Prototypes, Example 4
THE FOVRTH EXAMPLE.
OF LAMECH, &c.
THE roote of Woman-kinde were Adam and Eve. The branches were, 1. Bad, Caine and Caines poſterity. 2. Good. The firſt ſtocke, Abel, the ſecond Caine and his poſterity. Now the linage of Caine is ſet downe in the ſixth generation, mentioning onelyonly the eldeſt in a direct line. Adam had Caine, Caine Irad, he Methuiael, he Methuſael, he Lamech, Lamech had two wives, one Adah, the other Zillah, Adah had Iabal and Iubal, Zillah had Tubal Cain, and a daughter called Naamah, ſhee is the firſt woman named after Evah, perhaps,Naamah why ſo called, the firſt woman named after Eve, and why? becauſe ſhee was a woman of great power and name in her time, for her name ſignifieth faire, or ſweete, or pleaſant, or beautifull, and it ſeemes that in thoſe times beauty began to be much ſet by. Now for Lamech we muſt obſerve his faults, I meane of his behaviour, and the benefits he enjoyed and the miſery that befell him.
His faults are, 1.Lamechs faults, His Polygamy, the firſt beginner of it. He corrupted the ordinance of marriage by taking two wives; God at firſt made but one man and one woman and joyned them together, and Adam ſaid, they ſhall be one fleſh, ſignifying that hee conceived it to be the will of God, that one woman ſhould ſerve for one man, and addes, A man ſhall forſake Father and Mother and cleave to his wife, not wives. But this man would not ſatisfie himſelfe with Gods appointment, his luſt (in all likelihood it was his luſt, for what other cauſe ſhould move him I cannot conjecture) would not be contained within the bounds of lawfull matrimonie. He dares adde a ſecond wife and ſo bring into the world a painted whoredome, a guilded adultery, a pretended marriage, but indeed a very breach of wedlock. For our Saviour Chriſt telleth us, that he which putteth away his wife and marrieth another commits adultery, and if that be true as we muſt confeſſe,Luke 16.18. for his authority ſake that ſpake it, then without all queſtion hee that keepeth his former wife ſtill and will needs take another to her, is guilty too of committing adultery. The reaſon is cleare and cannot be denied. For if it were not adultery to have more women then one at one time, then the taking of another wife upon a cauſeleſſe divorce ſhould not deſerve that odious title, and if it be ſo, poligamy muſt needs take the ſame title to it ſelfe. This was therefore a grievous audaciouſneſſe in this wicked man, that hee would leape over the poles as it were which God had fixed. The thing was naught, and his doing it firſt before others made it worſe in him, and made him guilty of their faults that after followed it upon his example. For indeed it was quickly taken up and practiſed in the world, inſomuch that it continued to the time of Abraham, and was practiſed alſo by him as a thing not reputed ſinfull. For when ſinne hath gotten yeeres and examples upon its backe it doth many times ceaſe to be counted what it is, and goes under the repute of a lawfull thing, though it be in it ſelfe even ſomewhat evidently unlawfull; becauſe partly the minde of man corrupted by the pleaſing or profitable effects of it, is willing not to thinke it ſinne, and the judgement is eaſily ſweyed by the will, and partly becauſe the example of men doth worke too much to draw unto evill, as an heavie thing is eaſily caſt downeward.
