it is not thought shal be hidden some precious Iewels of secret misteries This godly man is called Abraham no where we reade that God called him with that name or that he spake to him saing Abraham Abraham for hee coulde not bee called of God by a name which shoulde be diminished but he called him with that name whiche himselfe did giue him not with the name only he called him but he dubleth his name Abraham Abraham And when he had answered Lo here I am he sayed vnto him Take now thyne onelie sonne whome thou louest Isaac I say and offer thou him vp for a brent sacrifice in one of the montaines which I will shew vnto the. For what cause God gaue him a name and called him Abraham himself declareth it for saithe he I haue apoited the to be the father of many nations This promise made God to him after he had Ismahell his sonne how be it he made the promise to be fulfilled in that sone which Sara should be are vnto him Thus therefore had hee kyndled hys hearte in the loue of his sonne not onely in consideration of the posterity but also in the hope of the promises And yet is he commaunded to offer this his sonne to the Lorde for a breÌ„t Sacrifice in one of the mountaines his onlye Son in whom so great and maruelous promises were made I say euen that sonne in whose respecte hee had his name to be called Abraham What saist thou to this AbrahaÌ„ what manner cogitations are tossed in thy hearte A worde is come from God him self which will discusse and trie thy faithe What sayest thou to this What thinkest thou what musest thou doest thou thinke thus with thy self withiÌ„ thy heart that if in Isaac that promise is made vnto me and I offer him vp for a brente sacrifice it muste nedes fall out that the hope of the promise is frustrat or rather doest that thus reasoÌ„ within thy self saist bicause it is not possible for him to lye who hath made the promise therfore what so euer that promise be it shal stand How be it because I am so base I am not hable to searche out the cogitations of so excelleÌ„t a patriark nor yet am I able to fynde out what manner of deliberations that voice which came from God to proue him stirred him to what counsaile it broughte with it when he was commaunded to cal his onlie sonne Notwithstandinge because the spirit which is in prophettes ys subiect to prophettes Rom. 4. Paule the Apostle which as I beleue was instructed by the holye spirite what mynde what counsail Abraham bare in his heart hath reueled it sayinge Abraham in his faith staggered not when he was about to offer vp his only soÌ„ne in whom he receued the promises iudgiÌ„g thus in himselfe God was able to raise him vp again thoughe he we are dead Thus therefore doth the Apostle declare vnto vs the cogitations of this faithfull man that the faith of the Resurrection was then sene to haue a beginning in Isaac Abraham therfore did hope that his son Isaac should rise agaiÌ„ And he beleued that it wolde be hereafter fullfilled which as yet was not don How theÌ„ be they Abrahams children which do not beleue to be fulfilled in Christ which he beleued wold be fulfilled in Isaac yea if I should speake yet more plainly Abraham knew that he did forme out before as it were an Image of that truthe which was to follow That is he knew before that Christe shoulde bee borne of his seed whiche should as a more parfaâ—ct sacrifice bee offred vp for the whole world and that hee shoulde also rise againe from deathe But thus in the meane whyle writeth Moyses God did proue Abraham and said vnto him Take vp thy on lye beloued sonne whom thou derelye louest It was not enough to say Take vp thy son but thi onli beloued sonne Let it be so what is more added And whome thou louest O see consider the weighty grauity of this tentatioÌ„ how with so deare sweete names so oft and oft repeted is the Fathers heart and affecrioÌ„ sturred vp whereby the freshe remembraunce of his loue this father shoulde holde of his righthande to offer vp his son wherby the whole power of his flesh shoulde fight against the faith of his heart And further is added euen in the very rune when he proued him Take vp saith he thy moste deere Son Isaac I say whome thou louest Let it so he O Lorde that thou puttest the father in remembraunce of hys sonne and commauÌ„dest