offers up Isaac Briefly faith wrought in Abraham a double effect which inclined him to offer up Isaac The one a dependance on Gods power The other submissive to Gods will The one confidence on Gods truth in promising The others reverence of Gods Majesty in commanding In regard of the promise it assured him God was able to raise up Isaac from the dead as it is Verse 19th that notwithstanding all seeming contrarieties and though hee saw no way of accomplishment divine power could act above against means and so he believeth above and beyond hope In reference to his command it perswadeth him this was Gods will to which he must subscribe that the Almighty was his sovereigne Lord to dispose of him and his how hee pleased and therefore ought to be obeyed Thus being confident of Gods ability and fidelity in making good his word being resolved to exalt Gods will above his own hee readily performeth his duty and by faith when he was tryed offered up Isaac To shut it up in a brief application learne wee all to prize the worth and endeavour for the growth of this grace of faith we know not what tryals God may call us but alasse how shall we bear them if not supported by faith its faith is the only weapon to resist Satans temptations and the best staffe to hold us up under divine tryals this grace of faith as it is of singular worth so of universall use in prosperity it teacheth us how to use comforts in adversity how to want them without this we can neither do what is enjoyned nor beare what is inflicted oh then let our care be with all our gettings to get faith and not only to get but strengthen faith since its strong faith gives us strong support in strong tryals and in particular that wee may with Abraham in some sence offer up our Isaac resigne our children yea all earthly comforts with cheerfulnesse when he tryes us in them and calls for them from us let us pray with the Apostles Lord increase our faith true it is a naturall man when he sees there is no possibility of enjoyment may be contented to want just like a man who in apparent danger of the ship with a nilling willingnesse and mixt consent casts his goods into the Sea but it s only the believing Saint who makes a free and full resignation of himself and comforts into Gods hand There is a four-fold enablement which faith contributes to this difficult duty of offering up our Isaac parting with our dearest comforts when God calls 1 It acknowledgeth Gods Sovereignty over all and teaches the soul to say my state my friends my children my self are not my own but Gods who may doe with his own what he will 2 It confesseth the inconstancy of all worldy enjoyments and lets us see upon what uncertain terms we hold creature-comforts being only tenants at the will of the Lord of whatsoever we possesse thus it learns those that buy to be as that possessed not to rejoyce as those rejoyced not and those that have wives and children as though they had none continually expecting to be bereaved of them 3 It assures us of great good by obedientiall submission and that there is no losse in giving up all to God its good for mee to enjoy this comfort sayth sense its better to part with it saith faith since there is no better way to retein a comfort then in a faithfull carelesnesse to surrender it up to God witnesse Abraham in the text hee offers and God spares his Isaac 4 It convinces us of Gods All-sufficiencie presents him to the soule as an universall good finding all losses to be made up in him alone what sweetnesse can be suckt out of any or all the creatures below that and more doth faith finde in the God above as once Briseis said to Achilles Tu Dominus tu vir tu mihi frater eris Thou art Lord brother husband children all to me Thus will faith draw strength from God to support us under and carry us through the saddest tryals That therefore we may answer when God calls obey when he commands resigne when he requires and be found blamelesse in the day of tryall let our care be in all exigencies to quicken faith so shall wee walke in the steps of faithfull Abraham now and after the cheerfull endurance of tryals for a time we shall rest in the bosome of Abraham for ever finding that gracious promise fully verified Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him To end all with one word of advice to you the father of this son whom God hath pleased in mercy I hope to take away I may truly affirme God hath bereaved you of your Isaac one who had learnt with Isaac obedience to you no small vertue in children especially when grown up in years since it too often falls out that they come no sooner to know themselves but they forget their parents one in whom you had much comfort on whom you had placed singular affection of whom you and all that knew him had great hopes his naturall endowments ingenuous education skill in variety of Languages modest and civill behaviour promising in future time abundant fruit but this tree God hath cut downe betimes and in charity we may hope transplanted to his own paradise but doubtlesse it is no small losse to the Garden of your Family and cannot but be a sore tryall of your patience that therefore you may be comforted look on Abraham and let his practice be the matter