Prototypes, Example 20
THE TWENTIETH EXAMPLE.
OF IACOBS Wives.
FRom the Story of Iacob, I proceed to his Wives and Children, and ſo to other his contemporaries. Iacob had foure Wives. It was not his own ſeeking, that his Wives grew to ſuch a number, for he was painfull and laborious, and a chaſte man, that would very contentedly have ſatisfied himſelfe with one woman. But he was drawne into this way of Polygamy by ſeverall occaſions.
Now of his Wives, the true and lawfull Wife was Rachel, for her he agreed, with her he eſpouſed himſelfe (as it is like, for we cannot thinke but that after his Father had promiſed to give her to him upon ſeven yeares ſervice, he would acquaint her with it, and deſire her good will, and unleſſe he had attained it, the marriage would not have proceeded, and been as it was, ſolemnly celebrated) to her hee bare ſingular affection, and her alone he looked for.
Now for Rachel, you know whoſe daughter ſhe was, viz. Labans, Rachel her birth.the brother of Rebekkah; here Couſin-germans married without ſcruple; but no marvell, for they made no queſtion of nearer matches. A man might marry his Fathers daughter, his ſiſter, as Abraham did Sarah. A man might marry with two ſiſters, as Iacob did Rachel and Leah. The Lord had not yet abridged the liberty of contracting mariage, as with any more remote, ſo with them that were neareſt in blood and alliance. Therefore their examples muſt be no preſident for us in this matter.
But of Rachel let us conſider after her Parentage, her life and death, and in her life: 1. Her faults. 2. Her vertues. 3. Her croſſes. 4. Her benefits, and ſo to her death.
1. Her faults.Firſt then, her faults; She was a woman of great imperfections: theſe are plainly noted in her.
1. She was envious toward her ſiſter.Firſt, ſhe was envious towards her ſiſter, as you ſee Gen. 30.1. It vexed her not alone that ſhe had no children, but that her ſiſter had: Envy is a ſin much to be blamed,Envy is a great vice. you may ſee in this Example what it is; ſuch a vexing at anothers having what I have not, as doth eſtrange my minde, and work a degree of hatred towards the perſon that hath it.
The firſt, and moſt remarkable example of this vice is found in Cain, it ſhewes it ſelfe here againe in Rachel. Let us conſider what a loathſome vice it is, that we may the better ſhun it. The Word of God hath given us frequent warning of it in blaming it ſo often, it ſhewes how apt we are to it, and how diligently we ſhould oppoſe it, and preſerve our ſelves from it;Mark. 7.22. our Saviour is pleaſed to reckon it among the evill things that come out of the heart, and doe defile the man, and giveth it the name of an evill eye, becauſe it ſhewes it ſelfe preſently in the eye and countenance, and cauſeth a dejected countenance, and a vile looke towards the party envied, as it is ſeen in Cain and Saul. It is a paſſion that will not be kept in, but will bewray it ſelfe in odde lookes and caſts of the eye.Rom. 1.29. S. Paul reckons it up among thoſe ſins wherewith the Gentiles were full, viz. of Envy, murder, &c. and you ſee with what companions he joynes it, murder, debate, for theſe indeed be the fruits that follow from it, as in Saul, Cain, and the Phariſees is evident. S. Paul alſo reckons it amongſt the number of the things which are fruits of the fleſh,Gal. 5.21. and which he that doth, ſhall not inherite the kingdome of heaven, envyings, murders, where you ſee likewiſe how he fellows it with murders, as he had done before. In the ſame Epiſtle he forbids it, ſaying, Let us not bee covetous of vain-glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Saint Iames ſaith, that Where, envying and ſtrife is, there is confuſion, and all manner of evill workes. It is thought to have been one of the firſt ſins of the devill. For what could move him to ſeeke the overthrow of our firſt Parents Adam and Eve; but together with an hatred of God from whom himſelfe had fallen, an evill affection towards them that ſtood entire in that good eſtate, which himſelfe had loſt, viz. the favour of God, and true happineſſe? Now this vice is injurious to God, to the party envyed, to the enviers ſelfe, and to the ſocieties of mankinde.
