had no forme or fashion Thus wee see what a iolly imagination the Papistes haue whereby they declare that they know not what faith is For it is an absolute and singular gift of God And after it is said That we receiue the spirite of adoption by which he so renueth and also incorporateth vs into our Lorde Iesus Christ as that wee are made members of his bodie and withall newe creatures VVee see then that the Papistes knowe not these things neither yet vnderstand the principles and rudiments of Christianitie no more than brute beastes without sence And vvhat a feareful thing is this that they do nothing else but brag of these things And yet they thinke themselues to be the greatest diuines in the vvorld vvhen as they haue made a distinction forsooth betvveene vnformed and formed faith vvhich is as much as if they had said a God in vvhome is no povver nor vertue then a God who shevveth himselfe povverfull and iust And thus haue they forged vnto themselues a double faith And vvhy then doeth S. Iames vse here this vvord And vvhy do vvee vse this vvorde Church This vvorde Bishop this saying Gods seruice Deuotion Zeale But vvhen vve speake of the Papistes vve neuer yeelde vnto them in truth that they haue any church vvhich is to be obeyed For in deed they haue nothing but some ruynes of a Church and a certaine canuassing and tossing of seruice of their ovvn deuising and as they thought to serue God vvithall But that is the Church vvhere God dvvelleth by his vvorde Aftervvard vvhen vvee speake of them vvee vse honourable vvordes and yet our meaning is none other but that they vsurpe these titles vvith iolly shevves markes Hovvbeit vvee do not altogether stand vpon vvords And after this manner dealeth S. Iames for he standeth not vpon the vvorde but taketh vpon him to speake of the friuolous vaunting vvhich vvas in the mouth of these scoffers that vvould be taken for good Christians saith your faith that is to saie that faith vvhich you talke of is nothing As if vvee should aske the question at this day vvhat is the Catholicke Church vvhich the Papists so bragge of Surely it is a very harlot For vve knovve that the true Church is the spouse of our Sauiour Iesus Christ vvhich ought to bee purged and vvashed vvith his bloud Eph. 5.27 1. Tim. 3.15 that she might bee as saint Paul saith vvithout spot or vvrinkle and after that to bee the piller of truth And in steede hereof beholde a den of the eues and an harlot vvhich hath corrupted all the seruice of God and begot nothing but Bastards Thus should vve say and then vvee see that vvee should not thinke saint Iames his phrase of reasoning to be strange because it is an ordinarie and common thing amongst vs. VVe novv then first see that vvhen it is saide that Faith iustifieth vs vve speake not of Faith but after the accustomed manner But vvhen saint Iames saith that faith vvithout vvorks is dead it is to barre such as abuse this name and haue a iollitie to bragge and glorie thereof but in deede haue it not Let vs come novv to the second part vvhen saint Iames saith that vvee are iustified by our vvorkes it should by this seeme that hee is contrary vnto saint Paul Novv vvorkes must not be ioined vvith faith to part halfe stakes vvith it as vve haue already said For if that vvere so then vvee should neuer bee certaine and sure And therefore all consideration of our vvorkes must needes bee excluded or the calling vpon God vvith true confidence to bee taken for his children to hope for the inheritance of the heauenly life vvhich is promised vs vvorks must needes be laid aside for vvhat vvere it if vvorks iustified Novv this vvorde Iustifie is not taken in saint Iames to be approoued before God to reconcile vs vnto him and to make him receiue vs as his children Hovve is it then taken Euen as himself declareth it vvithout any other exposition For he addeth that Abram vvas iustified vvhen hee vvent about to offer vp in sacrifice his sonne Isahack Novv vvee neuer yet read that he sacrificed him to vvit that he meant to make a sacrifice of his sonne vnto God vvhat meant hee then Forsooth this obedience vvhereof vvee shall hereafter speake vvas it that iustified Abram If vvee did speake of the approouing of that vvhich he had at that time done and vvas yet not indeede done VVee must therefore conclude that saint Iames speaketh not in that place hovv vvee are acceptable vnto God but how vve are made righteous For vvhat a blockish speech vvere this to say that the sonne had begotten the Father Novv vvee right vvell knovv that faith is the mother of righteousnes that is to say that it is the meane and instrument by vvhich vve are reconciled vnto God and allovved for his children And therefore faith must go before righteousnes for it is the meane cause the instrumentall or formall cause as vve call it Let vs novv come vnto the obedience of Abram vvhen he vvas readie to sacrifice his sonne