Certaine plaine, briefe, and comfortable notes vpon euerie chapter of Genesis Gathered and laid downe for the good of them that are not able to vse better helpes, and yet carefull to read the worde, and right heartilie desirous to taste the sweete of it. By the Reuerend Father Geruase Babington, Bishop of Landaph.

Chap. 12. (Book 12)

The generall heads of this Chapter are cheefely three.

• The calling of Abraham, from the 1. ver. to the 4.
• His obedience to that calling, from the 4, to the 8.
• The crosses accompanying and following the same, from the 8. to the end

1 IN the calling of Abraham, consider first who called,* 1.1 God: and thereby learne wee, that it is the Lordes worke, onely to gather hi•• a church, to appoint before all times, whome hee will call in time, and make a member of the same. What man dooth in the gathering of the same, he do••th but as a minister and seruant vnder him, so farre preuai∣ling as he will blesse, and no further. The foundation of GOD standeth sure and hath this seale,* 1.2 the Lorde knoweth who are his, &c. And whom He predestinated, them He called, He I saye He, f••r it is his worke

2 Consider whome he calls, Abraham the yonger brother,* 1.3 and peraduenture an idolater, more like so then otherwise, though vncertayne. And see we by it that Gods choyse is free, not tyed to circumstances of age, of birth, of degree, or any qualitie in man whatsoeuer: but on whome hee will haue mercy,* 1.4 on them hee will haue mercy. He looketh not as man looketh, for man many times regardeth the elder brother before the yonger, and the out∣ward gift of nature before inward graces of the spirit, as Ishai offred his eldest to Samuel to be anoynted King, and all the rest before he offred Dauid, thinking least of him whome yet God appoynted. And Ioseph would haue had his father layd his right hande vpon his eldest sonne Manasses. But God doth not so, finding nothing in the best to deserue a calling, and therefore v∣sing his libertie without all respect of circumstances as I sayde before.

3 Whence was he called? euen out of his owne countrey,* 1.5 and from his fathers house. Teaching vs first thereby, that ney∣ther Father, Mother, countrey, nor any thing, may be sticked vnto aboue Gods commandement, for hee that loueth any of these things more then me, sayth the Lord, is vnworthy of me. In the Psalme it is sayd to the Church & to euery member of it,* 1.6 Harken O daughter and consider, incline thine eare, forget also thine owne people, and thy fathers house: secondly admonishing vs what a perilous thing countrey impietie is,* 1.7 able to infect any man if he tary in it. And therefore God draweth Abraham away from them, because with them he should hardly euer haue been good.

4 Whether did God call him, surely to no certayne place, but from his owne, to some strange place,* 1.8 which he would apoynt vnto him, thereby making tryall of his loue so much the more, by how much he knew no certayne place wherevnto to go. It tea∣cheth vs aboue hope, vnder hope, to cleaue vnto God, and i•• once we haue a generall commandement, to leaue particularities not yet so manifest to his holy prouidence, and the further manifesta∣tion of the same in his good tyme.

5 To what end doth he call him? surely that he might make

of him a mightie Nation,* 1.9 that hee might blesse him, make his name great, and bring to passe that in his seede, that is in Christ, who shoulde descende of him, that blessing might bee recouered which was lost in Adam, and so all the Nations of the world be blessed. So see wee playne how Gods dealings shoote euer at the good, and to the good of them whom hee loueth, and who obey him & are ruled by him. Many a man hath he drawen from home and out of his owne countrey, but to his great good both in body and minde. In body, by honors, preferments and earthly blessings many, wherewith hee hath inriched him in a strange place. In minde, by a true knowledge of his holy truth there attayned vnto and got, which otherwise in likelyhood had neuer beene. How preferred hee Ioseph in a strange lande, with many mo, &c. But marke how the Lord expresseth his fauour further, when he saith, I will also blesse them that blesse thee, and I will curse them that curse thee,* 1.10 &c. thereby shewing vs what it is to haue him our God, surely to haue a friend of him to our selues, and to all that are friends vnto vs, and a foe to all false harts, harboring and hatching mischiefe against vs. And what can we wish more?

6 How did God call him? by his word: and by this word at this day he calleth vs,* 1.11 sending vs his messengers earely and late to speake vnto vs, and to intreate vs as the Apostle speaketh in his name, that we would be reconciled to him, not dye but liue, and inioy a place of eternall comfort for euermore, with his owne selfe, his sonne, his holy spirit, one God of maiestie, glory and po∣wer, with angells, archangells, Saints and Martirs, the spirits of iust and perfect men. To day then, or any day when we heare his voyce, harden we not our hearts, neyther despise him that speaketh Christ Iesus.* 1.12 For if they escaped not that refused him that spake on earth (to wit Moses) how much more shall we not escape, if wee turne away from him that speaketh from heauen, whose voyce then shooke the earth, and now hath declared saying, yet once more will I shake not the earth only, but also the hea∣uen, &c.

