them What Power what Victory and what Command dost thou Exercise on the Heart of Abraham whence come these dazeling Charities thou minglest with thy Killing shafts and with thy Consuming fires My God what Miracle of Power what Prodigy of Faith what Triumph of Constancy a Heart without Motion Eyes without Tears a silent Tongue a Father without regret without grief and without complaint upon the Tomb of one only and dearly beloved Son This faithfull Minister of the Will of God would be much more grieved that other hands than his should be used and that a Sacrificer should be sought elsewhere The Spirit of Abraham is like a Rock in the midst of the Ocean The Emblem of that Rock immobâ—â—is beaten with Waves watred with Rain subject unto Winds and Tempests whatsoever happens alwaies unmoveable ever immutable It is enough that God speaks All comes from him all is his and all must return to him It sufficeth Abraham that God is the Master of Abraham and the Father of Isaack It is enough that God is the King the Master and the Father of Abraham and Isaack It is in vain to be disquieted since it sufficeth that God commands and that whatever he enjoyns be performed and to live in the practice of this verity is to be in the Paradise of this World and to enjoy Beatitude by anticipation It is to row upon the sea as a vessel under the conduct of a Pylot who cannot be deceived It is to be at court under the command of a most sage and powerfull Prince who seeks onely to replenish us with his favours or like a Star guided by an Intelligence which cannot stray out of the way marked out unto it Perform then Abraham all that God saith unto thee and thou O my God command Abraham all that thou desirest Is it his life thou requirest It is thine Is it that of Jsaack it is thy self who hast bestowed it on him take them both But O God of goodness remember that Abraham is a Man that he is a Father that he hath but One Son and that he Loves nothing in comparison of this Son place not all these objects of Pitty before his Eyes rest sattisfyed in Sacrificing the Son without causing the death of the Father lay some cover over the Fore head of the Priest and over the Eyes of the Victime And doe not solicite the tendernesse of either and speak neither of Abraham nor Jsaack nor of the Father or Son but pronounce the decree in most rigorous termes and call no more upon the name of Sweetnesse and Love for that were to solicite his disobedience God neverthelesse calls Abraham twice Martyrdome of Love and expressly commands him to Sacrifise his Son and not onely his Son but also his Onely Son and to wound him yet more to the quick he adds the name of his beloved Son that is of Jsaack O God! what shafts what Thunderbolts and what Lighting In truth saith Procopius any one but Abrahâ—m had taken this advertisement from God for an illusion or for a subject of contempt But as Abbot Gueâ—y hath excellently well noted this venerable title of Father and this amable name of Son serve but to conjoyn Love with Piety and oblige Abraham to perform more religiously and cordially what was given him in charge Vt postea praepouat amorem Dei suo carnali emori ut cum vintet gloriosier esset victoria Hugâ— Ã Sâ—ncto victore ann in 22. Gen. sint in hoc parenti triplicata supplicia c. Origenes hic Moreover saith Huge of St. Victor God recalled into his Thought that this was his Onely Son as if he had desired the more to excite his naturall affection to the end the Victory and Triumph might be the more famous since the Love of God became Master of his heart In fine as the subtile and learned Origen concludes God will have Abraham first sacrifise his Onely Son secondly his Onely and Welbeloved Son and thirdly his Onely Son and his dear Jsaack as if he had meant by these three shafts of Love to have three Sacrifices and three Conquests of Obedience Faith and Love Behold very powerfull combats and as many Stroaks of death as words Abraham did not yet change colour and his face was as the Sun which sees all the horrors of the Earth without emotion his Constancy appeared in the midst of Passions The Embleme of the fish Immersabilis Nec dolor patri lacrymas persuasit sed exultat gaudet S. Zeno veron serm 1. de Abraham like the Dolphin in a Tempest and storm without danger of drowning This Magnanimous Soul this generous heart and this obedient spirit shed but tears of joy and his thoughts were fixed onely on Hope Love and Resignation CHAP. XI The Master-peece of Obedience and the Triumph of Love in the Sacrifice of Abraham A Heart perfectly Submissive and obedient unto Gods will S. Bernard de praecepto dispensat knows not what languishment refusall grief and delay meaneth It is enough that he is commanded to obey all the rest is indifferent to him And it is peradventure for this Cause that even