him to kill him why addest thou Thy most deere Son Let this suffice to the torment of a Father Thou ioynedst to it again Yea whom thou louest Let this doble treble affliction be enough and enoughe to the Fathers hearte What need it to rehearse to memory the name Isaac was not AbrahaÌ„ aduised of this that his oÌ„ly so wel beloued son he whom he loued was called Isaac But why is mention made of him at this very time was it for the Abraham calling to his remeÌ„brauÌ„ce how thou saidst vnto him that in Isaac thy sede shal be called that in Isaac shoulde the promises be fulfilled and by rememberauÌ„ce of his name he shoulde be driueÌ„ to dispaire of all the promises which wer made vnto him uÌ„der that name But what All these thinges thus wer don for that God did proue Abraham And what yet foloweth Go thy way saith he into the hie laÌ„de to one of the mountaines which I wil shew the and there offer thou him for a brent sacrifice Consider euery thinge by it self how the tentations abounded Get the vp into the hye lande I pray you wolde not Abraham firste be led with the childe to the high land to be placed vpoÌ„ the hill whiche the lorde had chosen out there to be said vnto him that he shoulde offer his sonne But it is firste said vnto him that he shoulde offer his sonne theÌ„ is hee commaunded to goe to a highe Land and to ascende vp into the hill What meaneth this Truly that whilest he went and made his iournye hee shoulde as I might say be torn in peces by his owne thoughts throughout the wholl way and that hee shoulde be crucified of one side through the commaundemente of god vrging him on the other side through the Fatherly affection of his onely sonne g repining and abhorring the facte Therefore for this cause he was enioyned to go a longe wave to clyme vp an hye hill to this inteÌ„t that his fansy and fayth the loue of God and the loue of his owne flesh the desire of thinges present and the lookinge after thinges to come should stryue together for a time in all those thinges he is sent therfore into an hye lande And it sufficed not to prescribe vnto the Patriarche whiche shoulde doe so not able a worke vnto the Lorde for to go vnto an hye lande but
woman O woman no womaÌ„ she excepter hno place she preferreth none she speketh without fear she promiseth absolutely Tel me where thou haste laied him and I will take him vp O Woman greate is thy faith great is thy coÌ„stancy Therfore O good Lorde why haste thou forgotteÌ„ to say Let it be don vnto the as Mat. 1â— thou wilt And Be of good cher Mat. 1â— â–ª thy faith hath made thou safe Hast Psal â–ª 76. thou forgotten to haue mercye wherfore then doest thou not teâ— her where thou haste layed thy selfe that she may take the vpp vpon her hert and beare thee in her body and shew the vnto thy disciples Do not I beseech the sweete Maister prolonge her desire any more for lo now these three daies shee hathe endured waytinge for the hath nothing Mat. 8. to eate and hath naught where with to feede her hungry sowle but thou by disclosinge thy selfe doest reache vnto her the bread of thy body doest fyl her with thy fragments of the basket of her heart Wherefore if thou wilte that she faynte not by the way refresshe and comforte the bowels of her soule with the plesauÌ„tes of thy taste For thou art Sapi. 16. the liuing bread whiche haste in the al maner delectablenes and all sauour of swetenes for the life of her body will not long endure onles thou quickly shewest thy self which art the life of her soul Iesus sayed vnto her Mary She turned her selfe and sayd vnto him Rabboni which is to say maister Iesus saied vn to her Touch me not OpermutatioÌ„ of the right hand of the highest Greate sorow is now turned in to greate ioy The teares of sorow be changed into the teares of loue So sone as Mary heard this worde Marye for so was her Maister wonte to call her she did perceaue before in that name a certain singular swetenes of callinge and by that shee knew him to be her Maister of whom she was called TheÌ„ her spirite reuiued her sence came again And when Iesus wolde more haue added Mary coulde not paciently tarry to heare any more but for very greate ioye interrupted him saying Rabboni for she thought she needed no word that had found the word and