regard of whom she was called Sarah a Princesse and promised to be the Queenemother of the Princes and people of God and the great grandmother of the Messias whō God had giuen her by miracle especially being committed by Abraham himselfe and without her priuitie and consent I leaue it to your wisedomes to iudge For if Zipporah when she was appointed by Moses onely to circumcise her sonne did cast the foreskinne at his feete and said Thou art indeed a bloodie husband vnto me and thereupon as Tremellius and Iunius note vpon Exod. 4.25 and 18.2 in a rage refused to go any further with him in what a case doe you thinke would Sara haue been when she should haue vnderstood that Abraham with his owne hands had killed her onely sonne and in that manner which before I haue described And shall Abraham now shew his obedience in doing that which in it selfe was vniust vnnaturall dishonourable to God and scandalous to men And as touching his faith if Abraham would approoue himselfe to be faithfull and to beleeue the promises of God then will hee not commit that whereby in all apparance the promises are ouerthrowne The promises were principally two the first concerning the multiplication of the Church in Isaacs posteritie which was to inherit the land of Canaan the second concerning the saluation of the faithfull in all nations by the promised seede which is Christ who according to the promise was to come of Isaac And shall Abraham now approue his faith by killing Isaac and consuming him to ashes Nay rather this might seeme a voluntarie extinguishing of y e Church and a wilfull renouncing of saluation by Christ. Didst thou beleeue Abraham in the promised seede and was this thy faith imputed vnto thee for righteousnes and can it now stand with thy faith to kill Isaac in whom alone thou hast these promises In Isaac shall thy seede be called chap. 21.12 With Isaac and his seed saith the Lord chap. 17. will I establish mine euerlasting couenant c. Doest thou beleeue to bee saued by Christ who was to come of Isaacs seed and wilt thou with thine owne hands kill him of whom he is to come And this was the triall whereby God proued Abrahams faith and obedience Now let vs consider how Abraham approued himselfe in this triall For howsoeuer this triall was exceeding great yet was not he tried aboue the strength which God had giuen him And first consider how he approueth his obedience For Abraham behaueth not himselfe as any one of vs would perhaps haue done in the like case alleaging for himselfe and his sonne Alas he is my sonne mine onely sonne whom I deerely loue euen Isaac the ioy of my heart without whom I can neither looke for the multiplication of a blessed seede nor saluation by the Messias who is to come of him if therefore I should but forgoe him it were death to me if I should consent and be present at his slaughter it were worse than death if I my selfe should shed his innocent blood and bereaue him of his pretious life if I should butcherlike slaughter him and cruelly burne his beloued body to ashes it were a hell vnto me in respect of that affection which I doe and as I am a father ought to beare him Besides this standeth not with mine obedience to God to commit such an act which is so vniust vnnaturall dishonourable to God and scandalous to man nor yet with my faith in his promises to kill him in whom they are made and therefore I will rather die then I will thus depriue my selfe of my sonne the world of the Church which is to be his seede or the faithfull of their Sauiour which is to come of him But Abraham although in his fatherly affection he were as tender hearted as the best of vs and in his wisdome did see and consider all these impediments yet notwithstanding he was content to deny his affection yea and his reason and to performe simple and absolute obedience to God For he might thinke God hath reuealed his will vnto me in this commaundement so as I cannot possibly doubt but that it is the oracle of God to this will of God therefore must I submit my selfe What though Isaac be deere to me yet I must not loue him more then God yea for Gods sake I must be willing to forgoe him God hath promised his sonne to me and shall I denie my sonne to him And what though it shall seeme an vniust thing to kill my guiltlesse sonne yet I am sure it is more vniust not to obey God And although I am to be vnwilling to sacrifice my sonne if it pleased God otherwise yet must I be more vnwilling to disobey God And what though it seeme vnlawfull and contrary to the law of God yet I know it is not Indeede to kill a man vpon a priuate motion without sufficient warrant and authoritie is fearefull murder but I haue sufficient authoritie yea an expresse commaundement from God and therfore so farre shal I be from sinning if I sacrifice Isaac as that I shall fearefully sinne if I doe it not But you will say hath not God forbidden the shedding of innocent blood Yea but the Lord who is the supreme lawgiuer hath this prerogatiue royall to