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. 34. (Book 34)

The chiefe heads of this Chapter are these three.

• The defiling of Dinah the daughter of Iacob.
• The fraud and subtiltie of her brethren,
• The cruel murder they committed for that cause.

COncerning the first, the text saith, Dinah went out to see the daughters of that country.* 1.1 That is, shee went a wal∣king to gaze and see fashions,* 1.2 as women were euer desirous of nouelties, and giuen to needles curiositie. Shechem the sonne of Hamor Lorde of that countrey saw her, and presently tooke her, laie with her, and defiled her. This was the fruit of her needles ietting abroad being a young woman. A profitable ex∣ample to warne all youth honestly minding and meaning, to be∣ware, and to keepe within: for it is safe, it is sure, it is cre∣dite so to doe. Libertie and loosenes hath spoyled manie

an one as it here did her. Which the wise Syrach well knowing,* 1.3 willeth all that haue daughters to keepe their bodies and not to shew any cheerfull face to them, that is, not to be fond ouer them and readie to grant them what libertie witlesse youth may wish to haue, but rather to marry them with all good speed, and then is a weightie worke performed. Salomon indued with such deepe wisedome, noteth it as a propertie of an vnchast woman and gi∣uen to filthie delightes,* 1.4 that her feete cannot abide within her house, but now she is without, now in the streetes, and lieth in wayt at euery corner.* 1.5 The Apostle Paul againe as a thing that greatly disgraceth any woman liuing layeth it downe, to be i••le and to go about from house to house. For this wil make them also pratlers and busie bodies, speaking thinges which are not comely. Dauid compareth a good woman to a vine vppon the walles of the house, because she cleaueth to her house, and keepeth within euen loth to be gotten out except the occasion be good and iust. Others haue compared her to the snaile, that hath euer her house vpon her backe.

2 Obserue the consent of parents regarded here euen by the Heathens.* 1.6 For Shechem beggeth of his father that he wold get him this mayd to wife, that is,* 1.7 that hee would procure Iacob her fathers consent, and giue his owne also. Of which hauing spo∣ken els where at large I stand not now. But shame it is for vs to be worse then Heathens.

3 This euil newes is brought to the old man euen to Iacob I meane,* 1.8 * 1.9 that his daughter Dinah was thus taken vp and defi∣led. Whose woe what it was for so great a wrong, let parents iudge that know parents hearts? Neuertheles his soones being with his cattel in the field, Iacob saith the text held his peace till they were come. Thereby declaring that a wise man rusheth not by and by into actions according to his griefe, or when his affec∣tions are hote but staieth himself, moderateth his heat, and ouer∣ruleth his passions til quieter minde may better deliberate of a due course. This is grauitie, this is wisdome, and this is str••ngth that greatly adorneth any which hath it. The want of ••••is hath

caused great repentance when it was too late, and daunted the credit of verie many for staied gouernment of themselues. Iacob I say held his peace.

* 1.104 When his sonnes came home they also heare the matter, and it greeued the men saith the text,* 1.11 and they were verie angry, because hee had wrought villanie in Israel, and lien with Iacobs daughter, which thing ought not to bee done. See how wee ought to bee affected to this kinde of sinne, which filthie flesh so ioyeth in. Iacobs sonnes abhorre it, detest it and lothe the verie thought of it: so should wee, they consider circumstances that in∣crease the foulenes of it, as that it was in Israel, that is a∣mongst a people professing God, that it was with Iacobs daugh∣ter that is such a noted mans daughter for pietie and religion, &c. so should wee, and euer knowing sinne to be sinne, yet to knowe that circumstances make sinnes greater and greater. This argueth loue of God, loue of vertue and feeling of sinne, which euer are arguments of Gods holie spirite in vs. Com∣pare this detestation and religious anger in Iacobs sonnes a∣gainst this sinne, with the iestes and gibes that fleshly word∣linges make of it, and with the prettie excuses that our ho∣lie fathers in Rome doe vse. Si non castè tamen caute, if not chastly, yet charily, &c.