of your imitation your triall in a double respect falls short of his his was an only son you have one yet surviving hee was to be executioner of his own son but it is divine providence which by a sad accident hastened your sons death since then your losse is lesse then his let your submission be equall with his and if you cannot keep even pace with him yet be sure to follow him in those steps of faith and obedience which he took remember your son is not amissus but praemissus lost but sent before you whether one day you and wee all must follow in the mean time think that God saith to you as Elkana said to Hannah why weepest thou and why is thy heart grieved am not I better to thee then ten sons ô then let grace over-rule nature faith suppresse passion and though you cannot but shew your self a tender father towards him yet still behave your self as a son of Abraham who by faith when he was tryed offered up Isaac FINIS Quest 1. Answ. Aliter Deus tentat aliter diabolus diabolus tentâ—t ut subruat Deus tentat ut coronâ—t Ambros. Quest 2. Answ. 2 Chron. 32 3â— Deut. 8.2 Quest 3. Answ. Gen. 22.12 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Chrysost. Quest 4. Answ. Luke 18.22 Gen. 22.2 Use 1. 1 Pet. 1.6 7. Grâ—â— Fieri dicitur quod tentatur fieri Rib. Hier. Calv. Pareus Chrysost. Obser. Mark 1â— 43. Luke â— 21 Stella Use 2 Cor. 8. â—â— Matth. 7.8 9. Matth. 26.41 Matth. 12.20 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Geâ— 22 â— Hier. Luke 14.22 1 Sam. 3. â—â— Job 1.21 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Chrys. 1 Cor. 7.29 30 James 1.12 1 Sam. 1. â—
Abraham to offer up our children yet he somtimes requires us to neglect both children and parents and all naturall relations for his sake and surely in such a case Pietas est impium esse pro Domino it is piety towards God to be unnaturall to our friends our blessed Saviour hath told us He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more then me is not worthy of me Mat. 10.37 Another Evangelist useth a more harsh expression He that commeth to me and hateth not all these strange that love it selfe should require hatred but yet just not in an absolute but comparative sence we must not love father or mother more then him yea when their desires come in competition with his will we must hate them for him we must say as Levi nescio vos I know you not or with Christ to his mother quid mihi tecum woman what have I to do with thee trampling under foot all naturall relations which would hinder us from obedience to divine injunctions It was a pious though erroneous spirit that lodged in the breast of Sir Thomas Moor once Lord Chancellour of this Kingdom who regarded not the prayers nay tears of his dearest wife when shee perswaded him with the forfeiture of his conscience to endeavour the restauration of his liberty let us follow his pattern that no respect either to wives or children may withdraw us from the performance of our duties to God 3 Finally though God doe not call us to offer up our children yet many times he calls to us to part with them though not to sacrifice them with our own hands yet to resigne them up to his dispose oh let us learn by Abrahams example chearfully to give up our dearest comforts to that God who hath given them unto us he was willing to an obtulit so far obedient as himselfe to offer his son shall not we be content with an abstulit that God should take away wife or children or any enjoyment from us good old Eli when acquainted by Samuel with Gods severe intentions against himselfe his sons his family sits down quietly and sayes submissively Dominus est It is the Lord let him doe what it seems good in his sight Holy Job when informed by severall messengers of the losse of his Oxen by the Sabeans of his Camels by the Caldeans of his Sheep and servants by a fire from God nay of his sons and daughters by a winde from the wildernesse worshiped saying Dominus dedit The Lord gives and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Oh let us write after these copies and what we daily pray for cheerfully submit unto that the will of the Lord may be done let all parents say to use the Prophets words though in another case Behold I and the children whom thou ô Lord hast given me are at thy dispose doe with me and mine as it pleaseth thee And that we may attein this gracious frame of spirit let us take notice of and strive after that grace of faith wherein Abraham excelled and by which he was enabled to so difficult a work which leads me to the 3 Generall namely the true ground of Abrahams obedient behaviour in those words by faith indeed nothing but faith could enable him to quit himselfe in so great a tryall I deny not but even Heathens have sacrificed themselves and their children unto death but upon what grounds for the most part affection of vain glory at the best but love of their Countrey was that which bereaved them of their lives Abrahams offering up his Isaac was upon another ground in a religious observance of divine precept to which nothing but faith could enable the truth is if we rightly weigh this act of Abraham we shall finde there was great need of faith to unlock the difficulties silence the reasonings answer the