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
but rather that they turn themselves and Live If they will not yet shall they not want the Sacred and Hearty Prayers of the Church that they might Neither can God take it ill of any that wisheth no more than himself doth nor doth Man know what Individual Person shall miscarry Abraham had the Grace of a Publick Spirit who doing what he could to further the Happiness of each Servant in his Family could not be without working of Heart for any Child of his Bowels And no wonder then that hearing of all the Mercies of the Covenant transferred to Isaac he seems to entertain some Jealous Apprehensions of the future Estate of Ishmael and falls on his Knees to intreat that the whole Shower of Divine Grace might not so fall on the One but that some sprinklings of his Favour may Sanctifie the Other also God forbid that any thing descending from the Body of Abraham should fall short or miscarry of the Great Salvation Therefore intending to give a Charge upon Heaven he sharpens the Point of his Arrow with an acute Passion that it might with deeper Penetration enter the Heart of God and bring back thence a Blessing upon his Child O that Ishmael might live before thee O that he may Prayers shot from our own seldom miss the Bosom of God when those that are sent at Random lose their way and act no Execution He desires not that God would break the Links of that Golden Chain to which his Decrees have fastened the Salvation of all or that Ishmael might be dispens'd with from the Duties of the Covenant to which his Mercies are annexed But O that Ishmael might live before thee be indued with those holy Principles of Grace and Spiritual Life which might enliven all his Affections and Consecrate all his Actions to his Glory and might be such a one as himself sincere and upright before him through all the whole course of his Pilgrimage in the World. 'T were Rudeness indeed to impose upon God for Salvation to such a one that should make no Care or Conscience of living before him But O that Ishmael may Glorifie thee here 'T is Holiness that Abraham begs for his Son he knows that God would not pass out of his usual Road to save him in an extraordinary manner And what less could a Father do that was so well acquainted with the Happiness attendant on the Faithful Discharge of every Duty and Service to God Eyes that â—ierce into the Glories of Eternity and know they are attainable by Prayer quickly get the consent of the Knees to bend for them while the Heart enflamed with all the Ardencies of Passion and Zeal makes its Pursuits after them He knows not what Salvation means that makes but slow and heavy Motions towards it Cold and indifferent Petitions teach but God to deny them We are but in Jest for Heaven till God give us Eyes to see and know how great the Hope of his Calling is and how unsearchable the Riches of the Glorious Inheritance of the Saints are When the Light Shone from Heaven upon Paul then Behold he prayeth he had made many a Pharisaical Prayer to little purpose but now he prayeth Indeed Those are the best Intercessors at the Throne of Grace for others that have prevailed there already for Themselves The Parent that hath prayed down Mâ—rcy upon his own Soul is most likely to speed for his Child Abraham had so often made his Attacks upon Heaven that he knew how to Sling the Stone of his Devotions to an Hand-breadth that it could not miss And indeed God had set himself as his Mark and given him to fair an Advantage against him that it was impossible for him not to Hit I will be a God unto thee to do all that a God can do for thee was such a Broadside as might well secure him from Despair of Execution Abraham pleads the Articles already and it being the first Claim since the Sealing of them he left it to God himself to consider how little Honour it would be to him to deny it And Abraham doth but humbly plead for what God had granted him already and his Faith might reverently draw out from him So amazing is the Priviledge of the Covenant that God seems to own that he hath left himself without Power to with-hold from any Heir the reasonable Requests of his Soul. Concerning the work of mine hands command ye me So Omnipotent a Grace is humble Prayer While they are yet speaking I will answer See Abraham thy Petition comes flying back already with Gods Fiat upon it As for Ishmael I have heard thee behold I have blessed him He is thine by Nature and shall be mine by Grace He shall become a Nation and the Great Father of Twelve Princes but these degenerous and all of them together not comparable to One of the Kings Issuing from Isaac's Loyns How sweet and obliging is the present return of our Prayers Arbaham is the Type of the Great Intercessor He sees the Travel of his Soul and is satisfied The fervent Prayer of this Righteous Man is effectual and prevailing Hence our Divines conclude the Salvation of Ishmael as Lyra c. though his Posterity were cut off from partaking of the Fatness of the Root and true Olive and grew naturally Wild and too Sowre for Heaven but for Ishmael himself I have heard thee What Faithful Son of Abraham bears not his Fathers Heart yearning after the same Blessing for the Children of his own Bowels and can the Mother forget her sucking Child that she should not travel again in a second Birth until Christ be formed in him Monica's Prayers and Tears brought forth an happy Son to her self and Glorious Father to the Church We are not more bound to Feed and Cloath than to Intercede for them To little purpose do Men Sweat and Labour to provide and hoard up Estates for them while they are unconcerned in the One thing needful the better part which shall never be taken from them Abraham knew what a Rich Portion an All-sufficient God was without whose Favour the whole World could not make up an Happiness to his Ishmael Blessed are those Children whose Fathers have Abraham's Spirit and Interest in God and miserable are those Children who are not dutiful to such Parents and thankful for that Interest Behold a Felicity Great as this Life is capable of A Favourite of Heaven dress'd up into all the Perfections of Blessedness by the infinite Bounty of God The Treasures of Providence flowing in upon him in streams of Riches and Wealth Those attended by Honour and Greatness and all crowned with a Gracious Heart to improve them His Soul brim full of Spiritual Comfort not a Fear or Doubt that clouds the Serenity of his Thoughts ravished with the sweet Sense of Divine Love and Assurance of endless Happiness as secure as the Word and Oath of a God can make it Blessed with One Son already growing up to