dispense with his own lawes and may if it please him commaund things aboue the common course of iustice his will which is the rule of iustice hauing this priuiledge that whatsoeuer hee willeth is therefore iust it being a meere impossibilitie that hee who is goodnes and iustice it selfe should either will or doe any thing which is not iust and consequently all his commaundements are to be vnderstood with this exception or restraint Nisi Deus aliter voluerit Vnlesse God appoint otherwise As for example the law forbidding manslaughter is thus to be vnderstood vnlesse God appoint or authorize a mā to kill as the lawfull Magistrate and the warriour in lawfull battaile This particular commaundement therefore giuen vnto me of God is my sufficient warrant to sacrifice my sonne the generall commaundement to the contrarie notwithstanding And therefore to conclude Attendis quis feriat quem feriat attende quis iubeat Doe you marke who striketh and whom he striketh marke also who commaundeth and acknowledge with me that the bare shew and apparance of sinne should not driue me into a manifest and apparant sinne Besides God almightie is a soueraigne Lord ouer all his creatures hauing absolute authoritie of life and death who may kill or preserue or any waies dispose of his owne as pleaseth him Matth. 20.15 and therefore if hee will he may iustly take away the life of any man by what meanes he pleaseth although there were no cause of death in him But there is also cause of death in my sonne and in all men since the fall seeme they neuer so innocent For as in Adam all haue sinned and haue made our selues subiect to death so
to commend him to others as the Lord doth his tried seruants will appose a petite that learneth his A B C in Greeke or in Hebrew But trials are proportioned to mens strength the strongest faith hath the greatest trials the weakest faith hath the least trials and where are no trials it is a signe of no faith Now that Abrahams triall was exceeding great it may euidently appeare by those two things whereby the greatnes of trials is to be esteemed to wit the deerenes of that which he was to forgo and the hardnes of that hee was to vndergoe The summe of both is that hee was to sacrifice Isaac The deerenes of that which he was to forgoe is of purpose amplified by the Lord himselfe to increase the triall in foure degrees plainly distinguished in the originall text Take now saith he eth bincha thy sonne eth iehidcha thy only sonne asher ahabta whom thou louest eth ijtscak euen Isaac and offer him for a burnt sacrifice Take thy sonne thine only sonne whom thou louest euen Isaac Alas what needed all these words had it not bin sufficient to breake his heart to haue said take thy sonne and offer him but he must be put in minde that he was his onely sonne whom he loued euen Isaac his ioy But the Lord hauing giuen him strength to beare laieth loade vpon him and by euery word which is added he addeth to the weight For a father to lose his son especially by death that violent death it is a greater grief thē any man can conceiue that is not a father such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or naturall loue God hath implanted in parents who therefore desire to die before their children and exceedingly grieue if they suruiue them but especially in godly parents and heroicall natures wherein these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are most effectuall but most especially in Abraham in whom this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did excell who as he had long wanted so did he most earnestly desire and highly esteeme of a sonne in so much that without him he little esteemed of all outward blessings besides For whereas God had by his promise Gen. 15.1.2 encouraged him Feare not Abraham I am thy buckler and thine exceeding great reward O Lord God saith he what wilt thou giue me seeing I goe childlesse And therefore to lose him whom he so greatly desired and highly esteemed must needs in all likelihood be an exceeding great griefe vnto him How did Dauid lament the death of Absalom his rebellious sonne when he wept and said O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my sonne my sonne 2. Sam. 18.33 How did Iacob mourne for the supposed death of Ioseph Genesis 37.34.35 hee rent his clothes and put sackcloth about his loynes and sorrowed for a long season and when all his sonnes and daughters rose vp to comfort him he would not be comforted but said Surely I will go down into the graue to my sonne mourning And how againe was he reuiued when hee vnderstood that Ioseph was not dead Gen. 45.28 where it is noted that the spirit of Iacob reuiued And Israel said I haue enough Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue And yet Iacob and Dauid had many other sons whose presence might comfort them in the absence of any one that they missed But Abraham was to forgoe his onely sonne which is the second degree to increase his griefe For of many to haue offered any