Sarah's Tent what hath the joyful Father to expect more than an happy Translation to Heaven But to hear of a Marriage-Bed instead of a Grave and six flourishing Branches to spring out from the Dead Stock of his Body this is a little strange and surprizing Let not my Reader profane himself by imputing Levity much less Lasciviousness to Him that for so long a time had conversed with Angels and God Himself on Earth For as Jesus could not Bow his Sacred Head nor give up the Ghost before each Syllable that was Prophesied of Him was perfectly fulfilled even to the bitter Draught of Vinegar and Gall in his last Moments so neither could Abraham suffer a Demise e'er the Promises made to Him were as perfectly Accomplished And by the Power of a Divine Revelation I will make thee a Father of many Nations he is Invigorated with Prolifick Vertue for blessing six Countries more with Princes from his own Body Nor shall this Numerous Brood of Keturah be injurious to the Great Heir the very Offal of the Estate shall suffice for Portions to Them while Isaac's Dishes stand never the Thinner on his Table Let the Men of this World run away with the poor Legacies of general Providence Heaven is enough and enough for the true Heirs of God. Lord however hardly thou deal with me here in the World Reserve a Portion for me with thy Self and it shall suffice The Glorious Sun is now upon Setting and my Pencil must prepare to draw the Shadows of the Night which are Doubled by the shutting up the Eyes of the Great Abraham in Death Since Eternity was Retail'd into Parcels of Time and Dayes never was there a Century better pass'd in Universal Obedience to the Glory of the God of Life whose Divine Wisdom thinks it but just to send him a Writ of Ease from all his Travels under the Sun and having finished the Work he had given him to do to call for him Home and to fix him in his Lodgings with Himself in the Unmoveable Kingdom Abraham is dead and the Prophets They have chalked out to us the Path of Life and then retired to Heaven With what Impudence can any Church tell me That if I follow the Steps of the Great Abraham believe and Live as He yet shall I never Arrive to his Bosom unless I seal to the Articles of their own devising and believe what Abrahams Holy Heart would have Risen at and Abhorr'd to consent to Should God send again this holy Saint from Heaven to walk a while among his Children on Earth retaining still but his own Principles and teaching them to others as what were sufficient to bring them to Happiness in a Zealous Rejection of all the vain Inventions of Men imposed now on the Christian World under the Anathema's of Death confident I am even Abraham would very hardly escape the Censures of the Cursed Inquisition which Wracks the Faith of every Soul within its Clutches into larger Extensions of impossible things to be Credited than the Tortured Joynts are drawn out to under the cruel Twitches of the Tyrannical Engine If Revelation of Divine Truth imprinted on the Heart fitted and softned to receive the Impression upon it and gaining upon the Affections to embrace and delight in it working off the Life from unsuitable Practices to reduce it into a Natural and pleasing Conformity to the Holy Rule be not enough to secure me from the Dangers of Error and Delusion wherewith the Superstitious World so uncharitably charges every Dissenter from its Follies so unreasonably imposed let me contentedly dye and put it to the Tryal before the Tribunal of the Great Judge who I am sure cannot deny his own Work in Attempering an Heart to his Holy Knowledge and Obedience that naturally is so Averse and Rebellious against both And for Appendices to Religion Policies of Government and offensive Ceremonies c. I can easily distinguish in the Light of Truth how far I am obliged to conform to them for the sake of Peace and Honour of the Church and in the same Light to differ from them where they dissent from the Truth and grate too much upon Conscience and yet still 't is my Duty to pay Respect so far as I can to the Persons of Men Thô I know it mine Interest in no wise to bend to their Principles or close in with them in Cringing to a false God and this I learn from Abraham whose Demeanour towards the Children of Heth was full of Condescention and Civil Respect while he would have chosen to Dye rather than given them the Honour of his Presence in their Idolatrous Temples Civility and an Endearing Carriage hath its huge Advantages in the World where Crabbedness and a Morose look is not only ungenteel but affrighting If Abraham had been a Person of a Rugged Supercilious Deportment amongst Men how dimly had his Light shined in the Diversity of Nations where God directed him to go how little had his Profession profited towards an embracing of the Truths he followed I think it may be truly Remarqued That the Generous and obliging Spirits of some Gentlemen in the Romish Communion have done more to allure the Minds of our unstable Neighbours to harbour good Thoughts of their ill Religion than all the designing Attempts of their Priests whose Cloystâ—â— naturally breed them to a sort of Carriage that never fails to create Jealousies and Fears upon the Minds of Men that occurr them and bespeak them rather to stand upon their Guard against them than to receive them in open Arms of Love And while very few of that Fraternity can give a rational Account of at least Two parts in Three of their Faith which they ever devolve upon the Church who takes care too that a prying Inspection be ever discouraged and Brow beaten it shall suffice me to walk in the lustre of Abraham's Religion from whom the Reformed Churches have received the Pattern and care not to follow any other And for my Self had I a thousand Souls to Answer for I would adventure them all upon the pure and unspotted Profession of Him who had all his Knowledge from God sanctified into an Excellent Life which fitted him in the End for a Glorious Death and a blessed Eternity FINIS Books lately Printed for John Dunton at the Black Raven in the Poultrey over against the Compter 1 A Continuation of Morning Exercise Questions and Cases of Conscience practically Resolved by 31 Reverend and Learned Divines in the City of London in October 1682. Printed in a very large Quarto Price bound 10 s. 2 A compleat History of the Lives Tryals Sufferings Deaths and Characters of all those Excellent persons who fell in the West of England and elsewhere from the Death of Sir Edmundbury Godfry to this present time with the Pictures of several of the chief of them in Copper plates To which is added The Life Death and Character of George Lord Jefferies Written by a Person of great Learning and Piety 3 Reformed Religion or Right Christianity describ'd in its Excellency and Vsefulness in the whole Life of Man Wherein is given an Impartial Character of a Right Christian in General of a right Christian Minister of a right Christian Magistrate of a right Christian Subject of a right Christian Worship of a right Christian Parliament and of a right Christian Souldier Written by M. Barker Minister of the Gospel in London Price bound 1 s. 4 Mr. Howes Sermon at the Funeral of that Faithful and laborious Servant of Christ Mr. Richard Fairclough price 6 d. 5 The Joy of Faith or a Treatise opening the true Nature of Faith its lowest Stature and distinction from Assurance with a preliminary Tract evidencing the Divinity of the Sacred Scriptures By Samuel Lee M. A. sometime Fellow of Wadham Colledge Oxon. price bound 1 s. 6 d. 6 Early Piety Exemplified in the Life and Death of Mr. Nathanael Mather who at the Age of 19 dyed an Instance of more than common Learning and Vertue The second Edition with a Prefatory Epistle by Mr. Matthew Mead price bound 1 s. 7 Mr. Slater's Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. John Oaks price 6 d. 8 His Sermon preached to Young Men at their desire Dec. 25. 1688. price 6 d. 9 Mr. Shower's Sermon upon the Death of a young Gentlewoman Mrs. Ann Barnardiston Daughter of Nathanael Barnardiston Esq late of Hackney with her Exemplary Life and Death 10 Mr. Roger's Sermon preached upon the Death of a Young Gentleman with an Account of the young Gentlemans Life and Death 11 A Sermon occasioned by the Execution of a man found guilty of Murther preach'd at Boston March 11. 1686. By Increase Mather Rector of Harvard Colledge in New-Engl price bound 1 s. 12 Mr. Baxter's Directions to a sound Conversion The Fourth Edition price bound 2 s. 13 Mr. Doolittel on the Sufferings of Christ from the Garden to the Grave price bound 2 s. 14 A necessary Companion for a serious Christian directing him aright through the whole course of his Life price bound 6 d.
while he pays the Tribute of so Reasonable Service But the banished Crew who rov'd up and down in the Air and Earth now perfectly stript of all the Glories of their happy Creation and of all Hopes of any possible Re-investiture into Divine Favour and ready to burst with Rage and Malice when they find that God had raised up to himself Children from the Dust of the Earth that paid him a greater Honour than they and were now become the Blessed Heirs of his Grace and the Mercies themselves had so justly Forfeited began to Conspire the Means of recking their Revenges against both between whom there appeared so seemingly Irrefragable Vnion of Friendship And is there no way think the Infernal Wretches to deface this so goodly Fabrick so Accurately set up and brought to so lovely Perfection No means to cool this Fervour of Fondness and Affection betwixt these new Confederates What cannot a Council of Devils break this Tripple League Were not we our selves in as fair Probability of standing unmoveably in his Favour yet are now broken off And does all our Misery serve us to no purpose at all nor instruct us into Methods of Revenge Sure the Expedient is at hand already and can we act by any better Engine than what hath unscrewed our selves from his Heart Can we work by any more proper Tool than Pride that has ruin'd us all She that hath been so Politick to out-wit Spirits cannot want her Arts to cast a fair Mist before the Eyes of the Children of the Worm while she blows her Venomous Breath upon them And is that newly start-up Lady so stiff and strait-lac'd that no dainty cringing Address may prevail to warp her to the Impressions of Pride So Coy and Reserv'd that no Insinuations can bow her to the Suggestions of a greater Happiness than yet she enjoys Why she is but a Woman made of a Rib and Bent already to give Life to our hopes Cannot Pride smooth her up to the tickling Conceits of an higher Empire and display the Felicities of a Goddess to her Intimate that her Maker is jealous already of his Supremacy and providently to secure it hath Fettered them up by a Law from the only means of both their Promotions But if they will may be Gods themselves as well as He. Let her view the enclosed Tree and judge whether its Fruit have not Charms which none but Weakness and Folly would refrain from and bears Meat not proper only for Gods but whose very Digestion would produce Immortality They may but taste themselves into Deity And then for an Assistant hath she not the Serpent a subtle Creature to Organize the Errand and speak by that knows so curiously to Curl himself into Welcome and Audience and by a thousand Cringes will wriggle himself into Acceptance And thou Pride we conjure thee to dart thy Mortal Sting whose griping Pains still stick in our Hearts strike it into every part of their Souls While we our selves will Assist thee in the Project and make them know we will not Smart alone under the Frowns of an Angry God but shall let them see how just it is they should bear a share with us in the bitter Fruits of Rebellion and Folly. 'T is no news to the Reader that this execrable Plot was crowned with its wish'd-for Success and how Pride plaid her part in the Tragedy so much to the Life that all the Pit of Hell paid her the Honour of the Clap and the Hum. Love and Life lye Bleeding together The Divinity disappears and retreats into Heaven to Solace it self in it self since all the Sparks of it here below are fully extinct and Darkness covers again all the Earth The very Devils prosper in their Ruinous Plots and if infinite Wisdom be not able to temper good Physick from this Venom the Foundations of the World must dissolve into Nothing the Creation drop into its first Confusion to Bury the Sinners in its Ruines No sooner had Miserable Man shut his Ear from his Maker and opened it to the Viper and Lust but the first visible Effect of his Folly was Shame which never since hath broken off its Attendance on Sin for Pride having rent off the Garment of their Native Simplicity and Innocence which fenced them from every Danger the Angry Winds begin to revenge their Creator's Quarrel and boldly assault their shivering Joynts They feel already the Cold Effects of their Weakness and their very Souls Blush to see how Succorless and Naked they had left themselves Modesty Suggests the Necessity of a Covering and themselves can think of no better than the complicated Branches of a Tree not of the Lawrel wreath'd into Crowns of Victory alas here was all Defeat but of the poor Fig Platted into the inglorious Shrouds of Shame Unhappy Adam Hadst thou wisely refrain'd from the Fruit thou hadst never needed the Leaves Thus Reader those who slighted the Protection of the God of Nature became Debtors to a contemptible Vegetable and are obliged to a Leaf to Periwig their Baldness and Poverty But Alas Leaves had but little Wear or Warmth they soon Wither and Rot whose very dropping from their Loins dead and Sapless because separate from their Root seem to take Voice and loudly upbraid the Weakness of those that wore them and the Impossibility of Life to such who were now broken off from the Fountain of it Blessed God! To what Covert shall he betake himself that flies from thee They multiply Sorrows that hasten after another God. How unpitied are the Rags of the Prodigal who left the Rich Wardrobe of his Fathers Treasures to Cloath himself with Confusion Fig-leaves Adieu Wither and dye I 've other Leaves to dress me by A Tree whose Leaves do ever thrive And which alone dead Souls Revive One who has Curs'd both Leaves and Wood For not affording any Good Kindly consulting General Weal Left those behind that Nations Heal Whose Vertue wisely understood Are found both Medicine and Food Then turn them Reader o're and o're Adam's lost Glory they 'll restore Cold and Shame are but the beginning of Man's Sorrows If his Members shake with the gentle Gales of Paradise how will his Heart tremble at the Whirlwind of his Offended Makers Voice Shame is the First-born of Sin and Fear takes it by the Heel as a Twin of the same Birth He Fears and Flies but in vain from him that is every where And he that first seeks a Covering for his Shame is now seeking another for his Sin and would gladly Pin his Fig-leaves on his Makers Back whom he Blasphemously Impeaches as the Sinner for his kindness in giving him a Wife I tremble to see how low he falls who hath once lost his hold of Grace O let everlasting Arms be underneath me Since such is the Villany of Nature that it would Condemn a God to save it self But what is more Stupendious yet The God is content it should be so and that a Cross be fram'd
the bleeding Wound and heal The Vlcers of the general Weal That all thy Demoniacks may Put on their Cloaths and pass away THE TRAGEDY OF THE Old World With the Prostration due from a little Shrub of the Vallies to the stately Cedars of Lebanon that flourish on the Mountains of Honour do I humbly bow with this Tragedy in my Hand leaving it at their Feet and would they vouchsafe to advance it to their Eye they shall soon discern that Men of their own high Rank and Order promoted and hastened the Ruine of the First World. So influential are the Examples of great Ones that they dragg the whole Universe after them May your Honourable Coronets never dash against the Bald Pates of the Vile and Ignoble on the Waters of Ruine Nor your Bodies be Interr'd in the common Grave of a general Desolation which will be easily prevented by your furnishing those Temples with the Ornaments of Immortality This will give you the Glory of being the Saviours of the present World and the mighty Shields that protect it from the Attaques of Justice and Wrath. 2 PET. II. 5. If God spared not the Old World c. SIN having thus triumph'd in the Ruine of the Angels and torn off the Crowns from the Heads of the first Princes of the World leaving that Infection in their Blood that corrupts the whole Progeny had little else to do but to hang up the Trophies of its Chivalry while the whole Creation lyes shackled under the Mournful Bonds of its Tyranny The unhappy Captives chain'd to its Chariot Wheels are dragg'd into Slavery and Death Alas they never tasted the sweets of their Parents Freedom and Innocency and are now content to Guild their Fetters and mistake their Rattling for Musick The Tyrant takes care to make them easie and wide they shall have Liberty enough to frolick and sport themselves with Leviathan in the large Ocean of its bewitching Empire and as Prisoners at large may run the Rounds of all unrestrained Pleasure and Ease fetching with Satan their large Circuits too and fro through the whole Paradise of Complacencies and Delights By such killing Methods as these the Bondage is confirm'd and the Prince of the Air is so fortunate to find all his easie Laws very naturally obey'd while the poor Subjects grow fond of the Polity and abjuring the Rights of the invisible Kingdom they swear Allegiance as the hearty Vassals of the present Power and protest against all Pretence of Homage demanded by another Lord they grow Hot for the usurped Title and will venture Life and Blood for the present Interest they will perish rather than return and vote themselves to perpetual Exile from true Happiness And 't is strange to find with what Zeal and Passion they labour to give the most cordial Demonstration of their Voluntary Subjection and Loyalty With Caesar's Souldier they kill themselves to bleed out the Mortal Evidences of their Love. In short all its Interests are so strongly riveted into their very Constitutions and Nature that Obedience runs with their Blood through every Vein of their Hearts Thus are they perâ—ectly miserable and themselves love to have it so they wear out a Life in paying the constant Tributes of a Devoted Affection to the Tyrant that destroys them and were it possible would spend an Eternity in the same Service and are sorry only that Death puts too hasty a Period to their dutiful Resolutions They could be proud to yield Immortal Necks to the pleasing Yoke and with an equal submission Kiss the Box that brings the fatal Warrant for their own Execution and as readily give their Throats to the strangling Cord whenever the good pleasure of their Sovereign shall do them the Honour to command them to dye Thus hath the subtle Serpent too successfully laid the Foundation of an Universal Monarchy and projects to extend its Empire with Jesus himself from Sea to Seâ— and from the River to the ends of the Earth and which is yet more deplorable of this Kingdom there is like to be no End the Dominton endureth throughout all generations and will vigorously flourish 'till Time shall be no more And no wonder when his Throne is establish'd in the very Bosoms of his Slaves who reverently bow to the Idol and yield an unquestionable Conformity to all his Mandates Now David look to thine own House the whole World is departed and are listed under the Banner of thine Enemy who swells under the proud Title not of a Prince only but a God. In vain does Heaven menace Revenge against those that fancy themselves in security and are harden'd to the same Opposition against all the Proffers of Grace and Dreads of Power The Difference is blown to the height of a perfect Enmity and a loathing and Omnipotence must set it self to work again either a New Creation or a total Destruction The Apostacy growing thus Daring and General yet to shew that Mercy can triumph against Judgment Divine Grace breaks into the Territories of Hell and powerfully rescues a small Colony of the seduced Traytors to a reluctant sense of their envassalled Estate and impatient sighing after their lost Liberty Grace can dissolve the strongest Enchantments that bewitch the Heart and unfetter the Affections from the woful Chains of Sin and Death These rear up Altars to God and with their Sacrifices send up strong Cryes to Heaven for Pardon and Mercy the rest betake themselves to Lust and Libertinism and are enflamed with the Idols of their own Hearts Yet no sooner did the first Penitent presume to decline the defection and publickly to make an Offering of his Heart with his Oblation to his true Lord but his own Brother becomes his Executioner he himself is sent a second Sacrifice to Heaven for his happy desertion of the Cursed Interest If all the Obligations of Nature and the nearest Relation if sweetness of Humour and endearing Disposition if Fear of a God and dread of Vengeance could have had the least Influence on the Conscience of that bloody Fratricide we had not been startled with the amazing News of so early a Martyrdom But if God shall own him from Heaven by the Flames of Acceptation he may not escape on Earth from the stroaks of Persecution Poor Abel falls the Victim of God's Love his own Piety the Divel's Malice and his Brother's Cruelty This unnaâ—ural Murther was a sure Prognostick of the Old World's Tragedy since if Sin commence to so high a pitch in its Infancy and swadling-cloaths what Exploits may we think will it Atchieve in â—ts riper Years when grown into Gyant There is nothing hath occasion'd more fatal Events to the World than Quarrels of Religion while every one pretends to the Truth and none will confess his Error but in the case of these different Worshippers God himself had taken the Chair and signalized the True from the False by clear Demonstration from Heaven yet is Error so far from Conforming it self and Acquiescing
think is troubled with the Vapours while he Builds himself into perfect Poverty Let him go on say they Experience at last may make him Wise when we shall have time enough to Ridicule his unparallel'd Folly. The Merchants and Traffacking Companies distracting themselves in the Croud of their Forreign Concerns are in earnest Expectation of those happy Returns that they think cannot fail to Enrich them The Poor Mechanicks Sweating as hotly in the hasty Pursuit of their meaner Accrewments and promising themselves a Brisker Trade in the ensuing Years The Laborious Villagers Manuring their Acres in the confident Hopes of Perpetual Harvests which alas they will never Reap and all without the least Eye or dependance on the Blessing of Heaven to Ripen them Imaginations forg'd in every Brain of an endless Prosperity which they take care to make sure to those Heirs which are never likely to Inherit it Courtships are made with as Flagrant Pretences of Love to Young Ladies as now in hopes of Establishing the Families into future Successions of Honour and Estate when alas they are rouzed from the Bed of Fondness and Delight when nothing remains but the Poor Complacency of Dying in each others Arms. Projects are contriv'd to Assign Children to this and that Employ that in greatest Probability may make them Happy The Toiling Hirelings are flattering themselves with the hopes of deliverance into better Services from the wearisome Tasks they at present Groan under The very Beasts are fattening up to the Yoke and Shambles when alas they shall never approach to either For the Women the Sources of this Plague their Provocations were so many and Great that my Pen in despair to number them up takes the wisest course to let them alone while their Minds are wholly Immers'd in Vanity they make up too great a Part of the Tragedy and I leave them to Skreak together at the approach of their Ruines O learn hence what the destructive end of Sin is that hath brought so Tremendous a Perdition on all the World And if such were the Havock by the Inundation of Water what will the Streams of Brimstone in Hell do and what the Flames of the last Conflagration How terrible is God in his Executions upon Sinners how Scorching his Justice and Vengeance Upon the Wicked He shall rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest This shall be the portion of their Cup Put them in fear O Lord that the Nations may know themselves to be but Men They are gone Reader and as of all things else that are past there is nothing remains of so Tragical a Story but the bare remembrance of it that hath so weak an Influence upon the Spirits of Men at so remote a distance of time that it hath lost its operating Virtue and Power and retains not the least Efficacy to deterr us from the Sin for which they perished If when the Earth opening her mouth to swallow up Corah and all his Confederating Rebels the surviving Thousands of Israel gave a Screek only and returned the very next day to the same Murmurs for which They died Nay if the very Children of Noah had so little sense of it that while himself lived his own Eyes were so unhappy to see them so early revolting into the very Provocations and Idolatries that brought the Flood first upon the World How should we hope that our Selves upon whom the Ends of the present One are come and which is grown Old in Wickedness and Ripe for a second Destruction should be affrighted out of our long riveted Lusts from any Reflection of our Minds on so Antiquated a Tragedy Yet hath God Enrolled the Execution in the perpetual Records and sent down his Son to take out a Copy of it and commanded him to Post it into his own Journal to give it a new and a fresher Life not without hope that it might Rouze us a little from our fatal Slumbers while the Noise and Horrour of the mighty Waters should sound in our Ears Yet doubted it still while he Prophesies that Himself should find us at his Second Coming plung'd into as deep Perpetrations as They and lock'd up under as perfect Insensibility of our Approaching Ruine from which nothing could awaken us but the surprizing Trumpet of an Arch-angel alarming us to Judgment and the Everlasting Doom For as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be also in the day of the Son of Man They did eaâ— they drank they married Wives they were given in Marriage until the day that Noah entred into the Ark and the Flood came and destroyed them all But what is become of Prides Kingdom now When with the Great Darius she is slown and hath left all the Rich Plunder of her stately and Golden Tents to the Spoil of the Conquerour Alas she has no pity for so many slaughtered Carkasses thrown over into the Ocean of Ruine Nor is it so much her Care to Protect as to Betray her unhappy Subjects She delights not so much in their Safety as Destruction she Dresses them up only for Sacrifice and they have the Pleasure to dye in their Holiday Cloaths She Combs their Heads and Shaves their Beards and Smooths up their rivelled Cheeks to expire with Octavius and lays them asleep on gentle Pillows She Courts them with Jael to come in to her and hides them from the Danger of others but then the Nail and the Hammer is in her own Hand which Pins them fast to the Earth With Alexander she hunts out more Worlds for them to Conquer and with the desperate Pharaoh leads them into the very Bowels of the Sea See how she drives them into Corners first out of Heaven then out of Paradise and now out of the World She is the Devils Spirit employ'd to furnish Inhabitants for the lower Region to an eternal Slavery Behold where she Perks on the Prow of Noah's Ship where she Splits her very sides with Laughter at the Glorious Present she has made to Lucifer What a World of Furniture hath she boarded away at once for his Spacious Palace How will his stately Rooms be hung with the Tapistries of Prides Tragedies What Horrid Stories will they represent of her Cruel Tyrannies And here she waits to drop her Cockatrices Eggs which she knows will Hatch themselves within the very Ark into another Brood for her She thinks not her Case so desperate yet as not to hope she has a Friend in the very Council of Eight One that has Courage enough to own her Principles and doubts not in a little time to grow up into Power and Strength enough advantageously to declare for her Interest Men of Renown Dash'd out of Breath Gigantick Huffs yet Pump'd to Death O Baffling Heaven Mighty Mountains Tumbled into swelling Fountains Lye sprawling there Trophies of strength Divine whose Massy Weight and Length Makes Justice smile A Righteous God Reducing all to Dust and Clod Chaos and Carcasses O Sin How Dismal have thy