Firſt to God, to whom it will not grant the freedome of diſpoſing his owne gifts according to his owne good pleaſure. Envy againſt him that excels us, carries with it by way of implication at leaſt, and ſometimes expreſly, blaming, condemning, muttering againſt him that hath granted to another what he hath denied unto me. They murmured againſt the houſholder in the parable, that were troubled to ſee thoſe of the eleventh houre to have equall wages with them at the firſt.
Now what an audaciouſneſſe is this in the creatures, to ſet rules to the Creator? and to binde him, that he ſhall not ſhew himſelfe more bountifull to another than to ones ſelfe. Are not we diſcontented, if one childe grudge becauſe another hath a bigger or better thing than himſelfe? We cannot endure that our inferiours ſhould ſet lawes to us, and appoint us what to give to others, what to them: We muſt know our ſelves to forget our ſelves much if we will preſcribe to God, and it is nothing elſe but a very preſcribing to God, when we take occaſion from his bounty to repine. For if it be well done, why are we vexed? If not, upon whom is the blame laid?
Further, it is a wrong to the party envyed, for it is to meaſure ſuch meaſure to him, as we would not have meaſured to our ſelves by another. Who doth not blame another for vexing at his proſperity, and for having a grudge againſt him becauſe God hath done him good? Would we not that all ſhould rather love us, reſpect us more, and rejoyce with us? Therefore we doe injury to our neighbour, in doing what we would not have done to our ſelves: The envious wrongeth himſelfe both becauſe he doth vexe and eate out his owne heart to no purpoſe (for neither ſhall another proſper leſſe, nor he more, becauſe of ſuch his inordinate diſtempers) as alſo becauſe he makes himſelfe lie open to moſt grievous ſins of detracting, ſlandering and practiſing all injuries, yea, and murder at the laſt. He is in the high way that will lead him to many ſins, yea, to the ſhedding of innocent blood, that entertaineth this diabolicall humour of envy. And he wrongeth the whole ſociety, becauſe he is diſtempered at that which maketh for the common good, even the diſtribution of Gods gifts differently as himſelfe ſees fit, and in that he is broody of quarrels, which all hinder the common welfare of the places where they be. Beſides, this is a fruit of pride and uncharitableneſſe, and muſt needs be hatefull to God, who loves only the humble and charitable. Envy is a vice, unto the making of which many vices concurre: Ignorance, folly, pride, uncharitableneſſe, ſelf-love, and the like: It is a vice which bringeth forth many other vices, contention, ſtrife, ſwellings, tumults, whiſperings, back-bitings, murders and all evill deeds. Therefore let us finde it out, and chaſe it away: You ſhall eaſily perceive that it is a weed which growes in our corrupt nature. How ſoon doe children begin to ſhew it? how doth it grow ſtronger by continuance, increaſing in ſtrength as the body increaſeth? yea, how doth it live in old men too, and vexe them alſo that ſhould have more underſtanding? as experience ſheweth. Indeed the elder can uſe more craft to hide it, but many times they have no more wiſdome to ſubdue it than the younger.
I pray you finde it out each one in himſelfe, and fight againſt it, as one of the moſt loathſome fruits of the fleſh. And ſtrive you to get ſuch a meaſure of humility and charity, as may not alone preſerve you from this vice, but make you rejoyce with them that rejoyce, and turne the proſperity of others into matter of gladneſſe, even then when your ſelves want it: Happy is he that partakes in every mans happineſſe. It is in a mans power to taſte ſome of the ſweete of every mans eſtate, and to heale his wounds by a medicine made of comfortable rejoycing in their ſoundneſſe. Why ſhould we not make our ſelves merry at things, rather than ſad and diſcontented? If we were ſo wiſe and godly as to ſeeke and deſire Gods glory as our maine end, then we ſhould rejoyce at all thoſe things which conduced to that end, and ſo doe the benefits beſtowed upon our brethren, as well as thoſe that our ſelves enjoy. If wee could bee lovers of the common good, and deſirers of the publike welfare, why the benefits of others further that, and therefore ſhould alſo glad us. Mankinde was encreaſed, the power of God in furniſhing the world demonſtrated by Leahs off ſpring, as well as if Rachel had conceived two, and ſhee two; be we therefore lovers of Gods glory, and lovers of the common good, and we ſhall not be envious. This vice ſometimes ſeekes a reaſon to hide its unreaſonableneſſe, by conceiting that anothers having ſuch things hinders himſelfe, and ſo it may fall out in ſome caſes; as when two ſtand in competition for the ſame thing: but this is no wrong though it be a damage, and therefore ſhould not produce any grudge. For ſeeing but one can