFICE.

IShmael being turn'd out of Abraham's House, Isaac continued there in peace, as sole Heir of his Father's E­state;Anno Mundi 2145. before Christ 1859. but being now arri­ved to the Age of 37 Years (as the Jewish Tradition tells us) GOD, to try Abraham, commands him take his Son, his only Son Isaac, whom he loved, and offer him on a Mountain he would tell him.

Abraham, who remembred he had received his Son from GOD, made no difficulty to surrender the Gift to the Donor; and his great Faith stifled all the Thoughts which did arise in him about the Divine Promises, so often repeated to him, that from the very Isaac (whom he was now about to offer) his Posterity should be multiplied as the Stars of Heaven. Accordingly he rises early in the Morning, and keeping this great Enterprize secret in his Breast, takes Isaac his Son; and two Servants, cleaves the Wood for the Burnt-Offering, and goes to the place of which GOD had told him.

Having spent two Days in his Journey, (during which, neither the sight of his dear Son, nor the Work he was sent about, having been able to shake his Faith) on the third Day lifting up his Eyes, he sees afar off the Place appointed for this wonderful Sacrifice; and having charged his Servants to stay at the Foot of the Mountain, while he and his Son went to worship GOD, he takes the Wood of the Burnt-Offering, and lays it on Isaac his Son: who going up this Mountain, laden with the Wood which was to consume him, was a most lively Figure of the true Isaac, who went up to Mount Calvary, bearing the Wood upon which he was to consummate the Offering of all Offerings, and the fulfilling of all Sacrifices.

Whilst Isaac thus climbs the Mountain with his Father, who carried the Fire and Sacrificing-Knife in his Hands, he asketh him, where the Lamb was, that was design'd for the Burnt-Offering? But Abraham, in a transport of Faith, as one who had forgot that he was his Father, answers him without any emotion, that GOD would provide him­self a Lamb. And being arrived at the place, to which GOD had directed him, he built there an Altar, laid the Wood in order, and binding Isaac his Son, laid him on the Altar upon the Wood, and stretching forth his Hand, took the Knife to slay him.

But GOD seeing this unparallel'd and stu­pendous Constancy in the Father, as well as Submission in the Son, and not willing that this great Sacrifice, which in his Eyes (who looks at the Heart) was already as good as accomplish'd, should be sullied with Blood, to represent the unbloody Christian Sacrifices of Self-denial and Resignation, stops his Hand by an Angel from Heaven, as knowing now that he truly feared him, seeing he had not with-held his Son, his only and most dearly beloved Son from him. Hereupon Abraham seeing a Ram caught in a Thicket by his Horns, offered him up to GOD instead of his Son, and returned to his House.

This History (so full of Mysteries, and where­of all the particular Circumstances are such live­ly Figures of what was afterwards to befal Jesus Christ) contains a most excellent Lesson for Parents, teaching them to have no greater Passion for their Children, than to offer them up to GOD.

And St. Chrysostom thinks, he cannot suffi­ciently lament the Misery of those Christian Parents, who instead of offering their Chil­dren up to GOD, like Abraham, sacrifice them to the Devil, by engaging them in the Vanity of the World, and corrupting their tender and flexible Disposition by their wicked Examples. An only Abraham (saith he) offers his Son Isaac to GOD, but whole Crowds offer their Children to Devils; and the Joy we have to see a small number, who take some care to e­ducate their Children, is quite stifled by the Grief we receive from those vast numbers that destroy them, and who deserve for their Ambition or Negligence, to be accounted the Murtherers rather than Parents of their Children.

THE DEATH OF SARAH.

ISAAC being restored to his Parents by the command of him who at first had bestowed him,Anno Mundi 2145. before Christ 18 [...]9. (against the order of Nature) was the comfort of his Mother in her old Age, who being arrived at the Age of 127 years, died 37 years after she had born Isaac.

Abraham having w [...]pt over her for some time, considers of providing a Burying-place for her, and to that purpose addresses him­self to the Children of Heth. He represents to them that he was a Stranger in the Land, and entreats them to grant him the possessi­on of a Burying-place amongst them, that he might bury his dead out of his sight.

The People of the Land receive his Re­quest with all the Kindness and Civility ima­ginable, giving him the Title of a Prince of God, and desiring him to take his choice of all their Sepulchers for to bury his Dead.

Abraham, who (by a holy Generosity) would not be beholden to any Man, makes a becoming acknowledgment of their Civili­ty; and bowing himself to the People of the Land, saith to them; If it be your mind that I should bury my Dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the Son of Zohar (who was one of the most honourable and chiefest Men amongst them) to sell me his Field, in which there is a double Cave for a possession of a Burying-place amongst you.

Ephron having heard Abraham's Proposal, would needs frankly bestow the Ground upon him, saying, Nay, my Lord, hear me, the Field I freely give thee, and the Cave that is therein, in the presence of the Sons of my People give I it thee, bury thy Dead. But Abraham being immovable in his Resolution, obliged Ephron at last to tell him, That the Field he desired was worth 400 Shekels of Silver, and still continuing to press Abraham to accept of it as his free Gift, he (in pre­sence of the People of the Land) weighs out the Money Ephron had mentioned, and by this means the Field of Ephron was made sure to Abraham for a Possession for ever, and there he buried his Wife Sarah.

'Tis a thing we can never sufficiently ad­mire, that this Holy Man, having so often received repeated Assurances from God, That all the Land where he then sojourned, should be his one day, yet should never think of making any Purchase there, save only of a Burying-place for himself and Children.

It seems his continual eying of Heaven made him despise the Earth, where he lived only to die daily. And whilst God was think­ing to give a long Posterity to Abraham, and to that Posterity, the best and most fruitful of all Lands, Abraham thinks of nothing but his Death and Burial, and of leaving no o­ther Inheritance for his Children, but the same he had purchased for himself in his life­time, viz. a Burying-place, thereby to en­gage them also to the continual Meditation of Death, and consequently to a Contempt of all earthly and outward Possessions whatsoe­ver; the enjoyment of which being only momentany, are not worthy enough or pro­portioned to employ the Thoughts and De­sire of an immortal an intelligent Creature, design'd for the Enjoyment and Contempla­tion of more lasting, yea eternal and Hea­venly Objects and Possessions.

Thus this Holy Man did evidence, that he deserved the glorious Testimony S. Paul gives of him: That the Land of Caanan, which was the most goodly Country of the whole Earth, was either of no account at all with him, or at most, on­ly serv'd him for a Looking-glass, in which he beheld the Reflection of another, that is, of a Heavenly Country; in the Contemplation of which his Spirit was so continually employed, and as it were entranced, that he could say with St. Paul, That in comparison thereof all the good things of this World were but Dung and Dross in his esteem, and so far from tempting him beyond the Bounds of his Duty, that they were not able to induce him to have any consi­deration for them, any further, than they condu­ced to the exercise of Charity, or the supply of Natural Necessity.

[Page]

[Page 29]ISAACS MARRIAGE.

ABRAHAM being old, and thinking to take a Wife for his Son Isaac, re­solves not to Marry him to any of the Daughters of the Canaanites amongst whom he dwelt;Anno Mundi, 2148. before Christ, 1856. and therefore commands Eliezer his Steward, to go to Mesopotamia, there to take a Wife for his Son.

Eliezer accordingly undertakes the Jour­ney, and being come neer to the City of Na­hor, prays to God, that he would be pleased to point out to him the Person he had design­ed to be his Masters Sons Wife, by this To­ken, that when the Damsels of the City came out to draw Water, she (who at his Re­quest to draw some Water for him to Drink, should frankly offer to draw Water, not only for him, but for his Camels also) might be the VVife he had appointed for Isaac.

Before he had made an end of Praying, Rebekah (a Damosel fair and lovely) the Daughter of Bethuel, the Son of Milcah, the Wife of Nahor, Abraham's Brother, came out of the City to draw VVater; and having fill'd her Pitcher, Eliezer ran to meet her, and desired some VVater to drink; which she rea­dily gave him, and then hasted to draw Water for all his Camels.

This Faithful Servant perceiving by this, that assuredly she was the Person whom the LORD had appointed to be his young Ma­sters VVife, he immediately presents her with a Jewel for her Forehead, and Bracelets in ac­knowledgment of her Kindness; demanding of her, whose Daughter she was, and whe­ther there was Convenience in her Fathers House to lodge him and his Company? To which having return'd an Answer accor­ding as he wish'd it, she made haste home to acquaint them with what had past.

Laban her Brother having heard his Sisters Report, and seen the Jewels and Bracelets Abraham's Servant had given her, ran out to meet him, and desired him to come in. Eliezer being entred, and Meat set before him, protested he would neither Eat nor Drink, till he had received an Answer to the business about which he was sent. He ac­quainted them, that he was Abraham's Ser­vant, that GOD had blessed his Master, and made him rich and powerful, who resolving to take a Wife for his Son, had sent him to fetch one from amongst his Kindred; that be­ing arriv'd in their Neighbourhood, he had prayed to GOD to give him a Sign, where­by he might know this Damosel whom GOD had appointed for Isaac; and finding by the Divine Indication, that Rebekah was the very Person, he demanded of them, whether they were willing to let her go along with him, for that purpose.

Bethuel and Laban perceiving a plain Fin­ger of GOD in the whole Conduct of this Affair, gave their Consent; whereupon Elie­zer brought forth Vessels of Gold and Silver, and Jewels, which he presented to Rebekah, and to her Relations, and the next Day pre­pared himself to return to h [...]s Master. But Rebekah's Relations, being unwilling to part with her so suddenly, urged him to tarry some Days with them, which he refusing, Re­bekah was called for, whom they had dispos'd of without asking her Advice, as S. Ambrose observes, to know whether she were willing to go with Eliezer; which she affirming, returns with speed to his Master. As they drew nigh to the House, they see Isaac walking in the Field, whereupon Rebekah having understood who he was, lighted from her Camel to Veil her self. Eliezer gives an account of his Journey to Isaac, who took Rebekak for his Wife, and the Affection which immediately was kindl'd in him for her, com­forted him against the Sorrow he had conceived for the Death of his Mother, who died 3 years before.

We find in this Relation, an admirable mo­del of an Holy Marriage, where the enquiry is not after Portion or VVealth, but into the Manners and Innocence of the Party, and is un­dertaken with great Care and many Prayers, and by the Advice and Mediation of wise and holy Persons.

S. Ambrose would have all young Women to learn of Rebekah, who Veiled her self [...]o soon as she saw Isaac, to express their Modesty and Shamefac'dness even to their Husbands themselves, by endeavouring to gain their Hearts, not so much by their Beauty and Dres­sing (which Rebekah might have done) as by their Modesty, and the holiness of their Manners and Conversation.

JACOB AND ESAU.

AFTER the happy consummating of Isaac's Marriage with Rebekah, Abra­ham lived yet ma­ny years,Abraham died 175 years old. Anno Mundi 2183 and before Christ 1821. 100 years after his coming into the Land of Canaan; and 15 years after the birth of Jacob. GOD at last calling him to himself, for to enjoy those good things which his great and unparallel'd Faith had al­ways had in its Eye. He had the Happi­ness to testifie his Faithfulness to GOD, even to his last breath, taking pleasure to look up­on himself, as a Stranger and a Pilgrim in the Land of Canaan, without the least thought of returning to Chaldea.

He always subjected his Reason to his Faith, and his tenderest Natural Affections to the Love he had for GOD. He followed GOD every where, without making a halt at the sight of Dangers. His Prudence delivered him from those to which Sarahs Beauty had expos'd him, and his Courage vanquish'd those he voluntarily ran into, to rescue Lot his Nephew. And at length, having spent 175 years in the continual exercise of all holy Vertues and Graces, and having received the highest Favours, Commendations, and Testi­monies, that ever any meer Man received from GOD himself, he was by him at last transported to the possession of that better and Heavenly Country, which by Faith he had so often taken a prospect of.

GOD (as the Scripture observes) after his Death multiply'd his Divine Blessings on his Son Isaac, to whom nothing now was wan­ting to make him compleatly happy, but the fruitfulness of his beloved Rebekah; for they had been married 20 years without having any Children. But Isaac, who was now 60 years old, entreating the LORD for his Wife, GOD heard his Prayers, and she became great with Child of Male Twins, who strugling together in her Womb, Rebe­kah (terrified at this Accident) enquired of the LORD what this Prodigy did presage. The Divine Oracle answered, That these two Children should be the Heads of two People, and that the eldest of them should serve the younger. Accordingly when her time was come, she was delivered of Twins. He who was first born came out Red and Hairy, and was called Esau, and immediately after came out his Brother, whose Hand took hold on Esau's Heel, which gave him the name of Jacob.