Holy Testament of the Son of God and counting the Blood of the Covenant but a mean and unholy thing shall do this despite to the Spirit of Grace But Blessed God! pity the Blind and Pardon the Blasphemy of those miserable Creatures who tax Infinite and Incomprehensible Wisdom of Weakness and Defect in not cloathing the Imperial Ordinances in such proper Dress as should best set off their Beauty and Lustre and therefore run Whoring after the vain Ebullitions of humane Brains in Slight of the Divinity and Glory that every where sparkles thrô the Sacred Leaves of these Heavenly Volumes and which are so far from the least failure in the Majesty of their Meen that 't is That alone has smitten away their Eyes and now they idly Prate against the Sun whose powerful Darts have struck them blind and left them senseless And surely the Voice of the Lord is powerful the Voice of the Lord is full of Majesty And the Thunder that rattleth from the God of Glory through the Air of but Three Chapters in Job and but One or Two in Isaiah hath sent away in a Fright the loudest Hyperbole's as the Winds into their Caverns to hide their Heads in shame and silence and who sees not that the whole Vatican of all Created Wit shuts up it self in Despair and sneaks away perfectly baffled by them But it pitieth me to hear of any Son of Levi furthering the Conspiracy who is commanded to execute the Revenge and to sheath the Sword of his fiercest Rage in the very Bowels of this Lust 'T is insufferable to bring the Trayteress into the very Pulpit there to draw the Ark of God with Philistine Heifers yet there are who strongly infected with this Gnostick Humour blow up the Bladder of this Hypocondriack Vanity with most strenuous Sides and Lungs but to judge Charitably in an enforced Conformity to the proud Humour of the Age they Sing the Lord's Song in a strange Language while by the too ravishing Notes of their quavering Throats they faintly languish away the whole strength of their Errand and cause it all to dye into Air and Nothing feeding their Auditors with a flash of Wind and giving them Musick instead of Meat Though Nero was so Ambitious to be reputed the best Fidler in Rome yet 't is below the glory of a Prince to speak Romance Laws are delivered in the gravest Expressions God spake these Words and said is Oratory enough to Preface the Divine Mandates and enforce the World to obey them Who sees not how strangely Profaneness hath encroached upon us since we have fancied the Men of this Generation so easie and good Natur'd to be thus readily Complemented out of their very Right Hands when yet we see them keep their Purses so close and part from their Lusts and Money with the like Torment Though the Galathians Eyes were once at Paul's Service yet our People have Wit enough to keep theirs in their Heads Nay 't is observable too how well it pleaseth some of these Gentlemen to meet their Idea's at Church and he that with the finest hand can Anatomize their Lusts before them shall be Prophet to them while themselves with the Monster that ript up his Mother make a curious Inspection into the very Bowels of them and repeat them again by endearing Contemplation As that famous Usurer that so generously rewarded the Homilies that sunk his Extortions to the pit of Hell out of hopes that while they frighted others into some Reformation himself might continue them with the advantage of a better Trade The Spirit of the World which maintained so firm Possession in the Hearts of Ezekiel's Hearers had more Wit than to be play'd out by the sweet Minstrelsey of his pleasant Layes and sure we have less hope whose Lyres are not strung by Heaven that the Devil of Atheism that snugs so securely in the innermost lodges of Mens Souls and with the Serpent twists himself about their whole Hearts will be exorcis'd by the loudest Adjurations of any Son of Scaeva who shall idlely call on the Name without the Spirit or Power of the Holy Jesus and how far such have prospered in the attempt I must leave to the discretion of too sad and sensible Experience But still methinks it is pity the Fiend should so peaceably Nestle there while the effectual Charms of ever powerful Naked Truth would work more successfully to unloose and unkennel him Very Rams-Horns when blown by the Breath of Faith shall Rase the Foundations which all the Engines of Nature must ever despair to shake or pull down Thus by an Ominous Chymistry we are Calcining all the very substance of our Religion into Dust and Fancy and nothing less than a Miracle of Mercy can deliver us from the ill Effects of the same Humour in that Egyptian Dame who in a tottering Pinnace light as her Brains and Body driven with Purple Sails and Silver Oars and attended with infinite Consorts of Musick did thus lasciviously deliver her self up into the fatal Dalliances of the Roman Usurper and God knows how little Ballast of Solidity is left to secure us while we are whiffling away the Honour and Happiness of being once esteemed the most Sober and Excellent Nation in the World When now the Massey Gold of our former Reputation and Virtue is beaten into Leaf and with the hopes of being better is all taking flight into Air. 'T is not from the abundance but want of that Holy Oyl that once perfumed Aaron's Beard the true Unction that would Consecrate even us into Kings and Priests unto God if we had it that this Levity like a Dangerous Defluxion is passed down from our Heads upon the Skirts of our Garments A giddy Brain hath created in us a frothy Spirit hung all within with Vanity the very Soul wantonizing in her darkest Cells and then hating so close a Confinement makes haste to break Prison and open those Windows which expose her Meretricious Wares to publick View and Plague and to draw a more universal Trade and Custom the very Case whence this Raree-show stares out with her Whorish and bewitching Lights must be Glazed and Guilt O Dinah Dinah the too clear Mirrour of our Vnfortunate Age my Soul bleeds for thee the only Daughter of so great a Prince the Delight of his Eyes and Joy of his Life what a wound didst thou open in the Bosom of so dear a Parent What killing Sorrows did thy perhaps innocent and undesigning thô most Tragical Curiosity in gazing after such Prospects as these heap on his woful aking Heart but what dreadful effects to thy self the irrecoverable Loss of thine Honour and his Peace together And thou England the very Darling of Heaven who hast been wrapt in the distinguishing Coat of thy Father's Love to the Envy and Sorrow of thy treacherous Brethren who have been Trucking with Ishmaelites to sell thee into Egypt and dipping thy Coat already in Blood to represent thee as devour'd when
