FAITHS VICTORY over NATVRE OR The unparallel'd president of an unnaturally Religious Father Delivered in a SERMON Preached at the Funerals of the hopefull young Gentleman Master John Rushout Son and Heire to Master JOHN RUSHOUT Merchant and Citizen of LONDON By NATHANAEL HARDY Master of Arts and Preacher to the Parish of DIONIS Back-Church Was not Abraham our Father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the Altar Seest thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect JAM 2.21 22. Transgreditur fides rationis fidem humanae naturae usum experientiae terminos Bern. Verus obediens mandatum non procrastinat sed statim parat aures auditui linguam voci pedes itineri manus operi se totum intus colligit ut mandatum peragat imperantis Idem LONDON Printed for Nathanael Webb and William Grantham at the Grey-hound in Pauls Church-yard 1648. To my Right Worthy FRIEND Mr. JOHN RVSHOVT Of LONDON Merchant and Inhabitant in the Parish of Dionis Back-Church the blessings of the throne and footstool Honoured SIR IT was a sorrowfull losse occasioned the delivery of this Sermon in your eares and the seasonable comfort you then found caused those desires which being to me commands occasion the presenting of it to your eyes The tryall wherewith God hath been pleased to exercise you cannot but be grievous yet a patient sufferance and sanctified use will make it precious no better means of support under and benefit by this tryall then faith which is both a powerfull Antidote against the crosse and a skilfull Alchymist to extract spirituall advantage out of temporall losses It is true you have lost a hopefull son but faith will eye God as a wise and gracious Father Charity comforts you in the hope that he hath gained the enjoyment of glory by his dissolution Faith will instruct you in the Christian art how to gain increase of grace by this affliction It is the justice of God that hee never punisheth without a cause it is his mercy that he ordereth all to a good end let repentance find out and bewail sin deserving and faith will apprehend the benefit intended Oh divine grace of faith many daughters have done worthily but thou surmountest them all thou regulatest our actions and moderatest our passions thou teachest us how to enjoy and supplyest us in what wee want by thee wee finde the sweetnesse of a God in the creature-comforts we have and the sweetnesse of those comforts we lose in a God And now worthy Sir what bitter counsell could I prescribe you then this of Faith what fuller example of faiths energie could I set before you then that of Abraham who by faith gave up that Isaac to God whom God had conferr'd on him in love The picture of this believing Patriark offering up his obedient Isaac you have delineated in the following Sermon Let Abrahams steps be your walk and his bosome shall be your rest imitate him as a son in the grace of Faith and you shall be an heire together with him in the grace of life whech is the prayer of him who is Your devoted servant in all Christian and Ministeriall offices NATH. HARDY Errata Page 4. line 23 devoute the former l 28. for people r. people p. 6. l. 5.1 se transferre p. 13. in marg pone Chrysost. p. 14. in marg. pone Chrysost. Imprimatur Ja. Cranford On the death of Master John Rushout eldest Sonne of Master John Rushout of London Merchant WHo slew all these was Nimshi's sonne 's demand When 's will was done by false Samaria's hand When heads were heapt and Nobles by the rude Were made the many-headed multitude When slain Youth and Beauty were heap'd on high Virtue and Strength pil'd with Nobility Who slew all these each tear now seems to say The mourner drops by this sad heap of clay Nor doe they soloecise for in Rushout's sonne There 's a heap'd funerall though he be but one Logick is out it 's praecepts erre in this He is but one and yet a number is Arithmetick mistakes in him for we If not divide yet one may multiply Virtue and Beauty Strength and Youth are here Heap'd up and pil'd together on this Biere A summe of Graces are Hee 's a Totall than Not one of these but might compleat a man The tears that from his Fathers eyes doe run Fall for but one Sonne and yet not for One When he laments his Beauty so soon gone Doth he not Weep for his Dead Absolom He mourns and praises his obedient Will 'T is for his Isaac sure those tears distill When he recounts the Wisdome of his Sonne And Sighs sighs he not for his Solomon When how religious and a tear let fall Then