one to God as it were the first fruites of his children as Philo speaketh it had been a lesse matter but hauing but one and no hope of more by Sara his onely wife to giue him was to forgoe all and with him all hope of posteritie which might haue pierced his heart with vnspeakeable griefe Therefore the Scriptures when they would signifie the greatest sorrow that may be they vse to compare it to the sorrowing of a father for his onely sonne Amos 8.10 Zach. 12.10 And as this might haue caused great griefe so it required great loue not onely to forgoe but willingly to forgoe his onely sonne For this was a figure of Gods loue to vs which in the Scriptures is worthily noted to be exceeding great because he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne for vs Ioh. 3.16 Rom. 8.32 1. Ioh. 4.9.10 But both his loue of God and cause of griefe for his sonne may greatly be amplified if you consider in what respects he is called his onely son For in this word as Caluin speaketh there was repetitus ictus a doubled and trebled stroake which might haue wounded his heart For he is called the only sonne first in respect of Sarai who in regard of him was called Sarah with promise that she should be a mother of Kings and of nations as Abram also by the addition of the same letter he was called Abraham to signifie that hee should be a father of many nations Gen. 17.5.15 and to put him in minde of this promise which is crossed by the commandement vers 2. the Lord calleth him by his name Abraham vers 1. Secondly he is called his onely sonne simply after the sending away of Ismael whereunto the Lord in these words seemeth to haue relation to gall his minde with the memorie of his putting away of Ismael whom also he dearely loued As though he would signifie vnto him that he was not contented to haue caused him to put away Ismael the sonne of the bondwoman whom also he loued leauing vnto him Isaac alone but he will haue him forgoe Isaac too the only child which he had or could looke to haue by Sarah in respect of whose seede notwithstanding both he and she were promised to be the parents of nations and Kings But although Abraham loued Ismael deerely yet he loued him but a little in comparison of Isaac and therefore that is added in the third place whom thou louest Indeede if hee had been a sonne whom either he had not loued or loued but with an ordinary loue the trial had been the easier but now the Lord tried him in that which was neerest and dearest vnto him for Abraham as Iosephus speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loued Isaac with more then an ordinary loue first because he was the child of his old age for as Philo saith parents exceedingly loue those which are late borne and this is noted to haue been the cause of Iacob his extraordinary loue towards Ioseph Gen. 37. vers 3. The reason is saith Philo either because they haue long desired them or because they looke for no more this therefore much increaseth the triall in that as Augustine noteth Iubetur filium victimare solatiū paternae senectutis vnicū pignus posteritatis qui quanto serior tanto dulcior He is commaunded to sacrifice his Sonne the solace of his Fathers old age and the onely pledge of posteritie who the later he was borne the sweeter he was to his parents Secondly because
the Lord may iustly when it pleaseth him take vs out of this life and by what meanes it pleaseth him It is appointed vnto all men once to dye and this debt we owe to God in respect of our sinne which debt also he may claime when it pleaseth him Neither may hee bee thought to deale hardly with my sonne or any of his children whose daies hee shortneth seeing hee recompenceth their mortall life with immortalitie And what though he be my sonne yet seeing I haue the commaundement of God to offer him this ought to be an inducement to me rather then otherwise For if he were a straunger or my seruant I might well suspect my selfe lest by any sinister affection I were moued to enterprise this work But seeing it is my sonne whom I loue aboue all things but God nothing but the pure loue of God could perswade me to offer him And lastly what though many inconueniences are like to follow what though I shall seeme to cut off the promises as it were at the roote yet my dutie is not to be a quariste to dispute of Gods commaundement but simplie to obey his will and to commit the euent to God And as his obedience was absolute and simple so also resolute and serious as appeareth by these particulars first in that he acquainted not Sara or any other with his purpose by whose perswasions and intreaties hee might perhaps haue beene hindred Secondly that when he saw the place a farre off he would not suffer his two seruants to goe with him vers 5. lest perhaps they would haue hindred him condemning him of dotage of which excuse an vnresolute man would haue beene glad Thirdly in that he bindeth Isaac for although Isaac when he vnderstood the will of God willingly submitted himselfe when as