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
the house Crawling up and down through every Room of our Souls and cry you no Mercy while they creep up with you into the very Bed-chamber to take a Lodging with you there 'T were some Happiness still would they forbear the Chappel and withdraw to give us leave to deplore our Captiv'd condition and to Petition for Succours from Heaven but alas they rush themselves into the Divine Presence too as Satan came once with the Sons of God and never fail being at our right hands to resist all the Motions we present for our freedom like Jannes and Jambres by their cursed Enchantments they would if possible invalidate and frustrate the Embassies of our Souls to the King of Glory by the distracting Hisses of their Raising Who is ignorant that they watch all imagiginable Advantages to destroy us and close in with Satan in all the Contrivances of our Ruine Nay the united Legions of those Dark Powers were inconsiderable and despiseable without them who must consult to bribe a Snake again to tell us Stories of the Gaieties of a Godhead and an Apple while themselves are forc'd to attend at a distance for the uncertain Issue of the Plot Whereas now their business is already done to their hands and 't is but conveying their Tickets by any Scout to the Confederates within to intimate their Pleasure and Design When 't is the very Sport and Recreation of these Traytors to bewitch us into a tame and easie Surrendry of the Cittadels of our Safety and Strength unto the cruel Mercy of Devils And God knows this is so frequent a Treachery in the World that it has lost its Observation and Wonder since it is become but a piece of Honour and Good Nature to commiserate the Fiends and in Civility to give them our Company into Torment while they by the Noise of Huzza's and Jollities so deafen our Ears from the Cries of the tormented Conscience or Reason that we are content to be Sacrific'd in a Frolick with them and scorn to present any cheaper satisfaction for their Musick than the noble Offerings of a Soul unto Molock while yet the Agonies of a God and Tears of Blood streaming from his very heart have not the least Interest or Influence at all to restrain us from that mad Sally into Eternal Flames Something might be pleaded for Moses and Paul who in passion of Zeal to the Bliss of their People so Generously made tender of themselves to be Victims of their Peace And brave Curâ—ius got a Reputation by galloping into the Gulph to appease the angry Deity that rag'd in his City Cleopatra's Asp gave her some Pleasure in Death but to curvet into unquenchable Burnings from the base Sting of a Tarantula and to perish ingloriously for no good or End but to add Triumph to Hell and to get the unenvied honour of being preferr'd into the Society of the Miserable is such a Rage of Frenzy from the corrupted Blood that an Eternity will never heal Nor is this so Strange or Astonishing since we see every day how arrogantly Madness it self does Ape Innocence in its greatest Perfection and with the Demoniack among the Tombs stalks about as insensible of any Shame or Danger as ever did Adam in Paradise Nay is more proud of his Cast of Devils than He that wore upon him the whole Livery of Graces Yet might this be soon remitted to it were the mischief but only to it self when alas there is a Ferocity too that flies in the Face of and thunders out Death against every Wight that is not as perfectly Frantick as it self Hypocrisie with all her Disguises must not think to escape the Assault for it falls upon the bones of the very Jews that dare call on the Name of Jesus And Common Civility hath good Luck if with David's Messengers it be sent home but halfshaved and with bare Buttocks But one poor torn Leaf of a Single Psalter dropt from the Bosom of any Real Votary to Heaven dispatches him into the Hellish Inquisition of its Fury where Piety is wrack'd by insufferable Torments into a forced Confession of the Guilt of that Heresie which God himself calls Glorious Truth and the Flames whose proper Office is to feed on the ungodly are preternaturally made to devour the Innocent Pride her self thrô the excess of Rage forgetting her State humbles her self into the meanest Services of the Kitchen to make the Fire and kindle those Faggots which when she has done her worst destroy but the Prison and gives liberty to the impassible Soul to ascend as in a Triumphal Chariot to Heaven O Corruption where are the limits of thy Tyranny Give at least Liberty to the small Numbers of Heaven to Pray for their Enemies and the Recovery of those thou hast smitten into so perfect a Blindness and Obscurity that in the very loss of their Eyes with the Sodomites they grope about still to perpetrate their Villany and are feeling out Subjects for their Malice and Lust to vent their Spleen and abominable Filth on But if blind Zeal to the Glory of an Idol prevail to such a degree of Madness as to make the Worshippers gash themselves and launce out their own Blood in whole Streams why should we think it so strange if to gratifie Devils and their own senceless Passions they roll and wallow in the Gore of others So little regret had that Fratricide whom Hell set on its first Work for what he had done that were the poor Innocent alive again he protests to God himself that he would not undertake to be his Keeper And if the Streams which History shew us to have been shed by the same Tyranny from the Blood of righteous Abel to the Murders of this Generation might be suffered to run in one Channel they would doubtless swell into a mighty Ocean wherein the Devils with the Swine who with their bloody Tusks have haunch'd it out will inevitably one day perish for ever Stand here Reader on the shore of this Red Sea and take a View of the Wracks that Sin hath made by its blustering Tempests Wouldest thou have thought that all these Storms and Winds could have arisen from that little Cloud no bigger than a Mans Hand Yes alas from but a Mans Hand reaching forth after the fatal Fruit hath all this Mischief issued and will ever increase into greater Destructions 'till at last it shall be sent to its own place where even then it will devour it self to Eternity A Predamnation in the Breast A Raging Wound that gives no Rest And that calm Peace that once so bless'd The happy Parents fled and gone To usher in a Legion Of Deaths and Curses yet no Sence No Sigh no Tear no Cryes commence As if all perfect Innocence Presumption thou greatest Curse On poor fall'n Man the fatal Nurse Of Plagues and Ruine Heavens Rod Depart and call a Dying God To scourge thee hence and bring a Flood Of Tears commixed with his Blood To wash
