ABRAHAMS TRYALL A Sermon preached at the Spittle in Easter weeke Anno Domini 1602. By George Downame Doctor of Diuinity LONDON Printed for Humfrey Lownes 1602 To the Right VVorshipfull Sir Henry Killigrew Knight Grace in this life and glory in the life to come AMong all the worthy histories of the Saincts which are registred in the booke of God there is not any one example of faith and obedience comparable as I suppose to Abraham who as he was the father of all the faithfull Rom. 4.11 so he is propounded to all the heires of promise as a most worthie patterne for imitation And to this end the Lord as he had indued him with an excellent measure of his grace so by a correspondencie of trials proportionable to his faith he hath manifested the same to the world that all those which professe themselues to be the sonnes of Abraham might either imitate his faith and obedience or else know themselues to be none of his children For which cause the holy Apostles Paule and Iames the one intreating of the causes whereby a man is iustified the other of the effects and signes whereby a man is knowne to be iust the one prouing that we are iustified by faith alone without works the other concluding that we are iustified by such a faith as is not alone or without works both propound the example of Abraham as a rule the one of that iustification whereby we are made iust to wit by imputatiō of Christs righteousnes apprehended by faith the other of that whereby we are declared to be iust namely by the fruits of faith which are good works Paule therefore prouing that we are iustified by faith without works that is by imputation of Christs righteousnes alone which is apprehended by faith argueth from the example of Abraham to this effect that as he was iustified so are we Rom. 4.23.24 he was iustified by faith without works that is by imputation of Christs righteousnes apprehended by faith without respect of anie righteousnes inherent in himselfe therefore wee are iustified by faith without works Iames disputing against vaine mē Chap. 2. ver 20. who thought to be iustified by an idle or counterfeit faith proueth from the example of Abraham that wee must be iustified by such a faith as is not without works For by such a faith as Abraham was iustified must we be iustified Abraham was iustified not by an idle or dead faith but by a liuely faith working by loue as apeareth especiallie by that example recorded Gen. 22. Therefore howsoeuer we are iustified by faith alone yet we are not iustified by such a faith as is alone but as we are iustified by faith alone that is made iust by imputation of Christs righteousnes which is apprehended by faith alone so we are iustified that is declared and knowne to be iust by good works which are the fruits of faith Abraham therefore as you see is propounded to all the faithfull as a patterne in both respects So that if we would be esteemed the sonnes of Abraham as all the faithfull are we must looke to be iustified as he was and by such a faith The Papists therefore who seeke Iustification by works that is inherent righteousnes are not the sonnes of Abraham For those who are of faith that is who seeke iustification by faith and not by workes are the children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 No more is the carnall Gospeller 〈…〉 by such a faith as 〈…〉 and voide of righteousnes 〈…〉 our Sauiour saith Iohn 8. 〈…〉 the sonnes of Abraham 〈…〉 do the works of Abraham 〈…〉 Abraham though he were iustified by faith alone yet he was not iustified by such a faith as is alone But howsoeuer the notable faith of Abraham whereby he was iustified before God and his dutifull obedience whereby he was knowne and declared to be iust appeareth in many particulars recorded by Moses yet then especially he approued both his faith and obedience when he was enioyned by a commaundement of tryall to sacrifice his owne and onely sonne Isaac For by this greatest tryall the Lords purpose was to manifest to the world his greatest faith and rarest obedience and in respect of both to commend him to all succeeding generations as a most liuely patterne to be followed of all the heires of promise For which cause as I thought this notable story of Abrahams tryall most worthie to be handled in this Easters solemnitie so others haue desired and I haue yeelded that the Sermon wherein it was handled should be made more publike for the benefit of more then did heare me Being therefore to publish this Sermon as the first fruits of mine english labours I thought good to dedicate the same to your Worship to whome with your louing brother and the vertuous Lady your wife I am for great benefits exceedingly bound that there might remaine some memoriall both of your bountifulnes and of my thankefulnesse Accept therefore I pray you according to your accustomed fauour this commendation of Abrahams faith and obedience And as hitherto you haue to Gods glory be it spoken and to the good example of others shewed your selfe to be one of the sonnes of Abraham so my desire is that this example of Abraham commended vnto you may be some incouragement for you to continue to the end in that course wherein you haue long walked That imitating still the faith of Abraham and treading in the steps of his obedience vnto the end you may be sure after the labours of this life to rest in Abrahams bosome where you shall receiue the end of your faith which is the saluation of your soule by the precious merits of Iesus Christ 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the 28. of Aprill 1602. Your Worships in the Lord George Downame AΣYNOΨIS OR BRIEFE VIEW of the particulars contayned in this Sermon 〈…〉 Explication of the text diuided into a Proposition where three questions are discussed 1. Whether God tempteth any to euill 2. In what sense he is said to haue tempted Abraham 3. To what end he tempted