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
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
of griefe if hee were not present and in his sight or more opportunitie to grieue if hee were a little absent and out of his hearing but without shew of passion accompanieth him to the very place where he buildeth an Altar coucheth the wood vseth no doubt some effectuall speech to perswade his sonne when it cannot be sufficiently marueiled how he could perswade himselfe hauing perswaded him he bindeth him after the manner of sacrifices Ne impatientia doloris victima calcitraret Lesse through impatience of griefe his sacrifice should kicke or sting as Augustine saith hauing bound him hand foote hee laieth him on the Altar vpon the wood stretcheth out his hand taketh his knife with purpose presently I tremble to speake it presently I say to cut his throate to dismember his body and after to set fire to the wood that as a whole burnt offring he might be consumed leauing nothing to himselfe in apparance of all his hopes and expectations but a few ashes But blessed be God in the very nicke as he was giuing the fatall wound as appeareth by the sudden crie of the Angell Abraham Abraham hee is staied from his purpose and commended for his obediēce euen as if he had sacrificed his sonne the Lord to whom obedience is more acceptable then sacrifice 1. Sam. 15.22 accepting of the sincere will and earnest endeuour of his seruant for the deede it selfe But although Abrahams obedience was singular yet his faith which was the ground of his obedience and his victorie in the temptation was more wonderfull and therefore the Apostle saith Heb. 11.17 By faith he offred Isaac For Abraham had receiued a double oracle from God the one a promise concerning Isaacs seede the other a commaundement concerning the burning of him to ashes before he had any seed These 2. oracles in mans reason are cōtrarie one to another and nothing but faith can reconcile them How then was Abraham to behaue himselfe in this repugnancie of Gods oracles He knew certainly that the commandement was the word of the Lord and therefore resolued whatsoeuer should come of it to obey it and to commit the euent to God and of the promise he could not doubt but that it also was the very oracle of God and therefore resolued to beleeue it assuring himselfe that although Isaac before hee had any seede were consumed to ashes yet notwithstanding God would performe his promises concerning Isaacs seede But how can this be If Isaacs seede must inherit the land of Canaan and Christ himself must come of his seed then must he liue vntill he haue seede and not be consumed to ashes before he haue any if he die and be burnt to ashes before hee haue seede according to the commandement how shall his seede be multiplied or Christ come of it according to the promise Yet such was Abrahams faith that he assuredly beleeued that although Isaac were consumed to ashes before he had any seed yet the promise concerning his seede should be performed and in this assurance of faith in the promise hee readily resolutely and constantly obeyed the commandemēt But how could he obey the one and yet beleeue the other seeing the one is contrary to the other I answere Abraham assuredly beleeued that God as he is true and faithfull and therefore willing to keepe his promise so in respect of his omnipotent power and alsufficiencie he is able to make good his word being indeed able to doe any thing but to denie himselfe or to goe backe from his word And therefore doubted not but that as hee had receiued his soone from the dead and barren wombe of Sara as similitude of death for thus those words Heb. 11.19 may also be expounded so also the Lord would in respect of his truth and faithfulnesse and could in respect of his power euen out of those ashes restore him vnto life that his seed might be multiplied and all nations of the earth might account themselues happie in his blessed seed And this is testified by the Apostle Heb. 11.17.18.19 By faith saith he Abraham offered vp Isaac when he was tempted and he that had receiued the promises which were to be fulfilled in his sonne and his posteritie offered his only begotten sonne To whō it was said In Isaac shall thy seed be called For he considered or rather concluded that God was able to raise him vp euen frō the dead from whence he receiued him also after a sort For as Procopius saith he pondered in his mind that saying of the Apostle that God who had made Sarah of barren fruitfull could also raise vp Isaac from the dead And therfore as Augustine saith he beleeued whē Isaac was to be borne and mourneth not for him when he was to die his hand is lifted vp to sacrifice him that he might be dead whose heart was lifted vp to beleeue that he might be borne Abraham doubted not to beleeue when Isaac was promised he doubted not to offer him when he was required againe neither was his religion in beleeuing contrarie to his deuotion in obeying And