Sarah and Hagar, Sermon 1
THE FIRST SERMON.
GEN. 16.1.
Now Sarah Abrahams wife bare him no children.
IN this Chapter is deſcribed the birth of Iſmael, begotten of Hagar, Sarahs handmaid: and it is a memorable ſtory, as in many reſpects, ſo eſpecially in that of the Apoſtle, Gal. 4.24,Gal. 4.24. making an Allegory of that aboliſhment of that Legal ſervitude and bondage under the Old Teſtament, by Chriſt under the New: the bond-woman and her ſon were caſt out; and now we are not ſons of the bond-woman, but of the free, as the Apoſtle there ſheweth.
The Chapter hath four parts.
1. The marriage of Abraham and Hagar, in the three firſt verſes.
2. The viſiting of Hagar upon her conceiving; the jar that it cauſed between Abraham and Sarah; together with Hagars flight upon her correction, verſ. 4, 5, 6.
3. The Angels coming unto her, and perſwading of her, after the diſcovery of the cauſe of her flight, to return to her Miſtreſs, and to ſubmit her ſelf unto her; and his prediction concerning the childe ſhe went withal, to the 13 verſe.
Laſtly, the obedience of Hagar, together with the birth of Iſhmael, to the end of the Chapter.
For the firſt part,The first Part. which contains the marriage of Abraham and Hagar, there is ſet down,
Firſt, the occaſion of it; Sarah had yet born no childe to Abraham, and ſhe had a handmaid by whom ſhe thought ſhe might have a childe.
Secondly, the cauſes of the Marriage. Firſt, Sarahs complaint that God had reſtrained her from bearing. Secondly, her advice to her husband to go in to her maid. Thirdly, her deſire and hope of Iſſue: If perhaps I may obtain children by her. Fourthly, the yeelding of Abraham to this motion.
Thirdly, is conſiderable the manner of knitting this Marriage: Sarah took Hagar, and gave her to her husband Abraham, to be his wife.
Laſtly, the circumſtance of time is conſiderable: after that Abraham had dwelt ten yeers in the land of Canaan. (I ſpare the diviſion of the other parts of the Chapter, till we come to them.)
For the firſt, it contains the occaſion.
1. Sarahs not having born children.
2. A means ready at hand to ſupply that defect, by means of one that was her ſervant.
Hagar deſcribed.She is deſcribed,
1. From her condition, an handmaid.
2. Her country, an Egyptian.
3. Her name, Hagar.
For the former clauſe, Sarah Abrahams wife bare him no children: Sarah Abrahams wife: there may be ſomething in it, that ſhe is not onelyonly called Sarah, but Abrahams wife.
Sarah why called Abrahams wife.Firſt, Ad diſtinctionem, to diſtinguiſh her from that wife which is ſpoken of at the third verſe: For Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to be his wife. (But the difference of wives and concubines, who alſo were called Concubines, we ſhall ſhew, God willing, when we come to that verſe.)
Secondly, ſhe is ſtiled Abrahams wife, In honorem; and it is no mean honour to her to be the wife of ſo worthy a man as Abraham was, ſo renowned for all kinde of vertues, with whom great Princes came up to confederacie, as we ſee in the fourteenth Chapter, and who was accounted as a Prince of God amongſt them, Chap. 28.
Obſerv. 1. Conjugal reputation is to be mutually preſerved.A worthy husband is a great credit to the wife.
