may see their owne weaknes that seeing it they may be humbled and being humbled they may be more feruent in prayer more circumspect of their waies and as it were more iealous ouer their owne hearts Thus the Lord afflicted the Israelites in the wildernes that hee might tempt them and know what was in their hearts whether they would obserue his precepts or not that is that by their afflictions and trials he might discouer vnto them their owne weakenes and vnabilitie to keepe his law and that they by this means might be driuen vnto Christ Deut. 8.2 The like may be said of Ezechias 2. Chron. 32.31 whom the Lord left to himselfe for a time that he might tempt him and know whatsoeuer was in his heart On the other side men sometimes excelling in humilitie are defectiue in thākfulnes too much preiudging their own gifts and therefore the Lord bringeth them also to triall that they seeing his graces in themselues may be thankfull vnto him for them What shall we say then Sic ergo ignarus est Deus rerū c. saith Augustine Is God therefore so ignorant of humane affaires so vnacquainted with mens hearts that hee should by tempting seeke to finde men No but that man should finde himselfe For as hee also saith there are many things in a man hidden and vnknowne vnto himselfe which are not manifested or made knowne but in temptations And as the Lord by tēptations maketh men knowne to themselues so also to others First in respect of their frailtie that we by their example may become more circumspect especially if they whose example we behold were better and stronger then our selues For if Dauid if Ezechias if Peter when they were tempted bewrayed their weaknes how had we need to watch and to pray that wee enter not into temptation Secondly in respect of their faith and constancie that wee seeing their good examples may both glorifie God and stirre vp our selues to their imitation But as touching the tried seruants of God such as Abraham and Iob were this may be said in briefe that the Lord trieth them that his graces in them as their faith loue obedience constancie patience may be manifested not onely to themselues both to minister comfort vnto them and to stirre them vp to thankfulnes but especially to others vnto whom the Lord propoundeth them as notable patternes to be imitated For euen as schoolemasters sometimes call forth some of their most toward schollers and take exact triall of them partly to approoue their owne paines and partly to stirre vp their other schollers to greater diligence so the Lord maketh choise of some of his principall seruants of whom he taketh exquisit triall to manifest his graces in them both to themselues and also to others who comparing their own wants with their perfections and perceiuing how farre short they are of that perfection which they are to aspire vnto may be stirred vp to a daily increase in pietie And to conclude this point with Augustine Serm. 72. de temp where hauing shewed that Abraham was tempted that he might be the better knowne to himselfe he addeth And if Abraham were knowne to himselfe yet hee had not been knowne to vs. Verely he was to be manifested either to himselfe or to vs. To himselfe that hee might know wherefore to giue thankes to vs that we might know either what to begge of God or what to imitate in the man So much may suffice to haue spoken of the proposition wherein wee haue discussed these three questions first whether the Lord who is here said to haue tempted Abraham to kill his own sonne doth tempt any man vnto euill and secondly if the Lord tempt none to euill then in what sense he is said to tempt Abraham namely to try or proue him and thirdly to what end the Lord who by himselfe knoweth all things tempted and proued Abraham which Augustine briefly noteth Vt manifestetur mundo qui iam notus fuerat Deo That he might be manifested to the world who was alreadie knowne to God Now we are to proceed to the narration wherein this great triall of Abraham is declared And in the narration we are to consider two things the actiō of God tempting and the behauiour of Abraham when he was tempted The action of God is twofold his vocation or call whereby hee prepareth Abraham to vndergoe this triall vers 1. Secondly his commandement whereby he trieth him vers 2. As touching the former Seeing the thing here inioyned to Abraham namely that hee should with his own hands kill his sonne Isaac and offer him for a burnt sacrifice was in shew not onely most cruell and vnnatural but also repugnant to the commaundements and promises of God therefore this is to be presupposed as a most certaine truth and taken for granted that Abraham was as certainly and infallibly assured as a man can be certaine of any thing that it was the Lord himselfe which gaue him this commandement For if Abraham could but haue suspected that it was not the Lord which spake vnto him how easily might he yea and how resolutely ought he to haue repelled this temptation as being not so likely to be a serious commandement of God as an instigation of Satan