When these two Children were grown up, it hapned that Jacob on a time sod Lentil-Potage, They were about 20 years of age accor­ding to Saint Austin. Anno Mundi, 2188. before Christ, 1816. and Esau at the same time returning from Hun­ting, (which was his ordinary employment) and being extreamly tired and hungry, with such greediness desired this Potage, that Jacob perceiving it, would not part with it till he had promised to sell him his Birthright in consideration thereof; to which he readily agreed.

The Fathers tell us, That these two Chil­dren represent to us two People, viz. the Good and the Wicked, who stand always at defiance together from their Birth. The first of these is represented by Esau, who seem to be the First-born, by reason of the advantages, they have in this VVorld, who notwithstanding proves himself the Servant of the younger; because the wicked (even by their wickedness) do good service to the Just, either by purifying them by their Persecutions, or by making them more humble by the sight of the Sins which o­thers commit, from whom GOD has chosen and separated them, without any of their own skill or discerning, even from their Mothers Womb.

Esau selling his Birthright for a M [...]ss of Potage, may well make those tremble, who hast to enrich themselves with the contemp­tible Wealth of this World, and who instead of rejecting them readily like Jacob, on the contrary renounce all the Happiness of Heaven, to possess them. But those who are in this state never bemoan themselves; for as Esau was little troubled that he had sold his Birth­right, so those Persons he was the Figure of, little mind their loss of Eternal Riches, if they may but satisfie their Lusts in enjoying the pleasures of Sin, which last but for a season; thereby shewing themselves to be profane and wild Esau's, who neglecting their Heavenly Birthright in Jesus Christ, take up with the empty Husks of Vanity, and with the Swine of the World.

[Page]

[Page 31]ISAAC BLESSETH JACOB.

ESAU having sold Jacob his Birthright, Rebekah their Mother, who had a ten­der Love for Jacob, rati­fied the said Birthright to him many years after,Anno Mundi, 2245. before Christ, 1759. Isaac being then 137. years old, and lived after that 44 years. by an holy piece of Craft, and full of Mysteries.

For Isaac being sensible of his great Age, and willing to bless his Children before his Death, called to him his Eldest Son Esau, whom he loved, and bids him take his Wea­pons, his Quiver and his Bow, and go out to hunt some Venison for him, and make him Sa­voury Meat, such as he loved, that his Soul might bless him before he died.

Rebekah immediately acquaints Jacob with what passed, and bid him fetch her two Kids, that she might make Savoury Meat for Isaac, such as he loved; Jacob having herein obey'd his Mother, she makes hast to dress them after such a manner as she knew her Husband liked best. In the mean time she takes good­ly Rayment of her eldest Son Esau, and puts them upon Jacob her younger Son; and she put the Skins of the Kids upon his Hands, and upon the Smooth of his Neck, to the end that his Father (whose Sight failed him) in perceiving the Voice of Jacob, might not­withstanding (by the Hairiness of his Hands and Neck) suppose him to be Esau

Jacob coming to his Father, with the Meat his Mother had prepared, and desiring him to eat of his Venison; Isaac was suprized to hear a Voice which resembled that of Jacob, rather than the Voice of Esau, bid him come near to him, that he might feel, whether he were his very Son Esau or no; and feeling the Hair of the Kids-skins, he said, the Voice is Jacobs Voice, but the Hands are the Hands of Esau. After he had eaten, as he went to kiss Jacob, he smelled the smell of his Gar­ments, and blessing him, said; Behold the smell of my Son, is as the smell of a Field which the Lord hath blessed; therefore GOD give thee of the Dew of Heaven, and plenty of Corn and Wine. Let People serve thee, and Nations bow down to thee: Be Lord over thy Brethren, and let thy Mothers Sons bow down to thee. Cursed be every one that Cur­seth thee, and blessed be he that Blesseth thee.

Scarcely had Isaac made an end of these Words, but Esau comes in from Hunting, and having prepared his Savoury Meat, brings it in to his Father Isaac, and desires him to eat of his Venison, that his Soul might bless him.

The Holy Patriarch perceiving what had hapned was extreamly surprized, insomuch that he trembled exceedingly. But perceiv­ing a Divine Direction in the whole conduct of that Affair; so far was he from retracting what he had done, that he confirmed and ratified it, declaring that as he had Blessed, so he should be Blessed. Esau upon hearing these words from his Father, cryed with a great and exceeding bitter Cry, and said, Bless me, even me also my Father: And then reflecting and complaining of the Deceit of his Brother, he asked his Father, whether he had no more than one only Blessing? Being in this respect (as the Fathers observe) a figure of those who are desirous to unite GOD and the World together, cast about how they may enjoy the Comforts of Heaven, and the Pleasures of the Earth both together.

Isaac moved with the bitter cries of his Son Esau, Blesseth him also, but so as to subject him to his Brother; which made him conceive such an implacable Hatred against Jacob, that he desired nothing more than his Fathers Death, that he might kill him.

This Mysterious History throughout, represents to us in all the parts of it, Jesus Christ, cloa­thed in the outward appearance of a Sinner, as Jacob here was in that of Esau. It is also an admirable Figure of the Reprobation of the Jews, who desired nothing but the good things of the World, and of the Election of the Church; which (like David) desires but one thing of GOD, and requests but one Blessing.

We must have a care, (as S. Paul saith) not to imitate Esau, who having sold his Birthright to Jacob, and desiring afterwards, as being the Eldest, to receive the Blessing of his Father, was rejected, without being able to perswade his Father, to revoke what he had pronounced in favour of Jacob, notwithstanding his en­treating it with many Tears. For as he had de­spised GOD, GOD also despised his Cries and Tears, as not proceeding from a sincere Re­pentance, nor from a true change of Heart.

JACOBS LADDER.

THe Anger of Esau against Jacob, who had beguiled him of his Fathers Bles­sing, was too visible to be hid from Rebekah, The same Year. 2245. before Christ▪ 1759. Jacob then being 77 years old. and the tender Love she had for Jacob, made her very solicitous how she might best prevent the fa­tal effects thereof. Having well weighed the matter, she thought it necessary for Jacob to absent himself, and give way to his Brother for a time, to the end, that avoiding his sight for some years, it might mitigate or quite efface the VVrath he had conceiv'd a­gainst him: and therefore she chose rather to deprive her self of the sight and company of her dearly beloved Son, than to expose him to the direful Consequences of his Brothers Wrath, preferring herein the safety of her Son, before her own satisfaction.

To make this her design the readier to be approved of by Isaac, she took an occasion to discourse with him about Jacob's Marriage, assuring him, that she should never be able to bear it, if Jacob should take one of the Daughters of the Land of Canaan for his Wife, following the lewd Example of his Bro­ther Esau, who had married two of them, not regarding the aversion his Parents had against them. She therefore desires Isaac to send him into Mesopotamia to Bethuel her Father, that there he might provide himself a Wife

Isaac readily approving of his Wives Pro­posal, calls Jacob to him, and renewing all the Blessings he had formerly bestowed upon him, he charges him to take him a Wife of the Daughters of Laban ▪ his Mothers Brother.

Thus Jacob leaves his Native Country, ra­ther like a poor Fugitive avoiding the Anger of his enraged Brother, than as a rich and wealthy Person, who goes a Woing with all the Ornaments and Accoutrements common in that case with the Men of the World: And when in this his state of Poverty and Deser­tion (which admirably well represents to us the Difficulties and Tribulations that accom­pany a Christian Life) he had lighted upon a certain place in the open Field, where (by reason of the approaching Night, he was forced to take up his Lodging, having no o­ther Bed but the Earth, nor any softer Pillow to rest his Head upon, than what a Stone could afford him, he falls into a sound Sleep.

But the meanness of his Lodging could not bar him from the Divine Presence and Favour; for GOD in a Dream represents to him how near he is to those who are poor and persecu­ted by their Brethren for his Name sake, and what a particular care he has of them in this their sad and solitary Condition, as to out­ward appearance.

For this Holy Man in his Dream, beholds a Ladder, the foot whereof stood upon the Earth, and the top reached to Heaven, and the An­gels of GOD ascending and descending up­on it. He also saw the LORD himself standing above it, who said, I am the LORD GOD of Abraham thy Father, and the GOD of Isaac; the Land whereon thou liest will I give thee, and to thy Seed; and thy Seed shall be as the Dust of the Earth, and in thy Seed shall all the Families of the Earth be bles­sed; and behold I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee again into this Land, for I will not leave thee until I have performed all that I have pro­mised unto thee.

Jacob awaking from his Sleep, and being amazed at the Glory of the Vision that had been represented to him, could not contain himself from crying out, How dreadful is this place! for the LORD is here, though I knew it not.

This Vision, and this Mystical Ladder, of which the Fathers tell us so many choice things, lively represents to us, the Care which the Di­vine Providence in all Ages would take of those that are his, that he would be present with them in the time of their Affliction, and in the place of their Exile and Pilgrimage, and that they should never want the assistance and comfort of the Holy Angels. And that there­fore they ought not to fear the Wrath of Men, nor the Conspiracy of their own Brethren a­gainst th [...]m; forasmuch as all those would but make them find GOD more present with, and ready to help them in all their Difficulties and Necessities whatsoever.

[Page]

[Page 33]RACHEL AND LEAH.

JACOB being assured by this Mysterious Vision of the Divine Protection, went ve­ry chearfully on his Way to Haran, The same year, 2245. and meeting with some Shepherds near a Well in the Field, which had a great Stone on the Mouth thereof, where they used to Water their Flocks, he asked them, whether they knew one Laban the Grandchild of Nahor? who having answered him, that they knew him very well; added, that Rachel his Daughter was coming thither with his Sheep to water them at the Well. Jacob no sooner saw her coming, but he went and rolled away the Stone from the Wells Mouth, and watered her Flock; and having made himself known unto her, and kissed her, Rachel hasted away to tell her Father Laban; who had no sooner heard these Tydings of Jacob, but he ran forth, and embracing and kissing him, brought him to his House.

Jacob perceiving a manifest Divine Direction in all these particulars, acquaints Laban with the occasion of his undertaking that Journey, discourses to him the Fury of his Brother, and the necessity he was under to absent him­self from him for a time.

Laban readily complies with Jacob's desire of continuing with him; but forasmuch as he could not endure that Jacob should serve him for nothing, Jacob makes a bargain with him to serve him seven years for Rachel his youngest Daughter.

These seven years being expired, Jacob ex­pected Rachel, whom he so passionately loved, but found himself at last wholly frustrated of his hopes; for Laban not thinking fit to Marry his younger Daughter before the elder, took Leah the elder, and brought her to Jacob by Night; who not knowing but that it was his beloved Rachel, Anno Mundi, 2252. before Christ, 1752. Jacob being then 84 years old. took her to his Bed.

Jacob in the Morning perceiving what Laban had put upon him, complains thereof with great resentment; but Laban endeavouring to appease Jacob's just Displeasure, desires him to allow seven Days for the Solemnity of his first Marriage, and that when they were en­ded, he would give him Rachel also; but yet upon this condition, that he should serve for her other 7 years During which time Ja­cob had six Sons by Leah, but Rachel continu­ing barren for a great while, was so much grieved thereat, that envying her Sisters fer­tility, she at last burst out into that passionate Expression of her sorrow to Jacob, saying, Give me Children, or else I die. Some time after GOD was pleased to ease her of this sore Affliction, and to hear her Prayers, so that she conceived a Son, whom she called Joseph.

Jacob after the Birth of his Son Joseph, desi­red leave of Laban to re­turn with his Wives and Children into his own Coun­try. He represented to him,Anno Mundi, 2259. Jacob being 91 years old. that having spent fourteen Years in his Service, during which time he had with all Care and Faith­fulness discharged the difficult and laborious Employment of managing his Affairs, and improving his Estate, that therefore it was now high time for him to think of providing for his own Family. Laban having learnt by Experience, that the LORD had blessed him for Jacob's sake, earnestly conjured him to continue longer; which if he would agree to, he should be his own Carver, and have what Wages he would require; whereupon Jacob having mentioned the consideration he required (which was readily embraced by La­ban) he continued to take the burthen and care of all his Flocks and Cattel upon him for six years longer.

