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.

3

The third part of the Chapter beginneth at the 16. verse,* 1.1 where wee reade that Abraham went to bring them on the way, noted no doubt by the Lord,* 1.2 to tell how euery way Abra∣ham vsed his guests with hys best kindnesse. Alacriter inuitare, to inuite hartely, liberaliter tractare, to feast chearefully, comi∣ter dimittere, and to send away friendly and kindly a stranger or guest, it is perfit hospitalitie, and very true and commendable curtesye. And this we see heere was in Abraham, who vnto the former added this, that at parting he brought them on the way. Surely this mention made of these things by the Lorde, is a very great testimony of his great good liking of them.

2 Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?* 1.3 See the loue of the Lord God to his faithfull children & seruants, loue conceyleth nothing. The Lord loueth Abraham, and therefore he cannot hide from him what he is about to do. A friend will im∣part his minde to his friend, and whosoeuer regard what God cō∣mandeth as Abraham did, God calleth them his friends,* 1.4 say∣ing, ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoeuer I commaund you.

3 〈…〉〈…〉 the iudgements of God are 〈…〉〈…〉 now and then▪ with their intents and mea∣ning 〈…〉〈…〉 men inioy no such blessing. Surely (sayth the Pro••h••t) the Lord God will doo nothing, but he reueyleth his secret vnto his seruants the Prophets,* 1.5 not meaning euer in all things, but sometimes and in some things especially in his iudgements toward that people of the Israelites. So woulde God heere impart his purpose to Abraham his Prophet and seruant.

4 Seeing hee shall be a great Nation, &c. And who shall make him so great a Nation?* 1.6 surely the Lorde, who had nowe alreadye promised and determined it.* 1.7 Why then because the Lord hath been good, hee will bee good, and adde mercy to mer∣cye? In deed it is so, and what a comfort is this? Can any tongue expresse or hart conceyue thys goodnesse of the Lord? To drawe an argument from his first mercy to a second, and from a second to a third, and so euer on frō mercy to mercy. O sweet∣nesse and goodnesse. This knewe Dauid well, and therefore in euery Psalme almost he prayeth hym to be good to hym, because he hath been good to hym before. Thou hast set mee at libertie when I was in trouble,* 1.8 therefore still haue pittie vpon mee, and regard me, &c. In the Epistle to the Romanes the Apostle thus reasoneth also,* 1.9 concluding that since God had not spared his owne Sonne, but gaue him for vs to death, therefore it could not be but with him he should giue vs all things also. Man vseth to reason thus, I haue bin good, therefore he may not grate vpon me any more, and I haue done a very great good vnto him, therefore in all equitie & reason I am not further to be vrged. But our sweete and gracious God quite contrary, I haue been good, and therefore I will be still and euer good, and the greater benefites I haue shewed, the more sure it is I will not stand at the lesser, but from the more to the lesse with me shall be euer a sure sequele. And if I haue bestowed mine owne Sonne vpon man euen to death, how should it bee thought that with him I will not giue farre lesser things also. O sweet agayne I must needes saye, for what man or woman hath not thousands of mercyes

from the Lord, and therein euen so many comforts to his ••ealt, that he will neuer forsake him, but I may bouldlye and with a cheerefull heart, say, O Lord be mercifull vnto me, not because I haue beene a good seruant to thee, but because thou hast beene a good God to me. If my obedience were to be the argument why thou shouldest show me fauour, my heart were gone, for I knowe mine owne wickednesse, and my sinne is euer before mee. But since thy former goodnesse in thy sweete mercy, are arguments to thee of more goodnesse to bee showed by thee to the former, O Lorde I abound with such arguments to mooue thy maiestie blessed bee thy name for them, and I praye thee my God and my comfort so gratious and kinde, to adde mercy to mercy, fauour to fauour, and help to help in this neede of mine, that I owing thee now my self, for so many mercies, I may for more owe thee more then my selfe, or my selfe, many and many times to loue thee, to feare thee, to serue thee, and praise thee, whilst I haue a daye to liue. Thus may we chaw this comfort in our mindes, and tast the sweete of it.