him Narration declaring the action of God prouing Abrahā which is two fold his Vocation or call preparing Abraham to the triall Commandement containing the triall which appeareth to be great both by the Deerenes of that which he was to forgo amplified by the Lord in foure degrees commanding him to sacrifice 1. His sonne 2. His only sonne 3. Whom he loued 4. Euen Isaac Hardnes of that which he was to vndergo shewed by the Circumstāces of Time whē this commandemēt Was giuen Was to bee performed Place in Generall noted to be a hill in the countrie of Moriah Patricular lest indefinit Substance of the worke that he was to offer Isaac for a burnt sacrifice which was very hard in respect of his Affection to his son whom it had bin Hard onely to forgo but more hard by death and that a violent death Harder to Consent to his death Deliuer him to be killed Bee present at his slaughter
he was the sonne of the freewoman and therefore not onely his legitimate sonne but that sonne with whom and whose seede the Lord had promised to establish his euerlasting couenant Gen. 17. vers 19. Thirdly because he was much desired long expected and after many delaies which increase the desire Pro. 13 5.1◠and by many earnest prayers at the length obtained Fourthly because he was giuen him of God by miracle aboue the course of nature as a pledge of Gods loue to him Fiftly because he was a vertuous gracious and obedient son which appeared in the voluntarie submitting himselfe to God and his father euen vnto death as being therin a type of Christ. And lastly which I touched before because he was his onely childe For loue diuided among many is not so feruent And yet these three degrees to forgoe his sonne his only sonne whom he loued are nothing to the last For it was Isaac that he was to lose Isaac the ioy of his hart Isaac the pledge of Gods loue the reward of his faith the earnest of his saluation of whom it was said in Isaac shall thy seede be called in whose death the promise not onely of posteritie but also of the Messias who was to come of him might seeme to be repealed and brought to nothing And therfore with him the Church who was to come of him might seeme to dye and in his losse concurred in all apparance the losse of saluation both to himselfe and to all the heires of promise For no saluation but by Christ who according to the promise of God was to come of Isaac In the former degrees Abraham was to contend with nature and with naturall affection which I confesse is hard to doe but in this he was to contend with grace and to oppose himselfe to the word and promise of God Why to bid him offer Isaac was as much in apparance as to bid him rend in peeces Gods couenant to renounce all assurance of Gods loue to destroy the Church as it were in the shell and to cut off all hope of saluation by Christ. And thus haue wee considered the deerenes of the person whom Abraham was willingly to forgoe now we are to consider the hardnesse of the action which he was to performe which indeed appeareth to haue been very hard in respect both of his affection to his son and of his allegiance vnto God And in both respects the hardnesse may bee shewed both by the substance of the worke it selfe and the circumstances thereunto belonging The work as you haue heard was that he should offer vp his sonne vnto God for a burnt sacrifice The circumstance is twofold of time and place The time both when this commaundement was giuen and when it was to bee perfourmed It was giuen saith the holie Ghost in the first words of the chapter After these things which haue relation to the matters cōtained in the last chapter although not to the last words of the chapter That is after the Lord had commanded Abraham to put away Ismael and had giuen him many notable promises in Isaac concerning the multiplying of his seed which should inherit the land of promise and the blessing of all nations in the promised seede and for a pledge of his loue had giuen him many temporal blessings insomuch that Kings were desirous to enter into league with him So that now Abraham after Ismael was gone rested wholy vpon Isaac and as himselfe liued in great prosperitie and fauour of God so he took this to be his greatest felicitie that hee was to leaue Isaac behinde him the heire of his happines and the inheritour of the fauour and promises of God insomuch that now Isaac being growne to mans estate for now hee was as Iosephus saith 25. yeares old as others 33. as the Seder Olam 37 he began to bethinke him of prouiding a wife for him that the promise concerning his seede might be performed as may be gathered by the last euent mentioned in this chapter wherby the Lord to gratifie his desire gaue him hope of a wife out of his owne kinred after these things I say when Abraham was in the height of his prosperitie and in the toppe of his felicitie resting wholy vpon Isaac and liuing in certain expectation of the accomplishment of the promises made in him euen then the Lord propoundeth vnto him this commaundement which might crosse all these promises cut off his happines and ouerthrow all his expectation This circumstance doth greatly increase the triall which had been farre easier if this commaundement had been giuen before the eiecting of Ismael with whom alone Abraham could haue been contented as may be gathered out of Genesis 17.18 before hee had receiued such promises or conceiued such hope of the performance thereof in Isaac or had tasted so plentifully of Gods blessings which now he hoped to leaue to Isaac as the inheritour of his happines and of Gods fauour for the more a man hath to leaue to his child the more he is grieued if he lose his only child As touching the time when this commandement was to be performed he must take him presently without further respite for so hee saith Take now vers 2. but he must offer him three daies after vers 4. that is although this work was most hard in mans iudgment most vnreasonable and in shew most cruell and barbarous yet he must deny himselfe and his owne reason and without further consultation not onely resolue to doe it but also addresse himselfe to this worke But hauing once resolued and being entred into the action hee should not offer him vntill the third day He might haue bidden him presently to dispatch to ridde him of this care and griefe or if he would needes haue him goe into the countrey of Moriah because there was the place which after he would chuse for his worship and seruice 2. Chron. 