The Fathers, in taking a view of the Life of Jacob, could not sufficiently admire the Di­vine Conduct towards this Holy Patriarch, whom he exposed to twenty years hard Servi­tude, notwithstanding the Promises he had made unto him of being sole LORD and Possessor of the whole Land of Canaan. His Sons were to be the Princes of a numerous People, and their Father is fain to be a Servant, and by hard and continual Labour and Watching to supply the Necessity of himself and Family. GOD was willing, (say they) by this Exam­ple, to shew that the glory of the Pastors and Teachers of the Church, is to be employed in continual Labour and Watching for the good of the Souls committed to their Charge, and in thoughts of providing for, and satisfying their Flock, rather than themselves.

Iacobs Return to his Birth-place.

THe Blessings that GOD so plentifully showr'd down upon Jacob, and on all that belonged to him, so excited Laban's Envy,Anno Mundi, 2265. before Christ, 1739. Jacob being then 104 years old. that he perceived it was his Prudence to leave Me­sopotamia, for the same Reason, that before had obliged him to quit Canaan. Whilst these Thoughts were ruminating in his Mind, without daring to put them in execu­tion for fear of undertaking any thing from a motion of his own Spirit, GOD himself commanded him to return to the place of his Nativity, and promises to be with him, and to defend him in his Journey.

Jacob hereupon casts about, how to accom­plish GOD'S Commands, and resolves to do it in the most secret manner, and to depart from Mesopotamia in the same manner, as he first came thither, that is, like a Fugitive. To this purpose, he calls for his two Wives, and discourses to them his design, which they approv'd of, and agree to follow him: So Jacob taking his Opportunity during La­ban's Absence, went his way privately, ta­king his Family and Possessions with him.

Laban being inform'd of his sudden unex­pected Departure, and missing some of his Idols, which Rachel without the knowledge of her Husband had taken with her, in a Tran­sport of Passion pursues him seven days, and overtakes him on Mount Gilead; but before their coming together, GOD appears to Laban in a Dream by Night, charging him not in the least to hurt Jacob.

As soon as they were met, Laban complains to Jacob, reproaching him for basely stealing away from him, and hurrying away his Daugh­ters, as Captives taken by the Sword: He told him, it was ill done to conceal his Depar­ture, and thereby to prevent him of taking his last farewel of his Children, and to shew his Peternal tenderness for them; and con­cluded, that however he might exercise him­self with the Possession he had to return to his own Country and Fathers House; yet that his robbing him of his Idols was a thing un­just, and that he could have no Pretence or Plea for it.

Jacob at these Words interrupted him, and having excused the Privacy of his Departure, absolutely deny'd the taking away the said Idols, so far as to give him leave to kill the Party with whom he should find them. La­ban having fought them with great diligence, at last enters Rachels Tent; but before his coming she had carefully hid them in the Ca­mels Furniture, and sitting upon them, desi­red her Father, not to take it ill, that she rose not up to pay him her dutiful Respects, as being at that time indispos'd.

Laban being forced to return without find­ing them, Jacob begins sharply to expostulate with him for his most unjust and hard deal­ing towards him; but at length, their Spi­rits being calmed before their parting, they made a Covenant to observe reciprocally, and having Feasted together, lovingly take leave of each other.

In this History, Jacob is to be admired as a perfect Model of that Wisdom and Justice which we are to observe in living in the World: He took care not to burthen himself with the possession of any thing, but what he could take along with him, to the end he might not be forced to depend upon any one. As he lost nothing of what was his own, neither took he ought that belonged to another. He had en­riched himself not only without impairing o­thers, but by procuring particular Profit and Advantage.

Laban, who treated him so like a Slave, who wish'd him no good, but endeavoured to op­press and injure him, yet in effect could do no­thing to his prejudice, nor hinder him from departing from him with great Riches; For when he came to reason with Jacob, his bad Nature became good; because Jacob's Actions were season'd with Justice and Wisdom, and di­rected by the guidance of GODS Spirit.

Happy is he who with Jacob can say to the Devil and the World, Search, whether there be any thing with me that is yours, and take it: And who, with blessed Rachel, (tho' of an Idolatrous Family) treads under foot her Fa­thers Idols.

She (by her Example) teacheth Christian Daughters not to follow the sinful C [...]stoms of their Parents, who often desire nothing more than to sacrifice them to the Idol of Worldly Vanity; but having an Eye to the eternal and satisfying Delights of a Heavenly Country, to take care not to forfeit the same, by loving their Fathers more than GOD.

[Page]

[Page 35]Iacob Wrestling with an Angel.

JACOB having thus escaped the hands of Laban, thought of nothing now, but how he might escape those of Esau his Brother;The same Year. in order whereunto he sends Messengers before him unto the Land of Seir, to acquaint Esau in the most submissive way imaginable, that ha­ving sojourned with Laban in Mesopotamia for several years, he was then upon his return to his Fathers House, and that the occasion of his sending to him was, That he might find grace in his sight.

But the Messengers (upon their return) ac­quainting Jacob, that as soon as they had de­livered their Message to Esau, he had put himself at the Head of 400 Armed Men, and was already on his march to meet him, he be­came seized with an extream Fear, which made him cast forth strong Cries to GOD, to deliver him from the Hand of Esau his Brother.

Having thus first of all fixed his confidence in GOD, he proceeded to make use of all his Natural Prudence to calm his Brothers Anger, and to incline his Heart towards him, which he thought he could not so well do a­ny other way than by Presents. Wherefore having set apart 200 She-Goats, 20 He-Goats, 200 Ewes, 20 Rams, 80 Milch Camels, with their Colts, 40 Cows, and 10 Bulls, 20 She-Ases, and 10 Foals, he delivered them to his Servants, every Drove by themselves, with Orders to leave a space between every one, and express Directions, how to behave them­selves towards Esau, to the end, that his Spi­rit seeing those Presents pass severally, might by little and little be mollified towards him, as well as by the humble submission of those who offered them to him in the Name of their Master.

Jacob having given these Orders, which were not to be executed until the next day, caused his Wives and Children (with all that belonged to him) to pass over the Brook Jabbok by Night, whilst Jacob was left alone on the other side. Then Jacob betakes him­self in earnest Prayer to GOD, for an happy issue of the Meeting between him and his Bro­ther, whereupon a Man, (or rather an Angel in the shape of a Man) appeared unto him, and Wrestled with him until the Break of Day; and seeing that he did not prevail against him, he touched the Sinew or Hollow of his Thigh, and caused him to halt: But Jacob taking new Courage from this happy hurt, told him he had hurt him; and the Angel would fain have been gone, but Jacob would not let him go until he had blessed him. Then the Angel demanded what was his Name, and gave him the new Name of ISRAEL; withal assuring him, that as he had been so happy and strong as to prevail with GOD, he had no need to apprehend any thing of danger from Men, and in particular from his Brother Esau.

Not long after Jacob seeing his Brother coming a far off, at the Head of 400 Men, and having ranged his Family in the order he thought best, he passed on before them to meet him; and as he came near he bowed himself seven times to the ground before him, and not being able to resist the powerful impression which Jacob's meek Submission made upon his Spirit, runs to meet him, falls upon his Neck, and kisses him; yea, his former Wrath was turn'd to that degree of Tenderness and Af­fection, that he could not withhold himself from Tears. He with pleasure beholds the Wives and Children which GOD had given him, and could hardly be perswaded to receive the Presents that Jacob design'd for him.

After this, Esau (to shew his Kindness to him) offered to keep Company with him, and with his Armed Men, to be a Guard to him and his Company, but Jacob having repre­sented to him how necessary it was for him to go on softly, because of the tenderness of his young Children and the Herds with young, which if over-driven but one day, would cer­tainly die, pressed Esau to march on before to Mount Sier, where he would not fail to wait upon him.

Thus did he not only avoid the Anger of his Brother, who had sworn his destruction; but moreover changed it into Tenderness and Love. He did not fix his Thoughts upon the conside­ration of his own Innocence, or Esaus Guilt and Blame-worthiness; he blotted out of his Heart all the Resentments he might have had against him; and if he was troubled for his Misdemeanors, 'twas rather (saith S. Ambrose) for his Brothers sake than his own.

DINAH.

WHEN Jacob was return'd from Meso­potamia, and dwelt peaceably at Sa­lem, a City of the Sheche­mites, Anno Mundi, 2274. before Christ, 1 [...]10. Dinah being about 15 years old. where he had al­so bought a parcel of Ground, an Accident hap­ned, which occasion'd him a great deal of Sorrow.

Dinah (his Daughter by Leah) being gone abroad to see the Daughters of the Land, Shechem (the Son of Hamor the Hivite, who was the King of that Country) having seen her, took her by force▪ and Ravisht her, and his Passion for her still increasing, he told his Father, that he design'd to Marry her, and desired him to get her to Wife.

Jacob was strangely afflicted to hear this sad News of his Daughter Dinahs defilement, and his Sons dissembling their Resentment, that they might the better revenge the Violence done to their Sister, answered Hamor and She­chem deceitfully, (who were come to desire them to approve of the Marriage of Shechem with Dinah, as well as of other reciprocal Marriages betwixt both People,) that no such thing could be, for that they were Uncircumci­sed; but in case they would all consent to be Circumcised, then the mutual Alliances they had propounded, might well take place.

Hamor and Shechem having made this Pro­posal to their Subjects, they presently con­tracted and were Circumcised: But on the third day, when their Pain was most sensible, Simeon and Levi (Dinahs Brothers) took their Swords, and came boldly upon the Ci­ty, and slew all the Males, without sparing the King himself, or his Son, whose unlaw­ful Lusts were the first cause of this Bloodshed. After this Bloody Execution, the rest of Jacob's Sons entred the City, pillaged it, and carried the Sp [...]ils both of the City and Country along with them, taking all their little Ones, and their Wives Captives.

Jacob was extreamly troubled at this their unheard of Revenge, complaining that they had made his Name hateful and abominable amongst the Inhabitants of the Land, by this their horrible Profidiousness, and that by their Abuse of the Divine Ordinance of Circumci­sion to satisfie their Revenge, they had as far as in them lay exposed him, and his whole Family to apparent Ruine, for that he was but few in number, and not able to with­stand them.

Whilst Jacob was in no small apprehension of the Mischief, which the Violence of Simeon and Levi might bring upon him from the Neighbouring People, who had heard the Re­port of their Inhuman Cruelty, GOD com­mands him to go to Bethel, the place where he had appeared to him when he fled from his Brother Esau: And the Scripture takes notice, that GOD cast his Terror upon all the Cities round about them, that tho' their will was good, they had not the Courage to pursue after the Sons of Jacob.

Soon after Jacob's Arrival at Bethel, Rachel (his Wife) died in Labour of her Son Benjamin, Anno Mundi, 2288. before Christ, 1716. and much about the same time Isaac his Father died also, being 180 years of Age, and was buried by his two Sons, E­sau and Jacob; who soon after parted from each other, one Country being not sufficient to keep their vast Possessions or Herds of Cattel.

This History of Dinah has always been con­sidered by the Fathers, as a pregnant Exam­ple, teaching us to avoid vain Curiosity, and the Affection of the Company of Strangers ▪ And S Ambrose tells us, That if all ought from hence to learn this Instruction, Christian Vir­gins are obliged to make this use of it before all others. Retirement (saith he) is to be considered by them as their part and portion, and they must avoid Seeing, or being Seen by the People of the World, and differ from them in all their Ways and Deportments. They ought greatly to fear their being overtaken with Dinahs Curiosity, in desiring (like her) to see the Manners of Strange Women, I mean, such as live indeed amongst Christi­ans, and profess the Name of Christ, but in truth are Heathens, as to their Manners and Conversation; neither can they sufficiently tremble, when they reflect on the fatal conse­quences of the Curiosity of this young Virgin of about 15 years of Age; who by this vain­gazing, not only lost her Virginity, but also was the occasion of her Brother's Perfidiousness and Cruelty, the ruin of a whole City, and (if GOD had not prevented) of him and his Family.

[Page]

[Page 37]JOSEPH SOLD.

JACOB, who had lately escaped a War with Strangers, was fain soon after to meet with one in his own House, Anno Mundi 2276. before Christ 1728. 12 years before the Death of Isaac. which was the more grievous unto him, as be­ing between those of his own Flesh and Blood.

Joseph (the Son of Rachel) being the last of the Children that were born to Jacob in Mesopotamia at the Age of 16 years and up­wards, accused his Brethren to his Father of some enormous Crime, which the Scripture doth not mention. This bold Undertaking of their younger Brother, and the tender Love his Father had for him, produced so great En­vy against him, that they could not so much as speak one Friendly Word to him. This their Hatred was much increased by his ac­quainting them with two of his Dreams; the one, that as he and his Brethren were binding their Sheaves, his Sheaf arose and stood up in the midst of theirs, and they worshipped it: And the other, that he saw the Sun, Moon, and Eleven Stars worshipping him. These two Dreams, which plainly presaged his future E­levation, excited a most furious Hatred against him, which GOD made use of for his Ad­vancement.