Ruins bin Tremble ye mighty Gods of Earth Here God's as Great as you want Breath O for an Ark of Safety now Come in come in and Lowly Bow. The Impiety of Cham. THE proud Waters that had received their Commission from the King of Heaven to Fight his Battel and revenge his Quarrel against the universal Apostacy with more Faithfulness than Saul who in pity spared the delicate Agag and the best of the Cattel for Sacrifice undertaking the General Massacre without Mercy Proud of an opportunity to Muster up all their strength and by this Execution to Chronicle the Eternal Victory over all their oposite Elements pour'd out all their Forces with such a Torrent of Fury and Rage that soon did the poor baffled Flames Sacrifice themselves for fear and lie all Martyr'd in their own Ashes Not a Spark left in the whole World but what must be fetcht from Heaven to warm Noah's Altar The Air guilty of the Treason too for yielding Breath to such a Rebellious crew is all smother'd to Death within the Concaves of the Spiring World. But the poor Earth for the Guilt of bearing this unhappy Burden and Feasting them with all her Luxurious Prodigalities with Caesar muffles her Face in her Mantle and patiently receives the Wounds of her own folly while the insulting Enemy not content to ride upon her Back only tramples her under his Feet and is trod into Mire and Dirt. Whose cruel Tyrannies when the All-gracious God perceived and now that these insolent Waves help'd forward the Affliction of his poor little Church in the Ark crowded among Brutes and very uneasie commands them to go back It is enough stay now your hand But while they hardly retire and with too slow a pace a mighty Wind is sent forth to sound the Retreat and enforce them to a speedier conformity that so the Creator might conferr a New World on those his favourites who had alone been so Loyal and Faithful to him in the Old. The Commission is Executed and the good Prophet hopes that this Wind has blown him some good while the obedient Surges post so fast away to their Quarters and that neither Wind nor Water had done him hitherto the least prejudice in their several Marches How submissively doth he wait till he receives the glad Tydings of the Recession of the Enemy which is confirmed to him by his winged Ambassadour under seal with the Signature of an Olive Branch And that Patience might have its perfect work he still attends and dares not set a Foot on the Earth without receiving orders from Heaven But now behold this poor despised Preacher of the Old World comes ashore from his dark Cabbin and lands the great Monarch of the Vniverse a Type of the greater Saviour the Prophet Priest and King over all the Earth whos 's first work is to build an Altar whereon he Sacrifices his very Soul in Praises and Thanksgivings to God the Perfume of which was so sweet in his Nostrils that it brought down a blessing not on Himself only but on all the Earth to all Generations for while Seed-time and Harvest Summer and Winter Day and Night continue unto us we cannot be unmindful of holy Noah's Sacrifice which was so pleasing to God that to him was sealed the Confirmation of them all to us Yet could not all the Floods of Wrath extinguish the rage of that Venom which his Impious Son C ham translated from the Old World into the New and had lodged in his Heart all this while like a close Traytor in the very Bosome of the Church A Contagion which will spread it self to that Latitude as in a few years shall over-run the Earth again This was the cursed Stock out of which shall sprout those venomous Branches which shall dilate themselves into a prodigious Plantation for the increase of Wickedness He was a fellow of so vile a Spirit that you might have found all the Rudenesses of the past World concentred in him And while he wants other opportunities to manifest the Villanies of his Heart he blushes not to act them against his own Father so devoyd was he of that common Grace and reverend Respect which every Pagan Conscience payes to the Maintenance of the Honour of Soveraignty so insensible was he of that Duty which as a Natural Tribute is due to so great a Prince and so good a Parent that he is not afraid of the Vengeance of Heaven while he belches out the Crudities of his rotten Lungs upon his venerable Face by open Derision and prophane Contempt of that glorious Person now a Prisoner in the surprizing Snares of his own Vines whose uncivil Twiggs had caught him by the Heels and ruffled off his Mantle from him in the fall Unhappy Prince to give so vile a Miscreant occasion of so Rebellious an Affront to thy Majesty But most worthily Accursed Wretch that wer 't so far from casting the Veil of Duty and Charity over that naked Bosom wherein lodged an Heart so lately by the Righteous Judge of Heaven pronounc'd to be the very Best and most Sincere in all the World That here I find thee taking up the perfect Postures of a Mad-man extending thy widened Throat into loud Exclamations of Laughter and Derision to the insufferable dishonour of that mournful Object Nor canst thou be satisfied in ridiculing thine own Father in the presence of the All-seeing God and his Angels but must maliciously summon all the World to do it too how righteously therefore wer 't thou and thy whole Posterity bound up in the strong Chains of an Eternal Curse The Infirmities of our Fathers either Civil or Natural should be so far from causing us to draw a wry Mouth that they must be ever the subject of our aking Hearts Since the Fathers eating sowre Grapes do but cause the Childrens Teeth to be set on Edge And who is Ignorant that Noah's Wine did but exhilerate his Spirit into a more chearful pronouncing the dreadful Imprecation upon that Son whom the doom of Heaven had before decreed to be blasted Sure I am those Israelites had forfeited their own Heads before ever God gave way to Satan to Tempt David to Poll them and Absalom's hot Brain did but naturally generate those long Locks which Divine Justice twisted into an Halter to hang him with for the short Cutt of his Curtail'd Obedience to so good a Father 'T is but Turkish Impiety to reck our Revenges against the Plagues of Heaven that Sin hath procured upon the very Bodies of our Kings 'T is remarkable that most of the Rebellions which Sacred Writ hath acquainted us with were raised against the best Princes and the very Intimates of God whose Interest for divine Assistance was so apparent that 't was a Miracle Passion should so besott men into the fatal Effects that pursued them all Since Corah's Grave was so affrightfull as might well allay the rage of that Spirit to this day Tho Zimri slew his Master that
that others dispens'd not with themselves in Practices as Vitious as theirs in Sodom God grant they be not found in our own Streets and the Daughters of England as Idly passing away their precious Time and Souls together as those that so long ago were sent into Torment for the same Sin. What were the Incentives that enkindled the Flames upon our own Houses and reduced them all into Ashes Would Men think there is a Sin lurking in their own Bosoms which far exceedeth the Sin of Sodom and which will one day meet with Judgment more Scorching and Intolerable 't is but believing the Oracle of Truth who hath convincingly forewarned us of the dangerous Consequences of that Fatal Contempt of his Person and Gospel that every where Reigns and whose Plagues are legible enough in Capernaum's Woe that are sentenc'd by the Judge himself to an hotter place in Torments than the Sodomites and surely very deservedly too it being nothing less than the Trampling under foot the Blood of a God and doing despite to the Spirit of Grace This is That Condemnation which will double Their Sorrows upon our Own Heads And our Vnbelief shall not make the Word of God of none effect Let us Repent and prepare for his second Coming who once for ever hath cautioned us by Them not to be surprized in the like Security Since in the very day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained Fire and Brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all Heaven showers down Hell on Guilty Wights Vile as were those Infernal Sp'rits Flaming in Lusts unnatural Ripe for Destruction down they fall To their own Places Scorched there In Everlasting Heats when here The dreaful Judgment Awes us not Ah me the Tragedies of Sin forgot Nor Waves nor Fires of Vengeance can Melt the Hard and Obdurate Man Yet what nor Flames can do nor Flood May easily be wrought by Blood. Come Lord the Work 's thine own and save A perishing World from the Grave FINIS ERRATA in the Life of Abraham PAg. 31. l. 11. r. Lustre p. 35. l. 1. r. rigour p. 66. l. 6. for other Sacrifices r. their Sacrifice p. 78. l. 7. for their r. thine p. 86. l. 4. r. charges p. 215. l. 26. r. she was p. 183. l. ult r. refreshed into p. 192. l. 22. dele that before possibly p. 221. l. 5. Chap. 12. Contents after Marriage add and Abraham's Death p. 232. l. ult r. inoffensive Ceremonies p. 70. l. 7. for Now r. No. Remarques ON THE LIFE Of the GREAT Abraham THE FATHER of the Faithful AND THE FRIEND of GOD. By S. JAY Rector of Chinner in the County of Oxon. Isaiah 51. v. 2. Look unto Abraham your Father LONDON Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Black Raven in the Poultrey over against the Compter 1689. TO THE Right Reverend Father in GOD GILBERT Lord Bishop of SARVM My Lord THat I presume to devote these Papers to your great Name when so perfect a Stranger to your Person may savour a little of Rudeness and Irreverence Yet your Lordship very well knows that a more refined Acquaintance is attainable with Spirits at a distance where the divine Idea's of the great Soul have Drawn themselves out to the very Life in the visible Characters of their own Excellency which have not fail'd to dragg after them as into an easie and pleasing Captivity the entire Affections and absolute Obedience of others as the natural Fruit of their Victory Thus we pay Homage to the very Saints in Heaven and to all Meritorious and Eminent Persons on Earth dignifying our selves by frequent and familiar Converses with them though perhaps exalted into mighty Stations far above the low Sphere of our meanness and humble Estate 'T is this Prospect My Lord made into the sublimer Forms of your spiritual Part that hath fix'd me your perfect Captive and given birth to this bold Intrusion But if sometimes the inferiouâ— Dependants on the Court Ensure themselves of a gracious Reception when thâ—â— come charg'd but with a Message from the Sovereign to you I am certain you will not shut your Gates against me when I come laden with Expresses from Heaven and recommended too by the Father of the Faithful and the very Friend of God. And thô it be little to your Lordship to hear of any New Pretender yet 't is Complacency enough to me when I make the World know how much I honour you for your Self and with what Pleasure and Satisfaction I received the good News of the Presidency of that Church to be lodged in your Lordship where my Ancestors with my unworthy self for four Generations successively paid the Tribute of Reverence to its Mitre now Priding â—t self in so rich an Head as yours unâ—ess perchance it be deprived of that Feâ—icity by the Ambition of another which â—ay emulate its Honour and think it no â—obbery to succeed in the same Happiâ—ess May your Lordship long live the true Heir of Abraham's eximious Faith and Piety the pleasing Object of your Princes Favour the Peoples Love and the Desire of all the Churches so Prays Your Lordships Most Obsequious Servant Steph. Jay REMARQUES ON THE LIFE Of the GREAT Abraham CHAP. I. Abraham's first Call from Idolatry to the Knowledge of the true God. The Encouragements God gives him to follow him His Obedience to the Call in leaving his Countrey He takes his Father and Family with him Their Arrival and Stay in Haran Their Business there Terah his Father dyes in Haran I Shall not reflect on this great Prince as a rough Stone lying unhewn in the Quarry of the Earth but as a sparkling Diamond polish'd by the Divine hand and made fit to be set in the Bosom of a God. The Chaldeans if any were famous and expert in Astrology Abraham's ambition aspired no higher than to get an acquaintance with the Heavens whose Power and Influences he thought had a great hand in governing the World he terminates his desires in the Zenith of these pleasing Studies being yet a perfect Stranger (a) (a) (a) Writers differ about Abraham's Idolatry some averring that he was never guilty though God seems to humble his Children with the consideration that their first Father had sinned which A Lapide confesseth to be meant not of Adam only but Abraham And that of Joshua can hardly be answered Cap. 24. v. 3. Philo positively concludes him so before the Divine Call. Neque eos audire possum qui cum magno conatu Abrahamum ab â—oc scelere vindicare nescio quibus argutiis student quasi non tanâ—â— illustrior sit Dei Gratia quâ illum est complexus quanto ipse suit sceleratior Masius In juventute Idololatra erat Tyrinus to the Omnipotent Power that had fixed those Luminaries in their several Orbs. Though the Book of the Creature discovers an infinite treasure of Wisdom and Power and clearly convince of a God yet is not the Eye so kind a Tutor to the Heart as to impose
its speculations with so great Authority or Success to work any powerful Impression upon it but rather taking up with the senses by the way it finds so pleasing Entertainment there that Man minds nothing more than what he sees and the glory of the invisible God becomes perfectly lost in the dazle and crowd of his visible Creatures The Mind of this Great Man was wholly immers'd in them he admires no Deity but that of his Countrey 'till by a Miracle of Mercy the Clouds of his Natural Darkness are dispell'd by an extraordinary light of Divine Revelation that makes Day in his Soul. Illumination from the Father of lights is so bright and influential upon the Faculties as fully secure from the danger of Delusion There is not only light but Assurance attending all the manifestations of God to the Mind Abraham was no Fanatick to be led by false Fires from his dearest Interests From this time the flames of VR burn darkly in his Eye he loaths to sacrifice any longer to the Fire when himself is enkindled by a diviner Spark Tradition tells us how true I know not that being now turned from their Religion his Countrey-men in rage threw him into the Fire for refusing to own their god but by miraculous escape he baffled the impotent Deity and discovered to its Votaries a greater that had bridled up his natural fury from singeing one Hair of his Head. This poor Element had the good fortune to be promoted to Honour from the gross mistake of some who had either heard or seen it fall from Heaven to consume the Sacrifices of the true Church these pass home and Vote it into (b) (b) (b) Chaldaei Persae cum vidissent Olim igne caelitùs delapso Patriarcharum sacrificia consumi putarunt esse Deum Godship perhaps on less improbable Errour than others since who contrary to all reason have promoted Meal to the same Worship and Deifie Bread instead of a Saviour Indeed the true God hath since fallen from Heaven in immaterial Fire on those holy Tapers who being first illuminated themselves were to pass over all the World to enkindle others baptizing them into Refinedness and Purity These Flames feed on nothing but Corruption and Ignorance they burn invisibly and this was the holy Fire which now God himself had kindled on the Alter of Abraham's Heart See from what mighty grounds of Reason and Truth our kind Mother the Church hath faithfully instructed us into the Necessity of God's preventing Grace which puts an effectual stop to the course of Sin even while with Saul we are posting on in a full career towards Death and Ruine Artic. 10. Divine Wisdom knows with what Heifer Man's Heart is best plowed 't is a selfish thing and plods on little else but its own Interests God pitying his Infirmities gratifies his weakness and falls in with him upon the terms that he sees best please him He knew this would make good Musick in the Ears of Abraham I will bless thee and I will make thee great Man will not serve God for nought though he owes all that he hath and is to Him for his Being Abraham though pretty well stricken in Years was yet but a Child in Experience of spiritual Grace therefore God dandles him on the Knee and allures him with the tickling Arguments of a Great Name and Estate We arrive to the Knowledge of Him by degrees and from a taste of his Goodness in the Creatures are afterwards brought to live upon Himself in the greatest abundance or want of them He knows by what Methods to train us up to perfection Abraham was no vulgar Person he stood already under very considerable Circumstances in the World But he that had much should yet have more and he that held his Estate but by the uncertain Tenure of general Providence shall now have his Copy enlarged to hold all in Fee-simple from a special donation of Grace God will hereafter add Sauce to his Meat and sweeten all his Messes with the Honey of Canaan 'T is a small thing to be Great if we hold that Greatness from our selves and derive it not from the great God who can make even Death it self that would else unstrip us into nothing to be the Porter to convey the Robes of a finite Honour into the next World with us where himself will overlay them with the Embroideries of an Infinite Glory But Abraham lived among his own People in all the delights of Security and Peace therefore God forestalls his Objection of Danger and offers him Articles (c) (c) (c) Mira Dei benignitas quod tam familiariter paciscitur cum Abrahamo haec enim solennis est foederum inter Reges alios formula ut communes habeant Amicos Hostes Vatabl. of Alliance wherein he makes over to him the whole Militia of Heaven for a Life-guard which we shall shortly find him making use of when he charged the Camp of the four Kings as Lightning and routed them these were to be commanded by his Faith at any time and that not for himself only but his Allies too Abraham should have the Aid of a God to lend at his pleasure to his Friends I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee In what desperate Estate then are the Enemies of the Church with all their Confederates of Hell who unite together unto certain Ruine and band themselvess unto Death Thus shall it be done unto Abraham whom God delighteth to Honour Tho' Reputation Riches and Long life be all that humane Nature can well wish for that Ignorantly closes her desires in the supposed felicity of them yet Abraham whose Soul should relish a greater Sweetness in God would not think himself sufficiently happy unless to all these there be superadded a blessing of that quality which might secure to him the lasting fruition of that Spiritual pleasure We bitterly part from Creature Joys but who that is Wise would want a God Temporal things grow Thredbare in the wearing and wither as Flowers in our Hands they abate of their Fragrancy and put us to the Blush for our too great confidence in them We are obliged to others for our Honour and Melt away our Treasures to purchase the Aire of their Mouths Life wasts away its self and grows ungrateful with long keeping If Abraham will be truly happy he must have something more than these There were Princes already in the World that glittered in all the Grandeurs of State it were a poor thing if a God should put off his Favourite with the fading Flowers of a Crown No an Honour shall be contrived for him brighter than the Sun which shall display its Beams as far as He and shed his influences over all the Universe to make it a fruitful Seminary for Heaven For in thee Abraham shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed As if God had said There shall arise a Glorious Person into the World compleated
the favour that thou bearest unto thy People O visit me with thy Salvation that I may see the good of thy Chosen that I may rejoyce in the gladness of thy Nation that I may glory with thy Inheritance A very Sorcerer can breath out his Groans for this Mercy that He might die the Death of the Righteous and his last end be like his 'T is a fearful Stupidity that terminates all thy desires in the Creature and layes thee as one Dead in the Grave of Insensibility without natural affection to thine own Soul or the least Devotion for Abraham's God. God having drawn the fair Indentures containing the Covenants between Himself on one part and Abraham and his faithful Children on the Other will now have them Confirmed by such irrefragable Obligations as shall make them sure and unalterable for ever They shall be first Sealed in the Blood of Abraham and hereafter in the Blood of his Great Heir and himself will establish them with a Solemn Oath which you find Gen. 22.16 And every one of Abraham's Posterity and Family shall under pain of Death come in and Seal for himself entring into a Sacrament to be True and Faithful to the Articles of the holy League They with their great Father must wear the remembrance of so vast a Priviledge not on their Hearts only but their Flesh too Abraham consenting to this Covenant and giving up himself unto God who had now given himself unto Abraham must evidence that Consent and yield up Possession by suffering a Part of Himself to be cut off as a little Turfe taken off from the Field to give Livery and Seizin of the whole to the Owner And by this he shall be known and distinguished to be holy Land separated from all the huge Common of the Earth to be a peculiar Inclosure unto God All the World besides Profane and left as wild Beasts to Graze on the Mountains while himself and his Family is mark'd up as a little flock for God himself to feed and take care of His Posterity grew so proud of this Priviledge that they little valued the Princes of the World that bore not this Impression upon them The Sechemitish Prince must submit to Circumcision e're ever he Bed a Daughter of Abrahamâ—â— And David knew no reason why his little Body that was fortified with the Divint Signature might not Buckle with an Uncircumcised Philistine tho' never so Strong They grew so High that at last they thought themselves secure against God Himself and hop'd to baffle his very Justice While they had Abraham to their Father the Baptist had enough to do to beat them off from so vain a confidence and to convince them how little it availed them to glory in Immunities when they were false and unfaithful to them 'T was Death to them to hear that sinners of the Gentiles should be admitted to the priviledges themselves enjoyed and despised But their Great Father who mistook not the conditions of the Covenant and kept close to them was transported with the Reasonableness of all the Articles on his own part and the Glory of those on Gods with a brave Readiness of Mind that always corresponded with every Dictate of the Divine Will prepares himself to Bleed and little felt the smart in the Flesh that signalized to him the infinite Mercies of God to his Soul. Not only his Spirit but his very Flesh is willing and is glad that at that Age he had any Blood to shed at the Command of God He demurrs not in the least nor will sleep e're he yields the Fruits of a chearful Compliance There is no such sincere Obedienceâ— as the present 'T is dangerous to consult Carnal Reason or call Flesh and Blood to Council where it s own Interests are like to be curtail'd While the Impetus of Love and Zeal is upon him will Abraham sacrifice himself and yield his Flesh to a Sacrament that shall sign and seal to him security from all the dangers of its Lusts and assure him that all the Powers of Sin were perfectly baffled in that Obedience and should be as truly mortified as that Dead Skin cut off from his Body and cast away The Great Man that had so full an Interest in the Affections of his Family was not at a Loss for Arguments to prevail with them to act a Duty so exceedingly profitable to themselves which he expounded to them in the several parts of its Excellency and further recommended by his alluring Example In vain do we impose on others a burthen we shrink from our selves He exacts not any more from them than what himself and his little Ishmael should do before them He was not to dwell in Abraham's House who would not close with him in all the parts of his Worship They had poured the Blood of many a Beast together in Sacrifice now they must bleed together themselves in their own Persons 'T was but a superfluity they offered 〈◊〉 a Free-Will Offering to God representing to him the Devotion of all unto his Service It were well if we could cut off our Superfluities too that are so like to undo us Circumcision is in fashion and a Mercy still when by God himself effectually made upon the Heart Of how vast a Consequence is the Piety of Princes whose Actions either Good or Evil draw the whole Vniverse with them to attend them in the next World By the Example of their Goodness Men flock in whole shoals to the Service of God and by their Prophaneness they flye as fast from it Hapyy was the least Skullion in the Family of Abraham who partaking of the Ordinances of the true Church excelled all the Pagan Princes of the Earth that were Strangers from the Covenant of Promise having no hope and without God in the World So much better is it to be a Door-keeper in the house of the Lord than to live and reign in the Tents of Wickedness Let us therefore again take up David's Petition Remember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest unto thy People O visit me with thy salvation for I have none in Heaven but thee and there is nothing in Earth that I desire in comparison of thee The Flesh is too traiterous a Friend to carry on long the Interests of the Soul. The Circumcision made with hands on the Body profited as little as the Engravement afterwards on the Tables of stone God is forced to carry it deeper and to make a more effectual Incision upon the Inward Parts e're ever the true Circumcision is effected Our selves see that all the washing of the Flesh prevails not to wrince away the Filth of the Spirit 'till himself comes to Baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire and makes the very Conscience to answer readily to all the Will of God. The Holy Word evaporates into Air and hath no place in us 'till the Essential Word makes the penetration and gives it a Lodging in the Soul. And though inconsiderate