Abimelech calles Abraham, The veil of Sarahs eyes, Gen. 20.…6. There be many interpretations of that place; amongſt the reſt, this is one, That he was Ornamentum oculorum. He was an ornament unto her: and certainly nothing that a woman can account a greater ornament unto her, then to have a wiſe, underſtanding, vertuous husband. It is ſaid in the Law, that Uxor fulget radiis Mariti; a wife ſhines by the beams of her husband; the more excellent he is, the more honour to her: What an honour to the Church, to have God to be her husband!Iſai. 54.4. Iſai. 54, the Prophet tells the Church that ſhe ſhall not be aſhamed or confounded, nor remember the reproach of her widowhood. Why? For thy Maker is thy husband. How doth the Spouſe in the Canticles triumph in her husband Chriſt! it was both her reckoning and honour,Ezek. 16.14. that he was the chiefeſt of ten thouſand. Ezek. 16, the Prophet ſaith, The renown of the Church went forth among all the heathen for her beauty; for it was perfect, through my comelineſs which I had put upon thee; and ſo for that among us, when Saint Paul ſaith, 1 Cor. 11.3, that the man is the head of the woman, a Head. In the Hebrew, men are called foreign, and women foreign: ſome ſay of foreign, which is to forget, becauſe the woman is more forgetful then the man, who is called ſometime foreign, from his memory: or elſe per Aphaereſin men Anaſhim, women Naſhim, becauſe the man is the Head of the woman: now a Head is not onelyonly put for ſuperiority, but for excellencie: So that we may ſay, A husband is the excellencie of his wife, he puts an honour upon her. What an honour was it to Ruth, to be the wife of ſuch a worthy man as Beaz was! all the people reſpected her for his ſake. And Abigail was ſenſible of the advancement that ſhe ſhould have by becoming Davids wife; not ſo much in regard of his greatneſs, for at that time he was under perſecution, as in regard of his goodneſs, 1 Sam. 25.1 Sam. 25.
And even ſo on the other ſide, a good wife is a great honour to her husband. Solomon ſaith, Prov. 12.4, that ſhe is the crown of her husband; as on the other ſide, ſhe that is naught makes him aſhamed, and is as rottenneſs in his bones. And ſo, Prov. 31.10,Prov. 31.10. it is ſaid of the good woman, that her price is far above rubies: and verſ. 11, the heart of her husband truſteth in her ſafely: and verſ. 12, ſhe will do him good, and not evil, all the days of her life: mark, (ſaith one) all the days of her life. A good wife and husband are a mutual credit.It is a happie thing where a wife doth good to her husband ſo long as he lives; but a vertuous woman will do good to him as long as ſhe lives; out-living him, ſhe will carry her ſelf ſo, that he ſhall be honoured by her carriage, even in his aſhes. Again, verſ. 23, it is ſaid, Her husband is known in the gates, when he ſitteth among the elders of the land: She takes ſuch care for his apparel and ornaments, that every one looking upon him, ſees how happie he is in ſuch a yoke-fellow, that is ſo ſollicitous for his credit, and ſo is he credited by her.
I wiſh that this care were found between men and their wives,Application that they would endeavour to credit each other, that the wife might be honoured for the husbands ſake, and the husband for the wives ſake. What credit had Abigail by her husband? and what credit had Job by his wife? Could things be kept within doors, it were another matter; but they flee abroad, and the husband is diſcredited ſometimes by the wife, and ſometimes the wife by the husband, and they are aſhamed to be known of each other. A heavie caſe, God knows! I would it were as eaſily amended, as it is deplored.
Laſtly, ſhall we ſay that ſhe is ſtiled Abrahams wife, Laſtly, why ſtiled Abrahams wife. Obſerv. 2. Tentations incident unto both ſexes.that we might take knowledge, that as Abraham had his tentation in the former Chapter, ſo the wife hath hers in this. He was troubled becauſe he had no childe, and diſcovered ſome infirmity, which yet God took not advantage of, but ſatisfied his fears. And now his wife is troubled; ſhe had taken knowledge of the promiſe, but yet ſeeing the time deferred, and that it was not ſaid expreſly, that though Abraham ſhould have ſeed, yet he ſhould have it by her, and therefore bethinks her ſelf of a courſe. Thus man and wife may have their turns in tentation, the one may be exerciſed as well as the other: and God in his wiſedom will have it ſo, that they may be a mutual comfort to each other under their afflictions: Elkanah the husband was ſo to Hannah his wife, when ſhe was troubled for her barrenneſs, and vexed with the inſultation of her colleague,1 Sam. 1. 1 Sam. 1. And the wife of Manoah was ſo to him, when he was troubled in that he had ſeen the Angel,Judges 13. and thought therefore he ſhould die, Iudg. 13. ſhe raiſeth up his ſpirits, and puts him in heart again by her wiſe ſpeeches.