Some time after, when Jacob had sent Jo­seph to visit his Brethren, (who fed their Flocks in Shechem) they seeing him coming afar off, conspired against him to slay him. But Reu­ben, his eldest Brother, abhor'd this their de­testable Design, and hiding his resolution of saving him, counselled them not to dip their Hands in the Blood of their Brother; but to satisfie themselves by casting him into a Pit, hoping thereby to take him out, and deliver him to his Father.

His Brethren approved of Reuben's Advice, and having stript him of his Party-coloured Coat, let him down into the Pit▪ and they sat them down to eat Bread; and they lift up their Eyes, and behold a Company of Ishmae­lites that came from Gilead with their Ca­mels, going into Egypt. And Judah said, what profit is it if we slay our Brother? Let us sell him, and let not our Hand be upon him▪ for he is our Brother; and they were content. And they took Joseph out of the Pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for 20 Pieces of Silver, and they brought him into Egypt. And they took Joseph's Coat, and killed a Kid, and dip­ped the Coat in the Blood, and sent it to their Father. And Jacob at the first sight knew it to be Joseph's, and concluded that a wild Beast had devoured him; and being seized with a violent Sorrow, he rent his Garments, put on Sackcloth, and mourned many Days. And his Sons and Daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused.

Thus Little Joseph, who in his Dreams had had a foresight of his future Greatness, and E­levation, yet did not foresee his being sold for a Slave: And GOD, who revealed to him the Dignity he was to arrive at, conceal'd the Afflictions that were to make way for them. He was fain to give way (for a time) to the Envy of his Brethren, that in this par­ticular (as in many others) he might be a lively Image of Jesus Christ, and the comfort of good Men, who in all Ages to come should be exposed to the Envy of the Wicked, and the Conspirings of their own Brethren.

The Grief of Jacob (which was so just) may nevertheless serve for an Instruction to all Fa­thers; for though he sorely lamented his Death, yet probably that which was the chiefest Cause, was his loving him too well, which occasioned his loss, thereby stiring up the Envy of his Brethren against him.

It is good to love ones Children; yea, it is but a piece of Justice, to love those better than others, who are most vertuous: But it is of dangerous consequence to give too open Marks of it, because this may be pernicious to the be­loved, by exasperating their Envy to see him preferr'd before them; and Fathers ought in this case to consider, that they can scarce pro­cure a greater advantage to their Darlings, than to make them to beloved of all their Bre­thren.

And we need not wonder, if we see that a piece of Land, or a particular Legacy given to a best-beloved Son, doth incite the Envy of all his Brethren; because we see here, that a Coat only which Jacob gave Joseph, was the occasion of this their great aversion and hatred unto him.

JOSEPH's CHASTITY.

JOSEPH thus sold by his Brethren, was brought to Egypt, and sold to Potiphar, an Officer of Pharaoh, and Captain of his Guard: But GOD, (who never abandons poor persecuted Innocents) made Joseph meet with more Kindness in a strange Country, than he had found in his own, from his Brethren. His Prudence, Modesty and Fidelity, gain'd him his Master's Heart; who perceiving that this young Bondman had nothing that was servile in his Manners and Deportment, he made him Overseer of his House, and committed all that he had to his Care and Management.

Whilst Joseph was thus beloved and esteem­ed by his Master, Potiphar's Wife (by her detestable Lust) came to trouble the Calm he had enjoyed:Anno Mundi 2286. before Christ, 1718. Joseph being about 27 years old. For having oft cast her Eyes upon Joseph, she became soon enflamed with unlawful Passion for him; which she being no longer able to contain within the Secret of her own Breast, it soon broke forth into Words, and from Words to urgent Solicitations, and last of all to open Violence. For finding Joseph always immoveable like a Rock, as having too much Fear of GOD, as well as Respect for his Master, ever to encline to that Crime: This lewd Woman being unable to overcome her Passion, or take Example by the Modesty of him who was her Slave, having found him one day alone in the House, she caught him by the Garment, and would force him to do what he had formerly with so much constan­cy refused. Joseph seeing himself in this im­minent and pressing Danger, leaving his Garment in her Hand got away.

This Woman irritated by this rude Refusal, soon changed her Affection into a Hatred full of Rage and Madness against him; and ma­king a loud Outcry, as if Joseph had come to tempt her to unlawful Lust, shewing to her Domesticks (that came in upon her Outcry) Joseph's Cloak, which she pretended that he, upon her Resistance and Outcry, had left in her Hands.

With this feign'd Story she gain'd her cre­dulous Husband, whose Wrath being extream­ly kindled against Joseph, cast him into the King's Prison, shewing himself now as unjust and cruel, as before he had been kind, and just to his Merit and Virtue.

Thus (saith St. Ambrose) the Voice of Cle­mency is listned to, and Truth is silenc'd. A Woman spake, and that without either Evi­dence or Witness: She sees that Joseph's chaste Deportment condemns her Lust: She undertakes th [...]refore to sacrifice him to her Revenge, and to punish that Chastity in him, which she had trampled under foot in her self.

Thus (adds that Holy Man, reflecting up­on the Arian Persecution) it often happens, that Prisons become the Lot of innocent Men, and that those who employ their utmost Affronts to corrupt the true Faith, have put others into I­rons, who would not commit Adultery by embra­cing their Errors.

However (continues that Father) let not the Righteous therefore afflict themselves, for GOD accompanies his Holy Ones in their Dungeon (as it is here said of Joseph, That GOD was with him) and is not ashamed of their Bonds, but comforts them, and gives them fa­vour in the Eyes of all whom they have to deal with.

As there was the time wherein GOD made bare his Omnipotence by visible Judgments; he made use here of a Woman's Hatred, to make Joseph a Ruler over all the Land of Egypt. But now in the time of the New Law (in imi­tation of Jesus Christ, and the Martyrs) God­ly Men, who are treated as this Holy Patri­arch was, aspire only after his Patience, and not at all after that Greatness which seconded it: and in their Afflictions, which proceed both from the hand of GOD and Men, they eye GOD alone, and not Men. They know they are always guilty before him, though not of the Crimes they are accused of; and they heartily bless the Hand, which, at the same time it strikes, heals. They not only (like Joseph) entertain no Ill-will against those who have contributed to their Sufferings, but rather think themselves thereby obliged to love them the more. They rec­kon the days of their Affliction amongst the hap­piest days of their Life, and even when they are persuaded, that they can look for no liberty but from the Hands of Death, they comfort themselves with that which was Jacob's com­fort in his distress, and say, I have in Hea­ven him who is Judge and Witness of my Heart, and of him alone I expect the clear­ing of my Innocence, and the recompence for what I now suffer.

[Page]

[Page 39]JOSEPH ADVANCED,

JOSEPH being cast into Prison, made it appear (by the favour he found there) that places which are inaccessible to Men, are not so to the Divine Mercy and Love; and that the more we expose our selves by our Faithfulness to him, the more he loads us with the Marks of his Favour. Joseph in all his Carriage gave such pregnant Evidence of his Vertue and Wisdom, that the Keeper commit­ted all the Prisoners to his Care, giving him full Authority over them.

Whilst these things passed, two Officers of Pharaoh, the one his chief Butler, and the o­ther his Baker, having offended their LORD, and being put into the same Prison with Jo­seph, they hapned to dream two very signifi­cant and presaging Dreams; The Butler, that a Vine was before him, and on the Vine three Branches, which budded, blossomed, and brought forth ripe Grapes, which he took and pressed into Pharaohs Cup, and presented it to him. The Baker, that he had three Baskets on his head, and that in the uppermost Basket were all manner of Bake-meats for Pharaoh, which the Birds came and eat out of the Basket that was on his head.

Joseph at that time being a Figure of Jesus Christ, by the difference he made between those his two Companions in his Sufferings, assures the Baker, that within three Days he should have his Head cut off, and his Body hanged upon a Tree; and the Butler, that within three Days Pharaoh should restore him to his Place, and pray'd him to remember him in his Prosperity. But the Butler was wholly unmindful of Jo­seph, Anno Mundi, 2289. before Christ, 1715. Joseph being 30 years old. until about 2 years after Pharaoh chancing to have a Dream, which none of his Magicians could interpret, this Officer call'd to mind the Dream which he had in Prison, and Joseph's Interpretation. Pha­raoh in his Dream saw 7 very fat Kine come out of the River Nile, and feeding in a Mea­dow, and afterwards saw 7 other Kine coming out of the same River, but extreamly lean, and ghastly to look upon which devoured the 7 fat Kine. After this (being fallen asleep again) he dreamt, he saw 7 Ears of Corn up­on one stalk full and fair, which soon after were devoured by 7 others, that were thin and blasted.

Pharaoh being much concern'd to know the Interpretation of his Dreams, the Butler pre­sents himself before the King, and tells him of Joseph, who immediately sent for him. Jo­seph having heard the King tell his Dreams, acquaints him, that they signified 7 years to come of great plenty, which were to be suc­ceeded by 7 other years of the extreamest Fa­mine; and to prevent the fatal effects thereof, he counselled the King to appoint great Store-houses throughout all the Land, to lay up all the Surplus of the Plentiful years, to serve for a supply during the 7 years of Famine.

Pharaoh admiring the Wisdom of Joseph, presently concluded with himself, that no bo­dy could be more fit to manage this Affair than himself; and accordingly conferr'd up­on him full power over all the Land of Egypt, to order things as he should think fit, and rati­fied this new Dignity to him, by taking a Ring from his own Hand, and putting it upon Josephs, and a Gold-Chain about his Neck, and making him ride in his second Chariot, the Heralds proclaiming before him, Bend the Knee.

Thus this Holy Man began to enter upon his state of Glory, and to quit the Suffering cir­cumstances wherein GOD before had placed him, that by them (as so many steps) he might mount him to the Pinnacle of Glory. Neither was he dazled by this sudden removal from a Dungeon Darkness, to the highest Meridian of Court-Glory; for as his Afflictions could not depress him, so neither could this high and un­look'd for Honour lift him up. He received with an equal and indifferent temper from the hands of GOD the Good and Evil things of this World; and continually kept his Heart in that uniform Moderation, that in the midst of his great power, he never had a thought of revenging himself of those, who by their Ca­lumnies had so unjustly afflicted him, and whom he thought but too severely punished by the Sole remembrance of their Crimes, and the despair and gnawing Checks of their own Conscience.

These Changes visibly hapned here on Earth; but there are others that happen still every day invisibly by a Miracle incomparably greater, of which the Elevation of Joseph was only a Fi­gure, when those who have (as it were) been trod under foot by Men, and made vile by Pri­sons and Calumnies, do in an instant pass over from all their Sufferings, which have lasted but for a Moment, to that Eternity of Glory, which their Sufferings have prepared for them.

JOSEPH's BRETHREN.

JOSEPH having received from the Hand of Pharaoh so unlimited a Power, made it appear, how happy that King is, that has a wise and godly Minister to rely on, and ad­vise with; and that good Counsel is to be pre­ferred before all Worldly Treasures: He ap­plies himself with all diligence to employ his Authority for the good of the People and Neighbouring Nations committed to his Charge, and provided an abundant supply for the 7 future years of Scarcity, without cau­sing a Want in the midst of Plenty.

After he had with great care laid up the Products of the Years of plenty in Store-houses throughout all the Land, to that prodigious quantity, that it was beyond number, the 7 Years of Famine succeeding, began to shew their direful Effects. The People of Egypt, pressed by the irresistible focre of Want, ap­pear before Pharaoh, crying out for relief in this time of their Necessi­ty;Anno Mundi 2296. before Christ 1708. and he sends them to Joseph, whom he had en­trusted with all that Affair, who very favou­rably receiv'd their Complaints, and supplied them, without putting by any.

The Land of Canaan, as well as other Neighbouring Countries, was made sensible of this extraordinary Famine: Wherefore Ja­cob having heard that there was Corn in Egypt, bids his Sons go down thither, and buy Corn for his Family. Accordingly Jacob's ten Sons, being all, except Benjamin, whom his Father would not part with for fear any Mischief might befal him by the way, came (amongst many others) to buy Corn in Egypt, and presented themselves before Joseph, and bowed down be­fore him with their Faces to the Ground.