all his Spirits are broken the loss of his Friends and Country cost him not a Sigh he hardened himself against the Fate of Isaac but his dear Sarah's Death melts him into Water The joyful sence of divine Grace doth not so perfectly banish away natural grief but that the best of Saints even Abraham and Jesus himself under the Tyrannies of Fate shall find themselves subject to those Passions as loudly speak them to be but Men. Behold the great Sarah lying Dead and the mighty Prince her Husband acknowledged to be such by all the Chieftains of the Country where he dwells not Proprietor of so much Earth as shall suffice to Ground her Monument nor is this so great a Wonder when afterwards we find his Heir the Lord of all the Creation in the same condition and obliged to a Friend to lend him a Grave Who can date an Happiness to himself from his Interest in the Turf and Clod when Jesus and Abraham have not so much Glebe in the World of their own as to set a Foot on How unlike to their Father were those degenerous Children of Abraham who joyned House to House and lay Field to Field till there was no place for others that they alone might be plac'd in the Earth Isa 5.8 Doth it teach us nothing that Abraham so exceedingly Rich as he was should never mind to purchase Land of Inheritance but only for a Burying-place here in the Earth He Sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the Heirs with him of the same Promise Why did he this but because he looked for a City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God If we had Abraham's Faith we should have Abraham's Spirit as free and disengaged from the World as He When God knows our Affections are so deeply Riveted into the Creature and pleasures of Life that we have as little Will to mind the purchase of a Sepulchre as he to buy an Inheritance amongst Men. Indeed the whole Kingdom was his own in Reversion and surely secur'd to his Children while his own Faith was Estate enough with the Promise of God for Himself to live on While we was Travelling on keeping Heaven in his Eye he had no leisure to think of a poor settlement in the Earth 'T was not for Pilgrims to wait on Building whose affections were no deeper stak'd to the World than the slender Pillars of their movable Tabernacles which they lightly pluck up with ease and hast to follow the conduct of that gracious Providence that ever so faithfully led them they little minded Palaces who were themselves nothing else but the goodly Habitations of God upon Earth to whom he therefore retired so often with the sweetest Assurances of their Interest in a City of his own Raising where he attended their Company with him and came down so frequently but to see whether they were ready for it Indeed it was not the design of God that Abraham should fix any where long whom he intended to make a publick Blessing every where and therefore being always ordered to remove upon every Call of God it was requisite that his Estate should have Wings too and be ready to Fly with Himself into every Countrey where God had Business for him to do Nor was this the least Diminution to him but rather an Increase of his Grandeur since all Motions of Princes bear the greater Majesty from the splendid Appearance that attends them you might have seen his Royal Pavilion grac'd with the Flagg of Honour waving in the Air sorrounded by Those of his Sons and Servants at an awful distance The Waggons of his Ammunition guarding those of his Treasure while the numerous Flocks of his Cattel and Herds feed round about him securely and the Trained Bands of his Houshould standing by turns as Sentinels over all Not to mention the invisible Troops who as Tutelars gave their constant Attendance upon him and ever adjoyn'd him as his Guard. The Kings of the Earth knew well enough that God was with him as a sure Refuge In this Glorious Estate was Abraham when his Lady left it All to be translated into better She passes from one Heaven below to another Above from the Courts of Princes to the Palace of a God Her Earthly Part was the care of Abraham to provide for He will not meanly dispose of the Cabinet wherein so precious a Jewel for so many years hath had its Lodging An Honourable Interment is equally Abraham's Duty and Sarah's due There was a Cave in the Field of Machpelah now in the possession of Ephron the Hittite which pleased him well he had cast his Eye upon it not as Ahab covetously Sick for Naboth's Vineyard but as a convenient Purchase if the Good-will of the Right Owner shall please to favour his Innocent desires of Appropriating it to himself by his Money And now that he had present need of it he is forced to make use of those honest means that with greatest Probability may succeed to his Wishes and want He Convocates the Neighbouring Heads of the Countrey Ephron being one whom with a Gravity mixt with Majesty he Addresses to this Effect I freely acknowledge it the Natural Right of the Lords of the Covntrey to Grant Liberty to Strangers to make Purchases in their Land. I am a Stranger among you and must declare my thankful Resentments of that Kindness which hath permitted me so free and peaceable Cohabitation with you It hath pleased God to Call away my Wife from the World for whose Sepulture I must make some Provision and it will not be long e're I my self shall follow Her. This is only my Request to you that I may have Liberty to purchase a Burying-place with you where we may rest in Death with the same Quiet and Peace as we have continued amongst you in Life To the Reproach and Confusion of our more Ill-Natur'd and Paganish Christians let us take notice with what Civility and Condescention these Heathens fram'd their courteous Replication to him Hear us my Lord Thou art a mighty Prince among us and we know that God is with thee We have no Power or Will to deny thy desires Make thine own Election in the choicest of our Sepulchres bury thy Dead None of us shall withhold his Sepulcher from thee but that thou mayst bury thy Dead While Real Piety in all its Services aims only to bring Glory to God He in a gracious Compensation of so good Intention makes that Honour to beat back on it self God is honoured by Abraham and Abraham is honoured by God There is no Man that gives his Heart unto him but who shall find it again in the Hearts of others The surest way to secure the Affections of Men is first to devote our own unto God. Prince Abraham will not receive this Complement without giving Demonstration to them That he is not more High in Estate than Humble in Spirit He
great a Prince as Isaac He knew that Marriages were made in Heaven Let her whom thou hast appointed c. His Prayer is no sooner made than granted Those drive on heavily where God knocks off the Wheels of Expedition but where Himself is in the Course the Chariot flees like that of Aminadab Abraham might have taken his Choice of all the Princesses of Canaan for his Son but behold here a Woman with a Pitcher on her Shoulder is ordained to make his Daughter Hath not God chosen the Poor of this World Rich in Faith to make a Spouse for his own Son We Note not the Meanness of Rebekahs Family the same with Abraham's but the Simplicity and Innocency of those early Times in the plain Education of their Children when Pride and Idleness ruines our own Eliezer is so far from liking her the worse that her Humility was the only Virtue that recommended her to him and the Woman that could be so courteous and lowly to draw Water for himself and his Camels is a concurrent Evidence from Heaven to his own judgment of the best Wife for his Young Master While the Dainty Fingers of our Ladies muff up themselves from Rebekahs Pitcher and Rachel's Crook God thinks them unworthy to be promoted into the Beds of Isaac and Israel in the Family of Abraham 'T is the humble Mary that in the rejection of all the Proud Princesses of the World is called to the everlasting Honour of drawing out her Breasts to a God. Eliâ—zer makes the first Attack upon Rebekahs Heart by a Charge of Jewels and Manacles her Arms and Affections together Now is the House and all in it too little for him into which she runs as his Prisoner with the Chains on little yet thinking that within a day or two she should be drawn out of it by the Man whom she calls her Brother to lead in The diligent Servant will receive no Entertainment till he knew whether his Message may not be as welcome as his Person 'T is not enough that he comes from Abraham unless he may go away with Rebekah He politickly takes the course of the World and first presents them with an Inventory of his Great Masters Estate He thinks that the Argument of Riches will prevail more than that of Consanguinity and he Doubles it to them when he truly tells them that all was given him of God. His Gold would wear like Iron without the Canker of a Curse upon it And to all he adds this That the Excellent Person he woes for is the Sole Heir of all And in conclusion intreats the result of their Thoughts and that they might come to some speedy Resolution So good a Motion as this requires no long time for Consideration unless they purpose to deliberate to their own disadvantage They could not mend themselves any where in all the World and therefore they think it Prudence to come off Frankly and yield up a ready Consent They plainly perceive a Divine Providence in the Motion and will not oppose the Holy Will and Wisdom of God Behold Rebekah is before thee take her and go c. The Hearts of Men are in the Hands of God therefore Eliezer humbly bows in Thanksgiving to the God that had bowed them The Good Servant had learnt this holy Practice from his Old Master that was ever falling down before his Maker Not a word all this while of any Portion 't is a Wife that Abraham requires for his Son not Money Matters thus Auspiciously concluded the Presents are delivered first to the Bride and then to her Friends This was the laudable Custom of Antiquity Rebekah by these Jewels may judge before-hand what a well-furnished Closet she will find at home All Parties are satisfied Mirth and Joy refresh their Hearts while they eat and drink together in Love. Eliezer as a good Servant urges dispatch while they plead for Ten days time to take leave of their Sister The Controversie at length is referred to Rebekah her self who modestly yields her assent to the Stewards Request She is dismissed with her Nurse and Maids and a Thousand Prayers to attend them While we leave them a little on the Journey let us take notice how happy she is like to be in an Husband Isaac's Holy Mind was not so vainly carried away with the pleasing Conceits of Marriage that should cause him to neglect the Remembrance of his Duty to God Piety is the sure Ground of every Blessing He builds aright indeed that layes his foundation in Heaven The World is but a tottering Basis that hath buried the Greatest Families in Ruine Blessed is the Heart that is first Married to Christ and from the Crowd of Distractions here below makes very frequent Retreats to keep up a daily Converse with the Spiritual Husband who is not so Strange or Unkind but will give it a Meeting at any time and manifest Himself to it Thou Lord meetest him that rejoyceth in thee We are assured he will not fail drawing near to those that draw near to him This was the Heavenly Practice of Isaac the Holy Son of so Blessed a Father whose Soul was ever filled with God. What a lovely Draught of his Devotion hath the Divine Pencil presented to our Eye Isaac went out to meditate in the Fields in the Evening Meditation is the Souls pitching on some Branch of the Tree of Life where it sits viewing its own Happiness and chirping out Praises to God the Author of it Next to Abraham no Man living had a more pleasant Prospect of sweeter Objects than Isaac to contemplate Heaven and Earth was but one Field for his unlimited Soul to walk in From the lower Terraces here in the World without the help of his Sons Ladder might he mount up to the the Turrets above and Feast his Eyes with the Glories of Paradise He was equally Heir of both Canaan's confirm'd to him by the very Oath of God. Could he want Subject then for holy Meditation or Praise or Comfortable Matter for his busie Thoughts to work on Thoughts are the Issues of the Mind that Prolifick Parent whose Children are all of one Nature with it self and never differ in Quality from it If that be Terrestrial so are They but if Holy they cannot be unclean and should they prove so they are with Ishmael cast out There is no lodging for them in Abraham's House Behold Isaac's Pious Exercise like an Antiquated Custom grown quite out of Use The Defection of the Old World come upon us All the Imaginations of the Heart for the greatest part of Men evil and only evil and that continually God is not in all their thoughts He by whom we have the Power and Faculty of Thinking quite forgotten The very Cream of our Souls leaking out in full Streams after Vanity and nothing left for God Ephraim feedeth on Wind. But hath the Christian no better fare to Feast on Hath God spread all the Treasures of his unsearchable Grace and
themselves are the only Beasts that would do it and Joseph is too truly torn in pieces by the Divisions and Animosities of their fomenting But let not Himself conspire in the Treason nor break the Heart of his Father by sealing the Articles of his own Slavery He will find a Lady in Egypt that will strip him again and rent not his Coat only but very Flesh off her Irons will enter into his Soul if he consent not to her lewd Fornications Egyptian Flesh was ever fatal to the Israel that doated on it And 't is impossible that Dinah should consent to the Rape that yields her no pleasure at all and thô afterwards compounded into a Contract even that will add still to her Torments when anon it is written in the Blood of the Ravisher and instead of an Husband she Wed a Corps Should they deal with our Sister as with an Harlot Nothing can betray us to Her Sorrows but Sin nothing secure us but Obedience and keeping close under the Wings of a Father We shall find by the dreadful Examples what rueful Effects Extravagancy and a wandring from God into Vanity and Folly hath brought upon the World even from its Creation Sin ever hath been ever will be the great Apollyon of our Peace and Safety whose Tragedies I have adventured by too rude a draught to expose to thy View with the same design as once Anthony held forth the bloody Gown of the brave Caesar all mangled and full of holes by the Daggers of his Murderers on purpose to provoke the People to Revenge In which undertaking if Defects too many be discovered by the severe and censorious Reader he will be more courteous sure than to wound me too while he kindly remembers the shaking of my Hand with the very Fear and Apprehension of so bold an Attempt But come Reader let us lay aside Words and be wise Religion with Joash is left alone in the Temple and none pitieth that solitary Princess sure 't will be our Advantage to unite to her Coronation and unanimously Guard her while the Crown is putting on and we see her re-invested in all her Regalities Let Profaneness and Superstition with Athalia rend their Cloaths and Throats too crying Treason Treason the Treason is all against Hell and let no Englishman be startled at the Plot Nay let every one come under the Guilt of it not one Non-conformist to the Dominion of Grace but should any stand off let us leave them to the Tyranny of their own Athalia while we ever cry with all Judah triumphing with Joy for the Restauration of the true Worship God Save the King God Save the King. THE Angels Tragedy To my Reverend Brethren the Messengers of Christ to the Churches Metaphorical Angels and spiritual Men do I humbly offer this Tragedy May not one of them make the Defection or suffer the Eclypse of these unhappy Apostates but ever shining in the lustre of their own Graces may emit those Beams of Divine Light and Life as will irradiate and quicken the dead and benighted Souls of Men that when God shall remove them from the lower Firmament to fix them above they may altogether make up a glorious Constellation in Heaven and shine there as Starrs for ever and ever 2 PET. 2.4 If God spared not the Angels c. 'T IS by slow and trembling Steps that I pass towards the Territories of the Miserable thence to take a distant Prospect of the tremendous Executions made by Divine Justice upon so great a Part of the once glorious Spirits now hanging up alive in the Chains of fierce Wrath and reserved unto the further Judgment of the great Day Methinks it is Pity that Sin hath so fair a Pretence to the glory of High Birth We cannot deny it the Honour of a Noble Extraction when we see it unluckily Issuing from the Heart of an Angel For neither were those Sons of God at their first Creation bless'd in such an absolute Degree of Stability and Perfection as should ever secure them from all possibility of falling into the Sorrows of so unnatural a Production But if already my Plough make a Baulk in this Tragick Field and my Pen blunders to decipher this Serpent's Root from whence sprung up the Monster my Reader may well remit it to me when the great St. Austin throws it off with a Non Deus sunt They were not God but Created in a Mutable and not Impeccable Estate He charges his Angels with Folly But if Folly hath a Lodging in the Bosoms of those who each Minute Behold the face of mine heavenly Father wonder not if at this distance it be graduated into perfect Distraction and the Atheistical Fools of the Earth say in their Hearts There is no God because they see none when they are not vouchsafed the dreadful Kindness of Diabolical Conviction but are sentenc'd to the ruinous effects of an impudent Obduration without the Mercy of a scrupulous Conscience which in time might Torment them into a prudent Recantation How the Holy Court was Alarm'd at the breaking out of this Viper as of some Flying Dragon that would have stung them all to Death and what dreadful havock was wrought in a Moment and how very many Thousands perished by its Venomous Sting e're the most expeditious Orders could be issued out for the clearing the sound from the infected And what Decree passed forth for their everlasting Exile thence into the lowest Abyss of Darkness and Confusion is so far from being News now adayes that Heaven and Earth rings with the Tragedy And happy had it been for the Younger Sons of God that this degenerous Brood had been ever closely confin'd within the limits of their own sooty Walls and not permitted by their ranging about to have had the Liberty of making their pernicious How d'ye's into the Paradise of Joy where the Kindness of their Maker had so blessedly plac'd them together in Pleasure and Peace Very vainly does prying Curiosity make enquiry after the Quality of the Sin that wrought this Ruine since perhaps Holy Writ is so obscure and reserv'd with design to dictate a more prudent Caution against all since whatsoever it were that slew an Angel the very least of all may crush a Worm Yet to gratifie a little the Inquisitive Humour know that the very Learned are divided and strangely differ in their Opinions about it Some â—aying the Ruine to the Charge of Envy from their foreknowledge of God's determination in Promoting the Humane Nature into the ineffable Honour of Vnion with the Godhead in neglect of their own so Zanchy and others Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian and Chrysostome think it to be Luxury from Gen. 6.1 But surely Spirits need no Mistresses Others alleadge the Breach of a Positive Command and Law imposed upon them and the Rabbins will have it of some Service to Man which the proud Angel refusing was therefore cast down an Opinion a little hard to be entertain'd 't is
apparent their Fall preceded the Creation of Man. Aquinas St. Austin and the whole Current of Writers close with the Holy Ghost in affixing the Guilt upon Pride and methinks she is plainly enough too guilty of this Murther 1 Tim. 3.6 Nay the very Care and necessary Caution of every Good Father of the Church in not laying too hasty Hands on light and frothy Persons nor exalting them into the weighty Ministrations of the Altar since such may be tempted to swell into too high Conceits of themselves from the Dignity of their excellent Office and so become Poysoned by the Devil's Draught whom Pride had so strangely stupified into a forgetfulness of themselves and puffed them into a Rebellion against their great Maker who had assign'd to them their proper Functions and to the Prince of them so glorious one had they had but Grace to have kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Noble State and Principality and not left their Station or Habitation as Jude saith v. 6. I say their Care and Vigilancy must evidence for me that Pride is not slandered in the least by the Charge and I shall stand the Tryal if she sue me upon the Scandal for we cannot â—â—e ignorant neither how some eminent Fathers have expounded that of Isaiah 14.12 How art thou fallen O Lucifer son of the Morning c. I will exalt my Throne above the Starrs I will be like the most High to represent the Sin and Fall of the Proud King of Babylon by the Pride and Destruction of Lucifer E're we pass further let us make a few Turns in the Chamber of Contemplation and take a survey of the lamentable Ruine of an Angel of thousands of them that this execrable Sin hath so traiterously dragged into irrecoverable Misery and Woe The Angelical Nature was doubtless the very Cream and Flower of the beautiful Creation of God These Spirits are the glittering Courtiers of the King of Glory clad in the very Livery of their Maker the Garnish and Ornament of his Palace Heaven it self but bare Walls as it were and unfurnished without them cloathed with all such inexpressible Excellencies and Power that surely they want no strength to shake the very Foundations of the Earth and to make the Pillars thereof to tremble 'T was but One of them that in a Night sent an hundred fourscore and five thousand of such Worms as we with pleasure into Dust and their first Nothing And another with a Breath only will blow up more Myriads out of it again And yet no sooner had Sin that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that scum and Excrement of filth the very Elixir of all Poisons cast its envenoming Shadows upon the fair Faces of these Glorious Suns but they presently unloose from their several Orbs dying into an Eternal Eclypse and drop down into Darkness and Horrour stript for ever from their Native Eminences and Holiness the loveliness that once beautified their Natures Metamorphosed into the most affrightful Image of all the most abstracted Deformity and Vileness expressible deprived for ever of those Eternal Felicities to which they were Created and are now become the very Sources and Fountains of all imaginable Lewdness and Mischief which they are increasing still by pouring out the whole Flood of their killing Streams to engulph us also in an everlasting Ruine God in great Kindness to us hath discovered their now destructive Properties and shewn us the danger we are in while an whole Host of spiritual Wickednesses are round about us as so many roaring Lyons ready to devour us and are our avowed Adversaries Accusers Murderers and Destroyers incessantly tempting us into the Rebellion with them which they very well know will in the end lay us in the same Dungeon of Darkness with all the Chains of divine Indignation upon us that themselves are so dreadfully gall'd with All which is no idle Fiction fram'd on the Forge of a Melancholly fanciful or Romantick Brain but a Verity as Infallibly Sealed by the Spirit of Truth to us as any other the Holy Oracles have with the clearest Perspicuity conveyed to our Knowledge And though too slightly regarded yet witnessed to be as Just on themselves so fatal to us if we keep not the strictest Guard and Invest our selves with the whole Armour of God by One of their own Original Order and Degree Now for ever secured from the like Dangers of confederating Treasons and Established into an Estate of entire and sinless Perfection from the profound Sence and grave consideration that himself had of it While therefore he proclaims from Heaven the deplorable Woes to us the poor Inhabitants of the Earth and Sea from the ruinating Consequences of their Power and Presence here below Revel 12.12 And 't is matter of Astonishment to consider how few are awakened by the Trump of that Angel unto any the least Reflection on the Mischiefs and Miseries effected in all Ages by the bloody Contrivances of these Apostate Spirits who have prevailed to the overturning not of Mighty Empires and Kingdoms only but of once the most flourishing Churches in the World now overwhelmed with the black Cloud of Pagan and Mahometan Darkness and Death where Divine Light and Truth sent forth then alas their sparkling Beams and Splendour pouring in their mortal Dregs both of Atheism and Errour which deface the whole Beauty and enervate the whole Strength of Original Piety and Religion which they know well enough will dissolve the Covenant of Heaven and give up to the Judgment not of a Desertion only but Divorce Who but these foment Divisions and Schisms and Animosities between Men by pussing up some and those of the meanest Capacity into boundless and immodest Conceits of their own greater Wisdom and Parts and hatefull disdain and Contempt of others more worthy than themselves Who so Industriously blow up the Coals of all Dissension and Discord between the most seemingly happy and united Fraternities and invent the Aspersions of Ignominy and Reproach that are six'd on each other who but these whisper into the Ears and Hearts of Princes those needless Jealousies and Fears that cool them in their Kindness to their best Subjects whom they look on as the secret underminers of the Peace and Government the very Plagues and Pests of the Age they live in who are yet the very Pillars of the Throne as if there were no consistency between God's Empire and their own Who but these stir up Kings to ruine themselves by unnecessary Wars and their poor Subjects by unnecessary Sins Who but these beat up the Drums of Sedition and Rebellion against the best Princes the very gracious Fathers of their People Who petrifies the Hearts of Tyrants against their poor Subjects into the bloodiest Executions of their Wrath and Cruelty not only grinding their Faces by cruel Oppression and Impoverishment but sheathing the Sword of Persecution in the very bowels of Innocency on no other account but this that they refuse to attend them into