thought it farre more profitable to handel the word then to hear any manner of wordes O loue stronge and vnpacient It was not enough for her to se Iesus and to speake with Iesus Luc. 6. and. 8. onles also she touched Iesus for she knewe that vertue wente out from him and howe that he healed all men O moste pitifull Lorde and moste swete Maister how good arte thou to those that be of a pure hearte Psalm 73. howe sweete art thou to those that be of an vprighte hearte and be â—ap 1. lowly in spirite O howe blessed be they that seeke the in singelnes of heart and how happy be they that truste in the. It is verily trew vndoubtedly trewe that thou louest althat loue the Prou. 8. and doste neuer forsake them that Psal 9. put their truste in thee For beholde this thy louer did seke the vnfainedly and hath found the trewly She trusted in the she is not forsaken of the but hath obteined by the more then she loked for at the. Let vs therefore bretherne follow the good affection of thys woman that we may come to the like effecte Let eueri one wepe vnto Iesus and seeke faithfully Iesus that will not hyde hym selfe from a sinner that seketh him Learne sinfull man of a sinfull woman whose sinnes notwithstandinge be forgeuen her Learn to wepe for Gods absence and to desire his presence Learne of Marye to loue Iesus and to trust in Iesus and by seekinge Iesus in this search to feare no aduersitie and besides Iesus to receiue no comfort and for Iesus to coÌ„temne all thinges Learn of Mary to seeke for Iesus in the Se pulcher of thy heart Rol away the stone from the doore of the Sepulcher of God remoue all hardnesse and put away euerye thing that may hinder thy faith take away all wordly desire froÌ„ thy hearte and serche diligently whether Iesus be in it And if thou finde not Iesus in it stand without and weepe persiste in faith and looke outwardly to others whether happely thou maiest see hym in anye And wythe weepinge pray Iesus that hee wil vouchsafe to entre into the and will dwell in the and leste perchance with a proud stiffe vp right necke thou put him away from the humbly incline thy self and bowe downe vnto him and looke often into the Sepulchre of God whiche is in thee and if thou shalte see Angels there sittinge one at the head an other at the feete that is yf thou shalte knowe in thy hearte as it were heauenly desires appertaining aswell to this actiue lyfe as to the contemplatiue lyfe by the which neuertheles thou canst not see and haue Iesus bee not with these contentid do not yet faint and geue ouer but wepe seeke still Iesus in thy self vntil thou fynde him And if he so chauÌ„ce at any time to appeare vnto the and to preseÌ„t him self vnto thi desire doe not presume of thy selfe as though thou knowest him but inquire of him and beseche him he will shew him selfe vnto the. I dare boldely vndertake if in faith thou shalte stande at the tombe of thy hearte if wepingly thou shalt seeke Iesus shalt coÌ„tinue in sekiÌ„g if thou shal bow down thyselfe with humblâ—nes if by Maries exaumple thou wilt receaue no coÌ„fort of Iesus except thou receuest Iesus hee wil reuele him selfe vnto the thou shalte fynde him and knowe him So that thou shalt not neede to ask of other where is Iesus but thou shalte rather tel and shew him to others say For I haue seene the Lorde and hee spake these things vnto me To whom with the Father and the holye ghoste bee all honor and glory worlde without ende AMEN AN HOMILIE OF ABRAHAM how he offered by his sonne Isaac written by ORIGEN Newly translated Anno. M.D.LXV An Homilie of Abraham how he offered vp his Son written by ORIGEN AFter these thinges God did proue Abraham and sayd vnto hiÌ„ Abraham AbrahaÌ„ Take thyne onelye sonne Isaac whome thou louest and offer him vp for a brent sacrifice vn to me in one of those mountaines whiche I shall shew the. Geue eare to this which I haue to say I speake to you thou drawnye to the Lord you I say which thinke your scluesto be faithfull and consider diligently how the faith of the faith full is proued as by the wordes which haue ben rehearsed vnto you shall appeare And it came to passe that after these things almightye God did proue Abraham and said vnto him Abraham Abraham and then answered he Lo here I am Marke wel euery thing as it is written for in euery one of theÌ„ if a man can dig depe he shal finde treasure and perhaps where