ApplicationA miſerable thing it is, when he that ſhould dwell with his wife as a man of knowledge (as Saint Peter ſaith) cannot comfort his wife in her trouble, or elſe regards not to do it, but leaves her to pine away in her grief: and alſo when a wife ſeeing her husband in affliction, ſhall have no compaſſion of him, nor ſpeak comfortably unto him; nay, by her frowardneſs, adde to his vexation, as we ſee in Iobs wife, who was not foreign,Baſil. but foreign, as Baſil of Seleucia ſaith; not for a member of him, but a dart and weapon againſt him, even to wound his heart, and to upbraid him with his uprightneſs, yea, and to put him on to curſe God and die. He had cauſe to have ſaid of her as he did of his viſitors,S. Auguſtine. She was a miſerable comforter. Saint Auſtin ſaith of an evil, Quanto interius, tanto acerbius; The more inward, the more dangerous: and when the miſchief lieth thus deep between man and wife, how grievous is it! That Father knew not how better to reſemble an ill conſcience, then to ſuch an unequal yoke-fellow. 'Tis the main comfort of marriage, to draw the yoke equally; but when it is otherwiſe, it makes ſhackles of a golden chain. But to go on.
It is ſaid, She bare no children to him. There is ſome difference in the reading,Muſculus. as Muſculus obſerves: but as he well ſaith, it muſt be read according to the Hebrew, foreign; that is, ſhe bare no children. For whom ſhould wives bear children, but to their husbands? For a married wife to have children by others, or to entitle their huſbands to thoſe children which others have gotten, what a fearful violation is this of the marriage-bed! what an abominable ſin againſt God, againſt the husband, againſt her own ſoul, againſt humane ſociety! Too many ſuch offenders there be in this kinde, of all ſeveral ranks: and certainly, were the water of jealouſie now to be uſed,Numb. 5. as of old, Numb. 5, it would diſcover a great deal of falſe dealing, and detect many an unchaſte piece, that like her in the Proverbs, wipes her mouth, and ſaith there is no ſuch matter.
Oh in the fear of God, let wives take heed of this precipice, and husbands alſo; let them know, Marriage is honourable, ſo the bed be kept undefiled: let them know, onelyonly know each other, and ever poſſeſs their veſſels in holineſs.
But there will be fitter occaſion to ſpeak of this hereafter,Tranſition to the Reaſons. and therefore I now come to examine the Reaſons why it is ſet down here, that Sarah Abrahams wife did not hear him children: and I finde theſe Reaſons given.
Firſt, it was to ſhew how God exerciſed the faith of Abraham, who though he had given him promiſe of ſeed, yet delays for a long time the accompliſhment of that promiſe.S. Chryſoſtom in locum. This is S. Chryſoſtoms Reaſon upon this place: Therefore (ſaith he) are thoſe words uſed, Sarah bare him no children, that we might ſee, that after ſo great promiſes made, and ſo many aſſurances paſſed, and yet the thing not done, nay, foreign, that all things ſeemed to go contrary, yet Abraham ſtill believed: foreign, he looked not at the ſecrets or impediments of nature, but ſtill truſted in God, and waited on him, as knowing whom he had believed.Obſerv. 3. Patience and attendance upon God, is ever well rewarded. S. Gregory. The performance doth not always hold the promiſe by the heel, as Iacob did Eſau; for where were then the trial of a mans faith? Faith is the evidence of things not ſeen: for, Quod videtur, ſciri potius quam credi dicitur (ſaith S. Greg.) Whatſoever is ſeen, is rather ſaid to be known then believed. And it is the true work of faith, to wait for what God hath promiſed you, though there be no likelihood, in the judgement of fleſh and blood, that it ſhould be performed. Joſeph had preſages of his advancements in his dreams, and they even ſo many promiſes of God unto him; and yet we ſee how long it was ere this took effect: yea, God concealed from himſelf the time, though he was able by the ſpirit of Prophecie to inform the Butler of his reſtauration; but ſtill he held himſelf to God, and waited the iſſue. And ſo David had a full promiſe of the kingdom of Iſrael, yet we know how long God held off, and what danger he waded thorow before he got to the ſhore: this interim was the time of the exerciſe of his faith. So it was with the children of Iſrael in their ſervitude in Egypt, and likewiſe in their captivity in Babylon; God deferred them till the laſt moment of time, that their faith might have its due employment. I know that Solomon ſaith, Hope deferred is the fainting of the ſoul; and his father David is at his Uſquequo, Domine? How long, Lord? Pſal. 13. and many of Gods ſervants are at that of Saint Auſtin, Quare non mode, Domine? Auguſtine.Why not now, Lord? why not preſently? and ſometimes in their weakneſs are apt to queſtion Gods truth, as David ſaith, he ſhall verily fall one day by the hand of Saul; and to conſtrue Gods delays abſolute denials; or if they dare not charge his Truth, yet they begin upon his deferring to doubt of his Goodneſs and Love unto them; God hath forgotten to be gracious, and hath ſhut up his loving kindneſs in diſpleaſure.