the civill Laws moderate the rigours of Justice Justâ— home ad legem Aquisiam when we proceed against those who have acted in pure obedience and in such a case he is to be fallen upon who gave the command Provided Neverthelesse he had the power to Command Even so when it is the will of a Soveraign all Subjects ought to Obey And chiefly when God who is the absolute Monarch of the Universe doth Command nothing must appear under his Empire which adores not his Laws and follows not his Lights even amidst the shadows of an affectionate Blindness Such was Abraham The Symbols of the Heliotropium Non possum altò me vertere Typ in Symb. A solis ortu usque ad occasum and his Spirit blind as it were amidst the Splendors of Faith and Obedience resembled that Flower which incessantly courteth the Sun and hath neither Life Motion nor Eyes but from Morning till Evening to follow this Star He sets forth as soon as God Commands him and as if his Eyes had been shut against the Lights of the Day he riseth in the Night by the favour of those Lights and Rayes which God communicates unto him amidst the obscurities of the shades to serve him for a Watch-tower Sun and Day This happy Paricide as St. Austin saith undertook the Murther of his Son with the same devotions where with he had demanded his Birth and Life and least the Morning Devotus Pater eo voto suscepit paricidium quo susceperat filium Aug. Ser. 73. saith Rupertus should prevent his desires he rose before Day and presently provided himself of all necessaries for his Journey and for the Sacrifice of his Son My God! Igitur Abraham de nocte consurgens stravit asinum suum ducens secum dues juvenes
missus sum qui secit me quasi patrem Pharaonis Dominum universae domus ejus ac principem in omni terra Egypti Gen. 45. v. 8. It is God alone who hath conducted me unto this place and who after all my misfortunes hath raised me on the Throne of Pharaoh to be the chief Ruler of his Dominions and to provide for the necessities of his people in Conjunctures of time and disasters which desolate the whole Land I refer my self unto your selves who are Eye witnesses thereof and you know at your own cost what hath passed You see that I have the absolute Command in Egypt and that Pharaoh though elder than my self doth me the honour to call me his father The name of Saviour which I bear is not a bare Title but the effects sufficiently demonstrate that Heaven hath chosen me to preserve the lines of an infinite number of people whom Famine would have destroyed It is not out of any Spirit of vain glory I open unto you all these Verities But onely to the end you may know that it is GOD alone who hath broken my Chains and who amidst all the disasters of a cruell servitude hath led me even unto Regality I adore all the effects of his amiable Providence and I can onely accuse you as the Instruments and Executioners of his Divine Decrees Do not then apprehend any thing but rejoyce that you have been the Instruments of God in so important a matter For my part I am confounded seeing the triumph of my weakness and the Haven where after so many Tempests I am arrived I look upon you as the Winds and Oares whereof God as a wise Pilot made use to convey me even in the midst of Rocks and amongst so many waves unto the Throne of Egypt Well then my most dear Brethren it is time to Convert your fears and Sorrows into Congratulations and applauses The winds are now appeased the storm is layd Festinate ascendite ad patrem mâ—um dicetis ei haec mandat filius tuus Joseph Deus fecit me Dominum universae terrae Aegypti Descende ad me ne morieris Gen. 45. v. 9. Adhuc enim quinque anni residue sunt famis Gen. 45.11 and the Sun of Jacob is risen in Egypt Take a journey then I beseech you to visit my Father and inform him that Joseph is found that you are sent from him that you have both seen and spoken with him and that he sent you to bring him least some ill might happen to him and that Death surprise him as well in respect of his old age as by reason of the publick miseries which will still endure for the space of five years After this Commission Osculatusque est Joseph omnes fratres sues ploravit super singules Gen. 45. v. 15 Joseph having no other motive which might oblige him to conceal the tenderness of his affections his Eyes were inforced to render that tribute unto Love which without violence they could not restrain Lightnings are too hot to remain inclosed in the Clouds and Clouds are too cold to endure the rayes of the Sun without being melted and dissipated Now the heart of Joseph being like a Thunder bolt wrapt up in Clowds What wonder then if this Thunder break forth and if all the Forces of his heart which were weaker than the Clouds dissolved into Tears in the presence of this Sun Thus was Joseph constrained to shed tears enough