for if that be the cause of Abram his righteousnes it must needes be that it vvent before For vvhat a doltish speach vvere this to say that the corne that shall grovve a yere hence shall feede me from this day vntill this time tvvelue monethes Novve there is not the least childe in the vvorld vvhich seeth not this Novv there vvas a long time part before God commaunded Abram to sacrifice his sonne and yet vvas he iustified before VVe see then in summe that vve neede not to looke for any glose out of saint Iames his vvords he saith that he vvas iustified that is to say that he vvas shevved to be iustified For these Scoffers against vvhom hee contendeth saide vvee are iustified by faith and therefore vvhat need vve to take any great care to serue God seeing our vvorkes are of no vvorth neither any reckoning bee made of them in time to come Novv first and formost they peruert all in saying that there shall bee no reckoning made of vvorks For they shal come in account vvith the grace of God But vvhen they shall scoffingly say that it is to no purpose to doo good vvorks is as much as if they vvould teare Iesus Christ in pieces For by faith vve receiue him and are vnited vnto him vvith this condition that he reconcileth vs vnto his father putteth avvay our sinnes and regenerateth and gouerneth vs by his holy spirit And these are inseparable thinges as vve haue alleaged out of saint Paul Seeing then it is so saint Iames had good cause to say how can you be iustified without works For Faith saith he without workes is dead And besides if you bee the faithfull children of God you can be none othervvise iustified than your father Abram vvas Novve Abram vvas so iustified as that good vvorkes vvere ioyned vvith Faith And therefore you must
learne not to be ouer effeminate And that vvhen it shall please the Lord to exercise vs in vvhat sect soeuer to bee tractable to bee led to â—im and to haue our affection so tamed as that God onely bee Mâ—ister ouer them to rule them â—nd to couenant vvith vs as pleaseth himselfe Thus vve see vvhat it is that vve are here to learne from this place And so vvhensoeuer vvee haue indured any tempâ—ation or haue sustained any combat that God soone afrer tryeth vs let vs not thinke it any vvhit strange For vve serue him not vvith this condition that after hee hath roughly handled vs for a day oâ— a yeare vve may by and by be discharged and so craue a paspot But contrarivvise to harden vs because God ceaseth not continually to sende such proofes to trie our faith vvithall But the sâ—me should bee I say as an habite vnto vs because vvee see that an olde beaten souldier can abide a great deale more paine than a young fresh vvater souldier as we say For a yong Nouice knovveth not vvhat it meaneth â—he vvil be vveary vvith one nights vvatch hee is not able to abide either cold or heate not able to avvay vvith skirmishing nor to be alvvaies in vvatch and vvard but hee that is long vsed hereunto shall be far betterable to indure these thinges Euen so must it fare vvith vs that vvhen the Lord shall haue exercised vs euery manner of vvay vvee shall bee so much the more able and ready the better and longer to continue And although it shoulde seeme to vs that God dealt very seuerely vvith vs in laying too great load vpon vs yet let not vs thinke our case to be strange And vvhy so Because vve see here a patterne thereof in our father Abraham vnto vvhom vve must be configured Novv as concerning this vvord tempt vvee knovv vvhat is meant by it vvhen it is attributed vnto God It is not meant that he tempteth vs to lead vs to doo ill for we are of of our selues thervnto ouermuch inclined And as S. Iames saith Euerie man is tempted of his owne concupiscence Iames 1.14 And therefore vve must not seeke after the cause of these faults any vvhere els but in our selues vvherefore God tempteth vs not so as to say that the sault is in him and that vve may impute the euil vvhich vve commit vnto him as if he vvere Author thereof but God tempteth those that are his to sound them And therfore this vvord importeth To examine to prooue not that hee needed to inquire vvhat is in vs God seeeth our thoughts for vve knovv that nothing is vnknovvne to him The bookes are not as yet open but yet so as that God knoweth and iudgeth that which he will make manifest at the last day And therefore hee hath no neede to sounde and try vs Afflictions are the gifts of God and trials of out faith for he doth that that is in vs But this is referred to the probation of our faith For as we haue alredy said God will not haue his gifts to be vnprofitable but will apply them to some vse to the end he may therby be glorified and we thereby also so much the better be confirmed considering how wonderfully hee regardeth vs and would haue vs with patience fight against all the assalts of Sathan of the world that wee thereby might finde by experience that