3.1 where also our Sauiour offred himselfe vpon the crosse of which sacrifice this immolation of Isaac was a type yet he might haue concealed it from him as Abraham in his fatherly care concealed it from Isaac vntill he came to the place because hee would not macerate his sonne with a tedious expectation of death The which circumstance also doth adde great weight to the triall especially if you consider the manifold exceptions which his own knowledge set on work by his affection could obiect and the cunning obiectiōs which Satan would suggest and those diuerse occurrents which might happē in the meane space especially the continuall companie of Isaac whom he could not behold without great remorse his sweete conuersation and amiable speeches which might make him relent So that by this delay Abrahams faith and constancie was strongly assaulted and his heart being resolute was macerated with the expectation of this dreadfull sacrifice It is truly said Acerbissima est mora quae trahit paenam And many times the long expectation of death is worse then death it selfe
Hardest to kill him with his owne hands and that as a burnt sacrifice Allegeance to God viz. his Obedience with which how could it stād to do an act so Vnlawfull Vnnaturall Dishonorable to God Scandalous to man Faith for how could he beleeue in the promises concerning Isaacs seede and yet himselfe kill him and consume him to ashes before he had any seede Abraham approuing his Obedience which was 1. Absolute simple 2. Resolute serious 3. Speedy and ready 4. Not headie or for a brunt but discreet temperate constant and couragious Faith being assured that although Isaac were consumed to ashes yet the promise of God concerning Isaac should be fulfilled Application in respect of Gods prouing Abraham that he vseth to try men and that diuersly but his trials may be distinguished by the Obiects that is the things wherein we are tried and thus trials are of the Right hand by temporall benefites Offered Conferred Left hand by crosses Temporall Spirituall Subiects that is the men who are tried viz. Hypocrites Sound Christians Abrahams approuing himselfe that if we would be esteemed his children as all the faithfull are wee must imitate both his Obedience and to that end we must as he did Deny our selues Thinke nothing too deere for God Resolue beforehād to do what soeuer God shall commaund Faith in Beleeuing the promises of God Working by loue ABRAHAMS TRIALL 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 22.1 to the 13. 1 After these things it came to passe that God himselfe tempted Abraham and said vnto him Abraham who answered Here am I. 2 And he said Take now thy sonne thine only sonne whom thou louest euen Isaac and go thy waies vnto the land of Moriah and offer him vp there for a whole burnt offring vpon one of the mountaines which I will tell thee 3 Then Abraham rose vp earely in the same morning and sadled his asse and tooke two of his seruants with him and Isaac his sonne and cloue wood for the burnt offring and rose vp and went to the place which God had told him 4 The third day Abraham lift vp his eyes and saw the place a farre off 5 And Abraham said to his seruants Stay here with the asse for I and this youth will goe yonder and worship and come again vnto you 6 Then Abraham tooke the wood for the burnt offring and laid it vpon Isaac his sonne and he tooke the sire in his hand and the knife and they both went together 7 And Isaac spake to his father said My father And he answered Here am I my sonne And he said Behold the fire and the wood but where is the lambe for the burnt offring 8 Then Abraham answered God will prouide him a lambe for a burnt offring my sonne and so they two went together 9 And whē they came to the place which God had told him Abraham builded an altar there and couched the wood and bound Isaac his sonne and laid him on the altar vpon the wood 10 And Abraham stretching forth his hand tooke the knife to kill his sonne 11 But the Angell of the Lord called vnto him from heauen saying Abraham Abraham And he answered Here am I. 12 Then he said Lay not thine hand vpon the young man neither doe any thing to him for now I know thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine only sonne IN this chapter the Holie ghost hath recorded the memorable historie of Abrahams temptation by God himself concerning the immolation of Isaac pretended by God and intended by Abraham vnto the 11. verse and the euents thereupon ensuing in the rest of the chapter The storie of the temptation consisteth on two parts the proposition in the first words containing both the argument of the storie and the scope and purpose of God in this busines viz. that God tempted Abraham and the narration in the rest of the words vnto the 11. verse Wherein is declared both the action of God tempting and the behauiour of Abraham when he was tempted In the proposition the Holie ghost giueth vs and all that shall reade or heare this storie an item or watch-word that howsoeuer Abraham was to vnderstand the commaundement following concerning the killing and sacrificing of his owne sonne as a serious precept the omission whereof had been sinne vnto him and an honouring of his sonne more then God yet notwithstanding the Lord