again Credidit suscepturus filium credidit occisuru◠He beleeued when he was to beget his sonne he beleeued when he was to kill him vbique fidelis nusquam crudelis euery where faithfull no where cruell And therefore as another saith In spe non denegabat Deo quod contra spem acceperat ab eo In hope hee denied not to God which against hope he had receiued from him And thus by vndoubted faith in the truth and power of God Abraham reconciled the repugnancie betwixt the commandement and the promise and so approued his singular obedience to the one and his admirable faith in the other in respect of both is propounded to vs and to all posteritie as a most notable patterne to bee imitated For beloued wee are to know that these things they were written for our profit and therefore we must not be idle hearers of this story concerning Gods prouing Abrahams approuing his faith and obedience but we are to apply the same to our vse and edification And first from Gods prouing of Abraham wee are to learne that it is his maner to trie the sonnes of men and by triall to make knowne what is in them that men might labour aforehand to be sound and to lay a good foundation against the day of triall For if men bee indued with grace the Lord will not haue it smothered but by triall to bee manifested to his glorie their comfort and good example of others If men be vnsound and leade their life as it were vpon a stage he will by triall vnmaske them that their hypocrisie may be detected detested And although none may looke in these dayes to be tempted as Abraham was by a particular commandement from God because howsoeuer the Lord in former times spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at sundrie times and many wayes to the Fathers yet in these latter times he hath
spoken last vnto vs by his sonne Heb. 1.1 and we are not to looke for extraordinarie reuelations and apparitions but to hearken to the Sonne of God speaking vnto vs in the Word notwithstanding we must looke to bee tried by some other means Gods trials are either of the right hand as some distinguish them or of the left Of the right hand are his temporall blessings either offerd vnto vs or conferd vpon vs. In respect of temporall blessings offered hee trieth vs whether we wil make conscience in the gathering and getting of them as hee tried the Israelites in the gathering of Manna Exod. 16.4 For if when anie worldly commoditie is offered to our desire we make no conscience how we compasse it whether by lying and falshood or any other sinfull meanes wee shew our selues to hee carnall and profane seeing for euerie trifle of the world we are readie to sell our soules to the diuell when as indeed the gaine of the whole world if thou couldst get it will not counteruaile the losse of thy soule And therefore if we were good Christians indeed and citizens of heauen we would be resolued not to sinne and by sin to hazard the losse of our soules though we may gaine the whole world Mar. 8.3.6 And as God trieth so Satan tempeth vs by worldly commodities offered vsing them as his baits to allure vs to sinne and therefore we are to bee assured that when we got them by vnlawfull meanes we do with them swallow the hooke of the diuell As touching the blessings bestowed the Lord trieth vs in respect of the vse whether we will make cōscience of imploying thē according to his appointment remembring that we are but his stewards euen of these outward gifts who must giue him an account how we haue disposed the goods committed to our trust as namely whether wee are readie to expose communicate them to the publike vses of the Church and commonwealth and to the priuate necessities of our brethren as our abilitie shall affoord their necessity require For that I may speake a little of this point the place wherein I speake requiring it at my hands and the time wherin we liue giuing me but too iust occasion the charitie of many waxing cold when wee hauing wealth are made acquainted with others wants the Lord trieth our loue and he trieth our fidelitie Our loue first to God namely whether wee loue him or the world more And we are to know that God vseth to trie vs in those things which we loue as in this example of Abraham for he loueth not God aright who thinketh any thing too deare for him Whosoeuer therfore hauing this worlds good seeth his brother haue need and shutteth vp his compassion from him whom he ought to relieue for Gods sake how dwelleth the loue of God in him saith Iohn 1. Epist. 3.17 Such a one would be far from offering Isaac vnto God that denieth him a smal part of his goods Secondly he trieth thy loue to thy brother which appeareth to be nothing worth whē thou canst find in thy heart to denie him being thy brother in Christ yea thy fellow member of Christ some worldly pelfe which thou mightest spare to whom Christ Iesus hath not denied his owne heart bloud 3. Yeah herein is tried thy loue to Christ thy sauiour who esteemeth that giuen or denied to him which is giuen or denied to his poore mēbers Couldst thou find in thine heart to denie reliefe to Iesus Christ if he were in neede Take heed then how thou deniest it to thy needy brother who is a mēber of christ Remember the excuse which the wicked will make at the day of iudgement and Christs answer to the same Matth. 