5 From the 8. verse to the 13. you haue Hamer his Ora∣tion or persuasion vsed to Iacob and his sonnes,* 1.12 to obtaine their good wil that Dinah might be married to Sychem.* 1.13 Read it and marke it, and you shal see nothing but a fond speech of a fond fa∣ther to satisfie the lust of a loose sonne, who both as he was his fa∣ther, and as he was the gouernour and magistrate of the country, should sharply haue punished such behauiour in his childe. But peraduenture it was cat after kinde. Such father in his youth, such sonne in his. Howsoeuer surely the truth is tried, that blan∣da patrum segnes facit indulgentia nates. A mallie father, ma∣keth a wicked childe. Read the two and twentie of Deutreno∣mie.

6 From the thirteenth verse to the 18. you see the subtill course which the sonnes of Iacob deuised to be reuenged for the villanie done to their sister, and in her to their whole house,* 1.14 their making religion and the ordinaunce of God a cloake to couer their craft, and a meanes to compasse their desire by. No new practise you see, neither yet for age worne out either of memorie or practise in our dayes: who would haue thought such deadly wrath had lodged vnder so reasonable wordes, or suche bloudie murther vnder the show of a marriage. Deepe is the heart of man wee see, and goodly showes haue dread∣full treasons, and cruell massacres often vnder them. Euen aliances therefore and offred knots of great good will beware betimes.

7 The conditions agreed vppon betwixt Hamor and Iacobs sonnes.* 1.15 The consent of the residue of the people wan∣ted, which Hamor their gouernour to obtaine, assembleth them togither at the gate accustomed, and there by a set O∣ration,* 1.16 showeth them what good should growe to the whole Countrie in generall, and to euerie one in speciall, if they would harken vnto the condition of beeing circumsised, that thereby there might growe aliances with these straungers in marriages with them crosse either with others. Pretendyng cunningly (whiche is the thing I marke) the publike good, when wholly it was a priuate respect that hee had, and a par∣ticular pleasure that hee shotte at. Heere is the pollicy then or rather subtiltie, which now in our dayes wee see so rise. If malice possesse vs and wishe a reuenge, if couetousnes haue caught vs, and would haue a benefite, or whatsoeuer it is that wee would effect, still the pretence is a publicke good, thus and so shall the Church bee profited, and thus and so shall the lande bee inriched, if our deuises may haue place, when in∣deede they tende to as muche good to eyther, as this perswasion dyd to the Sichemites, beeyng the meanes

whereby crueltie tooke place, malice and wrath had oportunitie and the fearefull destruction of them all was brought to passe and compassed. Trust not therefore ouer hastily such goodly promi∣ses and painted showes of publike good to bring in an innouation which as this,* 1.17 may haue danger vnder it and yet not doubted.

8 The silly people consent vnto Hamer his speech, wherby we may learne how dangerous a temptation the promise of gaine and profit is to the ignorant multitude.* 1.18 * 1.19 This winneth and bewit∣cheth them, this gaineth and getteth them to doo any thing, yea with this both eyes bee dimmed and eares so stopped, that subtil men may worke their wils, and had I wist come euer too late.

9 Marke againe what power to effect either good or ill, is in the perswasions of great mē to their inferiors.* 1.20 They carry them headlong to destruction if so they wil,* 1.21 and they carry them com∣fortably vnto good if so they wil. Happie be the gouernours that perswade but wel, and so answer not with their own for the bloud of many. Againe marke here what often els may be seene, that when the Lorde determineth to punish, men haue no power to foresee the peril Iniustice be taketh the wisdome from the wise, and counsell from the prudent.

10 Thus the inhabitants being inticed to admit of circum∣sition for an earthly commoditie and respect, the third day when they were sore, Simeon and Leuie the sonnes of Iacob, with swordes drawne come vppon them and kil euerie male amongst them. A bloudie fact and a great murther in mans eyes worthie of great blame, that for one mans fault so many should dye, offe∣ring them recompence by admitting their condition, and so deeply deluded by so holy a show.* 1.22 But altogither we may not esteeme it by this, but somewhat consider the reuenging hand of a iust God in it, who wil neuer suffer the wrongs violently offred to his cho∣sen people to escape vnpunished if they cleaue to him. The migh∣tie worldlings may imagine they shall do what they list with vs, and proudly wrong vs, imboldned by their might and our weake∣nes, but they shalbe deceiued, as is seene to their terror and our

comfort in this example. That Simeon and Leuie were so for∣ward-summe in nature we may iustly thinke of. For Dinah to them was full sister both by father and mother, where vnto some others, she was but onely by father. Leah was her mother, and the mother of Simeon and Leuie also. Againe wee may see in this example that saying verified, Quicquid delirant Reges ple∣ctuntur Achiui. For the sinnes of gouernours the people often smart: and therefore happy people that haue a good gouernour. It is a treasure that of many is little co••••••dered, and a blessing that God is neuer worthily thanked for.