who might seeme thereby to prouoke him to murder his only sonne and by sacrificing him to cut off the promises concerning the blessed seede of Isaac But the Lord so fully enlightened his minde so powerfully affected his will so certainly assured him of the truth of this reuelation as that he could not possibly once doubt thereof To this end the Lord speaketh familiarly to him and calleth him by his name Abraham that he might duly attend and aduisedly cōsider who it was that spake vnto him And then hauing receiued his answere Here am I wherein Abraham shewed himselfe not onely assured of the person that spake to him but also resolued to put in execution whatsoeuer he should commaund then I say he propoundeth the commaundement whereof I am now to speake But first with this protestation that it containeth the greatest triall that euer any meere man was exercised withall and indeed farre greater then I in my weaknes am able to set forth vnto you according to the worthines of the matter Neither are you to maruell hereat as though the Lord dealt hardly with Abraham whom thus hardly he tempted nor yet to please your selues that you are not tried after the same measure For seeing the Lord is faithfull and suffereth none of his children to be tempted aboue their strength therefore hee proportioneth their temptations and trials according to the measure of grace bestowed vpon them Hence it is that the best seruants of God haue endured the greatest trials and accordingly Abrahams strongest faith is proued by the greatest triall whereas the weaker faith of others is exercised by easier temptations For what Schoolemaster that seeketh by triall to encourage or approue his scholler and
to commend him to others as the Lord doth his tried seruants will appose a petite that learneth his A B C in Greeke or in Hebrew But trials are proportioned to mens strength the strongest faith hath the greatest trials the weakest faith hath the least trials and where are no trials it is a signe of no faith Now that Abrahams triall was exceeding great it may euidently appeare by those two things whereby the greatnes of trials is to be esteemed to wit the deerenes of that which he was to forgo and the hardnes of that hee was to vndergoe The summe of both is that hee was to sacrifice Isaac The deerenes of that which he was to forgoe is of purpose amplified by the Lord himselfe to increase the triall in foure degrees plainly distinguished in the originall text Take now saith he eth bincha thy sonne eth iehidcha thy only sonne asher ahabta whom thou louest eth ijtscak euen Isaac and offer him for a burnt sacrifice Take thy sonne thine only sonne whom thou louest euen Isaac Alas what needed all these words had it not bin sufficient to breake his heart to haue said take thy sonne and offer him but he must be put in minde that he was his onely sonne whom he loued euen Isaac his ioy But the Lord hauing giuen him strength to beare laieth loade vpon him and by euery word which is added he addeth to the weight For a father to lose his son especially by death that violent death it is a greater grief thē any man can conceiue that is not a father such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or naturall loue God hath implanted in parents who therefore desire to die before their children and exceedingly grieue if they suruiue them but especially in godly parents and heroicall natures wherein these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are most effectuall but most especially in Abraham in whom this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did excell who as he had long wanted so did he most earnestly desire and highly esteeme of a sonne in so much that without him he little esteemed of all outward blessings besides For whereas God had by his promise Gen. 15.1.2 encouraged him Feare not Abraham I am thy buckler and thine exceeding great reward O Lord God saith he what wilt thou giue me seeing I goe childlesse And therefore to lose him whom he so greatly desired and highly esteemed must needs in all likelihood be an exceeding great griefe vnto him How did Dauid lament the death of Absalom his rebellious sonne when he wept and said O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my sonne my sonne 2. Sam. 18.33 How did Iacob mourne for the supposed death of Ioseph Genesis 37.34.35 hee rent his clothes and put sackcloth about his loynes and sorrowed for a long season and when all his sonnes and daughters rose vp to comfort him he would not be comforted but said Surely I will go down into the graue to my sonne mourning And how againe was he reuiued when hee vnderstood that Ioseph was not dead Gen. 45.28 where it is noted that the spirit of Iacob reuiued And Israel said I haue enough Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue And yet Iacob and Dauid had many other sons whose presence might comfort them in the absence of any one that they missed But Abraham was to forgoe his onely sonne which is the second degree to increase his griefe For of many to haue