God is with vs and loueth vs Wherefore wee haue good cause the more confidently to call vpon him to runne vnto him and stay our selues vppon his goodnes and not to doubt of his helpe euen vnto the end God tryeth vs by afflictions both for his ovvne glorie and also for our saluation Thus we see then in summe why God tryeth vs to wit that hee will haue the gifts which hee bestovveth on vs to be applyed to serue him to the end all men might knovv his povver goodnes and vvisedome that therby he might be glorified as he deserueth But it is chiefly to this end that vve might knovv his fatherly goodnes tovvards vs and be so much the more stirred vp to honour him and fully and vvholly dedicate our selues vnto him and vvithall to trust altogether in him Thus vve see how Abraham vvas tempted and so are also all the faithfull seruants of God at this daie For if we should liue at ease and the seruing of God cost vs nothing what proofe should there be of our faith Moreouer which way should the true children of God and such as serue him in simplicitie of heart be discerned from hypocrits And therfore we must be tryed by temptations euen as Golde and siluer are tryed in the Furnaise See also why Saint Peter saith That it is good reason that our faith should be tryed 1. Pet. â—1 6 Now because Gold siluer are precious things therfore it is verie meete they should be tryed by the fire And yet are but these corruptible mettals shall our faith which is far more excellent be buried in the earth and so rust and God his glorie not be seene therein No no it must not be so and therfore it is meete that it should be tryed VVherefore let not vs thinke it strange that if the Lorde shoulde so deale with vs as to lose the raynes to the diuell to lead vs to do euill to haue the wicked also vexe and torment vs and besides to haue other inward temptations laide vpon vs. To be short if wee should be exercised euery maner of way Note yet let vs know that we had need to haue the Lorde for his parte to set downe vnto vs that which before was hidden and to vs vnknowen VVe see then why temptations should not seeme bitter but rather sweete vnto vs because the Lorde our God applyeth them vnto our saluation and so serueth his turne with them as that his name is thereby glorified and our selues also by that meanes more and more benefited if so be wee looke vnto the issue Nowe in this temptation which is here touched Abraham is deadly wounded as if God would haue cast him into the deepest bottomles pit of dispeire that could be imagined And yet notwithstanding he abode by it Fâ—â— Abraham as a weak man failed a thousand â—imes when as GOD commaunded him to kill his sonne How beit this is not all To haue Abraham to take his owne sworde and kill his owne sonne but there was a farâ—e more grieuous temptation imposed vpon him worthie the noting wherof wee will hereafter speake more at large But for this time it shall suffice that wee giue you a little taste thereof For the question is not that the best beloued and onely childe of a father must be put to death and to dye a violent death before the fathers owne eyes and with the fathers owne handes This is not all and the chiefe matter but the question is which way that saluation should come that Abraham looked for by
SERMON of Maister Iohn Caluin on the Historie of Melchisedech Wherein is also handled Abrahams courage in rescuing his Nephew Lot and his Godlines in paying tithes to Melchisedech Also Abrahams Faith in belieuing God comprehending foure Sermons And Abrahams Obedience in offering his sonne Isaack in three Sermons Translated out of French by Thomas Stocker Gent. LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet and are to be sold at the shop of Andrew Maunsell in the Royall Exchaunge 1592. TO THE RIGHT HONOrable Syr Robert Cycill Knight one of her Maiesties most honourable priuie Councell AS it hath been for the most part right Honorable a very commendable and orderlie course amongest the learned as well diuine as prophane writers to publish their workes to bee read and heard of the common people either in their owne vulgare toong for their benefit or els in Hebrew Greeke or Latin for the learneder sort so hath been also their maner to dedicate them vnto some honorable or worshipfull personages for the patronizing of those their paines and trauels which their doings haue at this present made mee presume vppon your honourable curtesie to dedicate this my trauell of these Sermons of Maister Iohn Caluin translated by me out of French into English for the benefit of my Country men that vnderstand not the same language Most humbly beseeching you Sir to accept hereof as a tokeÌ„ of my pore good will towards you not in respect of my trauell which is but rude and of no worth but in regard of the worthines of the matter and of the graue and reuerend handling thereof by mine Authour The Lord of Lords