bad him offer his sonne not because he would haue Isaac sacrificed but Abrahams faith and obedience tried Which also appeareth by the euent vers 11.12 where the Lord who is not chaunged by a contrarie commandement signifieth that hee did inquire as Ambrose saith his affection and not require the fact and as another he did approoue in the intent and desire which he disprooued in the performance Now this warning that God did but tempt Abraham was necessarily to be giuen lest men vnderstanding the commandement following as a serious precept which God would haue fulfilled might imagine that God is pleased with sacrificing of men or might iustly ground their diuellish practise of sacrificing their children vpon this commandement of God This admonition therefore teacheth vs to vnderstand the commaundement following as the question which our Sauiour propounded to Philip concerning the feeding of fiue thousand men Ioh. 6.5 6. Whence shall we buy bread that all these may eate this he said tempting him for himselfe knew what he was purposed to doe So in this place God saith to Abraham Goe offer thy sonne to me for a burnt sacrifice This he said tempting him for himself knew what he was purposed to doe viz. to trie and by trial to manifest Abrahams faith and obedience and to propound the same to all ages following as a most worthie patterne to be followed But whereas it is said that God tempted Abraham for so the words are haelohim nissah and the Apostle speaking of this matter Hebr. 11.17 By faith saith he Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he was tempted offered Isaac diuers questions may not vnprofitablie be moued and first whether God tempteth any man or not For Iames saith chap. 1.13 that God tempteth no man and therefore that no man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he is tempted may say that he is tempted of God And yet Moses here saith that he tempted and as the seuentie Interpreters read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and accordingly the Apostle Hebr. 11.17 meaneth that Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whē he was tempted was tempted of God I answere by distinction that temptations are either prouocations to euill or probations and trials Of temptations as they are prouocations to euill God is not the author neither doth he tempt any vnto sinne as Iames saith but the diuell as the principall who is therfore called the tempter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world and the flesh as his seruitours For from the flesh that is our owne corruption arise euill and noysome concupiscences which fight against
our soule whereby we are tempted and stirred vp to euill The world is said to tempt in respect of men in the world or worldly things Men tempt either by words counselling alluring incensing and prouoking to sin or by deed and example Worldly things whereby men are tempted are either the desires of the world drawing to euill or the terrors of the world withdrawing from good The diuell tempteth either immediatly by casting bad motions as it were firie darts into mens hearts which are called his suggestions or mediately by meanes vsing either as his instruments sometimes the flesh that is our own corruption which is as it were the diuels bawd prostituting the soule to his temptations or the mediation of other men sometimes friends sometimes foes who are as it were the diuels brokers or else as obiects and occasions either the desires of the world which he vseth in respect of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is getting as baites of sinne and in regard of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the vsing as the snares of sinne or the terrors of the world which are as it were the diuels bugbeares to scarre vs from weldoing As touching these temptations therefore which are prouocations to euill wee conclude with Iames 1.13 Let no man when he is tempted say I am tempted of God for God as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that cannot be tempted to euill so he tempteth no man namely to euill But you will say God tempteth Abraham to kill his own sonne which is a sinne and elsewhere he is said to harden mens hearts to leade them into temptation c. Ans. Whether this particular whereunto Abraham was tempted were a sin or not I will anon discusse in the person of Abraham In the meane time this generall assertion is to bee retained that God tempteth that is prouoketh no man vnto sinne Ob. Why then doe we pray that he would not leade vs or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth that he would not carrie or bring vs into temptation Answ. It is one thing to tempt and another to leade into temptation as it is one thing to execute punishment on a malefactor and another to deliuer him ouer to the executioner the one is the act of the hangman the other is the act of the Iudge So the diuell tempteth and God leadeth into temptation For the better vnderstanding whereof wee are to know that there be three degrees of the Lords dealing in this case For first the Lord sometimes bringeth his seruants to be tempted as it were his champions into the lists of the combat to be encountred and tried that his graces in them may appeare but not to be foyled and much lesse ouercome or vtterly vanquished Thus our Sauiour Christ was carried of the spirit into the wildernes to be tempted of the diuell Matth. 