have the thing, and he hath it; is it juſt to bee offended with him, that hath done no more to my ſelf, than I would have done to him? even preferred himſelfe before me: Wherefore ſee that you give not place to this wicked vice, but learne ſo to love your neighbours as your ſelves, that you may rejoyce in their proſperity as in your owne: But let us every man prepare himſelfe to meete with this fell monſter of envy, that if it encounter us, yet we may not be thruſt into diſtempers by it. It is not in any mans power to hinder the malicious and malignant natures of other men from ſhewing it ſelfe; but to be quiet, milde, and patient towards him that envies a man, that his wiſdome and charity ſhould inable him to performe; for is it not common to all good things, to come attended with envy? Was not Chriſt envied? Was not Paul? Have not the beſt been? Yea, wee muſt endure envy even from our neareſt kindred. The brother muſt bee prepared to ſuffer the envy of the brother, the ſiſter of the ſiſter, and muſt bee able to hold their ſpirits in ſuch order, that they may not leſſe love one that envies them, which yet is hard to love thoſe that uſe us ill. For by how much envy proveth more implacable than other kindes of grudges, by ſo much carnall reaſon will bid us to bee more apt unto it; but Gods Spirit frames men to a gentle carriage. Pray God to make you of ſuch a temper, that you may bee able to ſhew kindneſſe even to him that envies you.
I come to another fault of Rachels, 2. She was paſſionate toward her huſband Iacob.ſhee was paſſionate and ſnappiſh towards her husband Iacob, and in a fume ſhee quarrels with him for not having children, as if it were his fault that her ſelfe was barren.
It is a great fault in a wife to bee angry and finde fault with the husband without due cauſe, and to lay blame upon him when hee deſerveth it not, as did Sarah upon Abraham. It is contrary to the reverence, obedience, and love which they owe to their husbands: it is a meanes of eſtranging the husbands heart, by putting him into frequent fits of anger.
You wives bee ſorrowfull if you have in ſuch a caſe over-ſhot your ſelves, and now labour for ſo much diſcretion and meekeneſſe of wiſdome that may preſerve your tongues from ſpeaking paſſionately and unadviſedly to thoſe whom the Lord commands you to feare. What a fond ſpeech was Rachels? Give me children. Beware that anger doe not fill your mouthes with fooliſh words. And if this bee a fault in your Wives, good men, know it is a great fault in your ſelves, in whom more wiſdome is required. Nouriſh peace betwixt your ſelves, your yoake-fellows, and ſhunne angry and brawling words, that breede ſuch a koare of unkindneſſe as ſometimes runs forth into alienation, and perpetuall jarring.
But Rachel was diſcontented, ſo that ſhee would die if ſhee had no children: ſhee doth not meane that ſhee would kill her ſelfe.
Wee muſt not put the worſt ſence, no not upon cholericke ſpeeches; but ſhe meaneth that ſhee thought her ſelfe no better than dead, that ſhee ſhould not enjoy her life, that it would doe her no good, that ſhee wiſhed her ſelfe rather dead than alive. This ſhee meaneth, and this is bad enough. O what a mixture of pride and folly is it, to wiſh ones ſelfe dead for ſo ſmall croſſes as this, that one hath continued a little while barren?
Good men have beene over-taken with ſuch cloudes of diſcontent as have made them deſire death, but to bee weary of life becauſe one hath not a childe, I meete not with ſuch impatiency any where, but in Rachel.
Take heed to your ſelves, that no croſſes, no not the greateſt, draw ſuch diſtempers into your mindes, as to make you weary of life; but be much more aſhamed if a ſmall thing hath thus put you out. It is true, that many times this laviſh talke of Would I were dead, is from the teeth alone. If death ſhould offer it ſelfe at that inſtant, they would finde ſome other imployment for him, than to take them out of the world; but to be ſo full of diſcontent and vexation as to give vent to ſuch words, whether they ſeriouſly meane them or not, is a proofe of a man that doth not weigh things rightly in his minde. Rachel had a good husband, ſhe had likelihood of a good eſtate, and now lived abundantly, ſhee had the love of her husband, ſhee had health. What, and was not the fruition of all theſe able to make life ſweet to her, but ſhe muſt die if ſhe had not a childe? Did wee not forget or diſ eſteem the favours God hath ſhewed us, wee could never be put ſo far out of taſte as it were, that want of one benefit ſhould imbitter it ſelfe. But envy doth ſo rot the bones, that no eaſe can be felt of him that hath ſuffered that ſickneſſe to breed and grow ſtrong in him; Yea, ſee how all Hamans honour contented him nothing, ſo long as Mordecai was an eye-ſore to him. Pray God to keep you from ſuch diſordered paſſions, and greatly bewaile them when you meet with them.