Bowels and dash out thy Breath It s possible Reader thou maist find thy miserable Soul fetter'd in the same Chains that Haughtiness and Insolence hath betrayed them into though now thou wilt not harken unto the Ratling of theirs for the noise of thy Chariot and the Ruffling of thy Pride But pause a little thou most exalted Dust and view thy self in the Glass of these now wretched Infernal Spirits Dost thou value thy self upon thine high Birth and doth the Noblest Blood enrich thy Veins Why these were the First-born of God of the eldest Family and but one Degree subordinate to the blessed Trinity and never took their Rise from Clay but were all Spirits and Glorious yet has Pride destroyed them Dost thou look Bigg on thy fellow Servants and from thine high Station and Preferments in the Courts of Princes swellest into a forgetfulness of thy mean Original Why proud Ashes these were the Illustrious Courtiers of the King of Glory and Attendants on the Majesty of Heaven Yet Pride hath slain them Art thou Commissioned from thy Master into Power and delegated unto Executions from Royal Authority Why these even in their low Estate are Powers still and can if Licens'd make the Earth to tremble are the Princes of the Air and keep their Court in thine own Heart too and though stript of their Holiness yet are Commission'd often unto frequent and fearful Executions and God deliver us from their Tyranny yet they are but Hell-hounds still and their Pride hath undone them Dost thou Glory in thine Attendants and long Train the Set of Liveries that encompass thy Chariot and the many Slaves thou hast at thy Service Know Seigniour that Belzebub hath his Legions too and in a more perfect subjection and conformity than thine he hath them all at his perfect beck and absolute Service his Subjects are no Rebells against him but go and come at the least Nod of his pleasure and yet this great Prince hath his Chains on him and Pride hath made him a Prisoner of Wrath. And might I be so bold I would humbly Address me to the Man of Art and Science whose Soul dwells in the Sun while others look out thro' the dark Dormants of a glimmering Light and walk in the Cloister of Obscurity and Ignorance The Gyant that is Head and Shoulders above Others in all the Dimensions of profound Parts subtile Brain most exquisite Learning and Acquisitions Thou knowest already that this Society of the Dark Order were once All Light and Intelligences themselves and now in the state of their Degeneracy are yet Masters of universal Knowledge not only Magical and Phylosophical but Theological too and can give the Explanation of the most abstruse Mysteries And from their natural Sagacity long Experience Astrological Conclusions and extraordinary Revelations can Pierce into Future Events and have often uttered their Prophecies and foretold things that have happened While Thou suckest in knowledge by Drops They Roll in the whole Ocean of it and yet alas all this Light is but perfect Darkness and a Torch that leads them to Hell and but to a clearer Discovery of their own Misery and Sorrow is void of all Comfort and Peace and strikes nothing but Terror and Confusion into them being imbittered with Envy and obstinate Malice against God and all Idea's of Goodness To thy Knees therefore to thy Knees get thee most mighty Rabbie O for the sparks of Seraphick Love to fall down on and enflame thy Frigid Affections and to Sanctifie all thine Aiery and Unprofitable Notions into the Heat and Life of Charity Consolation and Joy in God. Nor must I forget my fine Lady while the Glass is in the Room Ladies love Glasses and spend too much time in gazing upon them come Madam lend us here your Eyes a little here are Angels attend you Nay do not startle Lady they can do you no Mischief if you do your self none 'T is but a Coachful or two from the Dark Region that are come to pass a short Visit this Evening with you They have brought you some Patterns of the Newest Fashion with them and think you may need them Your pale Cheeks want a little Enlightning too and these have excellent Fucus to sell can furnish your Ladiship with the most bewitching Colours and can inspire you into the rarest knowledge of Tempering and Laying and for Patches there are none like those they Cut and will leave you Directions how to stick them so as if you please they shall never fall off more They are Blacks themselves and love to promote the Honour of their Country Complexion They are sent by their great Prince with a Message of an How-d'ye to you and know you are at leisure enough to receive them and in truth they have little else to do but to be Tutors to young Ladies Themselves were Scholars to Madam Pride who has instructed them into all the Figures and Arts of most perfect Dresses They love Gawdry and were once most absolute Beauties themselves they are indeed a little Tawny now from the Torrid Zone wherein they Breath but if you please can Transform themselves into a Lighter shape and then will appear less frightful to you Come let us see whether you can vie Beauty with them Bring out all your Merceries cover'd o're by the strutting Embosses of spangling Gold till nothing appear but the Massy Embroideries sparkling Lustre Send for your Tire-women let them Curle up your dangling Locks into the most bewitching twines then lodge the rosie Blush on your lilly Cheeks and Lips Let a glorious Aire and Meen dwell on every Feature no Motion or Posture of your whole Body but what may strike Wonder and Extasie Come pass on now by Majestick Paces to the Chamber of Presence where these goodly Creatures attend you Ah! is this all the Shine you can make See how they dazle you into perfect Deformity and Contempt And yet they can shew you variety of Exchanges every hour and have often done it when they have pleas'd to appear in Masquerade And can You find in your Heart to be Devils too dress'd up in all your Gaieties with no other design than to Tempt and Destroy to Bewitch others and your selves into the Ruines of the Damned What think ye is it not pity such Creatures as these should be scorch'd with everlasting Heats cloath'd all in Gowns of Flame who were once Attir'd by a Divine hand into such Amiable Perfections as Expression fails to tell you how brightly they shin'd in their Coelestial Robes and yet Pride has Devested them of all undress'd them into Shame and eternal Sorrow Yes Madam Pride has done it their Golden Tresses like Medusa's Head are turn'd to Snakes and hiss yet cannot fright you And thou Pursy Man of Wealth that hast Enclosed thy self in Cedar and mounted thy Towring Soul high as thy proud Structures and with that haughty Monarch art ravish'd in Admiration of the Pile of thy Glory Wilt thou not vouchsafe
of the Fatal Tree for Himself to Hang on that while his Eye should be fixt on the Prodigy when yet the Sun shut his his Heart with the Veil of the Temple might be Rent into a Thousand Shivers which when laid on the Altar should become a Sacrifice too persum'd by his own that shall serve to expiate his Guilt For a broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise Sure the Sence of so Astonishing Love would Melt him into Repentance and a Flood of Tears but if not he deserved to dye for ever Paradise is no longer a Place for Rebels who have forfeited their Right to the Tree of Life Away to the Plantations with them Hard Labour and Sweat will humble them into more Sober thoughts of themselves than thus to Aspire after Deity How hardly is the Glass of Prosperity holden by a stedfast hand without Breaking but how Afflicting is the remembrance of an Happiness lost by our Folly And I doubt not but every step that poor Adam trod out of his delicious Garden was made upon Thorns that ran up into his very Heart to make it Bleed And I humbly beg my Reader upon the bare Knees of my Soul that he would Bathe his Heart in the River of the first Sinners melting Sorrows for the loss of an Earthly Paradise Since the Time may come that he Himself may Weep the like unprofitable Drops under the Forfeiture of an Eternal Heaven for the sake of a few Momentary and Perishing Lusts where a Sea of them will little avail him in a place of Torment And I do assure him That the Caution swims to him in a Flood of my own at the writing of it and could be content if it might benefit him more that it were Printed with the Blood of my Heart But how Faint and Senseless are my Hopes when I see the Rock of Obduration so far from yielding these precious Waters at the Stroaks of the Prophets that the Impenetrable Adamant was no wise dissolvable by the Tears or Blood of a weeping God. The Naked Offenders must in pity be Cloathed and their very Garments are part of their Punishment They shall do Penance in Hair-Cloth Those whom Pride had blown up into the Conceit of being Gods shall sneak up and down in Skins of Beasts Sure the Skins of those Brutes however Tann'd were but a Rugged Shift for the tender Body of the Mother of all Living See Reader see the First and Greatest Princes of the Earth e'er ever Kingdoms or Empires were bounded out and divided among Crowned Heads see these that held the Scepter of the Vniverse thus Treacherously betrayed by Sin into so vile an Estate of Dishonour They are wrapt up in Leathern Suits which doubtless they put on and off with infinite Shame and Sorrow in Reflection upon the loss of their Glorious Robes The wily Serpent had told them indeed that their Eyes should be opened and 't was true enough but to what To the Sight of their unspeakable Misery and Woe that lending so easie an Ear to the Impostures of that Grand Deceiver they saw themselves Gull'd out of all their Original Happiness and Bliss Thus Adam that was Created in Honour but understood not his own Felicity in the Favour and Fellowship of his God fell as in a Moment from it and became like the Beasts that perish walking up and down in his Shaggy Suit which with the Hairy Baptist was ever Preaching Repentance and Mortification to him It may be true what is written of Peter that every Crowing of the Cock was a new Peal that alarm'd him to fresh Sorrows but sure each Glance of Adam's Eye upon his Beastial Coat made him go forth and weep bitterly Thus Sin hath brought forth Shame and Shame a Necessity of Garments to be proud therefore of Garments what is it but to be proud of our Shame nay to Glory in our Sin that hath brought that Shame and Necessity upon us And this minds me of Tertullian contemplating Adam in his Skins Lo saith he Homo Pellitus Orbi quasi Metallo datur Man the Lord of the whole World is sent out of Paradise in a Leathern Jerkin to work as a Slave in the Mines That Garb very well suiting the Spade and the Mattock and his Wife allowed no other Dress her Soft Skin covered with a Pelt only at the very mention of which her delicate Daughters fall a shrugging and are uneasie but mightily Mortified for the Misery she hath brought upon them when Good Souls they do Penance with her in Rolls of the finest Linnen and the softest folds of Sattin and Silk This was an Wound to Man indeed but Heaven it self must Smart 'T was not so strange an Indignity to those who had made themselves as Beasts to be thus lapp'd up in their Skins But for God himself to be fetch'd out of Paradise and made to walk up and down in a Skin upon Earth for Deity to put on a Skin too This is the insufferable Fruit of their Folly but the incomparable Evidence of his Love. Nay and while these might walk warm and secure in theirs He Alas cannot keep his own Whole upon his Back but is all over Rent and Torn from the crown of his Head where the Thorns pierce it to the sole of the Foot where the Nails when Agonies from Wrath above Whips and Spears from Rage below dips him all into Blood his Skin becoming as Joseph's Coat which he carries back with all the Breaches and Rents upon it to shew the very Angels whom he might thank for all this But to teach us the Lesson of Humility and due Moderation in our Habit you may Note how little value the great God puts upon the Body on which he hath stampt the Character of Vile while he presently wraps it in a Cover of Skins and thinks it fine enough when it answers the ends of Security from Nakedness and Cold when yet his Wisdom took nigh four Thousand years e'er he finished the Garment that should guard the Soul from the more dangerous Attacks of Sin and Death All Peace all Quiet no Murmurs here no Pleas for Gaudy Cloaths or Changes of Attire they humbly offer their Guilty Shoulders to the rugged Hide in meek Submission to the good Pleasure of their great Creatour Those who are unworthy of Life may not stand on Terms of Vanity Surely very meek and resigned is humble Guilt nor did ever broken Heart quarrel at the Rents of its own making Lord if it be Thou let me come to thee tho' in a Fisher-mans Coat But was Cold and Blushing the only Effects of the Consult of Hell against poor Man This all the depth of their Plot Ah no! for if Pride had been so Modest or Merciful to have stript him only with the Egyptian Strumpet of the spoils of the Vpper Garment the treacherous Flesh had it bruised the Case only or pluck't up the stakes of the moveable Tabernacle and bury'd it all in
of some Thousands of Years have given too clear a Testimony of that dismal Truth yet she might comfort her Self in this That his Care should constantly attend them too he will ever be ready to administer to Them also and to all but such whose outragious Madness would leave them utterly uncapable of his healing Prescriptions and whose Infection would work to so high a Pitch as to cause them desperately to slight the Remedies that his Wisdom and Goodness had prepared for them No Bounds no Rampires could hinder the Flood-Gates of mine Eyes from flowing out into the deepest Streams at the hearing the Account of this rueful Massacre All the World destroyed at one blow in their Great Representative Not a Birth but what should add a Rebel against Heaven and a Subject to Sin That 's a Triumph with a Witness that insults over the Ruine of the whole Race T was but a Left Wing of the Angels that Pride had unhappily cut off but here the whole Progeny of Adam lye mortally bleeding to Death and not one escapes to tell the sad Story of their own Defeat Nay God Himself wounded in the Rout Necessitated to take the Field and fall in it too be Buried in the Common Grave and had there seen Corruption had not his Divinity reliev'd him Come Reader let us conferr a while There is a passage lately dropt from that Great Physician who upon view of his Patients corrupted Blood seem'd to shake his Head and pity her whole Progeny It would be worth a little pains to search out the Truth and make some Experiment in our selves Sure he meant not that Bedlam her first Production who so barbarously kill'd his Brother in the Field where the Mad Blood boil'd up so hotly within him and the poor Innocent fell by his Bloody hands from no provocation at all but loving him who had wrought so good a Cure upon him and was growing up towards perfect Recovery No no 'T is the whole Posterity and our selves are surely included Come let us try out the matter Hast thou never felt her Mad Blood frolicking in thine own Veins and the Distemper gotten up into thy Head too How often have the Felicities of a Deity been presented by Pride upon the Stage of thy Fancy And how brave it would be to drink thy fill of Nectar with the Gods Hast thou never walked with thy Trident as Neptune and commanded the Sea to own thy Authority How many Rags of thy Poverty hath Imagination dipt into Purple and hung them up as the Ensigns of thy Royality How many Staves hast thou gilded into Scepters and holden them forth to thy Subjects to kiss What was in the Brain of that Emperour that set him awork to out-thunder Jupipiter And what are the dreadful Claps of thine Oaths and Blasphemies but desperate Charges upon God Himself which none but a perfect Frantick would adventure at What account canst thou give of thy Time and Life which is lent thee but a Moment for Eternity when that Eternity will be short enough to curse thine own Madness in trifling away Time Art thou fooling still with Feathers and Straws and idly knitting Knots in the Grot of thy Misery when with thy unhappy Father thou art thrust out of Paradise and hast no Acquaintance in that Holy Court where once he was so perfect a Favourite and which shews thee wholly distracted thou desirest none Hast thou seen other Light than what hath darkly glimmered through the Windows of thy Melancholly Cell or other Excellencies than what have Dazled thine Eyes in the Glories of Life Art thou priding thy Self in the very Shackles of thy Mournful Captivity and never knewest a greater Liberty Alas thou art lockt up in Bedlam still and Rovest about in thy Fancy when as the true Light and Life and Freedom are as far as Heaven from thee What maketh thee judge of the earnest Pursuits of a few here and there after an Invisible Happiness to be perfect Weakness and breach of Discretion and hast wondred they should look after another Heaven than that thou enjoyest already on Earth How hast thou preferr'd a Persian Devotion that is happy in a Visible God that shines upon his Votaries every day A perfect Stranger to that Faith that is the Evidence of things not seen Alas Man as a dangerous Frantick thou art close shut up in the Dungeon of Unbelief where thy Brain works upon a thousand Chimera's which evaporate all into Air and Nothing Come let us lay these things to Heart Is it nothing to thee that the same Pride which first infected Beelzebub the Prince of flyes hath Blown upon thy Great Mother and from her have issued those Swarms which overrun her whole Posterity From this Serpent hath come forth a Cockatrice whose fruit is a fiery flying Serpent in thine own Bosom These Cockatrice Eggs hatch every day in thine Heart and break out into ten thousand Vipers there Dost not thou feel them passing in and out as Wasps out of an Hive and ready to sting thee to Death Thy Saviour hath forewarned thee of the killing danger of them that are all bred in the Heart Mat. 15.18 Out of the heart proceed c. They have eaten into thy very Nature and like Sampson's Bees made their Nest in thy very Carkass and because they yield a sweetness thou lovest to have it so Unhappy Creature not knowing with Jonathan that the Curse is gone out and 't is present Death but to dip the top of thy Rod and taste of this Honey 1 Sam. 14.43 Yes Man 't is thine Heart is the Cage of the Vnclean birds That the very Stye of these filthy Swine That the Habitation of these Evil Spirits We pity the poor Creature that had a Legion within him at once but hast thou any less These are they that Metamorphise some into Dogs some into Swine others into Vipers the Jews into Serpents Herod into a Fox Nero into a Lyon Judas into a Devil and thy Self into all These have been the Elames that have burned into perpetual Desolations turning the whole Earth into a Field of Blood and ruinous heaps When the Son of God appeared from Heaven with design to asswage and allay their Fury they took Courage and made Head against him and never ceas'd till they sent him back to complain what an Hell he found upon Earth Indeed these Canaanites are left in the Land to Vex and Trouble the very Israel of God and he sees it best it should be so for Causes well known to himself but to grow so Audacious so far from fearing any Writ of Ejection to get them out that the very Blind and Lame of them as those in the Fort of Zion so impudently boast their security that they laugh at the Spear of the fiercest Opposition These Swarms like the Egyptian Frogs so violently invade us that as Guests of their own bidding they make themselves welcome and will feed on nothing but the very best in
whose mighty provocations made his Heart to ake so and were no other but the very Flowers and Heads of the People to speak plainly the very Nobility and Gentry of both the Families of Seth and Cain mighty Men and Men of Renown So usual hath it been for Divine Mercy to pity the sottishnesses of the Rude and Illiterate unhappy in the want of those advantages of Education and Learning which might have resin'd them into the Ingenuities of a generous and reasonable Service that he hath sometimes spared the greatest Cities upon the account of the very Bruits that were in them but still remember it was then too when the Princes sat in Sackcloth and Fasted with them God knows the Authority and Port of Greatness strikes so great an Awe into the Spirits of the Beasts of the people and hath so great an influence upon them that they dare not be so unmannerly to be more Devout than their Masters and out of fear to spoil the Frolick merrily venture a Damnation with them Thus the Blasphâ—mies of the Parlour pass out with the Dishes into the Hall and are kept on the Coals for the Servants to swallow with as great a pleasure and sweetness as the Meat which was sauc'd with them before 'T is a wonder to me that Dives should forget his Livery-men in the Prayer that he makes unto Abraham But anon when the Cataracts of Heaven flie open and Judgment appears upon all Then shall the miserable Wretches know that as they had the confidence to Sin with their Masters so shall they have the unenvied Honour of Suffering with them Mighty Men and Men of Renown Come then ye Mighty and evidence the Bravery of your great Souls God is resolved to try the mettle of your Courage Great Dangers do but edge the noble Steel the mighty Alexander once Triumphed in the Encounter of an Enemy that Peer'd his Spirit Shew us now how bravely ye can Bridle the Clouds and fetter up the insulting Waves that dare be so insolent to invade your Presence and trip up your Heels How oft have you boasted of your Valour in your Cups and breath'd out Thunder from your Nostrils against Heaven How often have you rent the terrible Majesty by the frightful claps of your Oaths and the dire flashes of your profaner Tongues and Wits What do your Spirits sink now at the Appearance of a Shower Blessed God! wherefore are these so Renowned whose Souls are weaker than Water that are thus dismayed at the insurrection of so common an Element Were these Mighty Men Valiant for thy Truth upon Earth and did they take thy part and Side with thee against the flood of Impiety that then overflowed the World Were they Knights of the holy Order who fought thy Battels and sacrificed their Blood to thy glorious Interest Why then is their Name perished and we have not the Legends of their Chivalry But if they were famous for Wickedness Men Mighty to Oppress and Renowned for Profaneness Is it so glorious a thing to Brave a God and Challenge the Omnipotent Arm to a Combat Is the contempt of a Deity the Foundation of this great Coloss I plainly find that none shall be losers by thee Thou wilt give Atheism it felf the due Encomium of its Daring Spirit that has Courage enough to flie in the Face of thine infinite Justice and Power Mighty Men and Men of Renown but I fear this is to their little Comfort when these mighty Worms are washed away in the more mighty Waters and turned all into Slime and Dirt and thy Sword prides it self to be Bath'd in their Blood while it executes thy pleasure in the devouring such Mighty Enemies Men of Renown God deliver me from the Vanity of a swelling Title which will little Ease me when in Hell. But would'st thou that I give a more distinct Account and produce a Catalogue of those particular Sins that put the Almighty upon such Resolutions of a total defacing the Beauty and Furniture of the whole Earth Sure they were â—o Punie Ones no Peccadillo's that could prevail to pour down so great a Ruine Verily they are with thee Reader already in the Streets where â—hou livest Nay they are in thee Closseted up â—n the Bosome thou bearest about thee at least â—n semine Take head therefore they break not out and force down a shower of Wrath upon thee And tho' Moses hath given us but the small draught of them and seems but lightly to touch them yet such were they as never could be forgotten and are indelibly Engraven upon the Heart of God so written in Heaven as it were with a Sun-beam that the blessed Jesus Two thousand years after brought them down to display them before us not for Imitation and to teach us new Arts of Debauchery but for utter detestation and to Arm us against the Riots that so perfectly destroy them Tho' still he fears the new World in the heat of Blood will be so mad to degenerate into the very same again for if Gluttony and Drunkenness Lust and Obscenity Forgetfulness of God and Mocking at his Ministers Scoffing at our Noahs while they are Fanatically building the Ark against a Flood that will never come If Oppression of the poor by the mighty Gyants Vnmercifulness and Cruelty Contempt of the Patience and Longsuffering of Heaven if all these and a World more as Blasphemies and Oaths c. which I have not named Usher'd in by Pride the Midwife of all Plagues both to Angelâ— and Men be not enough to justifie the righteous Proceedings of God against them and to verisie the Prophecy of our Saviour against our selves let us wait till the next Deluge of Judgment overwhelm us and then we shall feel how just a God he is to Sinners Sin was born with a Sword in its hand and hath been a Murderer from the beginning when a Child it slew the World in Adam and all his Posterity by little and little one after another â—ut now grown to full Age it makes nothing with Sampson to pull down the very Pillars of â—he House to destroy Worlds and to make but â—ne blow of them all Original Sin is favourable and kind it gives Letters of Licence for Life if it be once satisfied â—f at all it sufficeth but open Profaneness eggs â—n Justice to take out Execution without any Paâ—ience like the unmerciful Servant it takes all â—y the Throat and sends to Prison without pity Yet God who sometmies cries out of the Burâ—hen as if unable to sustain it any longer does â—ere engage his Patience yet to bear up resoluteâ—y under the Load of all this Mass of Provocaâ—ions to let us see what Infiniteness can do and â—hat he delighted as little in their Blood as he â—id in their Sin. He very well knew that as slender satisfaction would be made at the end of that Term as preâ—ently could be yet because he foresaw that he had â—ime enough to pay himself in the
