Jacobs thankfulness to God, for Gods goodness to Jacob A meditation on Genesis 32.…Iacobs thankfulnesse to God, for Gods goodnesse to Iacob A meditation on Genesis 32.…
Jacobs thankfulness to God, for Gods goodness to Jacob A meditation on Genesis 32. 10. Wherein by the way also the popish doctrine of mans merit is discussed. By Thomas Gataker, B. of D. and pastor of Rotherhith.Iacobs thankfulnesse to God, for Gods goodnesse to Iacob A meditation on Genesis 32. 10. VVherein by the way also the popish doctrine of mans merite is discussed. By Thomas Gataker, B. of D. and pastor of Rotherhith.
Thomas Gataker 1574–1654London: printed by John Haviland for Fulke Clifton, 1624London: printed by Iohn Haviland for Fulke Clifton, 1624
[8], 97, [5] p. · 24k words · STC 11662 · ESTC S102969
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
For he is the hsupreme Judge, that setteth up and pulleth down. 2iAll estates hold of him, and khe disposeth them at pleasure. No Prince can so easily ruin, or raise, as he can both them and their favourites also; for if them, much more then those that depend upon them. lThine is the kingdom, saith David; and thou reignest •ver all: and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give might unto any, even the meanest.
For he is the hsupreame Iudge, that setteth up and pulleth downe. 2iAll estates hold of him, and k
hee disposeth them at pleasure. No Prince can so easily ruine, or raise, as hee can both them and their favorites also; for if them, much more then those that depend upon thē.
kDan. 4.22▪Jer. 27.5. Ille r•gni dispensat, cujus est & or••s qui regnatur, & homo qui regnat, Tertull. Apolog.Dan. 4.22▪Ier. 27.5. Ille r•gni dispensat, cujus est & or••s qui regnatur, & homo qui regnat, Tertull. Apolog.
Again, all the wealth in the world is his. For,1mGold is mine, and silver is mine, saith he by Haggai. And, nRiches and honour are thine and of thee, saith King David. Yea oThe earth is the Lords, saith the Psalmist, and the fullness thereof. And, pThe whole world, saith he, is mine, and whatsoever therein is. qThe Devil may pretend title to it, but hath of right nothing to do with it; rnor hath he or any other whosoever power to dispose of ought in it, further than he permitteth.
Againe, all the wealth in the world is his. For,1mGold is mine, and silver is mine, saith he by Haggie. And, nRiches and honour are thine and of thee, saith King David. Yea oThe earth is the Lords, saith the Psalmist, and the fulnesse thereof. And, pThe whole world, saith hee, is mine, and whatsoever therein is. qThe Devill may pretend title to it, but hath of right nothing to doe with it; rnor hath hee or any other whosoever power to dispose of ought in it, further than he permitteth.
The consideration whereof may first serve to admonish us not to trust unto these things.1sCharge the rich men of this world, saith the Apostle, not to be high minded; nor to trust in uncertain riches: so uncertain, saith Nazianzene, that ta man may as well trust to the weather-cock, that standeth continually in ⟨p. 93⟩the wind, or to figures and characters not udrawn, as another speaketh, in the ice, but xwritten in the running water, as to the wealth of this world. Since that yhe that gave them can again resume them. ( zGod gave, and God hath taken, saith Job.) aHe that set up, can as well and as easily pull down. For this is easier (whatsoever bthe Canon law saith to the contrary in some cases) cthan that. dOut of the prison, saith Solomon, there cometh one to reign, when ehe that was himself borne a King is abased. As he that was so poor is here stored and made rich: so fhe that is most rich, may as soon be pulled and made poor, and left barer than ever Jacob when he came to Laban at first.