doubts which could not but arise in his spirit There was a double objection which this Patriark might make against offering up his son to both which only faith could give an answer The one in reference to the comand which God gave The other in respect of the promise which God made 1 Besides the Law of nature God hath given an expresse command Thou shalt not kill and well might Abraham argue if I must not kill any man much lesse my son surely God is either contrary to himselfe or else this bloudy precept came not from him but is a meer delusion of the Devill but here faith steps in unfolds the riddle assures Abraham it was no other then God who had given this in charge that he is an absolute illimited commander and therefore might enjoyn what he pleased that he is sovereigne Lord of his own Law and therefore may dispence with it when he will thus silencing this objection by faith he offers up Isaac and it is a rule we are to take notice of that where Gods commands seem or doe really clash one against another the lesser must give way to the greater and ordinary to extraordinary precepts the ten Comandements are the generall rule of our life yet if a speciall intervene as here did to Abraham faith gives that the preheminence 2 Another objection might well arise from Gods promise God hath assured Abraham of an innumerable seed as the stars of heaven and the sands on the sea-shore all these to come out of Isaacs loynes and yet God commands that Isaac should be slain Might not Abraham well have reasoned thus What Lord are thy decrees changable or thy promise failable how can these two stand together Isaac shall be a father of many nations and yet he must dye by his fathers hands what fruit is to be expected from a dry root or what hopes can there be in a dead Isaac the truth is to sense and reason there is a manifest contrariety between his precept and his promise neyther of these eyes can see how God should fulfill what hee had promised if Abraham perform'd what he required but faith hath a piercing sight so she steps in untyes the knot and thus bespeaks Abraham Feare not Abraham to sacrifice thy son hee that commands thee to kill him wants not power to quicken him the same hand which raised him from the dead wombe of Sarah can revive him from the ashes of a sacrifice thou gottest thy Isaac by believing thou shalt not lose him by obeying Now faith hath got the day obteined the victory What cruelty doth in others that faith did in Abraham makes him not to be moved at the strangenesse of the fact God knew he had to do with an Abraham and therefore puts upon him such a comand Abraham knew he had to do with a God and therefore believes what he commands is good and what he promiseth is infallible Thus being carelesse of the means not doubting of the end he sets upon the work and by faith
and to speake of himselfe after the manner of men but the truth is Gods end of tryall is not that he might know but that we and others may know the graces of God that are in us tryals are oft times publishers of concealed vertues neither the patience of Job wisdome of Solomon or the faith of Abraham would have been so famous had it not been for tryalls But how and by what meanes doth God try his servants Divines answer two ways factis verbis by deeds words by deeds when either he substracts his grace from us leaving us to our selves as he did Hezekiah To try all that was in his heart or else when he brings us into straits lays upon us afflictions so he was forty yeares in leading of the children of Israel through the wildernesse to prove them sometimes by words and commands which he enjoyns us such was that command which Christ gave to the young man in the Gospell To sell all he had and this which he gave to Abraham take thy son and offer him for a burnt offering and if you please to take a serious view of this command you shall find it was a sore tryall and that there was a strange probation in this Divine precept for consider 1 Whom doth the command concerne not a servant or a friend or an allye but a son and him not an adopted but a naturall son not of many but an only son by Sarah one that was the son of his love of his hope yea of his old age a childe of promise of prayers nay tears 2 What it is that is required is it to send him a far off into some strange Country is it to part with him and not see his face for some yeares is it to have him taken away by death through some visitation of Gods hand all of these would have been sad tryalls nay but it is to lay violent hands upon him and cut him off by an untimely slaughter but whose hands must they be may his servants carry him away to some remote place out of his sight and there kill him or is it only to stand by look on and suffer him to be slain no he himself must ' offer him up Abraham must not onely have his eyes on but his hands in this bloudy act he must not only be a spectator of but an actor in this dolefull Tragedy the tender father must imbrue his hands in the bloud of his innocent childe God had tryed Abraham before many wayes calling him to goe out of his Countrey suffering that contention between him and Lot in the battell he had with the five Kings in the circumcising of his houshold in the