increase all honorable and godly vertues in you that you may be as excellent a Magistrate in this common-weale as your honourable and most wise father hath of long time been and stil is with prosperitie in this life to his diuine pleasure and after the course of this time ended perpetuall ioy and felicitie Your Honors at commandment Thomas Stocker The Translator to the Christian Reader THou shalt receiue here ChristiaÌ„ Reader these fewe Sermons of Maister Iohn Caluin for thy benefit if thou wilt diligently read them without a preiudicate mind Where in the first three thou shalt finde how Abram deliuered his nephew Lot from the hands of those which had taken him prisoner and wherein also is handled who they are that ought to take warre in hand and how farre they ought to proceed therein In the next foure is handled the doctrine of iustification and saluation by Faith onely whereby such as are ledde away by a false opinion of their good workes and frree will may greatly profit themselues and lay fast hold vpon Iesus Christ alone for their righteousnes and sanctfication knowing how greatly these two graces must bee distinguâ—shed and not confused and that although they bee neuer so closely tied and linked togither yet whosoeuer he is that will be said to be reputed to be righteous and acceptable before God by the benefit of his onely beloued sonne and in the meane while haue no care nor conscience ne yet will shew any signe and token of the amendment of his life and liue in an holy conuâ—rsation that man I say must needs diuide them and cut in sunder the inseperable bond of them as much as in him lieth striueth to dismember Iesus Christ who by his righteousnes hauing made vs good trees doth also sanctifie vs to cause vs beare bring forth good fruit In the last three there is haÌ„dled AbrahaÌ„s obedience in the sacrificing of his son Isahac which was a woÌ„derfull trial so that in this thou maist see that Abraham who is by the spirit of God named the father of the faithfull was all the course of his life maruellously tried And therfore as many as will be indeed the children of faithful Abraham must walke in his steppes and abide many hard trials all their life long except it shall please the Lord in great mercy to forbeare them Let vs therfore beseech the Lord of all mercy in the name of this great mediator by whom alone we haue accesse vnto the throne of grace daily to purge vs more and more to the end that by his holie spirit we may bring foorth more and better fruit then we haue yet heretofore dene that it may all serue for his glory and the edification of his whole Church Farewell Faultes escaped in the Printing Page Line Faultes Corrections Pa. 4. Li. 24. been peaceably liued peaceably 60. li. 1. mighty aray mighty Army 60. li. 15. and vnto himselfe and not vnto himself 65. li. 30 Aduichilate Adnichilate 84. li. 28. and to apply then to apply 86. li. 14 sophisled sophisted 102. li. 7. Aduichilate Adnichilate 102. li. 18. may remoue might remoue 102. li. 18. the same may remoue might remoue 109. li. 6. OF HER OF HVR 158.  without we haue without doubt we haue THE FIRST SERMON of the Historie of Melchisedech wherin is also handled the deliuerance of Lot done by Abram Gen. Cap. 14. 13 Then came one that had escaped and tolde Abram the Hebrew which dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner who were confederate with Abram 14 When Abram heard that his brother was taken hee brought foorth of them that were borne and brought vp in his house three hundreth and eighteene and pursued them vnto Dan. 15 Then he and his seruants diuided themselues against them by night and smote them and pursued them vnto Hobah which is on the left side of Damascus 16 And he recouered all the substance c. WE are to proceed in the historie which yesterday we began with all concerning Lots deliuerance And first wee may behold the great goodnes fauour of God towards Abram in giuing him the meane for the rescuing of him And mark why Moses especially saith That one which had escaped came vnto Abram the Hebrewe True it is that this word is not spoken by way of reproach For the Tribe of Eber was there so called And Eber was descended of Sem as heretofore wee haue declared so that now God had seperated Abram in such sort as that he should not be tainted or polluted amongst the Cananites Neuertheles how euer it is Moses gaue him this title as if hee should haue said Thou art but a straunger a new come ghuest in the land of Canaan And besides no maruell though there was no account made of him sith he had neither kinsfolkes nor yet friendes there And yet for all that God graunted him such fauour and priuiledge as that when time and place serued hee was aduertised of the euill that was betide his Nephew that he might helpe to rescue him Now Moses addeth that hee was in league with some of his neighbours And yet we see that he was not long before driuen to wander from place to place this way and that by reason he was euery where discurteously entreated for where euer hee