But now in ſuch a caſe,Application we muſt take heed of giving way either to our own corruption, or Satans ſuggeſtion, or to joyn in both together, when bleſſings promiſed are delayed, to overthrow our faith, to queſtion Gods power, Gods truth, Gods goodneſs. We muſt know, that Gods arm is not ſhortened, and he is Truth; Heaven and earth ſhall periſh, before one jot of his word fail: and he is as good as ever he was, abundant in goodneſs and truth, though in his wiſedom he do not ſatisfie our deſires preſently. We muſt know, that as he is a powerful, and a true, and a good God; ſo he is a wiſe God, and he knows beſt what makes moſt for his glory and our good. There is nothing left us,Iſai. 20.16. but to pray, and believe, and wait; and he that believes will not make haſte, Iſai. 20. It becomes not us to appoint God the time, or the means, or the manner of his performing: it was one of the great ſins of the Iſraelites; foreign, they limited the Almighty; and this is one way of limiting him, to ſet him a time: now ſaith God,Jerem. 49.19. Who will appoint me my time? Jer. 49. It becomes us, I ſay, to wait, not force the Lord: and, wait patiently for him, ſaith David, Pſal. 37.7.Lam. 3.26. and, Lam. 3. It is a good thing that a man ſhould hope, and quietly wait for the ſalvation of the Lord. That ſpeech of Jehoram was fitter for an Atheiſt then an Iſraelite; Why ſhould I now wait for the Lord any longer? 2 King. 6.33. Gods people have been wont to ſpeak in another manner:Pſal. 40.1. I waited patiently for the Lord, Pſal. 40, and Job ſaith, Though God kill him, yet he will truſt in him, Job 13.15. And certainly there is nothing loſt in the cloſe, by waiting upon God; the ſeed of Jacob ſhall not ſeek him in vain, Iſai. 45. They ſhall not be aſhamed that wait for me, Iſai. 49.23.Iſai. 49. Though the viſion tarry (ſaith Habakkuk, Chap. 2. verſ. 3.) wait for it, for it will ſurely come. He who cannot lye hath promiſed it, and the end will certainly be conſolation.
A ſecond Reaſon of theſe words is (ſaith another) becauſe God would ſhew, that whenſoever Abraham and Sarah ſhould have that ſeed which was promiſed, it ſhould be ex gratia, non ex natura; nay, it ſhould be, not natural, but miraculous; for ſhe was now ſeventy five, and Abraham was eighty five, & yet it was longer deferred: when therefore it ſhall be effected, it ſhall be Gods miraculous power.
