Abraham shall know that his God can be as Just as Good and that few partak'd of the special Priviledges that himself was bless'd in 'T is no small Obligation that lyes upon the Faithful from the Knowledge of their differing in Condition from the worst of Men only by distinguishing Mercy What are we that thou shouldst manifest thy self unto us and not unto the World. Faith grows up to a perfect Stature by the Knowledge of every dispensation of God. The Prophets enforce their Doctrines from the Examples of the fiercest Executions of Vengeance Pass ye unto Calneh and see c. Abraham who hereafter should read Lectures upon Sodoms Flames to affright his Children and Family from Sodom's Lusts shall first hear with his Ear and afterwards see with his Eye the pernicious and dreadful Desolation that Sin had made upon them that with greater sence of those Calamities he might terrifie others against the Sins that procur'd them God knowing how powerfull Application so Experienc'd a Preacher as Abraham would surely make from such a Text. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do c. For I know him that he will Command his Children and his Houshould after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord c. Behold the great Ordinance of Family-Instruction establish'd by Divine Institution Abraham must execute both Offices of King and Priest In vain is Obedience exacted from such as know not their Duty But in order to the means of that Knowledge Obedience is justly required and Jurisdiction given by God Himself to enforce it I know Abraham that he will Command his Children and Servants c. If the Sword or the Word be too precarious look for Confusion and Ignorance to prevail over all Abraham is invested with a perfect Power to subject them to the Discipline of God He was Soveraign over his Family and God is so far from Clipping his Authority that he gives him the Broad Seal of Heaven to confirm his Commission He had Power of Life and Death within his own House they were not worthy to live should they not learn the saving Knowledge of the holy Commandments to little purpose were they Circumcised in the Flesh if they be not enlightned into the Knowledge of that Sacrament nor how far it oblig'd them to Obedience and Duty But I know Abraham that he will teach them c. Even this Great Prince will not think it beneath him to Catechise the meanest Herdsman in his Family 'T is the Work of God an Abraham hath an Heart to it 't is a Glorious work the Saving of Souls and Abraham shall be rewarded for it 'T is transmitting Piety to Posterity and the Child unborn will praise God for Abraham 'T is the advancing the Interest and Glory of God upon Earth which never faileth to bring to Glory in Heaven See the decay of Religion and weep tears of Blood Where lives the Son of Abraham that improves his Authority in his Family for God and the Souls he hath made unless in a cold and perfunctory manner If an Impious casting off the Thoughts and mention of God unless in cursed Oaths and fearful Imprecations if an utter banishing his Holy Worship and Service as an unfashionable disparaging thing If the Training up Children into the low and base Opinion of the strict Wayes and Methods of Godliness such as their Parents have sucked in before them If Servants must think it ill Manners to serve their Maker better than their profane Masters and must wear the Livery of their Relation and Vices together If instead of Praying Catechising and Holy Instruction and Excellent Example which ever flourished in the Great Family of this mighty Prince there be nothing but Prophaneness Atheism and all the Trades of Confusion driven and carried on with a perfect Industry from day to day surely we must sadly conclude that the Good Abraham hath but few Heirs to follow him in the same holy Path. God knew this faithful Servant to be constant to his Glory and Interest and all the World shall one day know that such as these are very Traytors both to Him and their Own Happiness for ever 'T was because of this Fidelity that the Great Abraham was admitted into the Secrets of his Judgment against Sodom The clamour of whose Provocations would suffer divine Justice to forbear them no longer God could not be in Quiet for them in Heaven either they must cease to be thus wicked or to have any further Being in the World He will ease himself of these Adversaries they shall no longer oppress his Patience or abuse his Goodness His Long-suffering had run out to the utmost Extremity He is now ready for vengeance they ripe for destruction When the whole World shall be white unto the great Harvest Then shall the Sickle of Ruine cut it down Yet shall not Execution be done upon Sodom before all the Formalities of Judgment precede Process and Enquiry shall be made into the Merits of their Cause The Judge of all the Earth will do right None shall perish but from the plain Evidence and Conviction of their own Guilt Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy Judgments Two Angels are sent in Commission to make the Inquisition we shall anon hear what the Issue of that Tryal will be Now is Abraham left with the Lord alone and 't is remarkable that himself who had vouchsafed to Honour the Tabernacle of this holy Man with his gracious Presence disdains to bless the Infamous City with the same favour God is far from the ungodly but he waiteth here still to hearken to the Prayer of the Righteous Abraham receives not the News of Sodom's destruction with any pleasure at all Gods Children as himself delight not in the death of the wicked but rather that they turn and live 'T is Fury and not Zeal that on every affront calls for Fire from Heaven to destroy There is a City will know this one day that hath made so many Massacres and kindled so many Flames upon the Bodies of the Saints Abraham prepares to Plead as Fiercely as he had Fought for Sodom before How serviceable are the Favourites to the Enemies of God who yet hate and persecute them Down he falls and on the bare Knees of his very Soul Beggs That God would maintain the Honour of his own Justice and that the Righteous might not taste of the bitter Cup of the Wicked And further If it would please him that the Wicked might live for the Righteous sake and the Righteous for their own Tho' the Wicked will not suffer the Righteous to live for whose sake themselves live and with the Jews kill their Saviours yet are the Righteous of another Spirit and would give their lives that all Men were as themselves the innocent and blameless Sons of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation 'T is wonderful to find how Abraham by the bare Breath of his Prayers makes the
Sarah's Tent what hath the joyful Father to expect more than an happy Translation to Heaven But to hear of a Marriage-Bed instead of a Grave and six flourishing Branches to spring out from the Dead Stock of his Body this is a little strange and surprizing Let not my Reader profane himself by imputing Levity much less Lasciviousness to Him that for so long a time had conversed with Angels and God Himself on Earth For as Jesus could not Bow his Sacred Head nor give up the Ghost before each Syllable that was Prophesied of Him was perfectly fulfilled even to the bitter Draught of Vinegar and Gall in his last Moments so neither could Abraham suffer a Demise e'er the Promises made to Him were as perfectly Accomplished And by the Power of a Divine Revelation I will make thee a Father of many Nations he is Invigorated with Prolifick Vertue for blessing six Countries more with Princes from his own Body Nor shall this Numerous Brood of Keturah be injurious to the Great Heir the very Offal of the Estate shall suffice for Portions to Them while Isaac's Dishes stand never the Thinner on his Table Let the Men of this World run away with the poor Legacies of general Providence Heaven is enough and enough for the true Heirs of God. Lord however hardly thou deal with me here in the World Reserve a Portion for me with thy Self and it shall suffice The Glorious Sun is now upon Setting and my Pencil must prepare to draw the Shadows of the Night which are Doubled by the shutting up the Eyes of the Great Abraham in Death Since Eternity was Retail'd into Parcels of Time and Dayes never was there a Century better pass'd in Universal Obedience to the Glory of the God of Life whose Divine Wisdom thinks it but just to send him a Writ of Ease from all his Travels under the Sun and having finished the Work he had given him to do to call for him Home and to fix him in his Lodgings with Himself in the Unmoveable Kingdom Abraham is dead and the Prophets They have chalked out to us the Path of Life and then retired to Heaven With what Impudence can any Church tell me That if I follow the Steps of the Great Abraham believe and Live as He yet shall I never Arrive to his Bosom unless I seal to the Articles of their own devising and believe what Abrahams Holy Heart would have Risen at and Abhorr'd to consent to Should God send again this holy Saint from Heaven to walk a while among his Children on Earth retaining still but his own Principles and teaching them to others as what were sufficient to bring them to Happiness in a Zealous Rejection of all the vain Inventions of Men imposed now on the Christian World under the Anathema's of Death confident I am even Abraham would very hardly escape the Censures of the Cursed Inquisition which Wracks the Faith of every Soul within its Clutches into larger Extensions of impossible things to be Credited than the Tortured Joynts are drawn out to under the cruel Twitches of the Tyrannical Engine If Revelation of Divine Truth imprinted on the Heart fitted and softned to receive the Impression upon it and gaining upon the Affections to embrace and delight in it working off the Life from unsuitable Practices to reduce it into a Natural and pleasing Conformity to the Holy Rule be not enough to secure me from the Dangers of Error and Delusion wherewith the Superstitious World so uncharitably charges every Dissenter from its Follies so unreasonably imposed let me contentedly dye and put it to the Tryal before the Tribunal of the Great Judge who I am sure cannot deny his own Work in Attempering an Heart to his Holy Knowledge and Obedience that naturally is so Averse and Rebellious against both And for Appendices to Religion Policies of Government and offensive Ceremonies c. I can easily distinguish in the Light of Truth how far I am obliged to conform to them for the sake of Peace and Honour of the Church and in the same Light to differ from them where they dissent from the Truth and grate too much upon Conscience and yet still 't is my Duty to pay Respect so far as I can to the Persons of Men Thô I know it mine Interest in no wise to bend to their Principles or close in with them in Cringing to a false God and this I learn from Abraham whose Demeanour towards the Children of Heth was full of Condescention and Civil Respect while he would have chosen to Dye rather than given them the Honour of his Presence in their Idolatrous Temples Civility and an Endearing Carriage hath its huge Advantages in the World where Crabbedness and a Morose look is not only ungenteel but affrighting If Abraham had been a Person of a Rugged Supercilious Deportment amongst Men how dimly had his Light shined in the Diversity of Nations where God directed him to go how little had his Profession profited towards an embracing of the Truths he followed I think it may be truly Remarqued That the Generous and obliging Spirits of some Gentlemen in the Romish Communion have done more to allure the Minds of our unstable Neighbours to harbour good Thoughts of their ill Religion than all the designing Attempts of their Priests whose Cloystâ—â— naturally breed them to a sort of Carriage that never fails to create Jealousies and Fears upon the Minds of Men that occurr them and bespeak them rather to stand upon their Guard against them than to receive them in open Arms of Love And while very few of that Fraternity can give a rational Account of at least Two parts in Three of their Faith which they ever devolve upon the Church who takes care too that a prying Inspection be ever discouraged and Brow beaten it shall suffice me to walk in the lustre of Abraham's Religion from whom the Reformed Churches have received the Pattern and care not to follow any other And for my Self had I a thousand Souls to Answer for I would adventure them all upon the pure and unspotted Profession of Him who had all his Knowledge from God sanctified into an Excellent Life which fitted him in the End for a Glorious Death and a blessed Eternity FINIS Books lately Printed for John Dunton at the Black Raven in the Poultrey over against the Compter 1 A Continuation of Morning Exercise Questions and Cases of Conscience practically Resolved by 31 Reverend and Learned Divines in the City of London in October 1682. Printed in a very large Quarto Price bound 10 s. 2 A compleat History of the Lives Tryals Sufferings Deaths and Characters of all those Excellent persons who fell in the West of England and elsewhere from the Death of Sir Edmundbury Godfry to this present time with the Pictures of several of the chief of them in Copper plates To which is added The Life Death and Character of George Lord Jefferies Written by a Person of great Learning and Piety 3 Reformed Religion or Right Christianity describ'd in its Excellency and Vsefulness in the whole Life of Man Wherein is given an Impartial Character of a Right Christian in General of a right Christian Minister of a right Christian Magistrate of a right Christian Subject of a right Christian Worship of a right Christian Parliament and of a right Christian Souldier Written by M. Barker Minister of the Gospel in London Price bound 1 s. 4 Mr. Howes Sermon at the Funeral of that Faithful and laborious Servant of Christ Mr. Richard Fairclough price 6 d. 5 The Joy of Faith or a Treatise opening the true Nature of Faith its lowest Stature and distinction from Assurance with a preliminary Tract evidencing the Divinity of the Sacred Scriptures By Samuel Lee M. A. sometime Fellow of Wadham Colledge Oxon. price bound 1 s. 6 d. 6 Early Piety Exemplified in the Life and Death of Mr. Nathanael Mather who at the Age of 19 dyed an Instance of more than common Learning and Vertue The second Edition with a Prefatory Epistle by Mr. Matthew Mead price bound 1 s. 7 Mr. Slater's Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. John Oaks price 6 d. 8 His Sermon preached to Young Men at their desire Dec. 25. 1688. price 6 d. 9 Mr. Shower's Sermon upon the Death of a young Gentlewoman Mrs. Ann Barnardiston Daughter of Nathanael Barnardiston Esq late of Hackney with her Exemplary Life and Death 10 Mr. Roger's Sermon preached upon the Death of a Young Gentleman with an Account of the young Gentlemans Life and Death 11 A Sermon occasioned by the Execution of a man found guilty of Murther preach'd at Boston March 11. 1686. By Increase Mather Rector of Harvard Colledge in New-Engl price bound 1 s. 12 Mr. Baxter's Directions to a sound Conversion The Fourth Edition price bound 2 s. 13 Mr. Doolittel on the Sufferings of Christ from the Garden to the Grave price bound 2 s. 14 A necessary Companion for a serious Christian directing him aright through the whole course of his Life price bound 6 d.