his dead sonne Isank according to the Lordes promise For for men to kill their children is nothing in comparison of this For there is no man that will acknowledge his childe to be his sauiour But although Isaak was not Abraham his sauiour yet he knewe that the sauiour of the world should come of him From whence then is it that Abraham was to looke for his righteousnes welfare and saluation without it werein the person of Isaak that is to say in him which should proceed from him Is Isaak then dead VVhy then is all the worlde vtterly lost and damned and the diuell raigning and ruling euery where Beholde then God an enimie to all mankinde and to all the creatures and there remaineth now nothing else but the wrath and vengeance of God enflamed and set on fire to deuoure and consume all for this sonne of his Isaak must be killed by Abraham his owne hande yea euen by Abraham who receiued this promise from God his owne mouth as thus I will giue thee a sonne who shall be so blessed as that all men shall be saued through the grace which I shall bestowe vpon him and yet must this sonne be put to death Here then wee see as I haue alreadie said Hell standing wide open and the diuel so ruling as that all is quite and cleane destroyed For there is no more looking for the promises of saluation seeing that hee that should giue life to all creatures is himselfe put to death Now whither then must wee goe The question then is not here according to mans iudgement to wound the heart of Abraham with afflictions and sorrowes onely but the question is to kill his verie faith and all the hope conceiued of his owne saluation It should seem that God meant to tread vnderfoote whatsoeuer hope of his grace and goodnes he had promised him To be short it should seeme that he did but mocke Abraham As if he should haue saide Goe thy way thou art but a beast to waite and follow mee and to take such paine to obey mee I promised thee a Trybe from which the saluation of the whole worlde should come and I haue performed my promise in giuing thee thy sonne Isaak But thou must by and by go and cut his throat thereby to let thee vnderstand that thou art but a simple and foolish fellow to trust vnto that which I haue promised thee and to thinke to haue a Trybe such a precious Trybe also as should be more worth than all the whole world besides yea than an hundreth thousand worldes For this is a matter which concerneth the euerlasting saluation of thine owne soule of the soules of all men else and yet thou art nowe going about to deface all this Now as I haue alreadie said it is impossible for vs euer to be able sufficiently to comprehend these things and so to be touched sufficiently to the quicke with them and yet notwithstanding wen 〈◊〉 meditate vpon them because they were◠〈◊〉 written in vaine Here then wee see the prâ—â—â— face of this historie Let vs now set downe particular that which Moses hath here toâ—â—ched Take thine onely sonne thy sonne Isaak thy sonne whome thou onely louest Thus we see that God contenteth not himselfe with the pearsing of Abraham his heart as if hee should stabbe him in with a dagger but setteth him vpon the racke and retcheth him vp to diuers pinnes as though after he had so racked him he meant to giue him also the strappado after that another kinde of more grieuous torture For when he had commanded him to kill his sonne was it not ynough that he said vnto him Go thy way and sacrifice thy sonne But he said vnto him Take thy sonne yea thine onely sonne thy sonne Isaak him whome thou onely louest thereby to shew that hee had cut away all hope from Abraham Now where hee saith Thy sonne whome thou onely louest this was not a fatherly loue onely as naturall fathers naturally loue their children But Abraham loued Isaak accordingly as he respected the saluation of his soule and of the whole worlde by which meanes they might be companions with the Angels and inheritors of the kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—inally here wee see what this speach oneâ—â—â—onne and best beloued sonne meaneth And 〈◊〉 sides the worde Isaak which is here naâ—â—â—d is set downe as a worde of reproche â—or God named him Isaak and not men Heere wee see that God gaue the childe the name and what was that Laughter Ioye Nowe it should seeme that all this was but in mockerie as if he would haue saide This is verie well for thee for here is nothing but ioyfulnes Thou greatly ioyest in Isaak and thinkest all this to be matter of ioye But there will come ere it belong such a quame ouer thy stomach as will pearse thee at the verie heart For thou thy selfe must be the hangman to this childe whome thou so dearely louest and must drawe out thy knife and lift vp thine hande to cut his throat Must not Abraham nowe