THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFULL TEMPTED As was more concisely shewed August 31. 1674 At a SOLEMNE FUNERAL in the CHVRCH AT WOTTON under EDGE in the Countie of Gloucester S. Aug. Tota vita humana est tentatio By GILES OLDISWORTH A. M. and Rector of Burton on the Hill in the same Countie OXFORD Printed by HENRY HALL 1676. Imprimatur HEN CLERKE Vice Cancel OXON Jan. 30. 1676. To the Lady Crofts the vertuous Consort of my very good Lord Herbert by Divine Providence Lord Bishop of Hereford Anno Regni 1 Edw. 16. Anno Domini 1288 SR Lancelot Oldisworth of Halifax in York-shire Kt. took to wife Bridget daughter of VVilliam Ramsey of the same Countie Esq Their son was Maurice Anno Regni 2 Edw. 13. Anno Domini 1320 Maurice Oldisworth Husband of VVinifred daughter to Steven the brother of VValter Stapleton L. Bp. of Excester had issue Lancelot Anno Regni 3 Edw. 18. Anno Domini 1344 Lancelot Oldisworth married Alice daughter of Thomas Frie of Devon-shire Gent. he begat Maurice Anno Regni 2 Rich 1. Anno Domini 1377 Maurice Oldisworth took to wife Gennet daughter of Iohn Philpot L. Mayor of London His son was Lancelot Anno Regni 4 Hen. 3. Anno Domini 1402 Lancelot Oldisworth was Husband to Margaret daughter of Andrew Foord of Cornwall Esq He begat VVilliam Anno Regni 4 Edw. 4. Anno Domini 1464 VVilliam Oldisworth married the daughter of Nicholas Read of Devon-shire Esq By whom he had Maurice Anno Regni 3 Rich. 1. Anno Domini 1483 Maurice Oldisworth his wife was Iane daughter and Heiress unto Iohn Sydenham of Somerset-shire Esq Their son was Thomas Anno Regni 8 Hen. 22. Anno Domini 1531 Thomas Oldisworth married a daughter of Morgan of Pennicoyd Castle in Monmouth-shire by whom he was Father of Nicholas Nicholas Oldisworth having married Marjorie daughter of Davis of the city of Glouc. had by her Edward Edward Oldisworth was in Q. Maries daies a Colonel in Flanders In Q. Elizabeths daies he married Tace daughter to Arthur Porter of Newark in the County of Glouc. Esq Their son was Arnold Arnold Oldisworth Clerk of the Hanniper married Lucie daughter and Co-heiress of Francis Baxtu Treasurer to Mary Quen of Scotland By Lucie he had Edward Edward Oldisworth of Bradley in the Parish of Wotten under Edge in the County of Glouc. Esq married Elizabeth the eldest daughter of George Masters of Ciren-Cester in the County afore said Esquire Their only son was Robert Robert Oldisworth of the said Bradley in the said Parish of VVotton under Edge Esq took to wife Elizabeth daughter of William Clotterbook of Kingsstanely in the County of Glouc. Gent. and had issue VVilliam William Oldisworth the only child that ever the said Robert Oldisworth or Elizabeth his wife had was buried Aug. 31. 1674 both before he was married and before he was full 21 yeares old Good Madam The more inferiour this slender Stemm is unto the generous Croft of Crofts Castle the more numerous those weeping eyes were which I then beheld when the last Branch of this Stock was untimely cutt off And above all this the more narrowly I search into the multitude of sorrows which I am apt to imagine Abraham the Friend of God wrestled with The greater Impression abideth engraven upon my heart while with true joy and much pleasure I frequently ruminate how tender a mercy the Preserver of men dayly vouchsafeth both unto my Lord Bishop of Hereford and unto your Ladiship in continuing the Life and in prospering the daies of Sr Herbert Crofts your Isaac To bury that Heir which is an only Son to mourn for such an only Son as is an only child is I see A two-edged Woe Nevertheless by Faith the Father of the Faithful duelled the Father of the Faithfull vanquished even this Triall Madam If either my conjectures concerning Abraham his temptations or any Descant of mine upon his exemplarie faith can assist your Ladiships growing in grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour IESVS CHRIST I shall willingly sacrifice this Sermon to censure yea I shall bless God for granting the request of Your Good Ladiships humbly devoted GILES OLDISWORTH To the Vertuous Mrs. BRDGET THORP VVidow BRing her forth that she may be burnt When What paper I now expose Gen. 38.24 I two years since rashly condemned unto the Presse such another unjust Judge sa Judah was was I. Dear Cousin I will not say that a Gift in your Bosom did corrupt my Judgment Sept. 2. 1674. for then your Purse would pay for it The truth is to have me at that time passe that sentence you were not to have me now execute that sentence you are the importunate widow Let me cease to honour such as are Widows indeede if I do not from my heart reverence and highly esteeme you for You glorifie God Whom I should dishonour should I conceal that it is for His sake and onely for His sake that you require this Sermon from Your most obliged Servant and ever thankful Kins-man GILES OLDISWORTH Gen. XXII a 1. ANd it came to passe after these things that God did tempt Abraham and said unto him Abraham And he said Behold here I am b 2 And he said Take now thy Son thine only Son Isaac whom thou lovest and get thee into the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the Mountains which I will tell thee of c 3 And Abraham rose up early in the Morning and sadled his Asse and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his Son and clave the wood for the burnt offering and rose up and went unto the place of which God had told him d 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afarr off e 5 And Abraham said unto his young men Abide you here with the Asse and I and the lad will go yonder and worship and come again to you f 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it upon Isaac his Son and he took the fire in his hand and a Knife and they went both of them together g 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father and said My father and he said Here am I my Son And he said Behold the fire and the wood but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering h 8 And Abraham said My Son God will provide himselfe a lamb for a burnt offering So they went both of them together i 9 And they came to the place which God had told him of and Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his Son and laid him on the altar upon the wood k 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the Knife to slay his Son l 11 And the Angel of the Lord called unto him out of Heaven and said Abraham Abraham And he said Here am I. m 12 And he said Lay not thy hand
temptations or other lay upon the Patriareh to with-hold him And what sort of temptations this might be cometh next to be dis-cussed Abraham was tempted AMong the Heathens classical Poets have from hence raised fictions treading close upon the heeles of truth it selfe Among the Jewes noted Rabbies have upon this stage introduced the tempter Satan and Him too in a visible shape among us Christians this one Historie hath tasked if not over-tasked the elegant quills the curious fancies the working imaginations yea and the profoundest Judgments too not only of humane writers but even of professed Divines Among the inspired pen-men of sacred Witt S. James expostulateth When he offered Isaac his Son upon the altar was not Abraham justified by works Answ Verily he was and by such as equalled his first works and more To forsake his native soil his own Kindred and his Fathers house that he might wander hither and thither whither he himself neither did nor might foreknow these were great self denials these Yet of these the phrase is * Heb. 11.8 when he was called so †Gen. 1◠1 The Lord had said unto him But now that he is to slay his Son the word in my Text is not When he was called but When he was tried so a not God did say to Abraham but God did tempt Abraham Wherefore of these remarkes of these asterismes which so many sorts of writers have hereunto affixed of those Annotations which the Holy Ghost himself hath so graciously contributed let every one of us reap some profit some seasonable advantage some Spiritual benefit for our present consolation If Moses * Exod. 3.3 turn'd aside to see that burning bush let us with Him a contemplate the greater miracle of the two this c thicket of thorns this fierce law b which e troubling the Patriarch on h every side within i his bowells within i his heart k kindleth though not a consuming yet a melting fire For. In GEN. XXII Abraham was Tempted Verse 1. By all circumstances v. 2. In very deed And in truth from v. 2. unto v. eleventh In the manner v. 1. recorded In the matter v. 2. joyned In the Duty from v. 2 unto v. 11 performed In such points as v. 1. sharpned his trial In a trial v. 2 made up of afflictions From v. 2. to v. 11. in afflictions big with temptation Oh my brethren Why say we that our wound is incurable and that never was sorrow like unto our sorrow Whereas In v. 1. of Gen. 22. Abraham was tempted 1 After these things Qu After what things 1. Answ After he was aged almost an hundred and thirty yeares Alas he hath more need to keep his bed then c to rise before the day dawn His shriveled Limbs require succour rest and retirednesse rather then terrour toyle and travaile O forsake him not in his old Age Spare him a little before he goeth hence 2. Answ After fresh prosperities What he had heard in Vr of the Chaldees that he had found true in Canaan Unto Him the land of promise was a land of performances For his sake God had reproved Kings had put to flight the Armie of aliens had preserved Lot and blessed Isaac He was rich in cattle and in men And what sweetned his wealth he abounded in honour for he was and was esteemed a Prince a mighty Prince and that which sweetned both was he enjoyed both his wealth and his honour in quietnesse and in assurance The Philistines in whose borders he now quartered had sought and ratified a confederacie with Him and His What Well they had violently taken away was upon his first complaint restored Out of it now sprang not waters of stife but the issues of peace In all that he did in all that he had he was blessed so blessed that for the publick worship of his God he had planted a Grove In this Grove his God Alsufficient he now adored as his Everlasting God And as if this God of his praise had therefore lifted him up that he might cast him down it a came to passe sodainly as a whirle wind it came to passe that a after these things God did tempt God did trie God did afflict Abraham He looked for good but behold evil 3. Answ After new hopes It was not now Lord God What wilt thou give me seeing I go childlesse Neither was it O that Ismael might live before thee God had said Sarah shall beare a Son A Son she bare him at the set time of which God had spoken A Son she bare unto him in his old Age God had said Thou shalt call his name Isaac Out of dutie rather out of pure joy Isaac he is called that God may delight to blesse the babe the babe is upon the eight day circumcised The childe groweth the childe is weaned Abraham maketh a feast a great feast By the care of his Mother by the wisdome of his Father yea by authoritie had from God himselfe the Youth before he is of full age is made and declared heir Sole heir And now upon whom are the eyes of the whole hous-hold of faith but upon Isaac In whom shall all Nations be blessed In whom shall be the seed of Abraham be called but in Isaac Above twentie five yeeres had the life of this Patriarch bin bound up in the life of this lad And it came to passe after these things What Answ Abraham rueth the day of the year and the hour of the day wherein Isaac was born To conclude 4. Answ After that he was known of God He that inhabiteth the highest heavens had wonderfully condescended to an acquaintance with this Patriarch He had entred into a covenant into a familiaritie into a friendship with this Father of the Faithfull Bow the Heavens O Lord and come down Of late the Lord did not stay for any such invitation from his friend Abraham It was at Abraham his Dwellings that the Lord God did marsquerade in the likenesse of men made himselfe no stranger washed his feete rested in the cool of the arbour eat well and drank well Abraham was the onely favourite whom the Lord God in his way toward sodom had made his companion So very a friend was Abraham that from Abraham God would not hide the thing which he was there doing And after these things for a gracious Lord and Master to trie conclusions upon his poor Servant this is harsh Love unfaind filial feare and cordiall friendship would be not tried but trusted Peter will be greived if Jesus shall a third time aske Lovest thou me To question the obedience of this Patriarch is not to trie but to break his heart 2. Abraham was tempted in the revelation a made made unto Him unto Him in the night in the night by God by God speaking by God saying Abraham 1. Be it that the death of Isaac is predestinated the more will the mercy that I may not say the glory of the most high God shew it self in