next World â—e valued not the casting in of Six-score years and â—ore which was little to him with whom a Thousand are but as one day To live for Sin is little Comfort yet to live or Punishment is surely less the giving this Term â—as a Mercy from God but the abuse of it was 〈◊〉 Misery to themselves he that lives and must â—ffer at last were better die soon and suffer the â—ss God indeed lent it for Repentance but they imâ—roved it for Sin and repented of nothing but â—at they had so short a time to Sin in when â—od knew they had a long one to suffer in Come Watchman What of the Night What of the Night Why the Fair and long Summers day of the Old Worlds Goodness and Pleasures too is come to an End 't is perfect Midnight with them Night all Night ever Night such a Night as shall never see Morning more Themselves Dark all Dark ever Dark therefore Darkness above is hurl'd into Darkness below Sin to Sin here Hell to Hell there Carnal Wickednesses to Spiritual Wickednesses to Eternal Wickednesses What should Light do with Darkness all Light with all Darkness ever Light with ever Darkness O see the fuel of the devouring Flames Rottenness all Rottenness ever Rottenness irrecoverable Rottenness no sound part in them Stubble dry Stubble fully dry ready for Burning Vessels of Wrath vessells endured with much Patience with Long-suffering with much Long-suffering and now fitted to Destruction What could Mercy do more then wait till of Good they became Evil of partly Good perfectly Evil and eternally Evil resolved to be so and yet after this to wait on still to wait for Six-score years to wait upon a Wilderness till it become a Garden upon dead Sticks till they Blossom and Bear upon degenerate Plants till they should bring forth good Fruit is to little purpose or end This Evil was from Themselves Wherefore should the Lord wait any longer Art thou gotten into the Ark Reader are all things ready Is the door fast shut down See Darkness is over all the Earth the Darkness of Sin and Darkness has covered the Heavens the Darkness of Judgment The Firmament hath put on her Mourning Suit and with Tamerlain erected the Black Flag of despair Clouds and Darkness and thick Darkness and an horrible Tempest is round about the End the End is come upon thee O ungodly World behold it is come upon thee see it hastening from the Four corners of Heaven Now will God Judge thee according to thy ways and will recompence upon thee all thine Abominations his Eye will not spare thee neither will he have pity Death Ruine Judgment Hell and Confusion to all Eternity Ah I will ease me of mine Adversarâ—es Mercy is gone clean gone gone for ever Compassion fails for evermore Now look to your selves Profaneness and Atheism if you have any Courage shew it now keep up your huffing Spiâ—it Snort against Heaven and Goodness bear up â—riskly like your selves don't degenerate from your â—onted Bravery Lord Gentlemen Why do â—e tremble What do you mean to turn Colour Why so ghastly in the Countenance Why such 〈◊〉 shivering and Ague in the Joynts Why so down 〈◊〉 the Mouth Why not a word now Ladies What are you so startled at Why so undress'd â—o day Why your Hair so dishevil'd Where â—re the Enchanting Curles that Captiv'd so many â—oor Lovers in them Where the stately Brow â—nd the sparkling Eye that struck your Admirers â—ead Go get ye to your Glasses and view your â—omplexions now Come come clear up there 's 〈◊〉 such Fear be not so Affrighted 't is but a hunder shower 't will over again go get Ready â—h no! what Noise what Bustle what Roarâ—g what Shreeking what Yelling what Faintâ—g what Bleating what Bellowing is here â—en Women Children Sheep Oxen Wolves Dogs all howling together in an hideous Outcry and the Waters out-roaring them all Oh oh oh oh the Worlds at an End Our Wickedness has overtaken us and Judgment is come upon us it is come undone undone undone foâ— ever You are in the very right of it Gallants you are in the very right it is come indeed never were you in the right before Now cry to your Gods to save you if they can Did not thâ— Old Man forewarn you of this many a time Why did ye not take warning and build Boaâ— too Is he such a Fool for securing himself How often hath he told you of your Villanies and Whorâ—doms your Ranting and Tearing your Haughâ—ness and Hussing and to what a fearful end 〈◊〉 would bring you See how he rides securely yoâ—der against all the dreads of Death that are comâ— upon You now your sport is at an end fareweâ— Gyants and Ladies Adieu for Evermore Now here Alas I am at a Loss Caâ— any one Rationally expect that Invention anâ— the Issues of one Mans Brain can be Wittâ— enough to delineate the Face of an Universâ— Confusion I have seen indeed some Fanciâ—â— Sculptures pretending to satisfie the Eye in thâ— dreadful Prospect of some Climbing up to thâ— Tops of the Tallest Trees while others are hasteâ—ing to the loftiest Mountains and some moâ— Brutishly Mounting on Beasts to outride tâ— Destruction that makes but an easie Gulp of tâ— Horse and his Rider every Family yelling in tâ— uppermost Rooms of their more Dwarfish Housâ— not one but who betakes himself to groundlâ— and impossible Refuges Let me present 〈◊〉 Reader with a Table of the General Security that Fetter'd up the Drowsie World into Fatal Slumbers not the least Fear or Dream of an Approaching Tragedy but what had been laugh'd out of Life by the Atheists of the Age that admir'd the Frenzy of the Fanatick Ark Each City County Town Village and Hamlet as Secure and Thoughtless as our Selves at this day Every Family busily driving on the daily Trade of Rebellion against Heaven and thinking as little of any Change as those that are past it in the Grave The Ruling Part not content to impose the Iron Mace of Authority on the Shoulders of the Subjects to make them Cringe by a gentle Touch but fiercely lift it up to fetch a more killing stroak on the tender Head with design to break and make it Bleed while the poor helpless Patients have no Appeal but to their own Passions which vent themselves in bitter Curses under all the Smart and Sores of that fearless Tyranny The Gentry terminating their Delights in a perishing Portion and Marrying their Souls to the Clod as if God himself were pleas'd with the Match are exalted above the Cares of Life that Oppress the Hearts of the Needy and the Fears of Want that afflict them They Club together with those of their Order where they talk of nothing but Hoisting their Rents and Grinding the Faces of their miserable Tenants unless for exchange of Discourse they Sally out into Stories of their own Debauchery and ever and anon Jibing at the Melancholy Noah whose Head they
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