offered any one to God as it were the first fruites of his children as Philo speaketh it had been a lesse matter but hauing but one and no hope of more by Sara his onely wife to giue him was to forgoe all and with him all hope of posteritie which might haue pierced his heart with vnspeakeable griefe Therefore the Scriptures when they would signifie the greatest sorrow that may be they vse to compare it to the sorrowing of a father for his onely sonne Amos 8.10 Zach. 12.10 And as this might haue caused great griefe so it required great loue not onely to forgoe but willingly to forgoe his onely sonne For this was a figure of Gods loue to vs which in the Scriptures is worthily noted to be exceeding great because he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne for vs Ioh. 3.16 Rom. 8.32 1. Ioh. 4.9.10 But both his loue of God and cause of griefe for his sonne may greatly be amplified if you consider in what respects he is called his onely son For in this word as Caluin speaketh there was repetitus ictus a doubled and trebled stroake which might haue wounded his heart For he is called the only sonne first in respect of Sarai who in regard of him was called Sarah with promise that she should be a mother of Kings and of nations as Abram also by the addition of the same letter he was called Abraham to signifie that hee should be a father of many nations Gen. 17.5.15 and to put him in minde of this promise which is crossed by the commandement vers 2. the Lord calleth him by his name Abraham vers 1. Secondly he is called his onely sonne simply after the sending away of Ismael whereunto the Lord in these words seemeth to haue relation to gall his minde with the memorie of his putting away of Ismael whom also he dearely loued As though he would signifie vnto him that he was not contented to haue caused him to put away Ismael the sonne of the bondwoman whom also he loued leauing vnto him Isaac alone but he will haue him forgoe Isaac too the only child which he had or could looke to haue by Sarah in respect of whose seede notwithstanding both he and she were promised to be the parents of nations and Kings But although Abraham loued Ismael deerely yet he loued him but a little in comparison of Isaac and therefore that is added in the third place whom thou louest Indeede if hee had been a sonne whom either he had not loued or loued but with an ordinary loue the trial had been the easier but now the Lord tried him in that which was neerest and dearest vnto him for Abraham as Iosephus speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loued Isaac with more then an ordinary loue first because he was the child of his old age for as Philo saith parents exceedingly loue those which are late borne and this is noted to haue been the cause of Iacob his extraordinary loue towards Ioseph Gen. 37. vers 3. The reason is saith Philo either because they haue long desired them or because they looke for no more this therefore much increaseth the triall in that as Augustine noteth Iubetur filium victimare solatiū paternae senectutis vnicū pignus posteritatis qui quanto serior tanto dulcior He is commaunded to sacrifice his Sonne the solace of his Fathers old age and the onely pledge of posteritie who the later he was borne the sweeter he was to his parents Secondly because
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
The place also howsoeuer in general termes it was declared that it should be one of the hils in the countrey of Moriah which was distant from Beersheba where Abraham receiued this charge and whither he returned vnto his familie vers 19. as Lyra saith 20. leagues as Luther others 10. Germane miles yet in particular the place was not defined but for the greater triall of his faith and obedience as in his calling out of Vr Heb. 11.8 left indefinit For if on an hill then he might thinke not in an obscure and secret but an open and conspicuous place and perhaps in the presence or view hee knew not of whom and therefore he could not tell what either danger or offence he might incurre by sacrificing his son there And whereas he came not to the place before the third day you may thinke either that the place was so farre distant as that an old man of 125. yeares or vpward trauelling on foote with an asse loaden with all necessaries both for the sacrifice and their own prouision could with conueniēcie come thither no sooner especially being to trauell leisurely that hee might the better meditate and aduise of that which he went about or if hee came into the countrey sooner that the Lord for his greater triall held him in suspence not shewing him the hill before the third day So that by the circumstance of time and place it appeareth that Abraham had time enough to bethinke him that if hee had not beene very resolute hee might haue desisted from this enterprise Now as I said the worke it selfe was very hard to be performed of him whether you consider his affection to his sonne or his allegiance to God For as touching the former it had been a sore matter