2. His revengefullneſſe.Now to polygamie he addeth a notorious revengefullneſſe. Having married a couple of women, it ſeemes he found ſome diſtempers in them and therefore to calme and over-awe them a little, hee falls to breath out revenge with violent threats, ſaying, that he would kill a man in his wound, or for his wound, hee meanes becauſe of wound received, and a young man for his hurt or bruiſe, he meanes becauſe of a bruiſe or ſtripe given him, yea he goes farther and adds, that if Caine ſhould be avenged ſeven-fold then hee ſeventy times ſeven fold. If any man whoſoever he were ſhould hurt him, hee ſhould die for it, yea were he never ſo young and luſty a fellow that ſhould offer to ſmite him, it ſhould coſt him his life, and he would proceede to an higher degree of revenge, then that which God himſelfe had appointed to Caines murderer, viz. hee would be revenged ſeventy times ſeven times more,What it is to revenge. that maketh in all almoſt five hundred times as much more, here is paſſion and pride in all extremity. To revenge is to render evill for evill, to revenge a thing ſeven times is to inflict a thing ſeven times more grievous upon a wrong doer then that which he did to another, to revenge ſeventie times and ſeven is to lay an evill 490 times more heavie then that received. The Lord of Heaven hath cauſe, becauſe hee hath authority, to inlarge his puniſhing juſtice, and to execute a threat of ſeven times revenge, becauſe after ſuch a threat to commit the fault makes it ſeven degree more faulty, as being an audacious deſpiſing of his anger, and a very ſetting his threats at naught, but for any man to exceede meaſure ſo farre in puniſhing though he were a lawfull Magiſtrate, puniſhing the malefactor at the complaint and inſtance of the wronged perſon, it were a great offence. How much more then for a private man ſo farre to exceede all degrees in reſpect of a wrong done to himſelfe. Sure he that threatens to be revenged 400 times more then Caine, conceived himſelfe to be more excellent than Caine 400 times, for according to the meaſure of the parties worth that was wronged, muſt the revenge be increaſed. O how proud a man was hee! that durſt ſo farre preferre himſelfe above his great grand-fathers Father, for ſo was Caine, who being then alive and departed from under the governement of Adam, was now the King of all the ſonnes that deſcended from him, during his life, and the Prieſt too, for Kingdomes and Prieſt-hoods in thoſe firſt times went to the eldeſt of the family by ſucceſſion. Theſe were chiefe Rulers in matters civill and religious. He was therefore a very haughty minded man, and a very paſſionate angry man, and ſo a very revengefull man which ſpringeth from pride and and paſſion.
Theſe be his faults, yet ſee how good and patient the Lord ſhewes himſelfe unto ſuch a wretch, for hee had two ſonnes by one wife,His benefits, he had children and a ſonne and daughter by the other, God gave him the fruit of marriage, though he were the firſt that ſo ſhamefully abuſed marriage, for God doth not inſtantly ſtretch forth a puniſhing arme againſt an offender, and theſe ſonnes of his too were very active and profitable men, of good parts and account, as appeares by their inventions mentioned in the Text.2. His croſſes, hee led an unquiet life by reaſon of his wives. But yet he is not left quite unpuniſhed, for his life was unquiet, as appeareth by his threatning and bragging what he would doe, for ſuch kinde of threats be but boaſtings of the future time. It is not to be doubted of but that his two wives, what by the brawles which would fall out betwixt them and their children, and what by the ſtirres that they would make with him, each to have him take her part againſt the other, made his life uncomfortable, ſo that hee was faine to ſee if hee could make the matter a little better by big and violent words, to keepe them in awe by feare whom duty could not order. Now this is Lamech.
Let us make ſome uſe of his Example,The uſes of all. even to blame our ſelves for having committed, if wee have committed the like ſinnes to his, that we may be drawne to repentance which he was never ſo happy as to performe.
Secondly, to arme ourſelves againſt thoſe ſinnes, and to abound in the contrary vertues, for ſo it is our duty, as Bees doe honey out of weeds, to gather good out of bad Examples. Come hither then and let mee examine you in Gods name. Is there not any amongſt you that hath violated marriage worſe then Lamech. He did ſinne by taking two wives. The Lawes would puniſh you for following him in that, and would not ſuffer you to keepe two women under the name of wives, have not you therefore falne to flat and downe-right adultery. If ſo, repent of this enormity; The Lord will not ſuffer the tranſgreſſors of his Covenant to beare it free if repentance doe not ſtay his hand.
Yea have not ſome of you beene Lamechs in making the firſt breach into a ſinne; Inventers of evill things, S. Paul cals them which are the firſt which doe them, that runne into them not induced by any former examples, but carried by their owne corruptions, and ſo by going over the hedge, induce others to follow them: ſuch ſinners be the more grievous before God by how much they ſhew a more impudent diſpoſition, that dare leade the way to wickedneſſe, and make themſelves captaines and ring-leaders to ſo vile and miſchievous a thing, and ſuch ſinnes doe call for a larger meaſure of ſorrow and humiliation.