Joseph knew his Brothers at first sight, but carried himself strange towards them, and not seeing Benjamin with them, fearing lest they might have treated him as cruelly as they had formerly done him; and to be re­solved hereof, he spake roughly to them, tel­ling them they were Spies, and come to dis­cover the weakness of the Land.

His Brethren being much troubled at this unlookt for and harsh entertainment, to justi­fie themselves from the Reproach he laid up­on them of being Spies, assur'd him, that they were all of them the Sons of one Father, who lived in the Land of Canaan with their young [...]st Brother. Joseph told them, he was resolv [...]d to try whether what they had told him was true, and therefore that one of them should continue as a Pledge till the rest of them returned to Canaan, and brought their youngest Brother (whom they had mentio­ned) down with them into Egypt; threat­ning, that in case of refusal, they should undergo the punishment of Spies, for such he took them for.

It was in this Extremity to which they were reduc'd, that the memory of their cruel dea­ling toward their Brother Joseph began to a­waken in them, and fly in their Faces, inso­much as they could not contain themselves from complaining to one another in their own Language, of the great Sin they had commit­ted, for which their present Distress was just­ly come on them, his Blood being now re­quir'd at their Hands.

Joseph understanding all they said, was touch'd at his Heart with Pity towards them, and turn'd himself from them, to give vent to his Passion by weeping; and soon after re­turning to them, took Simeon from amongst them, and bound him before their Eyes, and gave the rest of them leave to return to their Father: he commanded also their Sacks to be fill'd with Corn, and their Money to be put in their Sacks.

As soon as they were come to their Father, they told him all that hapned, and how they had been forc'd to leave Simeon bound in E­gypt, till they brought their Brother Benja­min before the Governour of the Land. Ja­cob was sorely afflicted to hear this News, and remembring the Sorrow had seized him upon the loss of his beloved Joseph, told them plain­ly, that he could upon no Terms resolve to part with his dear Benjamin, lest losing him also, it should bring his gr [...]y Hairs with sor­row to the Grave,

The Fathers cannot sufficiently admire through­out the whole Sequel of this History, the wonder­ful Providence wherewith GOD governs all things, the Effects whereof no Power can resist. Whatsoever Joseph's Brethren ever feared, came upon them. They had sold him to prevent and frustrate that Greatness which his Dreams seem­ed to presage to him, and their very selling him becomes the sure means of his Exaltation and fu­ture Glory; it was expedient they should humble and depress him, in order to his Elevation; and his Glory stood in need of their Hatred, which like a Harbinger made way for it.

[Page]

[Page 41]JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN.

THE Famine daily increasing in Canaan, forced Jacob to a resolution of sending Benjamin with his Bro­thers into Egypt, Anno Mundi, 2298▪ before Christ, 1706. lest he should see him die with Famine, whose Absence he feared would prove his own Death. Judah contributed much to­wards the inclining of Jacob to this consent, assuring him, that he would be responsible for Benjamin, and without fail bring him back to his Father.

Thus they departed with the Presents their Father had ordered them to take along with them; for Joseph the Governour of Egypt, who having seen his Brothers, and Benjamin with them, ordered them to be brought into his House to Dine with him. They could not imagin the reason of this so unlook'd for Kindness, and fearing some new Troubles might be created to them for the Mony they had found in their Sacks; to prevent them (as far as they were able,) they told Joseph's Stew­ard, that having found their Mony in their Sacks, they had brought it back with them, and desired him to receive it of them.

The Steward very friendly assured them, that he had had their Mony, and having brought Simeon out to them, soon after Jo­seph himself entred where his Brethren were; who bowing down before him, presented to him the Gifts their Father had sent him, which he very kindly accepted of; and dis­coursing familiarly with them, asked how it was with their Father? But seeing his Bro­ther Benjamin, he was moved at his Heart, and after he had blessed him, could not re­frain from Tears, being forced to withdraw, to give vent to the Affection that seiz'd him at the sight of his younger Brother; and soon after returning unto them, he sat down at the Table with them.

After this day was thus spent in Joy and Feasting, and that Joseph's Brethren were pre­paring to return to Canaan, Jos [...]ph commanded their Sacks to be fill'd, and their Mony to be restored as at first, and withal, that his Cup should be put into Benjamin's Sack. They were scarcely got out of Town, when Joseph sends his Steward after them, who reproach­ed them for having rewarded Evil for Good, in stealing away his Masters Cup. They all with one Voice excused themselves of so base a Crime, and consented, that he who was found guilty should die, and the rest to be his Prisoner [...] ▪ In searching their Sacks, the Cup was found in th [...]t of Benjamins; which strangely amazed them, and they rent their Cloaths, as a mark of their high distress and sorrow.

But Judah, who had engaged himself to bring back Benjamin, boldly drew near to Joseph, and in the most humble manner re­presented to him the Promise he had bound himself in, to bring him back; and that he was sure it would be the Death of his Father, if they should return without him, his Life being bound up in the life of Benjamin.

Joseph's Bowels being moved with this pas­sionate Speech of Judah, could no longer re­frain himself, but commanding all to quit the Room he burst forth into loud Weeping, and told them he was Joseph their Brother. Up­on which unlook'd for and amazing Declara­tion they were all astonish'd; but Joseph (to divert them from this their consternation) told them, that GOD in his Providence had so or­dered it, that his Selling should prove a means of saving their Lives from the present Scarcity; and embracing them, and weeping upon them, he bid them hast to their Father, to the end he and his whole Family might come down to Egypt upon the Cha [...]iots which Pharaoh had sent to carry them.

This History (as the Fathers observe) doth most emphatically represent to us, the incom­parable sweet Temper of this Holy Patriarch, Joseph, and sets all Christians a Pattern, how far they ought to forget and forgive Injuries. He himself excuseth those who had cruelly of­fended him, and so far was he from returning them the least Repreach, that he endeavours by all means to dissipate the dark Clouds of Fear, wherewith the guilt of their Crime had fill'd them. Having a full power to punish them at pleasure, he only employs it in Gratifi­cations, and instead of Anger and Revenge, he melts them with the tenderness of his Love and Affection towards them.

The Charity of this great Saint is an admira­ble Figure of the unparall'd Goodness and Mercy of Jesus Christ, who being sold by his own Bre­thren, not only forgave them their putting him to so painful a Death; but also made the very Blood which they so cruelty spilt, the price of their Redemption, and the Balsom to cure their Mortal Wounds.

JACOB GOES INTO EGYPT.

AS soon as Joseph's Brethren were re­turn'd to Canaan, and had brought the glad Tidings to Jacob, that Joseph was yet alive, and Governour over the whole Land of Egypt; that Holy Patriarch, struck with the strangeness of such unexpected News, was (between the agitations of Hope and Fear strugling in his Breast) cast into a kind of Fainting; from whence, as soon as he was recovered, he informed himself more particularly concerning all the Circumstan­tials of the Divine Providence towards his Son Joseph: And being fully satisfied therein, not only by the Relation of those who had seen him; but also by the Chariots which Pharaoh had sent, and the Provision Joseph had made for their commodious Transpor­tation into Egypt, his Spirit revived, com­forting himself, that he was going to see his most beloved Son Joseph, whom so many years he had so disconsolately mourned for as dead.

But yet notwithstanding his earnest desire to see his dearest Joseph, he could not on a sudden resolve to transport himself and his Family into Egypt, by reason of the Promises GOD had made to him, of bestowing upon him and his Posterity, the Land of Canaan; for he feared, lest his Children being charm'd with the Pleasures of Egypt, should never entertain a Thought of returning to the Land, that GOD had bestowed upon them for ever. But GOD de­liver'd him of this Scru­ple,The same Year, 2198. before Christ, 1706. At the beginning of the 3d year of Famin. by appearing to him in a Vision by Night, and assuring him, that as he would go down with him into Egypt, so he would in due time, bring his Posterity up from thence again.

Joseph being informed by Judah his Bro­ther, of his Father Jacob's coming, he made ready his Chariot, and went to meet him to Goshen; and being come near▪ he stept down, and presenting himself before his Father, embraced him, and fell on his Neck and wept, not being able for some time to move, by reason of the great Transport of Joy.

After this their Passion of Joy and Tears, which so unlook'd for an Interview had forc'd from them, Joseph brings his Father to Pha­raoh to salute him; and it being his desire, that his Fathers Family might live a part from the Egyptians, he was not asham'd in the midst of all his Grandeur, to declare to the King, that his Father and Brethren were Shepherds; a Calling the Egyptians look'd upon as the most detestable that could be. And having obtain'd a Grant of the King, for them to dwell in the Land of Goshen, they lived there in all Plenty, without being sensi­ble of the least effects of that raging Famine. Thus the whole Nation of the Jews, which was then compriz'd in 70 Persons, was saved by the Divine Providence, and the Kindness and Industry of Joseph.

Thus (as S. Chrysostom observes) does GOD dispose all the Affairs and Concerns of his own People, through an admirable variety of happy and sad Events. He afflicts them, lest a continued and uninterrupted course of Pros­perity should lift them up; and again, He comforts them, for fear they might be cast down under the burthen of their Sufferings. It proved now Jacob's advantage, that he had lost his Son for a time; and Joseph's, that he had been a while separated from his dear Father's Company; because at this meeting they received such an extraordinary Incom of Joy, as quite effaced, and abundantly recompen­ced all their past Sorrows.

But on the other side, tho' the Children of Israel were well received by the Egyptians for a season, that Faithless People made them some years after suffer all that Inhumanity could inspire to a Barbarous People, and Haters of GOD. For Egypt, (as the Fathers tell us) that is to say, the World, ought always to be apprehended and suspected by true Israelites; whatsoever Caresses she might seem to make them, they ought not to trust her: For it is evident, that the People of GOD have always been forced (sooner or later) to acknowledge, that their entring into it has been of trouble­som consequence, even then, when they have been forc'd to it by inevitable Necessity; and they find by Experience, (as saith S. Bernard) that the Famine which forces them thither, is always to be feared.

THE EGYPTIAN MIDWIVES.

JACOB, after he was come down into Egypt, lived there peaceably 17 years; and when he found him­self at the point of Death, Anno Mundi, 2315· before Christ, 1689. he sent for his Son Joseph, and charged him to bury him with his Fathers; and having Blessed his Sons, he died, aged 147 years.

Joseph (as soon as he was dead) fell upon his Face, wept over him, and kissed him; and having commanded his Servants (the Egyptians) to embalm his Body, he mourned for him Threescore and ten days: And when the days of his mourning were past, he de­sired some that were near Pharaoh to obtain leave for him, to go and bury his Father in the Land of Canaan.

Pharaoh having consented to this just Re­quest of Joseph, he went up to bury his Father, being accompanied by all the chief Officers of Pharaoh, and other the most considerable Persons of the Court, and whole Land of Egypt; and buried his Father Jacob with his Fathers Abraham and Isaac, in a Cave of the Field of Macpelah, which Abraham bought of Ephron the Hittite.

Joseph having buried his Father Jacob, re­turn'd into Egypt, where he still continued in the same Authority which Pharaoh had con­ferr'd upon him at first; and perceiving that Death began to make his approaches upon him, he demanded the same favour of his Brethren, which his Father had requir'd of him, viz. that they would take care to carry his Bones with them to Canaan; which they promised to do;Anno Mundi, 2369. before Christ, 1365. and soon after he died at the Age of 110 years, having continued in the Go­vernment of all Egypt 80 years. They also Embalmed his Body, and put it into a Coffin in Egypt.

But many years after the Death of Jos [...]ph, a New King [...] arose in Egypt, who hated the Hebrews, and was so far from having the esteem and kindness for them, that his Predecessors had had▪ that he became jealous of their vast Multitudes, to which they were increased▪ and therefore took a Resolution to destroy them; not by open Violence, but by Craft and Address. To this end he employs them in the hard labour of making Bricks and Mortar, for some of his Buildings; but this Oppression making them to multiply the faster; as a Figure for time to come, that the Afflictions of the World would only serve to multiply the Church, Pharaoh took another way, which was, to de­stroy all their Male-Children.

Accordingly he charged all the Midwives, to kill all the Male Children of the Hebrew Wo­men at their Delivery; but they abhorring to execute so barbarous an Order (for the Scrip­ture witnesseth, that they feared GOD) pre­served them alive, contrary to the cruel command of Phoraoh: Who being provok'd to see his Orders neglected, charged his Sub­jects to take all the Male Children of the He­brews, and cast them into the River.