Obſerv. 4. Straits and exigents ſhould never cauſe our diffidence.God often defers, and ſuffers things to come to an exigent;
Inſomuch that they be, ſaith S. Chryſoſt. foreign, impoſſible, according to humane reaſon and diſcourſe, that he may manifeſt his own divine power, when nature is nonplus'd. This we ſee in the three children, who were bound and caſt into the midſt of a fiery furnace ſeven times heated: he could have freed them before, but he would make way for a miracle: They ſhall walk in the midſt of the fire as in a cool arbor,Baſil. ſaith Saint Baſil, and when they come out, not ſo much as the ſmell of fire ſhall be found upon them. So in Daniel, he ſuffers him to be caſt into the lions den, that he may work a miracle in preſerving him among thoſe fierce companions, who, as is ſaid, were kept hungry, that they might be more greedy of their prey. And ſo he ſuffers Jonah to be caſt into the ſea, and to be in the belly of the whale three days, for the manifeſtation of his miraculous power. And our bleſſed Lord on purpoſe did defer that turning the water into wine till all the wine was ſpent, that he might do a miracle, and manifeſt his glory, as it is John 2.11.Joh. 2.11. And ſo he deferred on purpoſe to come to Bethany till Lazarus was dead and buried, and had lain ſo many days in the grave; the end was, the glory of God, and that the Son of God might be glorified thereby, John 11.4.Joh. 11.4. And ſo he did not deliver Paul and his company till all hope that they ſhould be ſaved was taken away, Acts 27.20.
And as God doth it thus for the manifeſtation of his power, ſo for the increaſe of mens thankfulneſs: for when they reflect upon their former condition and eſtate wherein they were, that it was hopeleſs, and that all natural means were unavailable, and that then God clave to their reſcue; that muſt needs oblige them the more unto him, and make them acknowledge him the ſole Benefactor, and their ſoul the Altar, erected Jovi liberatori, to their Almighty Deliverer. When David conſiders how God did bring him out of the pit, out of that horrible pit, in the bottom whereof he ſtuck in deep mire and clay, he cannot but break-out into the praiſes of God.
Now for the Uſe of this.
Whenſoever things grow to an extremity;Application when we ſee matters in a Kingdom come to a ſhrewd pinch; and in our own particular, if we finde things come neer an extremity, and that in the judgement of man there is no outlet to be hoped for: yet let us not throw away the ſtaff of our confidence; God is All-ſufficient, he comes in at a dead lift, and he is able to turn things in a moment, and to give us days of rejoycing for our long days of mourning. And if it ſhall pleaſe God to bring things thus to paſs, let us be ſure to reflect upon our ſelves the duty of thankfulneſs; and if his favour have been in a fire, let not our thankfulneſs be in a froſt: we may learn both theſe from Abraham, in that paſſage of ſacrificing his ſon; he went to the place appointed, he made ready the wood, he bound his ſon, he laid him upon the pile, and he was now fetching the blow: here was an hard exigent: What ſupported him in this, even to the laſt? His faith in Gods power, that he was able to raiſe him from the dead, and to reſtore him again unto him, Heb. 11. And when God ſtayed his hand,Heb. 11.19. and is ſatisfied with what he had done (for, Affectum requiſivit, actum negavit, ſaith my Author; God required the affection, but refuſed the Action;) becauſe Iſaac is ſpared, a ram ſhall be offered; and he will give a name to the place, that ſhall be a memorial to all ages, of Gods mercy, and his thankfulneſs, Gen. 22.Gen. 22.13, 14
A third Reaſon may be given, why this is remembred, that Sarah was ſo long before ſhe bare a childe to Abraham; viz. hereby God did provide for the honour of Abraham: for uſually the great works that God works in the behalf of his ſervants,Obſerv. 