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
their own All that burthen themselves with this Stone shall be cut in pieces thô all the People of the Earth be gathered together against it Wherein they deal proudly God is above them Abraham doubtless had Impaired his Stock by the Famine of Canaan and now he abundantly recruits it in the Court of Egypt he was afraid to lose his Life where now he augments his Estate His Wifes Face had not bin more pleasant than now profitable unto him instead of being kill'd for Her sake he lives and is enriched by her By what strange means doth the Church sometimes thrive and prosper The good Father went down into Egypt but to receive the first Fruits of those Spoils which hereafter his Grand-children shall lade themselves out with when in the like Affright the Egyptians consent to be robbed by them Behold we Him now retreating replenished with Treasure and Joy he leaves nothing behind him but the Infelicity of his Diffidence in his God and could willingly part again with Pharaoh's Presents to have purchas'd off the remembrance of his Weakness and Shame The best Men are most sensible of their least Failings and are most deeply humbled under them while fools make a mock of Sin and think to Jeer away their Consciences and Guilt together God certainly left him here to Trip for our Instruction And Abraham did that which was right in the Eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life save only in the matter of his Sister Yet hath he not wanted Advocates pleading so well for him that in this also he is made Innocent and little fault found in him to which may be added this That he receives no Reproof at all from Heaven The best use we can make of it is to learn where to look for Perfection I pity their vanity who pretend to have their Houses of Clay dress'd up with the furniture of the next World when the Father of the Faithful hath nothing to boast of but what he receives from God. By daily Regresses he now passes back into Canaan where by this time the Staff of Bread that broke under his hand was increased into many Bands of Plenty He proceeds to the Confines of Bethel which he had made Eminent by his first Altar there erected unto God which he reverently repairs again to offer up those Sacrifices of Thanksgiving which in Clouds of Perfume shall give publick Testimony how much his gratefull Heart was inflamed with a most lively Resentment of Gods stupendious Goodness towards Him and his dearest Wife in their miraculous Deliverance from all the dangers of the Egyptian-Court And he is glad to do it in this place where God had answered him from Heaven already The very Spot where divine Appearances are made is exceedingly delightful and affecting Alas thine Altars my King and my God How then should we be ravished with the remembrance of that happy place where we shall one day praise him for ever CAP. III. The Dissention between Abrahams Hersdmen and Lot's The ensuing separation God appears to comfort and confirm Abraham in the Promise of Canaan Lot passes to Jordan A War arises The Sodomites are vanquish'd and the City ransackt Lot is tarried away Prisouer LOT the Son of Haran the Brother of Abraham had been the comfortable Companion of his Travels from his first departure out of VR Therefore had God blessed him and made him a great Sharer in the Mercies of the Covenant He is increased to that degree of Greatness in Wealth and Substance with his Vnkle that now their Cohabitation is rendred incompatible any longer Lots Eyes could not be so short-sighted as not apparently to find how Good it was for him to be here and how much he had profited by his dutiful respect to his Fathers Brother who had been more than a Father to him He resented the Mercy I hope with a better heart than that Atheistical Gown-man who since cryed out Quantum nobis profuit haec Fabula de Christo How much Wealth hath this Story of a Christ brought us Poverty sometimes parts good Company but here Riches And though themselves agreed together in all the Principles of Faith and Religion yet the very Cattel necessitate a Schism and the only Quarrel is between the Shepherds who studied more the Bellies of the Sheep than their Masters happy Communion and Peace It were well if the Pastors of the Christian Flock had divided on no other Motives than Zeal for the good of the Sheep There are Herdsmen who while they swagger for the Interest of the Flock engross the whole Pasture to themselves and leave the poor Sheep to bite on such hard Oarts which they cannot swallow nor digest they lead them from the green Pastures of infallible Truth and the pleasant Waters of unspeakable Comfort to make them couch in the barren Wilderness of Uncertainties and the dry Heath of unprofitable Errors and Vanity The wise Abraham not minding to espouse the Fewds of his Servants thinks fit in time to prevent a growing Dissention in his Houshould by a prudent giving way to the present necessity resolves rather to take leave of his Nephew than his Peace and quiet He cannot tell into what Combustion these quarrelsome Fellows might throw his Family and therefore he Addresses his Kinsman with such fair Proposals as should quickly depress the Flame and evidently shew him the true Nobleness of the Mind from whence they arise The strongest Christian is ever the truest Gentleman who is happy in a natural Facility and sweet Condescention of Spirit which on every occasion so becomingly passes from him to command a Power over the Affections of all that observe him He keeps the Gates of his Soul ever open as a passage for self to walk out at when a weaker Faith bolts it self in and cannot so easily Sacrifice its Interests to the Honour of Peace and Truth Princes scorn to spend a thought on the petty pretences which meaner Subjects pursue with Heat and Passion The Great Abraham casts all the Rights of his Supremacy into the Arms of his Nephew at once with License to dispose of them at his own Pleasure and generously offers him to rest satisfied with the Refuse of the Countrey which himself should not please to make choice of The Grum Lot who should have lowly bowed to his Vnkle and by a Scarlet Cheek made sign how sensibly he resented that unusual Generosity of Abraham and very humbly begg'd his excuse is so far from that as he thinks it not policy to return back the Complement but rudely takes him at his Word (*) (*) (*) Nota modestiam Abrahami et parum Loti gratum animum quâ—d ei non reliquerit Optionem EstiuÌ„s and all in an Hurry prepares to depart having first chosen his own Apartments on the fruitful Plains of Jordan How often are the unlovely knots of an ill disposition too visibly discovered thorough all