3. She brought her ſervant to her husband to be his wife.But ſee another folly of Rachels. Shee brings her maid ſervant to her husband, and he muſt take her for his Concubine, to ſee if ſhee might be made a kinde of foſter-mother by her.
Fond Rachel! was not Leah nearer to thee than Bilhah? Couldeſt thou not have eſteemed thy ſiſters children thine owne, as well as thy bondmaids? Here were two faults.
Firſt, ſhe preſſed her husband to Polygamy; but that was a fault of meere ignorance, let it be paſſed by.
The next was, that ſhe would feed her ſelfe with a fancy, that they ſhould be her children which Bilhah ſhould beare, and not that Leah had borne.
Nature made Leah deare to her, the bondwoman was of no ſuch kindred; but ſhe forgets nature, and lets fancy over-rule, ſhee had taken ſuch a conceit againſt her ſiſter, that ſhe was deſirous any woman ſhould have children by their common husband, rather than ſhe. Let us ſee ſuch follies in our ſelves, that fancy rules us againſt all reaſon, and that we ſometimes take ſuch a ſtitch and ſpleene againſt thoſe whom nature hath tyed to us, that of all other we are leſſe pleaſed with their proſperity, and moſt eſtranged from them. And let us beware that we doe not diſcover ſuch ſenceleſſe and abſurd impreſſions of minde.
4. She makes God a partner with her fond paſſions.And ſee her folly yet further, when Bilhah had Dan, then ſhee will needs make God an approver of their folly, God hath judged: as if ſhe had great wrong before, and now God had righted it in giving her a ſon: Why, ſhe might have accounted that God had given her a ſon when Reuben or Iudah was borne, as well as Dan? But ſhee will needs make God partner with her fond paſſions. Wee are apt to wrong God in miſinterpreting the acts of his providence, as if hee ſhewed his love unto us in that wherein his Majeſty intended no ſuch matter. What is it to judge? that ſhe ſhould ſay, God had judged her. For my part I can ſee no ſence in her words, why this ſhould bee counted an act of Gods judging. No man had wronged her before, ſhe was never a whit better now than before, no whit leſſe barren. But ſuch is our fooliſh ſelf-love, that wee will needs threape kindneſſe upon God ſometimes beyond his liking; take heed of this fault, it is a fruit of an overmeane conceit of God, when we will cauſe him to be a ſervant to our luſts, and unreaſonable fancies.
But after the ſecond childe ſhe is more fooliſh,5. She inſults over her ſiſter becauſe ſhee won her huſband to beget children of her handmaid. and then ſhe triumphs, With wraſtlings of God have I wraſtled with my ſiſter, and I have prevailed: And ſo the boyes name muſt needs be Nephthali. She inſults over her ſiſter, as for a notable victory, becauſe ſhe had won her husband ſo far, as to beget children of her handmaide. Why ſaith ſhe that ſhe had wraſtled with her ſiſter? Did Leah hinder her from children? Was it becauſe of Iacobs doting on Leah, that Rachel conceived not? Sure the Holy Ghoſt tels us that his over-loving of her, and deſpiſing of her ſiſter cauſed God to humble her with barrenneſſe.
So fooliſh is a man, that he often triumphs in a thing as a great matter, which is nothing at all, and thinkes he hath gotten a victory, when he hath rather gotten a blot, as we ſee here in Rachel. Let us moderate our joyes, and take heed of inſulting in a thing that hath ſhewed our folly, and elſe nothing advantaged us.