5. Faithful expectation heightneth the bleſsing and honour of ſuch wait…. raiſeth their rate in the world, and makes them more eſteemed and reverenced, as the favourites of the Almighty: When the world ſhall take knowledge that God gave him a ſon at ſo great yeers, this will raiſe him in their opinion; and they will conceive him to be no ordinary man, that hath ſuch an extraordinary favour ſhewn him, that God is even pleaſed to work a miracle for him. When the Nations about take knowledge of thoſe many ſucceſſions of judgements that God plagued Egypt withal for oppreſſing his people, and of the ſtrange way he made them thorow the ſea, and drowned their enemies; Rahab tells the ſpies,Joſh. 2. Joſh. 2, their heart did melt, and they were afraid of them, and there was no courage left in them to oppoſe them: they thought them beloved of God, and therefore not to be medled withal. When the Perſians ſaw what God had done for the Jews, how he had ſecured them, and brought their greateſt adverſaries to execution, it is ſaid, Eſth. 8,Eſth. 8.10. Many of them became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. When God had ſhewed that wonderful work in the preſervation of Shadrach, Meſhach and Abednego, in the ſight of Nebuchadnezzar and all his Princes; it ſo affected Nebuchad-nezzar, that he doth not onelyonly call them the ſervants of the high God, Dan. 3.26.Dan. 3; but he promotes them in the Province of Babylon. David (Pſal. 86.17.) deſires God to ſhew a token of his goodneſs towards him, that they which hate him may be aſhamed, that they may change that flat and baſe account they had of him, and might take knowledge that the Lord was his God. And ſo (Pſal. 90.16.) Moſes prays, Let thy works be ſeen towards thy ſervants, and thy glory upon their children, that others might take knowledge of it, and might confeſs they were beloved of God. When God was pleaſed to work thoſe great works at Chriſts paſſion, the ſhaking of the earth, and darkening of the ſun, the Centurion feared greatly, and ſaid, Truly this was the Son of God, Matth. 27.52.Luke 23.47. and, Luke 23.47, Certainly he was a righteous man: and in the next verſe, Others alſo ſmote their breſts, and returned; they went away with another minde that they came, and had a better conceit of Chriſt then before. When God was pleaſed, upon the prayer of that Chriſtian Legion in the Army of Aurelius, to give rain, and to diſcomfite the enemy by thunder and lightning; the Emperour, that thought courſly of them before, now hath a worthy opinion of them, and ſends to the Senate at Rome, (as you ſhall finde his Letter in Juſtine Martyr, Juſtin Martyr. Apol. 20.20 Apol.) relating what was done, and charging that none ſhould be injurious to Chriſtians; for they might be a great ſafeguard and protection to the State.
For the Uſe of this.
ApplicationWhen we ſhall obſerve men truly to be good, and make conſcience of their ways, and that God is pleaſed in ſome ſpecial manner to bleſs them, and to do ſomething for them out of the common road; let us take ſuch knowledge of it, as that we reverence them the more, and have the higher eſtimation of them, yea, even ſeek their favour, as they who are like ſooneſt to prevail with God for us. When the people ſaw what power Samuel had with God, they intreat his prayers. In the Courts of Princes, thoſe whom they are pleaſed to grace moſt, are ſooneſt ſought unto, to be ſollicitors and inteceſſors for others. And ſo Pharaoh ſought to Moſes and Aaron, when he ſaw what they were enabled to do. And ſo the Iſralites ſought to Moſes, and relied much upon his mediation. And ſo much for the former clauſe.
We come now to the ſecond, which ſpeaks of the inſtrument which Sarah is purpoſed to uſe, to help this defect of hers in childebearing, by a certain party that belonged unto her; who is deſcribed.
1. From her condition, an handmaid.
2. Her country, an Egyptian.
3. Her name, Hagar.
Firſt, for her condition, an handmaid. The Hebrew word is foreign; and the 70 render it foreign, famula, a maid-ſervant or handmaid. In all times ever ſince the fall, there have been Maſters and Servants, Miſtreſſes and Maids. Abraham had his ſervant Eliezer, and Sarah her handmaid Hagar. In the fourth Commandment, Maſters are enjoyned to teach that their ſervants keep the Sabbath.Obſerv. 6. The antiquity and lawfulneſs of domeſtical relations. … Civil relations lawful. The Angel in this Chapter wiſheth Hagar to humble her ſelf under her Miſtreſſes hand. In the New Teſtament, ſervants are commanded to obey their maſters; and maſters are charged to do that which is equal to their ſervants, Eph. 6. Col. 3. The deareſt Saints of God in all ages, have been, ſome in the place of maſters, ſome of ſervants. Many Parables doth Chriſt teach, from the power that maſters have over their ſervants, and the ſubjection that ſervant yeeld to their maſters. Laſtly, many promiſes hath God made both to maſters and ſervants, that conſcionably perform the duties of their place; and many threatnings are found againſt ſuch as are negligent therein: ſo that the relation certainly, cannot juſtly be queſtioned.