5 Yet if wee haue any care of the Lords glorye, surelye the Lorde hath a quicke eye to see it, and euen for that also in mercye he will doo for vs and to vs, for behould what followeth here as a second reason, why the Lord will reueyle his purpose to Abra∣ham, and hide nothing from him. For I knowe him saith he, that he will commaund his sonnes, &c. A good thing to moue vs to all obedience generallye, which the Lorde euer seeth, and to this particularly of teaching and instructing our families and compa∣nyes,* 1.10 which the Lorde heereby (to set an obseruation of it) moste greatly commendeth. Abraham did it, and God highly extolleth it, we cannot abide it, and shall he likewise prayse vs? Abraham did it, so many hundred yeare a goe, and is it nowe but a new de∣uise, that is not needefull? Surely, conclude thus, and it is moste true, he instructed his familie, that they might know as he knew: and religion, and the seruice of God, liue in them to the glorye of God, when hee was gone. And for this God will hide nothing from so carefull a seruant: wee will not do it, but are bothe igno∣rant our selues, and let others bee also, caring not what betom∣meth

of Gods glorye, either in our life or after our death, and therefore from so carelesse wretches hee will hide all his secrets, all his counsels, yea all his comfortes, and the lighte of his countenance, for euer. Beware, beware then, whilest we haue time to amend and reforme this fault.

6 When the Lorde sayth The crye of Sodome, &c. hee would giue vs thereby to consider well,* 1.11 the horror of sinne. So great and so vglye,* 1.12 so fowle and greeuous, that it euen cry∣eth, and shriketh in the eares of the Lorde for vengeance. Caine thy brothers bloude cryeth to mee out of the earth, &c.

Shall we then nourishe and foster that with such pleasure, that day nor night ceaseth to solicite the Lorde against vs, yea to crye in his eare, that he would awake and plague vs? Sure∣lye that man, that woulde crye still against vs but to man, we would abhorre and hate, and that which cryeth lowder then all the men in the worlde can, and that to God himselfe, and for greater punishment then any man can inflict, wee are so farre from hating, that wee hate him that perswadeth vs to hate it.

Thys is straung madnesse, if wee would consider it. The Drunkardes drunkennesse cryeth agaynst him, and will not suffer the Lorde to rest tyll hee punish it, and yet hee loueth it, so dooth the Swearer, Adulterer, and suche like, theyr sinnes crye against them, &c.

7 When the Lorde sayth, Their sinne is exceeding gree∣uous,* 1.13 wee maye rightlye note the woonderfull patience, and long suffering of the Lorde,* 1.14 who beareth, and beareth, spa∣reth and suffereth, holdeth and stayeth, expecting amende∣mente, till manye times the sinnes bee horrible and excee∣ding greeuous, as nowe they were in Sodome. Nowe hath hee this slownesse towardes sinners, that will not amende, and is he voyde of affection towardes broken heartes, that woulde

doe better, if they coulde,* 1.15 and daylye doe better as they can?

Farre be such sowre conceits from vs: and no lesse farre to presume to sinne, because hee is patient. For wee see heere, though hee staye long, yet hee commeth at laste: surelye and truelye, yea dreadfullye and terriblye, with streames of Fire and Brimstone from Heauen, vpon suche as presumed to goe on in theyr wickednesse: notwithstanding anye admoniti∣on to the contrarye, tyll theyr sinnes were exceedinge greeuous.

8 But the Lordes phrase is, that Hee wyll goe see if all bee true or no.* 1.16 Not therein imploying any want of know∣ledge in himselfe, howe all was,* 1.17 who can not bee deceyued or ignorante of anye thing, but by an humaine speeche. After our manner giuing vs to note, howe euer in iustice, know∣ledge of a faulte, shoulde goe before punishmente of the same. And credulitie auoyded, to beleeue the worste,* 1.18 as a horryble vice. It blotted Putiphar, it blotted Dauid, and it blotteth and blacketh who so euer is spotted with it.