Againe, have none of you beene paſſionate, angry, and full of threats, working in proud wrath as Salomon calls it, and as here, you may ſee wicked Lamech doing with an angry voice, and a countenance ſutable thereto. You may be ſure he calls upon his wives to leave their brawling and let him ſpeake, and then bluſters out theſe words, that he would kill the man whoſoever ſhould wrong him. Are not there ſome men among you ſo mad and furious, that they threaten bloud and death to any that ſhall wrong them. O this wrathfull and angry roaring as I may call it, is a ſigne of much folly and pride, and therefore doe not pleaſe your ſelves in it, as they doe moſt times that are given to it, but abhorre it, and judge your ſelves for it, and humbly acknowledge to God, that you have deſerved his wrath for ſhewing your owne wrath ſo immoderately. And laſtly conſider, have you not beene revengefull men? that would take no wrong but returne death and ſlaughter for a ſtroke, a wound, and ſeven yea twenty, and if you were able an hundred blowes for one, yea death for a word ſpeaking, and a great evill for a little.
Revenge is a great ſin.Brethren, revenge is a fearefull ſinne; there are two waies of revenge, ſome doe compaſſe it by maine ſtrength, preſently and openly if one wrong them, they raile or ſtrike and lay about them, as it were an angry Dog or Beare or other Beaſt, others be more ſtill in their revenge, they lay it up in ſtore and ſet it on the ſcore till a fit opportunity come, and then they pay him home with the like and more that hath wronged them, both theſe revenges be naught, and it is hard to ſay whether is the worſe of the twaine: the one hath more craft, the other more furie, both ſhew an heart deſtitute of all meekeneſſe and charity and faith. If you have found your ſelves ſo diſpoſed, untill you repent you ſhall be ſure to finde God as bitter againſt you. He will be revenged of the revengefull. He will be an enemy to him that will fight and keepe a ſtirre if he be touched or wounded. Doe not count it valour to give ſtroke for ſtroke or wound for wound, or blow for blow, it is an helliſh valour, it is not man-hood, it is dog-hood, or I may terme it beare-hood, it is brutiſh, ſo will a Lion or a bruit creature. It is not courage but outrage, it is not fortitude but meere furie. And yet alas where ſhall you finde breaſts that doe not beare the ſtampe of Lamechs words within them, that perhaps be not come to ſuch an high degree as he was to revenge 490 times, but are come to that, that they reſolve and purpoſe, if a man wound them, they will wound him againe if they can, if any man ſtrike, they will doe the beſt they can to ſtrike him againe. Beloved, hee in whom this ſinne raigneth, is a wicked man though it be not of ſo high a growth in him as it was in this wretch. He that holdeth this purpoſe, I will requite blow with blow… wrong with wrong, he is not a true Chriſtian, for he doth not overcome evill with good, but is overcome with evill. He is a man that lives allowedly in a ſinne as bad in Gods account as theft or whoredome. Revenge in Gods account is a ſinne as foule and fouler then luſt or injuſtice. I beſeech you examine your ſelves, and if you have found your ſelves carried away with revenge, and reſolve to be ſo ſtill, take notice that you be too like to Lamech to be the children of God.Mat. 18.22. Our Saviour commands us if our neighbour offend to forgive him till ſeventy times ſeven times, I thinke alluding to this very ſpeech of this here in the Text, and intending to teach you to labour to abound in patience, meekeneſſe, and forbearance, as much as he abounded in proud revengefullneſſe.
If any ſay, why then I ſhall expoſe my ſelfe to all manner of wrongs.
I anſwer, firſt, if one ſhould doe ſo, better ſuffer all manner of injuries from man, then to have God enter into judgement with him for all his ſinnes.
Secondly, I anſwer, that God hath the rule of things, and as the ſheepe muſt dwell in ſafety not by their owne ſturdineſſe, but by the care and diligence of the Shepheard, ſo muſt Gods people enjoy freedome from wrongs not by their owne violence but by his protection and wiſedome.
And laſtly, I ſay if the wrongs be notorious and ſuch as it is not fit to ſuffer, God hath put the ſword of revenge into the Magiſtrates hands, and ſo farre as the heart is not imbittered with Malice, but ſeeketh alone his owne defence and ſafety without triumphing in the ſmart of an enemy, it is very lawfull to ſeeke him for reſcue.
