Treatise of the Four Degenerate Sons, Treatise · Part 4
OF The fourth degenerate Son, the JEW, who killed his Father.
HE that was the firſt born in Iſrael had ſundry priviledges and dignities conferred upon him (before the Law) above the reſt of his brethren; the firſt priviledge was this, that he had the princely power and dominion over his brethren, Gen. 27.29. Be Lord over thy brethren. Secondly, they were Prieſts in their fathers family, untill the Levites ſucceeded in their place. Thirdly, they had the double portion of all their fathers goods, Deut. 21.17. Fourthly, the firſt borne were redeemed with five ſhekels, which the reſt were not, as eſpecially conſecrate to the Lord. Fiftly, they had a peculiar ſort of apparrell whereby they were diſtinguiſhed from the reſt of their brethren; Such was Eſau his goodly raiment, which Rebecca put upon Iacob, Gen. 27.15. which had a goodly ſmell, as the ſmell of a field which the Lord had bleſſed. Sixtly, they had the dignity to ſit firſt at the Table, Gen. 43.33. Iob 1.13. And laſt, the firſt borne were bleſſed after a ſingular manner by their father in his death.
Reuben, Iacobs firſt borne, by committing of inceſt and defiling his fathers bed, he loſt all theſe dignities, Iudah got the Princely dignity; Levi got the Prieſthood; Ioſeph the double portion: and after that his brethren reverenced him not, and he loſt all the reſt of his priviledges, none of his poſteritie came unto any dignitie or preferment, and they were more obſcure than dull Iſſachar. Iſſachar was aſinus oſsium had ſtrong bones, to labour and to carrie burdens; But Reuben was like water ſpilt: Iſſachar was valiant in battle againſt Siſera, Iudg. 5.14. but nothing is ſpoken of Reuben his poſteritie; never Iudge came of him, neither ſouldier came of him, all feeble and weake: Iſſachar was given to ſtudy and knowledge, 1 Chron. 12.32. but no learned men came of Reuben; and all this befell him becauſe hee diſhonoured his father in defiling his bed. So the Iewes the Lords firſt borne, Exod. 4.22. had all theſe dignities conferred upon them, but for murthering the Lord of life, they were ſpoyled of them all: firſt they were a Kingdome of Prieſts, Exod. 19.6. that is, they were Kings and Prieſts to the Lord; but for murthering of the Lord of life, this dignitie was tranferred to the Gentiles, 1 Pet. 2.9. Then they had the double portion, the Lord was their portion, Pſal. 23. this was a worthy portion, or a double portion, but now they have loſt this portion; he redeemed them before by a great price, not with five ſhekels, but now he ſels them for nought, and their price is not increaſed, Pſal. 44.12. Then he cloathed them with broydered worke, ſhod them with Badgers skinnes, Ezeck. 16.10. but now the Lord hath ſtript them naked and bare, v. 39. They ſate firſt at the Lords Table, and ſome Gentiles like whelpes eate but the crummes under the Table, but now they that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and they that are last ſhall be firſt, and ſhall ſit downe with Iacob in the Kingdome of God, Luke 13.29. Laſt the Lord hath curſed theſe wilfull murtherers of him in his death; what could the Lord have done more to his firſt borne, but this degenerate ſonne (optimi vini peſsimum acetum) hath deſpiſed him, he counted all the world but dogges in reſpect …f them, Math. 15.27. but they like dogges turned againe and rent him, Pſal. 22. And this his firſt begotten ſonne is now become bukera ſakla, primo genitus ſtultus, qui non fert nomen patris ſui; he is become that fooliſh firſt borne, that cannot abide the name of his father.