Now another weakneſſe is,6. She was over earneſtly deſirous of Reubens Mandrakes. that ſhe was ſo earneſtly deſirous of Reubens Mandrakes. I conſent to them that thinke theſe Mandrakes to have been nothing elſe but goodly flowers, which Reuben, who was now ſome ſix or ſeven yeares old, had gathered in the fields, or whether they were ſome pleaſant fruit or nor, I cannot tell; the word ſignifies Lovelineſſes, ſuch things as were lovely. But that Rachel had ſuch an appetite to them, as ſhe muſt needs have ſome of them, it ſhews that ſhe was a woman given too much to her fancy and appetite. If in caſe of breeding children, and weakneſſe of body, ſome diſtempers follow, it is a miſery, but it wants not a ſpice of ſinne too, when by yeelding overmuch to the eye, a man is ſo enſlaved to his eye, that he muſt have every fine thing he ſees. Rachel is the copy of a fond woman; all you good women ſee her follies to avoid them.
But the worſt and laſt fault is,7. She ſtole away her Fathers Idols, and diſſembled with him afterward. ſhe ſtole her Fathers Idols and concealed them with diſſembling and falſe excuſes. Shee had beene wife to Iacob for twenty yeares ſpace, ſhe had called upon God for a childe, and he had given her a ſon, ſhe had ſhewed ſome faith in him, by calling the ſon Ioſeph, profeſſing her hope of having yet another ſon. Either we muſt throw an imputation of great careleſneſſe upon Iacob if hee taught her not the true God, and his true worſhip, or elſe upon her, that after ſo long time of teaching had not gotten her out of thoſe Idolatrous fancies, but muſt even ſteale away with her her Fathers Idols, it was not done out of deteſtation of Idolatry, to free her Fathers houſe from them, that ſhe might have done without the trouble of carrying them ſo far, ſhe might have burnt them, or otherwiſe deſtroyed them ſure enough: but I conceive ſhe did it out of a ſuperſtitious conceit of ſome goodneſſe in the gods, or in thoſe pictures of gods. The word ſignifies Images of men, and they were belike little Images, elſe ſhee could not have conveighed them ſo quickly, and ſo ſecretly, but that they would have been knowne. It is much adoe to weare ſuperſtition out of the heart of one that hath been ſuperſtitiouſly brought up.
This is the firſt place that I remember in which theſe Idols are mentioned, but Rachel had ſo drunke in the opinion of their being ſacred, that ſhe could not lay it aſide. It is no eaſie matter to leave ſuch falſhoods in points of religion, as have prevailed in the places, and among the perſons with whom ones ſelfe was trained up. Wee ſhould bleſſe God that hath granted us education in the true religion.
And ſecondly, we muſt even pitty them, that have been ſuperſtitiouſly educated. They may have ſome good thing in them, though they cannot ſhake off thoſe miſconceits, but hanker too much after their Images. I would be loath to ſay, and I thinke ſo would any of you that Rachel had no true piety in her, becauſe ſhe ſtood ſo affected to the Idols of her Father. But let us rather thinke that Iacob had brought her to ſome knowledge of the true God, though the old ſmell of that falſhood wherewith ſhe was firſt ſeaſoned, would not forſake the veſſell: and let us ſtrive to bring our children rather into a deteſtation of ſuch graven Images, for ſure the Lord can ſpeake of nothing more contemptibly. And Images made now to repreſent the true God, muſt needs be as loathſome as Aarons and Ieroboams Calves, which were intended to repreſent the true God, and not a falſe. But ſhe uſed diſſembling, and coſenage to cover her fact, as the Story tells, hiding them in the Camels litter, and then ſitting upon them, and craving pardon of her Father for not riſing up to him, pretending, that the cuſtome of women was upon her; whether this were true or not, yet ſhe diſſembled, for that was not the cauſe of her not riſing, but alone the care ſhe had to keepe the Idols ſecret, elſe ſhe would have riſen well enough. You ſee that committing of evill drawes men on to more ſin, to hide and conceale that which they have already committed, as it did Iacob, and David, and others, becauſe feare of ſhame or danger diſturbeth the minde, and turneth away the thoughts from conſidering the miſchief of ſinning. Therefore let us all take heed of entring into the path of evill, for if we be once in, no man can tell what lying, diſſembling, and other evils the devill will draw us into by meanes of that ſin. He intangles himſelfe as a ſheepe in the bryers, that run into any groſſe or ſhamefull ſin, and he can hardly come off with one wound alone. And if you have thus covered ſin with ſin, bewaile it as a great fault, but yet take heart to repent, and turne to God for favour, for it is no new thing with God to forgive ſuch treſpaſſes, only doe not embolden your ſelves of purpoſe to ſin, becauſe you know how to conceale it, and hope to keepe it cloſe, for then ſhall the ſame become a preſumptuous ſin, and ſo much more hardly pardoned.