So have we done with Lamech, Lamechs three ſonnes inventers of Arts.we goe on to his three ſonnes that were profitable perſons and inventers of good arts, at the leaſt perfecters.
The one perfected that part of husbandry which conſiſts in feeding cattell and making tents to ſhelter both the Shepheards and the ſheepe, that with thoſe moveable habitations they might be able to drive their cattell from place to place for the beſt paſture. It is likely that before his time they were faine to be content with the ſhade of the trees, or with ſome cave under ground, or a few turfes put upon ſome ſticks of wood which they had made a ſhift to get into the ground or ſome ſuch like. But he conſidering better of the matter, invented the way of making linnen cloath and ſo with fitting that upon poles with peggs and ſtakes to keep of great ſtormes and heat, yea by this meanes they could carrie their houſes with them whither ſoever they had occaſion to travell for paſture ſake, and this kinde of fleeting life, dwelling in tents and following cattell continued to Abrahams time and long after, yea it was the commandement of Ionadab to the Rechabites that they ſhould alwaies live ſo.Jer. 35. This therefore was a commodious and beneficiall invention, and it is for his praiſe that firſt deviſed it, much is owing him by thoſe that comming after have enjoyed the benefit of his devices.
Iubal the next Sonne of Lamech, he was a man not given ſo much to toileſome profit as to merriment and ſport, he was a lover of muſicke, and he perfected the art of making Organes, and you muſt underſtand, playing upon them too, for to what purpoſe would hee finde them out but to play on? This is a lawfull invention and good and comfortable. Cheerefullneſſe and Mirth ſo that it be moderate and well guided for the circumſtances, is a lawfull thing, whether Muſicke by voice or inſtrument, whether winde inſtruments or other hand inſtruments. It is a very good and lawfull thing to ſolace ones ſelfe with muſicke, and a warrantable recreation, ſo that it be not abuſed, and hee that firſt found it out is to be counted a benefactor to mankinde.
But the laſt named, he was the moſt profitable inventer, he that found out the art of iron worke, he was an excellent Smith. This was Tubal Caine, thought to be the ſame that the Heathens called Vulcane. Smiths are a neceſſary calling. Their art is helpefull to all other Sciences both for peace and warre, to them belongeth the making of all the neceſſarieſt inſtruments of husbandry, of all ſort of tooles for other trades and of armes alſo for the Souldier. No part of mans life can be without iron worke. A knife, a key, an hatchet, a forke, a ſaw, a mattock, a ſythe, a raking hooke, a chezill, a ſword, a ſpeare, a ſhield, an helmet, who can reckon up the things that Smiths do make for mans uſe. This was therefore an exceeding fruitfull invention, ſo much the more to be commended by how much it is more weariſome and laborious, for it is you know a ſtrong labour in ſome things and a curious in other things, and much of it is much annoyed with heate about the fire. And thus hath God ſtored the world with needfull arts, by meanes of Lamechs ſonnes that were it ſeemeth unſanctified men.
The uſes of all.We muſt make ſome uſe of all this, firſt, to be thankefull unto God that hath imparted to ſome men ſuch good wits and underſtandings that they were able to finde out and perfect thoſe ſeverall Sciences and Callings, for how toyleſome and uncomfortable would our lives be if we did not enjoy theſe helpes and comforts. Even this naturall ability is from God and deſerveth thankes from us.
Againe, men muſt ſet themſelves to be profitable to the world, by either inventing or adding to the inventions of others in any kinde. It is good to doe ſomething for which the world may be the better, and not to come into the world meerely as rats and mice onelyonly to devoure victuals and to runne ſqueaking up and downe. Be you followers of ſuch, if you cannot invent and perfect an art, yet learne and follow ſome that is already invented. Theſe men were not idlesbees, doe naughts; O be you as good at leaſt as theſe ſonnes of Lamech, onelyonly labour to be ſo moderate in following and uſing all theſe earthly things, that you be not earthly minded thereby, but may become carefull of things that pertaine to the ſoule and to another life, as well as of thoſe that belong to this preſent life and to this body of clay. It is good to uſe the world but not to love it, to ſet our hands on worke about the things of it, but not to ſet our hearts upon it. This is a baiting place and not a place of habitation, we make a journey through this world, we do not dwell in the world. O let our mindes and deſires and wiſhes be in Heaven, and let us doe thoſe outward things with reference unto Heaven, that by profiting men and ſerving God in a calling, we may make our way to Heaven the eaſier, and our wages there the greater. And ſo much for the linage of Caine.