not manifesting but concealing this future evill 2. If contrary unto the accustomed mercies of the wise God toward the inquisitive sons of un-advised man Gods predestination concerning Isaac be revealed Tell it not in Beersheba for should the Patriarch know it would bring down his gray haires with sorrow to the grave 3. If to the unhappy ears of the surprised old Father it must come Prepare him a little Give him his full sleep a full meal and due store of wine Place in a readiness about him Lovers and Friends if not to share and divide yet to bewail and bemoan his Woe Then but not untill then give unto him some easy hint some warie fore notice of what will seem sad news at the best 4. If this be not to tempt but to indulge if no company nor Comforters may be admitted Solitary and forlorn as he is let him by himselfe alone recieve the intelligence but let him receive it with a still voice let him not receive it over hastily To bolt upon one over sodainly startleth even then when one bringeth a blessing how much more when one cometh not to befriend but to afflict 5. If sodainly and unexspectedly the newes must affright if in an hour that he is not aware of the aged and trembling parent must hear the tidings of his dear-sons fate Mention it unto him in the day time there is in Day light some light of comfort Mention it not in the night season in all Darkness there is Dread If heretofore there fell upon this faithful Patriarch such a horrour at the going down of the Sun a greater horrour will seise him now in the night in the dark night in the dead time of the dark night 6. If to add to the discomfort there must be a dreadfull horrour upon his mind then when he heareth his Isaac's doom send I pray thee by the man whom thou wilt send by some Cushi or by some Amalekite for How dismall are the Feete of him that bringeth bad errands If Ahimaaz be a good man King David will from Ahimaaz exspect good tidings Such is their Clemency It is by their inferiour Judges that Princes condemn their own lips speake not except pardons If therefore any Enemies Abraham hath let one of them be unto him the black messenger of his Isaac's death but let not the Lord speake unto his servant lest he dye In the last place As the Destinie of Isaac was brought unto Abraham in the horrour of Darknesse and that too not by some Enemie or stranger neither by some neighbour or friend no not by some Man of God no nor yet by some Angel of the Lord but by the dreadfull JEHOVAH himselfe So 1. God who at Sundrie times spake in diverse manners spake in this third age of the World neither by Vrim nor by Thummim but either in Dreames or in Visions Oh not in a Dreame lest that feare not in a Vision lest that terrifie the Patriarch such a Dreame such a Vision as this will make his whole head sick and his whole heart faint 2. Let not the good old man espie an estranged looke from his hitherto benigne Lord rather let him not see the face of God at all for Who can see the face of God and live 3. Suppose that the Lord do indeede un-cloth himselfe of his majestie and terrour Suppose he speak face to face with Abraham as a man speaketh with his friend Neverthelesse as the case now standeth he in so doing Will not as his manner was confirm and comfort this Holy Father but he will as his manner is not deterre and dismay Him For 4. Call thy Daughter Jo-ruhamah and thy Son Lo-ammi Call Na-ommi not Naomi but Marah If a signet on the Lords right hand Jeconiah may not be deal squarely with him name him not Jeconiah but Coniah And if a God come not to blesse but to tempt if he come to un-Abraham the Patriarch say a not Abraham but Abram 5. I have called thee by thy name thou art mine The favouritie as ever awaketh starteth up and with joy answereth unto his name but b Hope disappointed maketh his heart sick For. In v. 2. of Gen. 22. Abraham was tempted 1. IN the b Surprize of which he a never dreamed He a thought to heare not the dire will but the good pleasure of his bountifull Lord He a expecteth not a burden but a blessing not a strict charge but enlarged promises not a billing command but loving kindnesses better then life Me thinks I see me thinketh I hear the overjoyed heart of this surprised Favourite b interrupting his God Take now O blessed possessour of heaven and of earth Thou art alwaies like thy self Thou art alwaies giving Take now thy son Which of the two sons whom the Lord hath graciously given unto mee Him by the Bond-woman or Him by the Free-woman Thine only Isaac The apple of mine eye and of thine eye also O my God Whom thou lovest And O most high God whom Thou lovest And get thee unto the land of Moriah For there the Lord will command his blessings And there for a burnt offering offer Most probably hitherto this Favourite fed his hopes But when it b added for a burnt offering offer Him then was Abraham tempted 1 What had He sinned that among all the inhabitants of Gods earth He alone should be singled out for such a prodigie as this Had he trespassed against a Neighbours Wife reason good then that he should give his first born for his transgression the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul But blessed be his God He had wrought no such follie hee Admit he had Here after the son of Davids adulterie shall dye a natural death and shall the Son of Abrahams integritie be haled like a beast unto the slaughter 2. Offer him up there To whom Satan He was a murderer from the beginning As for the God of all flesh His Delight is not to destroy but to preserve the work of his own hands 3. Of man shall mans blood be required Doth God trapan Abraham If when He shew his brother a mark was set upon Cain should Abraham slay his son would his God hold him guiltless 4. Take now thy Son For what for a burnt offering 1. Behold for a burnt offering some Lamb or Kid is proper such a firstling the righteous Abel offered up and with that sacrifice the Lord was then well pleased Doth he now forget to be gracious And hath he shut up the bowels of his compassions The tender mercies of the wicked are cruell Are the tender mercies of JEHOVAH so too Loe the blood of bullocks or of he goates of Lambs or of Kids he doth not now require the blood of which the preserver of men is now pleased to drink is mans blood 2. As mans blood so not the blood of some murderer rebel or oppressor not the blood of some Cain Lamech or Nimrod but of one harmless and blameless of one
be staked as well as the Guiney Apples of Sodom are no raritie at most Banquets The apparel of some men were not in fashion were it not of more value then a years révenue will pay for Neither are they welcome at a feast except they be so drunk that they need a withdrawing room The covetousness of some Misers is so idolatrous that they set their hearts more upon their riches then upon that God which giveth them a Power to get wealth and such is the Luxurie of others as if riches could not make unto themselves wings were there no Feathers to be found in their caps Tell me now in cool blood Head-aking drunkenness unclean lusts Lusts which make thy bones rotten as well as thy communication unthriftie riots wearisom idleness wide-mouthed Oathes ungodly jestings unblessed vanities Vanities linked together by that Prince of Darkness who with them chaineth thee unto his bottomless Pitt Are these the Isaacs which thou art fond of Wouldest thou rather eternally Sacrifice thy self a burnt offering in hell torments then Sacrificce these needless evils For shame mortifie thou those follies which if thou diest not unto them will be unto thee death eternal Wouldest thou break off that yoke cleave that wood which hath hitherto prepared fewel for hell fire wouldest thou make Jesus Christ thine altar and upon that altar sacrifice thine Isaac even thy whole man wouldest thou Crucifie thy lusts studie self denial and place thine endeavours upon exercising thy self unto Godliness thy Delights upon the pleasantness of new obedience and thine affections upon things Spiritual and heavenly He that can abundantly pardon and is mightie to save would say unto thy soul as he said unto Abraham now Know I that thou fearest God 2. Whereas it is feared that this people of England hath a revolting and a rebellious heart our backslidings will quickly cease if we take out that pattern which is here given unto us by this Father of many nations Blessed be our God we have a gracious King we have excellent Lawes we have Judges which do at every Assize give a charge that these Laws be duly executed unto these Judges we have subordinate Magistrates subordinate unto these Magistrates we have sworn Officers subordinate unto these House Keepers and unto these their Children and Servants It was when Eli hon … his Sons more then God that matters went amiss with Him and His people but when Phinehas stood up and executed Judgement then was the Plague stayed If Parents and Masters offer up their Isaacs their Children and Servants to be duly Catechised so duly Catechised that the fear of the Lord is unto them their treasure this will lay so good a foundation of a prosperous government that Wisdom and Knowledge will be the Stabilitie of our times Parents and Masters will constrain their Familes to submit unto their own happiness that is to learn Catechismes to frequent the publick worship of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and to sanctifie God in their hearts when at every Session and Visitation sworn officers offer up their Isaac as well as their presentments that is when they so denie themselves that they present all such as will not denie ungodliness and when they suffer not