as I shewed before only to haue forgone his sonne as appeareth by his forgoing Ismael chap. 21.11 and Iacob his vnwilling forbearing of Beniamins presence for a time Gē 42.38 especially being his onely sonne the sonne whō he loued euen Isaac the ioy of his heart more especially to haue forgone him by death and that a violent death for the true parent 1. King 3.27 desired rather to lose her child altogether then haue halfe of him dead but most especially seeing his death seemed to annihilate the promises of God not only concerning the multiplication of the Church but also concerning the saluation of the faithful by Christ who was to come of Isaac to consent vnto his death had been more grieuous hauing consented to deliuer him to death had been dolefull to bee present thereat had beene more wofull The eloquent Poet Euripides and the cunning Painter Timanthes were no otherwise able to expresse the dolefull countenance of Agamemnon being present at the sacrificing of his daughter Iphigenia then by couering his face because howsoeuer they could decipher the mourning countenance and dolefull behauiour of her other friends and that in diuers degrees yet they perceiued neither pen nor pencill could expresse the griefe of a father being present at the death of his childe What then shall wee say to this worke enioyned Abraham that hee should not onely consent to his sonnes death nor to deliuer him to others by them to be sacrificed nor to be present only thereat which few men could endure for my part saith Luther on this place Ego non potuissem esse spectator nedum actor mactator I could not haue been a beholder much lesse an actor or slaughterer but also that with his own hands he should kill his owne sonne who was more deere vnto him then his owne life And how should he kill him as a burnt sacrifice that is first he was to binde him and to lay him vpon the altar then to cut his throate after hee was to sprinkle his blood round about vpon the altar then was he to cut him in peeces and hauing pulled out his entrailes and washed them in water he was to burne all on the altar himselfe making and tending the fire and putting euery part as it should fall out from the rest into the fire againe vntill all were consumed to ashes which is signified by the phrase of speech which God vseth vehagnalehu sham legnólah and make him ascend there namely in smoake as a whole burnt offring wherof nothing remaineth but ashes And all this was to be performed of a most tender hearted father in his owne person to his deere and only childe Whose bowels earne not to thinke of this fact who would not swoune to see it who would not dye rather then doe it And not only his affection towards his son might haue hindred him from this act but much more his allegiance to God euen his obedience and his faith which here the Lord tried And whereas in other temptations the word of God is our helmet of saluation to defend our selues and the sword of the spirit to offend our enemies in this temptation Abraham found the greatest opposition against him in the commandements and promises of God And surely beloued if God assault vs with his word wherewith in other temptations he doth arme vs how shall any man hope to stand And yet this was Abrahams case For if Abraham would shew himself obedient to the law of God then should hee not doe that which was in it selfe vnlawful and vnnaturall dishonourable to God and scandalous to men But this fact was condemned by the law of God who as hee forbiddeth the shedding of innocent blood Gen. 9.6 so he alloweth it not in sacrifices But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was acceptable to the Gods of the Heathen who were diuels was most abominable to the Lord. As for him Augustine saith De temp Serm. 73. Deus pro nobis iussit filiū suū occidi non nostros immolari God commaunded his sonne to be slaine for vs and not ours to be sacrificed And if homicide be condemned can parricide be allowed It was vnnaturall and against the law of nature for a father to kill his guiltlesse childe for euen the brute beasts themselues doe loue and cherish their owne broode Dishonourable to God as though hee delighted in such cruell and vnnaturall sacrifices or as though he would haue men shew their religion by committing parricide Scandalous in respect of the Canaanites amongst whom there was yet no such practise as Philo saith who might haue condemned his religion and abhorred his God for this one practise Scandalous in respect of posteritie who would be readie to imitate his example For euen hypocrites if outwarde seruice would serue their turne would not stick to offer the fruit of their bodie for the sinne of their soule Scandalous to his seruants who would either haue bound him for a mad man or finding him in his wits haue detested him and his profession as bloodie and barbarous But scandalous especially to Sarah his wife who how she would haue taken the slaughter of her most deerely beloued and onely sonne in
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