for his strength he might easily haue resisted for he was of yeeres 25 at the least when his father was 125 of strength sufficient to carrie and that vp the hill wood enough to consume himselfe to ashes yet lest any thing might haue happened at the very instant through the naturall feare of present death which is common to all and naturall commotion of the parts and members of the bodie strugling against the sense of paine he thought good to preuent the worst And so resolute was Abrahams purpose to sacrifice his son as that the Lord esteemed it as done For so he saith vers 16. Because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely sonne And the Apostle Heb. 11.17 plainly affirmeth that Abraham when he was tempted offered his sonne To which purpose some expound those words vers 19. that hee receiued him from the dead by a similitude for so resolute was Abrahams purpose to offer him as that in his opinion who not once suspected a triall Isaac was but a dead man When as therefore he was spared by the commandement of God he esteemed it as if he had receiued him from the dead 3. It was readie and speedie For although there were many difficulties as you haue heard and many impediments to hinder him yet was not hee long in resoluing and in ouercomming them Who would not haue bin daunted and amazed at such a charge who would not haue been at his wits end who would not at the least haue sought delaies or desired respite But Abraham early in the same morning ariseth vers 3. and presently addresseth himselfe to this worke 4. And although it were speedie yet was it not headie and for a brunt but discreete couragious and constant His discreete cariage of this action appeareth in all the particular actions and speeches mentioned in this narration which Moses hath to this purpose particularized as y t he prouided wood and other necessaries that he loaded an asse with wood and food that he tooke two of his seruants to attend him and so of the rest all which he did to so good end and purpose as that it might appeare that this his behauiour was not a fantasticall fitte or melancholy mood but a discreete and temperate action vndertaken with due aduice and mature deliberation managed by rare wisedome and singular discretion And therefore the Lord delaied the execution of this work vnto the third day that he might not onely proue but also approue the obedience of Abraham in this behalfe as being not performed on a sudden motion or vnaduisedly but with aduised deliberation His courage and constancie appeareth in this that hauing once resolued and being entred into this action nothing could hinder him from effecting the same but the voyce of God from heauen not the affection to his sonne not his sweet cōpanie not his amiable speech vers 7. which might haue moued a heart of flint when as Isaac hostia de hostia patrem interrogat Isaac being the sacrifice questioneth with his father concerning the sacrifice and receiueth this answere God will prouide my sonne not the consideration of the contrarie commandements of God or repugnancie of the promises but stedfastly persisteth in his course And hauing alreadie trauailed two daies enduring al occurrents in the meane time which beating vpon him as waues vpon a firme rocke were dashed and repelled and now seeing the place the sight whereof might haue daunted him and hauing commanded his seruāts to stay with the asse vsing a cunning speech vnto them that they for want of a beast to be sacrificed shuld suspect nothing without shew of passion and perturbation with cheerefull countenance constant mind he perfourmeth all those actions which were the forerunners of the sacrifice euery one representing vnto him the death and slaughter of his sonne which was to be committed by himselfe He laieth the wood vpon his sonne as the crosse was laid on Christ with purpose tender heart to burne him vpon it himselfe takes the fire and the knife in his hand a knife fire the sight whereof if you respect his intent might haue cut his heart and burnt his entrailes and so they two went together which y e holy Ghost hath twice noted ver 6.8 partly to moue compassion in the hearer when he should cōsider this couple who they were with what minde and to what end they went together the innocent and obedient sonne suspecting nothing carying wood to burne himselfe and a kinde and louing father carying a knife to kill his sonne and fire to burne him that was deerer vnto him then his owne life Such a passage saith Luther is not to be found againe in all the Scriptures and partly to note the inuincible constancie of Abraham who hauing left his two seruants behind and being not onely occasioned by his sons speech which could not but goe neere him but also importuned as it were by the opportunitie of the solitarie place to vtter his griefe which otherwise a man would thinke should haue burst his heart notwithstanding he neither sends Isaac before nor bids him come after either that hee might haue lesse cause