thinke you be thought to be a very hangman and by this meanes stirre vp all his neighbours about him in a rage to say what a villaine is this that is gone out to kill his owne sonne Beholde a mad man a man possest with a diuell must not this be a verie diuelish furie Thus wee see him confounded as it were before God and abhorred of the worlde But yet this is not all for hee saith Take thy sonne and what shall I doe with him Take him I saie and sacrifice him And wither shall I lead him Carrie him vnto such a mountaine As I shall name vnto thee Nowe must Abraham needes be verie sore vexed and grieued and besides must hee needes kill his onely sonne Must hee needes also trauaile such a long and tedious iourney without any guide he coulde not tell whether And must God likewise holde his nose not onely to the grind-stone but also so racke and torment him as it is impossible for any tongue to speake or heart to imagine Are not these such thinges as farre surpasseth all mans reason and as it were impossible to suffer and abide For as it was before saide vnto him when he departed from the place where he was that hee knewe not whither GOD woulde lead him euen so is it here for there is no place at this time assigned him otherwise than thus Thou shalt goe from hence into the lande of Moria Hee must needes goe forsooth from the place where hee had liued the moste parte of his aged yeares yea vntill hee was verie olde as wee haue alreadie heard Goe thy waye sayeth hee and when thou art there then will I shewe thee where thou shalt sacrifice thy sonne Here then wee see how many waies the Lord so sounded the heart of his seruaunt as that all the temptations which wee were able to pyle vp togither would neuer be like and if wee should compare
them with those that should be laide vpon vs to abide they would seeme nothing in respect of that which wee here see And therfore we see that God wonderfully spareth our weaknes in not bringing vs thus farre For if any of vs should be visited with any sicknes that should last long wee would so sorrow and grieue as that we would be verie angrie with God Againe if any man should dye his wife would growe so melancholie as that shee would be altogether impatient and murmuring If God should take away any of our children yea although wee had many wee would be angrie with our selues and weepe and mourne extremely and therefore what would we do if we should be brought to this passe as here it is said euen to kill with our owne hands our owne children and not leaue one aliue but dispatch our house of them all yet would not all this be any whit comparable vnto Abraham his triall For the children which God bestoweth vpon vs now at this day are not the ground worke of our saluation Neither ought wee to leaue the hauing of our Lord Iesus Christ although all humaine knowledge should perish and decay VVherefore let vs acknowledge that God supporteth vs and pittieth our weaknes when as hee bringeth not vs vnto so hard a tryall as this which Moses heere maketh mention of Let this then be a good aduertisement vnto vs that wheÌ„ God shal proue vs that we yeeld our necks to the yoke suffer him to make tryall of vs. And this is the most principall point of all our life so to yeeld our selues as that God may dispose of vs as pleaseth him and not grudgingly reply and say that he dealeth thus and thus hardly with vs. This I say is the chiefest point of our whole life In very deede I must needes say that this were a very excellent great good gift in vs as to bee able to walke in integrity of life amongst our neighbours to doo no man wrong to liue chastly and soberly all the daies of our life eschewing all drunkennes intemperancie blasphemie and such like VVell syr I must needes in truth say that these are great vertues but yet they are not alwaies found in vs and yet for all that this is not the chiefest point For the principallest point as I haue already said is this that when we serue God although many sorrowes and griefes torment vs although the Diuell soundeth vs alarmes and lyeth in ambush for vs although men growe so peruerse and wicked as that one spurreth vs heere another striketh vs there and another seeketh our vtter destruction And on the other side although wee hang our wings as we say although wee be hungerbit and altogether blamed contemned although all these things fall out for our shares and portion yet must wee so blesse the name of God as that we must miâ—tigate and ease all our anguishes and suffrings and bee ready alwaies to say O Lord thy will be done deale with vs as it pleaseth thee and although this geare should fall out farre worse than thus yet must we receiue all things patiently Now when as wee shall growe vnto this patience that no doubt is the most principall marke that wee must shoote at And aboue all things this historie ought a great deale the move bee respected and meditated of vs