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
Temper and perfect Serenity of Soul. Fear not Abraham I am thy Shield and thine exceeding great Reward See I have already given thee an Experience of my Power and Protection that shall ever be continued for thy future Preservation and Safety I have covered thine Head already in the day of Battle and hid thee in the Hollow of mine Hand from the rage of thine Enemies So will I ever be a Wall of Fire round about thee they shall but scorch themselves that approach to hurt thee No weapon formed against thee shall prosper yea tho' the whole Earth should gather themselves together to injure thee Do not dread the united strength of the Arm of Flesh thou hast a God that will ever arise up for thy Defence He that toucheth thee shall as prosperoâ—sly hope to pâ—il out the Apple of mine Eye and to defeat all the Hosts of Heaven that shall ever be Armed as thy Life-guard so soon shall thine Enemies prevail to baffle Omnipotent power and Strength as to pull one Hair from thine Head much less to sheath a Sword in thy Heart Wrap up therefore thy self securely within the Folds of my Invincible Power by an unquestionable Confidence in my Watchfulness and Care that shall ever attend thee thrô all the most dangerous Accidents of thy Life Fear not Abraham for I am thy Sâ—ield And whereas in this Affair of the King of Sodom thou hast accquited thy self with so Noble Respect to mine Honour and so full a Dependence on my Power and Alsufficiency to enrich thee so as thou hast despised the means of a Ditation by an Addition of those contemptible Spoils to thine Estate Know this for thine Encouragement and Joy Thou shalt be so far from being a loser by so generous a preferring my Glory beyond thine own Interests that instead of them I will give thee my Self a God who have all the Treasures of Earth and Sea at mine own Power to Dispose of and if need were could command them all to meet in thine Exchequer to enrich thee And who am in my self so inexhaustible a Fountain of more Durable Riches and Honour than what are drawn from the poor Mines of the Earth and with these will I Ennoble thee for ever Be not Jealous that I intend thee no further Honours than what thou hast Atchieved from the Glory of thy Conquest when mine Own hand shall weave thee an Immarcessible Crown that shall sit fast on thy Head and never Wither or Die. And tho' the ungrateful Canaanïtes pay thee not the Homage and honourable Acknowledgment of their own deliverance by thine Hand or maliciously Envy thee the Glory of it yet shalt thou have little cause to complain When I make over my self to thee who am infinitely more than all Things and who could as easily make thee Lord of the Vniverse as to bestow these Kingdoms of Canaan upon thee but that I reserve to thee a Portion in mine own most glorious Essence and thou shalt not run to the Creatures for a Recompence for I my self will be thy Reward and thou shalt every day find how Great how exceeding great a Reward thy God will be unto thee But mighty Jehovah hast thou sitted the Shield of thy Protection to the Body of thine Abraham only Is the Promise made to him alone And wilt thou leave all the Heirs of his Faith and Spirit naked and bare to the Cruelties of their Enemies Hast thou but one Shield of Defence shield us even us also O our Father Yea we know well that thou art a Sun and a Shield to all them that walk uprightly as Abraham God hath expanded the Buckler of his Protection as the Heavens over all the Body of his dearest Church Haypy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord the shield of thine Help and the sword of thine Excellency thine Enemies shall be found Lyars to thee and thou shalt tread upon their high places Come ye Angels one of you is enough and smite the blasphemous Host into dead Corpses Come ye Starrs and sight in your Counses against the Tyrannous Sisera Come ye mighty Waters and prepare Graves for the Obdurated Pharaoh and all his Army within the vast gulph of your own Bowels Come forth ye poor Worms and take your Repast on the Carkass of the Mortal that would fancy himself to be a God. Come thou little Stone cut out of the Mountain that shall break in pieces all the Kingdoms of the Earth that oppose thee Come near ye Nations hear and bearken ye People for the indignation of the Lord is upon you and his fury upon all your Armies he hath utterly destroyed them he hath delivered them to the slaughter For his sword is bathed in Heaven behold it shall come down upon Idumea and upon the People of his Curse unto Judgement And come thou blessed Son of Abraham the Invincible King of the Church With the Spiritual Sword of thy might enter into the Confines of Hell Invade the Territories of the Infernal Powers dash in pieces all the Gates of thine Dominion break their Iron Barrs asunder Iade away the Spoils of those cursed Principalities the Trophies of their Eternal Honour Sin and Death Make a shew of them openly to all the World expose them to the derision of Angels and Men as the baffled Captives of thy Power Fasten them to the Wheels of thy Chariot drag them after thee when in the day of thy Triumph thou shalt enter into thy Kingdom thence let them receive the dreadful Sentence of everlasting Ignominy and Contempt Come hither Christian and view thy self Secure as Infinite Power and the Strength of a God can make thee If thou wilt negligently hang up thy Shield to the Walls and walk naked thrô all the Quarters of thine Enemies and promise thy self safety in the midst of Devils and Men almost as Bad as they without this Coat-Mail of the Divine Promise girt about thee or but loosely put on what can be expected but thy certain fall even by these baffled Straglers of the routed Army who lye lurking to make their Prey upon thee and to lead thee with themselves into the Eternal Prisons To dye by a Noble and Victorious hand would yet be somewhat honourable but for these disarmed Troops of Hell to triumph in thy ruine and fix thee in perpetual Chains of darkness and this only from thy carelesness and neglect of carrying thine Arms about thee and wearing the Shield of thy Defence this will be matter of indelible Shame and Confusion This is that special piece of Spiritual Armour that shouldst thou be so vain to leave the rest behind yet of this art thou cautioned by no means to be forgetful but Above all to rake with thee the Shield of Faith And what is this but the close-buckling this Excellent Promise about thine Heart Come my Son let not Mercy and Truth forsake thee bind them about thy Neck write them apon
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