one Glance from thy Turrets upon these Spirits and remember in what State they once lived In a City built and furnish'd as Richly as Infinite Power and Wisdom could contrive and expend for its Glory The very Gates of Pearl and the Streets of pure Gold An House made with no other Hands than what a God hath Yet from all that Heighth and Magnificence Pride has tumbled them down into a Tophet whose Chambers are deep and large too but whose Fire burns and is enkindled by the Breath of an incensed God into a streaming Flame for ever And are you sure Sir that your Walls are strong enough to secure you from the like Tragedy 'T will be a dreadful Change to pass out from your Stately Pallace into a scorching Hell. But what must we pity Devils then No but our selves rather who in a dreadful Fearlesness are merrily passing on to the same Misery and sure they Merit little Pity from us who lay so many Trails of Ruine for us to drag us into the Sorrows themselves endure and would but Mock and deride us if in Torments with them Nor have I the Charity of Origen to believe that all the Flames in which they Suffer will ever prevail to Purge out the Malignity of their Poisonous Natures nor refine them into Purity Truth it self hath averr'd that their Fire shall never never be quenched and if it were not so he would have told us No Reader no Pride hath done their work for them to the purpose and thoroughly fix'd them the open avowed Irreconcilable Enemies of God and all Goodness yet still methinks to see these Great and Mighty Princes footing it as Servants upon Earth or wandring in the Air with the Shackles of Vengeance at their Heels for these Principalities with the Fingers and Toes of their Native Royalties cut off to be banish'd into the place of Dogs to pick Scraps from under the Table and to swallow the Bones of Eternal Affliction with no other Drink than the Poison of Dragons and the Dregs of the Wrath of the Almighty cannot be in the sense of all but a sad and deplorable Spectacle And though we cannot so Pathetically commiserate their Degradation and Sorrows yet are we more senceless and hardened than they if when after God hath hung them up before the Sun in the Fetters of his fiercest Anger and made them the lasting Monuments of his fiery Indignation to all Generations If I say while we Gaze on Them we do not Compassionate our selves and fortifie our Spirits by all imaginable Care against the Mischiefs of Sin that of Pride especially which hath brought all these Plagues and Judgments upon them Buoys of dire Vengeance chained here To raise up Vniversal Fear To Quash the Mountains and melt down The Pride of each Terrestrial Crown Rattle your Fetters into th' Ears Of a Deaf World that laughs at Fears While yet You Tremble These Secure As if as Innocent as Pure As once were you themselves Immure Methinks an Hierarchy in Hell Might sink the Tumour thô it swell If not the Baffle will soon appear All on Themselves not Me when There Adam's Tragedy Brethren in the Common Nature however distinguished by Accidents of Life The Progeny of the first Adam subjected by Him to Sin and Death Redeemed from all by the Blood of a Saviour Were there in you an Heart agreeable to that Grace Do not Baffle the Project of the Trinity to save you nor Frantickly Tear off the Plaister designed to Heal you Heaven is no place for unsanctified Flesh stand to the Tryal if you dare The Judge is at the door that will more sensibly convince you who hath sent you word before-hand That without Holiness no man shall see God. Hast out of the Rotten House of your first Father and while Vengeance pursues you you are Mad indeed if you fly not to the City of Refuge 1 COR. XV. 22. In Adam all dye SIN having made this havock above and glutted it self with Angels Blood let us now pass on to take a view of the direful Desolations it hath wrought below 'T will fight neither against Small nor Great but only against Kings for having already destroyed these Spiritual Princes it still pursues the High Game and now le ts fly at the first and Greatest on Earth When the Eternal Word spake things into Being that had no Pre-existence and commanded admirable Order and Form to start up out of Confusion and Chaos He not only gave a Naked Life to his Creatures but cloathed them with unexpressible Beauty and Ornament each Creature richly garnish'd in his Natural Dress that was meet and proper to it But to Man the Lord of all did he reserve a double Suit He designs him the Epitomy of the whole Creation and to participate of both Natures His Better Part the Soul he Enamels with the sparkling Beams of his own Divinity and Cloaths it in no other than his own Livery and Creates it a Spirit like himself Glorious in Holiness This inestimable Jewel he wrap'd up in a Casket the Body very curiously and wonderfully wrought to become a Chariot for the Noble Soul to move in And this very Case he fashioned into such excellent Symmetry of Parts and Perfection as should shew in each Lineament and Proportion the unparallell'd Wisdom and Power of its Maker and was so far from needing a Mantle to cover Defects as Nakedness it self was its best Ornament and Innocence its Natural Robe God himself delighting to see him in no other Vesture and himself not blushing to appear before his great Creator in it All the Creatures did their Homage to him in no other Dress when they presented themselves so humbly to take Name which He as their God on Earth gave Wisely and Suitably to their Natures The Loss of a Rib was so far from being any Blemish to his Person that he soon finds it again wrought up into the Perfection of a Delicate Lady as Beautiful and Entire as Himself And being but himself divided renders him still more compleatly Perfect And thus the Lord of the Creation receives his Stately Bride from the immediate Hands of his God and is Bessed in the Fruition of a Princess Congenial to his Nature and Honour When in a Paradise of unspeakable Pleasures did this High and Happy Pair deliciously enjoy themselves and their Maker with all the Reciprocations of the Dearest Love and Joy. Now to Consummate this Happiness the Perpetuity of all is kindly offered them on the Easie Condition of a Thankful Obedience Alas 'T is but the Rent of a Pepper-corn for so vast a Revenue The Great Landlord will reserve to Himself a Propriety but in one Plant which by no means he must Encroach on under the Penalty of certain Death while the Fruition of all the Rest shall be Sealed to him by Another which is Hallowed into a Sacrament for immutable Confirmation to him He humbly Bows and is content to live no longer than
the bleeding Wound and heal The Vlcers of the general Weal That all thy Demoniacks may Put on their Cloaths and pass away THE TRAGEDY OF THE Old World With the Prostration due from a little Shrub of the Vallies to the stately Cedars of Lebanon that flourish on the Mountains of Honour do I humbly bow with this Tragedy in my Hand leaving it at their Feet and would they vouchsafe to advance it to their Eye they shall soon discern that Men of their own high Rank and Order promoted and hastened the Ruine of the First World. So influential are the Examples of great Ones that they dragg the whole Universe after them May your Honourable Coronets never dash against the Bald Pates of the Vile and Ignoble on the Waters of Ruine Nor your Bodies be Interr'd in the common Grave of a general Desolation which will be easily prevented by your furnishing those Temples with the Ornaments of Immortality This will give you the Glory of being the Saviours of the present World and the mighty Shields that protect it from the Attaques of Justice and Wrath. 2 PET. II. 5. If God spared not the Old World c. SIN having thus triumph'd in the Ruine of the Angels and torn off the Crowns from the Heads of the first Princes of the World leaving that Infection in their Blood that corrupts the whole Progeny had little else to do but to hang up the Trophies of its Chivalry while the whole Creation lyes shackled under the Mournful Bonds of its Tyranny The unhappy Captives chain'd to its Chariot Wheels are dragg'd into Slavery and Death Alas they never tasted the sweets of their Parents Freedom and Innocency and are now content to Guild their Fetters and mistake their Rattling for Musick The Tyrant takes care to make them easie and wide they shall have Liberty enough to frolick and sport themselves with Leviathan in the large Ocean of its bewitching Empire and as Prisoners at large may run the Rounds of all unrestrained Pleasure and Ease fetching with Satan their large Circuits too and fro through the whole Paradise of Complacencies and Delights By such killing Methods as these the Bondage is confirm'd and the Prince of the Air is so fortunate to find all his easie Laws very naturally obey'd while the poor Subjects grow fond of the Polity and abjuring the Rights of the invisible Kingdom they swear Allegiance as the hearty Vassals of the present Power and protest against all Pretence of Homage demanded by another Lord they grow Hot for the usurped Title and will venture Life and Blood for the present Interest they will perish rather than return and vote themselves to perpetual Exile from true Happiness And 't is strange to find with what Zeal and Passion they labour to give the most cordial Demonstration of their Voluntary Subjection and Loyalty With Caesar's Souldier they kill themselves to bleed out the Mortal Evidences of their Love. In short all its Interests are so strongly riveted into their very Constitutions and Nature that Obedience runs with their Blood through every Vein of their Hearts Thus are they perâ—ectly miserable and themselves love to have it so they wear out a Life in paying the constant Tributes of a Devoted Affection to the Tyrant that destroys them and were it possible would spend an Eternity in the same Service and are sorry only that Death puts too hasty a Period to their dutiful Resolutions They could be proud to yield Immortal Necks to the pleasing Yoke and with an equal submission Kiss the Box that brings the fatal Warrant for their own Execution and as readily give their Throats to the strangling Cord whenever the good pleasure of their Sovereign shall do them the Honour to command them to dye Thus hath the subtle Serpent too successfully laid the Foundation of an Universal Monarchy and projects to extend its Empire with Jesus himself from Sea to Seâ— and from the River to the ends of the Earth and which is yet more deplorable of this Kingdom there is like to be no End the Dominton endureth throughout all generations and will vigorously flourish 'till Time shall be no more And no wonder when his Throne is establish'd in the very Bosoms of his Slaves who reverently bow to the Idol and yield an unquestionable Conformity to all his Mandates Now David look to thine own House the whole World is departed and are listed under the Banner of thine Enemy who swells under the proud Title not of a Prince only but a God. In vain does Heaven menace Revenge against those that fancy themselves in security and are harden'd to the same Opposition against all the Proffers of Grace and Dreads of Power The Difference is blown to the height of a perfect Enmity and a loathing and Omnipotence must set it self to work again either a New Creation or a total Destruction The Apostacy growing thus Daring and General yet to shew that Mercy can triumph against Judgment Divine Grace breaks into the Territories of Hell and powerfully rescues a small Colony of the seduced Traytors to a reluctant sense of their envassalled Estate and impatient sighing after their lost Liberty Grace can dissolve the strongest Enchantments that bewitch the Heart and unfetter the Affections from the woful Chains of Sin and Death These rear up Altars to God and with their Sacrifices send up strong Cryes to Heaven for Pardon and Mercy the rest betake themselves to Lust and Libertinism and are enflamed with the Idols of their own Hearts Yet no sooner did the first Penitent presume to decline the defection and publickly to make an Offering of his Heart with his Oblation to his true Lord but his own Brother becomes his Executioner he himself is sent a second Sacrifice to Heaven for his happy desertion of the Cursed Interest If all the Obligations of Nature and the nearest Relation if sweetness of Humour and endearing Disposition if Fear of a God and dread of Vengeance could have had the least Influence on the Conscience of that bloody Fratricide we had not been startled with the amazing News of so early a Martyrdom But if God shall own him from Heaven by the Flames of Acceptation he may not escape on Earth from the stroaks of Persecution Poor Abel falls the Victim of God's Love his own Piety the Divel's Malice and his Brother's Cruelty This unnaâ—ural Murther was a sure Prognostick of the Old World's Tragedy since if Sin commence to so high a pitch in its Infancy and swadling-cloaths what Exploits may we think will it Atchieve in â—ts riper Years when grown into Gyant There is nothing hath occasion'd more fatal Events to the World than Quarrels of Religion while every one pretends to the Truth and none will confess his Error but in the case of these different Worshippers God himself had taken the Chair and signalized the True from the False by clear Demonstration from Heaven yet is Error so far from Conforming it self and Acquiescing
