An Ordinary Lecture, Sermon
❧ An ordinary lecture preached at the Blacke-Friers.
Gen. Chap. 12. ver. 17.18.19.20.
LEt vsus marke with reuerence that part of holie Scripture that followeth in the 12. Chap. of Gen. the 17.18.19. and 20. verſes.
17 But the Lorde plagued Pharaoh and his houſe with great plagues, becauſe of Sara Abrahams wife.
18 Then Pharaoh called Abraham and ſaid, why haſt thou done this vntounto me? wherefore diddeſt thou not tell me that ſhe was thy wife?
19 Why ſaideſt thou ſhe is my ſiſter, that I ſhould take her to be my wife? now therefore behold thy wife take her and go thy way.
20 And Pharaoh gaue me commaundement concerning him, and they conueied him forth and his wife, and all that he had.
IN this ſame firſt iourney & wandring pilgrimage of Abraham, we did obſerue the cauſe vvhichwhich compelled him to take this iourney vppon him, and alſo that which did be fall him in this iourney. The cauſe of his iourney, was the famine and dearth, which did driue him out of the lande of his inheritaunce, which God had giuen him, which was the land of Canaan. That which did befal him in this place, was a greeuous temptation & triall, and ſhaking both of the firmenes of his faith and confidence, & alſo of his obedience to God. The occaſion of this ſame temptation was the fauour and beautie of his wife which thing he conſidered more deeply, when he beheld the complexion of thoſe women to whome he went, that is of the Aegyptians. The euent and iſſue of this temptation is partly heauy and grieuous, and partly comfortable vntounto him. For hereby Abraham was driuen to his ſhifts, hee was mooued through the malice of the aduerſarie, and the corruption of his nature to ſin againſt God, and to vſe a meanes and a way which is not preſcribed & ſquared out by the law of God, and partlie the iſſue of this temptation was comfortable in reſpect of the prouidence of God and his heauenly father, who did not onelyonly keepe him from ſuffering wrong at Pharaohs hand, but alſo did ſo guide the heart of that profane and wicked Prince, that hee went away rewarded & largely recompenced.
Out of the former verſes, the laſt time we ſhewed, that theſe outward benefites and ornaments, wherewithall God of his louelove, doth beautify & deck either our bodie or our perſon, are fit baits to mooue vsus to tempt God. For ſuch was the occaſion that riſeth heere vntounto Abraham, whome the beautie of his wife did make to run to this ſhift, which otherwiſe hee would not hauehave done. Therfore concerning ſuch benefits, though they be the bleſings of god, yet in reſpect of our corrupt nature, we muſt take heed & beware leaſt wee be drawen by them to do thoſe things whereby we may bring vponupon vsus manie croſſes and calamities. Secondly I noted, that the moſt deare and faithfull ſeruants of God, though they bee perſwaded in the general grounds of their faith, yet oftentimes they trip in the perticulars, and that though they bee aſſured that God will preſerue them, yet concerning the way whereby hee will worke their preſeruation, therein they ſhewe the weekneſſe that is in all fleſhe. For though Abraham had the promiſes of preſeruation, yet hee was not to looke for it by any inordinate meanes, for the promiſes of God are made with a condition of our dutie in the behalfe of our ſelues, as is ſaid after vntounto Abraham: VValke before mee and bee ſincere. Out of which wee hauehave to learne, that this muſt be our wiſdome, to reſt vponupon God, and to leane to him, and not to our own wiſdome, as Salomon ſaith.
