Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Dedication 3 – Book 1
TO THE MOST HONOVRABLE LORD, THE L. DVKE OF LENOX, AND TO THE RIGHT Honourable, the Earle of Marre, Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Counsell: Grace, merciemercy, and Peace, from the Lord JESUS.
RIght Honourable, as the highest Majestie in his wise providence hath united and conjoyned your Honours, not onelyonly in one consent and judgement of religion, but also in the joynt administration and regiment of this Nation and Kingdome under his excellent Majestie: so I thought good to make your Honours, with other of your Honourable place, united Patrons of these my labours: and as he saith,Hieron. ad Chroma…. non debet charta dividere, quos amor mutuus copulavit; It was not fit that I should sever you in this my duty, who are combined in your mutuall amity.
Men of noble birth, delight much in antiquities, and it is their glory to derive their bloud by many descents from their thrice renowned ancestors: here I present to your Honourable view, that noble and most ancient family of Abraham, Isaack, and Iacob, who were in favour with God, and in honour and great reputation with men: whose children they are, which imitate their piety and obedience: that famous Matron Paula, whom Hierome so much commendeth, was by her father descended of Aeneas, and the noble house of the Gracchi, by her mother of Agamemnon, Gracchorum soboles, Agamemnonis inclita pr… les, Hoc jacet in tumul…, &c. Epitaph. Paul, Phil. 3.8. Hieron. ad Celantiam.of whom Hierome made this Epitaph, thought her Christian profession more honourable, than her noble birth and condition: and so I doubt not, but that it is also your honourable resolution, to say with the Apostle, who having rehearsed his great privileges after the flesh, his birth, parentage, and profession, thus concludeth: I count all these things but losse, for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus, for whom I have counted all things as losse, and doe judge them as dung, that I might winne Christ: as Hierome also saith well, Summa apud Deum nobilitas, clarum esse virtutibus; I it is the greatest nobility with God, to shine with vertue.
Here your Honours have the worthy example of the Patriarks to follow: the Heathen presidents are but counterfeit and deceitfull: they had the shadowes of vertues rather than the substance:Amlr. de Elia, & jejun. c. 12. as Ambrose saith well of Polemo, who of a drunken and riotous companion, by hearing of Xenocrates, became a Philosopher? Siresip…ir a vino, fuit semper tamen temulentus sacrilegio; If hee were sober from wine, yet hee was drunke with superstition. But these holy examples are seasoned with grace, and savour of true religion: Abraham was famous in Pharaohs Court, so was Isaack in Abimelecks, and Iacob in another Pharaohs also, for their piety and vertue: So they which walke in their steps, shall be great both with God and man: Abraham told Abimelech plainly of the wrongs which his servants had done him, Gen. 21.15. so is it the part of good Courtiers, to shew unto the King, the wrongs and oppressions that are done in the lan…, to succour the poore, to releeve the oppressed, to countenance the truth, to maintaine justice and equity. Iacob being in Bethel saw a ladder, which reached to heaven, and the Angels ascending and descending upon it:In d…m… Bethel quotidie ascenditur & descenditur, hoc dixi, non ut te terrean… descendentes, sed provocent ascendentes, Hieron. ad Iul. whereupon one thus noteth; In the house of Bethel there is alwayes both going up, and comming downe: this I say, not that the goers down should dismay you, but the climers up incourage you. So in the Princes Bethel and Court, there be examples of both sorts, of some that are declining and sliding backe, onelyonly seeking to make themselves great, and to bee enriched by the Kings favour: some there are, though the smallest number, which doe ascend upon this ladder, not aspiring to their owne honour, but using their favour to the glory of God, and benefit of his Church. Thus I trust your Lordships have learned to scale this ladder of honour, to the which you are called: to raise up those which are in the dust, to set forward the truth, to nourish and encourage the Preachers thereof, to speake for the innocent, to hold out your helpfull hand to the needy: so shall your Honours ascend from step to step, till you come to the top of the ladder, where Christ sitteth, who shall cast and tumble downe from thence all unfaithfull Stewards, and cut them off to have their portion with hypocrites, Matth. 24.51. but shall say unto you, and all other, that shall serve him faithfully herein in earth; It is well done good servant and faithfull, thou hast beene faithfull in little, I will make thee ruler over much, enter into thy masters joy, Amen.
Your Honours ready to be commanded in the Lord, ANDREW WILLET.
THE FIRST BOOKE OF THIS SECOND PART OF GENESIS, Containing the Historie concerning the Patriarks, ISAACK, IACOB.
Hitherto hath beene continued the holy story of those three great Patriarks, Adam before the floud; Noah in the floud; Abraham after the floud: the rest of this Booke of Genesis followeth, which setteth forth the life, acts, and death, of the three other fathers, Isaack, Iacob, Ioseph.