in the Infallible Decision that instead of submitting to the Holy Decree it flies to Arms and Smites through the Loins of Truth it self whose Innocency God is oblig'd to clear up and defend The Fountains are broken up and the Waters appear already which in time shall swell into a mighty Deluge to overwhelm the whole Posterity of the Murderer The miserable Parents are drowned in a Flood of Tears which are hardly dried up on the discovery of that happy Spot of Earth which God substitutes to fill up the Vacancy of the Holy Martyr So easily can he baffle the Plots of Hell in polishing up a new Pillar of Righteousness to support his tottering Church 'T was the brave Seth that started into Life with the very Lineaments of his Brothers Piety and Goodness upon him and which afterwards Survive and Illustriously Shine in the incomparable Enoch the very Glory and Flower of the Old World whose Records though drawn with a sparing Hand and very hasty Pencil yet shall the Memory of this Saints mighty Namâ— and Excellencies be surely Immortaliz'd foâ— though others did Vertuously yet he exceeded them all And the Blessed Pen-man could noâ— justly pass from Him whose History would haâ— furnished a Volume when yet he Posts froâ— others with the short Dash of a long Life and a late Death only as if Eight or Nine hundred years were too little time to ripen them up to any Memorable Perfection but here he stops to transmit the Memoirs of the Great Enoch's unparallell'd Life and miraculous Translation to all Posterities for evermore For if the Treasure of a Pious Education into the Knowledge and Faith of the Messias If the mighty Effluxes of the Blessed Spirit Hallowing that Knowledge into an unreserved Dedication of his Heart and Life unto God If an irradiated Mind a resigned Will and right ordered Affections If Hatred and Abhorrency of Sin a valiant Opposition of others Impiety aâ—d a blessed Walking and Communion with the Holy Trinity be Furniture enough to Adorn and Dress up a Saint surely all these unitedly met and concentred in Him. No wonder then that some whose Eyes are dazled in the Brightness of his Holiness mistake him for an Angel Incarnate but others more modestly the Friend and Familiar of God. View him enriched with a Prophetical Spirit and the Eye of his Soul divinely illuminated to foresee at the many Thousand years distance the Glorious Procession of the blessed Jesus with the Myriads of his Holy Ones passing down from Heaven to keep the Great Assizes of the General Judgment and to execute Vengeance upon all the Vngodly of both Worlds whose Blasphemous and Vngodly Speeches whose Profanenesses and Vngodly Practices his Chast Soul so heartily abominated and so passionately lamented and against which the flaming Zeal of his Heart issued forth in so constant Menaces of the Wrath and Judgment that That Fearful Day would bring upon them That his Prophetick Soul foresaw the Deluge is not to be questioned since his very Son was a Pillar on whose Name that Judgment was very legibly Inscribed And in Truth an easier Augury might Prophesie the Overflowing of Wrath as but the Natural Effect of the Inundation of Sin which in His days by the unhappy Commixture of the Two Families had spread its contagious Streams over all the World. History tells us that it was his Custom to Congregate the People in order to the deprecating so direful an Execution And to assure them that the World was of no longer Duration than the Life of his Son and that whensoever he died the Bloody Blow will come upon them which answerably happened for though some say that the Flood came not till six years after Methuselah's Death yet others averr more truly in the very same year and others again but seven days God it seems giving in that Week also to the hundred years allowed for Repentance but not a day longer when now after the Decease of this Good Patriarch they might according to his Fathers Prediction expect the Judgment to fall upon them every hour Doubtless the Holiness of Enoch as the very shining of the Sun is a Torment to Sore Eyes had contracted upon him the General Odium of the Wicked but while he laboured under this Burden and the Danger of their Persecutions the Almighty God mounts him up into the Securities of his own Bosom 'T was not fit indeed that the Phoenix of the whole Creation should be liable to the Gun-shot of its Malice To prevent which and lest they should offer Indignity to his Sacred Dust after Death the very Qualities of his Body by a sudden and admirable Change are rendred connatural with those of his Soul He is all Spiritual and made a fit Inhabitant for the Celestial Kingdom whose Translation hath caused a World of different Opinions many voting him to be still Alive but cannot agree where to find or where to fix him whether on Earth or Air in Adam's Paradise or Gods. They tell us he feeds on Angels Food and his very Cloaths are preserv'd from wearing as theirs in the Wilderness leading a Life of perpetual Contemplation and Joy in God and is reserv'd with Elias to the Service of the Confusion of Antichrist in the last times But enough of this While the Eye of the Soul is Watchful to keep it self fixt and Intent on the Beauty of Holiness that is Ten thousand times enough to compleat up a perfect Happiness to Angels and Men Inferior Suitors may despair to Lure away the Affections that are infinitely delighted in that Ravishing Object yet no sooner is it averted from the Fountain of Complacencies but an Army of Temptations break in upon it and offer their several Contributions to patch up a Satisfaction that is only to be found in God. Thus the Unconstant Family of Seth Blessed and secure in their Virgin Love while they persevered in Fidelity to their first Amours Now alas grown weary and tir'd with a Spiritual Husband employ their Traiterous Senses to cater a-new after fresh Provisions which must fill up the Vacuities of their Squeamish Appetites when lean Kids are dress'd up into Venison and serve well enough to delude the undiscerning Stomach Thus their First Father exchang'd a God for a Wife of Dust and mistook an Apple for a Deity And these degenerous Sons of God unworthy of that high Relation while they gaze on the Beauty of the Daughters of Men are bewitch'd to write the Bill of their own Divorce from their Chaster Nuptials to Marry themselves to everlasting Ruine The Ties of Friendship that long Acquaintance and Familiarity have contracted between Men have been often so Sacred and Strong that the Violation of them have occasioned great Commotion of Heart and can we think that these Gentlemen could so chearfully pass from the purer Flames of Divine Love into the Embraces of Vanity without some Check and Allay to the Fury of their hot Desires There is something within that is ever
was but a Sott yet a Jezabel could observe that he suffered the Plagues of a Regicide and the Pleasure of a Weeks Reign was soon expired in the Flames of his expeditious Ruine when despair of Safety from the Prosecutors of that Treason reduc'd him to that wofull Exigency of Offering up himself a most unacceptable Holocaust in the Fire of his own Kindling 'T is the Kindness of God to all Subjects in acquainting them that the Hearts of Kings are in his own hand directing them by that discovery into the safest Methods of Redress against any the wildest Exorbitances of Tyranny Since 't is but their Addressing unto himself who is able to turn them as the Water-streams to flow into as great Currents of Favour and Kindness towards us as ever they have ebb'd in the diminution of any Rights or Liberties from us If their own Prayers can redress their Conditions 't were but Madness to fly upon the Faces of Princes whose Wrath is as the roaring of Lyons when speedier succour may be drawn by humbling themselves into the Arms of a gracious God Who for the Oppression of the poor and for the sighing of the Needy will surely arise to set them in safety from every one that puffeth at them Be it ever remembred That God hath secured the Prerogative of Honour to all our Superiours with the same Care as he hath provided for the Lives of other Men to shew us That 't is as dangerous to withdraw our Allegiance from them as to act Murder upon others And that their Sovereignty is as safely guarded as our own Beings And Oh! that the Brightness of those Eyes that sparkle Terrour into the Hearts of the Wicked and scatters them as the Clouds before the Sun may reflect so great a Light into all the Paths of Princes that their Royal Feet may never slip into Noah's Noose nor any of those more vulgar Weaknesses which give Opportunity for Chamish Impiety to set light by that Majesty which God hath made the very Image of his Own. And let Undutiful Children take care that the Stones of Absalom's Heap which Travellers say are still increased by very Jews and Turks passing by it in detestation of that unnatural Act be not brought hence by Divine Justice to beat out the Brains of those whom the Horrour of so notorious an Example can little affright into better Obedience the Punishment of this Crime being so seldom Prorogued to the General Assize as Vengeance hardly takes a Nap before Execution be done to the full When a wretched Son was once laying violent Hands on his Aged Father and kicking him out of doors Now hold thy Hands said the Old Man for 't was but hitherto that I served thy Grandfather in the very same Manner And 't is observable that the Curse is entail'd expressely upon Canaan for the Sin that was committed by his Father to let us see how so great a Profaneness is seldom expiated but by the Blood of Generations And God's withholding his Grace only from Children is Slip enough to strangle them with the same Halter their Fathers hung in This is that Canaan whose Name gave Denomination to the Fruitful-land and whose Sin made it yet but a Wilderness to his whole Posterity since the Blessing of Exuberance is but a Curse to those to whom common Mercy is but a constant Judgment and God did but send them before-hand as a Company of Slaves to build those Houses and plant those Vineyards which should chear the Hearts of the more obedient Children of Shem to whose use God sealed the Lease of their Ejectment and delivered it to Abraham so weary was he of such Tenants four hundred Years before it was Executed while in the mean time a People should be born that should serve the Lord and Pay him the Quit-Rent of Praise for so pleasant Habitation And what Is not this another Tragedy when the Sword of God strikes inwardly and executes its Massacres upon all the invisible Faculties kills them spiritually and spares the poor Corps to the Curse of Slavery not to Men only but Lusts and Hell leaving them so perfectly Dead from performing the Functions of the true Life that they are absolutely senceless of any other end than that of Luxury wherefore they are continued in the World 'till running up and down for a while like Swine with the fatal Knife sticking in their Throats they faint away and bleed themselves into Eternal Death as Vessels of Wrath fitted for Destruction Canaan Adieu the unhappy Son of so prophane a Father who hath entail'd upon thee and thine so direful Execration that I see some of thy Cursed Off-spring hypocritically crouching with their mouldy Bread and clouted Shooes to begg a miserable Life from the flourishing Family of thy more dutiful Vnkle and none other is granted them but such as is worse thaâ— Death it self when rather than perish they are content to become the contemptible Skullion of their Kitchen the Prophesied Judgment iâ— actually verified Cursed be Canaan a servant oâ— servants shall he be Babel's Tragedy To the City of God if any on Earth be the Incomparable London Instructed and Edified on Everlasting Foundations into all the Dimensions of Saving Knowledge Faith Love Truth and holy Experience by the Care Skill and Industry of Her Spiritual Builders do I humbly Dedicate this Tragedy Beseeching God that neither the Clattering of Tongues nor the Division of Hearts may ever procure Her the Baffle of Babel But that she may be a City at Unity in it Self her Affections as uniform and Compact as her Habitations ever remembring that she is not Secure till God himself lay her Topstone in Heaven and Finish her up to Perfection GEN. XI 4. Go to let us Build c. BUT come Reader Let us pass from Golgotha the Charnel-house of Dead Bones and Skulls while we divert our selves a The Tragedy of SODOM c. Grand Paw she mightily dislikes their whining Minims she must have them Note it to the Ela of c. And as their Speech so their very Looks do please her as little they know not how to charge their Countenances to dart a Terrour nor how to Swell and look bigg nor with one Frown shot from the furious Brow send away the Impudent Creditor that dares take the boldness to Dunn for his own In all these Reformations she promises her utmost skill to assist them Now for the manner of their Eating this above all hath given her the greatest Affliction As if God had still left them under the Curse of Temperance and given them nothing but Herbs and Sallads to feed on She verily thinks their Fields and Meadows did not present their Liberal Issues to a more silly and dull-brain'd People in the World. What had they not learned the sacred Science of Eating Well Unskilful yet in the Lectures of Cookery and Sauces Nor how to Exercise the Trained-Bands of Dishes and Platters She hates to see them gnawing upon