The consideration whereof may first serve to admonish us not to trust unto these things.1sCharge the rich men of this world, saith the Apostle, not to be high minded; nor to trust in uncertaine riches: so uncertaine, saith Nazianzene, that ta man may as well trust to the weather-cocke, that standeth continually in ⟨p. 93⟩the wind, or to figures and characters not udrawn, as another speaketh, in the ice, but xwritten in the running water, as to the wealth of this world. Since that yhee that gave them can againe resume them. ( zGod gave, and God hath taken, saith Iob.) aHe that set up, can as well and as easily pull downe. For this is easier (whatsoever bthe Canon law saith to the contrarie in some cases) cthan that. dOut of the prison, saith Salomon, there commeth one to reigne, when ehee that was himselfe borne a King is abased. As he that was so poore is here stored and made rich: so fhee that is most rich, may as soone be puld and made poore, and left barer than ever Iacob when hee came to Laban at first.
t[Greek or Hebrew], Greg. N•z. de Ira Praesid▪ & pro Pauper▪ & epist. 51.〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Greg. N•z. de Ira Praesid▪ & pro Pauper▪ & epist. 51.
uPlus creed literis scriptis in glacie, quam mundi fragilis vanae fallaciae, Bern. ad Map•s. de Contempt. Mundi.Plus crede literis scriptis in glacie, quam mundi fragilis vanae fallaciae, Bern. ad Map•s. de Contempt. Mundi.
yJovem, qui donat & ausert, Horat. epist. 18. Qui dedit hoc hodie, cras, si volet, auseret idem, Ibid. 15. Dari bonum quod potuit, auserri potest, Lucil. Sen. ep. 8.Iovem, qui donat & ausert, Horat. epist. 18. Qui dedit hoc hodie, cras, si volet, auseret idem, Ibid. 15. Dari bonum quod potuit, auserri potest, Lucil. Sen. ep. 8.
Secondly, it may encourage men to depend upon Gods providence;1 and to seek to him for wealth, and not to Satan: that is, to seek it by lawful & honest means, and gnot by unlawful and indirect courses. Since that hGod is as well, yea far better able to enrich by the one, than the Devil is, or can be by the other. He that thus enriched Jacob, notwithstanding iLabans hard, cross, and unjust dealing with ⟨p. 94⟩him, is kno less able still (for lneither is his hand now shortened, nor his treasury exhausted) to do the like for those that depend, with Jacob, upon him, and mwalk no other way toward wealth, than they are directed by him, nnotwithstanding all the affronts and oppositions that the world and worldly men, whom they live either among or under, and have occasion to deal with, shall be ever able to make against them.
Secondly, it may encourage men to depend upon Gods providence;1 and to seeke to him for wealth, and not to Satan: that is, to seeke it by lawfull & honest means, and gnot by unlawfull and indirect courses. Since that hGod is as well, yea farre better able to enrich by the one, than the Devill is, or can be by the other. He that thus enriched Iacob, notwithstanding iLabans hard, crosse, and unjust dealing with ⟨p. 94⟩him, is kno lesse able still (for lneither is his hand now shortened, nor his treasurie exhausted) to doe the like for those that depend, with Iacob, upon him, and mwalke no other way toward wealth, than they are directed by him, nnotwithstanding all the affronts and oppositions that the world and worldly men, whom they live either among or under, and have occasion to deale with, shall be ever able to make against them.
1Thirdly, it may teach young beginners not to be dismayed or discouraged in regard of there small beginnings. Hast thou but a small matter to set up with, and to begin the world withal? Consider what God is able to do for thee: and what he hath done before time, owho is the same still, for those that were his. It is hard if thou hast not as much as Jacob had here to begin with, and we see what God brought it to. Be thou thankful therefore to God for that little that thou hast; (p in thankfulness a poor man may be as rich as a richer) and that may prove an effectual means to improve it. Endeavour thy self qto walk uprightly before him, and rto keep a good conscience in the course of sthy calling. And thou shalt see, he will tbuild thine house for thee, and so ubless thine endeavours; that xthough thy beginnings be small, yet thy latter end (if he see it to be good for thee) shall be great; as Bildad told Job; and as in Job God made it good, ysetting him up again with nothing, after ⟨p. 95⟩those his great losses, but the contribution of his friends; and raising him thereby and his blessing on it, to a larger estate than ever he had enjoyed before time.