upon his Brethren Cumque ampiexatus recidisset in collum Benjamin flevit Gen. 45. v. 14. to estate the remnants of their terrors but in the first place he took Benjamin into his arms and holding him close to his bosome Delicious tears he kissed him shedding tears on his mouth which came from the bottome of his heart and he left him not but to kiss the rest of his Brethren and to witness to them by his embraces and tears the force and tenderness of his affection which was not onely placed on an Innocent but also upon Offenders Alas Fair Spectacle what spectacle of Love what Theater of Passions what kisses what embraces what tears O God! what excess of goodness in Joseph who having been persecuted by his Brethren even to death will take no other revenge of the injury he received than by his Silence by his Tears by his Sighes by his Kisses and by all sorts of benefits Where are then all those pitiless hearts Deadly Vengeances where are those mortall vengeances where those tyrants who know not what it is to pardon when once they are offended where is Joseph And where is he who after a long Contest imbraceth his adversaries who kisses them to stifle all their mischievous designs and who hath tears of Love to quench the fire which nourished their darkest Passions At least there are but few who do like Joseph that is to say without interest without constraint without dissimulation and when they have still the power of revenge in their hands It is said that a Lion hath so discreet and generous furies as we need but cast our selves at his Feet to appease him in the height of his rage But there are more savage and cruell men A more than brutish inhumanity who cannot temper their wrath and in what posture soever we set our selves before them they still remain inflexible If wounds be layd open unto them to excite them to compassion they cast new darts to poison them If a man humble himself they trample upon him if he flatter them they are exasperated If they be intreated this renders them more obstinate Above all they are inexorable and inflexible if it lye in their power to do mischief without fear of receiving any from those that may be their victimes and the Subjects of their brutality And if some Jmage of Pitty Love or Honour touch their Hearts and draw some drop of water from their Eyes and some kindnesses from their Hands or Mouths it is not without vanity and noise This indulgence must be published in all places and it seemes that the whole World ought to be advertised of it as of an universall Jubile Ridiculous ceremonâ—es This pardon then is Shamefully acquired and there are no Ceremonies in the Church and no Formalities at the bar which are not to be observed for the confirmation of this reconciliation and to render this accomodation more remarkable On the contrary Joseph retires and will have no other Witnesses of his favours than those who have been the Authors of his misfortunes He will discover his goodnesse Auditumque est celibâ—i sermone vulgatum in aula Regis venerunt fratres Joseph Gen. 45. v. 16. Et gavisus est Pharaâ— atque omnis familia ejus Gen. 45. v. 16. Dixitque ad Joseph ut imperaret fratribus suis dicens enorate sumenta ite in terram Chanaan Gen. 45. v. 17 Et tollite inde patrem vestrum cognatiâ—nâ—m venite ad me
and said unto her Goe Agar and return to thy son take him by the hand and reanimate this little dying body O God! who will not admire thy sage Providence and the miraculous Conduct of thy Designes Who will not remain astonished in contemplation of thy works and above all when he shall discern the care thou hast of thy Elect Alas Surge tolle puerum tene manum illius quia in gentem magnam faciam eum Gen. 21. v. 18. how stupid is the Wisdom of men how imprudent are their conceptious and how feeble are all the forces of their understandings when they are severed from thee There needs but one Heavenly Ray to inlighten all the obscurities of the Earth but on single drop of dew to soften all the rocks and but one glance of Gods Eye to give a Soul and life unto all the most Inanimated bodyes in Nature In fine when a man thinks himself lost he presently finds his way in the midst of all his wandrings and there is no climate nor Earth so dry Aperuitque oculos ejus Deus quae videns puteum aquae abiit implevit utrem deditque puero bibere Gen. 21. v. 19. and aride where his Omnipotent goodness may not cause a Thousand Fountains and springs to rise to the end it may be every where known that he is the Source of Living and salutiferous Waters who is able to quench as he shewed to Agar the most ardent thirsts in the midst of Desarts and Solitudes CHAP. X. The Sacrifice of Abraham and the admirable Artifices of God to try his Constancy and Fidelitie I could almost have a mind to complain of God and to accuse the apparent