by a Mystical Vnion of my own Divine Nature and Essence with thy Humane Seed into a perfect God-man who shall be the Prince of Peace Righteousness and Salvation to thy self and to all the Children of thy Faith Obedience and Love over all the World and thro' all Ages of it who shall bless God for Abraham but much more for that Glorious Son who shall deliver them from all their Enemies Spiritual especially and shall bless them in turning them away from all their iniquities drawing them from the cursed estate of Nature and Sin into the free and fearless Service and Fruition of Me their God for ever In the former Promises God had affixed to him the Felicities of the Earth but in this he Marries him to Himself and gives him a Propriety in that blessing that is derived from the glorious Emanations of his very Essence Indeed nothing but God himself can make up a perfect Happiness to the Soul. The Spirit of Man is an everlasting Substance which therefore can be blessed in nothing but an Everlasting God. Whom have I in Heaven but thee The Creatures are nothing without God but God is every thing without the Creature 'T was but the common Sluce of his Bounty that he had hitherto opened to Abraham here he shews him his very Heart running out in full Streams of Love and Grace towards him which hereafter shall break out and divide themselves into all the parts of the Earth to refresh and rejoyce the Souls of all the Children of his Faith. Now hath Heaven opened a Second time to ensure the Seed of the Woman that must break the Serpents Head. God Munites Abraham not against the Dangers of the World and Men only but against Hell and Devils Since the Joys of Faith are Vnspeakable and have something of the Nature of those in Fruition very Glorious I despair to express the mighty Passions of Abraham's Joy. He is all ravished into Extasie and feels tasts hears thinks rejoyces in nothing but God. Something like this every true Christian experiences at the First appearance and breaking out of Divine Light when God first opens the Eyes to behold the Wonders of his Love and shines in upon the Spirit in the bright Beams of his Grace the Soul passes out of Darkness into Marvellous Light Which affects it more than all the variety of Objects did Him at the first opening of his Eyes by Jesus This is the Musick and Dancing at the Prodigal's meeting with his Father Abraham's Faith pierces through some Thousands of years and sees already the promised Saviour cloathed in his Flesh walking up and down amongst his Children inviting them to come and take share of that Bliss their happy Father enjoyed in Heaven Now is he perfectly at the disposal of God and is content to be any thing or nothing at the good pleasure of his Will. Tho' Natural Engagements stick fast to us and our Hearts be close Lockt up in them and very impatiently suffer a Divulsion yet such are the commanding Charms of a Divine Beauty beating upon the Soul that they easily Dissolve the Enchantments by which the Affections are bewitched to the Creatures and procure not an Enstrangement only but a Cordial Divorcement from them when reflecting with an Holy Indignation on those Dishonourable Prostitutions whilest Ignorant or Forgetful of her self the debased Soul had bowed down to those shameful Embraces Chaldea was now no longer a place for a Federate of Heaven What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols He easily parts from his Country who had first parted from himself God having taken Abraham into his Bosom had those Secrets to disclose to him which he could not so heedfully attend to in his Fathers House and therefore will draw him to a more proper Place where he may with greater advantage and convenience give him the demonstration of his Kindness Come my Beloved let us go into the Fields let us lodge in the Villages there will I give thee my Loves Noise and Hurries distract the Powers of the Soul which when United are all too little for a God to enjoy 'T is in the Night that he gives his Songs when we are wrapped up in Rest and silence God is best enjoyed by Sedateness and close Composure of the Affections Jesus himself went into the Mountain to Pray and in his last Agonies separated from his dearest Disciples God having pickt out this One friend 't was fit he should have him wholly to himself and resolves to admit no Competitor in his Affections He was wholly for Abraham and Abraham must be wholly for Him God cannot be held in a divided Heart 'T is the Single Eye that penetrates deepest into his Love he that squints upon any thing else sees Him not at all God was all in Abraham's Eyes and therefore finding nothing in his Country wherefore he should desire it any longer he chearfully passes out of it with a joyful Heart and hath not the least Reluctancy within him to check the Delights of his glorious Progress Behold him giving the necessary Orders to his Family to get ready for a Journey whence they are never likely to return When once we go forth after God there is no drawing back but to Loss and Perdition Sarah is so far from Countermanding her Husband that she disfurnishes her Closet with nimble Hands His Nephew Lot resolves to partake of his Unkles Fortunes but old Terah to whom his Son Abraham had communicated the Divine Mandate seems as forward as the best his Aged Joynts are invigorated with new Strength and is the First of all the Company in a readiness to be gone which God takes so kindly from him that the Honour of the whole Expedition is devolved upon him in Holy Writ and Abraham is led forth by his Father out of Vr Gen. 11.21 They pass lightly away and care not to spend time in entertaining the Dilatory Complements of the Town at their departure to whom they could give no great Account of their Progress since themselves knew not wither they were going Blind Obedience is commendable enough where God himself is the Guide He securely Travels that hath Light and Truth for his Conduct Divine Presence is a sure Pass-port against every danger 'T is a fair Flower in the Crown of Abrahams Faith That He went out not knowing whither he went. With what pleasure did the Almighty God look down on this Glorious Procession which is ordered all at his special direction Every Step we make in his ways is delightful to him Note here the true Nature of Saving Faith that willingly departs from the World and Self at the naked Call of God to follow him on the Foot of his Conduct whether up to the Mountains of Prosperity and Honour or down to the Valley of Meanness and Contempt It moves and is moved at the Motion of the Cloud of his Presence that directs it and fears not to lose its way while it is guarded by
Promise which is therefore so often repeated to him again and again that he might feed afresh upon the Sweets of its Assurance and every time he looked up to Heaven and saw the Starrs or down on the Earth to behold the little Dusts thereof or passing to the Sea might view the sands should from all these be put in mind of the Goodness of his God who had secur'd him a Posterity as innumerable as these and all to proceed from a barren Womb the Work of that God only that calleth those things that yet be not as if they were We are shut up in unfruitful Nature and Vnbelief and nothing can open us unto God but Himself could we believe aright with Abraham from our very Sterility and Nothingness would start up such a Progeny of Graces and Comforts which an Eternity should never see extinct Abraham bows and believes and bows again and can never enough admire the infiniteness of the Love of his God to him He raises up Altars and sends up his thankful Heart in the smoak of his Sacrifices Every place where he passes is perfum'd with his Incense and God smells the sweet savour of it from above Great is the correspondency of the grateful Heart with Heaven Seven times a day do I praise thee But does Abraham remember where he is Is not his Zeal above his Discretion The Canaanite was yet in the Land and what makes him thus bold to invade the Countrey and bring in a Religion with him so perfectly different from all theirs He finds them a fierce and cruel People inflaming themselves with their Idols 'T is strange he did not smother his own in a politick Concealment and more prudently have consulted his security No but with a Courage and Undauntedness great as his Heart he dares own the Truth and the God of it in the Faces of them all He charges the Devil in his own Quarters and sets up an Ark before which he knew all the Dagons of the Countrey must one day fall Fearlesness and Courage for God is the natural fruit of a lively Faith. Confession must be open and valorous He that is ashamed of me of him will I be ashamed Abraham knew the God with whom he was in League was sufficiently able to defend him What are the combined Policies and Forces of Men that cannot move a Joynt any further than as commissionated by the first Mover whom Abraham had secured to himself He that hath a God to trust in and fears what Man can do against him deservedly forfeits his Pretence and Hope in the Almighty Protection Flesh may recoil a little but Faith stands its ground and is safe Having therefore the Grant of the whole Kingdoms so surely confirmed to him from Heaven he passes up and down the Countrey as their Prince and makes his Kingly Progress with a Breast devoid of all fear which he leaves to torment the bosoms of those who were perfectly Strangers to his God. Would we keep Heaven in our Eye and our Hopes clear and unblotted upon our Heart we might follow him with the same Gallantry of Spirit through all the Territories of the Sons of the Gyant and pass from pleasure to pleasure Faith is a prying Grace and narrowly surveys the Map of the coelestial Canaan to make discovery of those joyful Mansions which our hope tells us are as secure to us as if already we were in possession through Grace by the Vertue of the same Covenant that God sealed to Abraham While this Great Prince is thus recreating himself in the variety of the pleasurable Prospects of Canaan he is surprized by a discovery of a Leanness that appeared upon the face of the Fields such as might well make way for Jealousie to arise within him of its natural Fertility and Goodness Alas God had lock'd up the Womb of Nature that was productive enough of it self It was He that called for a Famine and brake the whole Staff of Bread This fruitful Land is made barren for the Wickedness of them that dwelt therein Even Canaan yields not her Increase and Abraham must learn the Lesson that Man liveth not by Bread alone When God stops his Ear and hears not the Heavens they must not hear the Earth nor the Earth the Corn. In vain do Men Plant and Water where God withdraws the Blessing Manna still falls from Heaven by the immediate hand of his Providence Substract but the Divine Influence and the whole Earth turns Desert you may Plow the Rocks with the same hopes of Increase Men distractedly Sacrifice to their own Net and Dragg All means are subservient to the supream Will of God who although he ordinarily works by them and sometimes without them yet not always with them and then all means are vain We must endeavour because he hath Commanded and hope for a Blessing because he hath Promised but if that fail it is because we have sinned and sin too frequently stops up the common current of his Goodness that it cannot flow down upon us in such full streams of Bounty as it would Your Iniquities O ye Canaanites have turned away and withholden good things from you God shoots his Evil Arrow of Famine into the heart of the Land he is already beginning to weaken their strength and shewing his Abraham by what variety of Means he could beat down all their proud Confidence and Power His Children should have no impossible task to obtain Possession since he hath other Weapons to spend upon them besides the Sword He could famish them all into Skeletons and make them drop down before him as Dead Men. It is confidently averred that this Famine was sent only as another Tryal Egypt The Church is ever in Motion as the Sun darting out her quickning Beams and Light. What is Life it self but a tossing too and fro by alternate motions into variety of Objects and Events Who would not think the Princes of the Earth incomparably more happy than Abraham who fix'd in the Orbs of their Majesty and Grandeur had little else to do than to play with the Leviathan in the wide Ocean of exchanged Pleasures and to glide from Joy to Joy while the good Patriarch oppressed with Famine and Want is forced to travel to seek his Bread and yet was he the only Golden Pot which was brim-full with spiritual Manna while all They as poor Earthen Pitchers run over only with the deadly Pottage of their own Seething and at last are broken in pieces together when himself is lodged in the perpetual Ark. 'T is ill judging of the Churches Complexion while she is sullied in the smoak of the Afflicting Furnace No Man knoweth either Love or Hatred by all that is before him Abraham in his Progress to Egypt unhappily discovers an impending danger and as well as he could projects to divert it The Egyptians were a luxurious and lascivious People and for ought he knew his Wife's beautiful Eyes may dart those Arrows into their Hearts
can only bleed at their Eyes and commiserate the Unhappy in unprofitable Tears Courage is the masculine Virtue Who ever saw Brave Man using his Handkerchief instead of his Sword But Abraham was prudent and cautious and will not undertake a Warr without good Advice he will have sure grounds to justifie the Attempt and warrant the Success He first therefore Consults the Oracle of his Conscience which was ever guided by his Prophetical spirit and on Enquiry finds that in this Case he may warrantably proceed Had not God given him a Title to the Kingdom who had the only Right to dispose of it What though his Subjects did not acknowledge him he was nevertheless the Right Lord and what were these Kings but Intruders upon him and had no other Title than what the Sword had given them Abraham therefore though but a Titular Prince thought himself oblig'd in Duty to relieve them He takes up the Sword with the same Authority as Moses did afterwards when he slew the Egyptian by the Virtue of the Divine Revelation made to him of his being the future Deliverer of the poor enslaved People And to this the Laws of Nature added a Tye upon him to release his oppressed Kinsman whom they unrighteously had injured and who was in no wise guilty of the Crime more justly imputable to the rest But above all the sacred Obligations of Religion could in no wise suffer him to see the little Church in Lot's Family led Captive and subjected to the Rage and Tyranny of Pagans Abraham therefore sufficiently convinc'd of the lawfulness of the War resolves to proceed And here we must present you with the Picture of the Saint in his Armour CHAP. IV. Abraham fights with the four Kings for the rescue of Lot. He gets the Victory and redeems the Prisoners Melchisedeck at his return meets him on the way and presents him with Provisions for his Souldiers His Transaction with the King of Sodom REligion is so far from emasculating the spirits of its truest Votaries that it steels them all throughout with the hardest Courage It banishes those fears and seeds of Cowardise that in every danger stare others in the face like Caesar's Ghost appaling the Soul of Brutus It Refines them from those vitious Qualities that have debased many a stout Heart to truckle under the basest Vsurpations Who would not have mourned to see the brave Sampson grinding in the Mill and made the subject of the Philistines scorn and laughter It redeems them from those salacious Lusts that enervate the Arteries of the Soul and take away the Heart subjecting it to the mean Cringes of dependance on every inferiour Badge It links them fast in an indissolvable Union with the Omnipotent Power which ever secures protection and safety Hypocrisie may brandish a Sword in the Air and brag of its Valour against an Eutopian Enemy but the single Scout of a real One makes it drop it and sets it on flying Profaneness may shut its Eyes and harden it self against dreads of Death it may venture a Soul to get a Name but with no other Bravery than the gallant Horse who mocketâ—â—â— fear and is not affrighted the quiver rattleth against him the glittering spear and the shield yet is he not afraid So This may desperately run on the Pikes of Wrath as insensible of danger 'till rushing into the Battle it meets its Death and despairs together No 't is the brave Abraham's Courage shall work Wonders who with a spirit wash'd from degenerating Lusts and Guilt the fainty Diseases and very Agues of the Mind that sets it on shaking with terrible Apprehensions of shadows armed with Innocence and a good Cause daring to look his God in the Face with the same confidence and fearlesness as he doth his own Heart Who wears a Life to no other end but his service and is content to lay it down at any time for his glory Who hath a Ticket of Assurance from a second Death in his Bosom This is the Righteous Hero that is bold as a Lyon and you shall hear presently what an handful of such as these can gloriously perform against a puissant Army whom Success and Victory had blown up into Pride and Presumption The Discipline of War with the various Arts and Polities of it and all the Exercises and feats of Militia are a Lesson which David who was a great Souldier professes himself to have learned from God who is Generalissimo of all the Hosts both of Heaven and Earth and who is pleas'd to own the Title of a Man of War. By no other Tutor was this great Prince instructed before him It was He that taught his hands to war and his fingers to fight He had first train'd him up in the mysterious faculties of Believing and Obeying Now will he Exercise him in the Martial Art of fighting that his Abraham might be as equally famous for his Valour as his Faith. And doubtless the inserting so full an Account of this War and the Catalogue of the Princes that manag'd it so accurately in the Holy Records is due to the Care and great Kindness of God to his Abraham who will not have him lose the honour of his Chivalry and Prowess which shines so brightly in the Defeat of such mighty Enemies as they All the World shall know that they were no mean and contemptible Antagonists that his great Federate had encountred with And thô all the Troops of the five Princes of Palestine were nothing in their hands yet they must not imagine so lightly to carry away the Garland when once the great Abraham took up the Gauntlet in the Quarrel 'T was Himself that raised up this Righteous Man from the East called him to his Foot gave the Nations before him and made him rule over Kings he gave them as dust to his Sword and as driven stubble to his Bow. All Knowledge is given for Communication God had not drest up this Great Man into all the perfections of Nature and Grace that he should find a Grave for them in his own Bosom No! as he disdains not to be his own Chaplain and thinks it no derogation from his Grandeur to educate his Servants in the true Knowledge and Worship of God in order to make them good Men so was it his Care and Practice no doubt from Divine Instinct to train them up in the right Exercise and Vse of Arms in order to make them good Souldiers (†) (†) (†) Quos instruxerat Arte Bellicâ Lege Divinâ Menochius The one would help on the other Religion it self in a great part of it being nothing else but a wise and expert Use of our spiritual Armour against all the Enemies of our Peace under the Guidance and Conduct of the great Captain of our Salvation They might learn by every Posture of their Bodies to remember with what care they must stand on the Guard for their Souls This Trained Band was ever ready at the Call of their
of Him who bore so great a Character 'T was a Representative of his God whom he therefore thinks himself obliged to Honour He embraces Him as Such and mixes a Carriage full of Reverence and Sweetness towards him His late Prosperity had not in the last swelled him into Neglect or Forgetfulness of his Duty Minds that are truly Great cannot act beneath themselves He is surprized to find in that Idolatrous Kingdom so great a Person that owns the God He Professes to Worship and questionless promised to himself Happiness in the after Enjoyment of so Divine Acquaintance tho' we find not any further converse they maintained Abraham cannot receive so many rich Effusions of his Piety and Bounty without finding a thankful Remuneration Grateful Hearts are in Pain till they ease themselves from the burden of those Obligations that others Courtesie have heaped upon them And now is he glad that the baffled Kings haveleft him in some Capacity to make an Acknowledgment of his Gratitude both to God and his Priest upon the Spot And therefore he very humbly Devotes a Tenth Part of all the Spoils he had taken If Christians were all the true Heirs of Abraham's Holy and Generous Heart there had little needed those multiplied Laws to constrain the People and secure to the Priests their Maintenance by Tythes Melchisedeck having performed his Duty receives without scruple the Sacred Dues of his Office which the Patriark so chearfully paid him and with all the Reciprocations of mutual Affection to each other and solemn Praises to God he departs away to his Salem His Discession makes way to another Prince of a very far different Temper and Spirit 'T is Piety makes the only Discrimination between Persons All men have not Faith. This is the sparkling Diamond that enriches the Crowns of Kings Where that is wanting Honour is but a Jewel in a Swines Snout If private Men are illustrated by it for since thou wast precious in mine Eyes thou hast been Honourable what Glory might it add unto Monarchs The King of Heaven shines in the Majesty of his Holiness Abraham knew well enough that the Sodomitish King wore no such Pearl in his Crown therefore he puts on a Behaviour towards him agreeable to the Baseness of his Spirit He had dishonourably turned his back from the Kings that Himself had Charged and made Havock of He cannot therefore think him worthy of that Reception that a Gallant Prince might have merited from him Men are to be treated by the Rules of Discretion according to the Nature of the Designs and Ends they have upon us Melchisedeck came to bless God for that Excellent Person whom his Goodness had raised up to be an happy Instrument of delivering the Country from the mischiefs of the War and to bless Himself in the Sight and Acquaintance of him But this King is so far from any the least Resentment of the good Providence and Means by which his Subjects were redeemed that he looks down with a plodding Eye and projects how to make Abraham's Victory an Advantage to himself He appears here rather as a Merchant to Truck and Barter than as a gallant Prince to throw his grateful Soul into the Embraces of the Brave Conquerour with Ten thousand Thanks for so vast a blessing as the Overthrow of the Enemies by his Victorious Arms. He could not be Ignorant that by the Laws of War Abraham was indisputably entitled to whatsoever his Sword had Won in the Field Himself had lost all by his Cowardise what Abraham had recovered by his Courage And yet hath he the Confidence to Challenge a share in the Benefit of his Noble Adventure And mistaking the brave Patriarch for a Man of as Sordid a Soul as Himself thinks that he Bids him Fair in the proffer of the Booty provided he might have the Persons to himself This is the main Errand that brings the King of Sodom as his own Ambassador to the Camp of Abraham How perfectly Strangers are the Men of this World to the Princely Greatness of Mind that directs and ennobles all the Actions of the Righteous and the Holy Now shall this King of Sodom see the difference of a Star from a Clod and a Spirit enkindled by the true Celestial Fire from his own that glared in the contemptible Light of a Glow-worm Would he have Abraham to go One Mile with him in Courtesie behold he will go Two Would he have his Coat from him let him take his Cloak also Does he make suit to have the Persons Let him take them yea and the Goods also the Spirit of an Abraham can grant more than The Sodomite hath confidence to Crave The Noble Patriarch opens Heaven to him and darts out a Beam of the Divine Nature that strikes him into perfect Extasie there is no more Life in him while he beholds the Majesty of the great Soul of Abraham His own Dunghil Gods shed no such Insluences on their Votaries He looks on him as on some Sacred Shrine fallen from Heaven and sent for him to Worship and be enrich'd by So impossible is it for the true Race of the Heavenly Progeny to degenerate from the Royal Nature of their Mighty and Bountiful Father who scatters Scepters and Kingdoms and freely gives Grace and Glory Avaritious Minds in every Lincament of their Actions plainly betray their Sordid Extractions and let them wear the Philactaries of their profession never so broad yet these Fig-leaves dropping away very visibly discovers the Shame of their Nakedness and want of those Holy Garments that God himself wears and which should Dress them up to Salvation The long Robes of the Pharisees were too curtile and thin to hide from the Holy Jesus their Hypocrisie and Covetousness Nor is there surely a greater Affront unto Heaven than for these Sons of the Earth to pretend themselves Married to the Daughters of God. I will confidently a verr that the Coveâ—ous Soul hath not the least Spark of the Sacred Fire in it An Earthly Saint is a Monster in the Church with six Fingers and Toes on his Hands and Feet scraping and raking in the Muck-heaps of the Creation Let not such dare to say We have Abraham to our Father since of the very Stones of the streets God is every day polishing up brighter Children unto Abraham while themselves lie wallowing in the Dirt. Now the brave Abraham heaps the Goods of this World upon the Head of a Sodomite whose very Heart was upon them and scorns to afford them a Lodging in his Thoughts Let him cripple his Shoulders with the burden of them himself would keep his affections free Abraham piles up Earth upon Earth and buries him into the Dust Should but a little Mote of that Mould hang on his own Foot he would shake it from him into his Lap and disdains to wear but a Buckle in his Shoe that ever came out of Sodom He might have sav'd himself the trouble of this Journey hence long before he