Now we come to another off-ſpring of Adam. If is not to be thought that he remained childleſſe till the birth of Seth, or that God would ſmite him in that newneſſe of the world with ſo long a barrenneſſe, or that he ſo long forbare ſociety with Evah. As it is ſaid, that he lived an hundred and thirty yeeres and begat Seth, Gen. 5.3.ſo it is ſaid, hee lived long after and begat ſonnes and daughters; therefore it is likely alſo, that in that hundred and thirty yeeres before he begat ſonnes and daughters, but becauſe the Lord intended to draw out the linage of Chriſt, therefore he lets all the reſt goe and faſtens alone upon Seth, of whom the promiſed ſeed was to come in a direct line: Of Seth then we muſt ſpeake.Seth little ſaid of him. His Birth gladded Evah and Adam too no doubt, becauſe they underſtood by revelation from God, that he ſhould be a godly man. Therefore hee is called Seth, that is, he hath appointed, becauſe ſaith Evah, Gen. 4.25.God hath appointed mee another ſeed inſtead of Abel whom Caine ſlew. Loe it is an hundred and thirty yeares after and yet ſhee hath not forgotten the murder of Caine. The infamy of a ſinne will cleave long to a mans name, and the griefe of a croſſe if it be a ſtinging croſſe indeed as this was, will lie long upon the ſoule. But why ſaith ſhee a ſeede inſtead of Abel, it may be it was, becauſe ſhee ſaw little piety and goodneſſe in the other ſonnes and daughters: none of them was like Abel in religion and godlineſſe. But for Seth ſhee underſtood that God would make him as good a man as Abel, and therefore ſhee rejoyceth in him, for a good Parent is little gladded in children, if they proove not pious and godly children, Gods children as well as his or hers; wherefore thoſe children that would glad the hearts of their Parents, muſt ſee themſelves to follow the waies of vertue, that their aged Parents may have joy in them.
Now of Seth nothing is ſaid, but that he begat a Sonne at an hundred and five yeares old, as the next Chapter ſhewes, calling him Enoſh, that is, ſorrow or griefe, becauſe of the many griefes and ſorrowes to which men are ſubject in this life. Well may man have the name of ſorry given to him, ſo full of miſeries is he as Iob ſpake long after.Gen. 4.26 OnelyOnly it is added, that in Seths daies men began to callon the name of the Lord. It may be rendred (ſome thinke) the name of God was prophaned in calling on, that is, men grew then very prophane in a careleſſe abuſing Gods publike Service and Worſhip. Others thus, then it was begun to call on the name of the Lord, that is, men began more publikely and religiouſly and openly to call on the name of God, to profeſſe true piety more carefully in publike aſſemblies. It notes in the former ſence a growing worſe of the times, in the latter a growing better. I am in doubt whether ſence to faſten upon, I thinke rather of the twaine it is a taxing of the publike profanation of God in abuſing his worſhip, becauſe it followes immediately upon the giving of the name Enoſh, ſorrowfull, miſerable, mortall man, as a reaſon of that name, why did his Father call him ſo, becauſe Gods name then began to be prophaned in calling upon, men grew more and more careleſſe and remiſſe in Gods ſervice, and did it in ſo bad and negligent and indevout a faſhion, as it was rather a profaning then a worſhipping or honouring of his name. And this ſeemeth the rather to be the meaning, becauſe there is little reaſon to thinke that Adam and Seth did not long before this apply themſelves to the carefull worſhipping of God in their aſſemblies, and to take all good meanes to ſave themſelves from the corruption of the Kaynites. Or it may be rendered, then it was begun to call by the name of Lord, that is, men began then to have that name given them of the ſons of God, and this I like beſt of all the three, becauſe in the beginning of the ſixt Chapter (which continues the ſtory, and the fift Chapter is but a digreſſion put in to ſhew the age of the world at the floud) it is ſaid, the ſonnes of God ſaw the daughters of the ſonnes of men. Whereby it is apparent, that to the men that profeſſed true religion with Adam and Seth the name of the ſonnes of God was given, and to the reſt the name of the ſonnes of men. The profeſſors of the true religion were called ſonnes of God, that did worſhip the true God after the manner that God taught by Adam. The other were called ſonnes of men, that gave themſelves over to worldlineſſe, and vanity, and prophaneneſſe; for my part I ſuppoſe that before the floud there was no Idolatry, becauſe the Holy Ghoſt would not have omitted the taxing of that ſinne as well as thoſe it doth taxe if it had beene then uſed in the world. But let us take the words to meane, then it was begun to call on the name of the Lord, and then it ſhall be added as a commendation of Seth, that in his daies religion began to flouriſh more then ever before, by his diligence joyning with his Father Adam, much more reſpect was had to piety, and greater numbers of men imbraced the profeſſion of piety. And this ought to be the care of every good man to further the progreſſe of true religion, and to cauſe the name of God to be faithfully called upon of many.