may be called Isaac wheÌ„ thou shalte obtaine the frute of the spirite ioy and peace This childe at the length thus thou may conceaue if as it is writteÌ„ of Sara that it was not with her after the manner of womeÌ„ and so she bare Isaac all womanly affectioÌ„s so cease out of thi miÌ„d so that thou haue no worke and effeminaâ— thinges in the soule but doest thinges manfully and manfully girdest vp thy loines and hast thy breste fensed with the brest plate of righteousnes and thy self armed with the helmet of health and the swerde of the spirit Yt therefore such womanly maÌ„ners cease in thy life thou begettest a son that is ioye and peace of thy wife vertu and wisedom Thou begettest ioye if thou suppose it all ioy when thou shalt fall into diuers temptations canst offer that ioye a sacrifice to god For wheÌ„ thou Iacob â— doeste come cherefully to God he rendereth to thee that again which thou haste offered sayeth vnto the Againe ye shal see me and your heart shal be glad â–ª and no men shall take your ioye from you So then shalte thou receaue those thiÌ„ges increased which thou shalte offer to God Such a thinge is sette furthe in Luc. 19. the gospel although by an other figure as where it is saied that one receaued a pound for to occupy and get gaines for the good man of the house And if thou bring fiue increased into ten they are geuen to thee thy selfe for a rewarde they are graunted thee Herken what he sayethe Take from this man his pounde and geue it to him that hath teÌ„ pounde Thus though wee seeme to occupye for oure Lord yet the gaines of this matchandise returneth to oure selues though wee seme to offer sacrifice to the lord yet those thinges which wee offer are restored to vs agayne For God hath not neede of anyething but he wold haue vs riche he wisheth by all maÌ„ner of meanes oure wealth Thys manner of doctrine is set furth vnto vs in those thinges whiche happened to Iob Iob. â— who beynge ryche lost all for Gods sake But because hee endured well the fyghte of pacicnce because he was of a stout courage in all thinges hee suffered saying The Lorde gaue the Lorde hath taken away as it pleased the Lord so is it come to passe the Lords name be blessed beholde at the eÌ„de what is written of him He receaued againe saith the texte twise as much as he loste Thou perceauest theÌ„ what it is to loose any thiÌ„ges for the Lorde that is to receaue for thy selfe duble Yea the gospel doth promise som yet more that is it promiseth an huÌ„dred fold to the againe and besides that also eternall lyfe in Christe Iesu oure Lorde to whome bee glorye and empire for euer and euer AMEN A prayer for maried persons ETERNAL GOD and moste mercifull father which of thine inestimable loue towardes man after thou haddeste created all thinges for his vse and comforte woledeste also for his more coÌ„fort ordeine an helper for him of like substaÌ„ce and nature vnto him selfe thereby knittinge the one to the other in felloship inseparable Which institution of holy wedlocke thus made by the gracious contemplacion which thou hadst to maÌ„in paradise to haue it estemed more honorable thou didst preordinate thy only begotten son to bee borne therin of a moste pure virgin Who also of his fauorable grace to the further coÌ„mendacion of the said institutioÌ„ vouchsaued to be preseÌ„t personally therat with his blessed mother holy Aposties in Cane a city of Galily there wrought his first notable miracle of tourniÌ„g vnsauery water iÌ„to pleasauÌ„t wine in misticall significatioÌ„ iÌ„structioÌ„ of the same state Furdermore hast by the mouth of thy elect vessel Saint Paule declared the state thereof to be the greate misterye and sacramente of that maruailous vnspeakable vniti that is betwixt Christ his Spouse the churche And for as muche as thou hast commaÌ„uded by the said Apostle that the husbande shoulde so loue his wife as Christe loued his congregation And that the wise shoulde so reuerence her husbande as the Church is reuerently subiect vnto Christe her Spouse We besech the that this our matrimony once beguÌ„ne by thy fatherly prouidence as we doubt not thereof may be still prosperouslye continued