Congregations to crumble into Meetings or rather into no Meetings And this Sworn Officers will be glad to do when they are made to fear an Oath And an Oath they will fear when at Sessions and at Visitations our Rulers rule with diligence and offer up their Isaacs And this they will do when making Religion their business they prefer the favour of God before the favour of man Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest any of you being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own Stedfastness Who knoweth whether he is not born in this Kingdom for such a time 〈◊〉 God will do so to him and more also who when he is there unto called doth not offer up his Isaac 3. Let the self denials of Abraham shame every one among us into a greater Watchfulness c. He at the b first intimation arose c early went on diligently persevered d constantly to observe against his own will the will of his God chusing rather to be an unnatural parent then an undutiful servant Whereas some of us have delaied from year to year before we would yeild to take up our daily cross precept upon precept line upon line we have received but what answer have we returned unto him that hath written unto us the honourable things of His law Statutes which if a man would do he might even live in them Thou who conformest thy self unto the licentiousness of an evil world Did this Patriarch at one private Item surrender his only Son and will not all the publick Commandements which thy God hath in loving-kindnes laid upon thee prevail with thy lips to bite in a vain oath with thine appetite to forbeare an un healthy sin with thy memorie to treasure up Heavenly Knowledge or with thine understanding to perform Duties profitable comely and of good report The more easie that yoke is which Christ laieth upon us the more careful should we be to follow the example of this Father of Isaac otherwise the burnt offering which he with-held not will at the last day be offered in judgment against us Be not deceived God is not mocked as a man sacrificeth so is he accepted 4 Since Abraham offered up his Isaac learne thou of him to hold every blessing which thou receivest from God with a minde prepared to resigne it to God Jehovah he is the Lord possessour as of Heaven so of Earth and whatsoever mercie thou receivest from him that thou receivest but during his will and pleasure What thou obtainest by praier is but borrowed and to grudge when thou art to pay what was but borrowed is flatt dishonestie What thou enjoyest from God is neither deserved nor purchased but by the providence and goodness and loving kindnesse of thy liberal Master it is intrusted with thee for thy comfort and conveniences but for His uses service and honour It is favour enough for thee that God hath owned and entertained thee as His steward Wherefore when at any time thy God calleth from thee some child or some other comfort of his own thou givest him murmure not repine not be not in any wise be not thou discontented Professe thou a Good is the word of the Lord Assent thou the will of the Lord be done Say thou He is the Lord whatsoever he pleaseth that let Him doe As well when he taketh as when he giveth blesse thou the Name of the Lord. It is very observable that twenty six yeares since when there was but one night between Sodom and destruction the Father of Isaac then used earnest prayers and arguments to save if it were possible that wicked Citie from perishing for the Men of Sodom he mediated seven times in a
breath for his blamelesse and dearest Son he intercedeth not Qu Why this Answ Holy Abraham loved one righteous Isaac more then all the sinners of Sodom but so it was God had revealed concerning Sodom onely a conditional pleasure saying I will go down and see Concerning Isaac he had revealed his absolute pleasure saying Take now Wherefore so absolute is the Patriarch his resignation that notwithstanding his God had yeelded unto him seven times together in all that he had spoken in the behalf of Sodom he doth not at all open his lips unto God in behalf of his Isaac Go thou and do likewise When God saith Offer up with-hold not thou Being called unto self-denials Let Duty teach thee not to argue but to submitt not to dispute but to obey not to request but to resigne Let thy meek thine humble thy modest thought be I am dumb I open not my mouth because thou doest it Nay 5. Since thou owest not onely whatsoever is in thy custodie but even thy selfe also unto Him that is Lord of all Araunah like meete thou thy King in His Desires Make friends of unrighteous Mammon What thou mayest not detaine that give and give chearefully unto Him who loveth a chearefull Giver What thy God calleth for that present dedicate and consecrate first love thy Relations as dearly as Abraham loved Isaac and then esteem Father Mother Wife Children and with them whatsoever else is precious esteem all of them together too small too mean a present to testifie the readinesse of thy devotion or the sinceritie of thy gratitude unto the Father and Giver of thy Lord Jesus Christ especially seeing so many as he loveth them he chastneth and so many as he chastneth them he chastneth for the spiritual and eternal good of themselves or of others or of both whether 1. For the benefit of others Accompt upon it that wherein the God of all comfort doth comfort us in all our tribulation therein he prepareth and bespeaketh us to comfort them who are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God Are the consolations of God small with thee I hope not Or 2. By casting down thine old and outward man thy God preventeth thy new thine inward man from falling Jesurum when he waxed fatt Kicked and Solomon when he was full denied God So is it with thee and with other Saints Alas the more holy mens lives are the more advantage Satan seeketh to gett over them that old Serpent well knowing by his own woful experience that there is no pride like unto Spiritual pride Wherefore that even the Fall of his children may bruise this Serpents head when the right hand of God exalteth them most usually his left hand doth humble them It is indeed unto their humiliation but it is so unto their humiliation that it conduceth unto their honour that God doth so often place them in the forlorn hope When no man upon earth was so upright as Job then was the roaring Lion let lose against him After Hezekiah had pleaded sinceritie God gave him a taste of his unprosperous vain gloriousness David was confessedly a man after Gods own heart and as confessedly Adulterie Murder and Pride it self brought him very Low Jacob prevailed when he wrastled with God but God sent him halting away Who more stout hearted then Peter and who more cowheartedly denied his Jesus Satan had not bin permitted to buffet Paul had not Paul bin exalted by abundant Revelations Moses was a meek man but he spake so unadvisedly with his lips that there was for him no Entrance into Canaan Abraham so excelled in Faith that he was exemplarily and eminently the Father of the Faithful but where was the Faith of Abraham when more then once he dissembled that Sarah was only his Sister And as that he who thinketh he standeth may take heed lest he fall the wisest of men was made a mere fool by the Vilest of Women so that we may not be ignorant of the devices of Satan Christ himself when he was first baptized next endued with the Spirit and then declared mightily declared to be the Son of God was afterwards led into the Wilderness and in the Wilderness forty daies together tempted of the Devil 3. To rouse a Soul from drowsiness to pursue some unrepented Crime to dislodge some bosom Sin c. It was when Saul failed of his expectation that Jonathan was questioned for eating honey and when Israel was repelled then was the Sacriledge of Acham discoved Before he was troubled David himself went wrong and until he was cast into a troubled Sea Jonah fled from the presence of the Lord. Many times there is in our calamities a Spirit of discerning while like that Angel which met Baalam they give us to understand our present misadventures Search me O Lord and know my heart trie me and know my thoughts See if there be in me any way of pain A daily praier this and this praier almost every day before we call God answereth 4. To satisfie our selves or others of the truth or groweth of our Graces it is the furnace that as well approveth as trieth Silver The same trial which inviteth worldlings to esteem Preachers no better then earthen Pitchers the self same trial occasioneth every one that appeareth before God to look upon those Preachers as upon the precious Sons of Zion and to value those precious Sons of Zion comparable unto fine gold the which the more it is tried the better it is refined and the more it is refined the brighter it shineth The sufferings which all these holy Martyrs in this whole context endured were not only the trials but the vindications not only the vindications but the approbations not only the approbations but the publications and recommendations of their Faith Such was their Faith that to their praise be it spoken their names are Registred by the Holy Ghost himself That poor widow was made rich by the applauses of Christ Jesus when he vouchsafed to attribute a greater munificence unto her small mite then unto the largest gifts that were cast unto the Treasurie The like was the successe of that true hearted Mary unto whom the same blessed Jesus gave this felicitie that where soever His Holy Gospel shall be preached there her Name shall be as ointment powred forth In every deed neither the deare-heartedness of that penitent nor the plain dealing of Jeremiah nor the meekenesse of Moses nor the Spirit of Elijah had ever bin one half so famous as they now are had not malicious tongues given occasion to have the excellencie of their graces brought to the test Said that envious Eliab unto his brother David I know the pride and the naughtinesse of thy heart but where was David his pride when he refused the costly armour of King Saul and contented himself with a sling and a stone Or where was the naughtiness of his heart when in love toward his nation and in Zeal toward his