4.1 Thus Iob was permitted yea and committed into the hands of Satan to be tempted Secondly the Lord sometimes deliuereth men to be tempted and leaueth them for the instant to take a foyle either for a chastisement or a triall that they might be humbled at the sight of their owne weakenes and bee made more circumspect for the time to come Thus the Lord left Ezechias when the Embassadours of Babylon came vnto him that he might tempt that is prooue him and know that is make knowne all that was in his heart 2. Chro. 32.31 The like may be said of Dauid and Peter when they fell Thirdly the Lord sometimes deliuereth men ouer to the diuell as his executioner or to their owne lusts not only to be tempted but to be ouercome and to be carried headlong into sinne as a iust punishment of their former sinnes For howsoeuer men thus giuen ouer do as it were take a felicitie in sinning yet of all punishments that can befall a man in this life this is the most dreadfull iudgement In this sense therfore God is said to lead men into temptation as also to harden mens hearts not that he tempteth that is prouoketh any to sinne or infuseth sin into them nor that hee hardeneth that is of soft maketh hard but that they being hard and in the slauerie of sinne and Satan alreadie he giueth them ouer for a iust punishment of their former sins further to bee hardned and enthralled which hardnes and thraldome they further gather to themselues willingly hardening their owne hearts and committing sin with greedines It cannot therefore be prooued that God tempteth any and yet it cannot be denied but that in all temptations he hath a stroke For this is a certaine truth that nothing can happen inscio aut inuito Deo without Gods knowledge or against his will For his knowledge is omniscient and nothing can escape it his will is omnipotent and nothing can resist it The diuel therefore cannot tempt a man vnlesse God would haue him tempted nor foile him vnlesse God would haue him foiled nor vanquish him vnlesse God would haue him vanquished And although the diuell in tempting and the man which yeeldeth to the temptation doe both sinne yet by their sinnes the Lord bringeth to passe his owne good worke As for example the chastisement triall or amendement of his seruant or the iust punishment of the wicked And howsoeuer the diuell and wicked men in respect of their will and indeuour rebelliously oppose themselues against the will of God yet the euent is no other then God hath appointed God in his infinite wisedome and almightie prouidence so ouer-ruling the actions of all his creatures that when they thinke nothing lesse then to doe the will of God they become his instruments vnwittingly for the effecting of his designes as August saith ad Laurent cap. 100. Hoc quippe ipso quod contra Dei voluntatem fecerunt de ipsis facta est voluntas Dei But we must distinguish betwixt the euill worke of the bad instrument and the good worke of God which by the euill instrument he bringeth well to passe which is neuer the worse for the bad instrument as it is neuer the better for the good As for example when a malefactour whom the Magistrate perhaps suffereth to goe vnpunished falleth into the hands of theeues and is murthered the iudgement of God vpon him is no lesse iust then if he had been put to death by the Magistrate Albeit the instruments by whom this iudgement is executed are wicked murtherers Thus through the enuious sending of Ioseph by his brethren who therein set themselues against the will of God reuealed in Iosephs dreames the Lord in mercie sendeth him to be a father vnto Pharao and a fosterer of his Church Genesis 45.7 and 50.20 By the filthie incest shamefully committed by Absolom the Lord iustly punisheth the adulterie of Dauid 2. Sam. 12.11.12 By the treacherous vniust enuious giuing ouer of our Sauiour to death by Iudas Pilate and the Priests the Lord in vnspeakeable mercie gaue his sonne to death for
vs Act. 2.23 and 4.28 So by the wicked and malitions temptations of Satan who therein seeketh the ruine and perdition of the faithfull the Lord furthereth their saluation sometimes chastising them for their amendement sometimes trying their faith and obedience sometimes exercising them to humilitie and mortification of sinne alwaies so onerruling the malice of the diuell that euen in his temptations wherein he intendeth nothing but their harme and destruction he becommeth maugre his spite the instrument of God to further their saluation Thus then it appeareth that God tempteth no man vnto euill and that howsoeuer the Lord hath a hand in all temptations which be vnto euill yet he worketh no euill but vseth ordereth and disposeth them vnto good and so ouerruleth all his creatures that when they intend and doe euill to their owne damnation they are the instruments of God to aduance his glorie and further the saluation of the elect The which doctrine as it ministreth singular comfort to the faithfull vnto whose good al things euen the temptations of Satan doe worke together Rom. 8.28 So it serueth to discouer the diuellish malice of the Papists namely of the shamelesse author of the twelue Articles who is not ashamed to publish in print that wee not onely make God the author of sinne which is blasphemous but the only cause of sinne and that which the diuell would haue bin ashamed to vtter in his owne person that wee make God worse thē the diuell Articl 10. But I conclude this point with Fulgentius ad Monimum lib. 1. pag. 57. Deus itaque licet author non sit malarum cogitationum ordinator est tamen malarum voluntatum de malo opere cuiuslibet mali non desinit ipse bonum operari That is God therefore although hee be not the author of euill thoughts yet he is an orderer or disposer of bad willes and by the bad worke of euery wicked one he ceaseth not to effect that which is good Hitherto wee haue spoken of the former kinde of temptations which are prouocations to euill in which sense God tempteth no man The other kind are probations or trials in which sense God in diuers places of the Scripture is said to tempt that is to trie or to proue men and that diuersly as we shall heare anon But it wil be said that tentare to tempt or trie a man is to take an experiment of him that is tried presupposing in him that tēpteth either ignorance or doubting at the least