Againe, wee obſerued that it is the propertie of profane men, and carnall profeſſors, to take away & to remooue whatſoeuer may hinder them in the inioying of their luſts. For this was the groūd that Abrahā did build vponupon, & this was his ſuſpicion that he thought hee coulde looke for nothing but wrong and rapine at the handes of the Aegyptians. And this hath beene the occaſion, why the Godly hauehave bene alwaies kept vnderunder and hauehave bin odious in the ſight of the prophane men of this world. Eſpecially the Miniſters of the woord, the Phiſitions of our ſoules who are to purge of that poyſō which ſleaeth the ſoule, in this reſpect they hauehave beene vſuallie abhorred of the world, they are impriſoned, impoueriſhed, and eueryevery way diſpitfullie vſed. This made the Prophets of god in old time to be ſo purſued. This made the head of Iohn the Baptiſt to be ſtroken of, becauſe hee was a hinderer of the luſt of Herode. Therefore ſeeing this was ſo from the beginning, and ſeeing that Abraham the father of faithfull, and the deare ſeruant of God had experience of it, wee muſt not thinke it ſtrange, that we which are his children and come ſhort of his faith, if wee ſhall be at anie time impriſoned, and kept vnderunder in reſpect that through the calling of Ieſus Chriſt, we are ſuch as muſt ſtand in the gappe to reprooue them, and to admoniſh them, and to tel them that this is not expedient for them, though they long neuer ſo greedily after it. Concerning the intertainement of Abraham and Sara in Aegypt, wee noted the propertie of carnall men, both of the common people, of Courtiers, and Princes themſelues. Howe they do more wonder at beautie then at wiſedome, more wonder at a faire & beautifull face, then at a reformed and holie affection, for this is that Moſes here noteth in the Princes and officers of Pharaohs Court.
And heereby it commeth to paſſe, that Princes are more commonly enformed. What beautifull perſonages, what proper tal men they hauehave belonging vntounto them, then what religious and obedient, and faithfull ſubiects bee in their land, and that thorow their own default. For this is the nature of ſuch godleſſe officers, that they ſeek to feed the corruptions of their Princes, rather then to remedy them, and rather to increaſe them, then by any meanes to make thē leſſe. For ſurely if they were as well mooued in the behalfe of the faithful, of the wiſe, and of the learned, as they bee in the behalfe of thoſe that be proud and beautifull, and Atheiſtes & ſuch like, they would ſurely receiue ſuch into their Courts aſwel as others. Finally, in that Pharaoh did not onelie take him vp into his pallace, but alſo rewarded him liberally in reſpect of his wife. I ſhewed you that his liberallitie and bountie was not a thing vnworthy a Prince, but it was naught in that reſpect, that hee did it euen to ſtop vp the mouth of Abraham, and to cloſe vp his eies and his eares, that hee ſhould not ſee with his eies, nor heare with his eares, nor ſpeake of the luſt and of the riot and wrong of the king. Wherein I noted, that it is the property of Princes that are carnally minded. to ſpare no coſt vponupon thoſe, by whoſe ſilence, or by whoſe ſpeach their delight and luſt may bee furthered and nouriſhed.
If a man will but let them ſleepe in their ſinne, if he wil but ſpeake ſo ſoftlie, ſo ſlilie, & ſo warilie, that his ſpeech ſhal not a wake them, but be vntounto them as a charme, whereby they ſhall ſleepe the more, if he will do but any of theſe he ſhalbe well recompenced. Therfore not onelyonly traitors and rebels are enemies to Princes, but diſſembling hipocrites are alſo enemies, yea euen ſuche flattering teachers, which though they vnderſtand, yet they do not touch nor ranſacke that ſore which they ought to deale withal, & theſe are ſuch as the Prophet Ie. maketh mention of whom he ſpeaketh of the falſe ptophets of his time, which would heale the out-ſide, and make it looke faire, but afterward the ſore ſhall breake foorth, and then it ſhall be more daungerous and more deadly than euer it was before. Such are oftentimes willingly, and eaſily admitted into the Courtes of Princes, which though they be prophane, and careleſſe, yet to heare ſuch, it is a delight, it neuer troubleth them or diſquieth them. They had as leaue heare ſuch a one as ſee a playe, for the one dooth come no nearer the heart then the other. Such gifts I ſay though they bee liberall, they are not bleſſed vntounto the giuer, nor yet to him that taketh them in any ſuch reſpect. But the Lord wil puniſh and correct ſuch a giuer and ſuch a receiuer.
