a briefe yet full description presents us with a large and singular commendation of the grace of faith the excellencie of this vertue is demonstrated by the efficacie that in its powerfull effects we may behold its Divine nature Peruse the Chapter and you shall find her honoured as the mother of many graces the spring of choyce duties yea the worker of strange Miracles The truth of all which our Apostle illustrates by various examples since though positive doctrines declare what faith can doe yet plain examples shew what faith hath done amongst many others wee have the president of Abraham chiefe of the Patriarks and father of the saithfull set before us if you cast your eyes upon the 8 verse you shall there finde an eminent instance of his faith When he was called to goe out into a place which he should after receive for inheritance obeying and he went out not knowing whither he went no easie matter doubtlesse for a man to part with his friends and live among strangers to let goe his present possessions for uncertain enjoyments and become a voluntary exile from his own Countrey sence derides it reason contemns it but faith obeys it nor doth his faith stay here behold in the Text a harder task imposed upon and performed by him that was to leave his Countrey this was to lose his Isaac that was to sojourn in a strange Land this to commit a strange act that to forsake his fathers house this to forgoe his sons life in that he sayled against the winde in this against the winde and tyde but the strength of faith carryed him through enabling him to leave his countrey when called and to offer his Isaac when tryed By faith Abraham c. In the words we have these three observables 1 A singular fact performed by Abraham He offered up Isaac 2 A speciall occasion moving him to it when he was tryed 3 A powerfull cause enabling and that was his Faith Or if you please to take the words in their naturall order observe 1 An act of Gods wisdome to wit the tryall of Abraham 2 An act of Abrahams obedience in offering up Isaac 3 The principle inclining him to perform his obedience in reference to divine tryall and that was his Faith Once more we have here considerable 1 The state and condition to which Abraham was exposed to wit of temptation When he was tryed 2 His sutable behaviour under that condition in obedience to that tryall he offered up Isaac 3 The true ground of that obedient behaviour to wit his faith According to each of these there are three assertions our Apostle layes down in the words That Abraham was tryed that being tryed he offered up Isaac that it was by faith he offered him up and of these in order 1 The state of temptation to which Abraham was exposed when he was tryed St. Austine speaking of the life of man tells us Tota vita humana tentatio est every mans life but much more the Saints is a continued tryall no day passeth over his head without some clouds and whiles he is in the sea of this world waves continually dash upon him but yet there are some dayes in the Calendar of his life which deserve Nigro carbone notari to be marked with a black coale as more cloudy then others there are some storms wherein the waves rage more vehemently some times in which the Saint is exposed to strange and strong tryalls and of such a one our Apostle here speaketh When he was tryed But by whom is it that Abraham was tryed The Hebrews have a tradition that the Devill appeared to him in an angelicall forme and by many arguments diswaded him from sacrificing his son as being an unnaturall and impious act contrary to the law of God and nature nor is it improbable that then the Devill was very busie with Abraham by temptation to withdraw him from obedience to Gods command though the conceit of his visible appearing to him is altogether uncertaine but this triall whereof my text speaks is doubtless to be referred unto God himself for so we finde it plainly mentioned in the history God tempted Abraham Genes 22.1 nor doe Moses and Saint James herein contradict each other when the one sayth God tempted Abraham and the other Chap. 1.13 God tempteth no man but rather we must distinguish of a double tentation the one probationis the other seductionis the one meerly of tryall for our good the other of enticement for our hurt this latter cannot agree to the pure and holy God but is the Devils work who goes about seeking to insnare and devoure the former as it stains not Gods purity so it sutes well with his wisdome which oft times puts him upon making experiments of his servants as here he did of Abraham But for what end may some say doth God tempt and try his peoole I answer for this double end 1 Partly to disclose their corruptions and discover those sins which were lurking in the heart It is a common saying Magistratus judicas virum many men that were good while confined to privacie have proved licentious when advanced to Magistracie it 's as true of tryals wherein oft times there is an eruption of of that corruption which one would not have imagined had lodged in their brests for this end God proved Hezekiah that the pride of his heart might appear and the Israelites to humble them under the sence of those corruptions which tryals manifested to be in them But 2 Chiefly the end of tryall is a discovery of our graces both their truth and strength their quality and measure Tryalls shew what is the depth of our confidence the breadth of our patience the height of our love and the length of our perseverance observe but this tryall of Abraham and you shall find what a many graces here was tryed and discovered namely His faith whether he would depend upon Gods Promise above against reason His obedience whether he would yeild to Gods command against nature His love whether his affection was more enlarged toward his son or his God Finally his feare whether he did reverentially acknowledge and stand in awe of Divine Sovereingty the truth is Apparet virtus arguiturque malis stars shine bright in the darkest nights graces are manifest in the sharpest tryall and for this end that our graces may appeare we are tryed and they are exercised But what need is there that God should for these ends try his servants Doth he not understand there thoughts long before are not both there sins and graces open in his fight it is a strange expression which God useth concerning himselfe in this tryall of Abraham Now I know that thou fearest God What did he not know before who is Omniscient yes doubtlesse but we must remember it is usuall with God Quod homini competit in iis tansferri to apply that to himself which belongs to men