which might possibly at last retort upon his own Head. He justly fears those that fear not God. Lust is outragious and limited by no boundaries 't is a Devil that breaks all the Chains that pretend to fetter it and cares not through what Blood and Dangers it wades to its own satisfaction He is going down thither for Bread and now is afraid to be swallowed himself Beauty is but dangerous luggage in the way of our pilgrimage for prevention of the danger he contrives to strengthen the silver Cord of his Life by loosening the golden Bands of his Marriage Sarah that had consented long ago to become his Wife must now write the Bill of her own Divorce and consent again to be his Sister he Wooes her a second time to disown him as an Husband and the poor Lady must hide her Wedding Ring in her Bosom lest it Wedd her Lord to his Grave Could Abraham have removed the wrinkles that this fear hath fixt on the fair Face of his beautiful Faith and placâ—d them in the â—â—rebead of his Sarah 't is probable the Egyptians might not have had that Appetite to her as that for her sake he should dread to be kill'd Lord if thou hadst been here my Father had not dyed Why did not Sarah take his Mantle from him and smite asunder these Waters of Jealousie crying Where is the Lord God of Abraham who useth to part these Waves of danger hither and thither and cause them to fly before us to make a safe path through them all to tread on If a Qualm of Fear came over his Heart she had done but her Duty as a good Wife to have presented him with a Cordial which soon had recovered him into a Spirit again In thee Abraham shall all the families of the Earth be blessed Must that Blessing blossom from thy Ashes (†) (†) (†) Hoâ— factum Abrâ—hae infirmitate non videtur carere Ainsw But where iâ— the Jewel that hath no flaw and the Faith that is void of all fear We must seek it in Heaven where perfect Love casteth it out Famine had driven him down hither and fear surprizes him here We must forget that we are in the World if we promise our selves security from Troubles in it Abraham is not deceived in the Egyptians that which he feared is come upon him no sooner is he entied into the Land but every Mouth is chanting out the Encemiums of the Beautiful Stranger They gaze on her as on some Auspicious Deity that was arrived to scatter her Divine Influences over all the Kingdom The News hastily flies to Court think with what little pleasure the Queen and all her Train of Ladies receive it as the Rising of another Sun in their Horizon that will Eclipse them all into perfect Obscurity The (*) (*) (*) Solent Aulici etiam lenocinio gratiam Regum quaerere Grot. Parasite Princes despairing to Enjoy her themselves joyntly vote her to the Honour of the Royal Bed They vie with each other who should Sing the Panegyricks of her Praise with greatest advantage into the Ears of the King whose Amorous Passions are soon blown up into Flame by so pleasing Breath Nuncio's are dispatched to Abraham who Solicite the suit in the Mighty Name of Majesty Imperial Mandates are too absolute to admit a denial but least of all in the Affairs of Love. Now must Abraham hazard the Chastity of his Wife for the Security of his Head and whence he might have expected the greatest Protection there he finds his greatâ—st Danger Yet while himself owns her but as a Sister and denies her as a Wife he Legitimates the Rape and her own silence makes it still the less Criminal How great were the contests of Love and Fear conflicting together in her Breast is better imagined than expressed There are some Passions that Letters and Words are too weak to Decipher But what bright Ray is this that I discover gilding the Cloud and Shining thrô all the Storm into the Heart of the Great Abraham Can we think that he so tamely parts with his dearest Lady to offer her up a Sacrifice to the Lust of a Pagan from a principle of base Cowardise What meaner Spirit values a Life to preserve his Honour and will not rather suffer a Thousand deaths than survive a despicable Monument of Shame and Scorn Jealousie is the rage of a Man and he will not spare in the day of Vengeance and should not Sarah have kneeled and begged him to dispatch her out of Life with his own Hands rather than thus to Prostitute her Glory to an Eternal Ignominy that could never be wip'd off Whence is it then that they so easily separate and she seems to pass from him as if she hastened after another Lover in the Court of Egypt Ah no! Abraham had recovered himself into a bâ—tter temper of Mind and stronger sence of his safety and delivers up his (†) (†) (†) Deus pudicitiam tuam custodire potest teque illaesam conservare confido enim in Deo meo quod hoc fieri non patietur Ferus Wife to the King with the same Confidence as afterwards he offered up his Son unto God with a certain assurance of that Infinite Wisdom and Power that could find ways enough to prevent the Violation of his Sarah's Chastity And she her self doubtless had confirmed Him into all the Confidences of her Fidelity that the long Experience of her Goodness Constancy and earnest Affections to so worthy a Lord could affix upon him Well might she be ravished from his Bosom into Pharaoh's House but she doubted not God would provide her an Innocent Lodging there without being forced within his Curtains In Confidence therefore of Divine Protection Abraham surrenders her up to the Court. The Heart of her Husband doth safely trust in her Princes do every thing in State they pass with considerate Steps even into the Bed of Love Motions of Majesty are Deliberate 't is below Kings to Violate or be Rough. They are losers by Violence while they know there is little pleasure in constrained Embraces Amnon loaths and Bolts out the Lady that he had Ravished A little Patience ripens the Flower of their Desires which Precipitancy vainly Crops in the Bud and we know Monarchs Woe by Proxy which yields great advantage to delay and excuse And doubtless Sarah had Arts enough to shift off too close Applications that were made by the Courtiers in the behalf of their Master or by Him for himself Abraham is courted too and caressed with all the Complements of Endearment Each Officer cringes to him as to the Rising Favourite and a Growing Ally to the Crown the King himself treats him with that Courtesie as might most powerfully win him to his Interest He obliges him to favour his Suit by all possible demonstrations of his Royal Bounty which Abraham most gratefully returns to his Courtiers to whom if we may believe Josephus he became a Tutor and taught
can only bleed at their Eyes and commiserate the Unhappy in unprofitable Tears Courage is the masculine Virtue Who ever saw Brave Man using his Handkerchief instead of his Sword But Abraham was prudent and cautious and will not undertake a Warr without good Advice he will have sure grounds to justifie the Attempt and warrant the Success He first therefore Consults the Oracle of his Conscience which was ever guided by his Prophetical spirit and on Enquiry finds that in this Case he may warrantably proceed Had not God given him a Title to the Kingdom who had the only Right to dispose of it What though his Subjects did not acknowledge him he was nevertheless the Right Lord and what were these Kings but Intruders upon him and had no other Title than what the Sword had given them Abraham therefore though but a Titular Prince thought himself oblig'd in Duty to relieve them He takes up the Sword with the same Authority as Moses did afterwards when he slew the Egyptian by the Virtue of the Divine Revelation made to him of his being the future Deliverer of the poor enslaved People And to this the Laws of Nature added a Tye upon him to release his oppressed Kinsman whom they unrighteously had injured and who was in no wise guilty of the Crime more justly imputable to the rest But above all the sacred Obligations of Religion could in no wise suffer him to see the little Church in Lot's Family led Captive and subjected to the Rage and Tyranny of Pagans Abraham therefore sufficiently convinc'd of the lawfulness of the War resolves to proceed And here we must present you with the Picture of the Saint in his Armour CHAP. IV. Abraham fights with the four Kings for the rescue of Lot. He gets the Victory and redeems the Prisoners Melchisedeck at his return meets him on the way and presents him with Provisions for his Souldiers His Transaction with the King of Sodom REligion is so far from emasculating the spirits of its truest Votaries that it steels them all throughout with the hardest Courage It banishes those fears and seeds of Cowardise that in every danger stare others in the face like Caesar's Ghost appaling the Soul of Brutus It Refines them from those vitious Qualities that have debased many a stout Heart to truckle under the basest Vsurpations Who would not have mourned to see the brave Sampson grinding in the Mill and made the subject of the Philistines scorn and laughter It redeems them from those salacious Lusts that enervate the Arteries of the Soul and take away the Heart subjecting it to the mean Cringes of dependance on every inferiour Badge It links them fast in an indissolvable Union with the Omnipotent Power which ever secures protection and safety Hypocrisie may brandish a Sword in the Air and brag of its Valour against an Eutopian Enemy but the single Scout of a real One makes it drop it and sets it on flying Profaneness may shut its Eyes and harden it self against dreads of Death it may venture a Soul to get a Name but with no other Bravery than the gallant Horse who mocketâ—â—â— fear and is not affrighted the quiver rattleth against him the glittering spear and the shield yet is he not afraid So This may desperately run on the Pikes of Wrath as insensible of danger 'till rushing into the Battle it meets its Death and despairs together No 't is the brave Abraham's Courage shall work Wonders who with a spirit wash'd from degenerating Lusts and Guilt the fainty Diseases and very Agues of the Mind that sets it on shaking with terrible Apprehensions of shadows armed with Innocence and a good Cause daring to look his God in the Face with the same confidence and fearlesness as he doth his own Heart Who wears a Life to no other end but his service and is content to lay it down at any time for his glory Who hath a Ticket of Assurance from a second Death in his Bosom This is the Righteous Hero that is bold as a Lyon and you shall hear presently what an handful of such as these can gloriously perform against a puissant Army whom Success and Victory had blown up into Pride and Presumption The Discipline of War with the various Arts and Polities of it and all the Exercises and feats of Militia are a Lesson which David who was a great Souldier professes himself to have learned from God who is Generalissimo of all the Hosts both of Heaven and Earth and who is pleas'd to own the Title of a Man of War. By no other Tutor was this great Prince instructed before him It was He that taught his hands to war and his fingers to fight He had first train'd him up in the mysterious faculties of Believing and Obeying Now will he Exercise him in the Martial Art of fighting that his Abraham might be as equally famous for his Valour as his Faith. And doubtless the inserting so full an Account of this War and the Catalogue of the Princes that manag'd it so accurately in the Holy Records is due to the Care and great Kindness of God to his Abraham who will not have him lose the honour of his Chivalry and Prowess which shines so brightly in the Defeat of such mighty Enemies as they All the World shall know that they were no mean and contemptible Antagonists that his great Federate had encountred with And thô all the Troops of the five Princes of Palestine were nothing in their hands yet they must not imagine so lightly to carry away the Garland when once the great Abraham took up the Gauntlet in the Quarrel 'T was Himself that raised up this Righteous Man from the East called him to his Foot gave the Nations before him and made him rule over Kings he gave them as dust to his Sword and as driven stubble to his Bow. All Knowledge is given for Communication God had not drest up this Great Man into all the perfections of Nature and Grace that he should find a Grave for them in his own Bosom No! as he disdains not to be his own Chaplain and thinks it no derogation from his Grandeur to educate his Servants in the true Knowledge and Worship of God in order to make them good Men so was it his Care and Practice no doubt from Divine Instinct to train them up in the right Exercise and Vse of Arms in order to make them good Souldiers (†) (†) (†) Quos instruxerat Arte Bellicâ Lege Divinâ Menochius The one would help on the other Religion it self in a great part of it being nothing else but a wise and expert Use of our spiritual Armour against all the Enemies of our Peace under the Guidance and Conduct of the great Captain of our Salvation They might learn by every Posture of their Bodies to remember with what care they must stand on the Guard for their Souls This Trained Band was ever ready at the Call of their
that Manna the Spirits of Angels are feasted with Can whisper Secrets into thine Ears that shall drown thy heart with Joy unspeakable and Glorious Can light up such a Taper in thy Soul that shall pierce the Clouds and give thee a Prospect of the Invisible Kingdom and bless thy Soul with Moses's Eyes When all the World is tossed on the Billows of his Wrath can lodge thee in an Ark of perfect Security and Peace Thou shalt not fear the fears of the Wicked nor be distracted with their Amazements Thy Soul shall dwell in quiet within the Tabernacle of his Presence If Heaven and Earth should fall and mix together in one Chaos of Confusion the Ruine should not concern thee at all Thy Foot is fixt on the unmoveable Rock from all the Dreads and Possibilities of falling Everlasting Arms would be underneath to preserve thee from dashing thy self against the bruising Stones When Time hath spun out the Silver Thread of thy Life on Earth God will furnish thee with a Clew that shall convey thee safely thrô all the Labyrinths of Death into the lightsome Palace of an everlasting Joy and Glory where thou shalt ever share with his Chosen in endless Felicities and wear on thy happy Head the Immortal Crown of Life God from his own most blessed Essence flowing out unto thee with inexhaustible streams of ineffable Pleasure and Love which drown all apprehensions here to conceive and must despair ever to know before thou comest to enjoy them Lo this is the Reward and Heritage of the faithful Children of that Abraham whom God made the happy Object of his own delight his Friends Joy his Enemies Envy and the Wonder of all the World. Cease then from inquiring what an exceeding Great Reward thy God will be to those that serve him with Abraham's Heart Nor ask with David What shall be done to the man that shall sight the Battels of God against the Goliah's of the World and Sin but buckle on thine Armour and with Abraham and David act Couragiously and in the Strength of thine Almighty Shield thou shalt not fail to be Victorious the little Pebble of this single Promise shot from the strong Arm of thy Faith and Confidence shall sink into the Forehead of all thine Opposers on whose Ruines thou shalt build to thy self a Pillar and Monument of Immortal Glory and Praise Thou wilt pardon me Reader this long digression from Abraham's Story while I have been labouring only to heave up thy dull heart and tired Spirits to that blessed place where himself is entred and to give thee in a smaller draught an imperfect Copy of those Glories to which his Faith and Courage have so happily preferr'd him We shall find him presently making use of his Shield and trying what mettal it is made of not against a weak Combination of Kings but against God himself Indeed the manner of his Attacque is somewhat different for there is no prevailing against God but by an humble use of his own Weapons Therefore having received the Ammunition he immediately makes his Assault and so very luckily managed