Now concerning theſe words that follow, we hauehave heere ſet downe, how the Lord did take Abrahams part: how hee tooke his cauſe into his hand, and how he pleaded in his behalfe, Briefely, wee hauehave the reward of that ſinne & iniuſtice that was doone vntounto Abraham, though vnderunder ſome colour of fauorable, and compaſsionable dealing, (as indeed it was). For we hauehave manie profeſſours of religion that wil not do the like, where is ſet downe both the puniſhment, and the fruit that it had in Pharaoh. The puniſhment was inflicted by the Lord:
The Lord plagued Pharaoh and his houſe for Sara Abrahams wife.
The Lorde is the author of the puniſhment, who without reſpect of perſon dooth puniſh, and that Princes. It is ſaid, that hee plagued Pharaoh, and that not with a ſmall plague, or with fewe plagues, but with great plagues, and many plagnes. The cauſe why, is alſo lighty touched which was beefore expreſſed, becauſe of Sara Abrahams wife, becauſe of the wrong and iniurie which was offered by Pharaoh, who would alſo hauehave taken away hys wife. That worke which this puniſhment had in Pharaoh, is two folde. The firſt it driueth him to an angrie expoſtulation with Abraham, and he expoſtulateth & reaſoneth the matter hotly with him, and ſecondly it driueth him to a reſtitution and a reſtoring of that which he had taken away before from him, namely, of his wife, with a care that the thing which hee did reſtore, might remaine with him, and might not be taken away from him by his officers.
This is brieflie that which wee are to marke in theſe words. Out of which wee are to learne for our inſtruction. Firſt, that the lord God is a moſt faithfull keeper and protector of thoſe which depend vponupon him, yea although they ſeeme through the weakneſſe of their faith, at ſome time to ſlip and to offend his Maieſty, for this ſeemeth to bee an infirmitie of Abraham, that hee woulde conceale that part of trueth which was moſt necaſſary, and would rather hazard the chaſtitie of his wife, and the diſpleaſure of God which hee might prouoke therby, then he would commit him ſelfe to the prouidence of God. Yet God taketh his part againſt Princes, which is a general rule and inſtruction of faith vntounto all the children of Abraham which are his children, not according to his profeſsion, but according to his faith. This is that which is ſet down in the hundred and fifth Pſalme, where ſpeaking of the couenaunt which God made vntounto Abraham, Iſaacke, and Iacob. Hee ſaith the Lord did defend them, although they were few in number, yea though they were very fewe, and ſtraungers in the land, and walked from nation to nation, from one kingdome to another people, yet ſuffereth he no man to doe them wrong, but euen rebuked kinges for their ſake, ſaying: Touch not my annointed, & do my Prophets no harme. Here the Lord ſpeaketh roughly vntounto Pharaoh. He ſpeaketh vntounto him by puniſhment, the kind whereof is not here expreſſed: but it is to be thought, that it was ſome greiuous kinde of puniſhement, which might not onelyonly correct the ſinne which was committed, but alſo preuent others. For ſo the Lord directeth his puniſhment, that therby he may not onelyonly correct them for the ſinnes committed, but alſo preuent ſuch as hereafter may bee committed.
This is then the firſt inſtruction that wee hauehave heere to learne: an exceeding great comfort vntounto al that walk in the ſteps of the faith of Abraham. Thoſe that doe them wrong, they ſhall not eſcape free, the hand of the Lord will be vponupon them. Though they bee neuer ſo ſtrange and vnknowen, the Lord wil be vntounto them a friend, a…d a father to defend them and to garde them, and to reſtore their wrongs vppon their enemies,
Secondly, in that it is ſaid, that the Lorde did plague Pharaoh with great plagues becauſe of Sara Abrahams wife. We do learne, that the Lord as he is a puniſher of ſinnes without reſpect of perſons, ſo hee is a particular iudge of this ſinne of adulterie, according to that generall and holy doctrine in the thirteenth to the Hebrues, the fourth verſe, where hee ſaith: that marriage is honourable among al and the bed vndefiled; but whoremongers, and adulterers God will iudge, or as it is heere ſaid, God will plague and condemne them, and correct them whatſoeuer they be. For the vſe of marriage is holie, but the abuſe thereof is deteſtable. For fornication, and adultery, and vncleaneneſſe, are accurſed in all and among all.