considering that the Lord would shew that vnto vs which wee are to comprehend from our father Abraham to the ende wee might follow his example And when as God as I haue already saide shall haue thus framed vs and brought vs to this passe let vs dedicate our selues and all that we haue vnto his Maiestie For it Abraham had not had this grounde and principle without doubt he had neuer stept one foote forwarde but had rather fled away from God than haue come neare him howbeit hee had not this principle as from himselfe but because it was the gift of God hee was not therefore to vse it and keepe it backe as it pleased him But must make a reckoning of it to him that gaue it him saying Here am I as after warde hee shewed it For when God called him and said Abraham Here am I Lord quoth hee This answere shewed that Abraham was as it were ready at hand to receiue the commandements which God would giue him euen as a diligent seruant should doo For if his Maister goeth forth he is by and by at his heeles to say will it please you to haue any thing with mee And if his Maister tarrieth within dores hee will settle himselfe to harken what his Maister wil command him as to bid him doo this or goe to such a place So then Abraham shewed that he serued not himself nor his owne affections but so dedicated himselfe vnto God as that whatsoeuer hee had was his also Neither did hee this hypocritically as a great many of men may say vnto God with their mouthes Here am I and yet notwithstanding befarre inough from him But when Abraham saide Here am I he protested thereby that hee was euen before God for afterward he protested that his feete handes eies eares all his senses and all the partes both of his bodie and soule were ready to serue God and to put his necke vnder his yoke and to goe whither soeuer hee would haue him Thus we see what wee are to retaine from our father Abraham so let vs vnderstand and know that without this scope and end we shall altogether erre as I haue already saide we may haue all the commendable vertues of the world be esteemed of also like Angels and yet all not worth a button without wee knowe that God seeth vs and would haue vs continually to bende our selues in all obedience vnto him And although hee should at any time make vs turne this way and that and make vs trauaile and toile to the vttermost yet let not vs at any hande giue ouer obaying and fearing him but say Lord here am I whatsoeuer come of me and be angry with all the obstacles which may hinder and pull vs backe be at defiaÌ„ce with all the difficulties vexations combats that may be raised against vs Let vs I say bee angry with all this geare that wee may continually goe on our course vntill such time as wee be come vnto that scope and marke wherunto God calleth vs that is to say vntill wee bee deliuered from all our miseries and afflictions and inioy the rest of his heauenly kingdome Let vs nowe prostrate our selues before the Maiestie of our good GOD in acknowledging our sinnes beseeching him that he wil make vs so to feele them as that we may be displeased with them and more and more to bee dispoiled of them and so to bee clad with his righteousnes as that hee may wholly rule and raigne in vs so that by that meanes wee may declare our selues to bee his as hee hath most dearely bought vs and that Iesus
Christ being dead and risen againe hath also bought vs vnto himselfe to make vs partakers of his glory and continually to conduct vs both in life and death FINIS The Seconde Sermon of Abraham his Sacrificing of his Sonne Isaak 3 Then Abraham rose vp earlie in the morning and sadled his Asse and tooke two of his seruants with him and Isaak his sonne and cloue wood for the burnt offring and rose vp and went to the place which God told him 4 Then the third day Abraham lift vp his eies and saw the place a farre off 5 And said vnto his seruants Abide you here with the Asse For I and the childe will goe yonder and worship and come againe vnto you 6 Then Abraham tooke the woode of the burnt offring and laid it vpon Isaak his sonnee and hee tooke the fier in his hande and the knife and they went both together 7 Then spake Isaak vnto Abraham his father and saide My father And hee answered Here am I my sonne And he said Behold the fire and the woode but where is the Lambe for the burnt offring 8 Then Abraham answered My sonne God will prouide him a Lambe for aburnt offring So they went both together WE haue heard that this was the chiefest and hardest conflict that euer Abraham sustained in all the daies of his life the going with his sonne Isaak into a mountain and there to offer him for a burnt offring because in the first place he was to kill him with his owne hands Now it hath beene shewed vs here before that God would declare vnto vs in our father Abraham that we must so ouercome all our naturall affections as that his honour bee preferred aboue all the