11 Then came the other sonnes of Iacob vpon the dead, and spoiled the Citie.* 1.23 See therein anger how it rageth and in∣creaseth, being once incensed and stirred vp. One man by example kindleth an other, and violence vpon violence will increase still,* 1.24 if we stay not quickly. If you marke now the state of this Citie, how the children be fatherles, the women comfortlesse, no house without bloudshead, murther, and death, their goods spoyled in Citie and field, their bodies captiuated which remaine aliue. O heauy wo:* 1.25 would not the heart of any man or woman tremble to offend the Lorde, to feede the flesh that sinfully lusteth with such deadly delight, and carelesse to scorne what so fearefully punished we see of God? How happy Hamor, if his sinning sonne had ne∣uer been borne, how happy the sonne, if hee had turned his eyes from euil, and brideled his lusting heart with vertue and honour. How happy all both old and young, both great and litle, men and women, with babes and sucklings, if God had been feared and sinne abhorred. This is sinne in the eyes of the highest, a cryer continually for his wrath, till at last it come. The Lord giue a feeling, that we truly hate what hurteth & harmeth in this sort.

12 Then said Iacob to his sonnes, Ye haue trobled me, &c. Pitifully bemoning the danger which this desperatenes carried with it, both to him and his, had not God been good,* 1.26 whose mer∣cy in deed onely affected, that the countries about did not rise vp in armes against him and destroy him quite. The Lord knew how Iacob abhorred this course, and yet how perfectly hee hated the

sinne of his daughter, wherefore in mercy hee prouided for him, staied all euil that might be against him, and kept both him and for his sake, his, that might else haue perished well inough. I note it to my comfort, and the comfort of many, that maye in their houses and seuerall families,* 1.27 either by children or seruants, or friendes, haue that committed whiche their soules abhorre, and they little knowe of. God is gracious to regarde the in∣nocent, and to turne from his faithfull seruantes that whiche euil committed might procure vnto them, as hee heere did from Iacob. Then marke againe in these sonnes of Iacob, whether for their merites God so increased them and made them his peo∣ple,* 1.28 or it onely was mercy and no merit. And remember withall, what by Ezechiel God saith vnto them, I meane to the people descended of them, and of like merite with them for this that we speake of.* 1.29 Sonne of man, cause Ierusalem to know her abho∣minations, & say thus saith the Lord God vnto thee. Thine habitation & thy kinred, is of the land of Canaan, thy father was an Amorite, & thy mother an Hittite. And in thy nati∣uitie when thou wast born, thy nauel was not cut, thou wast not washed in water to softē thee, thou wast not salted with salt, nor swadled in cloutes. No eye pitied thee to do any of these vnto thee, for to haue compassiō vpon thee, but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the contempt of thy person in the day that thou wast born, and when I passed by thee, I saw thee polluted in thine owne blood, and I said vnto thee when thou wast in thy blood, thou shalt liue: euen when thou wast in thy blood, I said vnto thee, thou shalt liue. Marke you this repitition, Euen when thou wast in thy blood, I said vnto thee, thou shalt liue. That is, euen when thou werst sinful, wret∣ched and vgly to be looked on in thy selfe, yet in mercy I regar∣ded thee, turned my face from thy due desertes, and sayd, Thou shalt liue. Now if there were no merite in this first people, why the Lord should chuse them before all others, but that mere mer∣cy regarded them in their blood, what merit might be in vs Gen∣tiles wild oliues, and behind them far in circumstances sundry of great importance, that we should swell and be puffed vp. Read the whole Chapter in Ezechiel, and thinke in your soule how much

rather the Lord might complaine of vs generally or particularly as there he doth of them. And what should haue humbled them, let it humble vs, what should haue made them tenne thousande times thankfull. Let it make vs not onely that way but euerie way dutifull to our liues ende. Moses was a Leuite, and yet hee writeth this of his father Leuie, an argument euident,* 1.30 that flesh and blood did not rule in the writing of the scriptures, which hard∣ly is drawne to laie downe any shame or blame of their aunce∣sters, but that Gods spirite the God of truth and veritie, gui∣ded and gouerned the penne of the writer, as best was seeming to his wisedome.