It is not the power and auctoritie of the prince that dooth hide and couer the ſin of a Prince. Sinne ſeemeth as vglie in the eies of God being committed by the mightieſt monarche of the worlde, as by the baſeſt begger of the earth, Therefore, fooliſh and blind is that conceit, which hath ouer-caſt the mindes of many, they cannot ſee the ſinnes of Princes and Magiſtrates. They cannot diſcerne of the deueliſhe and horrible vncleanenes of theſe ſins that are committed by Princes & rich men. Eſpecially they themſelues think that bicauſe God hath ſet them aboue others, therefore they hauehave more authority to ſinne then others. I confeſſe indeed, they hauehave more meanes to doe it: but that ſaying ſhall be fitly applied vntounto them: the mighty men ſhall bee mightilie puniſhed for their ſinnes. For as al ſinnes are ioyned with ingratitude, and by reaſon of it are made more ſinfull: ſo, eſpecially the ſinne of rich men, of wiſe men, of learned men, is ioyned with moſt deteſtable ingratitude againſt the maieſtie of God, becauſe his benefites to them are farre more then to others.
A third thing is here to bee noted, in that it is ſaid, GOD did not onelyonly plague Pharaoh, but his houſe alſo: not meaning the walles and the timber of the houſe, but his Familie, his Seruaunts, his kindſemen, and thoſe that were of his houſe. Which teacheth vsus this, that we are not ſo lightly to think of the ſinnes of magiſtrates, of Parents, and of the chiefe of families, and we learne alſo by this, that God dooth puniſh oftentimes a whole kingdome, for the riot, & luſt of the gouernours, and guiders of the ſame. Therefore we muſt al ſet our hands to this thing, and according to that meaſure of grace which we hauehave receiued, to admoniſh them, to make ſuit vntounto God, for hys ſpirite of ſanctification, to light vppon them: and we ought not onelyonly to pray for their long life, but alſo for the ſpirite of ſanctification and regeneration, that their heartes may bee renued according to the image of Ieſus chriſt, whereby their imaginations may bee ſubdued by the working of the ſpirite of God. For otherwiſe we ſhall not be onelie fearfully plagued, but our ſinnes ſhall be vppon our owne head, and wee ſhall be acceſſarie to the puniſhment, if wee hauehave not performed this dutie towardes our gouernours, either in the Church or Common-wealth. Let vsus not therfore thinke the ſinnes of great ones to bee little ones, but euen ſuch as touch vsus to the verie skin, and ſuch as wil bring a plague vponupon our bodies if we doe wincke at them, and if we do not indeuour to preuent them, our puniſhment is iuſt, and may iuſtly ſaie that wee hauehave a part in thoſe ſinnes, which we did not labour to preuent in them, by whome we hauehave receiued benefits.
Laſtly, wee learne out of this ſeuenteenth verſe, that God doth not onelyonly puniſhe the act of adulterie; the very fact committed, but euen the endeuour, the purpoſe and reſolution to do it, although the ſame be ſhadowed with ſome excuſe of want of the knowledge of the truth. For Pharaoh had not accompanied with Sara, for the Lorde ſmote him & laid his hand vponupon him, and deſtroyed him by a violent hand, and though he had a reſolution to doe it, yet not as an adulterer with an adultereſſe, but as an husband with hys wife, as appeareth after by the expoſtulation that hee maketh with Abraham. Yet we muſt know and acknowledge, that the Lorde God is iuſt, and holy, and vpright, and equall in all his waies, and that all the vneuenes, it is in waies and not in his waies. Therefore euen ignoraunce is not excuſed when wee ſinne; for though the ſinne by it may ſeeme to be leſſe, but yet it cannot make it, but ſtill it ſhall