betwixte vs. So that we may be of one heart and minde to knowe so loue to obey and serue the aboue al creatures as thou woldest vs twain to be one body together to loue and serue the one thother in oure mortall life And that we maye by the aide of thy holye spirite perseuer without strife discord and variablenes in perpetuall amitie and godly loue Charitably in our vocatioÌ„ to liue with oure neighbors instlye in oure occupations with the swete of oure browes to eate oure bread and equally with thanks to receiue of thy handes what so euer thy fatherlye wisdome hath decreed to sende vnto vs Besechinge furderthy godnes that as thou haste by thy bounteous liberality geuen vs frute in this our matrimonye so wee maye bee assisted maintained by thy fatherly benediction aswell to norishe them vp in their bodily life as to instructe them in soule in thy holy Religion to glorifie thy blessed name in this worlde to our lyues end that in the nexte world we may all appeare in the sight of thy heauenly Maiestie to be vnited to thy self in perpetuall felicity accordig to the assured promises made vnto vs through our lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ To whom with the and the holy ghoste be all honor and glorye for euer AMEN A prayer generally for all parsons GRauÌ„t me grace O most merciful father to haue a feruent desyer euer to suche things as be pleasinge to the diligeÌ„tlye to searche them wiselye to knowledg them parfectlye to fulfil them to the land and prayse of thy holye name Guyde thou O Lord my lyfe lyuing and that which thou requirest of me to do graunt that I may haue a knowledg a will and power therto And streÌ„gthe me so to ensue it as may bee to the honor of thy name to the wealth of my neighbour and to the healthe of my soule Make the way O Lorde sure streghte to thee that I fainte not from the neyther in prosperity neyther yet in aduersity that in prosperity I geue me not vnto pride and insoleÌ„cy and that in aduersity I keepe my selfe in hope patience So that in aduersitie I be not borne downe to lowe nor yet in prosperitye I be lyft vp to hie Suffer me not to ioye of any thinge but of that whiche may further me vnto the and to morne of nothinge but of that whiche mighte drawe mee from the so that all heauenlye thinges may be louesom to me and all transitorye thinges lothsom all fleshly thinges yrksom and all greeuous thinges lightesome Let all ioy be tedious to mee that is not in the Let all paine be pleasaunte that is for the Let me not delite to please anye creature againste the nor yet aferde to displease any creature for the. Geue me grace oft to liste vppe my heart vnto the and to leade my lyf streight before the. Make me sone to ryse againe whan I fall away from the and trulye to acknowledge confesse my sinnes vnto the. Strength my faith to aske pardon onely at the and for Christs sake mercifully to obtaine it of the. Make me O father to dred the without desperation and to loue the without presumption Make me faithfull without doblenes chast without fylthines liberall without wastefulnes sparinge withoute carefulnes mery without wantonnes sober without sowernes constaÌ„t with out stubbornes traitable with out childishnes quiet without quareling meeke without murmuringe pacient withoute sâ—ryuinge obediente withoute grutchinge prudente in simplicitye simple in prudence cherefull in charitye and seruisable in diligeÌ„ce Geue me grace to teache my neighbour without presumption to reforme him without his confusion to edifye him in lyfe without offension Geue me a watchinge heart O Lord that no curious thoughte disturbe it make it stroÌ„g that no vnworthy affection peruert it make it constante that no violente assaulte subdue it Graunt me O father vnderstandinge to knowe the diligence to seeke the wisedom to fynde the perseueraunce to keepe the and hope in the coÌ„clusion to embrace thee Let mee here be excercised with thy crosse to my humiliation to recogne thin assistauÌ„ce therin to my consolation to vse thy benifite by grace and at the laste to obtaine thy fruitioÌ„ in glory to the laude and praise of thy blessed name To whome with the Sonne and the holye Ghoste be all honoure for euer and euer AMEN Imprinted at London by Reginalde Wolfe Anno. Do. M. D. LXV