1Thirdly, it may teach young beginners not to bee dismaid or discouraged in regard of ther small beginnings. Hast thou but a small matter to set up with, and to begin the world withall? Consider what God is able to doe for thee: and what hee hath done before time, owho is the same still, for those that were his. It is hard if thou hast not as much as Iacob had here to begin with, and we see what God brought it to. Be thou thankfull therefore to God for that little that thou hast; (p in thankfulnesse a poore man may bee as rich as a richer) and that may prove an effectuall meanes to improve it. Endeavour thy selfe qto walke uprightly before him, and rto keepe a good conscience in the course of sthy calling. And thou shalt see, hee will tbuild thine house for thee, and so ublesse thine endeavours; that xthough thy beginnings be small, yet thy latter end (if hee see it to be good for thee) shall be great; as Bildad told Iob; and as in Iob God made it good, ysetting him up againe with nothing, after ⟨p. 95⟩those his great losses, but the contribution of his friends; and raising him thereby and his blessing on it, to a larger estate than ever hee had enjoyed before time.
1Use 3.Vse 3.
o[Greek or Hebrew], Theophil. epist. 2.〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Theophil. epist. 2.
p[Greek or Hebrew], Greg. Naz. ad Doarens.〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Greg. Naz. ad Doarens.
xJob 8.7. Ex minimis seminibus nascuntur ing•ntia. Flumina magna vides parvis de fontibus orta, Ovid. Remed. l. 1.Iob 8.7. Ex minimis seminibus nascuntur ing•ntia. Flumina magna vides parvis de fontibus orta, Ovid. Remed. l. 1.
Lastly, hath God dealt with any of you,1 as he had done here with Jacob? Take heed how you asacrifice to your yarn, and burn incense to your net: how you bkiss your own hand; and ascribe your wealth and your raising, cto your own forecast and industry, and so make an idol of it. Remember that which Solomon saith, that dit is the blessing of God that maketh a man rich: and that eall mans labour and care is nothing without it: that fit is God, as Moses speaketh, that giveth you power to get wealth. Learn not the language of the rich worldling, gSoul, thou hast much good; or of Esau, a mere natural, hI have enough; and no more: but the language of Job rather, iThe Lord hath given; the language of David, kOf thine hand, O Lord, and thine, is all that we have; the language of Eleazer, Abraham's servant, lGod hath blessed my Master greatly, and he is thereby become great: He hath given him flocks and herds, and gold and silver, and servants, &c. the language of Jacob; *The children that God of his grace hath given me: and, mGod hath been good to me, and therefore have • all this. nAs you have received all from God; so ascribe all unto God; and be thankful to him for all. Let the streams of Gods bounty lead you (as othe water-course doth, either to the ⟨p. 96⟩spring upward, or downward to the main Ocean) to pthe source and fountain from which they do flow. Return a tribute unto him, from whom you receive all; as qthe rivers do to the Sea, from whence they have their first rising. rThat may be a good means to secure the rest to you; whereas the withholding of it, as sthe Merchants non-payment of the Kings custom, may prove the utter loss of all. Let him, I say, that gave all, treceive a part again from you of that that is uhis own, by xthe relief of his poor members, by the support and maintenance of his Ministers; it is that in effect that zJacob so solemnly vowed to show his thankfulness in. Not that he needed it, awho needeth nothing himself; no more than bthe Sea doth the rivers that run into it: but that your thankful minds thereby may be testified, and he incited to be the more beneficial to you, cwho desireth any good occasion of doing you good. Return him part; said I? Nay, ddedicate all to him, ⟨p. 97⟩yas you have received all from him; by eemploying all to his glory, fusing all after his will: gFor of him, and through him;
Lastly, hath God dealt with any of you,1 as hee had done here with Iacob? Take heed how you asacrifice to your yarne, and burne incense to your net: how you bkisse your owne hand; and ascribe your wealth and your raising, cto your owne forecast and industry, and so make an idoll of it. Remember that which Salomon saith, that dit is the blessing of God that maketh a man rich: and that eall mans labour and care is nothing without it: that fit is God, as Moses speaketh, that giveth you power to get wealth. Learne not the language of the rich worldling, gSoule, thou hast much good; or of Esau, a meere naturall, hI haue enough; and no more: but the language of Iob rather, iThe Lord hath given; the language of David, kOf thine hand, O Lord, and thine, is all that wee have; the language of Eleazer, Abrahams servant, lGod hath blessed my Master greatly, and he is thereby become great: He hath given him flocks and heards, and gold and silver, and servants, &c. the language of Iacob; *The children that God of his grace hath given mee: and, mGod hath beene good to mee, and therefore have • all this. n
THE JUDGEMENT OF a great School-man, concerning the Merit of mans works; contrary to that which the Church of Rome now holdeth▪ Durandus in Sentent. lib. 2. dist. 27. quaest. 2.