be a great Nation and Father of Princes and with Another to come who shall be Greater than he A Father of Kings and the mighty Heir of the everlasting Covenant Not a Servant but who is graced with the Priviledges of Divine Favour and bearing the Impress of Gods Love and Kindness upon him Come all ye Princes of the Earth Light up all the Tapers of your Earthly Glory Shine forth in the brightest Beams of your Splendor display all the Ensigns of your Royalty Muster up all the Armies of your Power and Force Repeat all your swelling Titles of Majesty and Dominion Boast the whole Exchange of your Pleasures and Delights How infinitely short will ye come of this one Blessed Friend of God! Yours only a very Gleam and Shadow of Happiness His a true real and substantial one Yours a Glory embittered with Cares interrupted with Tears Tainted with Lusts Laden with Guilts Subjected to Loss and Dangers ending in Misery and Death While His is a Crown without Thorns Laughing at Fears Unpolluted with Filth Impossible to be Forfeited growing up into a Celestial Glory and shining as long as God himself in the brightness of Eternity CHAP. VIII Abraham entertains the Angels that bring him and his Lady the News of Isaac's Nativity His Intercession for the five Cities c. FUll Twenty and five years had Isaac lain in the Womb of the Divine Promise since first a Seed was secured unto Abraham He must be a Miraculous Son whose Parents had not all this while been Dead enough to make way for the Power of God to appear in his Birth When all subordinate means become wholly defective and desperate then is the proper season for Omnipotency to work Through all this Series of Years had Abraham humbly waited in Faith and Patience upon the God that could not deceive him and behold now his dim Eyes shall see the Desire of his Soul. Thou maist not tarry half so long for an Heaven Reader as Abraham did for a Son e'er thine Eyes behold the Salvation of God do but Exercise the same Grace with the same Confidence for faithful is he that hath promised and verily thine expectation shall not fail Some thousands of Years did the Seed of Abraham and Isaac wait for the Accomplishment of the greater Promise of that Heir who at his coming should Bless all the World when in the very Gray Hairs of Time and upon the Death-Bed of their expiring Hopes God performed his promised Mercy to the Spiritual House of Israel The carnal Family was grown by that time so faint and short-sighted that when he came and made his Appearance to them they could not discern but fell a questioning whether he were the very true Heir or no They could not believe it to be Him they had no Eyes to behold his Glory and besides they were Jealous of his Voice Nor was he Gay enough to answer the Ends they expected from him The Roman Yoke had gall'd their Necks and he seem'd to be no great Deliverer they had no Work to do for a Spiritual Prince nor lik'd they his Discourses of an Invisible Kingdom they loved This too well to folâ—ow him beyond their present Interests which he appeared not much to Favour and therefore â—nanimously Vote him an Impostor closing in with their own Tyrant against Him They Indict Him of Treason against Caesar and pursued the Articles so hotly that they never left him till they saw Him Dead on the Cross which God took so Grievously from them that he Smote them into so perfect Blindness and Distraction that with the Sodomites they are groping in the Dark and looking for the Door that gives Entrance into Heaven but cannot find it to this day and are yet ridiculously waiting for Him that sixteen hundred years ago and more had his happy Nativity into the World. Miserable Men they knew not the day of their Visitation and now it is hid from their Eyes To a fair length had Abraham Spun out the Thread of his Hopes which now shall be wound up in one Bottom of Fruition He that was to come shall come and tarry no longer Patience is an inseparable Companion from a lively Faith in the Divine Promises How surely shall the Decrees of God in due time be delivered of the Blessings that are in them to crown up all long Suffering into Joy and Pleasure Thus while this happy Man is sitting at the door of his Tent with a Soul full of Divine Contemplation and Comfort Behold Three Persons in Appearance Men in Reality Angels cloathed in their Shapes sent from Heaven to his Sarah with Orders to provide a Cradle for the little Great Heir of Abraham's Hopes and Prayers that now shortly shall make his welcome Appearance into the World He accosts them with a Majesty and Humility sweetly mixt and becoming well his Great Quality They may not pass by him without receiving some Royal Marks of his Courteous and Hospitable Soul Generosity is the Rich Enamel of Greatness the very Life of it without which it loses its Essence Abraham is the Copy of the truest Gentility as of the strongest Faith in the World to let Princes know that Honour is not incompatible with Piety He had received his Education from the Court of Heaven and accommodates his demeanour perfectly to the Model prescribed him from above He participates of the Nature of Him who spreads the Table of his Bounty for all his Creatures to sit at He has nothing but what is at the Service of every one These were Strangers to him yet shall not part away from his Royal Tent e'er they become his Guests He Addresses to one who seems the chiefest of the Three and with greater Earnest than others can crave it beseeches them to give him the Honour of their Company and themselves the Refreshment of a short Repast Behold Abraham at home watching Opportunities of doing Good courting very Strangers to receive his Entertainment doubling the Invitation to clear it from the Jealousie of a Complement and afterwards his Cheer to Free himself from the ill Reputation of a Churl They are Alien from Abraham's Spirit who void their Houses to avoid their Duties and hide themselves from their own Flesh or if they keep home themselves are yet from home to all others and what Job could not love to Eat their Morsel alone who are sometimes Accursed to that degree of Baseness and Cruelty to their own Bodies that they starve Themselves to save the Charges of Living God hath given them Wealth enough but no Power or Heart to eat thereof they live by Contemplation on what they have and never adventure to pass into Fruition this is a sore Judgment Expedition heightens the Civility Abraham hasts to Sarah Make ready quickly and himself ran to the Herd His kindness must not hinder them in their Progress Time is precious the whole Day was not designed for the Belly Wo unto them that rise early in the morning that