But GOD highly approved the carriage of the Midwives in this matter, and rewarded their holy Disobedience, by blessing and esta­blishing their Families; and tho' he did not approve of the Lye they made use of to ex­cuse themselves, yet he blessed them for the tenderness they expressed for his People, who groaned under so unjust and cruel an Op­pression.

It seems as if all the Humanity and Good Nature of Egypt, had been (at that time) confin'd to these few Women; who (when a whole Nation and Kingdom blindly obeyed the unnatural Commands of their Prince) only stood it out, as being more awed by the fear of GOD, than by any thing they could apprehend from Men; and dreading his Justice more, than the impotent Cruelty of Pharaoh.

But too happy (saith S. Austin) would they have been, if joyning the Love of Truth to their Praise-worthy Compassion, they had rather have chosen to expose themselves to Death, than to save their Lives with a Lye: And if after having hazarded their Lives, to poor In­nocents, they had once more ventured upon Death, rather than save [...]hemselves by injuring the Truth. They might indeed in this Resolution, have seen their Houses destroyed upon Earth; but GOD instead thereof would have bestowed upon them those that are Eternal in the Heavens.

[Page 45]MOSES SAVED FROM DROWNING.

WHilst the Israelites suffered the most unjust Persecution in Egypt, and that ungrateful King set all his Wits at work how he might best extinguish a Race, Anno Mundi 2433. before Christ 1571. and 41 years after the death of Levi. to which his Pre­decessors had been behold­en for the preservation of their Life and Kingdom, a Man of the Tribe of Levi, na­med Amram, had a Son by his Wife Jocka­bed; who being a goodly Child, his Mother moved with his Beauty, and promising Looks, made a shift to hide him three Months. But forasmuch as Pharaoh's Orders were most severely executed, she was fain at length to expose her Son, for fear of forfeiting her own Life. To this end she made a Cradle of Flags, and daub'd it over with Pitch, and put her Son therein, and laid it amongst the Flags by the River side, and charged his Sister to con­tinue thereabouts, to see what would be­come of her Brother.

It was about the same time that Pharaoh's Daughter came down to the River to wash her self, accompanied with all her Maids; and seeing the Cradle among the Flags, she sent one of her Maids to fetch it. As soon as she had cast her Eye upon this lovely In­fant, who lay crying in his Cradle, she was moved with pity for it; and the goodly Aspect of the Child increasing the Affection she had conceived for it, she resolv'd at any rate to save it from perishing in the common Calamity.

His Sister in the mean time, who had ob­served all that pass'd, drew near to Pharaoh's Daughter, and demanded of her, Whether she was willing, she should go and call an Hebrew Woman to nurse the Child? To which she having consented, his Sister ran and fetch'd his Mother; who having received a Charge from Pharaoh's Daughter, to nurse her own Son, with promise of a Reward for so doing, return'd to her House with great Joy, blessing GOD for the Success he had vouchsafed her in preserving her Son.

As soon as he was grown up, his Mother brought him to Pharaoh' [...] Daughter, who adopted him [...] her Son, giving him the Name of MOSES, [...] in the [...] Language [...] Water. because she had drawn him out of the Water.

The Fathers have admired to find this Holy Man, who was the Minister of the Old Law, (as JESUS CHRIST was the Dispencer of the New) a lively Figure of him from his very Birth, in being divinely preserved, as well as our Saviour, from a Massacre, which involved so many Infants. GOD on this occasion made it as evident as the Sun at Noon-day, that he is the Sovereign Disposer of all Men, and that all their Designs and Devices are meer Vanity, when they clash with his eternal Purpose.

GOD seems to oppose himself with more vigour against those that are so bold as to wage open War, and stand at defiance with him; and we cannot sufficiently be astonish'd, how his Wisdom sports it self with King Pha­raoh, who being resolv'd to destroy the Chil­dren of the Hebrews, doth in the mean time (in his own Palace) cherish and caress him for his Grandchild, who was to be the Instru­ment of delivering the People, whom he per­secuted, from his Tyranny and Oppression. And his Mother, who for fear of losing her own, had exposed his Life to the Waters, has the Care of nursing him recommended to her, and Pharaoh's Daughter rewards her for a Service, which she would (had it been in her choice) have purchased with all the Riches of the World.

Besides, the very exposing of Moses, was the first step to his Greatness; and GOD saves him from the Waters of the River, to make him the Instrument of drowning the Son of that Prince in the Sea, who had design'd to do as much for him; and who had the chiefest of his Subjects for Companions in his Punish­ment, whom he had made the barbarous Exe­cutors of his inhuman and cruel Commands.

After a mature consideration of all this, we must have very little Faith or Understand­ing, if such a crowd of astonishing and mira­culous Directions of Divine Providence, doth not force from us an Acknowledgment, that GOD indeed is All, and that all Men (how great, potent, and terrible soever they may seem to be) are in effect nothing: So that it is a Question. Whether we ought more to admire the Impiety, or the Extravagance and Madness of those, who dare oppose themselves against, and under­take to attack Heaven it self.

THE BURNING BUSH.

MOSES being saved from the Waters in a Miraculous manner, and brought up in Pharaoh's Palace, as he grew up to Manly Age,Anno Mundi. 2473. before Christ, 1511. Moses being then 40 years old. made it appear, that GOD had called him to somthing else than World­ly Greatness: For seeing the Affliction of his Brethren the Israelites, when he at the same time abounded with all manner of Court-pleasure, his Faith could not bear to see him­self so distinguish'd from them; choosing rather (as S. Paul saith) to be Afflicted with the People of GOD, than to be happy with those, who were their profest Enemies.

He cast about therefore how he might best get an opportunity of quitting the Kings Palace, to visit his Brethren in their Distress; and in his progress, seeing an Egyptian smi­ting an Hebrew, he was immediately seiz'd with the Spirit of GOD, and slew the Egyptian, hiding him in the Sand; supposing that none had been witness of this effect of his Zeal.

The next time he went forth amongst his Brethren, he saw two Hebrews quarrelling to­gether; and endeavouring to reconcile them, by representing to them, that they were Bro­thers; he who did the wrong, demanded of him, who had made him a Judge over them; and whether he did intend to kill him, as he lately did the Egyptian.

These words assured Moses, that he was discover'd; and fearing Pharaoh's anger, he fled into the Land of Midian, where (resting himself near a Well) seven Daughters of the Priest of Midian, who was called Revel and Jethro, came thither to water their Father's Flock; but other Shepherds rudely driving them away, Moses stood up and helped them to water their Flocks; with which they having acquainted their Father, he was desirous to see the Egyptian that was so charitably come in to their help, and commanded his Daugh­ters to call him in to eat Bread. Moses percei­ving the good Temper of the Man, was con­tent to dwell with him, and taking his Daugh­ter Zippora to Wife, spent 40 years in feed­ing his Father-in-Laws Flocks in the Desert.

It hapned on a day, when he had led his Flock into the furthest and most solitary part of the Desert, Anno Mundi, 2513. before Christ, 1491. Moses being then [...]0 years of Age. near Mount Horeb, that GOD appeared to him in a Flame of Fire, out of the midst of a Bush. At this strange Appearance Moses had a desire stirr'd up to draw near, and take a more exact view of the wonder of a Bush burning without being consumed; but GOD calling to him out of the Bush, stopt his Cu­riosity, by forbidding him to approach nearer: And then assured him, that he had seen the Afflictions, and heard the Cry of of his People in Egypt; and that he was come down to de­liver them from the Tyranny of their Oppres­sors; and, that he himself should be the In­strument, by whom he would perform this great Work of Israel's Redemption.

Moses at first excused himself, and would fain have waved the Employment; but GOD charging him therewith a second time, and to induce him the more readily to undertake it, he immediately shews him two Miracles, by changing his Rod into a Serpent, and that Serpent again into a Rod; and by making his Hand leprous by putting it into his Bosom, and restoring it again to its former state. Yet for all this Moses continued to oppose GOD's intent of sending him to Pharaoh, to that degree, as to kindle his Wrath against him; so at last Moses was fain to submit to the Divine Command; and thereupon took leave of Jethro his Father-in-Law, and with his Wife and Sons came to Egypt, to Visit and Comfort his Brethren in their Distress.

The Saints of old have consider'd this Mi­racle of the Burning-Bush, which was not consumed, as a true Emblem of the People of GOD, who commonly are afflicted in this World, as the Israelites then were by Pharaoh; and yet are not consumed by those Flames which incompass them on every side, as having GOD in the midst, who keeps the Fire from consuming them, and makes it only serve, to ren­der them more pure and shining.

S. Gregory looks upon this Call of Moses, as a Figure of that of the True Pastors of the Church: Moses (saith he) is an illustrious Example for all Pastors and Teachers, in re­fusing at first (not without great firmness and obstinacy) to conduct the People of GOD, notwithstanding that he was charged with it by an express command from GOD; and that he had been [...]itting himself for this difficult em­ployment by 40 years Retirement and Meditation into the Wilderness.

[Page 47]Moses Addresses Pharaoh.

PHARAOH having heard the first Propo­posals Moses made to him in the Name of GOD, to let the Israe­lites go and Sacrifice in the Wilderness to the LORD, The same year 2513. derided there­at; answering Moses with a, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his Voice? and makes the ex­press Command of GOD, to be nothing else but an effect of their Idleness; reproving Mo­ses sharply for putting any such thing into their Head, and commands his Task-Masters, to double their Oppressions upon the Is­raelites, by forcing them to deliver the same number of Bricks as was usual, without gi­ving them Straw,

The Israelites finding their Sufferings thus renew'd and doubled, bitterly complain to Moses and Aaron, whom they look'd upon as the Causes thereof; and were then an admi­rable Figure of the Murmurings which in time to come would arise against the true Pastors of the Church, in their endeavouring to con­vert Souls, and lead them out of Egypt.

GOD taking compassion on the sad Con­dition of his People, the Voice of their Af­fliction having reach'd his Throne in Heaven, he sends Moses a second time to Pharaoh, to command him to let the People of Israel go. Moses obeys the Divine Command, and to give that Prince a token of his Mission, he in his presence chang'd his Rod into a Serpent; but Pharaoh's Magicians (by their Inchant­ments performing the same, the King's Heart was hardned, and would not let the People go, notwithstanding that he had seen Aaron's Rod swallowing up the Rods of his Sorcerers.

Hereupon GOD commands Moses to go again to Pharaoh, and meeting him near the River-side, without being in the least con­cern'd at his Threats, he addresseth himself to him with an holy Boldness and Liberty: yet in conjunction with that humble Meekness, which was natural to him; once more de­mands leave for the Israelites, to go and serve GOD in the Wilderness.

Which when Pharaoh refused to do, Mo­ses commands Aaron, to stretch forth his Hand upon the Waters of Egypt, and immediately the River Nile was turned to Blood, as well as all the other Streams, Pools, and Waters of Egypt, and all the Fish that was in them, died.

This was the first Plague wherewith GOD punished Egypt; and was a lively Figure of that Plague wherewith GOD (in all suceeed­ing Ages) would smite those that do not believe his Word, who instead of the pure and clear Waters of his Truth, should meet with no­thing but Blood, that is, Earthly and Carnal Notions and Opinions.

In considering more attentively this terrible Judgment, we cannot sufficiently wonder at the insensible Hard-heartedness of Pharaoh, who seemed to be little concerned at this great Pro­digy. True it is, that his Sorcerers contributed very much to this his Insensibility, in imitating by their Inchantments this Divine Miracle wrought by Moses, giving thereby a specious pretext to Pharaoh, to look upon this Wonder no otherwise than as an effect of Magick Art, and not (as indeed it was) an immediate Pro­duct of the Divine Omnipotence; though indeed this were not sufficient to render him excusable; because though his Enchanters could do mischief, yet it was not in their power afterward to re­move and remedy it: they could in imitation of Moses change the Water to Blood, but could not, like him, transmute that Blood again into Water.

Wherefore also, though the Plagues wherewith Moses smote Pharaoh and all Egypt, ought to have persuaded him of the Truth of his Mes­sage; yet the ceasing of those Plagues at the Prayer of him who at first was the subordinate cause of them, ought more strongly to have con­vinced him of the same Truth, by how much it is an easier thing to do hurt and mischief, than to change that mischief into good.

But alas! the most powerful, and (one would think) irresistible Demonstrations, make no im­pression on a Spirit that is once struck with Blindness, there being nothing upon Earth that is capable of softning a Heart, which like Iron is hardned by the very strokes it receives from Heaven, and which GOD in his just Judgment leaves to its own obstinate Wickedness.

THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT.

THE First Plague, which turned the Waters of the River Nile, and all other Streams and Lakes of the Land of Egypt into Blood, not having met with the success of in­clining the Heart of Pharaoh to comply with the Divine Command, to let Israel go, GOD sends the following Plagues in order.

The second was the Plague of Frogs, which covered the Face of all Egypt, and filled the very Houses and Bed-chambers of King and Peo­ple. Which Plague (as St. Austin observes) was a Figure of that Judgment wherewith GOD at present smites Men, who are too profuse of their Tongues, and place their Godliness in much Talking.

The Third Plague was that of Lice, which represents the Plague wherewith in after­times the Church would be afflicted, by the Disputes and Contests of those who would endeavour to trouble the Peace thereof, and unhinge and disquiet Souls.

The Fourth, was that of Swarms of Flies: These most importunate and troublesom In­sects, denote to us the Plague wherewith those Men are smitten, who are given up to a Restlestness of Spirit, which hinders them from tasting the charming Sweetness and Pleasure of true Divine Peace and Rest in GOD.

The Fifth, was the Morrain of Beasts; which teacheth us, That all these who being within the Pale of the Church, do notwith­standing live an Animal and Bestial Life, should be struck with an invisible and Spiri­tual Plague or Pestilence, which would kill their Souls, tho' it might seem to spare their Bodies.

The Sixth Plague passed from the Beasts to M [...]n themselves, filling them with dolorous Boils and Blains; which represented the a­bominable filth and nastiness of Sin in the Soul, which is as loathsom as the filthy Matter that proceeds from an Ulcer in the Body; and those hot and fiery Blains, are an admi­rable Figure of the Plague of those, who are overcome by their own Rage, Passion and Anger.

The Seventh, was that of a prodigious Hail, mingled with Thunder and Fire, which kill'd Man and Beast that were in the Field; smote every Herb, and brake every Tree of the Field; which represents the Injustice and Violence of those who out of Envy spoil other Mens Labours, and in so doing perish in the mischief they do to others, even as Hail melts away after the Ruin and Destruction it hath caused upon the Earth.

The Eighth, was the Plague of Locusts, which devoured all the Herbs of the Ground, and the Fruit of the Trees, which the Hail had left. These Locusts represent the Evils which happen to the Church by Detraction and Calumny; because the Locusts hurt only by their Mouths, and therefore do lively ex­press false Witnesses and Detractors, whose Sting and Poyson is in their Tongues.

The Ninth, was that of Darkness; denoting that terrible Darkness which is in the Hearts of the Wicked, whilst those who are Good, enjoy a most pure and clear Light.

We are to take notice here (as the Book of Wisdom observes) That GOD did not punish the Hardness of Pharaoh all at once, but by degrees and intervals, that he might evi­d [...]nce his Mercy, even in pouring forth of his Wrath and Fury; and the desire he hath, that l [...]ss [...]r Chastisements might prevent greater and exterminating Judgments.

When GOD intends to punish like a GOD, he does not make use of Flies or Frogs: It was as easie for him to have sent at first Lions to destroy them all at once, as to send the Flies to warn them to look to themselves be­fore it was too late; but he restrains the course of his Wrath, and contents himself at first to inflict a lighter Punishment, to the end that M [...]n being affrighted with those first Strokes, may judge how intolerable it will be to bear his Wrath, and to drink the Dregs of the Cup of his Fury.

For GOD will have Men know, That he ought and will be feared; and when he meets with Pharaohs; that is, with Hearts altogether hardned, he makes bare his Arm against them; and after having made them pass through all the degrees of his Anger, without being able to soften them, he is (as it were) forced by their Impenitence, to proceed to extremity, and to be as firm in his Justice, as they are in their resolv'd Obstinacy.

[Page 49]THE PASCHAL LAMB.

THE foregoing Nine Plagues having proved ineffectual to overcome the Ob­stinacy of Pharaoh; GOD (before he sent the Tenth) commands every Jewish Family to sa­crifice the Lamb, which he had order'd them to have in a readiness, since the 10th day of that same Month, that is, before he sent the Plague of Darkness. He prescribes also the manner how they were to celebrate the Sa­cred Feast, viz. they were to eat it standing, with their Staffs in their hands, and in haste, as Persons ready to take a Journey. But the Circumstance more particularly enjoyn'd than all the rest was, That in whatsoever House this Lamb was offered, they were to strike the Blood on the two Side-Posts, and on the upper Door-Post, that the destroying Angel (who was to slay the First-born of all the o­ther Houses) might pass over and spare those which he should see mark'd with the Blood of the Lamb.

The Children of Israel obeyed this Com­mand of GOD, and being on the 15th of the same Month assembled in their several Fami­lies to eat the Paschal Lamb in the Evening, GOD at Midnight slew all the Firstborn of E­gypt, from the First-born of Pharaoh, who sat upon the Throne, to the First-born of the meanest Slave, and of all their Cattel. Pha­raoh struck with the sudden and unlookt for Death of his Son, rose up at Midnight, and every Family finding themselves partakers of the same Plague, nothing was heard but Cries and Lamentations, besides the Horror that seiz'd them for fear of being involv'd in the same Disaster with their dearest Children.

How sensible an Instance was this, that GOD disposes of Men as he pleases, and that he forces them (sooner or later) to comply to his Will and Commands? Pharaoh, who till then had stood it out against the Commands of GOD by Moses, was the first to entreat the Israelites to be gone, without any restriction, with their Flocks and Herds, and all that they had; the only thing he desired was, that they would make haste and be gone; as likewise did all the rest of the Egyptians.

So they departed the day after the Passover, being the very same Day wherein the 430 Years,Anno Mundi 2513. before Christ 1491. which GOD had foretold to Abraham, that his Posterity should be Strangers and [...] in a Foreign Land, were ended, to [...] num­ber of 600000. M [...]n, besides Women and Children. But before their dep [...]rture they had (in compliance with the Divine Command) borrowed of their Neighbours, the Egyptians, Vessels of Gold and Silver, which they lent them without any difficulty.

Thus were they at last deliver'd from their long Bondage in Egypt, where they now con­tinued 215 years. And they robb'd the Egyp­tians at their Departure to recompence them­selves for the hard Labour they had su­stained in building of their Cities, and other Monume [...]ts of their Pride and Vanity: And it is observable, that they took along with them the very best and richest of their Goods, to hint to us, That GOD one day would be­stow upon his Zion the Glory of the World, when the Kingdoms of this World should be­come the Kingdoms of the LORD, and of his Son Christ Jesus.

This Deliverance of the Children of Israel out of Egypt, was a lively Figure of the De­liverance of GOD's People from the Lusts of the World, and the Tyranny of the Devil, which Deliverance they should owe to the Blood of the true Lamb of GOD. Before the offering up of this saving Sacrifice, they might in­deed groan under their Bondage and [...]arthens, but they could not get rid of them. This great Grace and Favour GOD will have his People to commemorate every year in the greatest Festival the Church has, as well as more fre­quently in the Sacrament of the Holy Eu­charist, to the end that having always in their Minds the Memory of him who has redeem'd them from their Bondage, as well represent­ing to themselves the Tyrant that had enslaved them, they may be as thankful to the one, as they abhor the other; and that keeping close to Jesus Christ, as to him who alone can pre­serve them in the dear bought Liberty he has procur'd for them, they may fear the least ap­pearance of any thing that may be an occasi­sion of subjecting them anew to the Devils Ty­ranny, or entangling them in worldly Lusts and Corruption.

The Israelites Passing the Red-Sea.

PHARAOH seeing that the Children of Israel were escaped out of his Hands, and that the three Days they had demanded for to go and Sacrifice in the Wilderness were alrea­dy past,The same Year 2513. and that there was no likelyhood of their Return; forgetting all the prodigious Judgments wherewith GOD had plagued him, and his habitual hardness of Heart getting the upper-hand of him, he resolves to pursue them.

The Israelites seeing themselves in this danger, and engag'd in a Desert, where they had the Sea before them, and Pharaoh's Ar­my behind them; these terrible Objects made that impression upon them, as made them forget their so late and miraculous Delive­rance, together with the Divine Superinten­dency, which led them in the Desert with a Pillar of Cloud by Day, and a Pillar of Fire by Night. So they gave themselves up to Murmurings and Complaints, demanding in a peremptory way, of Moses, Whether it were for lack of Graves in Egypt, that he had brought them into that Wilderness, that they might find them there?

Moses endeavours the best he could to com­fort an [...] encourage them in this Extremity, by assuring them of the Divine Ass [...]stance: And as Pharaoh with his Army began to ap­proach them, GOD commands Moses to stretch forth his Hand over the Sea; whereupon im­mediately the Waters were divided, opening a Way for the Children of Israel to pass through. Thus they marched along this miraculous Way the LORD had cast up for them, the Waters standing as a Wall on each side, securing and guiding their Passage through it.

The Egyptians without being daunted at this stupendious Miracle, and supposing that since it favour'd the Israelites Escape, it might as well befriend their Pursuit [...] venture upon this new Road. But GOD soon caused them to he sensible of the difference he made between them and his P [...]ople; for glancing an angry Look upon them from the fiery and cloudy Pillar, he struck them with Terror and Confusion, who seeing their Error too late, began to call upon one another, to get out of the Sea as fast as they could, be­cause the LORD fought against them, in fa­vour of the Jews.

In this their Attempt to make an Escape from the Mischief that had already overtaken them, GOD commands Moses to stretch forth his Hand again over the Sea, and the divi­ded Waters joyning, came pouring upon the Egyptians, who soon after were seen floating on the Sea, not so much as one of them esca­ping from that fatal Wreck. This hapned the 21st day of the first Month, that is to say the 8th day after Easter.

These Miracles afford us a full view of the Divine Greatness and Power, he having testi­fied by Moses, That his end in exerting these Prodigies was, that Men might acknowledge and reverence his Omnipotence; but that which grieved the Fathers of the Church, was, to find that Christians had only Eyes to behold such Miracles as these, that are outward, with­out considering those, of which the former are only a Figure, and are far more considerable, be­cause more spiritual and inward.

We admire (saith St. Bernard) the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt; but we don't admire a Soul, who by a sincere Conversion and Repen­tance, is delivered from the Slavery of this World: In the first of these it is only a Pha­raoh thas is overcome; but in the latter, the Devil himself is vanquish'd, and put under the Conquerors Feet. There Chariots only were drowned, but here sensual Desires, and the impetuosity of Concupiscence is destroyed. The Jews had only to do with Men of Flesh and Blood; whereas the Soul must fight the Pow­ers of Darkness, and contest with the Prince of the Air. And as it was for the Glory of GOD, to hear Pharaoh then cry out, Let us flee from the Face of Israel, for GOD fighteth for them; 'Tis much more for his Glory, when the Devils, sensible of a Divine Power engag'd against them, cry out, Let us get away from this Soul, for GOD fights for her.

[Page 51]The Raining down Manna.

THis miraculous Passage through the Red-Sea, fill'd the most insensible amongst the Jews with Admiration and acknowledgment.The same Year 2513. They all joyn with Moses, who sang to GOD an ex­cellent Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving; which teaches us to beware of Unthankfulness under the manifold Mercies we receive from the Hands of GOD. Miriam (also the Sister of Aa­ron took a Timbrel in her Hand, and all the Wo­men accompanied her with Timbrels and Dances, and Songs of Joy.

But soon after this their glorious Delive­rance, and their thankful Acknowledgments of it, being prest with Hunger in the Wilder­ness, they began again to murmur against Moses, whom they look'd upon as the Cause of all the Difficulties and Disappointments they met with. Whereupon this Faithful Minister of the LORD, having represented to them, That all these their Murmurings and Complaints did reflect upon GOD himself, he being only his Instrumont and Servant, pro­mised them that GOD would grant their De­sires, and give them Meat: Accordingly the same Evening the LORD sent a prodigious Flight of Quails, which covered the Camp, and the next Morning sent them Manna from Heaven, which like Dew covered all the Ground round about their Tents. And this miraculous Heavenly Bread, he afterwards continued to them during their forty years journying in the Wilderness.