casting out of Ishmael but all short of this in sacrificing of his Isaac which Abraham here was put upon and our Apostle means in these words When he was tryed To apply this Let the Saints of God learn continually to expect and prepare for tryals let no son of Abraham hope to scape temptation when he sees the bosome in which he desires to rest assaulted with difficulties nor must we onely stand in fear of diabolicall suggestions but in expectance of divine temptation the truth is tryals are both necessary and precious needfull and usefull Saint Peter joynes both together Ye are in heavinesse if need be and the tryall of your faith being being much more precious then that of gold the shakeing of the trees by the winde the casting of gold into the fire is not more usefull for the seâ—ling of the one and purifying of the other than tryals are for Gods servants Nor must we onely expect single but successive tryals like Jobs Messengers one upon the neck of the other When one woe is past look for another to come and that many times on a suddain in matters we are least aware of nor let us onely prepare for many but great and sore tryals such as will not only rend our garments but break our hearts tryals in our neerest friends deerest comforts the delight of our eyes joy of our hearts and breath of our nostrils such were Jobs in his cattell the support of his estate his children the fruit of his loyns nay in the wife of his bosome and the smiting of his own body such was Abrahams in the Text in his near and dear Isaac 2 Since we must be tryed look we to the soundnesse of our graces that they be such as will abide tryall paint will melt at the heat while the naturall complection remains drosse will consume in the fire while the gold grows purer bad stuffe will shrink in the wetting whilst that which is good retains its measure finally the house that is built upon the sand falls down at the blowing of the winde while that which is built upon the rock remains Seeming grace vanishes in the times of tribulation onely true grace retains its lustre continues firm nay grows purer in fiery tryals And since wee must expect strong tryals look we to the strength of our graces If thou saint in the day of adversity thy strength is small saith Solomon Prov. 24.10 adversity though it be a hard tyrant yet it is a right Judge speaking truly what our graces are Nemo vires suas in pace cognoscit no one knows his strength in peace a sharp battle calls for courage in the souldier hard weather makes the weak body shrinke every cock-boat can swim in the river it s the lusty ship must saile in the Ocean we meet with strong tryalls we must labour for strong graces ever remembreing this for our comfort that Divine wisdome and goodnesse will proportion the tryall to our strength a skilfull Physician in potions considers the strength of his patient a wise Scholmaster in his lessons observes the ability of his Scholler and our gracious God in his tryals remembers what wee are and will lay no heavier burthen on our shoulders then we are able to beare that of the Apostle is in this sence truly applicable he hath both milk for babes and meat for strong men and if he impose so great a tryall as the slaying of a son it shall be upon an Abraham that is strong in faith vigorous in grace and knoweth how to obey so severe a command which leads me to the 2 Generall Abrahams obedient behaviour under his tryall He offered up Isaac God puts him upon it and he sets about it and having received an injunction puts it in execution He offers up Isaac But here some perhaps may tax our Apostle as a false relater of the story since indeed Isaac was not offered up but a Ram the answer is easie 1 Hee offered that is Offerre coepit hee began to offer him he had taken his journey clave the wood and was come to the mount being there he had built an altar laid the wood in order on that altar bound and laid his son on that wood stretched forth his hand took the
me rather then so sodainly to snatch him from me why didst thou make me a father if now I must become a murtherer of my childe far better I had been childlesse then now to make my selfe so But far be such thoughts from Abraham who had learned this sacred lesson not to murmur but to obey had it been any but an Abraham he would doubtlesse have returned an excuse and said to use Naamans words In this the Lord pardon his servant any thing but my Isaac thou shalt command him I cannot know not how to part with however it might seem no more then just for Abrahom in this case to expostulate with God in these or the like words Doth the God of mercie delight in cruelty and piety it self command murther will justice require the slaughter of an innocent and canst thou in equity desire the bloud of the guiltlesse or if thou wilt needs have an humane sacrifice is none but Isaac fit for thine Altar and must none offer him but Abraham Shall these hands destroy the fruit of my loyns must I that was the instrument of his life become the means of his death Can not I be faithfull unto thee unlesse I be unnaturall to my childe Why did I so long wayt for him Why didst thou at last bestow him if I must now part with him How shall I look Sarah in the faâ—e when