be a ſinne, and ſuch as deſerueth euerlaſting condemnation: much more therefore a bodilie puniſhment. Now, if God without reſpect of perſons, bee ſo iuſt a puniſher of Magiſtrates and mighty ones of this world: and that onelyonly for the purpoſe and reſolution of continuing ſin. Howe ſhall wee thinke to eſcape free, which make litle conſcience of the fact it ſelfe, when as we make no reckoning at all, of the purpoſe and reſolution, when as nothing ſtandeth betweene vsus and the actuall committing of ſin, but onelyonly the want of occaſion. The commandements of God as touching this ſinne, are plaine, the threatninges great. No whoremonger ſhall enter into the kingdome of God, and as it is ſaid in the Reuelation, that the fearful and vnbeleeuing, and abhominable, & murtherers, and whoremongers, &c. ſhall hauehave their part in the lake which burneth with fier & brimſtone, which is the ſecond death, who though they had bin daily reuoked, and called back from their vncleane conuerſaſion, yet they were like horſes, that neigh after their neighbors wiues and daughters. If neither the commaundement, nor threatninges of God can ſerue, yet let this paterne of a king mooue them to forſake their vncleane life. GOD did not ſpare that holy and religious king, which was a man after his owne heart, I ſay he did not ſpare Dauid, when hee committed this ſin againſt God and his Church, the Lorde did plague hym fearfully for it. How much more then, ſhal not ſuch wretches eſcape the hand of God, that neuer ſought to frame their hearts according to Gods mind? & yet they are as confident in ſinning, as thoſe that hauehave all the colours and pretences in the world, yea oftentimes none more vile then they whiche ought to ſeeke vntounto the Lorde, and to worke out their owne ſaluation wyth feare and trembling.
Then Pharaoh called Abraham and ſaid: VVhy haſt thou done this vntounto me, &c.
Here, behold the Lorde did not puniſh him in vaine. His caſe and condition was not ſo deſperate, as the eſtate of thoſe that bee the members of the Church, yea the very Church of God and ſuch as will be counted the onelyonly profeſſours: when it could not be ſayd of him: I hauehave plagued thee in vaine. This is the complaint of God in the firſt of Eſay. Wherefore ſhould you be ſmitten any more, or wherefore ſhould you be plagued? for that is the ſame in effect. Seeing that you fall away more and more: ſo that the very heathen, that hauehave no knowledge of God, they are many times, more iuſt and more tender hearted then wee, and doe more profite by the puniſhmentes of God then we, of whom it may be iuſtly ſaid as it was ſaid of the Iewes. Wherefore ſhould I ſmite and wound your minds with many ſorrowes, why ſhould I caſt reproche vppon you, and giuegive you ouer into the handes of your enemies, and of the mercileſſe men. It doth no god, you are nothing the better for it. And what naturall father wil correct that childe that is hardned and made worſe by ſtripes, then any whit bettered. For the end of correction is the amendment of the partie who is corrected, Now if no ſinne be preuented, if the party be not made to feare to doe ill, it is to no purpoſe. I ſay let this example & paterne of a heathen king bee an example and a paterne vntounto vsus to follow: leaſt it be a witneſſe againſt vsus in the day of iudgement, when it ſhalbe laid to our charge, that we hauehave read: that cruel Pharaoh, merciles Pharaoh, wicked Pharaoh, was made the better: and the more vigilant, and how he was made the more careful to clear himſelfe: & we hauehave not laboured to make this vſe of it. If we do not, we are farther from God then Pharaoh was, though we ſeeme to be neuer ſo neere vntounto him.