The Jews were surpriz'd the next Morning to see this Divine Food spread over the Face of the Earth, and admiring what it might be; Moses told them, that it was the Bread that GOD sent them from Heaven; and char­ged them to go and gather it every Morning before the Sun-rising; to teach us, (as the Book of Wisdom, Chap. 16. ver. 28. saith,) That we must prevent the Sun-rising to give Thanks to GOD for all his Benefits, and pray unto him before break of Day; for as soon as the Sun was risen, it melted away, and was no more to be found. Moses also forbad them to keep any of it till the Morning, GOD be­ing willing so early to teach the Jews, not to extend their care of necessary Supplies be­yond the present Day, leaving the thoughts of the Morrow to the Divine Providence. And lastly he charged them, that for the more strict and religious Observation of the Sab­bath, they should gather the Day before a double quantity of Manna, which did not pu­trifie and breed Worms, as that which was on other days kept till the next Morning.

This Figure doth most lively represent to us the Holy Eucharist, as Jesus Christ himself witnesseth in the Gospel; and we may boldly say, That how wonderful soever this Food of the Jews was, yet had not they in this, nor in any other of the miraculous Favours bestowed up­on them any advantage beyond the Christians, who do more truly feed upon the Heavenly Man­na, and the Bread of Angels, which Jesus Christ gives to those who are come forth out of Egypt, that is, from the Corruptions and De­filements of the World, and wherewith he com­forts and supports them in the Wilderness of this Life, until they enter into the true Land of Promise, as the Jews were maintained with Manna, till their entring into Canaan.

Wherefore also, Christians ought to take great care to acknowledge and improve this Divine Grace and Favour better than the Jews did, and to tremble at the thought of falling into a distaste and dislike of this Heavenly Food, af­ter their Example: who though at the first view of this Miraculous Bread, they were struck with wonder, yet being once accustomed to it, they pre­ferred the Garlick and the Onions of Egypt before it.

This disregard and loathing the Jews then had for their Manna, is an express and lively Figure of the Affront Christians offer to Jesus Christ in his Sacrament, when they are so hardy to approach that Holy Table, without a due Trial of themselves, and without discern­ing the Lord's Body. They who still hanker after the Flesh-pots of Egypt, are not fit Guests to feed on these Heavenly Dainties, and their assisting at this most Religious and Mysti­cal Solemnity, will only hasten their Condem­nation.

The gushing of Water out of the Rock.

ONE would think the Jews should never more have doubted of the Divine Care and Providence, which continually attended them after so signal a Miracle, The same Year 2513. as was that of Man­na, which they having every Day renew'd to them, furnish'd them with continual visible assurances of the Faithfulness of him, who had charged himself with the Care and Con­duct of them: Yet for all this a new Dif­ficulty arising, by their want of Water, effac'd the remembrance of all the miraculous Assi­stances the Divine Goodness had afforded them, and put them upon murmuring afresh against Moses, whose Hands they had so oft seen invested with the Divine Omnipotence.

For being come to a place called Rephidim, where there was no Water for them to drink, they in a seditious and rebellious manner ad­dress themselves to Moses, tauntingly demand­ing of him, Why he had brought them out of Egypt, to kill them and their Children, and Cattel with thirst in the Wilderness? This meek and kind Governour of a most rebellious and stiff-necked People, had no other Re­fuge to retire to, (besides him, who at first had put him in that station) than even GOD himself, and representing to him the extre­mity to which he was reduc'd by the general Murmurings and Revolt of a People, that were ready to stone him. GOD, to comfort him, bids him take the Elders of Israel along with him, and the Rod (wherewith he smote the Waters of the River Nile, and turn'd them to Blood) in his Hand, and go to the Rock of Horeb, where he would give both him and them another Instance of his All-com­manding Power, by making Waters to gush forth from thence, to satisfie the Thirst of that great People.

This Promise was immediately follow'd by answerable effect; for Moses had no sooner [...] the Rock, (which according to S. Paul, repr [...]sented Jesus Christ) but Torre [...]s of Wa­ter [...] down the dry and parched Faith, and [...] gush'd forth from the flinty Rock. This Miracle was a visible representation of the [...]verflowing [...] of Grace, proce [...]d [...]ng from a crucifi [...]d JES [...]S; for he is the true Rock from whence do flow forth those Waters of Life, which quench the Thirst of his People, during the weary Steps they take in the Wil­derness of this mortal Life, which afterwards become in them a Fountain and Source of Living Waters, springing up into Eternal Life, making the Hearts of the most obdurate Sinners, to relent and gush forth into Tears of Repentance.

Some time after this, when the Israelites were come to Cadesh, where Miriam, (Moses his Sister) died, and was buried; the Israe­lites upon a like occasion of want of Water, murmured against Moses and Aaron, and the Thirst that pressed them, making them forget the Respect they owed to those two eminent Persons, they threatned to stone them. Where­upon they both retir'd into the Tabernacle, to prostrate themselves before GOD, on the be­half of these stiff-necked Rebels.

By this their Example they gave an admi­rable instance of that sweet and meek De­portment which Pastors ought to use toward their Flock; for being so unjustly and despite­fully persecuted, by these obdurate Revolters, they implored the Divine Mercy for those ve­ry Persons whose Rage and Fury they were fain to avoid; they lov'd those that hated them, and became Intercessors for those that resolv'd to destroy them.

In this second Miracle of Moses his drawing Water from the Rock, by smiting it with his Rod, he was fain to strike the Rock twice be­fore the Waters gusht forth, which seem'd to proceed from some distrust in him of the Di­vine Omnipotence. Wherefore also GOD re­proved his Servant for this his want of Faith, and told him, That for a Mark of his Dis­pleasure, he should not enter into the Land he had promised to give unto his People. From whence St. Gregory takes occasion to adore the Judgments of GOD, and to tr [...]mble in seeing him punish [...]d, who had so often interceded with GOD, and obtain'd Pardon for an un­grateful and rebellious People, and that GOD avenged one single Act of Distrust in him, who had been so faithful to him in all other Mat­ters.

[Page 53]AMALEK DEFEATED.

SOon after the Israelites were thus comfor­ted and refreshed with the Miraculous Supply of Water from the Bowels of a hard Rock, The same year, 2513. they met with a fresh occasion of Discou­ragement, by being unexpectedly set upon by the Amalekites, who came with a great Force against them. They were the first that had the boldness to attack a People, whom GOD had but just now so miraculously deliver'd from their Bondage in Egypt.

These cruel Enemies having observ'd the Jews to be tired with their continual March­ings, and that besides their being expos'd to the hardship of Hunger and Thirst, were for the most part unarm'd, they were base and cowardly enough to design the destruction of a People, who never in the least had offended them, and who in the state they were in, were so many fit Objects of Mercy and Compas­sion, rather than of Hatred and Cruelty.

But Moses who always fix'd his trust and confidence in GOD, was not at all terrified with the number or strength of his Enemies; but commanded Joshua, to choose from amongst all the People a competent number of M [...]n of Courage, and to lead them on against the E­nemy, assuring him, that he would not fail of doing his part towards the obtaining a hap­py Victory over them, and to this end resol­ved to take the Rod of GOD in his Hand, and retire to the top of the Mountain with Aaron and Hur.

The next day, when Israel was engag'd with Amalek, and whilst Joshua performed all the parts of a Wise and Couragious Gene­ral, Moses in Prayer addrest himself to GOD, in earnest Supplication for a Blessing upon his People.

By this his Behaviour he taught the Jews these two important Lessons, that GOD is the only giver of Victory; and, that he bestows it in his Grace and Favour only upon those, who humble themselves under his powerful Hand, with the profoundest Submission and Humility, entreating it of him, who is the sole dispensor of it.

Therefore this Holy M [...]n ▪ ceased not from lifting up his Hands towards Heaven beseech­ing GOD to grant a favourable success to the just Arms of his own People; and the great zeal he had for the glory of GOD, and the good of Israel, made him continue so long in that Posture, that he was forc'd at last for weariness to let them down.

But Aaron and H [...]r having taken notice, that when Moses let down his Hands, Amalek prevailed against the Jews; they got him to sit down upon a Stone, and placing themselves on each side of him, they supported his Hands, by which means Israel obtained an entire Vi­ctory over their Enemies: Whereof GOD com­manded Moses to write a Memorial that might last for ever, obliging the Israelites, when entred into the Land of Canaan, to contribute to the Resolution he had taken of utterly ef­facing the Memory of Amalek from under Heaven.

This History chiefly informs us, that for to obtain the Victory over our Enemies, we must above all implore the Divine Assistance, and put our trust in his Aid, and that whatever effects an Army may make, all is to no purpose, if they be not at the same time supported by the Faith and continual Prayers of good Men.

But the Fathers, as they consider this Figure, as an excellent Pattern of Perseverance in Prayer, and Wrestling with GOD for a Victory over all our Spiritual Enemies; so in a special manner they look upon it as an Instruction for Pastors, who with Moses ought to betake them­selves to the Mountain of Retirement, there continually lifting up their Hands towards Heaven, even to fainting. If they love their Flock as they ought, they can do no less, and it is the best Service they can do for them. The care of outward things, they may lay upon others; but Prayer is their own peculiar Work and Task, and by it alone they can do more than others by all their outward endeavours: For Joshu [...]h, notwithstanding all his Courage, C [...]re, and Conduct, had be [...]n beaten, if Moses had not prayed. Amalek was able to with­stand and vanquish too the whole Army of the Israeli [...]es, but could not withstand the Prayer of one Moses; and a single Person, all faint and tired as he was, prov'd too strong for a whole Army.

The first Tables of the Law.

THree Months after GOD had delivered his People from the Tyranny of Pha­raoh out of Egypt, being departed from Rhephidim h [...]ey pitched their Tents in the Wilderness or Desert of Sinai, The same year, 2513. before the Mount. The LORD called Moses unto him, and said, Tell the Children of Israel, ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bear you on Eagles Wings; now therefore, if you will obey my Voice, and keep my Covenant, then shall ye be a peculiar Treasure unto me above all People; for all the Earth is mine, and ye shall be un­to me a Kingdom of Priests, and an holy Nati­on. Moses having communicated this to the People, they answered with one accord, that whatsoever the LORD had commanded them, they would do.

When this Holy Man had return'd the Peo­ples answer to GOD, he bid him go to the People, with an order from him to sanctifie themselves, and be in a readiness against the third day, at which time he would come down and speak to them from the top of Mount Sinai. He also commanded Moses, to set bounds to the People round about the Mount, and strictly to charge the People not to go be­yond them, or come near it upon pain of Death.

After that all this had been performed ac­cording to GODS command by Moses, early in the Morning on the third day, nothing was heard but claps of Thunder, the Heavens seem'd all on a flame with Lightnings, and a thick Cloud cover'd the top of the Mount. There was also heard the sound of a Trumpet exceeding loud. With those amazing Ob­jects the Eyes and Ears of the People were so seiz'd, that Moses could scarcely perswade them to come out of their Tents, to hear the Com­mandments GOD was about to give them.

At the same time GOD called Moses to him from the top of the Mountain, which seem'd all on Fire, and the Smoke thereof ascended like the Smoke of a Furnace; but the People stood at a distance, and heard the Ten Com­mandments, which GOD by his own Mouth delivered to them. But they being seized with Fear and Trembling at these terrible Appearances, desired of Moses, that he would be pleased to speak to them, and tell them from GOD, whatsoever he should be pleased to command them, that so they might no longer be exposed to those Terrours which they apprehended might be a means of their Death.

In this manner were the Ten Command­ments publish'd at first, which even to this day are those Holy Laws, which Christians look upon as the unmoveable foundation of their Piety. The Fathers wished, that some part of that Terror and Trembling, which then seiz'd the Jews at the hearing of them, pronounced by GOD himself from the Mount, might also lay hold upon us, to the end, that we also might tremble and quake at the apprehension of any thing, that might in the least make us to offend against the Holiness of these Ordinances.

Process of time, and the corruption of Manners amongst the Jews formerly, and since amongst the Christians, have made Men study several ways to elude the force and obligation of these Commandments, by false Interpretations and Equivocations, calculated only to favour the licen­tious and loose Lives of Men: But Jesus Christ, who assures us, that the least jot or title of those Holy Laws shall not perish; at the same time teacheth us, to have always the same respect for them, as if they had but just now been delivered to us from the Mouth of GOD himself.

For Christians are no more Slaves and Bond­men as the Jews, who were Children of the Bondwoman, but are Children of the Freewo­man; and therefore they do no more say with the Jews, Let not the LORD speak to us, lest we die; but on the contrary, they desire nothing more, than that GOD should speak to their Souls; forasmuch as the words which he speaks are the Words of Life, and are always accompanied with the Unction of the Holy Ghost, which makes them with joy and delight to perform those Com­mands, which the Jews lookt upon as a Yoke that was insupportable.

[Page 55]THE GOLDEN CALF.