and to speake of himselfe after the manner of men but the truth is Gods end of tryall is not that he might know but that we and others may know the graces of God that are in us tryals are oft times publishers of concealed vertues neither the patience of Job wisdome of Solomon or the faith of Abraham would have been so famous had it not been for tryalls But how and by what meanes doth God try his servants Divines answer two ways factis verbis by deeds words by deeds when either he substracts his grace from us leaving us to our selves as he did Hezekiah To try all that was in his heart or else when he brings us into straits lays upon us afflictions so he was forty yeares in leading of the children of Israel through the wildernesse to prove them sometimes by words and commands which he enjoyns us such was that command which Christ gave to the young man in the Gospell To sell all he had and this which he gave to Abraham take thy son and offer him for a burnt offering and if you please to take a serious view of this command you shall find it was a sore tryall and that there was a strange probation in this Divine precept for consider 1 Whom doth the command concerne not a servant or a friend or an allye but a son and him not an adopted but a naturall son not of many but an only son by Sarah one that was the son of his love of his hope yea of his old age a childe of promise of prayers nay tears 2 What it is that is required is it to send him a far off into some strange Country is it to part with him and not see his face for some yeares is it to have him taken away by death through some visitation of Gods hand all of these would have been sad tryalls nay but it is to lay violent hands upon him and cut him off by an untimely slaughter but whose hands must they be may his servants carry him away to some remote place out of his sight and there kill him or is it only to stand by look on and suffer him to be slain no he himself must ' offer him up Abraham must not onely have his eyes on but his hands in this bloudy act he must not only be a spectator of but an actor in this dolefull Tragedy the tender father must imbrue his hands in the bloud of his innocent childe God had tryed Abraham before many wayes calling him to goe out of his Countrey suffering that contention between him and Lot in the battell he had with the five Kings in the circumcising of his houshold in the casting out of Ishmael but all short of this in sacrificing of his Isaac which Abraham here was put upon and our Apostle means in these words When he was tryed To apply this Let the Saints of God learn continually to expect and prepare for tryals let no son of Abraham hope to scape temptation when he sees the bosome in which he desires to rest assaulted with difficulties nor must we onely stand in fear of diabolicall suggestions but in expectance of divine temptation the truth is tryals are both necessary and precious needfull and usefull Saint Peter joynes both together Ye are in heavinesse if need be and the tryall of your faith being being much more precious then that of gold the shakeing of the trees by the winde the casting of gold into the fire is not more usefull for the seâ—ling of the one and purifying of the other than tryals are for Gods servants Nor must we onely expect single but successive tryals like Jobs Messengers one upon the neck of the other When one woe is past look for another to come and that many times on a suddain in matters we are least aware of nor let us onely prepare for many but great and sore tryals such as will not only rend our garments but break our hearts tryals in our neerest friends deerest comforts the delight of our eyes joy of our hearts and breath of our nostrils such were Jobs in his cattell the support of his estate his children the fruit of his loyns nay in the wife of his bosome and the smiting of his own body such was Abrahams in the Text in his near and dear Isaac 2 Since we must be tryed look we to the soundnesse of our graces that they be such as will abide tryall paint will melt at the heat while the naturall complection remains drosse will consume in the fire while the gold grows purer bad stuffe will shrink in the wetting whilst that which is good retains its measure finally the house that is built upon the sand falls down at the blowing of the winde while that which is built upon the rock remains Seeming grace vanishes in the times of tribulation onely true grace retains its lustre continues firm nay grows purer in fiery tryals And since wee must expect strong tryals look we to the strength of our graces If thou saint in the day of adversity thy strength is small saith Solomon Prov. 24.10 adversity though it be a hard tyrant yet it is a right Judge speaking truly what our graces are Nemo vires suas in pace cognoscit no one knows his strength in peace a sharp battle calls for courage in the souldier hard weather makes the weak body shrinke every cock-boat can swim in the river it s the lusty ship must saile in the Ocean we meet with strong tryalls we must labour for strong graces ever remembreing this for our comfort that Divine wisdome and goodnesse will proportion the tryall to our strength a skilfull Physician in potions considers the strength of his patient a wise Scholmaster in his lessons observes the ability of his Scholler and our gracious God in his tryals remembers what wee are and will lay no heavier burthen on our shoulders then we are able to beare that of the Apostle is in this sence truly applicable he hath both milk for babes and meat for strong men and if he impose so great a tryall as the slaying of a son it shall be upon an Abraham that is strong in faith vigorous in grace and knoweth how to obey so severe a command which leads me to the 2 Generall Abrahams obedient behaviour under his tryall He offered up Isaac God puts him upon it and he sets about it and having received an injunction puts it in execution He offers up Isaac But here some perhaps may tax our Apostle as a false relater of the story since indeed Isaac was not offered up but a Ram the answer is easie 1 Hee offered that is Offerre coepit hee began to offer him he had taken his journey clave the wood and was come to the mount being there he had built an altar laid the wood in order on that altar bound and laid his son on that wood stretched forth his hand took the