it that it struck into the very Heart of God and thence fetch'd out the blood that was afterwards temper'd to make up the Son which he fought for When fury and Wrath can prevail nothing Tears and Prayers get the Victory Hast thou said thou wilt be a Great Reward to me to what purpose will all that be when I am hastening to my Grave and cannot bear with me thy Blessings into the next World and I have no Heir to enjoy them after me Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go Childless See how Abraham strikes while the Iron is hot and dexterously clinches the Nail of the Promise with the humble stroak of his Faith into the breast of God's Faithfulness which opens it Self to make way for it to stick in and there it abode for many years after till Isaac came to draw it out 'T is observed by the Learned that Abraham (*) (*) (*) Domine Jehovah illud patheticum est eoque tanquam singultiens usus est Abraham Sigh'd out this Request to God from the very bottom of his Heart which no wonder then had so good effect on the Heart of God. The weak Charge of the Lips do little Execution without strong Enforcement from the Breath of the Soul. Omnipotence it self falls under the Push of a melted Soul. The Wind of Affectionate Prayer and Showers of true Repentance turns the very Bowels of a God within him and puts him on Repenting too Mary's Tears at Lazarus's Grave sets Jesus on Groaning and then to Weeping as fast as She Admire not to see the Soul of her Brother discharged out of Heaven when God could keep it there no longer The Spiritual Kingdom is very well pleased to suffer under such Violence It may be Jacob afterwards learned from his Grandfather this Never-failing Art of Wrestling with Heaven for in his buckling with the Angel though himself got a small blow that put his Thigh out of joynt yet had he Strength enough still to hold him Prisoner till he got his Designs upon him and his Tears trickled down so fast that there was no more Heart in his Antagonist to deny him that Blessing that he so powerfully struggled for As a Prince he prevailed with God But how He wept and made Supplicacation unto him They were Jacob's Tears that melted the strength of that Blessed Prince of Angels who when he came into the World in our Nature made use himself of no other Arms. But what are Sighs and Groans and Tears were they all of Blood for how little are they regarded in the World Since they make the poor Patients but the more unpleasing Company to others who breath in the Egyptian Air where no such Showers fall where no such Winds do blow Yet Sighs for Sin differ from other Breath as the Sweet Perfumes of the Aromatick Mountains from the Fuliginous Vapours of the dead Sea or the Inspirations of Heaven from the Noisom Belchings of Brutes They are the Brisk Gales that scatter the Fogs of Guilt and securely waft us to Heaven And though they are Inarticulate and pass away from us without a Coinage into Noise and Words yet God knows their Oratory well enough and can spell them into so good Sence that he puts his own Imprimatur upon them and shall be produc'd as Records of true Repentance though there be little else to plead for Mercy and Safety in the day of Visitation but the poor Evidence of a sew Hearty Groans under the killing Tyrannies of Sin. When the Bottle of Tears shall appear at that time to plead for us then shall these Winds also pass out of their Treasury to blow some Refreshment on us Both the one and the other Washed and Sweetned with the Sacrifice of the Blood of Jesus Ezek. 9.4 God had already made to Abraham a General Promise of a Numerous Seed and now he
own which would entitle them to Divine Favour and Protection surely this would Terminate his Desires and compleat up all his Happiness Abraham is content to go Issueless still rather than be the miserable Parent of Rebels against Heaven The Arrows that are shot by wicked Children against the Honour of God pierce by the way through the hearts of their wounded fathers and make them bleed God is so well pleased with the Workings of Abraham's thoughts and took it so kindly from him that he had honoured him by so absolute Resignation of his Faith on the bare word of his Promise That from hence forth he shall have little cause to question the Performance of all his future Engagements for now he resolves to confirm them all by stronger Bars than those that Heaven and Earth are environed with He is content to enter into a Sacred Covenant with him that shall oblige his Holiness Honour and Truth in such irrefragable Tyes that Abraham's Heirs may Sue him at their pleasure upon the Violation of them and shall have liberty to plead the Breach of Articles against him in the Court of Honour should he fail in any point of Performance Nor were they backward as Vatablus tells us for notwithstanding themselves were so careless in keeping the Counter-conditions that obliged them to Obedience and Duty And by their continual Violations had evacuated the whole Covenant and wrenched off all the Seals yet would they be so Impudent to reproach him with a Failure on his Part and frequently twit him with it when their Treacheries had at any time provoked him to bring in an Enemy upon them or put them into Banishment and Sufferings Recordare foederis inter segment a initi Remember the League made with Abraham our Father when the Heifer was cut in twain and thou passedst through the parts thereof There was a Custom as elsewhere so in Chaldaea whereof therefore Abraham could not be ignorant That for confirming Covenants these Ceremonies passed amongst them A Beast was killed and divided into two equal Parts which Parts were brought forth and laid at some distance over against each other the Federates passing between them and solemnly imprecating on themselves the same Death and Ruine so to be killed and cut in pieces as the Beast if they should first break the Covenant and Agreement made between them The equal Division of the Beast seeming to represent the Vnity of Will in both Parties and their mutual satisfaction in the Conditions of the League In Conformity to this Custom Abraham is ordered to get ready his Heifer and with that a Goat and a Ram all of three years Age and to these a Turtle Dove and a young Pigeon to prepare and place them in order against such time as the Lord would please to come down to pass thorough them In that the Beasts were multiplied it signified a surer Ratification of the Covenant The Conditions on Gods part were That he would surely give unto Abraham for his Posterity the whole Kingdoms of Canaan for a Possession Abraham Conditions for his Children That they therefore should keep the Laws of the Lord and walk in his ways as himself would give them Example Gods Passing thorough the divided parts in the Appearance of Fire and Smoak and Abraham's walking through the midst of them confirmed the Covenant and finished the Transaction Now must this be unto Abraham an infallible Assurance God could not deny Himself nor his Covenant He may cease disputing for the future How shall I know that I shall inherit it There are Authors that make Critical Observations first on the Age of the Beasts which were All to be three years Old and signified that this Covenant related only to the Carnal Posterity of Abraham for there follows another for his Spiritual which was to endure for evermore who should enjoy Canaan during Three Remarkable Terminations of time The first from Abraham himself to Moses The second from Moses to David The third from David to Christ when by their bitter Usage and Cruelty towards Him the whole Articles were torn to pieces and themselves sent packing out of their good Land having no longer a Promise of it The Miracle of Gods Condescention in binding Himself up to his Creatures is a Subject for Angels to pry into and for Saints to praise him for ever Yet is not this all that Abraham shall be gratified in there is still a farther Honour God will confer on his Favourite He shall be admitted into his own Privy-Council of Heaven and the Arcana Imperii the Mysteries of State that are lock'd up in the secret Cabinet of his Bosom shall be disclosed to him He shall here have a perfect Prospect into all the Occurrences of his Family for many hundred years after which first he shall discover in a Type and then in clearer words First The Beasts and the Birds do more generally shew him the different Natures of his Children some bearing brutish Affections creeping upon the Face of the Earth as Beasts others Soaring in a more Spiritual Element All their aims aspiring after Heaven Again more particularly The very Heifer a Laborious Slave subjected to the Collar shall Prophesie to him the Servitude of his Children under the Egyptian Yoke the very Age of her shall shew him the term of that Slavery for Three Generations together But then the Turtle a Solitary Bird that delights in the Desart shall shew him also their Removal thence and wandring in the Wilderness for Forty years And the Pidgeon a Fowl that loves to be Hous'd shall lead him to the sight of his Family fixedly settled in the Cities of Canaan The very Sleep he fell into is Prognostick of his last End and the horrour of Darkness that came upon him Prophesied the grievous Troubles and dismal Afflictions his Children would fall into as hardly should they discover any Light of hope for deliverance from them God having foreshewn all these future Events unto Abraham expounds them afterwards in a plain Declaration of Words wherein he is comforted against all the Sorrows of his Posterity by their certain Redemption from them and his own long Life ending in a Quiet and Blessed Death The Ceremony being ended Abraham is confirmed for ever Observe here how the whole Scene of all contingent Emergencies befalling the Creatures and issuing upon Kingdoms Families and Persons throughout all Ages of Time hang all up in One fair Table Open and Naked in the Light of Gods Omniscient Eye unalterably fixed by his firm Decrees and all unavoidable by any Power or Wisdom of Men. How vainly then doth Humane Weakness Plot to break the Links of his Providences which his own Mighty Arm hath so undissolvably chain'd together That all the Combinations of Men or Devils do but weary themselves while they Idlely endeavour to break them Take also a View of the Road to the Heavenly Canaan The Land is confirmed to Abraham and his Heirs with all the Assurances that a
God And whatsoever I am in my Self that will I be to thee I will be a God to thee Secondly As I am God I am Almighty and Alsufficient both for my self and all my Creatures that shall close with me I will make over the Fulness and Alsufficiency of my Godhead to thee There is nothing in it communicable to the Creature but what shall be secured to and imployed for Thee and Thine on all occasions Thirdly The very same Priviledge shall be secure to all the Children of thy Faith for evermore I will be their God and I do hereby firmly and unalterably Covenant with thee to be a God unto Thee and Them. To do and be whatsoever a God can do and be to his People in Covenant with him Fourthly I will confirm my part of these Covenants to thee and thy spiritual Seed by mine Oath which shall never be broken And they shall be one day further Ensured and Sealed in the Blood of my Son. Now on the other side what I require of thee Abraham and all thy Seed that shall enter into this Covenant after thee is no more than what every Woman engageth to her Husband to be faithful and Loyal I will be wholly to thee and thou shalt be wholly to me I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other Gods but me This is my Covenant therefore thou shalt Walk before me in Vprightness with a Perfect Heart and a willing Mind Thine Eye and Heart shall be ever upon me to admire thine own Happiness in all my Perfections Thou needest not hunt after Creatures with expectation of other Good than what is secured to thee in my Self Didst thou know what a Portion thou hast in a God thou wouldst disdain to turn aside after Idols Thou hast mine Alsufficiency made over to thee out of which as from an inexhaustible Fountain thou mayst draw out all thy Supplies What need they run to Streams that have a Command of the Spring-head Let thy Children be but Faithful and Constant to me and give themselves up by an adequate measure of Trust and Confidence in my Truth and Covenant relying wholly on my Wisdom and Goodness in providing for them and casting all their cares upon Me they shall ever reap the sweet Effects of that Recumbency while they give me the Glory of their Faith I will never leave them I will never forsake them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not no by no means I will not While they keep up entire Affections towards me I will delight to do them good with all my Heart and with all my Soul But if they run Whoring from me for I am a Jealous God I shall soon discover the least Aberration of their unfaithful Hearts and have Wayes enough tho' Sharp and Thorny to Hedge up their wandring Steps and reduce them again to their First Husband But Integrity of Soul will be their greatest Glory and the higher their Affections shall arise by perfect Dependance upon me the more sweetly will all the streams of my Love and Goodness flow out upon them I will fill their Souls wit◠Joy and Peace in Believing They shall taste Angels food and feast themselves with the Bread of Heaven The very Marrow and Fatness of my Bounty shall be their daily Repast They shall not envy the Prosperities of the Wicked that are feeding themselves to an Eternal Slaughter When the ravishing sence of my Love alone shining in upon them shall furnish out all Varieties of ineffable Pleasures to them they shall pity those that are walking in the Shadows of Death and See with none other but Brutish Eyes when the Beams of my Presence shall Gild all the Chambers of their Souls and make a continual Goshen there When the World shall reproach and reject them because of their Fidelity to my Covenant and they complain how much they suffer for me I will extend the Arms of my tender Mercies to receive them into mine own Embraces and safety And should some of them as my Witnesses be delivered up to the Malice of their Enemies and they Mercilesly kill them all the day long and lead them as Sheep to the slaughter yet shall Death