THE IVDGEMENT OF a great Schoole-man, concerning the Merit of mans workes; contrarie to that which the Church of Rome now holdeth▪ Durandus in Sentent. lib. 2. dist. 27. quaest. 2.
Merit of condignitie strictly and properly taken, is such a voluntary action for which in justice or of right a reward is due to one, so that if it be not rendered, he that should render it doth wrong, and is simply and properly unjust. And such merit of condignitie is found among men, but is not in man towards God.
MErit of condignitie strictly and properly taken, is such a voluntarie action for which in justice or of right a reward is due to one, so that if it be not rendered, he that should render it doth wrong, and is simply and properly unjust. And such merit of condignitie is found among men, but is not in man towards God.
That which hereby appeareth, because that which is rendered rather out of the liberality of the giver, than out of any debt due to the work, cometh not within the compass of Merit of condignitie strictly and properly taken.
That which hereby appeareth, because that which is rendered rather out of the liberalitie of the giver, than out of any debt due to the worke, commeth not within the compasse of Merit of condignitie strictly and properly taken.
But whatsoever we receive from God, be it grace ⟨image 55⟩or glory, or good temporal, or spiritual (whatsoever good work done for the same go before in us) we receive rather and more principally from Gods liberality, than rendered as due for the desert of the work.
But whatsoeuer wee receive from God, be it grace ⟨image 55⟩or glorie, or good temporall, or spirituall (whatsoever good worke done for the same goe before in us) we receive rather and more principally from Gods liberalitie, than rendered as due for the desert of the worke.
The Minor is thus proved: because it is an easier and a less matter to make a full recompense for that that one hath received from another, than to make him a debtor. For to make him a debtor, it is necessary that one return him more than he hath received from him, that so in regard of that overplus the other may become his debtor.
The Minor is thus proved: because it is an easier and a lesse matter to make a full recompence for that that one hath received from another, than to make him a debtor. For to make him a debtor, it is necessarie that one returne him more than hee hath received from him, that so in regard of that overplus the other may become his debtor.
Qui elevarit, & dejicere potest, Ber. de Consid. l. 2. Psal. 73.18. & 102.10. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Hesio. oper. 1.
bCorporalia facilius destruuntur quam construantur: Spiritualia facilius construuntur quam destruantur, Innocent. 3. Decretal. l. 1. tom. 7. c. 2.
cEsset aliquod imbecillitatis nostrae rerumque nostrarum solatium, si tam tat dè perirent cuncta quam fiunt. Nunc incrementa lentè exeunt; festinatur in damnū, Sen. ep. 91. Quicquid longa series, multis laboribus, multa numinis indulgentia struxit, id unus dies spargit & dissipat, Ibid. Vincendo didici magna momento obrui, Agamemn. Sen. Trod. 2.2.Esset aliquod imbecillitatis nostrae rerumque nostrarum solatium, si tam tat dè perirent cuncta quam fiunt. Nunc incrementa lentè exeunt; festinatur in damnū, Sen. ep. 91. Quicquid longa series, multis laboribus, multa numinis indulgentia struxit, id unus dies spargit & dissipat, Ibid. Vincendo didici magna momento obrui, Agamemn. Sen. Troad. 2.2.