The Anabaptiſts will have no difference between maſters and ſervants; all are a like, ſay they: and ſome of their reaſons,The Anabaptiſts Objections. for this unreaſonable opinion, are theſe.
1 Ob. Firſt, maſters are either Infidels, or Chriſtians; and ſo ſervants: Object. 1 if maſters be infidels, and ſervants Chriſtians; how unfit that Chriſtians ſhould be ſervants to infidels? and if both be chriſtians, they are brethren, and brethren are equall.
Sol. But we anſwer, rule and ſubjection, are things of civill policy;Sol. and ſerve to the outward preſervation in of Church and Commonwealth, and family, in the world; but faith and piety, and ſuch graces, are inward matters of the ſoul, tending to the better life: theſe being thus different, one that is excellent in the one, may be inferiour in the other: though there be an equality, in regard of ſpirituall things; there may be a diſparity, in civill and temporall matters.
2 Object. It is againſt nature for one to be ſervant to another; it Object. 2 is ſaith Saint Auguſtine, non ex natura, ſed ex culpa.Auguſtine
Sol.Sol. admit, that in innocency there ſhould have been no ſuch ſubjection, as now there is; yet it is not now againſt that order and courſe, wherein God hath now ſetled man. God hath turned many puniſhments of ſinne, into bounden duties; as the ſubjection of the wife to the husband, and a mans eating bread in the ſweat of his browes.
3 Object. It is the prerogative of Chriſtians, to be all one, Gal. 3.28. Object. 3 Sol. It is true; and ſo they are as members of Chriſt, which is a ſpirituall body;& Sol. but not as they are members of a politique body; a politique inequality, not againſt a ſpirituall equality.
4 Object. Subjection is againſt the liberty which Chriſt hath purchaſed Object. 4 for us.
Sol. I Anſwer, it is not; for that liberty is from that curſe and rigour of the morall Law;& Sol. and from the judiciall part of the law, from ſin and Satan, and hell and damnation: But not from ſuch degrees which God hath eſtabliſhed between man and man, for the good of mankinde: And therefore we ſhall finde the Apoſtles preſſing upon chriſtian ſervants, ſubjection; and an honouring of the Goſpell, by ſubjection: And Saint Cyprian will tell us that, ſervi cum crediderint, plus dominis carnalibus ſervire debent: Believing ſervants ought to do the better ſervice.
Object. 5 5 Object. Laſtly, they ſay, we are expreſsly forbidden, to be the ſervants of men:1 Cor. 2.3. & Sol. 1 Cor. 2.3.
Sol. To be a ſervant, there, is not ſimply to be in ſubjection to an other; but foreign; ſo to ſerve the will and pleaſure of man, as that we are willing to ſerve and pleaſe him, in any thing; though offenſive to God;Chryſoſtom as Saint Chryſoſtom ſhews fully, upon that place. Such indeed are foreign, men-pleaſers, and the ſervants of men.
Well then for the Uſe:
Applicat.Let thoſe that be in the condition of ſervants, ſerve their maſters honeſtly, and faithfully: Let them do what they do, for conſcience ſake; looking higher then their earthly maſter, even to him to whom they muſt be accountable for their ſervice; ſuch an one will be as faithfull at Lygorn, as at London; as well when his maſters back is turned, as when his eye is upon him; he will fear his maſter in his heart; he will ſeek the good of his maſter; he will be ruled by him; he will hearken to his inſtructions; he will be faithfull in his buſineſs, in his ſecrets; he will cover his infirmities. It is rare, I confeſs, to finde ſuch current conſcientious ones; who have ſuch, let them reſpect them, and be kinde unto them; for certainly they have a great treaſure.