Abraham shall know that his God can be as Just as Good and that few partak'd of the special Priviledges that himself was bless'd in 'T is no small Obligation that lyes upon the Faithful from the Knowledge of their differing in Condition from the worst of Men only by distinguishing Mercy What are we that thou shouldst manifest thy self unto us and not unto the World. Faith grows up to a perfect Stature by the Knowledge of every dispensation of God. The Prophets enforce their Doctrines from the Examples of the fiercest Executions of Vengeance Pass ye unto Calneh and see c. Abraham who hereafter should read Lectures upon Sodoms Flames to affright his Children and Family from Sodom's Lusts shall first hear with his Ear and afterwards see with his Eye the pernicious and dreadful Desolation that Sin had made upon them that with greater sence of those Calamities he might terrifie others against the Sins that procur'd them God knowing how powerfull Application so Experienc'd a Preacher as Abraham would surely make from such a Text. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do c. For I know him that he will Command his Children and his Houshould after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord c. Behold the great Ordinance of Family-Instruction establish'd by Divine Institution Abraham must execute both Offices of King and Priest In vain is Obedience exacted from such as know not their Duty But in order to the means of that Knowledge Obedience is justly required and Jurisdiction given by God Himself to enforce it I know Abraham that he will Command his Children and Servants c. If the Sword or the Word be too precarious look for Confusion and Ignorance to prevail over all Abraham is invested with a perfect Power to subject them to the Discipline of God He was Soveraign over his Family and God is so far from Clipping his Authority that he gives him the Broad Seal of Heaven to confirm his Commission He had Power of Life and Death within his own House they were not worthy to live should they not learn the saving Knowledge of the holy Commandments to little purpose were they Circumcised in the Flesh if they be not enlightned into the Knowledge of that Sacrament nor how far it oblig'd them to Obedience and Duty But I know Abraham that he will teach them c. Even this Great Prince will not think it beneath him to Catechise the meanest Herdsman in his Family 'T is the Work of God an Abraham hath an Heart to it 't is a Glorious work the Saving of Souls and Abraham shall be rewarded for it 'T is transmitting Piety to Posterity and the Child unborn will praise God for Abraham 'T is the advancing the Interest and Glory of God upon Earth which never faileth to bring to Glory in Heaven See the decay of Religion and weep tears of Blood Where lives the Son of Abraham that improves his Authority in his Family for God and the Souls he hath made unless in a cold and perfunctory manner If an Impious casting off the Thoughts and mention of God unless in cursed Oaths and fearful Imprecations if an utter banishing his Holy Worship and Service as an unfashionable disparaging thing If the Training up Children into the low and base Opinion of the strict Wayes and Methods of Godliness such as their Parents have sucked in before them If Servants must think it ill Manners to serve their Maker better than their profane Masters and must wear the Livery of their Relation and Vices together If instead of Praying Catechising and Holy Instruction and Excellent Example which ever flourished in the Great Family of this mighty Prince there be nothing but Prophaneness Atheism and all the Trades of Confusion driven and carried on with a perfect Industry from day to day surely we must sadly conclude that the Good Abraham hath but few Heirs to follow him in the same holy Path. God knew this faithful Servant to be constant to his Glory and Interest and all the World shall one day know that such as these are very Traytors both to Him and their Own Happiness for ever 'T was because of this Fidelity that the Great Abraham was admitted into the Secrets of his Judgment against Sodom The clamour of whose Provocations would suffer divine Justice to forbear them no longer God could not be in Quiet for them in Heaven either they must cease to be thus wicked or to have any further Being in the World He will ease himself of these Adversaries they shall no longer oppress his Patience or abuse his Goodness His Long-suffering had run out to the utmost Extremity He is now ready for vengeance they ripe for destruction When the whole World shall be white unto the great Harvest Then shall the Sickle of Ruine cut it down Yet shall not Execution be done upon Sodom before all the Formalities of Judgment precede Process and Enquiry shall be made into the Merits of their Cause The Judge of all the Earth will do right None shall perish but from the plain Evidence and Conviction of their own Guilt Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy Judgments Two Angels are sent in Commission to make the Inquisition we shall anon hear what the Issue of that Tryal will be Now is Abraham left with the Lord alone and 't is remarkable that himself who had vouchsafed to Honour the Tabernacle of this holy Man with his gracious Presence disdains to bless the Infamous City with the same favour God is far from the ungodly but he waiteth here still to hearken to the Prayer of the Righteous Abraham receives not the News of Sodom's destruction with any pleasure at all Gods Children as himself delight not in the death of the wicked but rather that they turn and live 'T is Fury and not Zeal that on every affront calls for Fire from Heaven to destroy There is a City will know this one day that hath made so many Massacres and kindled so many Flames upon the Bodies of the Saints Abraham prepares to Plead as Fiercely as he had Fought for Sodom before How serviceable are the Favourites to the Enemies of God who yet hate and persecute them Down he falls and on the bare Knees of his very Soul Beggs That God would maintain the Honour of his own Justice and that the Righteous might not taste of the bitter Cup of the Wicked And further If it would please him that the Wicked might live for the Righteous sake and the Righteous for their own Tho' the Wicked will not suffer the Righteous to live for whose sake themselves live and with the Jews kill their Saviours yet are the Righteous of another Spirit and would give their lives that all Men were as themselves the innocent and blameless Sons of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation 'T is wonderful to find how Abraham by the bare Breath of his Prayers makes the
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