I have ſhewed you Rachels faults. Her good deeds be but few,Her vertues. yet ſome:
Firſt, ſhe was one of her Fathers ſheep-keepers,1. She was one of her Fathers ſheep-keepers. and did not diſdaine to drive them to the water, at leaſt when the Shepheards were otherwiſe imployed. So it is a commendable thing in a young maide, to be ready to take paines, and doe ſervice in domeſticall buſineſſes, ſuch as accord to her Fathers ſtate. But an idle, coy, finiſh maide is ſo much the more diſdained of wiſe perſons, by how much ſhe doth more diſdaine labour in any profitable buſineſſe for which God did make men.
Further, Rachel at laſt ſaw God in her barrenneſſe,2. Shee ſaw God in her barrenneſſe at laſt, and fell to prayer. and fell to prayer; for it is ſaid, God hearkened to her, and opened her wombe. This gives us ſome hope that ſhe was humbled, and ſought God, which is good in our wants of any good thing, by it to be drawne to God in fervent prayers. Then be they graciouſly ſupplyed, when our need of them makes us ſupplicate to his bounty: Rachel got nothing by chafing, envying, or giving her maide to her husband, all that time the womb is not opened; but when ſhe remembred God, God remembred her; and when ſhe prayed, he hearkened and gave her a ſon. Let us in all our neceſſities make all the haſt we can to this remedy, comfort and deliverance will never come halfe ſo happily by other meanes without this. They be our prayers that muſt ſanctifie other meanes, and procure Gods co-operation with them for our good ſucceſſe. Iacob was Rachels husband before, but prayer had not made her fruitfull till now. God is the ruler of all things, learne to call upon him and truſt in him; He can remove any croſſe, as well as barrenneſſe.
Againe, it was a good thing in her to deſire children,3. She deſired children, and when ſhe had one, bleſſed God for him. and when ſhe had one, to ſee God, and bleſſe him, and ſay, God hath taken away my reproach. When we have gotten things by prayer, we muſt alſo ſee God in them, and give him thankes; yea ſhe ſaith, God will give me yet another ſon; the thankfull receiving of one benefit, may aſſure us of another, God will adde to mercies, if we take notice of his goodneſſe after we have called upon him in hearing our requeſt. Every benefit gotten by prayer, may and ſhould be called a Ioſeph.
Another good thing was,4. She requeſted a kindneſs from her ſiſter (for all her envy) and returned a kindneſs to her. that her envy to her ſiſter did not ſo prevaile with her, but that ſhe would aske her for her ſons Mandrakes.
Though the humour of envy was ſharpe in her, yet it may ſeeme to have waxed a little milder after a while, and ſhe could both requeſt a kindneſſe from her, and returne a kindneſſe to her. Let us looke that envy doe not continue in its height, ſo as ſometimes it doth, to make us grow bitter enemies. And ſhe did well in granting to Iacobs motion to returne into Canaan, for a wife is to forſake Father, and Mother, and cleave to her husband. Shee ſhall doe farre amiſſe that prefers not her husband before her Parents, and goes not with him rather than tarries with them.
5. She preferred her huſband before her Parents. 3. Her croſſes. 1. She was barren.So you have what is good and bad in her; now looke upon her croſſes; we can finde but few, and one which at laſt too was removed, ſhe was barren: This barrenneſſe God ſent of purpoſe to keepe her downe, becauſe ſhe ſhould not too much ſleight her ſiſter; but ſhe made this a great croſſe, though it be no great one in it ſelfe; you ſee that barrenneſſe is a croſſe, and to ſome people a great croſſe, becauſe of their earneſt deſire of iſſue on ſome or other conſideration. But it is needfull that God tame and humble us with ſome or other croſſes, and either make them great, or make uſe of our folly to our further humbling, by giving us over to our ſelves, to make them great that elſe would not be ſo. Wee muſt pray God to ſanctifie croſſes, and then we ſhall never repent of them when they be paſt: many a man hath repented for other things, but ſanctified croſſes were never yet bewailed afterwards. Perhaps one may eſteeme it a croſſe that ſhe was faine to leave her Fathers houſe, but indeed that was a benefit, for by that meanes ſhe was quite (we hope) freed from the Idolatry of her Fathers houſe, from which, ſo long as ſhe lived there, ſhe was not quite purged.