The firſt part then is the expoſtulation with Abraham, and a clearing of himſelf, wherin he doth accuſe Abraham of a double fault, both of ſpeech and of ſilence: For by theſe two, he was in danger to hauehave committed this ſin, and by conſummating of it, to breake wedlocke; and whereas Abraham concealeth part of truth which was expedient to hauehave bene opened, and declareth that part which was to no purpoſe: now he telleth him of both. This thing generally in it ſelfe is to be commended, for this is a property of godly ſorrowe, which as it is in the 2. Cor. 7. chap. the 11. verſe, worketh in vsus a clearing of our ſelues. Euen this kinde of defending & clearing of our ſelues, is good, if it be not in hypocriſy, as Adam and Euah, but when it is done in truth and ſincerity of heart. But heere Pharaohs ſorrow and feeling of his ſin, did not proceede from the griefe of heart for ſinne, but from the ſharpnes of his puniſhment which god had laid vppon him. And heere is a difference, that is to be put betweene the clearing of the children of this worlde, and of the children of God: for a puniſhment hanging ouer them, doth cauſe them topurge themſelues. How much more then ought the louelove of God to cōpel vsus to reconcile our ſelues vntounto the Lord, againſt whome we hauehave ſinned. Another thing in Pharaoh is this: wee may ſee the corruption of nature, which dooth rather complaine of the inſtrument of ſin, then of the root and cauſe of ſin which was at home within him. Of this you heare him not complaine: here is no acknowledging of his owne ſinne, therefore no repentance, & therfore no chriſtian clearing. Here is why didſt thou that, or why didſt thou not this, here is not why did I this or that: or why had I no more grace to thinke with my ſelfe, and to dread the poiſon that is within me. Well, I wiſh you to looke vntounto this matter: for marriage is a matter of great waight, a man muſt not take in hand vponupon the bare report of ſome man, as appeareth in the 24. chap of Gene. cleane contrary to the cuſtome of this worlde, wherein men content them ſelues with any thing that may ſtop the mouth of men, and ſatisfie the lawe, not conſidering that God looketh into the heart. It is not enough to plead thus before god, & to ſay he ſaid this, or ſhe ſaid that, but it is that which our ſoule muſt hauehave reſpect vntounto. Wee muſt looke whether luſt, or riches, or wealth, do mooue vsus to marrie, for this is a poore ſhift before God, to ſay he ſaid this or that, and I knowe not what. Againe, in a word wee may note this in Pharaoh, whch wee ſhall finde many times wanting in the profeſſours of the goſpell, that hee doth iudge the ſame ſinne, if it had gon forward, to hauehave beene a more greeueous ſin, and ſo to hauehave brought vponupon him a more greeuous puniſhment, for ſo hee expoſtulateth with Abraham in regard of his dealing, ſaying: for by this thy dealing I was like to hauehave taken her to be my wife, and ſo to hauehave brought a greater plague vppon mee. For he did conſider that if hee had enlarged and increaſed his ſin, the Lord would hauehave increaſed his puniſhments vppon him. The other fruit which this plague that God laid vponupon Pharaoh, and his houſe brought forth, was a reſtitution of that which he had taken away.
Now therefore behold thy wife, take her and go thy way here ſhe is.
Where I ſee yet a farther worke that the hand of God hath in the heart of Pharaoh: not onelyonly to make him to fume, and to chafe at Abraham, & his dealing, but it driueth him vntounto a fear and care, and as I may ſay, (a conſcience) for it was more conſcience then many that make a gret ſhew of holines hauehave, to prouide for that, that which he reſtored, might not be taken away from him againe. Surely if the naked hand of God did make him this wiſe, not onelyonly to purpoſe, but alſo to performe, what ſhall we thinke of manie at this time, whome the hand of God ioyned with his word, cannot compel to reſtore that which they hauehave wreſted from others. Surely Pharaoh ſhall be our iudge, he ſhall ſtand vp before the ſonne of God; and condemne ſuch as hauehave ſayd Lord, Lord, and yet hauehave not done the will of God; then ſhall they heare that terrible and fearefull voyce. Depart from me ye curſſed &c. Heere is your iudge, hee trembled at my iudgements, & reſtored that which hee had taken away, but you hauehave not. Finally, he doth confirme his purſpoſe by giuing charge to his officers, that, that which he had reſtored, might continue & remaine with Abraham: where we learne that it is not onelie the duty of a Prince, to make good and wholeſome lawes, and iniūctions; but alſo to ſee them well ordered, and executed. For if Pharaoh had beene as wicked as ſome Chriſtians are, though hee had ſayd, heere is thy wife; yet hee would hauehave ſet others there, to hauehave takē her away from him, & to hauehave killed him, and all they that were with him. This then is for our laſt inſtruction, that we doe not onelyonly yeeld to that which is good, but to perſeuer and continue in it, and that not onelyonly before God, but alſo before men: alwaies dealing vprightly as in the ſight of God.
Let vsus pray.
End of the text · Stephen Egerton, An Ordinary Lecture (1589)