the former whereof is a priuation or absence the latter a defect and want of knowledge but neither is incident to the alknowing God who with one eternall view or act of vnderstanding doth at once perfectly and distinctly know al things that haue been are or shall be It may therefore be demanded in the next place in what sense God is said who knoweth all men better then themselues to tempt or proue them I answere that tempting or prouing doth not alwaies presuppose ignorance or doubting in him that tempteth For there are two sorts of tempting or prouing the one when a man tempteth to take an experiment of that which hee knew not or doubted of as when a master trieth the fidelitie of his seruant or one friend the good will of another whereof he is not sufficiently perswaded The other when one tempteth to cause the partie tempted to giue an experiment of that which hee alreadie knoweth as when a Schoolemaster calleth forth one of his best schollers and apposeth him in such questions as hee can answere The end of both indeed is experimentall knowledge but of the former the knowledge of him that tempteth that hee may by experience know somewhat whereof before he was ignorant or doubtfull of the latter the knowledge not of him that tempteth but of him that is tempted and also of others In the former sense tempting cannot properly be attributed to God yet vnproperly and after the manner of men it may For euen as God is said to be angrie or sorie or to repent Non quantum ad affectum sed quantum ad effectum Not in regard of the affection which is not incident vnto God but of the effect whē he doth that which a man would doe when he is angrie or sorie or repenteth So God may be said to tempt metaphorically when as after the similitude of a man he saith or doth any thing whereby the minde and disposition of him that is tempted may appeare either to himselfe or to others And as this is spoken here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by a metaphore takē from men so afterwards vers 12. when hee saith now I know that is now I haue experience or experimentall knowledge for thereunto tempting directly tendeth But in the latter sense tempting may properly be ascribed to God who is then said to tempt when he bringeth men into triall and causeth them to giue an experiment of that which is in them that their minde and disposition may be manifested not to God before whose eyes all things be they neuer so secret are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is naked and as it were cut through the backe bone but to themselues and to others In this sense God is said to haue tempted Abraham when he caused him to giue an experiment to the world of his excellent faith and obedience and answerably hee is said vers 12. now to know that Abraham feared God when Abraham had giuen a good experiment of it as Procopius fitly expoundeth those words Nunc noui i. nunc specimen eius rei dedisti eximium And thus tempting which in the former sense is attributed to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men is according to the latter sense vnderstood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it beseemeth God as Athanasius speaketh Now if it be further obiected that if God would take triall of Abrahams faith and obedience hee should haue tried him rather whiles he was yonger and before he had giuen so many testimonies of his faith and obedience for it may seeme strange that he would trie a tried seruant I answere according to that which hath been said that God taketh triall of his seruants to another end then men doe Men take triall of their seruants because they would haue experience olf their fidelitie which is not sufficiently knowne vnto them But God to whom the secrets of all hearts are knowne needeth not make triall of men to this end that hee might learne something which before hee knew not But hee is said to trie men when hee causeth them to giue experiments of that which he perfectly knoweth and that either to themselues or to others To themselues for as Augustine well saith Nescit se homo nisi in tentatione discat se A man knowes not himselfe throughly vnlesse by tentation he hath experience of himselfe For men many times ouerweene their owne gifts and therefore God bringeth them into trial that they
regard of whom she was called Sarah a Princesse and promised to be the Queenemother of the Princes and people of God and the great grandmother of the Messias whō God had giuen her by miracle especially being committed by Abraham himselfe and without her priuitie and consent I leaue it to your wisedomes to iudge For if Zipporah when she was appointed by Moses onely to circumcise her sonne did cast the foreskinne at his feete and said Thou art indeed a bloodie husband vnto me and thereupon as Tremellius and Iunius note vpon Exod. 4.25 and 18.2 in a rage refused to go any further with him in what a case doe you thinke would Sara haue been when she should haue vnderstood that Abraham with his owne hands had killed her onely sonne and in that manner which before I haue described And shall Abraham now shew his obedience in doing that which in it selfe was vniust vnnaturall dishonourable to God and scandalous to men And as touching his faith if Abraham would approoue himselfe to be faithfull and to beleeue the promises of God then will hee not commit that whereby in all apparance the promises are ouerthrowne The promises were principally two the first concerning the multiplication of the Church in Isaacs posteritie which was to inherit the land of Canaan the second concerning the saluation of the faithfull in all nations by the promised seede which is Christ who according to the promise was to come of Isaac And shall Abraham now approue his faith by killing Isaac and consuming him to ashes Nay rather this might seeme a voluntarie extinguishing of y e Church