that Manna the Spirits of Angels are feasted with Can whisper Secrets into thine Ears that shall drown thy heart with Joy unspeakable and Glorious Can light up such a Taper in thy Soul that shall pierce the Clouds and give thee a Prospect of the Invisible Kingdom and bless thy Soul with Moses's Eyes When all the World is tossed on the Billows of his Wrath can lodge thee in an Ark of perfect Security and Peace Thou shalt not fear the fears of the Wicked nor be distracted with their Amazements Thy Soul shall dwell in quiet within the Tabernacle of his Presence If Heaven and Earth should fall and mix together in one Chaos of Confusion the Ruine should not concern thee at all Thy Foot is fixt on the unmoveable Rock from all the Dreads and Possibilities of falling Everlasting Arms would be underneath to preserve thee from dashing thy self against the bruising Stones When Time hath spun out the Silver Thread of thy Life on Earth God will furnish thee with a Clew that shall convey thee safely thrô all the Labyrinths of Death into the lightsome Palace of an everlasting Joy and Glory where thou shalt ever share with his Chosen in endless Felicities and wear on thy happy Head the Immortal Crown of Life God from his own most blessed Essence flowing out unto thee with inexhaustible streams of ineffable Pleasure and Love which drown all apprehensions here to conceive and must despair ever to know before thou comest to enjoy them Lo this is the Reward and Heritage of the faithful Children of that Abraham whom God made the happy Object of his own delight his Friends Joy his Enemies Envy and the Wonder of all the World. Cease then from inquiring what an exceeding Great Reward thy God will be to those that serve him with Abraham's Heart Nor ask with David What shall be done to the man that shall sight the Battels of God against the Goliah's of the World and Sin but buckle on thine Armour and with Abraham and David act Couragiously and in the Strength of thine Almighty Shield thou shalt not fail to be Victorious the little Pebble of this single Promise shot from the strong Arm of thy Faith and Confidence shall sink into the Forehead of all thine Opposers on whose Ruines thou shalt build to thy self a Pillar and Monument of Immortal Glory and Praise Thou wilt pardon me Reader this long digression from Abraham's Story while I have been labouring only to heave up thy dull heart and tired Spirits to that blessed place where himself is entred and to give thee in a smaller draught an imperfect Copy of those Glories to which his Faith and Courage have so happily preferr'd him We shall find him presently making use of his Shield and trying what mettal it is made of not against a weak Combination of Kings but against God himself Indeed the manner of his Attacque is somewhat different for there is no prevailing against God but by an humble use of his own Weapons Therefore having received the Ammunition he immediately makes his Assault and so very luckily managed it that it struck into the very Heart of God and thence fetch'd out the blood that was afterwards temper'd to make up the Son which he fought for When fury and Wrath can prevail nothing Tears and Prayers get the Victory Hast thou said thou wilt be a Great Reward to me to what purpose will all that be when I am hastening to my Grave and cannot bear with me thy Blessings into the next World and I have no Heir to enjoy them after me Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go Childless See how Abraham strikes while the Iron is hot and dexterously clinches the Nail of the Promise with the humble stroak of his Faith into the breast of God's Faithfulness which opens it Self to make way for it to stick in and there it abode for many years after till Isaac came to draw it out 'T is observed by the Learned that Abraham (*) (*) (*) Domine Jehovah illud patheticum est eoque tanquam singultiens usus est Abraham Sigh'd out this Request to God from the very bottom of his Heart which no wonder then had so good effect on the Heart of God. The weak Charge of the Lips do little Execution without strong Enforcement from the Breath of the Soul. Omnipotence it self falls under the Push of a melted Soul. The Wind of Affectionate Prayer and Showers of true Repentance turns the very Bowels of a God within him and puts him on Repenting too Mary's Tears at Lazarus's Grave sets Jesus on Groaning and then to Weeping as fast as She Admire not to see the Soul of her Brother discharged out of Heaven when God could keep it there no longer The Spiritual Kingdom is very well pleased to suffer under such Violence It may be Jacob afterwards learned from his Grandfather this Never-failing Art of Wrestling with Heaven for in his buckling with the Angel though himself got a small blow that put his Thigh out of joynt yet had he Strength enough still to hold him Prisoner till he got his Designs upon him and his Tears trickled down so fast that there was no more Heart in his Antagonist to deny him that Blessing that he so powerfully struggled for As a Prince he prevailed with God But how He wept and made Supplicacation unto him They were Jacob's Tears that melted the strength of that Blessed Prince of Angels who when he came into the World in our Nature made use himself of no other Arms. But what are Sighs and Groans and Tears were they all of Blood for how little are they regarded in the World Since they make the poor Patients but the more unpleasing Company to others who breath in the Egyptian Air where no such Showers fall where no such Winds do blow Yet Sighs for Sin differ from other Breath as the Sweet Perfumes of the Aromatick Mountains from the Fuliginous Vapours of the dead Sea or the Inspirations of Heaven from the Noisom Belchings of Brutes They are the Brisk Gales that scatter the Fogs of Guilt and securely waft us to Heaven And though they are Inarticulate and pass away from us without a Coinage into Noise and Words yet God knows their Oratory well enough and can spell them into so good Sence that he puts his own Imprimatur upon them and shall be produc'd as Records of true Repentance though there be little else to plead for Mercy and Safety in the day of Visitation but the poor Evidence of a sew Hearty Groans under the killing Tyrannies of Sin. When the Bottle of Tears shall appear at that time to plead for us then shall these Winds also pass out of their Treasury to blow some Refreshment on us Both the one and the other Washed and Sweetned with the Sacrifice of the Blood of Jesus Ezek. 9.4 God had already made to Abraham a General Promise of a Numerous Seed and now he
own which would entitle them to Divine Favour and Protection surely this would Terminate his Desires and compleat up all his Happiness Abraham is content to go Issueless still rather than be the miserable Parent of Rebels against Heaven The Arrows that are shot by wicked Children against the Honour of God pierce by the way through the hearts of their wounded fathers and make them bleed God is so well pleased with the Workings of Abraham's thoughts and took it so kindly from him that he had honoured him by so absolute Resignation of his Faith on the bare word of his Promise That from hence forth he shall have little cause to question the Performance of all his future Engagements for now he resolves to confirm them all by stronger Bars than those that Heaven and Earth are environed with He is content to enter into a Sacred Covenant with him that shall oblige his Holiness Honour and Truth in such irrefragable Tyes that Abraham's Heirs may Sue him at their pleasure upon the Violation of them and shall have liberty to plead the Breach of Articles against him in the Court of Honour should he fail in any point of Performance Nor were they backward as Vatablus tells us for notwithstanding themselves were so careless in keeping the Counter-conditions that obliged them to Obedience and Duty And by their continual Violations had evacuated the whole Covenant and wrenched off all the Seals yet would they be so Impudent to reproach him with a Failure on his Part and frequently twit him with it when their Treacheries had at any time provoked him to bring in an Enemy upon them or put them into Banishment and Sufferings Recordare foederis inter segment a initi Remember the League made with Abraham our Father when the Heifer was cut in twain and thou passedst through the parts thereof There was a Custom as elsewhere so in Chaldaea whereof therefore Abraham could not be ignorant That for confirming Covenants these Ceremonies passed amongst them A Beast was killed and divided into two equal Parts which Parts were brought forth and laid at some distance over against each other the Federates passing between them and solemnly imprecating on themselves the same Death and Ruine so to be killed and cut in pieces as the Beast if they should first break the Covenant and Agreement made between them The equal Division of the Beast seeming to represent the Vnity of Will in both Parties and their mutual satisfaction in the Conditions of the League In Conformity to this Custom Abraham is ordered to get ready his Heifer and with that a Goat and a Ram all of three years Age and to these a Turtle Dove and a young Pigeon to prepare and place them in order against such time as the Lord would please to come down to pass thorough them In that the Beasts were multiplied it signified a surer Ratification of the Covenant The Conditions on Gods part were That he would surely give unto Abraham for his Posterity the whole Kingdoms of Canaan for a Possession Abraham Conditions for his Children That they therefore should keep the Laws of the Lord and walk in his ways as himself would give them Example Gods Passing thorough the divided parts in the Appearance of Fire and Smoak and Abraham's walking through the midst of them confirmed the Covenant and finished the Transaction Now must this be unto Abraham an infallible Assurance God could not deny Himself nor his Covenant He may cease disputing for the future How shall I know that I shall inherit it There are Authors that make Critical Observations first on the Age of the Beasts which were All to be three years Old and signified that this Covenant related only to the Carnal Posterity of Abraham for there follows another for his Spiritual which was to endure for evermore who should enjoy Canaan during Three Remarkable Terminations of time The first from Abraham himself to Moses The second from Moses to David The third from David to Christ when by their bitter Usage and Cruelty towards Him the whole Articles were torn to pieces and themselves sent packing out of their good Land having no longer a Promise of it The Miracle of Gods Condescention in binding Himself up to his Creatures is a Subject for Angels to pry into and for Saints to praise him for ever Yet is not this all that Abraham shall be gratified in there is still a farther Honour God will confer on his Favourite He shall be admitted into his own Privy-Council of Heaven and the Arcana Imperii the Mysteries of State that are lock'd up in the secret Cabinet of his Bosom shall be disclosed to him He shall here have a perfect Prospect into all the Occurrences of his Family for many hundred years after which first he shall discover in a Type and then in clearer words First The Beasts and the Birds do more generally shew him the different Natures of his Children some bearing brutish Affections creeping upon the Face of the Earth as Beasts others Soaring in a more Spiritual Element All their aims aspiring after Heaven Again more particularly The very Heifer a Laborious Slave subjected to the Collar shall Prophesie to him the Servitude of his Children under the Egyptian Yoke the very Age of her shall shew him the term of that Slavery for Three Generations together But then the Turtle a Solitary Bird that delights in the Desart shall shew him also their Removal thence and wandring in the Wilderness for Forty years And the Pidgeon a Fowl that loves to be Hous'd shall lead him to the sight of his Family fixedly settled in the Cities of Canaan The very Sleep he fell into is Prognostick of his last End and the horrour of Darkness that came upon him Prophesied the grievous Troubles and dismal Afflictions his Children would fall into as hardly should they discover any Light of hope for deliverance from them God having foreshewn all these future Events unto Abraham expounds them afterwards in a plain Declaration of Words wherein he is comforted against all the Sorrows of his Posterity by their certain Redemption from them and his own long Life ending in a Quiet and Blessed Death The Ceremony being ended Abraham is confirmed for ever Observe here how the whole Scene of all contingent Emergencies befalling the Creatures and issuing upon Kingdoms Families and Persons throughout all Ages of Time hang all up in One fair Table Open and Naked in the Light of Gods Omniscient Eye unalterably fixed by his firm Decrees and all unavoidable by any Power or Wisdom of Men. How vainly then doth Humane Weakness Plot to break the Links of his Providences which his own Mighty Arm hath so undissolvably chain'd together That all the Combinations of Men or Devils do but weary themselves while they Idlely endeavour to break them Take also a View of the Road to the Heavenly Canaan The Land is confirmed to Abraham and his Heirs with all the Assurances that a
she fears the Judge himself is a Party against her and too openly favours her Adversary Yea she is bold in her Declaration to Accuse him downright of an unjust Compliance and should that fail she doubts not to prove him guilty of too great a Connivance at the Insolencies of his Minion And was really Jealous that her New Sheets had feloniously drawn away all his old Affections from her self But should she find him no kind Chancellour she resolves to Appeal unto God Himself who would surely look into the Merits of her Cause and pass a most equitable Sentence for her Abraham the sole Arbiter of this Difference mindful of his Sarahs Fidelity to him under all the Temptations of Pharaoh's Court cannot now justifiably warp from his Integrity to her for the sake of any Egyptian Slave and is wise enough to allay the heat of Sarah's fury by giving her satisfactory Evidence of the coldness of his Love to Hagar which he could manifest in nothing more clearly to her than by calling her up to the Bench and leaving her there to pass her own Decree Behold thy Maid is in thy hand do to her as it pleaseth thee Very Prudent and Admirable Justice since who is ignorant that from the little Sparks of Contention inkindled by Ambition and Jealoufie on the Spirit of Women have too often issued those Fires which have burned to a dreadful Conflagration The Sword in their Lips have been snatched thence into the Hands of their Husbands and made bloody work in the Church of God. Abraham yields the Concubine to be blown up to prevent the running of the Flame any farther in his Family and for ought we can find Sarah spares for no Powder How happy and Righteous were we if in this we could imitate our Father and in the bustling Broils between Flesh and Spirit ever take part with the high-born Soul labouring under all the proud Tyrannies of her Insulting baser Enemy delivering her up to suffer the just penalties of her Insolence and Folly who must be dealt with as a Slave and throughly humbled least she make the whole House too hot for us here and at last lead us away Prisoners with her and both perish together I keep under my Body and bring it into subjection least I my self become a cast-away But thô Paul was happy and successful in the Methods of his Discipline over his Flesh yet all the severity Sarah could make use of did little work any Change upon her Bond-woman to reduce her within Bounds of her Duty O the Plague of an untameable Spirit that baffles all the Arts of both Heaven and Earth to humble it Neither Frowns nor Smiles neither Stroaks nor Stroakings neither Judgments nor Mercies make the least impression upon this impenetrable Rock to melt into one drop of Reluctancy till Blood flowing from the holy veins of a God-Man fall upon it and dissolve the Adamant all into Water Hagar will Break sooner than Bow and chooses rather to flye from than bend to her Mistress she resolves to lye in none rather than a Truckle-Bed So grievous is it for Nature to fall in the price of it self that it preferrs Annihilation when it cannot attain the Ends of its Ambition Achitophels great Spirit hates to survive the funeralls of his Reputation and suffers rather an Halter than dishonour while Grace shrowds its own Worth and blushingly veyls its meritorious Vertues Moses his Mask is still worn by those excellent Souls that are ever on the Mount when vain and empty Minds rage and grow angry with the World for not Adoring the Shrine of their Nothingness And what is Hagar now broken off from her Mistresse but a poor sorry contemptible creature in the Wilderness while I see her sitting by the water-side desolate and comfortless ruminating in her Mind all the past Transactions of her Life and very probably now brought most sensibly to bewayl that stubbornness and ill-nature that had thus reduc'd her to this Extremity She seems too lively a Shadow of those miserable Souls whom their own wretchedness and Divine Justice hath Excommunicated from the Church for ever into a more fatal Lake where they have now Time enough if an Eternity suffices to commune with their own Hearts of all the unspeakable Kindnesses of a God towards them thro the whole Series of their Life who all along courted them with the Varieties of his good Providence and yet further with all the Delicacies of his Ordinances allowing them the rich Priviledges of his House and Table under all which instead of an Humble and Reverend Demeanour in his Family a Grateful and Affectionate Sence of his Goodness with a lowly Reflection on their own Vuworthiness they waxed Wanton and Proud breaking all the bonds of Obedience and Duty fomenting Schisms and Divisions in the Church Murmuring against Moses and Aaron bringing all things into so perfect Confusion that the Earth it self disdaining to bear them any longer opened her Jaws to provide them a Grave where they have nothing else to do but bitterly to lament their Distraction and Madness in not timely considering the concerns of their Peace which now alas are hid from their Eyes Yet Hagars case is not thus desperate she bore along with her that Pledge of Heavens care and her Masters pity as well might serve to cherish in her some hope for commiseration and relief She had not so long lived in Abrahams house to gather no fragments of Religion the very Rebels of the Family have yet learned to howle in their Extremities for some help In their affliction they will seek me early And it may be God had Allured her into this Wilderness to teach her the Lesson of Humiliation which she could never take forth in the day of her Prosperity therefore is an Angel sent from Heaven to speak comfortably to her And her Repentance hath procured to her the Honour of the first Visit that ever Angel is yet noted to have made into the World Or rather the Prince of Angels sent himself cloathed with beams of brightness and those Celestial Qualities which make her own him to be as indeed he was the Lord Jehovah ver 13. The poor wretch was trudging home towards Egypt with an heavy Body and an heavier Mind and was now resting her self by a Fountain of Water increased by a contribution from her Eyes which she hardly stops to clear up and look on so Illustrious a Comforter Natural Tears shed for self need but Gods presence to strike the Heart and hallow them into Tears for Sin. Hagar admires to hear her self so readily named and in the same moment her Faults detected Where is the guiltless Name that God can speak to from Heaven If she were Sarahs Maid what did she there Had she her Mistresses pass-port with her When we flie from our Callings we flie from God whose Law commands us to a fixed Station and whose Providence watcheth over us in it and whose Correction reacheth us
by that Covenant He proceeds now to a discovery of a better Inheritance than Canaan and perfectly adequate too to the more pure and refined inclinations of those better Children of Abraham on whom the very Features of his brave Soul should survive and appear and who should not idley boast in the priviledge of his Blood running in their Veins when they bore not the least shadow of his Faith and Goodness in their Hearts For these express Images of their Fathers Graces He knows no better Heritage to confer upon them than his own most Blessed Self He hath portion enough that hath a God Blessed is the People whose God is the Lord. Nothing less than He can be a proportionable Portion for the Spiritual Heirs of Abraham's Faith. Therefore to let him see the unexpressible Riches of his Grace and the high Contrivances of his Heart which was ever working into more and greater Manifestations of his Love towards him he passes from Heaven to break in pieces all the Barrs of Opposition and Despair not only that little one of his Wife's Barrenness which obstructed all his hopes of an Heir but also those mighty ones of Sin and Hell which hinder the World of the blessings of a Saviour Now the better to Illustrate the Glory of that Grace which he is ready to Seal to his Dearest Abraham He will lay the Foundation of it in a more Conspicuous and Brighter Revelation of Himself to him than ever yet he had the Happiness to enjoy By drawing the Curtain from the profound Abyss of the Incomprehensible Deity and flashing out a clearer Beam of his Majesty upon his Understanding and Mind in the further Light and Joy whereof he shall henceforth walk all the days of his Life as in the Shine of a thousand Suns Knowledge is the foundation of Faith and the greater Degrees of it are the enlarging the Field wherein the Contemplations of the Soul more unlimitedly walk with sweeter Liberty while Her desires stretch out themselves by the utmost Extensions after the Infinite Good they discover And though they despair to reach it here below for God is Great and we know him not so great that we cannot know him yet 't is no small delight to them to enjoy a Pisgah-sight of that Glorious Canaan God had already shewn unto Abraham what he would be unto him under Metaphorical Expressions of Shield and Reward But he knows not yet distinctly enough what he is in Himself and he should be infinitely happier in a more satisfactory discovery of his Nature such as might brighten his Judgment and Apprehensions The greatest part of the Worlds Religion is Samaritan Men worship they know not what but Abraham shall know Him he worships and shall be guided by the light of such an Attribute that shall open his Intellectuals into the Sence of the Divine Nature and such a One too as shall be most naturally effectual to work up his other Faculties into a chearful and unreserved Resignation of his whole Person and Actions to the Will of God when he shall find that he hath all those Infinite Perfections in him which compleat and fill up the Blessedness of a God without going out of Himself to fetch in any Contributions to make him more Happy than he is already If therefore such a God would make over Himself to him and give him an Interest in that All-sufficiency which he himself both is and hath Abraham should have little cause to complain of Defects in the Perfection of his Felicity since he hath every thing according to his Capacity whatsoever an All-sufficient God hath to make himself perfectly Happy Let him stretch out the Appetites of his Soul to the remotest expansions of Eternity even thither will this God follow him to Supply and Perfect up all his desires This is the delicious Prospect that his Spiritual Eyes shall be Irradiated to gaze on far transcending all the outward Objects of a Transitory World or the Canaan in it that formerly he had commanded him to View This is that Luscious Banquet he prepares for Abraham's Faith and Affections to Feast on And methinks Reader thou hast no reason to complain of Scarcity when thou art placed after him at the same Table with an Addition of many more Viands which his Great Son hath brought from Heaven with him The standing Dish that every Son of Abraham is commanded to break his Fast on is God Himself And he is enough without any other Sallads from Canaan Yet hath he strangely Improved himself under the Gospel where he hath dressed and set out himself with all the pleasing advantages to our Palats imaginable And when all this is done how few are there found that relish any Sweetness in him Our Squeamish Stomacks with those nice Children of Abraham Will none of him Our Sick Souls Loath this precious Manna But art thou in Health Reader that thy Soul tasts not a God Does Onions and Garlick Wind and Vanity please thee better Go take thy Repast with Ephraim and see whether thou beest not grip'd at the last 'T is himself indeed that must give us eyes to behold his own Beauties and holy Senses to relish his own Sweetness Do but observe with what Extasie of Passion the great Abraham's Soul was seized at the first Breaking out of so transcendent a Mercy He Bows himself to the Earth with the same Prostration as a poor Indigent would do that had Scepters and Kingdoms Sealed up to him by a Royal Hand and Bounty The former Largesses of Canaan cost him but a few humble Cringes but here he Sinks down flat under the weight of this excessive Glory the having a God secured to him by Covenant He lies Astonished on the Ground before him struck down in Amazement at the thought of so vast a Condescention of a God making over Himself with all the Glories of Heaven and Earth to a contemptible Worm extracted no higher than the poor Dust he lay on When the frequent Sound of the same miraculous Grace beating into the Ears of thee and me Reader hath not the least Energy upon our Hearts nor hath wrought any greater Concern upon us than if we had been hearing Lectures of Happiness in the Kingdom of the Moon and promising hopes of Promotion in Eutopia Yet is God so pleased to see Abraham thus Lowly that taking him when he is Down He Dubs him a Knight of the Holy Order and adds a Sacred Syllable more to his Name who from the single Honour of being the Great Father of the Thousands of Israel shall be now inaugurated the true Pope of the Vniversal Church of God next and immediately under his own Son. And Kings by more Natural Bonds than those of Civility and Complement shall truly call him Father and be proud too to derive their Royal Descent from the direct Line of his Blood. Thus is Abraham placed in a Chair of State upon a Throne with all the Scepters of the World humbly lying
at his Feet His Humility hath gotten him this Honour Jeconâ—ah's Wickedness shav'd him into the despicable Cut of plain Coniah as one unworthy to fill up the Leaves of the Sacred Records with the full Syllables of his Name But Abraham's Devotion must swell the Volume and all Lips shall be Taxt to pay a greater Tribute of Breath to his Title 'T is Critically observed that the Hebrew Letter He that God interposed within Abraham's Name is the Principal of those Holy Letters which make up the Tetragrammaton and is twice made use of in the Ineffable Name of God which was to mind him that in this Covenant he did not as formerly convey away his Blessings only but now should his Abraham communicate of his very Divinity Startle not Reader 't is no more than what St. Peter investeth the whole Posterity and Church with who are Partakers of the Divine Nature of God. Now because the best Women are a little Ambitious and God knew how ill Sarah would take it should she not Participate in the same Dignity with her Lord Abraham with his own Hand shall deliver the Patent for a Ladiship that from the little Verge of her own Court shall extend it self and Invest Her with a Right of Precedency above all the Ladies of the World. As the Great Grandmother of a Double Race of Kings whose Sacred Diadems shall out-glitter all the Crowns upon Earth Let those of her Order remember that Sarah was a LADY of Gods Immediate Creation who though She be now Advanced to far greater Glory than that yet may they not forget the First of their Order and ever think it their Duty to give her Place in their Hearts To no more purpose do we bear the Sacred Name of God our Saviour upon us if the Holy Nature of Jesus be not found within us then did the Jews the Carnal Seed of the Spiritual Abraham who by vertue of the Covenant were named the People of God and called by his Name by whose dishonourable Actions that Holy Name of God was Blasphemed by the very Gentiles and for which cause they that bore his Name now bear his Wrath and are cut off from all the Prerogatives of that Holy Calling Take heed therefore Christian and Let every one that nameth the Name of the Lord Jesus depart from Iniquity And though the Priviledges annexed to this Holy Name and Divine Nature will not be acknowledged to the Rightful Heirs of Abraham in this Forreign World where they are as Princes Incognito in a strange Country their King himself being but This Fellow in every impious Mouth and they knew not whence he was yet hath God given them the High Title of Sons and Daughters to Himself and they shall be so saith the Lord Almighty Nay a Name better than that the Mighty Heirs of God and Joynt-Heirs with Christ of the everlasting Kingdom where they shall be glorified together with Him who is even Gods Fellow and shall wear the immarcessible Crown being every one of them Kings and Priests unto God they need little envy the swelling Titles of Exalted Ashes whose petty Honours will all in a Moment lye in the Dust and be interr'd with Themselves in the Dark Vault of an eternal Oblivion when these are Enrolled in the Registries of Everlastingness and their blessed Names written by God himself in the Book of Life And how impossible is it for others that inherit the Royalties of Abraham and Sarah who Care not to derive them from the Great Fountain of the true and ever-living Honour will not present their Patents to Heaven to be Confirmed there but satisfie themselves with the bare Ecchoing each others Titles and bandying them from Lip to Lip with such Ridiculous Circumstances of Complement as harden them against God himself and makes all the real Dignities of the great Abraham very despicable in their Eyes which the Blessed Jesus perceived well enough when he pronounced the Incapacity of such Men to participate of the True Honour which cometh from God only when they satisfie themselves with receiving Honour one from Another Would God that all the Pagan Princes of the Earth would once remember to Dip their Robes in the Blood of the Immaculate Lamb and lay down their Crowns at the Sacred Feet of the Holy Jesus who would keep them no longer than till he had taken Measure by them how to fit their Royal Heads with Others more transparently Glorious against the time they shall come to wear them in his own Kingdom And that all the Inferior Shields of the Earth would Joyn themselves to the People of the God of Abraham who praise him for ever for all the Glories he hath by this Covenant secured to them in the endless Life And what else was the end of God in this Nobilitating Abraham and Sarah by drawing out their Titles into a more sweet and excellent Euphony than only to usher in and make way for the future Honours of a nearer Relation to Himself As Princes ordinarily clap Coronets on the Heads of those celebrated Beauties whom they design to Advance and bring within their Curtains So here the most high God in the drawing up the Covenants of Marriage between Himself and these Holy Persons is not unmindful to include the Article of an Honour proportionable to the Dignity of the Match and e'er he Solemnize the Nuptials will affix a Majesty to their Names which shall drown all the commemoration of their Native Meanness and mind them of the Royal Endowments they enjoy from the Great Joynture which Enriches them with an unlimited Dowry both of Heaven and Earth No wonder then that Abraham shrouds his Face with Shame and Blushing in the humble consciousness of his own Vileness as thinking himself most unworthy the Grace of being thus Promoted to the Glory of a Conjugal Vnion with an Almighty Jehovah and had his Posterity been as humble and sensible as himself was of that exceeding Honour they had never so treacherously run Whoring from so great an Husband after Stocks and Stones when Himself was ever so Faithful and Constant to the Bonds of his Covenant as it went against his very Heart to write them a Bill of Divorce How shall I give thee up Ephraim but was ever sending Messengers and Letters after them to invite and perswade them to remember themselves and him to whom they were so strongly Allyed and Vnited beseeching them to return again to their first Husband And though this was not the common Custom of Men to receive again those Wives that had so often run Away to play the Harlot with other Lovers yet would Himself pardon all and entertain them again in Love and Peace For I am married unto you saith the Lord Jer. 3.1 12. Will you take a View of the Marriage Covenants and observe That though they be drawn up by God himself yet to what Mighty Advantage they Run on the Part of Abraham and his Heirs for ever First I am