2. Her childrens carriage was ill.But her croſſes that ſhe felt with her husband in reſpect of her childrens ill carriage were heavy; for a good woman cannot bee ſenceleſſe of her husbands ſorrows, only death ſhut up her eyes from beholding that croſſe which in likelihood would have killed her quite, ſeeing it went ſo neare to Iacob; ſhe was dead afore Ioſeph was taken away from them.
Her benefits, health, ſtrēgth maintenance, beauty, and her husbands love, her prayers were heard, her fault hidden, Her death, ſhe dyed in childbed. Objected.But her benefits were common benefits of health, ſtrength, maintenance, and the like, and ſhe had beauty, and her husbands love, and after her prayers were heard, and a ſon given her, and it pleaſed God to hide her fault which ſhe committed in ſtealing her Fathers Idols, which if it had come to light, would have much provoked her Fathers anger, and her husbands. We muſt obſerve even ſuch mercies, to be thankfull to God that hath not dealt with us after our ſins. And wee hope that ſhee was a godly woman too, becauſe ſhee prayed to God; and it is ſaid, God remembred her and heard her: but her death was an heavy death, ſhe dyed in childbed, or in travell, and tooke it heavily, calling her ſon, The ſon of her ſorrows, whom after Iacob called The ſon of his right hand; Women with childe ſhould even prepare for death, they paſſe through the danger of it. And me thinkes, notwithſtanding whatſoever hath been to the contrary, delivering out of childbed-perils is a mercy that may well be acknowledged with a publique and ſolemne giving of thankes, and a feaſt. The equity of Iewiſh ceremonies remaining, though the ceremonies be aboliſhed, and though there be no legall uncleanneſſe, yet there is a reall danger eſcaped, and a reall benefit attained, and that ſhould (me thinks) crave an acknowledgement.
If you would learne, that all things are pure unto the pure, you would not bee hindred from ſo good a ſervice by any ſcruple or abuſe.
But I am afraid niggardlineſſe hath as great a hand in breaking of ſuch feaſts, as any thing elſe. Whether you feaſt or not, be it at your choiſe; but mee thinks, againe I repeat it, ſafe eſcaping the danger that tooke away Rachel, may well call for even a publicke and thankfull acknowledgement.
So much of Rachel, whom we leave by her husband ſolemnly interred unner a monument erected upon her grave, which kept her name up long, and occaſioned the calling of all the mothers dwelling thereabouts by her name, When it is ſaid, Rachel weeping for her children, becauſe they were not.
Now of Leah, ſhe was a wife of Iacobs, the firſt he had given, though not promiſed.
Of her vertues we have not much noted;Leah her vertues, ſhe was patient and loving to her husband, and thankfull to God. but ſhe ſhewed her ſelfe patient and loving to her husband, ſomewhat quiet to her envious ſiſter, and thankfull to God for her children; though her husband loved her leſſe than was meet, yet we read of no brawles either with him or her ſiſter. She entertained him very lovingly when he came home from field, and ſhe had hired him of her ſiſter. She conſented alſo to goe with him into Canaan, ſhe was deſirous of children, and had many; but a fault or two ſhe ſlipped in.
Firſt,Her faults. 1. She went to bed to her ſiſters husband, at her Fathers perſwaſion. ſhe went to bed to her ſiſters husband at her fathers perſuaſion, which ſhe ought not to have done. In him that thought ſhe was Rachel, there was no ſinne; in her that knew ſhe was not Rachel, it was a great fault, but excuſed by the fathers authority; but ſhe wronged Iacob much, and made her owne life full of affliction.
Another little fault ſhe had,2. She was a little too unkinde to her ſiſter. ſhee ſeemed a little too unkind to her ſiſter, in not being willing to impart ſome of her ſonnes mandrakes; but often unkindneſſes and wrongs breed ſuch an eſtrangement betwixt them, who are otherwiſe neerly joyned, as that they ſticke at ſmall curteſies. We muſt take heed it doe not ſo with us; but Leah had a little anger with her, ſhe could upbraid her ſiſter with an injury, when ſhe came for a curteſie.