and a wilfull renouncing of saluation by Christ. Didst thou beleeue Abraham in the promised seede and was this thy faith imputed vnto thee for righteousnes and can it now stand with thy faith to kill Isaac in whom alone thou hast these promises In Isaac shall thy seede be called chap. 21.12 With Isaac and his seed saith the Lord chap. 17. will I establish mine euerlasting couenant c. Doest thou beleeue to bee saued by Christ who was to come of Isaacs seed and wilt thou with thine owne hands kill him of whom he is to come And this was the triall whereby God proued Abrahams faith and obedience Now let vs consider how Abraham approued himselfe in this triall For howsoeuer this triall was exceeding great yet was not he tried aboue the strength which God had giuen him And first consider how he approueth his obedience For Abraham behaueth not himselfe as any one of vs would perhaps haue done in the like case alleaging for himselfe and his sonne Alas he is my sonne mine onely sonne whom I deerely loue euen Isaac the ioy of my heart without whom I can neither looke for the multiplication of a blessed seede nor saluation by the Messias who is to come of him if therefore I should but forgoe him it were death to me if I should consent and be present at his slaughter it were worse than death if I my selfe should shed his innocent blood and bereaue him of his pretious life if I should butcherlike slaughter him and cruelly burne his beloued body to ashes it were a hell vnto me in respect of that affection which I doe and as I am a father ought to beare him Besides this standeth not with mine obedience to God to commit such an act which is so vniust vnnaturall dishonourable to God and scandalous to man nor yet with my faith in his promises to kill him in whom they are made and therefore I will rather die then I will thus depriue my selfe of my sonne the world of the Church which is to be his seede or the faithfull of their Sauiour which is to come of him But Abraham although in his fatherly affection he were as tender hearted as the best of vs and in his wisdome did see and consider all these impediments yet notwithstanding he was content to deny his affection yea and his reason and to performe simple and absolute obedience to God For he might thinke God hath reuealed his will vnto me in this commaundement so as I cannot possibly doubt but that it is the oracle of God to this will of God therefore must I submit my selfe What though Isaac be deere to me yet I must not loue him more then God yea for Gods sake I must be willing to forgoe him God hath promised his sonne to me and shall I denie my sonne to him And what though it shall seeme an vniust thing to kill my guiltlesse sonne yet I am sure it is more vniust not to obey God And although I am to be vnwilling to sacrifice my sonne if it pleased God otherwise yet must I be more vnwilling to disobey God And what though it seeme vnlawfull and contrary to the law of God yet I know it is not Indeede to kill a man vpon a priuate motion without sufficient warrant and authoritie is fearefull murder but I haue sufficient authoritie yea an expresse commaundement from God and therfore so farre shal I be from sinning if I sacrifice Isaac as that I shall fearefully sinne if I doe it not But you will say hath not God forbidden the shedding of innocent blood Yea but the Lord who is the supreme lawgiuer hath this prerogatiue royall to dispense with his own lawes and may if it please him commaund things aboue the common course of iustice his will which is the rule of iustice hauing this priuiledge that whatsoeuer hee willeth is therefore iust it being a meere impossibilitie that hee who is goodnes and iustice it selfe should either will or doe any thing which is not iust and consequently all his commaundements are to be vnderstood with this exception or restraint Nisi Deus aliter voluerit Vnlesse God appoint otherwise As for example the law forbidding manslaughter is thus to be vnderstood vnlesse God appoint or authorize a mā to kill as the lawfull Magistrate and the warriour in lawfull battaile This particular commaundement therefore giuen vnto me of God is my sufficient warrant to sacrifice my sonne the generall commaundement to the contrarie notwithstanding And therefore to conclude Attendis quis feriat quem feriat attende quis iubeat Doe you marke who striketh and whom he striketh marke also who commaundeth and acknowledge with me that the bare shew and apparance of sinne should not driue me into a manifest and apparant sinne Besides God almightie is a soueraigne Lord ouer all his creatures hauing absolute authoritie of life and death who may kill or preserue or any waies dispose of his owne as pleaseth him Matth. 20.15 and therefore if hee will he may iustly take away the life of any man by what meanes he pleaseth although there were no cause of death in him But there is also cause of death in my sonne and in all men since the fall seeme they neuer so innocent For as in Adam all haue sinned and haue made our selues subiect to death so