sure he weeps at Joseph's funerall Absolon Isaac Joseph Solomon Are all deceas'd in this his onely JOHN Who slew all these then not the barbarous hand Of forreign stranger nor the dire command Of the Theeve's Captain where the riddle 's this Out laws obey and rape obedience is No death abroad strange ayre his breath supplies He travels and lives but returns and dies Thus have we seen the Pearl or Diamond stone Brought to the cooler from the hotter Zone Escape the threats of th' Rocks and th' Oceans fome And yet in th' Harbour have been lost at home Having past the Pyrats and the watry way Made or the Customers or the Thames his prey Is this the welcome thy return'd Natives have O England entertainment in a grave When to thy long'd for Soile thy Sonnes return Canst finde no lodging for them but their Urnâ— When from strange Climates to their own they come Has't no home for them but their longest Home Fame calls thee Eden if thou a Garden be 'T is such as Joseph's the Sepulchre 's in thee The terme 's too good since on thine none thou prey Wee 'l change thy name thou art Acelâ—â—â—a Since now thy Bowels are with Funerals full Thou 'rt or a field of bloud or place of Scull Death dwels within thee makes his Mansion here Hath ta'ne a Lease we dread for many years A Lease not made by Law but War yet good 'Cause seal'd with Swords and written in our bloud Thus cruell art thou and like to be yet He Hath cause to thank thee for thy crueltie In thee he dy'd but to thy Sins and fears Thy Crown 's of Cypresse he a Laurel weare He rests in Peace secured from thy harmes Hears glad Hallelujah's but thou Alarms The Grave and Heaven 's his Arke whilst that the floud Sweeps thee away he floats above thy Bloud The Grave and Heaven 's his House where he hid ly And the destroying-Angel passe him by Death leads to Life He dy'd young yet shall be A Youth as long-liv'd as Aeternitie J. THOMPSON FAITHS VICTORY over NATVRE OR The unparallel'd president of an unnaturally Religious Father HEBR. 11.17 By Faith ABRAHAM when hee was tryed offered up ISAAC THis Chapter after
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
offers up Isaac Briefly faith wrought in Abraham a double effect which inclined him to offer up Isaac The one a dependance on Gods power The other submissive to Gods will The one confidence on Gods truth in promising The others reverence of Gods Majesty in commanding In regard of the promise it assured him God was able to raise up Isaac from the dead as it is Verse 19th that notwithstanding all seeming contrarieties and though hee saw no way of accomplishment divine power could act above against means and so he believeth above and beyond hope In reference to his command it perswadeth him this was Gods will to which he must subscribe that the Almighty was his sovereigne Lord to dispose of him and his how hee pleased and therefore ought to be obeyed Thus being confident of Gods ability and fidelity in making good his word being resolved to exalt Gods will above his own hee readily performeth his duty and by faith when he was tryed offered up Isaac To shut it up in a brief application learne wee all to prize the worth and endeavour for the growth of this grace of faith we know not what tryals God may call us but alasse how shall we bear them if not supported by faith its faith is the only weapon to resist Satans temptations and the best staffe to hold us up under divine tryals this grace of faith as it is of singular worth so of universall use in prosperity it teacheth us how to use comforts in adversity how to want them without this we can neither do what is enjoyned nor beare what is inflicted oh then let our care be with all our gettings to get faith and not only to get but strengthen faith since its strong faith gives us strong support in strong tryals and in particular that wee may with Abraham in some sence offer up our Isaac resigne our children yea all earthly comforts with cheerfulnesse when he tryes us in them and calls for them from us let us pray with the Apostles Lord increase our faith true it is a naturall man when he sees there is no possibility of enjoyment may be contented to want just like a man who in apparent danger of the ship with a nilling willingnesse and mixt consent casts his goods into the Sea but it s only the believing Saint who makes a free and full resignation of himself and comforts into Gods hand There is a four-fold enablement which faith contributes to this difficult duty of