God he staked his own life against the life of Goliah Again as trials are often times inflicted to shew what some chosen Saints can bear so 5. Afflictions abide most of us because most of us remain hitherto un-able to bear an un-afflicted life Except we hear the rod Him who hath appointed it many of us will not be ruled Even so much that the Heir so long as he is a child is under Tutors and Governors Let Absolom return unto his private house for at Court he will ruin himself and that without remedie Should we Britains forget what we have seen and felt here in England they at Munster will tell us that a sword is un-safe in Anabaptists hands Some in this Parish who now receive Alms would attempt insolent practices were they Lords of the Mannor A Novice is so apt to be puffed up with pride that he is no fit person to be a Bishop neither is honour seemly for a fool Even the Israel of God before he could with a due moderation and with a requisite sobrietie be prepared to inherit the promised rest was forty years long humbled in the Wilderness But I hope better things of you my brethren I trust that the God of all grace after ye have suffered a little while will make you meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light 6. Many times whilest we seem distressed Out of our distresses as out of the Sepulchre of Lazarous God is fetching about some honour unto Himself In which case What he doth that thou knowest not now but hereafter thou shalt know Verily those waters wherewith Christ washeth the unclean feet of our vile affections are like water at Infant-baptism no less future then present healings The Lord made Naaman leprous that he might wash in Jordan and that by washing in Jordan he might cleanse rather his Soul then his body Into that river the axe head fell but loe iron shall swimm If the poor beggar was born blind it was that the Son of a God might work a miracle upon his eyes Jonah was not cast away John 9.3 when into the Sea he was cast for him the Lord provided a Whale and in the Whale a Noahs ark Josephs brethren thought evil against him but God meant it for good He was a lost man that he might save much people alive Into Egypt he was sold that of Egypt he might dispose Let his mother hide Moses in the flags and the Kings daughter shall give him a Princely education Give him a Princely education he will be learned in all the learning of the Egyptians so learned that he will overmatch Pharaoh and shall with a high hand bring Gods first born out of bondage The captivitie of Daniel how did it conduce both unto his own advancement and unto the glory of his God To conclude this point With his onely son the father of Isaac must part but What shall be seen in the mount of the Lord Who can tell Who knoweth whether there may not out of the Dust of this Grave arise as well matter of rejoycing as causes of sorrow as well the life of grace as drie bones With God it is not impossible but that while I preach and you hear the Obsequies now celebrated may be unto some soules among us life from the dead Said I not unto thee r John 11.40 that thou shouldest see the glory of God if thou wouldest believe Sure I am as seeing is Å¿ 44.21.6 1 John 3.2 the present the t John 7.17.12.46 Phil 3.15 1 John 5.13 20. future the u 3.2 1 Cor 2 9. Hebr. 11.1 eternal recompence of believing so believing is x Prov 1 23. â—sa 55.3 the reward of hearing y Rom. 10.17 Gal. 3.2 By hearing cometh Faith And take this for the main the chief and the last Consolation in my Text wheresoever this grace of faith cometh there it overcometh This was the victorie which overcame this Patriarchs trials even his Faith By faith Abraham offered up Isaac AND By faith we find z Rom. 15.13 Act. 16.34 a joy in believing that therefore in this Bethanie in this House of mourning Our mourning may be turned into ioy the Lord vouchsafe unto us an effectual a practical a sanctified remembrance of these five Considerations 1. The like Duties which Abraham was to perform we are 2. If we would perform them aright we must follow His example 3. We may follow his example if as He did we can believe 4. To obtain alike precious faith with Him we have greater Helps then ever he had 5. Having obtained like precious faith with him as he did so we may of this divine grace make heavenly Uses First I appeal unto that pride of life which rendreth our costly garments so full of levitie our buildings so full of ostentation our tables so full of excess and our purses so emptie of coin I appeal unto that libertie which no man giveth but every of us taketh to do what is good in our own eyes that we have the like prosperitie to struggle with as had this Patriarch Neither is our adversitie much un-like or behind his witness the dead body of this Isaac whom we are now offering up Beside I have told you at large that our frail life is a continual warfare We are ye know opposed by a world of Wickedness Through the lusts that are within us the whole world becometh cometh a snare unto our flesh Our flesh warreth against our soul and both against Gods Spirit Add to these the malice the devices the powers the un-weariness of evil Spirits innumerable and invisible How to endure these temptations how to fulfil those Duties which so much resemble the trials the Duties of Abraham it is high time that we learn learn from Abraham For 2. Return unto Gen. XXII when his Isaac is demanded how doth the good old Father demean himself Doth he counterfeit a slumber Doth he pretend that if called he was he knew it not that if to his name he a answered he only spake in his sleep Doth he impute the Dream of his head unto some melancholy blood depressing his heart Doth he construe that vision of the night to be either some flashie imagination or else one of Satans delusions Noe. The voice was Jehovahs voice and for the voice of Jehovah he owneth it Subterfuges he seeketh none Stagger he doth not His God would have no pleasure in him should he draw back He remembreth Lots wife Hoping to bow the Lords will as an Vnbeliever wresteth the Scriptures unto his own bent Balaam consulted the Lord a third and fourth time but in Gods first revelation this Holy Father acquiesceth as chearfully staying himself upon the Lord while his Son is now demanded as upon the Lord he then Stayed himself when the same Son was first promised Did he consult flesh and blood unseen to others he could let fall half a word which would soon make
part with my Son I will depart from my God Sirs to give sight to this blind man by expelling this darkness from his unbelieving bosom to force him to stand in awe by tying him up from any more hardning his heart to * Matt. 12.29 2 Cor. 13.3 Ephes 1.19 over-rule so †1 Cor 2.14.3 18 19. foolish and so a Esa 1.3 18. Jerem. 8.6.17.9 Esa 32.4 Act. 19 36. rash an b Job 9.4 Prov 8.36 enemie of c Jerem. 5.2 Psal 14.1 God to d 2 Cor. 10.5 disarm him of those e Act. 26.18 Jerem. 4.14 John 5.44 Act. 5.3 Rom. 1.21 24 26.28 2 Cor 4.4 1 John 3.8 fiery darts wherewith he f Prov 12.26 and 13.15 Eccle. 9.18 Phil 3.18 19. mischeiveth g Prov 13.5 Jerem. 7.19 Rom. 1.18 Jude 15. himself and h Matt. 16.6 12. John 15.19 1 Cor. 5.6 and 15.33 2 Tim 3.13 1 Pet 4.4 1 John 3.12 13. Jâ—shu 22.20 others to i Luk. 14. from v. â—6 unto v. 34. Exod. 4.21 with 8.15 and 9.35 and 11.9 and 14.17 18. Deut. 2 30. and 29.4 Joshu 11.30 1 Sam. 2.25 30. 1 King 12.15 2 Chron. 25.16 Matt. 13.15 John 8.47 and 12.40 convince him that there is k 2 Chron 25.18 19. Esa â—7 4 and 36.8 Luk. 14.31 Act. 9 5. Psal 68.21 no fighting against the Lord of hosts to l Hos 13.9 Eâ—a 1.16 17 18. reduce him unto a m Esa 2.11 Jeâ—em 8 6. Luk. 1.74 79. right use of n Hebr. 5.24 Psal 50.23 his Senses and of o Rom. 14.7 8 9. 2 Cor. 1.10 Gal. 2.20 Himself to p Prov. 1 23. Jerem. 13 27. John 8.43 47. perswade him to q James 4.7 8. Submit r Psal 73.28 Esa 66.2 draw near and Å¿ 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. reconcile his t 1 Chron. 28.9 heart unto his u Jerem. 10.7 God to x Exod. 23.21 Eccles 6.10 Deut. 28.40 and 29.19 20. Esa 1.24 and 63.4 Hebr. 12.29 winn him to y Mark 10.30.31 not with-hold but to z Psal 25.1 Rom. 12.1 offer up †Psal 84.11 unto the Lord his * 116.13 16. Isaac a 110.3 willingly b 2 Cor. 8.10 1 Chron. 29.17 chearfully and c Rom. 12.1 1 Tim. 2.3 Hebr. 12.28 acceptably to d Psal 51.10 Gal. 6.15 Ephes 2.10 Deut. 29.4 with 30.6 work so e Jerem. 30.21 great so f Matt. 3.3 Rom. 12.2 Phil. 2.13 heavenly a change of mind as this One thing is g 2 Cor. 5.17 18. necessary viz the h Luk. 10.42 Hebr. 10.38 Tit. 1.1 Faith of Gods elect For as i Rom. 9.16 17 18 20 21. and 11.7 22. reprobation pre-supposeth an k 11.5 6 28. election and as l 1 John 4.1 truth precedeth errour so if rightly considered there was a m Eccles 7.29 Jude 6. Rom. 1.28 belief before there was n 2 Thess 2.10.11 unbelief Wherefore prove your own selves o 2 Cor. 13.5 examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith or whether ye be p 2 Tim. 3.8 concerning the Faith reprobates Know x Hos 2.14 Mal. 3.10 and 4.6 Act. 13.38 4. Or ever he ordained any worlds the one the true the good JEHOVAH seeing he inhabiteth both etrnitie and immensitie was the same divine existence self-existence self-subsisting exstence that now is He could before all predestination as well as now say I AM I ever * Num. 23.9 alone am peace I a Father ever begetting a Son ever begotten a Holy Ghost ever proceeding am not confusion but Order I am life light puritie holiness c. 2 As he could ever say I AM he could also ever say I AM WHAT I AM when Pilate would not alter his writing said he WHAT I have written I have written So before all Worlds could God say I am and am well pleased in What I am As I do not so I would not cease to be life light puritie holiness c. 3 End-less is that delight which I take in what by nature I ever was ever shall he and now am My blessedness my glory my rejoycing is neither of nor from others but from and in My self I am full and abound No flesh no Saints no Worlds do I need for I the three divine persons am unto Our self a THEATRE So that 4 It is in mine election whether I will or will not determine to be a Creatour if to be a Creatour I do determine Good I am and all my works shall cal me good Good I do and good I will do unto all such as abide in my goodness 2 He spake It was Brethren well may we beleeve in God! Jehovah to confirm his promise to this Patriarch by an oath because he could swear by no greater sware by Himselfe So to create a world of blessings because a better pattern he could not take he took a pattern from Himself God is one such is the Vniverse God is perfect immense eternall The World is round wide lasting In God is peace and order From the least atom to the highest Angel is found order and harmonie God self subsisteth even in senseless elements is implanted a principle of selfe preservation God is blessed In every creature having life is imprinted a desire not only of being but of wel-being God changeth not The wel-being of all his works is placed in a not changing that Law of nature whereunto they were ordained Which law giveth unto every flesh it s own seede unto every seede it s own body unto every body it s own Soul unto every Soul it s own felicitie God is a free agent As sensible creatures have a free choice to like or dislike what unto their senses seemeth pleasing or displeasing so reasonable creatures should also have a free will to chuse or refuse whatsoever to their best understanding seemeth truly good or truly evill In attracting sustenance or in propagating their kind to confine brutes to be as insensible as trees are or men to be as irrationall as brutes are were to reject the wisdom of God Even so to limit man to be sensuall but not vertuous to be vertuous but not holy to mind things Earthly but not things Heavenly to stay himselfe upon the creature but not upon the Creatour to love the World but not the Lord God were to require him to be concerning the faith of Gods elect reprobate For the Law whereunto God elected men and Angels was He that lifteth up his Soul is not upright and if not upright a lost Angel a dead man but the just shall live by faith 3. To you who bewail your unbelief I speak it Until God appeared unto him in Mesopotamia Abraham that father of the faithful never had those prepared helps those effective meanes of obtaining this precious grace this faith of Gods elect which the veriest reprobate of you all at this time possesseth He was bred up among aliens and strangers to grace