the Lord may iustly when it pleaseth him take vs out of this life and by what meanes it pleaseth him It is appointed vnto all men once to dye and this debt we owe to God in respect of our sinne which debt also he may claime when it pleaseth him Neither may hee bee thought to deale hardly with my sonne or any of his children whose daies hee shortneth seeing hee recompenceth their mortall life with immortalitie And what though he be my sonne yet seeing I haue the commaundement of God to offer him this ought to be an inducement to me rather then otherwise For if he were a straunger or my seruant I might well suspect my selfe lest by any sinister affection I were moued to enterprise this work But seeing it is my sonne whom I loue aboue all things but God nothing but the pure loue of God could perswade me to offer him And lastly what though many inconueniences are like to follow what though I shall seeme to cut off the promises as it were at the roote yet my dutie is not to be a quariste to dispute of Gods commaundement but simplie to obey his will and to commit the euent to God And as his obedience was absolute and simple so also resolute and serious as appeareth by these particulars first in that he acquainted not Sara or any other with his purpose by whose perswasions and intreaties hee might perhaps haue beene hindred Secondly that when he saw the place a farre off he would not suffer his two seruants to goe with him vers 5. lest perhaps they would haue hindred him condemning him of dotage of which excuse an vnresolute man would haue beene glad Thirdly in that he bindeth Isaac for although Isaac when he vnderstood the will of God willingly submitted himselfe when as for his strength he might easily haue resisted for he was of yeeres 25 at the least when his father was 125 of strength sufficient to carrie and that vp the hill wood enough to consume himselfe to ashes yet lest any thing might haue happened at the very instant through the naturall feare of present death which is common to all and naturall commotion of the parts and members of the bodie strugling against the sense of paine he thought good to preuent the worst And so resolute was Abrahams purpose to sacrifice his son as that the Lord esteemed it as done For so he saith vers 16. Because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely sonne And the Apostle Heb. 11.17 plainly affirmeth that Abraham when he was tempted offered his sonne To which purpose some expound those words vers 19. that hee receiued him from the dead by a similitude for so resolute was Abrahams purpose to offer him as that in his opinion who not once suspected a triall Isaac was but a dead man When as therefore he was spared by the commandement of God he esteemed it as if he had receiued him from the dead 3. It was readie and speedie For although there were many difficulties as you haue heard and many impediments to hinder him yet was not hee long in resoluing and in ouercomming them Who would not haue bin daunted and amazed at such a charge who would not haue been at his wits end who would not at the least haue sought delaies or desired respite But Abraham early in the same morning ariseth vers 3. and presently addresseth himselfe to this worke 4. And although it were speedie yet was it not headie and for a brunt but discreete couragious and constant His discreete cariage of this action appeareth in all the particular actions and speeches mentioned in this narration which Moses hath to this purpose particularized as y t he prouided wood and other necessaries that he loaded an asse with wood and food that he tooke two of his seruants to attend him and so of the rest all which he did to so good end and purpose as that it might appeare that this his behauiour was not a fantasticall fitte or melancholy mood but a discreete and temperate action vndertaken with due aduice and mature deliberation managed by rare wisedome and singular discretion And therefore the Lord delaied the execution of this work vnto the third day that he might not onely proue but also approue the obedience of Abraham in this behalfe as being not performed on a sudden motion or vnaduisedly but with aduised deliberation His courage and constancie appeareth in this that hauing once resolued and being entred into this action nothing could hinder him from effecting the same but the voyce of God from heauen not the affection to his sonne not his sweet cōpanie not his amiable speech vers 7. which might haue moued a heart of flint when as Isaac hostia de hostia patrem interrogat Isaac being the sacrifice questioneth with his father concerning the sacrifice and receiueth this answere God will prouide my sonne not the consideration of the contrarie commandements of God or repugnancie of the promises but stedfastly persisteth in his course And hauing alreadie trauailed two daies enduring al occurrents in the meane time which beating vpon him as waues vpon a firme rocke were dashed and repelled and now seeing the place the sight whereof might haue daunted him and hauing commanded his seruāts to stay with the asse vsing a cunning speech vnto them that they for want of a beast to be sacrificed shuld suspect nothing without shew of passion and perturbation with cheerefull countenance constant mind he perfourmeth all those actions which were the forerunners of the sacrifice euery one representing vnto him the death and slaughter of his sonne which was to be committed by himselfe He laieth the wood vpon his sonne as the crosse was laid on Christ with purpose tender heart to burne him vpon it himselfe takes the fire and the knife in his hand a knife fire the sight whereof if you respect his intent might haue cut his heart and burnt his entrailes and so they two went together which y e holy Ghost hath twice noted ver 6.8 partly to moue compassion in the hearer when he should cōsider this couple who they were with what minde and to what end they went together the innocent and obedient sonne suspecting nothing carying wood to burne himselfe and a kinde and louing father carying a knife to kill his sonne and fire to burne him that was deerer vnto him then his owne life Such a passage saith Luther is not to be found againe in all the Scriptures and partly to note the inuincible constancie of Abraham who hauing left his two seruants behind and being not onely occasioned by his sons speech which could not but goe neere him but also importuned as it were by the opportunitie of the solitarie place to vtter his griefe which otherwise a man would thinke should haue burst his heart notwithstanding he neither sends Isaac before nor bids him come after either that hee might haue lesse cause