CHAP.L6. iog Jacob martied two lifters silo at once,and by as good reafon fo ma) we, Ga1L..6. Non numeran. da fuffragia (cd 'appendenda. AugulLin Plal. 39. Rom.j.4. Ioh 733. c ít Com»sentarie vpon the Papia fay, their fathers worfhipped in the mount with the Samaritans, or before filch and fuch altars and images; and fo will they a1íò. Let the profane fwine of the world fay,Naoh was drunke,Sarah lyed,lacobhad many wines, and why may not we ? and fo thinke they haue a fufiicient couer.As for all theIfrael ofGod they make byanother rule,then that ofthe world,the guile ofwhich is ro he in wickedneffe , and giueth cone but crooked dire&icons a nor by the naked examplesof the bell men, who haue their trandrings; but that of the word , which is as the cloud and pillar to guide them in all their iournies. Queft. But how fhall wee profitably behold the examples of the Saints? By obferuing two rules, z Ifwe make their falls andin- firmities,a glsfhe to behold the fame in our felues culler for the prefent, or elle fufpe& them in our (clues for time to come. a.Ifwith iudgement we waigh examples by the word , I fay not , number them , but waigh them in the ballance of the fanduatie, and trie themby thetouchf+one ofthe Temple. It is very liable ro exception to fay,ethers that are lear- neder, wifer, greater,grauer,doe fo and fo, and teach thus and thus:but what ifthe author be blinded, as euery ma', may become a yar t or what ifhe will not fpeake the truth,bccaufèhe will not be a meddler,or beate the times difpleafure ? this is fuch an argument as whereby Chrifi him- felfe tliould haue been denied ;fordid any ofthe rulersbeletae in him ? Sa- lomon laith,thar he that beleeuethhaflily is light is his heart: and the reafon why examples ouercarriemen into cull), is becaufe they can eafi- lier glue credancevino the perfons ofinen,thcn foundly fudge of thea- &ions of them. Hawingfaithful1children ] After a mans ovineperfon, refpe& muf} be had of his private gouernrnent and carriage , whom the Lord will haue called.fo neere him, as to fettle in holy things before him:and becaufe it is meete that inch a one be a man ofexperienceand gouernment,the A- poflle would haue himobferued in the private ordering of his family, whence anaime may be taken , how he is likely to behaue himfelfe in publike:d:at if his fitnes and skill be tried in ruling the leffer and fewer, he may the better be trufled with the greater.For that this is the reafon ofall chisdiligentenquisie,is plaine in t.Tim.3.5.Forifhecannot gouerne hisowns houfe,hox can hegoteerne the houfe ofGod ? We know that he that is not able to guidea boate,is not able to gouerne a great {hip : and he that beeingmarried, cannot rule two or three of hisowne children , fo neare him; much lefle can he gouerne awhole Church,men andwomen, who incomparifonofthe other areas {}rangers, and fewof them fully . knuwnevnto him. Que, ft. But inordering the famille, the firfar care muff be had of the wife;
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