Now of the reſt of Adams ſeed there is a Catalogue made in the fifth Chapter of all the ancient Fathers, from the firſt man Adam to Noah, in whoſe daies the floud fell out, by which it appeares of what ſtanding the world was, when it was growne ſo corrupt, that the Lord could no longer endure the manners of it. And in this Catalogue the Holy Ghoſt takes this order; 1. He ſhewes of what age every one was when he begat his eldeſt ſonne. How many yeares he lived after the birth of that ſonne. 3. How old he was when he died. The number of the perſons are in all ten, Adam, Seth, Enoch, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Iared, Enoch, Methuſelah, Lamech, and Noah. Adam at a hundred and thirty yeares begat Seth, and after lived eight hundred yeares and had more children in that time, and died aged nine hundred and thirty yeares. Adam was in truth the eldeſt man all things conſidered, for though Methuſelah out-lived him thirty nine yeares (for he was nine hundred ſixty nine yeares, and Adam but nine hundred and thirty) yet Methuſelah was borne an infant, Adam was made a perfect man the firſt day, and in thoſe times a man was but a child at thirty nine yeares, for no queſtion they would give their mindes to marriage in that newneſſe of the world, paucity of men, and plenty of ground ſo ſoone as they were fit for it. So Adams perfect eſtate at the firſt countervailed the living of forty yeares and more. Seth he lived a hundred and five yeares and begat Enos, and living eight hundred and ſeven yeares begat divers more children, and ended his daies at nine hundred and two. Enos lived ninety yeares and begat Cainan, &c. as you may reade in the ſtory. Nothing is mentioned of any one but the length of his life, the time when hee had his firſt ſonne, and that hee had more ſonnes.Henoch. OnelyOnly of Henoch it is noted that he walked with God, that is, lived a moſt holy life and that he died not at all, but was tranſlated after hee had lived three hundred ſixty five yeares. The Lord ſhortned the daies of his pilgrimage, and rewarded his ſingular piety with taking him up to Heaven, ſoule and body immediately without dying. He was changed without any ſeparating of his ſpirit from his body, and in him we have an example what ſhould have beene the courſe that God would have taken with all men if man had continued in the ſtate of innocency, viz. he ſhould not have died, ſoule and body ſhould never have departed one from the other, but after a man had proceeded in godlineſſe, till hee had gotten ſo large a meaſure of it, as in this life hee could (for though Adam were perfect habitually yet not actually, I meane though hee had an ability to attaine perfect knowledge of God and the creatures, yet hee had not yet actually gotten all ſuch knowledge as hee was to get both of God and of the creatures) then ſhould he have beene tranſlated into Heaven to ſee God immediately and to know him better then in this life he could be knowne. Sinne entring cauſed death, had not that come in we ſhould have gone to Heaven without death as this Henoch did.
Now out of all theſe things written concerning theſe Ancients the direct parents of our Lord, wee gather this, that death is common to all, and how long ſoever a man lives at laſt hee muſt leave the world, and therefore we learne two things principally.