be so far from separating them from my Love that themselves shall be more than Conquerours over all while all the surviving of them may prepare their Eyes to see the Vengeance and their feet to be washed in the Blood of their Enemies Is not this laid up with me and sealed among my Treasures Treasures of Wrath which shortly shall be poured on them and fall down in whole Cataclismes of Judgment on their Guilty Heads and Souls who have eaten up my People as Bread. The dread of Death must not tempt them to recede one Inch from their Sincerity since they have a God who is a Fountain of Life and that little little of it they breath out in the World is not a Drop compared to the River of Life they shall Swim in to Eternity But that little how little soever it be when Offered to my Glory is so pleasing a Sacrifice as cannot fail to draw from mine Exchequer the singular Retributions of my Favour on those happy Souls who so valorously surrender up their All to my Truth and Honour in assured Confidence of an happier Being in my Self 'T is the Triumph of my Justice to render unto every Man according to his Work As to their Executioners the hotter Fires of my Wrath and double Portions of my Plagues so more resplendant Crowns for the Loyal Heads of those who failed not to write the Evidences of their Integrity and Love in the dearest Blood of their Hearts How preeious then in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Whose Souls are so securely bound up in the Bundle of Life with the Lord their God that all their Enemies on Earth that all the Devils in Hell cannot slacken the Knots of that Vnion by which they are fastened to Himself Life is Theirs to fit them for and Death is Theirs to bring them to his Glory and blessed Fruition of his Endless Love. And in nothing could God have manifested a greater Love to his Abraham than by prescribing a Duty so perfectly agreeable to his own Holy Nature which is Pure Simple and Unmixt He is what He is and cannot be any thing else than what he discovers Himself to be the only True and Faithful God keeping Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commands And 't is Sincerity alone Truth in the inward Parts the Service of a real and perfect Heart that he requires He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee more than to do justly as Himself will to love mercy as Himself doth and to walk humbly before him To be holy as he is holy perfect as he is perfect looking towards Him with the simgle Eye of Fidelity and Love and directing all thy Devotions to him with
Men little think it they do but swallow their own Damnation 'till their Eyes discern the Lord's Body in his own light those that have Eat and Drunk in his Presence shall be turned off at the last Day with a doleful Discedite Depart from me for I know you not Prayer it self unless selvidg'd by Resolution ravels out into nothing so little trust is there to the best of external Priviledges where they are not accompanied with the Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power He is not a Jew which is one outwardly Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of Men but God. Though the Ordinances in themselves are ineffectual without God yet being of Divine Institution they bind us to a constant and faithful waiting upon him in the Use of them for who knows when or how soon he may work by them The pretence of their invalidity give us no License to depart from them or to lay them by since here we see utter Excision menaced against every Child of Abraham that should not bleed by the Circumcising Knife There are some benefits which the most wicked Men enjoy together with the Holy in the outward Communion of the Church for which they shall pay their Homage and yield a subjection such as it is though hypocritical and involuntary they shall sit before him as his People do and make some shews at least of a real Conformity and Union with Him though their Hearts run after Covetousness and they are as Traiterous as Judas who yet had his Sop dipt in the same Dish with Jesus God who had hitherto feasted his Abraham with a Banquet of Promises which only his Faith is to feed on all his Life long and must depart the World in Assurance of their Truth when his Eyes should be shut up in Death will yet present him with one Dish which himself shall see and all his Senses ravished with the very taste of Sweet Meats are kept for the last Course and help to digest all the rest the better Judge Reader with what Ears Abraham receives the Tydings of an Heir from the Body of his dearest Sarah who at once is made a Lady and a Lady Mother She shall have a Son that shall own and double that Honour together 'T is Astonishing News and Abraham's Feet can hold him no longer he embraces the Mercy of a Saviour and a Son with a lowly Prostration Blessings multiply upon him as Duties are multiplyed by him No Man shall ever lose by a munificent God. Adam parts with a Rib and behold a Wife Abraham with a superfluous Skin and behold a Son. The Heart of Man cannot bear the Kisses of Divine Love without dissolving into Joy and Abraham's Soul is so full of it now that it forces a vent at his Mouth He laughs out the excess of that Comfort which seems so pleasingly to oppress him And God himself is so delighted to see his Abraham thus humbly and innocently Merry at the Thoughts of Sarah's Breeding that while the Name of Isaak liveth it shall never be forgotten that Abraham laughed thus reverently in Faith and as sometimes one who finds that he hath gratified his Company by telling a Story which hath proved so acceptable and affecting beyond expectation will repeat it again in Assurance of that Virtue in the repetition that will still keep up the Humour so God disdains not to make a Rehearsal of what he saw sounded so sweetly in the Ears of his dearest Friend Sarah thy Wife shall bear thee a Son Indeed she shall v. 19. Tho thine Age of an Hundred and hers of Ninety Years may make it seem impossible to Nature yet I have revealed to thee mine Almighty Power to give it an Evidence in this Grace God is already teaching Abraham the exercise of his Faith in his Alsufficiency and he is no dull Schollar but presently takes out the Lesson and is dandling Isaak in the Arms of his Faith before he is Conceived in the Womb of his Mother Could we Believe with Abraham's Faith we should Rejoyce with Abraham's Joy. There is no true Pleasure but what is Spiritual all the Worlds Huzzah's but as the Noise of Thorns which Crackle themselves into Nothing Solomon commits the Vanity to Bedlam the proper place for the Franticks that distractedly Laugh while they are little sensible what Tears they shall Weep in Hell Eccl. 2.2 Canst thou be Merry Canst thou Play Silly Soul who Sinn'd to Day In Heaven where there is no Sin there is Fulness of Joy In Hell where there is nothing but Sin there is nothing but Sorrow but on Earth Men Sin and rejoyce in it too yet feel no Sorrow and no wonder when they feel no Sin as the Distemper'd are sensible of no Madness These are pack'd away by Abraham's Great Heir into their own Place to see if they can be as Jolly there too Woe unto you c. The Merry Frolick of a short day dying into an Everlasting Night of Horror and Torment But for a greater Increase of Abraham's Joy he receives not the News of a Son only but an Heir of the Covenant He shall inherit the Blessings of Grace and Glory God intends Isaac for Heaven e'er ever he had Life or Conception Where are those that quarrel at the comfortable Doctrine of Election which God himself Preaches to Abraham Well might he Laugh again for so good a Son maketh a glad Father 'T is well when Parents and Children go not two ways in the dreadful Day Isaac is sure of a place in his Fathers Bosom in the everlasting Kingdom When the Seed of Free Grace is Sown into a good Field it never fails of a Crop but where it falls in Barren Ground expect nothing but Weeds Too many want the Ingenuity to make Grateful Returns for Spiritual Mercies Men are not only Evil because God is Good but that very Goodness makes them Worse they tire his Patience and adventure to make trial to what length the Dimensions of his Long-suffering may be extended But the brave Abraham under the fore-knowledge of Gods Decree is so far from slackening his Duty in the careful Education of Isaac into Piety that looking on him as an Heir of Heaven he was ever dressing him up in such Robes as he knew would be worn and could be never out of Fashion there He endeavours to make him a greater Proficient if possible than himself And methinks Isaac's whole Life was nothing else but a lively Comment on the distinguishing Mercy of God towards him True Grace hath that excellent Property to inlarge the Heart into an Universal Concern for General Good and wisheth Epidemical Happiness to all Some quarrel at that charitable Supplication of the Church in the Litany That it might please thee to have Mercy upon all Men Never remembring that God would have All Men to be saved and hath Sworn That he hath no pleasure in the death of a Sinner
Decree to shake The lifting up of his Hands prevails within a trifle to make God let fall the Sword of Justice out of his own He reduceth Him to the Terms of an easie and merciful Composition To bring him to fall from Fifty to Ten was a mighty Conquest Who but an Abraham could have made such tuggs at the Heart of God that he makes it stand within a small point to the Compass of Sodoms safety which he verily believed his strength had effected But 't is ill pleading for a bad Clyent in a worse Cause yet a gracious Grant treads on the Heels of every motion which so powerful an Intercessour had made and Abraham shall not say that God had denied him one request of his Lips. He that comes with Dust and Ashes in his Mouth and those humble Apologies for the Presumption of a poor Nothing Creature on his Heart as He can never fail of a good return from the Throne of Grace and doubtless God suffering himself to be unskrewed to so low a Pegg does demonstrate the mighty Victories of effectual Prayer so that had there been any thing worthy of Saving Sodom had continued to this day How happy are we that have a greater than Abraham to intercede for us even the very Same to whom Abraham pleaded for these Cities is Himself become our powerful Advocate and able to save to the uttermost when by the vertue of five Wounds he melts away wrath from the whole World of his offending People for whom he Prayes What an universal Defection was made by these Wretches when not Ten good Men taking in Lots Family with them can be pickt out of Five whole Cities to save them What a Triumphant Court did Lucifer keep in the fair Plains of Jordan where all his Subjects are so well instructed into so perfect Obedience to his Hellish Orders that but One Nonconformist Family can be found in them all How hopeless and desperate was the Interest of Heaven there Where Sin prevails to boast of equal Numbers 't is very dismal and amongst Ten Virgins for five oâ— them to be found Foolish and the Devil impudently dares to call for the Poll from God. But here the Syrians of Hell are so numerous that they fill all the Country and not Ten poor Kidds appear to be folded up into a little flock for God. The Disease being thus Epidemical and Outragious and the Tokens of Judgment appearing so thick upon every bosom Abraham gives over the Suit. When Grace it self was weary of searching after Objects to conferr its Favours on and could find none the wind of Prayer ceasing a terrible storm must follow 'T is worthy our Remark how patiently God Attends to the Petitions of his Abraham waiting so long till every one was dispatch'd and he had no more to Present Abraham himself was more weary of Asking than God of Granting but when this Master of Requests had nothing more to offer to his Lord he humbly bows and makes his Retreat to his own Lodgings In Order of History the Judgment against Sodom should here follow which is made up to the Reader in the Book of Tragedies CHAP. IX Abraham removes from Mamre into Gerar where Sarah is taken from him by the King and restored by means of a Dream The Birth of Isaac The casting out of Ishmael Abraham and Abimelech enter into League ABraham had long enjoyed the sweet Air and Pleasures of the Plains of Mamre but the Overthrow of these Cities and the unwholsome Vapours issuing from the Bituminous Lake rendred the bordering Country less pleasant and unhealthy for him to dwell in Besides now here were few left to whom he could extend the Duties of Hospitality he was deprived of the comfort of Company on whom he might exercise Piety he resolves therefore to remove and doubtless 't was not necessary for Him who was ordained as another Sun to enlighen the dark corners of the Earth to stand still too long in one station Other Countries must be blessed in the happy influences of his Presence You may find him now in Gerar where if you see the Comedy of Egypt Re-acted and Sarah become the Sister of Abraham the second time do not much admire that she is taken from him since Sarah is the Miracle of Women who now in the Nintieth year of her Age is able to dragg Princes after her and carries those Charms in her Face that lays all the Scepters of the World at her Feet The Learned of her Posterity tell us That God continued her Beauty by the same power as he did afterwards Moses's strength without any decay or Impeachment of Wast And her Ninety would not have passed for above Forty in the conjecture of Judgment the Rose and the Lilly still vying superiority in her Cheeks and she lives a Type of the Church that is without spot or wrinkle but all Fair in the Eyes of her Lord. Abimelech is desperately in Love and this is the second time that Sarah might have been made a Queen had she been but the pretended Sister tho' we find her not repining at the loss of that Honour since to be Abraham's Wife was greater Dignity than to wear all the Crowns of the Earth This being the year of Isaac's Conception God sends out an Injunction to stop proceedings it must not be suspected that Abraham's Heir is the reputed Son of the King of Gerar whom God smites with such a disease as cools the Heat of his Lust after Sarah and renders him perfectly Impotent to all While he is startled at the Plague God unriddles it to him in a Dream There was a Lady too many in his Court whose company was ever fatal to all besides her own Husband his own Life must be redeemed by her Liberty but if he restore her not let him look for Death There are Authors that find such Characters of Piety on this Abimelech as have emboldned them to signalize him for a Saint others will acknowledge him good and Righteous in this Act only Some say all was but the effect of a Fright It were well if those Evidences were found in many Christians that profess true Grace as appeared in this Heathen You shall find First That the Threatning had Impression upon him he Hears and Fears and hardens not his Heart Secondly He humbly Vindicates his own Innocency In the Integrity of my heart have I done this Thirdly He justly fixes the Guilt on Themselves who had both of them concealed the Conjugal Relation Fourthly God himself takes part with him and accepts his honest Plea I know that thou didst this in the Integrity of thy Heart Fifthly As soon as he was convinc'd of his Error he Repents it Sixthly He reproves Abraham for exposing his Kingdom to the Dangers of Sin which he knew to be Great Thou hast brought on me and my Kingdom a Great Sin. Seventhly He presently sets on the Duty of Reformation and removes the cause of the Judgment He restored him