Secondly, For her country, ſhe was an Egyptian. That conceit which one of the Rabbins hath, that ſhe was Pharoahs daughter: though Lyra incline unto it, hath no reaſon for it; and therefore is rejected by Paulus burgenſis: ſhe was an Egyptian maide: and it is like, one of thoſe whom Pharoah is ſaid to have given unto Sarah: Gen. 12.16.Gen. 12.16. Now in that ſhe came into Canaan with Sarah, it is like, as Philo the Iew ſaith, that ſhe was converted by being with Abraham and Sarah while they ſtayed in Egypt; and ſo might come along with them, when they came for Canaan; How attractive, and what a loadſtone Religion is, I have ſhewed you heretofore: many of the Egyptians went from their own country, with the Iſraelites: Exod. 12.Exod. 12. And we ſee how Ruth was wrought upon by the converſation of Naomi, that ſhe comes with her into the Land of Judah. Obſerv. 7. Religion is the moſt attractive, loadſtone.The Apoſtle wiſheth Chriſtians to walk wiſely in regard of thoſe that were without. And Saint Peter wiſheth them to whom he writes, to have their converſation honeſt amongſt the Heathen, that they might be brought to glorifie God: And he makes it poſſible for the believing wife, to convert the unbelieving husband, by her converſation. Saint Alban was converted by obſerving the pious courage of a chriſtian ſouldier. And Iuſtin Martyr tells how the godly converſation of Chriſtians wrought upon him.
And for the Uſe:
It ſhould teach us, that when we come into ſtrange places,Application or into ſtrange countries, amongſt ſuch as be prophane, or heatheniſh, we be carefull of our waies; for certainly there is great power in this, to doe good upon them; Words will not doe ſo much, as godly and pious actions; which are foreign, ſaith Chryſoſtom, unanſwerable Syllogiſmes: on the otherſide if our courſe be lewd, how do we diſhonour God; and cauſe the name of God to be blaſphemed in Gath, and in the ſtreets of Aſcalon; and ſet men further off from their converſion! For how ſhould they like that way that is attended with ſo bad actions? If it be true, the power of it will be ſeen in mens converſation.
Secondly, Muſculus notes an other thing,Obſerv. 8. Gods Providence is ever ſtrictly and gratfully to be obſerved. that it was a great providence of God, that Sarah ſhould bring the Egyptian maide along with her into Canaan; that as oft as ſhe looked upon her, ſhe might remember the great danger ſhe was in in Pharaohs Court; and how miraculouſly her chaſtity was ſecured; and ſo might be ſtirred up to a daily thankefulneſs, for ſuch a great mercy: and the ſame Author makes the uſe of it; that we ſhould obſerve the paſſages of Gods providence towards us; remember them, be thankfull for them; for he doth his works ſo, that they ought to be had in continuall remembrance; our memories are fraile and leaky; they do foreign; they do, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, run out like ſieves; ſome bleſſings are ſo great, as that, magnitudo non ſinit excidere, (ſaith Seneca;) that their greatneſs permits not a ſlip from us; yet we make a ſhift to forget them; (as the Spaniſh invaſion, and gun-powder treaſon:) if at all we remember them, we are but ſlenderly thankfull for them: And therefore no wonder, though God hold his hand, as unwilling to caſt his ſeed into ground that yieldeth him no better increaſe: increaſe ſaid I? Nay when he requires but thankfulneſs; and yet he cannot have this intereſt: And therefore no wonder though he take away the principall; but of this heretofore.
For the laſt thing, her name; in Greek foreign; In the Arabian tongue, a fugitive or relapſed ſtranger, from foreign. It may be, from her were her poſterity called Hagarens, 1 Chron. 5.10. Pſal. 39.12.or Hagarites, 1 Chron. 5. Where the Greek tranſlates them foreign, ſtrangers. For the Allegory which Saint Paul makes of Agar, which he makes Mount Sinai, Gal. 4. we ſhall ſpeak of it afterwards: In the meane time, let us take heed of grieving the Spirit of God; for mentioning thoſe circumſtances; it is not in vain: They that deale in gold (ſaith a Greek Father,) will not neglect foreign,Obſerv. 9. & Applicat. the leaſt fylings; and the leaſt ſyllable in Gods word, is ſacred: he that thinks or ſaith otherwiſe, is profane and Atheiſticall.
Preached, May 5. 1641.