of his holy Government transacted in the Court of Conscience where Himself sitteth Judge or the blessed Spirit his Vicar over every Thought of the Heart and Action of the Life Not a vain Imagination but is brought down and humbled not an idle thought but what is captivated to the obedience of Christ 'T is he that strikes the stony Rock and the Waters gush out such a Rock was Peter whom he smote but with a glance of his Eye the Sun dissolving the Ice melted him all into Water He went out and wept bitterly He sheddeth his Love into the Soul and cold Mary is all in a Flame He pours in his Spirit of Joy and Paul and Silas sing in the Stocks He opens the Prison doors and the Shackles of Sin and Death flie off from the whole World lying in spiritual Captivity He Prophesies over the dry Bones and they come together take Life rise up and follow him as well thro' all Tribulations Sorrows Sufferings from Men Temptations Buffetings Persecutions raised by the Devil Fears Disquietments Dejections of their own Hearts Infirmities Weaknesses and Imperfections of their Duties As Comforts Encouragements Spiritual strength present Sence of his Love and secret Testimonies of his Spirit which is ever present with them to Illuminate Strengthen Comfort Establish and Direct them and therefore whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of His. This holy King rules not immediately only by his blessed Vicar above but mediately also by his Subordinate Officers here below Whether 1. Civil whom His Subjects Obey for his Sake and for Conscience Sake from a right Principle and not Brutishly in all their Lawful Impositions agreeable to his Glory they are ever Praying and Praising God for them yea tho' they be Persecuted by some of them Or 2. Ecclesiastick whom they Receive Honour Love and Obey as his Ambassadours and such as are sent by Him to break to them the Bread of Life whom they therefore follow and yield themselves up to their Lord by a gracious Conformity to the holy Doctrine brought them by his Ministers and Adorning that Doctrine by a suitable conversation in all things Abounding in every good word and work and approving themselves the faithful Servants of God in all the duties of both Tables having an equal Respect to all the Commandments of their Lord and approving themselves to Men by every Act of moral Righteousness and Daty They shall be at the last day approved by him to be no Hypocrites vain Pretenders proud and empty Professors self-seeking Designers or troublesome dividers of his Church and People but the True Hearty Sincere Rooted Living and Fruitful Members of his Mystical Body passing here the time of their Sojourning in filial fear and love and persevering in all Fidelity and Constancy of Obedience to all the revealed Laws of their great King as their Fore-father Abraham did they at last receive the end of their Faith and everlasting Salvation in Heaven where with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Heirs of their Covenant they are blessed and happy in and with God and the Lord Jesus for evermore Come Reader hast thou no Heart to accompany the blessed Communion of Saints to this glorious Home Why dost thou then bear about thee the Seal of the same Covenant and art Crossed for the Holy Land and hast received the sacred Name of Christ upon thee and thou pretendest to be a Candidate for Heaven and wilt rage against any that will dare to sweep away the Cobweb of thine Hopes when alas it hangs by a slender Thread and the lightest hand breaks every Cord of it away and down it falls and thy self with it into utter despair and Ruine See whether thine Anchor have better hold than theirs whose Dooms the great Heir himself pronounced The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out Matt. 8.12 So little will it avail thee to walk for a while alas for a Moment on the Borders of the blessed Land if thine own Infidelity and thy treacherous Heart shut thee out at last Either Rend off the Title and wipe away the drops of that holy Water issuing from the Wounds of the Crucified Saviour wherewith thou wert once Baptized into that sacred Name and renounce the hopes of that glorious Profession Or else be Faithful to thine Articles and give thy self wholly to him who hath given himself to thee Nothing less than the Hearty devotion of thy whole Soul and Life unto God can baer any reasonable Proportion with his Royal Bounty or give any convincing Demonstration of thy Real Gratitude less than this God will not Take less than this thou canst not Offer Every Imperfection and falling short of this must be lamented with bitter Tears wherein the poor Heart swims back again to better Duty and stricter Watchfulness and the broken Bones are jointed in to greater strength and Establishment made fit to walk with a more direct and even Progress in the holy Path rejoycing in their own Integrity But if instead of this thou be found wandring in the Wilderness of Error and Vanity walking after the imagination of thine evil Heart according to the course of the ungodly World and not after God know that thy Covenant is Sealed with melting Wax and thou thy self art holding it to the Flame in the light whereof thou mayst read thy despairs and find thy self in no better condition than those Sons of Abraham whose Unbelief and Obduration hath cancel'd the whole Effects of it and walking up and down in the Earth as the Deplorable Monuments of divine Indignation with Antipathies as great as ever against the blessed Person and Doctrine of the mighty Redeemer Thou maist indeed as some of them have a goodly Portion and Heritage here below Consolations suitable to thine own poor carnal Heart and God will not break the first Articles of a plentiful Canaan in the World thy Belly shall be filled with hidden Treasures But remember then that thy Tenure is but for Life and an uncertain Lease which may expire e're to Morrow comes and the Morning Sun may find thee a Carkase the Fearful case of him in the Gospel who went to Bed well but awaked in Hell. God hath reserved no second Portion in the next World but that of Fire and Brimstone The Heavens shall reveal thine Iniquity and the Earth shall rise up against thee the Increase of thine House shall depart and thy Goods shall flow away in the day of his Wrath There is the portion of a wicked Man from God and the Heritage appointed him by God. Away vain Man to thy Closet with David and consider the deplorable condition of These Make hast to the Sanctuary and there understand their latter end It may be when thou seest the Slipperiness of their Steps and how soon they are brought to a fearful end thou wilt pour out at least a sigh for a better Portion and to enjoy a more lasting Inheritance in God. Remember me O Lord with
Men little think it they do but swallow their own Damnation 'till their Eyes discern the Lord's Body in his own light those that have Eat and Drunk in his Presence shall be turned off at the last Day with a doleful Discedite Depart from me for I know you not Prayer it self unless selvidg'd by Resolution ravels out into nothing so little trust is there to the best of external Priviledges where they are not accompanied with the Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power He is not a Jew which is one outwardly Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of Men but God. Though the Ordinances in themselves are ineffectual without God yet being of Divine Institution they bind us to a constant and faithful waiting upon him in the Use of them for who knows when or how soon he may work by them The pretence of their invalidity give us no License to depart from them or to lay them by since here we see utter Excision menaced against every Child of Abraham that should not bleed by the Circumcising Knife There are some benefits which the most wicked Men enjoy together with the Holy in the outward Communion of the Church for which they shall pay their Homage and yield a subjection such as it is though hypocritical and involuntary they shall sit before him as his People do and make some shews at least of a real Conformity and Union with Him though their Hearts run after Covetousness and they are as Traiterous as Judas who yet had his Sop dipt in the same Dish with Jesus God who had hitherto feasted his Abraham with a Banquet of Promises which only his Faith is to feed on all his Life long and must depart the World in Assurance of their Truth when his Eyes should be shut up in Death will yet present him with one Dish which himself shall see and all his Senses ravished with the very taste of Sweet Meats are kept for the last Course and help to digest all the rest the better Judge Reader with what Ears Abraham receives the Tydings of an Heir from the Body of his dearest Sarah who at once is made a Lady and a Lady Mother She shall have a Son that shall own and double that Honour together 'T is Astonishing News and Abraham's Feet can hold him no longer he embraces the Mercy of a Saviour and a Son with a lowly Prostration Blessings multiply upon him as Duties are multiplyed by him No Man shall ever lose by a munificent God. Adam parts with a Rib and behold a Wife Abraham with a superfluous Skin and behold a Son. The Heart of Man cannot bear the Kisses of Divine Love without dissolving into Joy and Abraham's Soul is so full of it now that it forces a vent at his Mouth He laughs out the excess of that Comfort which seems so pleasingly to oppress him And God himself is so delighted to see his Abraham thus humbly and innocently Merry at the Thoughts of Sarah's Breeding that while the Name of Isaak liveth it shall never be forgotten that Abraham laughed thus reverently in Faith and as sometimes one who finds that he hath gratified his Company by telling a Story which hath proved so acceptable and affecting beyond expectation will repeat it again in Assurance of that Virtue in the repetition that will still keep up the Humour so God disdains not to make a Rehearsal of what he saw sounded so sweetly in the Ears of his dearest Friend Sarah thy Wife shall bear thee a Son Indeed she shall v. 19. Tho thine Age of an Hundred and hers of Ninety Years may make it seem impossible to Nature yet I have revealed to thee mine Almighty Power to give it an Evidence in this Grace God is already teaching Abraham the exercise of his Faith in his Alsufficiency and he is no dull Schollar but presently takes out the Lesson and is dandling Isaak in the Arms of his Faith before he is Conceived in the Womb of his Mother Could we Believe with Abraham's Faith we should Rejoyce with Abraham's Joy. There is no true Pleasure but what is Spiritual all the Worlds Huzzah's but as the Noise of Thorns which Crackle themselves into Nothing Solomon commits the Vanity to Bedlam the proper place for the Franticks that distractedly Laugh while they are little sensible what Tears they shall Weep in Hell Eccl. 2.2 Canst thou be Merry Canst thou Play Silly Soul who Sinn'd to Day In Heaven where there is no Sin there is Fulness of Joy In Hell where there is nothing but Sin there is nothing but Sorrow but on Earth Men Sin and rejoyce in it too yet feel no Sorrow and no wonder when they feel no Sin as the Distemper'd are sensible of no Madness These are pack'd away by Abraham's Great Heir into their own Place to see if they can be as Jolly there too Woe unto you c. The Merry Frolick of a short day dying into an Everlasting Night of Horror and Torment But for a greater Increase of Abraham's Joy he receives not the News of a Son only but an Heir of the Covenant He shall inherit the Blessings of Grace and Glory God intends Isaac for Heaven e'er ever he had Life or Conception Where are those that quarrel at the comfortable Doctrine of Election which God himself Preaches to Abraham Well might he Laugh again for so good a Son maketh a glad Father 'T is well when Parents and Children go not two ways in the dreadful Day Isaac is sure of a place in his Fathers Bosom in the everlasting Kingdom When the Seed of Free Grace is Sown into a good Field it never fails of a Crop but where it falls in Barren Ground expect nothing but Weeds Too many want the Ingenuity to make Grateful Returns for Spiritual Mercies Men are not only Evil because God is Good but that very Goodness makes them Worse they tire his Patience and adventure to make trial to what length the Dimensions of his Long-suffering may be extended But the brave Abraham under the fore-knowledge of Gods Decree is so far from slackening his Duty in the careful Education of Isaac into Piety that looking on him as an Heir of Heaven he was ever dressing him up in such Robes as he knew would be worn and could be never out of Fashion there He endeavours to make him a greater Proficient if possible than himself And methinks Isaac's whole Life was nothing else but a lively Comment on the distinguishing Mercy of God towards him True Grace hath that excellent Property to inlarge the Heart into an Universal Concern for General Good and wisheth Epidemical Happiness to all Some quarrel at that charitable Supplication of the Church in the Litany That it might please thee to have Mercy upon all Men Never remembring that God would have All Men to be saved and hath Sworn That he hath no pleasure in the death of a Sinner
at All should now have Nothing surely he that was so well treated in Pharaoh's Court was not so ungrateful to a poor Handmaid of his Country to send her forth to starve Others affix it to their own Insolence who were grown too rude and turbulent in the House of Abraham The most probable conjecture that best agrees with all Circumstances is that what was now given them was to serve only for present necessity and Abraham directing them whither to go promis'd to take care to supply them further as their Necessities required which also he did 'Till Isaac's Birth the Bondwoman and her Son had quiet entertainment in Abraham's Family Now the Heir is born they agree not together but Hagar trudges out with her Bottle and Bag to wander in the Wilderness Who sees not the Old Law marching after her with all its Ceremonies in the same Bag at the bringing in of the New by Jesus Christ the true Heir of Righteousness and Salvation For ever are they departed now to return no more into the Church of God And how peaceable possession Sin doth enjoy in the Natural Heart where it rules all the Rost hath an absolute Dominion and beats down all before it till anon God in pity to the miserable Soul gives it Grace to conceive the true Heir which once Formed and growing up to some Strength takes Arms and with the Assistance of Heaven maintains the War which is happily Crown'd with thorough Conquest of all Opposition and receives its Palms in the Everlasting Kingdom Hagar and Ishmael are gone whose wandrings and sufferings in the Wilderness are but a farther Allegory of the present Sorrows of the miserable Posterity of Abraham who when the true Heir appeared in the World were then in possession of their Fathers House But for mocking and Persecution of the Great promised Son are dealt with as Ishmael cast out of the blessed Inheritance of both Canaans and are wandring in the Desart of damnable Error with the Wallet of an insupportable Burden on their Shoulders feeding still on the musty Bread and drinking out of the Old Bottles the stale Puddle Water of the Law in contempt of the pure Springs of the Living Water so freely offer'd them and the New Wine of the everlasting Gospel They lye with Ishmael under a Shrub not so sensible of their Penury as he forlorn and dejected with the Curse of the Blood of Jesus upon them They perish in the midst of Abundance and have no Eyes to see the Well of Life out of which the whole Church is so sweetly refreshed in Vivacity and Power O that same Good Angel would come with a Message of Comfort and Mercy to them as he did unto Hagar and taking away the Veyl that is upon their Hearts to this day they may clearly perceive the things that belong to their Eternal Peace Even so come Lord Jesus Come quickly Holiness is that Great Luminary darting its Beams so conspicuously round about the World where it shines that draws every Eye to admire it rendring its Subjects so Amiable that those who cannot shine in the same Light desire yet to sit under and enjoy its Blessed Influences Abraham scattered the Divine Rayes of his Piety and Goodness so illustriously over all the Kingdom of Gerar for which God had sent him thither that the very Court is Clarified by his Brightness and cannot think its self happy without a nearer Conjunction with this Great Planet Sarah's Beauty had Fetter'd the Affections of this King already now is his Understanding Captivated perfectly to the divine Presence of Abraham's Piety What a Glory was it to this Great Saint to see Abimelech himself with Phicol his Lord-General and all their Princely Retinue come bowing to him and making earnest Suit that he would become their Allie The King had found by experience that God had blessed his Kingdom for Abraham's sake and now Abraham must bless Abimelech for his own sake He had certainly learn'd how great things God had done by and for Abraham and therefore thought it a part of true Policy to confederate himself with so great a Favourite and to ensure the Friendship of him that was the Friend of God He grounds his Request upon Abraham's Interest and nearness to God. God is with thee in every thing that thou dost A very Glorious Testimony out of the Mouth of a King and doubtless no whit ungrateful unto Abraham himself who loved to hear the Kindnesses of his God to him acknowledged by very Heathens This gave Abraham the Honour and Abimelech the Benefit of the League If God were with Abraham how much should Abimelech advantage himself by his Friendship And the King knew well enough how far he strengthned himself by being in Covenant with him that was in Covenant with God That God who had sworn to him to be a Friend to his Friends and an Enemy to his Enemies Hence he is so zealous to perpetuate the Agreement that he moves for the durable Extension of it to his Heirs and Successors His Son and his Sons Son and will have it confirmed by the highest Obligation of a Sacred Oath which binds the Conscience under the dreadfullest penalties Well did Abimelech know that Abraham having once sworn would suffer even Death it self rather than to be false to his Covenant or incurr the Anger of his God. Piety hath a place in the Consciences thô not in the Affections of Strangers to God. Abraham would be stedfast enough when once he had fastened him with the Nail of the Sanctuary And himself should dye with greater satisfaction when he had confirm'd his Successors by linking in their Interests with his He cunningly makes him the very Guardian of the Prince whose Crown would never totter on his Head while he had so formidable a Person as Abraham to keep it on who had made Four Kings to flie before him Therefore by this Oath is Abimelech and his Heirs secured both against Abraham himself whose growing Greatness he might justly fear so against all others by his means Thus had God caused the Dread of Abraham to fall on the whole Court and Kingdom of Gerar Kings and Generals fall low before him and Devote themselves to him while he the more humbly bows to his God and under all the Courtships of Crowned Heads Remembers that his own must stoop to the Dust Abraham who had before strucken a League with Heaven was not pufft up with a vain Elation of being a Confederate with a King who ambitiously sought that Honour from him The highest Promotion on Earth cannot swell the mind that is closely united with God. All the benefit he draws from it shall advantage the Kingdom whom he blesses with his Presence and Five and twenty years Residence in it He had pitched his Tent at Beresheba where he planted a Grove and needs must the Trees thrive well that are set by so good an hand Jonathan tells us 't was an Orchard of pleasant Fruits wherein he
made his Oratory and took many a delightful walk with his God by Contemplation and Prayer here also he used to entertain his Guests that visited him making themselves more happy by his Company than his Cheer which yet was ever such as spoke the great Heart of a generous Abraham from whom they never departed without Invitation to take share with him of a greater Felicity in Heaven always plying them with such prevailing Arguments from his endearing Lips as made many of them hunch away their unprofitable Idols to make room for the Worship of the True God. Mark Reader what a busie Trade is the great Abraham dâ—â—ving on for the glorious Eternity does he live to himself in the Affluence and abundance of all his Riches and Honours Are his Aims or the Ends of his Life any other than such as tend to the glory of his God and the good of Souls Even Pagans and Infidels flock in to him to embrace his Kindness and Counsells together they are Courted and Feasted into his Religion his very courtesies Convert them they cannot but be convinced that Abraham's God must be the only True one who had polished him up into all the perfections of a sweet Nature and such ravishing Grace that dragg'd all the World after it and envassal'd all his Admirers and should they not be perswaded by him neither would they should one come to them from the Dead CHAP. X. Isaac 's Immolation WHile Abraham is thus passing away his Days in a constant Course of Pleasant and Profitable Duty God is contriving to imploy him in a Service that shall render the Honour of his Obedience more Eximious and Renowned than all he had hitherto done to keep on and trace the High way of vulgar and ordinary Duty is the work of every common Professour But Abraham shall do that at the command of God which none but an Abraham could do besides and what all the World shall admire him for till Time it self shall be no more By Nine Tryals already had God experimented the Integrity of his Loyal Heart yet as if all these were nothing a Tenth shall follow the Bitterest of them all If Abraham's Faith hold out in this Heaven and Earth shall know how worthy he is of the Favour and Goodness of God and how entirely he had observed the Conditions of the Covenant that obliged him to pay an universal Respect to all his Commandments how Severe and Difficult soever let us see with what Gallantry of Spirit he will acquit himself in this last and greatest Encounter 'T was but a little while since he had parted from a Son at the Command of God yet that loss tho' very grievous was made up to him by another which was dearer to him at Home But now comes a Second Summons for This also who must pass not out of his House only but Life and which was yet more afflicting by his own Hands Take now thy Son thine only Son Isaac whom thou lovest and get thee to the Land of Moriah and Offer him there for a Burnt-offering upon one of the Mountains that I will tell thee of Behold all the many Promises of God and all the many hopes and comforts of Abraham's Life perfectly cut off and destroyed at one Blow Strong were the Heart-strings of Abraham that could hold out from Cracking at the breaking out of the First syllables of this Killing Command but could he live so long as to hear out the whole Sentence The Rabbins fancy that God himself doubted it and therefore have feigned that God to give him a breathing time brake it in pieces by many Abruptions framing it into a Dialogue Wherein God is made to begin Abraham take thy Son To which Abraham Answers I am ready Lord well hoping it might have been Ishmael But which of my Sons doest thou call for for I have two Abraham yet little daunted God replies to him Thine only Son To whom Abraham again not willing to understand it of Isaac Each one of them is the only Son of his Mother Nay but saith God The Son whom thou lovest This touches close To whom therefore pantingly Lord thou knowest that I love them both God to end the dispute is fain to discriminate 'T is Isaac thine only Son whom thou lovest thou must take him But whither Lord must I carry him To the Land of Moriah And what to do with him there Offer him up for a Burnt-offering Is the old Man alive If so let him live for ever May we carry on the Dialogue a little without offence to the Glory of Abraham's Obedience who never so much as opened his Mouth in the least to dispute the will of God Lord How long have thine Altars thirsted for humane Blood I have Offered up many a Sacrifice before which have pleased thee well Will nothing satisfie thee now but the Blood of my Child Take I say thy Son Each Infidel can offer up the Blood of Beasts to their Deities but thou must exceed them all in the Sacrifice of thine own Child to thy God. But Lord if nothing less than humane Blood will suffice may not Isaac be exchanged for a Slave or as many of them as thou shalt please to call for No the Blood of Slaves is a slender Offering to that of thine own Son 't is Isaac himself must Bleed and be the Victim If then mine Isaac must die will no hand content thee to Offer him but mine own with what Heart shall I be able to Sacrifice mine own Child Nor will I favour thee in this 't is thine own hand must give the fatal stroak Behold I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord What will become of thy Great Name when the very Heathen shall hear that Abraham's God requires so unnatural a Sacrifice as this Fear not for mine Honour is not subjected to the censures of Men who can raise up a Glory to my self by the Sacrifice of them all to my Justice O let not the Lord be angry and I will speak but this once by whom shall Jacob arise if Isaac be cut off and what shall become of thy Truth and Covenant to thy poor Servant Shall thy Faithfulness and Promises fail for evermore 'T is I that visited Sarah and gave her a Son when she laughed in despair and once thou believedst against Hope Is mine hand shortned that it cannot save May I not raise up another Isaac unto thee or do means fail me to accomplish all my Promises are they confin'd all to the life of this Son Arise therefore and Take him c. Let the base World blush and be confounded that hath learned to Quarrel and wrangle with every trivial Precept of God that crosses their Ease and Interest or seems but a little to break in upon their Carnal Hopes and Confidences When they see the Great Abraham paying an humble and undisputed Obedience to such an Injunction as le ts out the life Blood of all his Joyes and