* 1.137 Hauing considered the Lords calling, in the next place wee must consider Abrahams obedience, which not onely appeareth

〈◊〉〈◊〉 this ••e••t, but is honored with a most notable remembrance also ••y y^e Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrues: for by ••aith saith he, Abraham when he was called, obeyed God, to go out into a place which he should afterwards receyue for an inheritan••e,* 1.14 and he went out, not knowing whether he went, &c. A great obediēce to leaue house & home, countrey & friends, where he was ••ought vy, & such an obedience, as thousands of vs cannot brooke ••n these dayes, though it were to glorifie God, or serue our Prince and countrey in great measure, but a farre greater, to go he knewe not whether. For what a doo would some of vs haue made at such a motion, what folly, what madnesse would we haue accompted it, to leaue a place we knew and euer had liued in, to go we could not tell whether. But so did not Abraham, he obeyed to go, and to leaue all, yea hee obeyed to leaue all, and goe hee knewe not whether. Marke therefore I pray you the nature of true faith, and the measure of it in Abraham, it wrestleth, it striueth, it o∣uer commeth at last all obiections of flesh and bloud, and yeeldeth a holy and sweet obedience to the commandement will and pleasure of almightie God: such faith shall honor vs, as it honored Abra∣ham, if being in vs for our measure, there shall flow from it such dutifull obedience to our God, as occasion shall be offered, and we called to now, wherefore euer let vs thinke of it.

8 But when wee speake of this obedience of Abraham in departing,* 1.15 I pray you let vs remember euer that it was vpon a word, commanding hym and calling hym as hath been sayde, and not vpon his owne head. The fourth verse sayth hee depar∣ted, but how? as the Lord spake vnto hym, sayth the text, &c. Cutting thereby and therein the combes of all momish Monks that apply his example to their bad dooings, and their leauing of friends, as they saye, and Fathers house, to his example. For Abraham was commaunded, they not. Abraham had cause, least hee should bee seduced by his idolatrous kinred and countrey, they not. Abraham knewe not whether he went, they full well. Abraham carryed his wife with him, and left her not, they not so in any case. Therefore you see how well this example fitteth them, and how iustly they resemble it.

* 1.169 If we note Abrahams age when he thus obeyed, he was as is thought 75. yeares.* 1.17 He liued 175. in all. And so it appeareth that a whole hundred yeares he was a traueller, and possest not the breadth of a foote as Steuen sayth of all that was promised to him, and yet his faith fayled not, but by the same he abode sayth the Apostle in the land of promise as in a strange countrey, &c. when we farre vnlike him faynt, and are greeued with euery litle delay in the Lords doings.

10 That Sara went with him, we may see the obedience of a faithfull wife.* 1.18 Not one grudging of her is mencioned, not one ob∣iection carnall and worldly either to excuse her selfe,* 1.19 or to hinder him from that wherevnto the Lord had called him. But she trus∣seth vp and away with him whither God should apoynt, knowing his lot to be her lot in well or wo: taking her selfe called when her husband is called, as if she had by name bin expressed, because God is no seperater of man and wife, whome himselfe hath ioy∣ned till death depart. O honorable Sara for this obedience, with∣out crossing, gaine saying, contrarying, repining and murmuring: being a comfort and incouragement to her husband to obey his calling, and no dasher, no cooler, no pulback, no hindrance, no car∣nall perswader to the contrary, nor yet any pidling Lots wife, either all day ere she can set out, or yet looking back when she is in her iourney. What a prayse is this for all faithfull wiues to aime at whilst they lyue.

* 1.2011 Thus hauing considered both Gods calling, and Abra∣hams obedience, thinke we in the third place of the crosses that accompanyed this faithfull couple, Abraham and Sara in theyr iourney. Their remoues are diuers, which cary euer some griefs. There ariseth a famine, a double triall in a strange place frō that it is at home, where a man being knowne and friended, hath many helps. Then smiteth a feare y^e hart of Abraham that for his wife he should be killed amongst vngodly men that feared not God, a great crosse. This feare droue him to a shift that was a greater crosse to indanger his wife and her vertue for the safetie of him, which euen that way also could be but vncertayne. The concept was accomplished, and his wife was taken from him to bee Pha∣rohs

wife, a hellish wound to the harts of both Abraham and Sarah. And what shal we note in al this,* 1.21 but first the lot of the god∣ly through many feares, many troubles, many tryalls, many gripes and greefes to passe along this life toward the kingdome of rest and ioy, with him whose seruants we are to abide whatsoe∣uer it shall please him to exercise vs withall: true obedience to almightie God in any thing, wanting no crosses more or lesse in this world euer to wait vpon it. Secondly we may note againe the weakenesse of Gods chosen many times, not of the smallest faith and place in Gods Church, but euen of the greatest accompt and seruice. For in our great Father Abraham,* 1.22 what a blot was this to cause his wife to make a lye, to denye her mariage, and to cast her selfe into such danger, and himselfe into such griefe, as that course did? but this is our mould & mettall, and these are the wants of great ones often times. Glory we not therefore of flesh euer, for it is too full of imperfection, neyther commit we the like folly euer for any feare.