The Knowledge of the Lord covereth our Island as the waters cover the Sea He was ye were not the unclean Children of unbeleeving Parents He could not say Thou hast loosed my bands for I am the Son of thy hand-maid but Ye were by praier and by baptisme consecrated to your God in your infancie and were from your infancie nurtured up in good knowledge 2. He was like S. Paul in journeyings often Abiding citie he had none but was ever unsetled As for you ye in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places have retirednesse and leisure to devote your selves to praier meditation c. 3. Eight or nine times did Jehovah converse with Him with you he converseth eightie times nine times Twice or thrice was the Gospel preached unto Him and that too very darkly To you it shineth as clearely and in a sort as frequently as day-light What a small pittance of saving knowledge could he glean from the traditions of his fore-fathers in comparison of what may be learned by you by you who may all know the Lord from the least to the greatest by you who are in Gods Scriptures all taught of God 4. Christ is the vision the visage of the father of mercies the Gospel is the image the face of Christ Of this Gospel of this face of Christ more is manifested unto you then ever was revealed unto Abraham 4. As zeal without knowledge is the mother of persecution idolatrie superstition enthusiasm schism heresie sedition rebellion c. So knowledge without zeal begetteth atheism profaness hypocricie pride c. But that which maketh mans knowledge of God to be mans salvation is the spirit of faith sanctifying unto him what he knoweth For. 1. By faith we understand one office of faith is to enlighten the understanding 2. By faith Moses refused chusing rather viz As faith discerneth what is good so faith embraceth what good it discerneth 3. A third effect of faith is to purifie the heart 4. By faith they subdued and obtained When faith hath so instructed the heart that it no longer beleeveth a lie and hath so corrected the mind that it holdeth not the truth in unrighteousness When a Knowledge of the truth of the whole truth yea and of nothing but the truth freeth the head from errour and when a love of that truth freeth the heart from disobedience when we like to retain God in our Knowledge then do we apprehend that for which also we are apprehended of Christ Jesus When ye seeke not your own wills but your Gods will when ye with meekeness and with earnestness search wait and watch and trie whether by his word of life God will make your heart as Abrahams was faithful then ye sow to the spirit And as what was born of your flesh was flesh so what is born of Gods spirit is spirit For such as wait upon God in His waies them God meeteth and whom God meeteth in them by his spirit of adoption he formeth the quickning spirit of Christ Jesus Brethren Hereby may ye know whether ye have with faithful Abraham believed unto righteousness If unto righteousness ye have beleeved then have ye passed from the death of unbeliefe wherein ye were born to the Life of faith whereunto ye were baptized 5. To whom God giveth a power to them he also vouchsafeth a habit of beleeving Having therefore obtained like precious faith with Him imitate ye the Patriarch in my Text. of this good and perfect gift which cometh down from above May ye ever make ye seasonable and sanctified Uses 1. That in you the righteousness of God may be revealed from faith to faith add to your faith Knowledge For this end let the word of Christ dwell in you richly and in all wisdom There can not in Heaven be a higher object of Knowledge then the God of Heaven neither can there be upon earth any Knowledge of the God of Heaven equal to what we learn in Holy writ No truth is worthy to be compared unto Scripture truths neither is any Scripture-truth comparable to Gospel revelations Gospel revelations are mysteries great misteries Misteries which immediately concern a reconciliation between God provoked and man offending Lay up therefore in your heart as Manna in a golden pott store up in your memorie as Oracles in the Ark of God the Gospel-treasures of spiritual truth and wisdom The best object of mans best understanding is that truth which is in Jesus 2. That that spirit of truth which is the spirit of Christ may free you as well from the errour of your way as from erring thoughts that ye may be renewed as well in practice as in Knowledge that ye may be as wel un-corrupted in your mind as un-deceived in your judgment Receive with every truth a love of that truth that a love of every revealed truth ye may receive purifie ye your heart by faith that by faith ye may purifie your heart seeing there is no example threat promise or rhetorick like unto Scripture examples threats promises and rhetorick Let these let all these have a due force and a full power over your sincerest affections so consult Holy writ as who are therein consulting even God Himself So obey Holy Writ as the Word of a God as the word of a God speaking to you as the voice of the gracious Jehovah so speaking with you as he some times spake with his friend Abraham even face to face Oh Sirs as the best object of your best understanding so the most delightful object of your purest affections is the good nature of Emannuel Jehovah Jesus Therefore 3. Whereas from Abrahams self denials I pressed a self-denial upon all such masters parents concerned officers and Magistrates as may and should befriend Souls under their tuition Old things are passed away I now urge the example not of Abraham representing but of the true father of many nations by Abraham represented The father of all men when there was no Arm to help spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all And shall worldly favour or neighbourly kindness prevent you from imitating the merciful example of a compassionate God If the Love of God if the example of God findeth faith in your hearts O ye Rulers neither let Souls stupidly ignorant escape untaught and unchatechised neither tollerate ye those unlawful meetings which wrest Holy Scriptures to the hazard of themselves and of this Kingdom 1. Witness our late civil Warrs As evil words corrupt good manners so a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump A cancer in the mouth is a pernicious disease even so much that Christ hateth that we should suffer among us the doctrine either of the Pharises or of the Nicolitans 2. When the Son of man took a farr journey he gave authoritie to his Servants If Law-givers Lawes and Judges protect mens cattle lands and limbs from violence much more let them guard mens memories affections understandings and consciences from the subtiltie and power
of seducers and of Satan 3. Seditious conventicles rebel against man profane atheists rebel against God but the Holy conformist rebelleth against neither yea he is therefore loyal to his Soveraign because he is obedient to his God 4. Is not the body more then raiment and is not the Soul more then the Body What shall his dread Majesties native Subjects give in exchange for their Souls 5. It is the people laden with iniquity that is the people of Gods wrath but a righteous people is a prosperous people then shall his Majesties Subjects flourish when their Soules prosper 6. While upon Lords daies and other daies sett a part for religious assemblies and duties some gadd about to change their way and others sit idle at home God loseth the glory of his full and publick congregations worship and Ordinances During the tyrannie of Oliver the Rebel orthodox Ministers were sequestred from their parochial congregations Under the Clemencie of King Charles the Second let not parochial congregations be sequestred from their orthodox Ministers In short so many as despise him shall be lightly esteemed but such as honour God them God will honour 4. Whereas I convinced you that the burden sharpness number of our trials are light afflictions in comparison of the temptations of Abraham behold a greater then Abraham is here Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners Consider Jesus by Isaac tipified and you will learn of him to possess your Souls in patience Faith instructeth us how to take pleasure in afflictions and to taste a joy even in tribulations Remove your eyes from the dead body of our departed friend unto the body of Christ crucified you will then in lieu of mourning for an onely Son even aspire a fellowship in Christs sufferings 5. Behold I shew you a mysterie The same faith which teacheth us to seek righteousness not by works but by grace doth also stirr us up to live just toward our neighbour our selves and our God When by faith Abraham offered up his Isaac he lived just to his Son true to himself upright toward his God 1. Vpright toward Jehovah for Jehovah had a greater right in Isaac then the Father of Isaac ever either had or could have 2. True to Himselfe for had he lifted up his Soul he had ceased to be upright 3. Just to his Son for it was the Duty of Isaac not onely to live but to die unto the Lord Blessed is that man which endureth temptation Would ye endure to the end Would ye have present victorie over your present conflict Fight the good fight of faith Who so would be justified must be justified not by works but by faith and he that would order his conversation aright must use his knowledge aright he must make the best use which he can not onely of his reason but of his faith 6. Faith fixeth one eye upon the Duty set before us and the other eye upon the promise annexed to that Duty Faith verily beleeveth that there is a reward for the righteous In the mount of the Lord was Jehovah seen By laying that Body which his father could not lift over the altar upon the Wood Isaac his mouth was filled with laughter 1. He saw heard an Angel sent from Heaven to find a way for his escape 2. He did not die but live 3. He lived and lived a type a figure a pledge of Christs and in Christ of our resurrection Life By not with-holding his Son Abraham received praise from his God yea and with praises blessings Abraham saw Christs day and was glad From the faith both of Abraham of Isaac Jehovah Himself received present yea and in all ages future Glory They who know His name will trust in it And yet shew I unto you more excellent things then these For 7. The same faith which enureth us to be ever at once just to our neighbour our selves and our God worketh upon our good nature it worketh in us a disposition to be like Christ harmeless and blameless 2. An emulation to put on the Lord ' Jesus To them that beleeve it is meate drink to studie Christ to learn Christ and to live Christ yea 3. Faith heightneth us to imitate with Jesus Christ the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ it cherisheth in us a filial delight of being followers of his Father and of our Father as dear Children Abba Father thou art long-suffering patient good merciful righteous liberal pure holy loving c. Oh make us make us like thy self long-suffering c. 4. By faith we rest assured that our fore-runner hath in Heaven prepared mansions and princely Lodgings for us who believe in Him To conclude by faith we reckon our selves therefore coheires with Christ because as he is by Nature so we are by a spirit of adoption priviledged to be the Sons of God all things are ours because we are Christs and Christ is Gods Gods in whom God is well pleased God is the Lord not of the dead but of the living and therefore the Dust shall give up her dead True the Soul of our dear friend is separated from his body nevertheless by faith we eye our Mediator as bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Faith giveth us to understand that since Christ and we are one body together with his dead body shall our dead bodies arise and shall therefore arise as his dead body did arise partly because they that are joyned unto the Lord are one spirit and partly because witness Enoch Elias the blessed Jesus there is one flesh of man another flesh of beasts The flesh of beasts like their mortal Soules perisheth for ever The flesh of man the dead body of our dear friend like leafe Gold naturally ascendeth unto the same fingers unto the same Creatour who curiously wrought it upon earth that he might exalt it unto glory in Heaven To which Heaven and glory he bring us by his spirit and by his Son To whom with Himself the Father of all things be dominion and salvation ever ascribed Amen FINIS Psal 116.10 I beleeved therefore have I spoken