25.44 45. for when Christ shal say vnto them Depart from me you cursed into euerlasting fire for I was an hungred and you gaue me no meat I was thirsty and you gaue me no drinke c they shall take exception and say Lord when saw we thee an hungred or thirstie c. and did not minister vnto thee But hee shall answer Verily I say vnto you in as much as you did it not to one of the least of these yee did it not to me Againe he trieth thy fidelitie For if God haue appointed thee to bee his Almoner as euery rich man is Gods Almoner then art thou no better then as theefe for so wouldest thou thinke of thine Almoner if thou keepest backe from the poore that which God hath commanded thee to giue them The trials of the left hand are crosses both temporall and spirituall The temporall are afflictions and afflictions are whatsoeuer crosse our desires And because afflictions trie mens faith obedience loue patience therefore they are called temptations or trials Iam. 1. ver 2.3 1. Pet. 1.7 Wherefore when we are exercised vnder the crosse let vs thinke that the Lord as he doth fatherly chastise vs for our sinnes so he prooueth our faith and patience what wee are able to beare for his sake and willing to suffer at his hands that hath suffered so much for vs whether wee are willing to forgoe our worldly desires for his sake c. that so we may be carefull to approue our selues to God that proueth vs. For as Iames saith Blessed is the man that endureth temptation or trial for when by triall he shall be found approoued he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Among others which are afflicted let parents which forgoe their children or other friends learne by this trial of Abraham how to behaue themselues For as Abraham by the commaundement vnderstood the will of God so may they by the euent And as he submitted himselfe to the will of God declared in the commaundement so must they to his will reuealed in the euent For if we cannot be content to giue the Lord leaue to take them to his mercie when it pleaseth him to call them what would we doe if the Lord should bid vs with our owne hands to kill them and to burne their bodies to ashes especially if they were to vs as Isaac was to Abraham Yea but Abraham by reason of the promise knew his sonne should if he were killed be restored to life and hast not thou a better promise of thy sonnes resurrection Isaac if he had bin killed he should haue risen to haue died againe as Lazarus did thy sonne shal rise to die no more He should haue risen with a mortall bodie thy sonne shall rise with an immortall And what though he shall not rise again so soone yet in the meane time his soule is with God and therefore in better case then if he were still with thee and his bodie no otherwise then as seede-graine is committed vnto the earth against the great haruest And what husbandman weepeth when he committeth his seed to the ground the common mother of vs all Yea but his bodie shall be resolued into
our selues to be the childrē of Abraham in imitating his obedience and his faith to which end the Lord hath by Moses propounded this worthie example and by me expounded the same vnto you And first our obedience must be conformable vnto his I say not that it must be equall For although we must striue towards this perfection and neuer content our selues with our growth vntill we come to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is our full growth which wee shall neuer doe whiles we liue here because in this life wee are alwaies in our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and growing age yet few may hope to attaine to Abrahams pitch But though wee cannot be equall to match him yet we must be like to imitate him in obedience if wee would be esteemed his children as the faithfull are For as our Sauiour saith Ioh. 8.35 If you were the sonnes of Abraham you would doe the workes of Abraham But thou wilt say If God did speake to me and commaund me any thing as he did to Abraham I would doe as Abraham did I answere thou art to applie euery generall commaundement in the word as spoken vnto thee and thou art to make conscience of obeying the same as if God from heauen did now speake vnto thee For so the Lord hath propounded his commandemēts as that thou canst not doubt but that he hath spoken to thee therein For doth hee not speake to thee when hee saith Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale c. Nay further I professe vnto thee that as thou hast greater assurance that God speaketh vnto thee in his word then if an Angell should speake vnto thee from heauen for the written word the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure word 