arises and makes them a Genteel Bow in Acknowledgment of their great Civility and Kindness to him in that Offer Yet while they were all so courteous 't was Ephron alone that must gratifie his desires and all the Kindness the rest can do him was but to Intercede for him that on valuable consideration his Field and the Cave in it might be secured to him and his Heirs for ever But when the brave Hittite perceives himself concern'd in Abraham's Choice and that He only hath the desired Cave that must be honoured in becoming the Repository of these precious Ashes how proudly doth his Liberality contest with Abraham's Justice and is hardly conquer'd from Resolutions of giving that Freely which Abraham desires only at a Price What pity is it that sweet Disposition and Generosity should go to Hell while sordid Niggardliness and base Selfishness hope for Heaven Can bare Nature so easily depart from her Rights on Earth which hath no pretence for others in Heaven while those who pretend an Interest there have their very Souls cleaving to the Dust below and their feet sticking fast in the Mire are so far from yielding up the least shadow of a Title to what they have of their Own that they greedily invade and flye upon the Properties of Others Abraham tho he minds not to accept the noble proffer yet is so greatly affected with it that once again he repeats his grateful Sence of Ephron's and all their Reverence towards him by an yet more humble Obeysence than before He bowed himself down before the people of the Land. Who can see this Great Prince and Friend of God twice together paying his Duty of civil Respect and Honour to the very Heathen by the External Demonstrations of it without pity towards those Rude and Unmannerly Professors of our Age whose very Religion hath no other Test of Distinction but Surliness and Inhumanity Abraham while he is treating about a Grave takes great Care that he may lye down in it with a peaceable Conscience He hath been hitherto a mighty Pattern of Holiness in all his Transactions with God Here we shall find him an Example of Righteousness in all his Affairs with Men That all his Children may know that Commutative Justice and the Duties of the Second Table were written by the same hand that will require as exact Observation of them as of all the other of the First In vain do we pretend Sanctity to God if we are not Righteous to Men. He that doth Righteousness is of God and he that loveth his Brother See how Strait the Lines of Abraham's Righteousness run thro' all the management of this Compact with Ephron First He will by no means take advantage of his Neighbours Good Nature against his Profit he will neither defraud him nor suffer him to defraud himself by an easie Disposition Hear me I pray thee I will give thee money for the Field take it of me c. Secondly When he hath the equitable Value of the Land set to him he undervalues it not in hopes to beat down the Price It is Naught it is Naught saith the Buyer but when he is gone his way he boasteth Thirdly He makes present Payment for what he Buyes and purchases not with Paper and Wax Abraham weighed out the Silver c. Fourthly He Buyes not Good Land with Bad Coin but all is Currant Money with the Merchant Lastly The Conveyances are Sealed and Witnesses taken to prevent all Causes of future Debate The Field was made sure unto Abraham in the presence of the Children of Heth and before all c. And now is Abraham as pleased with a Grave as ever was Prince of a Palace How many Mens Estates are their Graves while they live and never think of another Their very Souls are buried in their Acres below wherein if they might they would lye for ever They Live and Rot in their Pleasures and are Dead while they seem to Live Life to any thing but God is but very Death This is the only Joynture that we find ever settled upon Sarah which the Heirs of her Body against their coming to Age shall find enlarged into a Kingdom for by the purchase of this little Field which cost not much more than Two and twenty Pounds or thereabouts he had given Security to the Faith of his Posterity That God would one day give them the Inheritance of that whole Land where Abraham Isaac and Jacob with Sarah Rebekah and Leah lay close together to keep possession for them until themselves should come And sure there is a better Security given to us also by his Great Heir Jesus Christ who is gone before us and entred into the Heavens as a Forerunner to prepare places for us That where he is we may be also And is not his Spirit lying Leiger in us as the Earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased Possession to the praise of his Glory 'T is observable That after Sarahs Death God makes no more Appearances to Abraham from Heaven having now performed the Great Promise of a Seed he leaves him to walk in the Light and Comfort of those he had already made To teach us that the Great Heir being now come into the World in whose coming all the Promises are perfectly secure to the Faithful the Church is not to expect any Extraordinary Revelations of any farther Truths than what he hath already sent into the World by his Son. He hath now sealed up the whole Canon and will hereafter be silent for ever To these received we ought to trust in the Hope of these we ought to Live in the Comfort of these we ought to dye For this cause God in the close of his whole Book hath carefully contrived the Prevention of Alterations Additions or Diminutions by the Menace of an Eternal Curse imposeable on that Guilt and the multiplying Plagues upon Him that shall add any thing to it There being enough Written if well believed to make us Blessed and Happy for ever CHAP. XII Isaac 's Marriage FOr Three full years together had Isaac mournfully lamented the Death of his Mother now will God make up that loss to him in a Wife Eliezer the Steward of his Fathers House is dispatched as Legate with an Angel Attendant into Mesopotamia and takes with him his Masters Orders where and from whom to choose him a Daughter Abraham before his Journey Swears him to Fidelity in an Affair of so grand Importance and he as cautiously Swears that he might the more Religiously keep his Oath When he draws near the place he Invocates his Masters God for Prosperity and good Success and begs that the first Match may be made up between the Decrees of Heaven and his own Endeavours that they might not thwart each other but happily Marry together He humbly resigns up his own Discretion to the wise Council of God which he knew had determined already in the fittest Choice of a Wife for so
laid them before him to make his own Choice and to take them all to himself Is this price in his hand to be happy for ever and hath the Fool no heart to it Is the Everlasting Charter fairly Copied out and sent him down from above to peruse and read over wherein he finds all the Priviledges of Heaven and Earth made over and secured to him and all this not worthy reflecting on And the Book lying as fast clasped up as his own Heart See how grievously God takes this Affront to his Goodness I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing A matter not concerning them at all The Feast is prepared and all things ready themselves Invited but they make light of it they have other Pleasures to follow O Judicial Blindness O cursed Insensibleness Israel would none of me so I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts to walk in their own Councels He that hath no Heart for God may jealously fear that God hath no Heart for him Pray not for this People for my mind cannot be towards them Why Their Heart is turned away from me Yet is this but the first Seething of the deadly Poyson see it boiling up into the heighth of a mutual Abhorrency and Loathing Their Soul abhorred me and my Soul loathed them Tremble to think on the fatal Effects of thy Hearts aversion from God 'T is a perfect Predamnation the very Devils arrive at no greater height of Impiety And thou that wilt not meditate Love mayst shortly meditate Terror and become a Magor Missabib a very Fiend to thine own Self Go miserable Creature sit in the Dust lye on the Ground cloath thee with Ashes put on Sackcloath let bitter Tears be thy drink Abhorr thy Self Thy Soul is departed from God and God as from Saul is departed from thee and what wilt thou do in the end thereof On what will thy miserable Thoughts feed on to Eternity 'T were a Judgment to pass one day without Meditation on God! but how wilt thou spend an endless Life without him which yet thou canst not do while all thy Faculties will be enlarg'd to take in nought but Plagues and Torments which here fed on nothing but Vanity and Leasing There thou wilt do nothing else but think on His Wrath on thy Self and Others who here hadst no leisure or Heart to think on his Love and Goodness to thy Self and Others Bethink thy self a little while thou art in the World summon up thy Considerative Faculties set them all at work to ruminate on the unchangeable Estate wherein thou wilt either Praise or Blaspheme the Name of God for ever Hast thou a Soul given thee for no other Work but to compleat thine own Misery And doth God wait upon thee but until thou fittest thy Self for destruction whiles thou art little thinking how soon it will come upon thee And then all the vain Thoughts that lodge within thee will take their flight from thee and perish for ever with thee Thus saith the Lord of Hosts consider thy wayes And remember 't is the proper work of the Rational Soul and of no other Creature but Angels to reflect on it self and wisely to project for its future Happiness When God hath laid before thee all the Contrivances of his everlasting Councels and Love towards thee in Jesus Christ and set Him forth to be a Propitiation thrô Faith in his Blood that thine Eyes and Heart may be astonished with Admiration of such Mercy That this White Flag should hang up so long and none consider the Black One of Judgment may appear in its stead when all hopes of Life are gone and departed for ever This is an Evidence of a fatal Obduration and a mighty Contempt of Divine Grace See Sinner Mercy is yet offer'd Proposals of Peace are laid before thee Consider thy Life and Soul are in hazard if thou art drawing lines with Archimedes in the Dust while the City is stormed and the Enemy entred the next News will be the Sword in thy Bowels and an everlasting Adieu to thy presumptuous Hopes But while Isaac's holy Heart was better exercised and he was sweetly walking with his God in the Fields his Eyes discover the Camels Coming In the doing thy Commandments there is great Reward Mercy overtakes him in the midst of Duty In the very Moment that he is enjoying God God gives him the Enjoyment of his Rebekah to whom for the Honour that she doth him in lighting off her Camēl and Veyling her self at the first Meeting he pays so entire Affection and constant Love that in all his Life he never leaves her to depart into another Bed And having now gotten so good a Wife he endeavours to forget the loss of a Mother and to remember his Sorrow no more I question not but the Readers Observation hath already prevented me in the Noting of the clearest Allegory of the Proceedings of God in the raising a Seed to his Son illustrated by the Care of Abraham in this Transactions of Isaac's Nuptials 'T is the Project and the Councel of his Will to propose him as the Spiritual Husband to his Church He makes the first Motion by his Servants that are sent forth to Woe and Beseech They are sworn to Fidelity under the dreadful penalties of destruction to themselves if they be found Careless or Unfaithful in so great a Trust Their Blood will I require at thy Hand The Arguments they use are the Promises of an Everlasting Inheritance durable Riches and Honour in the heavenly Canaan There is nothing required but bare Consent and an hearty willingness to the Match What doth the Lord require of thee c. My Son give me thine Heart onely The Holy Spirit cooperates with the Messengers and helps to convince and perswade Our Gospel came not in Word only but in Power and in the Holy Ghost He enlightneth the mind to see what are the Hopes of his Calliing and how great the Riches of the Inheritance He works the Heart to a free Consent Thy People shall be willing c. When Faith is wrought and Consent gotten the Jewels are produced Gifts and Graces After ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit Dispatch is urged Be ye ready the Faithful Soul called to depart Hearken O Daughter and consider incline thine Ear forget thine own People and thy Fathers House While she is traveling on the Road of Life the Bridegroom meets her I will manifest my self unto her she receives him covered with a Veyl and blushing at the Thoughts of her unworthiness But he likes her the better and greatly delights in her Beauty while the Worships him as her Lord and passes in with him into the everlasting Pavilion where she alone enjoys his Love and entire Person for ever We shall be ever with the Lord Wherefore comfort one another with these words The Nuptials of Isaac thus happily Celebrated and Rebekah in Possession of
Sighs to have that Promise more particularly express'd Generals in Religion leave the Affections Dull and Cold and are but as the Embers upon the Hearth which more explicite Revelation blows up into Flames of Spiritual Heat and Joy. All the rich Legacies of the New Testament do but meanly Affect us till they are translated into the Heart by the Finger of God. Then O how I love thy Law 'T will never be well with us till we Pray and Sigh too with Abraham for a more express Illumination and accomplishment of the Promise I will write my Law in their inward parts General Promises satissie well enough a dead and General Faith all whose Hopes are on the Paper but a Lively Faith is ever Restless till they be transcribed thence and engraven in legible Characters within The Law of his God is in his heart That is the Fleshly Table upon which it is fairly written Salvation is secure to all whose Names are written in the Book of Life but 't is a Lamp from the Sanctuary the Spirit of Revelation that must clear up the Evidence to the Soul of its own Name being there inserted Abraham's true Faith Sighs after more explicite Demonstration 'T is a dreadful thing to leave the Concerns of Eternity under Fear and Doubts Give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Abraham's Soul was at stake and longed till he were better secured of the promised Seed which should make himself and all the Nations of the earth happy He Pants (*) (*) (*) Quodnam donum oblectationi aut consolationi mihi erit quâ—â—diu non video prâ—missionem tuam completam de semine meo ex quo Messias est procreandus till he see that natural Root from whence the Blessed Branch of Righteousness should in Gods good time be most happily derived What could he beg less than this In vain would all other Blessings be heap'd on his Head. But to pass down into the Chambers of death Childless and all the Memoirs of his Faith and Obedience to be buried with him in the same Sepulchre This is matter of Grief to him under all the Royal Largesses of Divine Bounty towards him Progeny is the natural desire of Man whose Ambition is to see himself survive in others springing from him and Children are but the living Images of their deceased Parents who so long as They live are not altogether dead Besides Abraham foresees his great Name might be interred in Oblivion if God should not inscribe it on a more lively Monument than his Steward Eliezer of Damascus was like to make who although he were a good Man and by being adopted his Heir might be raised to bear some Figure and Resemblance of his State in the World yet he sears he would prove but a dark Representative of the Great Abraham's Spirit and no Express Image of his Masters Person Too dark a Region for his Illustrious Vertues to shine in The Sence of this Infelicity lay so heavy upon his troubled Spirits that now he sights for Life and reduplicates his stroaks The Roâ—k had not yet yielded him one comfortable Drop which in an instant shall gush out in Floods of living Water he renews the complaint and piteously laments his condition To me hast thou given no Seed None yet appears though thou tellest me of a numberless One. I find no Accomplishment of thy Promise God sometimes makes as if he did not hear and seems to shut his Ears while yet his Heart is open He loves to put a Value on his own Mercies which we so much the more esteem as they cost us dear in purchasing and waiting for Blessings too cheaply gotten are too meanly priz'd Abraham's Soul is in Travel for an Heir he must not hope to be delivered by one poor single Pang In vain do we knock at Heavens Gates without watching there till Answer comes and if that be delayed our Requests are to be enforced by new Arguments and more pathetick workings of Heart And though our Prayers be answered before we cry yet must we call again and again for that Answer And Jesus taught us a Parable to this end that we ought always to pray and not to faint Let Abraham hold out but one throw more and the Child shall come to the Birth Christian thou hast been in long Labour for a Saviour the next Groan may bring him from the Womb of Gods Decree and thine own Prayers into thy joyful Arms wilt thou dye before thou see thy Saviour Born in thy Heart Christ in thee the hope of Glory Behold God this very Moment appearing to cancel all the Evidences of the Strangers Pretensions and breaking for ever the Heart of Eliezer's Hopes See the Seals of those despairing Conveyances making over thine Estate and Soul to the Forreigner all lying on the Ground torn off and himself sneaking away in utter Desperation at the first breaking out of the true Isaac Go Father Abraham and teach all the World the profit of patient waiting at the Throne of Grace for by thine Importunity and Perseverance hast thou prevailed with God. Since the pains of thine Heart have turned even Gods within him and caused his very Bowels to roll in the Sounding whereof thou hearest the joyful Tidings of a Son which shall issue from those very Bowels that have stirred in so violent Motions against which his pity hath no strength any longer to withstand thee and hath all this while made but a feigned Resistance while thou hast been shewing a Tryal of thy Skill how well thou canst manage thy Shield and how prosperously God himself may be attack'd when it shall please him to yield up himself to be conquered by his Creature Abraham hath been in Travel and Behold a Troop cometh What a prolifick Grace is Prayer which brings forth Thousands and ten Thousands in our Streets and makes Parents of an Incomprehensible Seed The Off-spring of that Grace are all the Innumerable Productions of Eternity which all the Arts of Arithmetick must for ever despair to sum up Can the Great God give any thing little Hath Abraham wrought all this while but for one Son Come all ye glittering Lamps of Heaven your mighty Creator sends you a Summons to make your Appearance here in your clearest Shine not the One thousand three hundred twenty five chief Commanders that seem to exceed the rest in Glory but give your Orders to the Minor Lights to make up all the Force and with all your united Numbers make some Figure to the Great Abraham of the infinite Issue that I will bless him in who from one Son shall multiply into Myriads to bespangle the lower Firmament of my Church For so shall his Seed be God had employed him before â—o the endless work of accounting the numbers of the little Dust of the Earth Now will he have him to enumerate the Stars of Heaven with the like impossible Imposition Some critically observe that by the former God pointed out
the natural Seed of his Body whose names should be written in the Earth and whose very Souls would cleave to the Dust But by these he decyphered to him the Spiritual (*) (*) (*) Prius promiserat semen tanquam pulverein terrae hic sicut stellas coeli illud potuit fillos Naturales hoc Spirituales significare Ainsworth Children of his Faith all the World over whose names are written in Heaven and who should shine as Stars for ever and ever Great indeed is the difference of these from the other And Holy Records wiâ—ness that Abraham of the innumerable Children of his Flesh had but too few of his Spirit Isaiah is so bold to tell us That by that time God had measur'd off with the long Ell of his Justice almost the whole Piece to Destruction for their unhappy Apostasie from the Holy Practices of their Great Father but a short Remnant was left that following his steps arrived at last in the Heavenly Canaan with him From the lovely face of that Heaven enamell'd with so many shining Stars which Abraham's Eyes beheld in the clearest night Turn now thine own Reader and gaze on another enriched with Lights surmounting far all those and of a more eternal duration than they illustrating the Great Abraham's name 'T is his splendent Faith attended on by all her Train of Graces expatiating all the Rooms of his Soul by a ravishing Dilatation to receive in all the Joys of this so vast a Blessing and giving it the most welcome Entertainment that her little Powers are able in this narrow condition she is in 'T was mighty Faith that brought him out of his Country but what is this that passeth him out of himself leaving all his Reason and Senses behind him combating against all the Impossibilities of Nature when there was not the least ground to fix the Foot of Belief on but what was ready to sink under him All hopes as tottering as his reeling Body and as dead as his Sarah's Womb yet now to hope against all Hope and out of Death it self to believe out Life and that with a Courage as resolute and immovable as admits not the least Allay of Fear or Doubt but to give Glory to God by resigning himself up by a perfect dependance on the Infallibility of the Promise and full assurance of the Faithfulness and Power of him that made it without the least staggering thought This is such a Faith in the Perfection and Flower of it that doth render him so exceeding acceptable in the Eyes of God that he shall be henceforth confirmed in a perfect Immunity from all the dangers of Sin and Death which shall never prevail eternally against him and shall qualifie him so compleatly for all â—he Honours of Divine Friendship that he shall â—e taken into the Bosom and for ever acknowâ—edged as the Faithful Friend of God. As he â—ath justified his Faith by so noble Fruit as this â—o will God Justifie it too by setting his Seal to the Truth and Excellency of it and Justifying Him the Subject of it and stamping on him the Mark and Honourable Character of a truly Religious and most sincere Believer Abraham believed in the Lord and it was counted to him for Righteousness Come hither thou that art called a Christian see the Criterion of thy future Estate Thou say'st thou believest thou doest well do not the Devils also Believe and Tremble But hast thou Abraham's Justifying Faith Take a Survey of the Weakness of thine and the Vanity of thy Hopes for Heaven Abraham travelled out of all and chearfully gave up himself to be led by the Absolute Will of his God when thou lodgest still in the dark Entry of Nature and laughest at all the Invitations of his Grace Thou mockest the Messengers of God that are sent to call thee and sticking still in the Creature and Self disputest his Authority to rule thee Abraham feasted himself in the Joys of an Invisible Saviour and made many a Sweet Banquet upon the Promise while thou art guzling on the draughts of Lust and greedily sucking in the deadly Potions of Sin little remembring there is Death in the Pot that Poysons thy Soul and Hopes together He rejoyced in the Children of his Faith which should make up a Church unto God while they are all the Objects of thy Malicious Hate who bear the least shadow of his Image upon them He bore up a Spirit against all the Temptations of Life and under all the Enticements of a Great and Rich Estate ever devoting the Cream and Elixir of his Thoughts and Heart unto God when thou lockest up thy Soul in a narrow Ware-house and drownest all thy Hopes in a shallow Stream He dreaded not the formidable Powers of the World that had captiv'd a Member of the Church whilst thou with Saul art breathing out Menaces and Slaughter and shooting all thy Darts into the Heart of Christ He had strength to wrestle with God himself and would not be beaten back without a Blessing when thy Spirit sinketh with the very thoughts of that Power whom thy wicked Life hath made thine Enemy He comes back laden with the Riches of a Promise which should make himself and all his true Children Happy when thy poor Heart is courting other Delights and is a perfect Stranger to the Pleasures of a Saviour Go Christian get a better Faith that may Justifie thy Person before God since be sure such works as these can never Justifie thy Faith before Men. Abraham thus assured of an infinite Posterity grows now sollicitous and thoughtful for them he discovers the nature of those cares that Afflict the Bosoms of every Godly Parent He is fearful that his Children may deviate from the steps of his own Uniform Obedience and Righteousness nor wear the same Livery of Grace that adorned his Loyal Spirit and Hallowed all his Actions His first Care is to enjoy a Progeny and his next that they might enjoy God and be Good. How rarely doth this Holy Anxiety oppress the Minds of Men How would Abraham have swooned then to have seen some of his Impious Children sacrificing their Sons and Daughters unto Devils The Angels themselves were created subject to a possible Folly and Multitudes of them fell by a dreadful Apostacy He had reason to fear that his Children who were but Dust might be foolish too and forgetful of the Rock of their Salvation who might therefore sell them into the hands of their Enemies who would surely deprive them of their Fruitful Canaan Nor was this fear the least Flaw in the Jewel of his Faith but rather an Holy Ray that darted from it It abates not at all of the Perfections of God that he is Jealous The Church is his Spouse he is Married to her and would have her Holy as Himself If Abraham to the Promise of a Seed and an Inheritance for them might have another to secure them in it by a Faith and Spirit like his