innocent and just It was but in v. 32. of Gen. 18. that the Lord inclined to spare a wicked City for righteous persons sakes Is he now for spareing the ungodly and for condemning the righteous 3. Power out thy wrath upon the Heathen which have not known thee as for Isaac he is no idolatrous Chaldean no prophane Canaanite no un-circumcised sinner of the Gentiles but a person circumcised and religious One who anon asketh g Where is the lamb for a burnt offering 4. He was as of the same holy profession with this Father of the Faithfull so no stranger foriener or proselite but a native and this native a domestick and this domestick a favourite Hereafter David may spare Mehpibosheth but no such libertie may Abraham now use 5. The person demanded for a sacrifice is as a domestick favourite so no kindred afar off no nor yet some one or other of Lots incestuous offspring no nor any Daughter or Son of any concubine for as yet concubine Abraham had none neither yet the Son of his hand-maiden Hagur but the Son of Sarah his Wife 6. If the better Jonathan deserveth the more hatred he findeth Thou shalt surely die will Saul say to Jonathan But unto His Father Isaac was a Son as deare as deserving Again Absolom he was a Son dearly beloved of his Father yet was not he the heire of his Fathers throne the heir of David was Solomon but unto Abraham Isaac is as a deare Son so an onely heire and this onely heir is born unto his parents in their old Age given beyond hopes given by promise by the promise of the same Jehovah who now saith b offer him up for a burnt offering What was if this was not to tempt Abraham 2. Abraham was tempted as in a commandement thus grevious so in the manner how his God wordeth his Commandement Ye know bitter pills would be guilded to the eye and loathsom potions would be sugred to the tast Burdensome taxes are levied by acceptable Names and severe Edicts neede a gratifying language Is it not a little one said Lot of Zoar and of what he would have the seller part with It is naught it is naught will the buyer say That pain is almost past which is not fore thought of therefore to him that is afflicted this pitie should be showed that where every word woundeth there few words would be used words not aggravating but extenuating miseries Whereas that form of speech which God b useth unto his Patriarch is if ye review it unto his head a maul in his side arrows and in his Heart a Sword Take now No leisure to deliberate No time to prepare Take now thy Son Ever the nearer the relation the more cutting the severitie Thine onely Son Oh stabbing For pure pitie that word onely would have bin omitted Thine onely Isaac What by Name too Thine onely Isaac whom thou Lovest No more except ye would breake Abrahams heart no more If ye would not enrage do not awaken his greedie sorrowes Do not first draw out the bowels of his affections unto a full length and afterward twist and torture them The fathers memorie is fresh enough of it selfe do not vex it as a thing that is raw Offer up thy Son thine onely Isaac thine onely Isaac whom thou lovest Certainly if fainting did not astonishment did render the Patriarch quite speechlesse and as certainly the same vehemency of anguish which un-tongue-tied the Son of Cresus when dumb as he was he found words to preserve his condemned Father might make this Patriarch while he now seemeth speechlesse argue the cause of his demanded Isaac 1. Did I not say unto thee Do not thou deceive mee Was not my request O that Ismael might live in thy presence 2. Hath God said and shall not He do it Hath He spoken and will not He make it good Is he a man that his purpose should change Or the Son of Man that he should lye 3. Hath He sworn and would he repent Where is the truth of his free and frequent promises of his voluntarie and solemn covenant In whom shall all Nations be blessed if Isaac must die 4. Accompt that God is able to raise him up from the Dead yet what profit is there in his blood Shall the Dust praise thee O Lord Shall it declare thy truth 5. If the Lord will have sacrifice rather then mercie shall not the judge of all the Earth do right He who forbeareth the guiltie will He slay the innocent 6. All Soules are thine even the Soules of the righteous as well as the Soules of the unrighteous yet loe Can the blood of Isaac speak better things then the blood of Abel did As Abel was shall Isaac likewise be a type a figure of good things to come Or. 7. If the Lord for the Lord is a God that weigheth actions if the Lord according unto the Counsel of his good pleasure be indeed working some great mysterie of godlinesse Since Samson will not refuse to interpret His riddle to his Delilah yea since the Lord concealed not what flames of vengance he was bringing upon Sodom will he now hide from Abraham the thing which he is now doeing Answ He a will and because he m will 3. Answ Abraham was tempted as b in the manner how so b in the place where this burden was layed upon him For Quest whence did he c arise but from thence where he rested all the last night Where did he lodge all the last night but in Beersheba at his owne home Within his owne home Where except in the tent of Sarah his Wife Answ If there Trouble him not the door is now shut and the wife of his bosome is with him in bed True were he now while this agonie is upon him as farr absent from His dwelling place as David and Davids cavalires will then be distanced from their un-concerned families when they shall hereafter lament over Ziklag Were He now as they will be left alone in fields wide and open he might now like them by himselfe alone securely lift up his voice in weeping untill he hath no more power to weepe But being now surprised within his own doores even in the tent that I may not say in the bosom of his Wife Sarah Start out of his sleep he a doth but should one sigh one sob one groan escape his strangled thoughts Imagine ye the result His Wife she would cling about his elbow A bloodie Husband unto Me thou art Isaac would hide himselfe among the stuffe Domestick Servants would mutinie Shall Isaac die who is the Heir of promise Isaac shall not die In short His own trained bands would arise in armes against Abraham as against a Fanatick To conclude either his Obedience toward his God he must frustrate and frustrate his Obedience toward his God he will not else being in bitterness for his only Son for his only Son he dareth not weep no not for his only Isaac Upon Benjamins
neck Joseph shall please himself in weeping the bowels of Abraham yern upon Isaac's neck he may not weep 4. Abraham was tempted in the No time b given The daughter of Jephthah so God will order it shall go childless among Women a joyful mother of children a happy mother in Israel she shall not be nevertheless this indulgence her tender father may grant he may safely give unto her fâ—ll two months space and therein to bewail and celebrate her Virgin life before she be finally consecrated a Nunn a Vestal a Votarie to her God But as for the Father of Isaac He must seize he must apprehend he must take his Isaac not two months hence but presently Where it is said unto him b Take thy son there it is said unto him b Take thy son now 5. Whither must he take Him 1. Answ Not unto the tent of his abode for there he might have rushed upon have gulped down and irrevocably have executed the unnatural Duty ere ever his more considerate heart had given place unto the recoilings of his fatherly compassions Loving-Kindnesses and affections 2. Answ Neither might that neighbouring grove be the shadow of his sons death for there he might have called in aid But 3. Answ He was to take his son unto a place d afarr off which place mount Moriah by name was above forty miles distant from Beersheba which forty miles were in this winterly season unto the feeble Knees and languishing Spirits of heavie hearted Abraham little less d then three daies journey During a great part of which three daies to speake was to betray his grief to be silent was to breed suspicion to stand still was disobedience to return back was rebellion and to go forward was death 4 Answ Get thee into the land of Moriah unto one of the mountains which b I will tell thee of How shall he get thither The same Vision which a disturbed his first nights rest will these next two nights hold his eyes wakeing or if slumber he doth his very shuntings will affright him How can a dejected crasie aged person travail if he wanteth both sleep and sustenance He can eat no food except bread of affliction and he more heartily feedeth upon his griefes then upon that I dare not say he mingleth his drink with teares for these he suppresseth In the stead of weeping openly he bleedeth inwardly and no marveil seeing every step between Beer-sheba and mount Moriah presseth so heavily upon his drooping Spirits Father said the g secure lad Where is a Lamb for the burnt offering Nigh at hand thought the Father but he durst not say so He was glad to pluck up his Spirits when with a sorrowful heart I wisse he happily replied h God will provide himself a lamb my son Hungry and thirsty his soul fainting in him upon naked mountains in bleak weather slowly and mournfully he laggeth on glad if he might be priviledged to sprinkle the ground with teares and his head with Ashes but he may not thus mitigate his afflictions When after many and many a wearisom step he long at the last d saw the place afarr off much more when he i came quite to it then more then ever he fixed his farewel eye upon his now short-liv'd Isaac And the more he now fixed his eye upon his Isaac the more did his eye now affect his heart But more by many degrees more was his sad and mournfull heart pittifully greived then when he k stretched forth his hand and took the Knife For 6 Abraham was tempted as in the place appropriated to this sacrifice so in the sacrifice to be offered up The sacrifice to be offered up was b a burnt offering and this ye know required f as well fire as a Knife This burnt