2. Pet. 1.19 and if we should trust to extraordinarie reuelations and apparitions of Angels we should bee subiect to the illusions of Satan who can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light so if thou wilt not hearken to the written word of God to Moses the Prophets and the Apostles neither wilt thou beleeue or obey though an Angel should come from heauen or a man should come from the dead Luk. 16. Well then when thou hast a commandement from God do as Abraham heere doth As for example God commandeth thee to turne vnto him to repent thee of thy sinnes to beleeue in Christ to walke vprightly before him to sacrifice not thy sonne but thy selfe and to offer vp thy soule and thy bodie as a holy liuely and acceptable sacrifice vnto him which is thy reasonable that is spirituall seruice of him Be carefull to approoue thy obedience as Abraham did What though inconueniences will follow what though the world shall condemne thee and the wicked flout thee the diuel thine owne flesh set themselues against thee denie thy selfe as Abraham did and thine own reason dispute not of Gods commandement but obey it and commit the euent to God And let thine obedience bee not onely absolute resolute but also speedie without delay constant without fainting Worthie is that saying of Luther to bee written in the tables of our hearts Qui habet certum verbum Dei in quacunque vocatione credat tantum audeat dabit Deus haud dubiè secundos exitus Whosoeuer hath the certaine word of God in any calling let him beleeue onely and be bold God no doubt will giue prosperous successe Now if we wold approue our obedience when God proueth vs as Abraham did wee must be qualified in two respects as he was For first seeing the Lord vseth to proue vs in such things as we loue therfore we are with Abraham to thinke nothing we haue too deare to be consecrated to God but we must be readie to offer as a spirituall sacrifice if God shall require the same our goods our honour our sonnes and daughters our parents our wiues our liues our selues for hee that loueth anie of these more then Christ is not worthie of him Matth. 10.37.38 This therefore in a word Abraham teacheth vs as Augustine saith Vt Deo non praeponamus quod dat Deus That we preferre not before God that which God hath giuen vs. Secondly we must as Abraham was bee resolued before hand to obey the commandements of God seeme they neuer so vnreasonable vnto vs. For this resolution will make the commandements easie to vs which seem hard to others As indeed the difficulty of Gods cōmandemēts is to be attributed to the corruptions and contrarie dispositions of men who haue resolued or at the least inured themselues to do euill so that it is as easie for them to abstaine from their accustomed sinnes as it is for a Blackamoore to change his hue or a Leopard his spots Ierem. 13.23 It is easie for a sober and temperat man to abstaine from drunkennesse a chast man from whoredome a religious man from swearing a mild man from chafing and reuenge but bid a drunkard leaue his drunkennes a whoremaster to forsake his filthinesse c. you may as well bid him pull out his eye or cut off his hand so hard a thing it is for them to mortifie their earthly members fornication vncleannes c. Col. 3.5 But let God say to an Abrahā that is resolued to obey him in all things offer thine only sonne vnto me for a burnt sacrifice and hee will readily doe it And as we are to follow Abrahams obedience so must we imitate his faith and that in two respects first in beleeuing the promises of God secondly in bringing forth fruites and working by loue As touching the former our dutie is to be resolued before hand with Abraham as to obey the commandements of God seeme they neuer so vnreasonable so to beleeue his promises seeme they neuer so vncredible Thou wilt say If God did promise me any thing as he did to Abraham I would beleeue as hee did The promises were made to Abraham and his seede that is the faithfull who are the sonnes of Abraham and the heires of promise And although the promises be generally propounded in the word yet art thou particularly to apply them to thy selfe as spoken to thee For being generall they include al that exclude not themselues by infidelitie only bring the condition of the promise which is faith and thou art safe For doth not the Lord promise whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ hath remission of sin shall rise to glorie shall be saued euen as the Israelites had a promise that if when they were stung with the firie Serpents they did lift vp their eyes to the brazen Serpent they should be healed Resolue then to lift vp the eye of faith to him that was figured by the brazen Serpent to beleeue in Christ labour to lay hold vpon him by faith striue against thine owne infidelitie and doubting assure thy selfe if thou beleeuest that thou art iustified and shalt be saued Let not the sense of thine owne weakenes or the
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