12 But was Sarah wronged by this wicked King? no, but when mans strength fayled,* 1.23 * 1.24 and both Abraham and Sarah were euen at the pits brinke of great shame and violence, God steppeth in, & taketh the defence of those poore strangers vpon him against a mighty King, and saueth Sarah from all hurt. He plagued Pha∣roh and his house with great plagues till she was restored to her husband againe. Shewing thereby that he neuer fayleth to consider the crosses, griefes, wrongs and iniuries of his children, but euer watcheth ouer them, and for them, euer prouideth and eateth to deliuer them so farfoorth as shall be good for them, to the great incoragement of all vs that see it and marke it, to trust in him, and euer to serue him.

13 Passe wee not ouer the iudgement of this heathen King concerning adultery when hee knewe the truth.* 1.25 * 1.26 Why didst thou not tell me sayth he that shew is thy wife, why saydst thou she is my sister, that I thereby might haue been deceyued and done thee wrong, taking her to be my wife. Insinuating by these words how he abhor••ed to thinke of taking an other mans wife, and committing iniquitie with her. And when was this? before

the law, when the light of nature only reigned and taught them. Who was it that made this conscience? surely Pharoh, and Pharoh of Egypt, a heathen King, a prophane King, an vngodly King otherwise, without knowledge, without care or loue of the truth.* 1.27 Shall it not shrike shrill in the Lordes ••ares, and giue a mightie witnesse against brighter dayes, against other tymes, when knowing, professing, and houlding the truth, called, estee∣med, and taken ••or Christians both of our selues and others, yet wilfully, wittingly, carelesly and presumptuously we do the con∣trary, abhorring asmuch any scruple one way, as he made consci∣ence an other way. No doubt, no doubt, but this very Pharoh of Egipt will rise in iudgement, and condemne many.

14 Conclude we then quickly, and marke the ende. When he knew the truth that she was his wife,* 1.28 behold thy wife sayth he, take her,* 1.29 and go thy way. And hee gaue commandement in his Court concerning them, so that they were conueyed forth both Abraham, his wife, and all that they had in peace. So shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth his word, and foloweth his commandement, calling him whether it pleaseth him. All his troubles should by Gods prouidence bee ended and turned to his good. God shall be for him in the midst of his enemyes as a sure refuge. And what should we say, or what can we say more truly and fitly in this place, then as the Prophet Dauid sayd, Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord deliuereth them out of them all.* 1.30 Blessed be that Lord for euer and euer.

15 Heere might we end, if I thought it not good to tell you how some haue made this story of Abraham and Sarah a figure of that which befell their seed after them.* 1.31 Abraham and Sarah goe into Egypt, so did their seed in the time apoynted. Sarah is taken to be wronged and iniuried, so was their seed most cruelly oppres∣sed in their time. Abraham is fauored for Sarahs sake, so were Iaakob and his family for Iosephs sake. Pharoh is plagued till he deliuered Sarah, so was both king and countrey afterward till the Israelites were let go. Abraham and Sarah are deliuered and sent away, so was their s••ede out of Egipt in their tymes.

They had gifts giuen which they tooke away, so had their seede when they departed, iewells of gold, and iewells of siluer, and ma∣ny things. Very fitly thus do they resemble this to that, and wee may obserue it. Still I must say or might say, in euery Chapter I leaue out more then I note, and I folow no further then thus that which I note, because my purpose was but to try by a little taste, if th•• ••••••urse might profit, and if it might, then further heereafter to inlarge the same, and in such sort, as then should be iudged bet∣ter when my drift was seene.

Notes

• * 1.1

  God his worke to call.
• * 1.2

  2. Tim. 2.1••
• * 1.3

  God loo∣keth not at merit in his calling
• * 1.4

  Rom. 9.
• * 1.5

  All must be forsaken to follow God.
• * 1.6

  45.11.
• * 1.7

  Countrey impietie perilous.
• * 1.8

  Be not cu∣rious when God doth call.
• * 1.9

  G••d euer cal••eth vs to our go••d, if we folow him.
• * 1.10

  Verse. 3.
• * 1.11

  God cal∣leth by his word.
• * 1.12

  Heb. 12.25.
• * 1.13

  Abrahams obedience
• * 1.14

  Cap. 11.8.
• * 1.15

  Monki••h practise nothing helped by Abrahams leauing all. &c.
• * 1.16

  Verse. 4.
• * 1.17

  Abraham patiently tarieth God his leysure.
• * 1.18

  Verse 5.
• * 1.19

  The obe∣dience of a faithfull wife.
• * 1.20

  8.10.11. &c The cros∣ses of this good cupple.
• * 1.21

  The lot of the godly.
• * 1.22

  The weak∣nesse of chiefe pil∣lers in Gods Church.
• * 1.23

  17
• * 1.24

  God step∣peth in to saue Sarah
• * 1.25

  18
• * 1.26

  How odi∣ous adul∣tery to an heathen.
• * 1.27

  N••te.
• * 1.28

  Verse 19.
• * 1.29

  The griefs of the god∣ly haue a good ende.
• * 1.30

  Psalme. 34.
• * 1.31

  A figure in Abraham and Sarah.