offering was k first to be slain and then i to be consumed with fire I say again Isaac was 1 as first to be bound and then to be layed over the altar upon the wood so first to be slain with a Knife and then to be burnt A crueltie it will be to cutt the throat of Isaac but the inhumanitie ceaseth not here for when his throat is cutt then must his body his whole body be burned wholy burned to ashes Sirs if this be that death which Isaac is to suffer say I Let me not see the death of the Lad. But to make the catastrophe yet more tragical His Father must see it And yet is this sigh this prodigious Sight but the least of his trialls For 7. Abraham was tempted as in the sacrifice b assigned so in the sacrificer b ordained Isaac the Son He is to be the sacrifice Abraham the father He is to be the sacrificer 1. If Isaac must indeed be offered up for a burnt offering let some un-concerned stranger or other be hired to be the sacrificing Priest 2. If by a strange hand the Son of Abraham may not die Order some meane out Servant to give the deaths wound 3. If no inferiour Servant may let Eleazar the Steward undergoe this servitude 4. If Eleazar may not O let Ishmael be forced upon the Dutie 5 Let any hand whatsoever rather then the hand of Abraham himselfe binde and slay the Son of Abraham But Who may say unto God What doest thou Abraham must b apprehend Abraham must c conduct Abraham must f burden Abraham must i binde Abraham can not k refuse to slay Abraham can not refuse to burn to ashes his Son his onely Son his onely Isaac his onely Isaac whom he loveth Even so much that From v. 2. unto v. 11. of Gen. 22. Abraham was tempted IN the multitude of thoughts within Him 1. While he 1. ariseth so early 2. Sadleth the Asse 3. cleaveth the Wood 4. calleth aside two and but two young men and 5. with them draweth his Isaac out of doores 2. While he c consulteth hast and privacie for why else did he himselfe both Saddle the Asse and cleave the Wood 3. While indisposed and enfeebled as he was he c began and continued his Winterly that I may not say his fatal journey 4. When by some undoubted signall I mean by some cloud testifying Gods presence or rather by some pillar of fire or rather by some new appearing Starr he was c told of and therefore d saw the place afar off 5. While for reasons but too two well know unto himselfe he left his two young men e behind him 6. All the while that his Son was f carrying the Wood and that he himselfe was f carrying the Fire and the Knife 7. While he i 1. built the altar 2. upon it laied the Wood in order 3. bound his Son 4 laied his Son over the altar upon the Wood 5. When he took the Knife and 6. Sretched forth his hand his trembling hand to slay his Isaac his onely Isaac In all which trans-actions unto the unwillingly-willing Father of Isaac every new occurrence could be no lesse then a new conflict 2. Abraham was tempted
as well in Deede as in Thought He was afflicted if it were possible more in the evils which ominously attended these Occurrences then in these Occurrences which confusedly perplexed his Obedience 1. Abraham was comparatively a feeble person a person aged an hundred twenty five yeeres Isaac was a sturdie lad a lad aged about twenty five yeeres Isaac was f better able to carrie all the Wood requisite for a burnt offering then his Father was to bring with him the Fire and the Knife How therefore could the Patriarch singly by himselfe alone over power bind and slay the robustious youth Isaac Should the boy find his own strength should he deeme his case desperate turn again snatch the Knife out of his Parents hand and of the two evils chuse rather to Kill then to be Killed Which way could the heartlesse wearish old man be enabled to help himselfe Alas alas for his young and strong Son Isaac Abraham the aged is no match no match at all 2. On the other side Grant that Isaac will not resist unto blood Let him beyond all expectation most humbly suffer both his hands and his feete to be tied and bound Imagine him so made up of selfe-denials that he becometh obedient even unto the death If what life the Father the weake Father can not take from the Son that life the son the obedient son most chearfully layeth down Surely Sirs the Scene is now changed the unexspected submissiveness of the child charmeth and tieth up the hands and intention of the Father Had the boy bin stout hearted he might by resisting and strugling have warmed a constancy in the resolution of the parent but seeing the meek child doth more quietly then any Lamb give up his throat unto his Fathers Knife Slay him that can for Abraham If cause so requireth Abraham can die in the stead of his child but slay him he cannot How shall I give thee up Isaac How shall I offer thee up my Son My bowels are turned within me and my repentings are Kindled together O that I might dye for thee my son my son 3. Let Father and Son too religiously determine that Jehovah shall fullfill his whole pleasure upon them both Let the burnt offering by God required be both by the sacrificer and by the sacrificed a free-will offering Let Isaac be slain and being slain let him be burnt to ashes An Hour hence when the beat of zeal is insensibly cooled and when Fatherly affections do as insensibly Kindle View then the Patriarch weeping for his only Isaac because he is not 4. Let him wipe all teares from his eyes and let him wipe them all away by Faith the blood upon his hands he cannot so soon wash off Loe a little distance hence two young men e wait as wel the Sons as the Fathers return Let Abraham see to it Should their blood arise at blood-guiltiness Should they in a furie avenge upon their old Master the death of their young Master the aged father I wisse is but one against two Escape for his life he cannot 5. Suppose that these two young men will keep counsel if they can yet will not Sarah be so said As for Ishmael he will suspect His turn to be the next Hardly will any Subject deem himself safe within the jurisdiction of such a Prince as hath by vertue of his arbitrarie power in a mercilesse frenzie sacrificed even his own child 6. Give Abraham his life for a prey yet if the foundations be cast down what can the righteous do In Abraham his seed which seed is Christ shall all the world be blessed Although Isaac remaineth childless in Isaac shall Abraham his seed be called Sacrifice Him and out of whose loins shall come the appointed Saviour of all mankind Verily the Faith of Abraham the hope of Gods elect the Expectation of the Gentiles are all three of them in vain if for a burnt offering Isaac be offered up childless 7. Accompt that God is able to raise him from the dead Let this Father of the Faithful believe hope and rest assured that out of the dead ashes of his Son not another but the self same Isaac whom he offered up shall be raised unto life upon earth Grant all this and more Nevertheless except his own family and with them his other relations believe the certainty of this as truly as He himself believeth it Into what a strait is Abraham now brought yea 8. Let sound believers and with them all other well-wishers make the best interpretation which they rationally can make of this Patriarch his Obedience yet for an un-provoked Father under a pretence of Religion to embrue his own hands in the blood of his own child is a Fact so inhumane so barbarous and in this age of the world so unheard of that the bruit of it will spread farr and near It will unavoidably open the mouths of evil surmisers to speak all manner of Falshoods against Him both at home and abroad 1. It will hence forward be charged against Him how 1. It was for no goodness that of old he fled his Country and hath ever since bin shifting places from one people to another Kingdom like a meer fugitive and vagabond Neither 2. had he as fifty years since he did so carelesly forsaken his own kindred and his Fathers house if he had not then bin as he now is devoid even of natural affections 3. Hagar had a taste of his kindness when he turned her packing out of doors 4 It did not over much consist with a conjugal love while his wife Sarah continued alive to take Hagar into his bed and 5. there was in him as little honesty as good nature when to humour his morose wife He contrary to the law of nations disinherited his first born son Ishmael In brief the Wisdom the sobriety the gravity the integrity c. of Abraham his whole life past will by this one dead flie in his Ointment be for ever hereafter utterly discredited to say no Worse He who most justly valued his good name above spoiles by him taken in warr must now live to be a scorn and a derision and a monster amonst Men. Wherefore if Jonah will rather flie from the presence of the Lord then adventure to be reputed a false Prophet Consider I pray you how un-supportable a temptation will then crush this reverend and venerable Patriarch when He hitherto a mighty Prince shall be had in no reputation rather when he shall be an abject and offscouring among men even the gazing stock and Spectacle of the World Might Abraham be suffered to cutt as well his own throat as the throat of Isaac might he give his body to be burnt upon his sons and with his sons ashes intermix his own this would not be unto him so great a death as that Contempt will be which the death of his Isaac will every where bring upon Him That mark which was set upon Cain will not equal the brand which
a Sottish Apish and Idolatrous heart they cherish in their graceless bosoms For Satan that wicked one ceaseth not to work evil out of good but then our refuge is God most Holy worketh our good out of his evil the poison of this subtile old Serpent is made treacle for the medicinal benefit of Gods elect Wherefore 2. Bless thou that God who hath not given thee over unto such abominable practices unto such hellish delusions As God hath not sorted thy daies unto the time of that ignorance so he hath in this Gospel-age called thee into his marveilous light He hath shewed thee O man what is good 3. Let the Idolatries objected convince Magistrates how fearful a Judgment it is unto a Kingdom when the rulers thereof bear the Sword in vain Wee see Leave a people unto the suggestions of Satan that is Leave a people unto what is good in their own Eyes and they will commit wickednesses destructive unto the very being and existing of mankind Yea they will think that they do God good Service when they are a smoak in his nostrils 4 It was but once only that Abraham was tempted to offer up his Isaac upon the Altar if it be true that one single pattern had so Malignant an influence upon several nations and ages then let every one of us abstain from all appearance of evil A little Leaven Leaveneth the whole Lump and evil examples as well as evil words corrupt good manners 5. Let the trial wherewith Abraham was tempted stop the mouth if the mouth can be stopped of all those seditious Separatists among us who at this day cruelly disdainfully and despitefully speake against the righteous more especially if at this day they submit themselves unto every ordinance of Man for the Lords sake Some Protestants and among them some Conformists and among them some Gospel-Ministers be the endeavour of their hearts and lives never so sincere yet if evil befal Against them forthwith