O that ſhe had not too many followers in this weakneſſe!
Her benefits were theſe,Her benefits. She had a good husbād, many children, and was matched into the Church, and went to heaven. ſhe had a good husband and many children, and was matcht into the Church, and we hope went to Heaven, for her carriage in reſpect of her children ſhews ſome goodneſſe. Indeed ſhe was faulty in imitating her ſiſter, and giving Zilpah to Iacob; much more faulty in thinking that God gave her the next ſonne for a reward of that fault. But ſo weake we are, and ignorant of ſin ſomtimes, that we verily thinke God is pleaſed with our ſins, and recompenceth them with benefits.
3. Her croſſes, want of her husbands love and cohabitation with her, and the miſeries ſhe ſuffered with her husband, and the unkindnes of her Father, ſhe was alſo bleare-eved. Zilpah, Bilhah, guilty of inceſt.And for her croſſes, they were, want of her husbands love and comfortable cohabitation, and all the miſeries ſhee underwent with her husband beſides, her Father was ſomething unkinde, as it may ſeeme, for ſhe ſaith, He counted them ſtrangers; and ſhe alſo had an imperfection in her viſage, for ſhe was bleare-eyed. I hope you will all learne to imitate her vertues, flie her ſins, be thankfull for the like mercies, and patient under the like croſſes, and then you ſhall not be loſers of time by hearing her ſtory.
Now the two handmaidens, Zilpah and Bilhah.
Zilpah hath nothing ſaid of her, but that Shee bare Iacob two children, Gad and Aſher, So called of Leah, that would needs imitate her ſiſters weakneſſe, and call them hers.
Bilhah is taxed of a grievous ſin, ſhe ſuffered her ſelfe to be polluted with inceſt by Iacobs firſt borne. If he offered her violence, or ſurprized her by any device, it was his fault, not hers; but it is not likely to have been ſo, becauſe God doth not report it ſo. For God would not wrong any in reporting their acts to the worſt, but if there had been any excuſe of her fault, the Lord would have done her right in rehearſing it, he ſhould not elſe doe the office of a good writer of a Story. O let all women take heed of adultery, and chiefly of inceſtuous adulteries with their husbands ſon in law, or brothers, or a like neare of blood, where the offence is made much more heinous by that aggravation: and if any have committed any ſuch crime, let the mentioning of it in this woman bring it to their remembrance, and provoke them to repentance, that they may not have ſo fearefull a crime to anſwer for upon their ſick-bed in the houre of death. Likely ſuch groſſe crimes will cry out then, if they have been ſmothered before; but a conſcience purged from them by ſincere repentance performed in health, may enjoy quiet and peace in death, notwithſtanding the remembrance of them. For a ſin repented of ſhall be pardoned, and a pardoned debt cannot hurt at all, not ſo much as terrifie, if the pardon of it be knowne. But ſomething there was in it, that God ſaw it fit to have his Church ſtored with the ſeed of bond-women, (for two of Iacobs wives were ſuch) becauſe he would have us know, that hee doth not much ſtand upon nobility, and being free borne, and the like. One third part of his people Iſrael were ſeed of bond-women. Though he would not let Hagars ſeed inherite, yet that was not becauſe he did looke to her condition, but that he might figuratively ſet forth his averſneſſe from them, that will needs be in bondage under the Law, when the Goſpell brings them liberty, and therefore now he doth equally take into the Church, Dan and Nephthali, Gad and Aſher; as well as Reuben, and Levi, Simeon, and Iudah. Theſe earthly conſiderations vary nothing with God, nor is the one any more acceptable with him than the other. Let not thoſe which enjoy the priviledges of this world in theſe matters, ſleight or deſpiſe ſuch as want them; and let not thoſe that are meanlier borne, trouble themſelves at that depreſſion. Spirituall priviledges may belong to thoſe that are of no reckoning in the world, and thoſe that are of high eſteeme in it may be deprived of them. The Tribes that came of the bond-woman were admitted into the poſſeſſion of Canaan, and to the fellowſhip of the Tabernacle as well as the reſt. It were a miſery indeed to be outwardly mean, if that would impeach our ſpirituall eſtate, but ſeeing no ſuch thing will follow, let us ſhew our high eſteeme of the ſoul above the body, by not regarding the things of the body, ſo that the ſoul be wel. *⁎*