the Sea doth the rivers that runne into it: but that your thankfull mindes thereby may be testified, and hee encited to bee the more beneficiall to you,
nGrati•• pro gratia r•seramus, & su•e redd••tur ••igim fluenta gratiae, ut uberius flu••t. Alioqu••isi ad fo• tem redeant, exiccantur, Bernard. de Temp. 91.
oAmn• sequatur qui v•am vult ad mare, Pla•t.
pOrigo fontium & fl•viorum omnium mare est, d••orum & bon•rum omnium Domi•us Deus. Bona omnia fontis illius sunt rivuli. Q•odsi copiae aquar•• secretis subterraneis recursibus incessanter aequ•ra repetunt, & inde rursus advisu• ususque nostros jugi & insatigabili •rumpunt obsequi•: Cur non etiam spirituales rivi & arva m•ntium rigare non des••ant, proprio fonti sine fraud & intermission reddantur? Bern. in Cant. 13.Origo fontium & fl•viorum omnium mare est, d••orum & bon•rum omnium Domi•us Deus. Bona omnia fontis illius sunt rivuli. Q•odsi copiae aquar•• secretis subterraneis recursibus incessanter aequ•ra repetunt, & inde rursus advisu• ususque nostros jugi & insatigabili •rumpunt obsequi•: Cur non etiam spirituales rivi & arva m•ntium rigare non des••ant, proprio fonti sine fraude & intermissione reddantur? Bern. in Cant. 13.
qEccles. 1.7. Fretum de tota Flumina terra Accipit, Ovid. Met. lib. 4. Quisnam est is fluvius, quem non recipiat mare? Plaut. Curcul. 1.
r[Greek or Hebrew], Greg. Naz. epist. 79. [Greek or Hebrew], Idem de Bapt.〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Greg. Naz. epist. 79. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Idem de Bapt.
s[Greek or Hebrew], Idem de pace 3. Facit idem quod illi, qui inscriptum è portu exp•rt a•t clanculum, •e s•lvant p•rtorium. Lucil. Satyr. lib. 27.〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Idem de pace 3. Facit idem quod illi, qui inscriptum è portu exp•rt a•t clanculum, •e s•lvant p•rtorium. Lucil. Satyr. lib. 27.
t[Greek or Hebrew]. Idem pro Pa•per.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Idem pro Pa•per.
u1 Chron. 29.16. [Greek or Hebrew]. Idem ibid. De su• p•scit, non de tuo. Omnia eni•••u••abes, ab illo habe•, August▪ in Psalm. 102. Ho•• […] suum r•ddit; Dominus suum recipit, Salv. ad Eccles. lib. 1.1 Chron. 29.16. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Idem ibid. De su• p•scit, non de tuo. Omnia eni•••u••abes, ab illo habe•, August▪ in Psalm. 102. Ho••〈…〉 suum r•ddit; Dominus suum recipit, Salv. ad Eccles. lib. 1.
aAct. 17.25. Ipsa suis p•llens •pibu•, nihil indiga nostri, Manil.
b[Greek or Hebrew], Greg. Naz. in Basil. Et ad Basil. epist. 25. [Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Greg. Naz. in Basil. Et ad Basil. epist. 25. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
eAd illius gloriam omnia referas: & illuc unde flumina exeunt, revertantur, Petr. Bless. in Canon. Episc.Ad illius gloriam omnia referas: & illuc unde flumina exeunt, revertantur, Petr. Bles. in Canon. Episc.
fQuicquid feceris propter Deum facias; & ad locum, unde exeunt, gratiae revertantur, ut iterum fluant, Bern. de Temp. 14. [Greek or Hebrew], Greg. Naz. pro Pauper.Quicquid feceris propter Deum facias; & ad locum, unde exeunt, gratiae revertantur, ut iterum fluant, Bern. de Temp. 14. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Greg. Naz. pro Pauper.