the tongues and quils of these Sectaries are their own Who is Lord over them Forsooth they deem it a faire advantage unto their Sect and Partie if they can Libellously and scoffingly report of Abraham that he spared no paines to have butchered his Isaac Whereas it is not unknown unto all the Churches that this present Text yea and a great part of this present Chapter inspireth not the diminution but the praise of Abraham for conforming His private will unto the revealed will of God most Holy But these latter Replies anticipate mine intended method in as much as the three Usefull observations explained from the last to the first I would orderly applie from the first to the last For if Abraham was tempted 1. LET the innumerable afflictions which this faithfull Patriarch suffered for ever hereafter un deceive those ignorant worldlings who think hardly of all such professours as endure tribulation When Christs Disciples saw a man blind from his birth they quickly asked Who sinned this man or his Father When by clinging upon St. Pauls hand a viper seemed to threaten Death unto that Apostle the Barbarians at Melita rashly concluded This man was some murderer Usually the like opinion possesseth the men of this world If they see one fallen into infamie povertie or some other distresse they begin to conceive hard thoughts against such a Christian But a believers comfort is that Gods thoughts are not as Mans thoughts With the most he that is low in this world is low in mans eye but in Gods Eye he is not Abraham had the honour the peculiar honour to be stiled the Friend of God yet do ye find him tossed from place to place a long while child-lesse thwarted by the Wife of his bosom and through her meanes deprived of the first bodie that had made him a Father to witt of Hagar and of the first Son that ever he delighted in to witt of Ishmael as for Isaac in Him he was to sacrifice at once the dearest love the greatest joy and the chiefest hopes which the whole world could yeild him Wherefore if this Friend of God was thus humbled let no worldling surmise evill of Gods favourites for any miseries which befals them in this life much lesse for any miseries which in this life they draw upon themselves by persevering in their Duties Behold we accompt them happie that endure 2. O consider this ye that forget God Are any of you so prosperous that pride encompasseth you as a chain and setteth your mouth against the Heavens You who speak thus boldly and are thus corrupt this Hictorie and other Histories like this read yee The righteous Abel was murdered by his own brothers the righteous Lott lost all his wealth upright Job who more miserable you beheld the Innocent Isaac narrowly escaping a most untimely Death And your eares have heard and the eares of this assemblie have heard with what reiterated conflicts the faithful Abraham was tempted If here upon earth the troubles of the righteous are so many and so searching can you here upon earth hope to escape Gods judgments Be not mercifull O Lord unto them that sin of malicious wickednesse I appeal unto that Flood which in the daies of Noah drowned a whole world of transgressours I appeal unto that fire from Heaven which in the daies of this Patriarch Abraham made Sodom and Gomorrah the pictures of Hell Within our own age Island I appeal unto late civil Wars unto latter pestilences and unto devouring fires hardly yet quenched Within your own bosoms I appeal unto your self-condemning consciences that if the Righteous are scarcely preserved in this Word in this world it shall go ill with the wicked If favourites are thus afflicted here shall Enemies continue here unpunished God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hayrie scalp of such a One as goeth on still in his trespasses 3. Let Abraham his temptations speak peace unto many Sons of Abraham who as if they were neither Sanctified nor Adopted nor Elected are prone alas to disquiet their Souls in the day of trial Some Christians although they believe that sufficient for the day is every daies trouble although they grant that man born in Sin is born to see sorrowful daies although they read that God doth not willingly afflict yea although they foreknow that whom the Lord Loveth them he chasten th yet when the fierie tryal tempteth they think that strange 1 I beseech such dejected Spirits to ponder well that he is the Penman of this Epistle who was p in bonds and that these Hebrews were then sincere converts when they were †H br 10 34. spoiled of their goods and were by reproache * 33. made a gazing-stock In this cap. XI It was not before but after that they beleeved that they v. 38. wandred into deserts Mountaines dens and caves Or that they v. 37. were destitute afflicted tormented stoned tempted slain with the sword and some of them sawn asunder that they v. 36. had a
greater triall then any of these even the triall of cruell mockings of scoffs which fetched blood like a Sword in the bones Within my Text Isaac a type of the suffering Jesus saw Death although he felt it not And Abraham the Father of the Faithful was more tempted then Isaac himselfe was Unto you I applie this O yee of little faith If as unto these Saints whose Names are here written in this booke of Martyrs it was so unto you it is (r) Phil. 1.29 given to beleeve Is it a marvel unto You if as it likewise was unto them so it is unto You given to suffer It is your comfort that ye are Sons and not Bastards And would ye be treated like Bastards and not like Sons If ye would 2. Since at this instant your chastisement seemeth not joyous but greivous Blesse ye your God for that your afflictions equall not Abrahams They (s) Zech. 12.10 shall mourn as for an onely Son To part with a child and He a child growing tall as well in expectation as in stature One who might hereafter have bin the staff of our old age and was for the present the Desire of our eyes to lose the enjoyment of a Son and Heir then when that onely Son began to rejoyce onely in the Lord this is indeed no ordinarie triall Yet Give God the Glorie as smart as our present chastisement is it is not so greivous as the temptation of Abraham was Who have bin unto God the truer friends We or the Patriarch Whose temptations have bin the greater the Patriarchs or Ours Weigh we in the same ballance the burden the number the sharpenesse of Abraham his trialls with our own we shall then feele our own to be as the Apostle justly esteemeth them light afflictions 3. Since he was a Friend of God who was thus tempted Blesse thou thy God so often as he bestoweth upon thee the favour of a correction They who were fortie yeares humbled in the wildernesse were not Moabites or Amonites but the chosen people of God and when upon their back the plowers plowed long furrows it was that out of that heart which was once fallow ground they might bring forth a plentiful harvect It is not the chaff but the wheate which men take paines to winnow and the better the wheat the more throughly it is sifted We give no such diligence to melt lead or tinn as is used in refineing either Silver or Gold and of Gold the larger the Wedge or ingott the more fierie the trial It is the Vine branch that beareth Fruite which the Husband-man pruneth and the choicer the grape the more industrious is the Hus-bandman When the Lord maketh up his jewells he first fileth and then polisheth them and the dearer his children are unto Him the stricter is their education Cast Daniel into a furnace of fire and you make him the companion of an Angel While God giveth unto you a priviledge to endure temptations he giveth unto you a fellow-ship in the sufferings of Christ. But then 4. See that ye lose not the benefit of your temptations If thou wilt thank thy God for giving thee warning while the warning is hott let not the season of grace coole Thy bitter herbes are physical use them afore they be withered God intendeth our spiritual health as ever we would receive no hurt by this physick let our endeavours second His intentions There are Psalms of Degrees yea and crosses of Degrees too if we be not wanting unto our selves we may by these as upon the rounds of Jacobs ladder climbe the Heavens It was by a whirl-wind that Elijah was taken up If thou art smitten to the ground and astonished as He Act. IX was tremble as He did and with Him say Lord What wilt thou have mee to do That our Sorrow may be turned into Joy let the temptation wherein we are fallen have its perfect work God tried gracelesse Saul and God tempted Faithfull Abraham when Saul was tried Saul spared Agag but when Abraham was tempted Abraham offered up Isaac BE afraid therefore ye sinners who trample under foote the Blood of Jesus and be ye horribly afraid ye Atheists who crucifie unto your selves the Lord of Glorie I * p. 45. line 24. was saying If Faithfull Abraham was tempted and afflicted persons that are ungodly could not in this life expect to continue un-afflicted long Let mee now add 1. If the iniquitie of your heeles do not overtake you and compasse you about before ye Die If there be no Death in your hands If you come not into troubles like other men it is that your prosperitie may destroy you If the patience of the all-seeing God suffer you to fill up the measure of your offences it is that ye may not be able to abide the day of his coming If He that cometh to judg terribly the earth letteth you alone to feede the evil imaginations of your heart in quiet it is that like the Deere in your Parks of pleasure and like the Oxon in your pasture-ground ye may be fatted against the day of slaughter One especiall reason why whole burnt offerings were at the first instituted was to signifie unto us that (t) Hebr. 12.29 our God is a consuming fire viz. everie man that is not seasoned with the Salt of grace shall (u) Mark 9.49 be salted with the fire of Tophet Such as are sanctified by the fire of the Holy Ghost shall like Isaac be unto God (x) Rom. 15.16 an acceptable burnt offering Such as do not by faith purifie their heart and their whole man from dead works to serve the living God shall be not like Isaac but like that Ram which in the stead of Isaac Abraham offered up they shall be (y) Psal 37.20 as the fatt of Lambs they shall everlastingly consume into smoke shall they consume away for ever Neverthelesse 2. How desperately wicked soever thou hast bin in times past for the time to come here is opened unto thee a door of hope for 1. He who spared Isaac and accepted the Ram testifieth even unto thee that His Delight is not in sacrifices but in mercies 2. When this only son was offered upon the Altar he was then a type of that son of God who is made a Propitiation for thy Sins 3. Although Isaac was bound His God released him and although thou art tyed and bound in the cords of thy Sins the same God would release even thee 4. After Isaac was released the Lord blessed Isaac wouldest thou rise and walk God hath for thee store of blessings O taste and see that the LORD is good But 5. What sort of Darling is this Dalilah which thou preferrest before the possessiour of heaven and of earth Answ A seeming and but a seeming pleasure of Sin In this age there is in some Sins no sort of Delight except they be infamous as well as Wicked There is no pleasure in diceing except the Patrimonie