rest For although a husbande loueth his wife neuer so dearely a father his children neuer so tenderly yet all this must be troad vnder foote when the matter for the seruing of God commeth in question For that is the most precious of all other precious things VVee haue also declared that Abraham was not tempted onely in that God commaunded him to kill his sonne but in that it seemed that all the promises which God before had made vnto him were all as a man would say quite and cleane frustrate and voide For they all depended vpon that which wee haue already heard That the blessed seede should bee raised in Isaak And therefore it seemed that God meant to frustrate his promise made to Abraham Now although it might seem in any naturall mans reason that God herein was contrary to himselfe that that commandement of his was to adnihilate that which before hee had heard from Gods owne mouth yet he constantly obayed 〈◊〉 Maiestie without further questioning Now it might stand at the first sight that that which he did had no good found foundation of a true and liuely faith because faith hath respect to the promisses And yet as I haue already saide Abraham could looke for nothing but by Isaak his meanes Because it is saide That in Christ Iesus all the promises of God are most sure 2 Cor. 120 and yea and Amen For our Sauiour Iesus Christ must come of the stocke of Isaak and that was in very deede the seede which was promised him How then coulde Abraham bee contented to haue his sonne to die and yet to haue the promises of God to stand in full strength power and vertue Now the Apostle saith That by faith Abraham offred his sonne Isaacke Hebr. 11.17 So that by this wee are let to vnderstand that Abraham fall out as it would rested wholly vpon the word and promise of God and as for the contrarietie which may seeme to bee betweene the commaundement and the promise The Apostle answereth Heb. 11.19 Gen. 21.12 That hee beleeued that God was as able to raise seede out of the ashes of Isaak as he was able to performe his former promises Now this is a profitable point for vs if wee vnderstand it aright For wee are heereby admonished so to beleeue in God as that we looke further than vnto the world and whatsoeuer els wee are able to perceiue and comprehend by our naturall reason and vnderstanding For if faith staid it self vpon that which we see it Were nothing And then were the power of God maruelousely diminished Moreouer wee are to consider of the wordes of the Apostle saying in this manner Faith is the ground of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 and the euidence of things not seene Agreeing with the words of the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romains saying We hope not for the things which we see Rom. 8.24 but for the things we see not yea euen for thinges that seeme to bee impossible Sith then it is so that the promises of God doo not set before our eies that which is contained in them we must as I haue already said when we speake of faith looke further than vnto the world And how is that To wit wee must not measure the infinite power of God with the meanes which are set before vs and as wee comprehend them But when as we shall haue these toyes in our heads as to thinke that this or that can neuer come to passe and that there seeme to bee a very contradiction in the case yet let vs thus conclude without all doubt God will performe whatsoeuer hee hath spoken But wee will say howe can it possibly bee Oh let not vs iudge of it wee must here bring vnder our owne senses and wits and doo God this honour to say that he is faithful But wee knowe not what will bee the issue thereof or else thinke that all is shut vp and closed Here then we see what we are to learne out of these words of the Apostle Now if Abraham had reasoned like naturall man he might haue said that God was not contrary vnto him selfe For he told me that I should haue seede by Isaak and that from thence the Sauiour of the world should come and I must not forget this And yet at this present he hath commanded me to kill Isaak Here is no order in this for I will take him at his first worde and that must stand Thus wee see that Abraham might after this manner haue excused himselfe and yet haue beene a Rebell vnto God vnder the colour of obedience But what doth hee hee considered with himselfe that God was almighty and therefore able to accomplish whatsoeuer promise hee had made concerning Isaak You say wel syr but what if he had died how then And what of that As though God were not Lord ouer death Heere wee see the right conflict of Abrahams faith which is death is set before his eies which was inough to confound him but he extolled the power of God farre beyond all this and said yet will GOD ouercome and bee a mightie Conquerour herein And howe can that bee Oh this is not a matter for any man to iudge or determine of nor to giue scope to