offering up our Isaac parting with our dearest comforts when God calls 1 It acknowledgeth Gods Sovereignty over all and teaches the soul to say my state my friends my children my self are not my own but Gods who may doe with his own what he will 2 It confesseth the inconstancy of all worldy enjoyments and lets us see upon what uncertain terms we hold creature-comforts being only tenants at the will of the Lord of whatsoever we possesse thus it learns those that buy to be as that possessed not to rejoyce as those rejoyced not and those that have wives and children as though they had none continually expecting to be bereaved of them 3 It assures us of great good by obedientiall submission and that there is no losse in giving up all to God its good for mee to enjoy this comfort sayth sense its better to part with it saith faith since there is no better way to retein a comfort then in a faithfull carelesnesse to surrender it up to God witnesse Abraham in the text hee offers and God spares his Isaac 4 It convinces us of Gods All-sufficiencie presents him to the soule as an universall good finding all losses to be made up in him alone what sweetnesse can be suckt out of any or all the creatures below that and more doth faith finde in the God above as once Briseis said to Achilles Tu Dominus tu vir tu mihi frater eris Thou art Lord brother husband children all to me Thus will faith draw strength from God to support us under and carry us through the saddest tryals That therefore we may answer when God calls obey when he commands resigne when he requires and be found blamelesse in the day of tryall let our care be in all exigencies to quicken faith so shall wee walke in the steps of faithfull Abraham now and after the cheerfull endurance of tryals for a time we shall rest in the bosome of Abraham for ever finding that gracious promise fully verified Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him To end all with one word of advice to you the father of this son whom God hath pleased in mercy I hope to take away I may truly affirme God hath bereaved you of your Isaac one who had learnt with Isaac obedience to you no small vertue in children especially when grown up in years since it too often falls out that they come no sooner to know themselves but they forget their parents one in whom you had much comfort on whom you had placed singular affection of whom you and all that knew him had great hopes his naturall endowments ingenuous education skill in variety of Languages modest and civill behaviour promising in future time abundant fruit but this tree God hath cut downe betimes and in charity we may hope transplanted to his own paradise but doubtlesse it is no small losse to the Garden of your Family and cannot but be a sore tryall of your patience that therefore you may be comforted look on Abraham and let his practice be the matter of your imitation your triall in a double respect falls short of his his was an only son you have one yet surviving hee was to be executioner of his own son but it is divine providence which by a sad accident hastened your sons death since then your losse is lesse then his let your submission be equall with his and if you cannot keep even pace with him yet be sure to follow him in those steps of faith and obedience which he took remember your son is not amissus but praemissus lost but sent before you whether one day you and wee all must follow in the mean time think that God saith to you as Elkana said to Hannah why weepest thou and why is thy heart grieved am not I better to thee then ten sons ô then let grace over-rule nature faith suppresse passion and though you cannot but shew your self a tender father towards him yet still behave your self as a son of Abraham who by faith when he was tryed offered up Isaac FINIS Quest 1. Answ. Aliter Deus tentat aliter diabolus diabolus tentâ—t ut subruat Deus tentat ut coronâ—t Ambros. Quest 2. Answ. 2 Chron. 32 3â— Deut. 8.2 Quest 3. Answ. Gen. 22.12 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Chrysost. Quest 4. Answ. Luke 18.22 Gen. 22.2 Use 1. 1 Pet. 1.6 7. Grâ—â— Fieri dicitur quod tentatur fieri Rib. Hier. Calv. Pareus Chrysost. Obser. Mark 1â— 43. Luke â— 21 Stella Use 2 Cor. 8. â—â— Matth. 7.8 9. Matth. 26.41 Matth. 12.20 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Geâ— 22 â— Hier. Luke 14.22 1 Sam. 3. â—â— Job 1.21 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Chrys. 1 Cor. 7.29 30 James 1.12 1 Sam. 1. â—