Comforts on Earth God had made with him an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure This is all his desire and all his Salvation although he should not make his House to grow Who can see Him rising early to whet the Sacrificing knife that must cut the Throat of his beloved Isaac and giving orders for the cleaving the Wood that must afterwards Burn his dearest Body into Ashes and hastening his Son and Servants to the Journey The Lord hath a Sacrifice to be Offered on the Mount of Moriah how is This Righteous Soul straitned untill it be fullfiled Who can see him thus busie in the Annihilation of his own Flesh without believing that his Affections were all ravished away into Heaven and that Divine Grace had absorp'd him to that degree that he seems to have little of Man or Father appearing in him As Levi he knows not his own Children but packs away the one into Banishment at the Command of God and the other into Death So wholly eaten up by divine Zeal that for three whole days together Travelling towards the fatal Mount he hath both his Eyes so intentively sixt on the holy Commandment that he doth not so much as glance on his Isaac whoâ— he Devotes unto Good and looks on him as nothing but Ashes already The Law of his God that by this Command had dispensed with the very Law of Nature was so strong upon his Heart that he becomes obediently Vnnatural and Cruel not in the least repining as Jacob against God Me hast â—hou bereaved of my Children Ishmael is not and â—ilt thou take Isaac also all these things are against me Not so much as pouring out one Prayer to revoke the dreadful Injunction Father if it be possible let this Cup pass away But totally resigning Himself with his Blessed Heir Let thy will and not mine be done O Holy Abraham how Illustriously do the Graces of Him shine forth upon thee that would be Nothing else than what he was unto God! Thou art that Righteous Man of the East that hath learned to fall down and lye thus Submissively at the Foot of God Whither shall we go in Pilgrimage to find out the least Track of thine Obedient Steps there is scarce a little Line of thy Miraculous Devotion left upon the Face of the Earth Though St. Austin and some few more are pleased to give Sarah the Honour of consenting to the Death of her Son at the Will of God yet others more generally deny it and that Abraham afraid that her Faith might be drown'd in the Flood of her Passion very prudently conceal'd the Divine Mandate from her till after the Execution and that possibly he might bring her back a Son preternaturally raised out of his own Ashes for his God was Almighty In vain should he occasion a Precipitation of her Sorrows the woful Tidings would fall too soon as a Talent of Lead to crush and break her miserable Heart 'T is Abraham alone hath that Masculine Spirit to bear up under so sinking an Affliction as this Nor doth the Appearance of the fiery Mountain upon which his Son must be Offered dismay him David piteously lamenting the Fall but of a Friend bitterly execrated the Gilboâ— that had suckt in the Blood of his Jonathan devoting it to the Curse of Heaven for ever But Abraham can view the place where the Fire must consume his dearest Child and yet with Aaron hold his peace And now what his Faith assures him will be acceptable to God his Fear tells him may not be so very Grateful to Men. He prudently dismisses the Servants whose Eyes and Hearts he thinks would not serve them to view what his own unhappy Hands must Act He desires no Witnesses of so Tragical a Sacrifice 'T is enough that he who had set him on the Work and could not but See him should Sign the Certificate of his Faithful Obedience and Service While he Approves himself to God he values not the Testimony of Men He cries not as Jehu to Jonadab Come see my zeal for the Lord. Some fancy that he left them behind least when they should see him doing what he must do they might think that he had left his Wits behind him and so might hinder him of his Duty as once the Good Meaning Friends of Jesus did him on pretence of Distraction and Want of Senses It was not improbable but these young Men might have obstructed his Offering from as Ardent Zeal to their young Master as those afterwards who rescued Jonathan Sworn to Death from the Hands and Oath of his Violent Father But Abraham will not be interrupted by Men in a Duty which is commanded him by God. If he himself will cut the Cords of the Sacrifice and his Isaac's Redemption be wrought by the same Authority from Heaven that his Death was imposed most happy should he think himself but no other Hand shall take him from the Altar than the Divine one that laid him on Whence then is His Authority who pretends a Power to Dispense against the Positive and Absolute Commands of God The Servants and Beasts are disburthened while the whole Load is laid upon Isaac the Son is oppressed and the very Slaves go free yet he Murmurs not Who Sees not here those Innocent Shoulders that once bore our Griefs and carried our Sorrows The Iniquity of us all was laid upon him yet he opened not his Mouth Can we view Isaac bowing under the Wood that is design'd to devour him and not behold our dearest Saviour Fainting under the weight of his own Cross both ascending by weary Steps the very same Mount Abraham and Isaac the Holy and the Spiritual these tug with difficulties and attain to Mount Sion the City of God while the Carnal and the Brutish lag below and perish in the Valley of Darkness and Death where no Sacrifice is offered by them none is accepted for them their Iniquity is not purged by any offering for ever Nor is there any true Son of Abraham but who in this Life divides Himself the Brutish Part is left behind here below while the Aspiring Soul climbs the Hill to meet with God and doth so effectually prevail with him there that hereafter the poor Dust shall be called up too and participate of those Divine Qualities that will fit it for so Glorious a Communion The Ascent to the Mount was the most difficult part of the whole Journey and strong is the Body that bears up it Self against its Proclivity and Steepness Yet must not Isaac be pitied but instead of ease hath an heavy Burthen heaped upon him by a Father that tenderly loves him with design it may be to make him weary of the World and more willing to dye and pass out of it while the Slaves and Brutes are at ease and free from All below If the Cares of Life that are common to all are sound too light to humble the dearest Children of God and keep them low behold God
hanging on them those Weights of Affliction that should make them more sensible of their Pilgrimage Estate and cause them to Sigh for Redemption and Ease Nor is he less a Father because with Abraham he bears the Knife in one hand that lets out the Blood of their dangerous Corruptions and the Fire in the other that is to burn up their Combustible Lusts since while they Groan Himself is Afflicted and under a seemingly Cruel Hand doth ever retain a most gracious and compassionate Heart which harbors no other purpose by the roughest Wind of his Fury than the fanning away their Iniquity themselves at last shall find this happy Fruit by the Storm that it hath taken away nothing but Sin though they know as little the end of Gods Proceedings as Isaac did those of his Father when he so Innocently put the question My Father behold the Fire and the Wood but where is the Lamb for a burnt Offering Is Abraham become as Lot's Wife a Pillar of Hardness and Insensibility Or was this a Rebellious Son whom he delivers up to Justice and Death Or why do we not see him staggering under the weight of so killing a Temptation as this That no doubt pierced deeper into his very Soul than the first Command of God No if Abraham could have melted at all it had been when this hot Gleam beat so strongly upon his Heart Isaac cannot forget that he is Blessed in so dear a Father as Abraham though Abraham must forget that he was once Blessed in so dear a Child as Isaac He must learn to answer neither to the Name nor the Nature of a Father It evidently shews us with what Care Abraham had stiffled all his Griess within his own Bosom that he had not hitherto so much as let fly a Sigh or Groan unstrangled that might survive to give Intelligence to Isaac that there was no other Sacrifice to be expected than Himself A Frantick Outragiousness under Sufferings is but digging into the Wound and causing it to bleed at a wider Orifice when silent Submission makes half the Plaister that heals it up If it be the good Pleasure of Heaven to clap Fetters upon us that we would not wear while we madly strive to tear them off we do but rend our own Flesh and make the Iron to enter the deeper into our Soul. If the hard Burden of the Lord hath fallen upon Abraham which would have sunk any but Himself into Death what doth he but with holy Job take it quietly on his shoulder and bind it as a Crown to him This heavy stroak from Isaac's Mouth charg'd by God himself for a greater Tryal and lighting upon the very Wound is so far from moving him to let go his Integrity that under the fresh Assault of this menacing Billow he still swims above Water and holds it fast Isaac is the Sacrifice that Himself calls for and Abraham only knows it though Isaac knows it not yet God knew that he intended another though Abraham knows it not The Son is not kept in greater Darkness by the Father than is the Father kept by God. How little does Man know of his own Concerns in the future Event of Gods Decrees Some pass merrily on because they see not the Dangers that are before them while others mourn under Jealousies of Troubles that God knows shall never come upon them The Prophecy shall come to pass indeed and God will provide another Sacrifice Josephus hath adventured to Fancy the Arguments by which Abraham now come to the Mount having erected the Altar and made all things ready prevailed with Isaac to surrender up his Life unto God. But I shall do my Reader no Injury if I present him with another which the Golden Pen of our Excellent Hall hath drawn up to my hand as despairing to find any where a more Natural or Powerfully Effectual than his My Son thou art the Lamb which God hath provided for this Burnt Offering if my Blood could have excused thee how many thousand times had I rather to give thee mine Own Life than taken thine Alas I am full of Days and now of long time have lived not but in thee Thou mightest have preserved the Life of thy Father and have comforted his Death but the God of us both hath chosen thee He that gave thee unto me Miraculously bids me by an unusual means return thee unto him I need not tell thee that I Sacrifice all my Worldly Joys yea and my Self in thee But God must be obeyed Neither art thou too Dear for him that calls thee Come on my Son restore the Life that God hath given thee by me offer thy self willingly to these Flames Send up thy Soul cheerfully unto thy Glory and know that God loves thee above others since he requires thee alone to be Consecrated in Sacrifice to Himself Behold the very Figure of him that hath said I and my Father are One One in Nature and One in Will. Isaac layeth down his Life of himself with Jesus and no Man taketh it from him He gives up himself with the same Resignation Lo I come to do thy Will O God. Let us only Contemplate what Conflicts Young Isaac endured in his Bosom 'twixt the different Interests of Flesh and Spirit what Struglings 'twixt Nature and Duty for a while as the different Twins in Rebekahs Womb till recollecting his Spirits and rouzing up his Faith he humbly addresseth his Dearest Father with such a Retortion as this My Father though Nature once framed into Life grows kind and dear to it Self and Flesh is not easily perswaded to pass into Nothing if by any means it can preserve and maintain its own Being And we see all the World sticking in Self and fast Bound to the pleasing Enjoyments of the present Life Yet the Son of Abraham hath been Educated into better Hopes and hath been taught to Obey but never to Dispute the Commands of his Father's God. Yes Sir your Isaac is ready to surrender up the Life he hath received Seek not for any other Offering than your own Son who is prepared to Bleed on the Holy Altar of God and approve himself the Obedient Child of so Good a Father by whose excellent example he hath learn'd to Resign up his All to his Maker See the patient Victim kissing the Cords that bind him and the fatal Knife that is sharpned to let out his Blood and Life while his Father inwardly Bleeds more Drops than he and hath just Strength enough left to lift up his trembling Hand to give the Mortal Stroke which Heaven never design'd that Isaac should feel or suffer Real Intention weighs as heavy in the Ballance of the Sanctuary as the best Action Thou doest well Abraham in that it was in thine heart to build this Temple unto God Which though uneffected shall reflect an equal Honour upon thee When God called young Samuel he arose and went to Eli for as yet he knew not the voice of the Lord.