9 When Abraham hearde the Lordes iudgementes a∣gaynst Sodome, What dooth hee?* 1.19 As wee doe in these dayes: Care not who sinke, if wee swimme, passe not who perrishe so wee bee safe. No no, such sinfull vnfeeling∣nesse is farre from the heart of so good a man. And the Texte telleth vs, Hee stoode yet before the Lorde, and entreth into a zealous and carefull consideration, bothe of the Lordes glorye, and Iustice, as also of the good of as manye faythfull as might bee founde in Sodome, and with all humi∣litye pleadeth for them bothe: his wordes you see, and marke them well. O this hearte, where is it nowe amongst vs, eyther to tender what prophane tongues may speake of our GOD, or to pyttye, and praye, againste the intended punyshmentes of our Brethren? Alas, (as I sayde) wee

care not for any mans woe, but our owne, and this true loue to God and man is decayed amongst vs. Wee will scarse praye for our neere neighbours, that liue dayly amongst vs. Much lesse do the estates of many righteous people in forren countreys affect vs. But learne we in the feare of God, from our father Abra∣ham, heere to haue a better heart, whose true touche and hear∣tie speeches in this place, shall witnesse against vs, if wee doe not.

* 1.2010 But why did Abraham dreame of anye righteous in so vile a place? Surely because hee was a good man, and hoped the best of all places. so teaching vs to leaue that iudging vaine, and condemning braine, that we loue too much. A good heart hopeth God hath his portion, and all be not bad.

11 If fiftie, if fortie, if thirtie, if twentie, if ten righteous had beene found,* 1.21 a promise from the Lorde wee see he••re, that he would spare the whole Cittie for their sakes, and shall wee not see in it the price of his Children with him, whatsoeuer the world thinketh of them, as also what good commeth many times to the very wicked, by them and for them? The world hateth and maliceth, mocketh and contemneth the godlye, making more ac∣compt of one prophane Esau, then of twenty true hearted Iacobs: but the Lord, whose loue is life, and worthy regarde indeed, more esteemeth one Iacob, one true Israelite, one faithfull seruant of his, then hee dooth ten thousand worldlinges of vncircumcised hearts and eares, yea ten of them shall stande before him, euen to turne him and alter him, as I may saye, from anger to mercye, when hee will not vouchsafe, but for their sakes, to respect ten thousand thousand, of such as the worlde hath honoured for mag∣nificoes, and men and Women of great accompt. O euer then may my soule and yours, seeke and sue for the Lords lou••, rather then the worlds liking, and say with the sweet singer of Israell:

The greater sort craue worldly goods, and riches to imbrace: But Lord grant vs thy countenance, thy fauour and thy grace.

For thou thereby shalt make our hearts more ioyfull and more glad Then they that of their corne and wine full great increase haue had.

And let these dogges and swine of Sodome beholde, whether good or euill commeth to a land, a Cittie, a house, by such as feare God. For ten sake they all should haue found mercy, and haue escaped this fearefull plague of fire and Brimstone from heauen, and are these then the hurtes of a place, the woes of a common∣wealth, such as must bee not onely weeded out, but digged and rooted out, or els wee shall not bee well? O price with God, and profit to men, of such men and women wheresoeuer they are, more then wee thinke of, and let vs euer heereafter consider it better.

12 In that he calleth them righteous in hope some were so, who yet were not circumsised, plainely it showeth,* 1.22 that in those dayes this popish doctrine was not hatched, y^e saluation is tied to the sa∣crament. If righteousnes thē might consist without circumcisiō, why may not children now be saued without baptisme, which is in the place of circumcision, so long as no contempt, but Gods spee∣dy visitation by death is the cause. This is a new doctrine you see then, & not ours, which was imbraced & held of father Abraham so many hundred yeares agoe. And I warrant you this Angell which was Christ, controlleth not his speech as vntrue, but let∣teth it passe as verye right. And as hee tyeth not righteousnesse and saluation to the sacrament, so neither dooth he it to his owne life, but euen then hee knew it true, that Peter after long prea∣ched, that though God chose him and his for his peculiar people,* 1.23 yet in all other nations also he might haue, if it pleased him some.