Abraham to offer up our children yet he somtimes requires us to neglect both children and parents and all naturall relations for his sake and surely in such a case Pietas est impium esse pro Domino it is piety towards God to be unnaturall to our friends our blessed Saviour hath told us He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more then me is not worthy of me Mat. 10.37 Another Evangelist useth a more harsh expression He that commeth to me and hateth not all these strange that love it selfe should require hatred but yet just not in an absolute but comparative sence we must not love father or mother more then him yea when their desires come in competition with his will we must hate them for him we must say as Levi nescio vos I know you not or with Christ to his mother quid mihi tecum woman what have I to do with thee trampling under foot all naturall relations which would hinder us from obedience to divine injunctions It was a pious though erroneous spirit that lodged in the breast of Sir Thomas Moor once Lord Chancellour of this Kingdom who regarded not the prayers nay tears of his dearest wife when shee perswaded him with the forfeiture of his conscience to endeavour the restauration of his liberty let us follow his pattern that no respect either to wives or children may withdraw us from the performance of our duties to God 3 Finally though God doe not call us to offer up our children yet many times he calls to us to part with them though not to sacrifice them with our own hands yet to resigne them up to his dispose oh let us learn by Abrahams example chearfully to give up our dearest comforts to that God who hath given them unto us he was willing to an obtulit so far obedient as himselfe to offer his son shall not we be content with an abstulit that God should take away wife or children or any enjoyment from us good old Eli when acquainted by Samuel with Gods severe intentions against himselfe his sons his family sits down quietly and sayes submissively Dominus est It is the Lord let him doe what it seems good in his sight Holy Job when informed by severall messengers of the losse of his Oxen by the Sabeans of his Camels by the Caldeans of his Sheep and servants by a fire from God nay of his sons and daughters by a winde from the wildernesse worshiped saying Dominus dedit The Lord gives and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Oh let us write after these copies and what we daily pray for cheerfully submit unto that the will of the Lord may be done let all parents say to use the Prophets words though in another case Behold I and the children whom thou ô Lord hast given me are at thy dispose doe with me and mine as it pleaseth thee And that we may attein this gracious frame of spirit let us take notice of and strive after that grace of faith wherein Abraham excelled and by which he was enabled to so difficult a work which leads me to the 3 Generall namely the true ground of Abrahams obedient behaviour in those words by faith indeed nothing but faith could enable him to quit himselfe in so great a tryall I deny not but even Heathens have sacrificed themselves and their children unto death but upon what grounds for the most part affection of vain glory at the best but love of their Countrey was that which bereaved them of their lives Abrahams offering up his Isaac was upon another ground in a religious observance of divine precept to which nothing but faith could enable the truth is if we rightly weigh this act of Abraham we shall finde there was great need of faith to unlock the difficulties silence the reasonings answer the doubts which could not but arise in his spirit There was a double objection which this Patriark might make against offering up his son to both which only faith could give an answer The one in reference to the comand which God gave The other in respect of the promise which God made 1 Besides the Law of nature God hath given an expresse command Thou shalt not kill and well might Abraham argue if I must not kill any man much lesse my son surely God is either contrary to himselfe or else this bloudy precept came not from him but is a meer delusion of the Devill but here faith steps in unfolds the riddle assures Abraham it was no other then God who had given this in charge that he is an absolute illimited commander and therefore might enjoyn what he pleased that he is sovereigne Lord of his own Law and therefore may dispence with it when he will thus silencing this objection by faith he offers up Isaac and it is a rule we are to take notice of that where Gods commands seem or doe really clash one against another the lesser must give way to the greater and ordinary to extraordinary precepts the ten Comandements are the generall rule of our life yet if a speciall intervene as here did to Abraham faith gives that the preheminence 2 Another objection might well arise from Gods promise God hath assured Abraham of an innumerable seed as the stars of heaven and the sands on the sea-shore all these to come out of Isaacs loynes and yet God commands that Isaac should be slain Might not Abraham well have reasoned thus What Lord are thy decrees changable or thy promise failable how can these two stand together Isaac shall be a father of many nations and yet he must dye by his fathers hands what fruit is to be expected from a dry root or what hopes can there be in a dead Isaac the truth is to sense and reason there is a manifest contrariety between his precept and his promise neyther of these eyes can see how God should fulfill what hee had promised if Abraham perform'd what he required but faith hath a piercing sight so she steps in untyes the knot and thus bespeaks Abraham Feare not Abraham to sacrifice thy son hee that commands thee to kill him wants not power to quicken him the same hand which raised him from the dead wombe of Sarah can revive him from the ashes of a sacrifice thou gottest thy Isaac by believing thou shalt not lose him by obeying Now faith hath got the day obteined the victory What cruelty doth in others that faith did in Abraham makes him not to be moved at the strangenesse of the fact God knew he had to do with an Abraham and therefore puts upon him such a comand Abraham knew he had to do with a God and therefore believes what he commands is good and what he promiseth is infallible Thus being carelesse of the means not doubting of the end he sets upon the work and by faith