Peace and Joy While holy Paul triumphed in the Testimony of his Conscience that gave him the Assurance of his Truth and Sincerity how little did he value the censure of those that impudently branded him for a Reprobate 2 Cor. ult Let God himself draw up the Certificate of Jobs Integrity That there was none like him in all the Earth Yet will the very Devil undertake to disprove him in it and his Three Friends are all drawn in to close with him and by many Arguments labour to asperse him with the foul Imputation of Hypocrisie till that mistaken Counterfeit is accepted only to pray away the guilt of that Ignorance and then they look on him with the Eyes of God. 'T is no matter how thick these stones of Persecution â—lie upon us while with the Protomartyr the Heavens open to us and our Eyes are blessed with the glory of Jesus How little would Abraham have felt the smart of Reproaches from scandalous Mouths whose Ears had heard that blessed Encomium from God himself Now I know that thou fearest me Not but that God knew it before but Abraham must know it too that he might rejoycingly walk in the pleasant light of Gods Love and his own Integrity together He that hath not passed Abraham's tryal and given the same proof of Fidelity cannot reasonably expect to feel the same reward of Joy. Let no Man think himself free from a Temptation of the same Magnitude since under the Gospel not Isaac thy Son but thou thy Self art called on to be Sacrificed on the same Mount And he is accounted unworthy to be a Disciple that hates not his Own Life for the sake of his Master The great Saviour hath abounded in Votaries proud of the Honour of writing their Love in the Blood of their Hearts and have been reduced into Ashes with as burning Affections to his Glory and hath every where Those that hold their All at the only pleasure of his Will and who can at all times pass not only into Poverty and loss of Estate but also of Life for his Truth They loved not their lives to the Death and should they never be called to climbe the Mount and suffer the fatal stroke yet since the Sacrifice is ready and the Hand list up God doth accept the ready mind and Isaac is Sacrific'd tho' yet alive He is dead for Christ on God's account who is willing to die 't is the Heart and not the Blood that he requires If Isaac the Fruit of the Body be refused shall the Ram in the Thicket be taken Will the Lord be pleased with Rams with thousands of them Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings thou wouldest not but God himself will provide the Sacrifice and prepare the Body of another Son of Abraham yet behind he is the only Lamb of God that must take away the sins of the World him will God accept tho' Isaac be not taken In the despair of Abrahams Age must Isaac be called into Life in the despair of his Hopes must he be saved from Death When the Knife is at the throat of the whole Church and Posts are every where flying with orders to give the Blow then shall Salvation break out God is seen in the Mount still When all means of deliverance fail below and his people brought into the extreamest streights then doth enlargement come from himself that all the World may know that He is God alone and besides him there is no Saviour CHAP. XI Sarah's Death Abraham's Purchase of a Grave for Her. ABraham's Affections were not so strongly rooted as the Trees of his pleasant Grove into the Soil of Gerar but he can easily pluck them up to be transplanted from Beersheba into his Canaan again The Heart that is fixed unto God doth ever hang loose from the Earth It is he that makes all places a-like delightful to us by the Gracious Shine of his Presence Fear not Jacob to go down into Egypt for I will go with thee Abraham who not long since enjoyed God in the Mount and had the Life of a Son given him must now as contentedly pass down into the Valley of Tears and suffer the Death of a Wife Six and thirty years enjoyment had God given her of the delight of her Heart she that so long had patiently waited for him should not too hastily be hurried from him but now must she pass from her Abraham and Isaac together to the God of both The great Sarah dies Twice already had she been sent for and taken from her Husband by Kings but now never to return more she is once for all sent for to the King of Heaven who provides her a place in his Own till Abraham comes to lay her again in his Bosome The Angels she had entertained in her Tent give her welcome into Glory and furnish her Lodgings suitable to the Quality of the Great Mother of all the Faithful and Wife to the Friend of God. That all Generations may know what respect God himself bore unto Sarah she alone of all her Sex hath the peculiar Honour to have her Age registred in the Rolls of Heaven who notwithstanding all her Labour and Travel ever moving from one Nation to another from one Kingdom to another People kept up an unwearied Courage and Faith till God in Pity put an end to all her Toils and sent her a Writ of Ease in the Hundred twenty and Seventh year of her Life Holy David hath well observed that our whole Life is but as a Tale that is told and God knows the Lives of too many make up a very Inconsiderable and sad one This great Lady the very Mirrour of Women and Wives for her incomparable Piety unspotted Purity unparallel'd Patience exemplary Subjection and incessant Persâ—verance in all makes up an History and when all the Memories of the great Princesses of the World are devoured by Time and buried in Oblivion the smallest Circumstances of Her Life must survive them all and Her story exactly Chroniâ—led in the everlasting Volums Sarah may not laugh but all the World must know it she may not pay her dutiful Respect to her Husband by giving him his Title of Lord but that Obedience must be recommended to the imitation of all her Daughters above Two thousand years after with a gracious design to keep up her Honour and Memory for ever Abráham receives the tydings of her Death with lamentable Resentment and passes in a grave and solemn Procession into her Tent as the House of Mourning to pay her the just Tribute due to the merits of so incomparable a Consort There instead of a Wife he finds a Corps whose cold Cheâ—ks and wan Lips he bedews with his warmer Tears which yet give some little ease to his heavy Heart from the oppression of that Grief that is ready to break it Here the remembrance of all her Goodness and Vertues crowd in upon his Mind and Memory which while he reflects on together with his own loss of them
arises and makes them a Genteel Bow in Acknowledgment of their great Civility and Kindness to him in that Offer Yet while they were all so courteous 't was Ephron alone that must gratifie his desires and all the Kindness the rest can do him was but to Intercede for him that on valuable consideration his Field and the Cave in it might be secured to him and his Heirs for ever But when the brave Hittite perceives himself concern'd in Abraham's Choice and that He only hath the desired Cave that must be honoured in becoming the Repository of these precious Ashes how proudly doth his Liberality contest with Abraham's Justice and is hardly conquer'd from Resolutions of giving that Freely which Abraham desires only at a Price What pity is it that sweet Disposition and Generosity should go to Hell while sordid Niggardliness and base Selfishness hope for Heaven Can bare Nature so easily depart from her Rights on Earth which hath no pretence for others in Heaven while those who pretend an Interest there have their very Souls cleaving to the Dust below and their feet sticking fast in the Mire are so far from yielding up the least shadow of a Title to what they have of their Own that they greedily invade and flye upon the Properties of Others Abraham tho he minds not to accept the noble proffer yet is so greatly affected with it that once again he repeats his grateful Sence of Ephron's and all their Reverence towards him by an yet more humble Obeysence than before He bowed himself down before the people of the Land. Who can see this Great Prince and Friend of God twice together paying his Duty of civil Respect and Honour to the very Heathen by the External Demonstrations of it without pity towards those Rude and Unmannerly Professors of our Age whose very Religion hath no other Test of Distinction but Surliness and Inhumanity Abraham while he is treating about a Grave takes great Care that he may lye down in it with a peaceable Conscience He hath been hitherto a mighty Pattern of Holiness in all his Transactions with God Here we shall find him an Example of Righteousness in all his Affairs with Men That all his Children may know that Commutative Justice and the Duties of the Second Table were written by the same hand that will require as exact Observation of them as of all the other of the First In vain do we pretend Sanctity to God if we are not Righteous to Men. He that doth Righteousness is of God and he that loveth his Brother See how Strait the Lines of Abraham's Righteousness run thro' all the management of this Compact with Ephron First He will by no means take advantage of his Neighbours Good Nature against his Profit he will neither defraud him nor suffer him to defraud himself by an easie Disposition Hear me I pray thee I will give thee money for the Field take it of me c. Secondly When he hath the equitable Value of the Land set to him he undervalues it not in hopes to beat down the Price It is Naught it is Naught saith the Buyer but when he is gone his way he boasteth Thirdly He makes present Payment for what he Buyes and purchases not with Paper and Wax Abraham weighed out the Silver c. Fourthly He Buyes not Good Land with Bad Coin but all is Currant Money with the Merchant Lastly The Conveyances are Sealed and Witnesses taken to prevent all Causes of future Debate The Field was made sure unto Abraham in the presence of the Children of Heth and before all c. And now is Abraham as pleased with a Grave as ever was Prince of a Palace How many Mens Estates are their Graves while they live and never think of another Their very Souls are buried in their Acres below wherein if they might they would lye for ever They Live and Rot in their Pleasures and are Dead while they seem to Live Life to any thing but God is but very Death This is the only Joynture that we find ever settled upon Sarah which the Heirs of her Body against their coming to Age shall find enlarged into a Kingdom for by the purchase of this little Field which cost not much more than Two and twenty Pounds or thereabouts he had given Security to the Faith of his Posterity That God would one day give them the Inheritance of that whole Land where Abraham Isaac and Jacob with Sarah Rebekah and Leah lay close together to keep possession for them until themselves should come And sure there is a better Security given to us also by his Great Heir Jesus Christ who is gone before us and entred into the Heavens as a Forerunner to prepare places for us That where he is we may be also And is not his Spirit lying Leiger in us as the Earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased Possession to the praise of his Glory 'T is observable That after Sarahs Death God makes no more Appearances to Abraham from Heaven having now performed the Great Promise of a Seed he leaves him to walk in the Light and Comfort of those he had already made To teach us that the Great Heir being now come into the World in whose coming all the Promises are perfectly secure to the Faithful the Church is not to expect any Extraordinary Revelations of any farther Truths than what he hath already sent into the World by his Son. He hath now sealed up the whole Canon and will hereafter be silent for ever To these received we ought to trust in the Hope of these we ought to Live in the Comfort of these we ought to dye For this cause God in the close of his whole Book hath carefully contrived the Prevention of Alterations Additions or Diminutions by the Menace of an Eternal Curse imposeable on that Guilt and the multiplying Plagues upon Him that shall add any thing to it There being enough Written if well believed to make us Blessed and Happy for ever CHAP. XII Isaac 's Marriage FOr Three full years together had Isaac mournfully lamented the Death of his Mother now will God make up that loss to him in a Wife Eliezer the Steward of his Fathers House is dispatched as Legate with an Angel Attendant into Mesopotamia and takes with him his Masters Orders where and from whom to choose him a Daughter Abraham before his Journey Swears him to Fidelity in an Affair of so grand Importance and he as cautiously Swears that he might the more Religiously keep his Oath When he draws near the place he Invocates his Masters God for Prosperity and good Success and begs that the first Match may be made up between the Decrees of Heaven and his own Endeavours that they might not thwart each other but happily Marry together He humbly resigns up his own Discretion to the wise Council of God which he knew had determined already in the fittest Choice of a Wife for so