I have slain her son How will the Heathens censure this holy cruelty and say there goes the man who cut the throat of his own childe But Abrahams obedience had taught him better not to dispute but 〈◊〉 me thinks I hear him answering Gods command in these oâ— the like submissive terms Blessed Lord doest thou call for my Isaac thou shalt have him what though he be precious in my eyes yet thou art more true he is my son but thou art my God to me it will prove a bitter losse I but to thee it will become a sweet sacrifice what though my wife may blame me yet thou commandest me better shee call me a bloudy husband then thou an undutifull servant What though the world accuse me of cruelty yet thou requirest it as a duty better I be in their eyes an unnaturall father then in thine an ungracious son were he ten thousand Isaacs I dare not I will not spare him but am ready though against my own to doe thy will ô God But here a farther doubt may be moved how Abraham though he would could offer Isaac Abraham was old and feeble Isaac young and lusty though one had a command of offering yet the other none of suffering and the law of nature would teach Isaac to endeavour the preservation of his life though a father came to take it from him To this Divines answer that Isaac being religiously educated and no doubt by his father sufficiently informed of Gods will in this particular submitted himselfe to be offered up Sutable to this purpose is that of Saint Chrysostom {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Isaac gave himself to his Father as freely as Abraham gave him to God Whom should I first admire to whom shall I give the greatest honour the tender father that offered his son or the obedient son submitting to his father even to the death thus there was the same minde the like affection both in Abraham and Isaac so that the courage of the Father seemed to be transplanted into the son and the innocency of the son not wanting unto the father that golden-mouthed Oratour illustrated this whilest hee fitly bringeth in Abraham thus be-speaking his son Suffer me ô my son suffer me to perform the command of my God that God that made thee calls for thee hee that gave thee seeks thee he that created thee desires thou shouldest be sacrificed to him thou wilt be a sacrifice so much the more acceptable by how much the more willingly thou entertainest the glorious benefits of death and then Isaac sweetly complying with his fathers desire My father perform what thou art commanded doe the office thou art enjoyned I resist not refuse not what thou wilt I will what thou desirest I submit to and with the same readinesse I embrace death as I know thou doest by Gods command inflict it See here a rare patterne of obedience to parents in Isaac who suffered Abraham to God in Abraham who offered up Isaac This latter is especially presented in the Text and ought principally to be imitated by us and though we cannot attain yet let us aspire to that height of obedience which Abraham practized indeed herein is the tryall of our submission when in things contrary to our nature contradictory to our desires crosse to our reason we can obey God it is the aggravation of disobedience in easie precepts to rebell it is the commendation of obedience in difficult commands to submit to obey God in what suites with our temper is not praise worthy but then to yield when nature and reason oppose is most laudable Indeed hic labor hoc opus to strive against the stream row against the tyde go against the haire act against the dictates of our own naturall and carnall affections is the difficulty and withall the excellencie of obedience To close up this in a three-fold speciall application 1 Though God call not upon us to offer up our sons yet hee requires us to offer up our sinnes there is none of us but in this sence hath an Isaac a dilectum delictum some darling lust bosome corruption which he expects we should part with at his call but alas how far short are we of this Patriark he offered up a dutifull Isaac we will not sacrifice a rebellious lust he at a single command went about the work we neglect after many precepts often intreaties and frequent threatnings he rose early in the morning to slay his son we make it our evening sacrifice and scarce thinke of mortifying our lusts till death is ready to kill us finally he would have sacrific'd his son in whom all Nations were to be blest we will not slay our sins which otherwise will make us for ever curst but ô sinner how long wilt thou hug that in thy bosome which is Gods hate and will be thy ruine think thou hearest a voice from heaven once more be-speak thee as God did Abraham Take now thine Isaac whom thou lovest thy sin wherein thou delightest and offer it up to me for Sacrifice or as Christ did the Jews as for my enemies thy lusts which would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me O then delay not consult not neglect not but while it is called to day binde thy corruptions on the Altar of the Law take the knife of Gods Word in thy hand and cut the throat of thy sins that they may become a sweet smelling Sacrifice in Gods nostrils and thou an amiable Priest in his eyes 2 Though God do not call us as he did