13 When he asketh whether the Iudge of all the worlde should not do right, hee reasoneth from the Lordes office, and teacheth vs, that with humble bouldnesse we may do so in our ear∣nest desires: as shall not the father pittie his childe, and helpe him, &c. Lord thou art my father then, for thy place sake, pittie

me, helpe me, saue me, and keepe me, I beseeche thee and praye thee, &c.

* 1.2414 In his title of dust and ashes, so often applyed to him∣selfe, we see all of vs, both the humble conceit that this great Patriarch had of himselfe, as also the reuerent humilitie he spake to his God withall. Two speciall things for our vse in these dayes, wherein we are puffed vp, and swell with filthye pride and forgetfulnesse of our selues, as though wee were made of some farre more precious matter then dust and ashes, and wherein we speake to our God as vnreuerently and rashlye, as euer did anye prophane minde, for many of vs, without any such spirite of low∣linesse and dread, as heere was in Abraham, not considering what we are, and what God is, how vnworthy we are, to speake or breath before him. But we swap vs downe in our places most vnreuerently, and then we stare, and looke, and gape, and yawne, and huddle and tumble vp some vnliked prayers of the Lorde, not onely without any profit to vs, but to our great harme, for so vn∣dutifully vsing the name of God. Well thinke heereafter of this example of Abraham better, and amend both these faults.

15 It is worthy marking againe, how Abraham iterateth his requests one after an other, from fiftie to ten, and yet the Lorde is not angrie, but heareth him patiently, and kindely maketh an∣swer to euery one, he will not do it for so many sake. And is he changed from this kindnesse now, if I do the like vpon occasion. No no, our God is one for euer, not subiect to change, and there∣fore bouldly and comfortably doe as your neede constrayneth, hee will abide you, and answer you as shalbe fit.

* 1.25Lastlye marke it, and forget it neuer, Abraham maketh an end of intreating, before God of hearing him. O sweete, O deere, and gracious God, what ioye is this, can my soule wishe a grea∣ter mercy, then that I maye speake on, and he will heare, yea that I shall giue ouer first, and not hee, when once I sue vnto his Ma∣iestie? Lord make vs profitable vsers of this mercie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Verse. 16.
• * 1.2

  Perfit cur∣tesye.
• * 1.3

  Verse. 17.
• * 1.4

  Ihon. 15.14.
• * 1.5

  Amos 3.7.
• * 1.6

  Verse 18.
• * 1.7

  The Lord will bee good be∣cause he hath been so.

  O sweete.
• * 1.8

  Psalm. 4.
• * 1.9

  Rom. 8.32.
• * 1.10

  Instructi∣on of our families how h••gh∣ly God liketh.
• * 1.11

  Verse 20.
• * 1.12

  The hor∣ror of sin.
• * 1.13

  ••erse 20.
• * 1.14

  ••ods great ••••tience.
• * 1.15

  Note this and be of good com∣fort.
• * 1.16

  Verse 21.
• * 1.17

  Know∣ledge be∣fore pu∣nishment.
• * 1.18

  Ouermuch credulitie a blot.

  Read vpon Gen. 11.5.
• * 1.19

  A true touched heart with regarde of God and his bre∣thren.
• * 1.20

  Good men hope the best.
• * 1.21

  Of what price Gods children are with him.
• * 1.22

  Saluation not tyed to the Sacra∣ment.
• * 1.23

  Act••. 10.
• * 1.24

  With what humilitie God is to be prayed vnto.
• * 1.25

  O comfort