Firſt, to prepare for death, that whenſoever it befalleth wee may change for the better not for the worſe, and this preparation for death muſt be not alone a little before it comes, or at the houre of its approach, but in the whole courſe of our life by beginning early to repent and continuing daily to turne and renew our repentance, that ſo we may get an aſſurance of our being taken from earth to Heaven: for he that begins unfaignedly to turne to God and ſo continues, hee ſhall ſurely be ſaved, and for the moſt part ſhall obtaine before his departure hence an aſſured apprehenſion of his ſalvation. Therefore hee muſt (as Henoch did) walke with God in a continuall care of obeying him, and labouring to hold faſt a conſtant perſwaſion of his favour and love to him in his Sonne, for it is teſtified of Enoch, that he pleaſed God,Heb. 11.5. ſo that what in Geneſis is called a walking with God, that S. Paul calls pleaſing of God, and alſo that by faith he was tranſlated that he ſhould not ſee death, even by his beleeving and reſting upon Gods mercy, for ſo it is ſaid, he beleeved that God was and was a rewarder of them that diligently ſeeke him, which finding himſelfe to do, he reſolved that God would reward him: So muſt each of us walke with God, conſtantly reſolve and indeavour to pleaſe God in all things, and retaine in our ſelves an aſſured peaſwaſion, that God will graciouſly accept and reward us in Chriſt, with giving us life eternall and cauſing us never to ſee the ſecond death: though we muſt not be freed from the firſt, for that was the ſpeciall priviledge of Enoch and Eliah, and was never granted to any other that we read. Labour therfore to hold faſt in your ſoules a firme perſwaſion of Gods love to you in Chriſt, and withall a firme purpoſe of pleaſing him in all things. Let ſincere truth of obedience be joyned with a firme perſwaſion of Gods love, and the firme perſwaſion of Gods love be joyned with a ſincere indeavour of obedience, then death ſhall never come amiſſe, then you are alwaies ready for it, So David faith;Pſal. 119.166. I have hoped in thy ſalvation and done thy Commandements. So then if we would be ready for God we muſt doe two things. Turne to him and walke with him. To turne is to begin to walke with God, to walke with God is to continue to turne to him. O ye that have not begun to turne doe it to day, turne now, call to mind your former evill waies to judge your ſelves for them, to lament them, to ſeeke of God in Chriſt forgiveneſſe of them and power againſt them, and labour to reſt your ſelves upon his goodneſſe in Chriſt for pardon and helpe, and ſo have you made your peace, then keepe your peace by a conſtant indeavour to pleaſe God in holineſſe of life, and a conſtant renewing of your aſſured perſwaſion of his love. O happy man he that can ſo fit himſelfe for his latter end. Brethren let the mention of the deaths of ſo many aged perſons, make you carefull to prepare for death; you that be young doe it, becauſe death takes away young men as well as old, and you that be old doe it, becauſe you may meete with it very ſuddenly, and muſt needs meete with it afore it be long.
Againe, you ſee theſe long-liv'd men here, wreſtling with the corruptions of the world and their owne, ſome a longer time and ſome a ſhorter, but all in compariſon of our ſelves a great while. The longeſt lived man for number of dayes was Methuſelah who lived nine hundred ſixty nine yeares, but for perfection of life Adam, who lived a perfect man nine hundred and thirty yeares. The ſhorteſt lived of all the Patriarkes was Noahs Father, Methuſelahs Sonne, Lamech, for he lived ſeven hundred ſeventy and ſeven yeares, and died the yeere before the floud, a little before his Father Methuſelah, who lived till that very yeare that the floud came and drowned all, and was taken away that he might not ſee the floud.
Now why did God lengthen out the daies of the Patriarkes?Why the Patriarkes lived ſo long.
I anſwer, chiefely to maintaine the knowledge of God and true religion in the world, that by the long life of one godly man, the truth which then was not put in writing, but by word of mouth delivered from man to man might be kept more pure and undefiled. Adam lived till Methuſelah was two hundred forty and three yeares old. Methuſelah lived till Sem the Sonne of Noah was one hundred yeares lacking two; ſo that Sem talked with him that had talked with Adam, who could acquaint him with all things concerning the creatures, the fall and the promiſed ſeed out of his certaine knowledge and experience, he had beene made of nothing, he had ſeene all perfections, and Methuſelah could tell it to Sem, and Sem lived to ſee Iſaac borne and a Father. So that Iſaac might ſpeake mouth to mouth with him that had ſpoken with him that had ſpoken with Adam the firſt man that ever was. Was not this a notable confirmation of his Faith.