13 Shal he abuse our sister as a whore, say they? No: yet may not thereon be concluded,* 1.31 that against a fault any manner of proceeding is alowed. The fact was wicked,* 1.32 yet the punishment should haue been orderly, and with their fathers aduise, who chief∣ly was wronged, and whose wisedome and discretion would bet∣ter haue guided his sonnes, then they any way could direct him. But this is youth, hotte and fiery, rashe and vnbrideled, neuer forecasting what may insue, but egerly harpyng vppon a re∣uenge. They neuer thinke of their fathers estate and theyr owne in that countrey, that they were but straungers there, that they were but fewe, and that extreame daunger might a∣rise both to theyr father and them by this rage. No no, the heate of youth doth first performe, and then repent when it is too late. Whither did Cain his outragious anger carry him? Surely his brothers blood was nothing, when furie and anger had taken place. Saul against Ionathan, Achab against Na∣both, Asa against the Prophet with many moe,* 1.33 declare well the effectes of anger, when once it is kindled and incensed.

Theo-dosius, after his slaughter of seuen thousande at Thessalonica in his anger, by the perswasion of Ambrose,* 1.34 layde downe a lawe, that whosoeuer after should be condemned to death, should haue execution therof deferred for thirtie daies, to the ende, that if anger had anye way made the iudgement too sharpe, this respite and tyme, myght againe moderate it accordyng vnto iustice. For vt fragilis glacies,* 1.35 interit

ira mora. As I se in time doth melt away, so time makes anger to decay.

Lastly, if you marke this answere of Iacobs sonnes, it may shew what naked excuses we content our selues withall,* 1.36 rather then we will acknowledge that we haue done euil. Againe, how vnprofitable speech is to an angry man til the mood be past. Anger so darkeneth the mind, that reason can haue no place. No, reason to a minde incensed with anger, is like a keye to a locke that is iumbled, that is, it can do no good. And as a theefe choseth often the darkest night, and the fisher the water that is troubled: so sa∣than to worke many mischiefs in, chuseth a hart when it is trou∣bled with anger. But let thus much suffice of this Chapter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Verse 1.
• * 1.2

  Womens needles going a∣broad.
• * 1.3

  Syrach 7.24.
• * 1.4

  Pr. 7.11. &c
• * 1.5

  1. Tim. 5.13
• * 1.6

  Verse 4.
• * 1.7

  Consent of parents
• * 1.8

  Verse 5.
• * 1.9

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.10

  Verse 7.
• * 1.11

  Whordom of good ones euer abhorred.
• * 1.12

  Ver. 8 &c
• * 1.13

  A fond fa∣ther ouer his childe.
• * 1.14

  Religion made a cloake.
• * 1.15

  Verse 21.
• * 1.16

  Priuate re∣spects co∣uered with cloake of publicke good.
• * 1.17

  Innouati∣on dange∣rou•• often
• * 1.18

  Verse 24.
• * 1.19

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.20

  Verse 24.
• * 1.21

  Great mens per∣swasions.
• * 1.22

  Both fa∣ther & son are slaine, that filthie lust may haue wor∣thie re∣compence and sweet meat soure sawce.
• * 1.23

  Verse 27 &c.
• * 1.24

  The rage of an of∣fended minde.
• * 1.25

  Stand in awe and sinne not.
• * 1.26

  Verse 30 &c.
• * 1.27

  Faults com¦mitted in families, sore against the will of the rulers.
• * 1.28

  The Iewes not chosen for merites.
• * 1.29

  Ezec. 16.2. &c.
• * 1.30

  The scrip••ture writ∣ten by in∣spiration and not flesh and blood.
• * 1.31

  Verse 31
• * 1.32

  Youth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and rash.
• * 1.33

  2. Chro. 1•• 10.
• * 1.34

  Theodor•• lib. 5. cap▪ 16. & 17.
• * 1.35

  Ouid.
• * 1.36

  Naked ex∣cuses.