rigours he exerciseth on his favorites If the little experience I have in the life of Saints had not taught me that there are admirable Secrets to try his most faithfull Servants To this effect Mobilis semper incâ—ssâ—bilis calidus fervidus Dionys. cap. 7. coel hicracb saith St. Denis He is alwayes in Motion never at rest and his ardors are so penetrating and lively that he passeth like an inflamed Arrow even into the bottom of the heart to see there all that is inclosed Neverthelesse he is not like those petty Tyrants who cover their Eyes place veiles over their foreheads and hold Torches Bowes and Arrows in their hands as Weapons which they use to give death with blindness But if Divine Love hath Veiles they are wrought with the purest lights of Heaven Triall of Love and if it hath Shafts it is to open hearts and its Torch serves but to disclose all the secrets of souls in which nothing can remain concealed It is for this he is compared to a Gold-smith who purifies Gold and Silver in the crucet to a Captain who tryes the valour dexterity and Courage of a Souldier or rather to a Friend who neither promiseth nor bestowes his Amity but after very Long triall Behold doubtless what God did when he tempted Abraham as the most faithfull most constant and most affectionate person that lived in his time Neverthelesse I am troubled to say God can perform the office of a Temptor since the least of his looks pierceth all the Cloudes of future things Nemo cum tentatur dicat quia à Deo tentatur Jacob. c. 1. epist and that St. James in his Canonicall Epistle saith in expresse termes that God can tempt no man because he cannot be the Author of Evill But this is to be ignorant in the nature of temptation Ambros. lib. 1. de Abraham cap. 8. Aug q. 57. in Genesâ—â— and to have never read St. Ambrose St. Austin and the major part of the Fathers concerning this point who sufficiently evidence that there are blind and wicked temptations which cannot come from God as also prudent and officious ones which are as the shafts and stimulations of Love or else like sounding plummets wherewith the extents and capacity of hearts are measured so God knew but too well how great was the Love of Abraham but it was requisit that this Love should appear and with armes in its hand to acquire a force wholly new and in a fresh combat We must not wonder that God tempted Abraham Exercise of faith since this kind of temptation was but an excercise of his fidelity and a triall of his affection Exercitium fidei tentatio D Ambr. in 8. Luc. Tentat vos Deus ut sciatsi diligitis illum Deut. 13. Just as the Masters in Academies and Fencers in their schools use to doe when by some sophism or feigned thrust they exercise the spirits dexterity and courage of their bravest scholars I feel a horror nevertheless Tentavit Deus Abraham dixit ad eum Abraham Abraham at ille respondit adsum Gen. 22. v. 1. when I think of the matter on which God resolved to tempt Abraham I tremble and my Heart grones when I hear him twice called by his name and that all the Commissions which are given him tend but to the death of his Son Abraham Abraham can it possibly be that this so sweet so amiable and so Holy a Name must serve to summon thee to an office which appears so cruell and unnaturall as the Murther of thy Son Is it peradventure to carry thee more promptly to the execution of this sad decree that thou art twice called Art thou deaf to the first words of thy God or dost thou not perform readily enough what God commandeth Art thou so fixed on thy Isaack that thou no longer thinkest on God what is the matter Art thou stupified and hast neither Heart nor care for thy Master Lord behold me here saith Abraham what is thy will and where and in what may I manifest my Obedience and Love There are many who have complements enough in their Mouths Fruitless Complements and offer themselves freely enough but if a Man must ingage either life goods honor or the least of his interests he instantly retires and his dearest friends remain without offers and effects Let us examin whether Abrahams Heart be of the same temper of those faint friends God calls him and he returns answers unto God God calls him again and he protests that he is ready to execute all his commands much more for this Holy Man never contradicted the least injunction God had laid on him he left his Country he forsook his Parents and his life was but a voyage of Obedience and an exile of Love What can God desire more of him This is yet not all God requires of him and the trials though too long and too harsh God hitherto made of his fidelity were but the Prologues of a combat which must be far more rigorous Love is content to put a staff in his Hand to walk him through the World but he immediatly presents him with a Sword to undertake a dreadfull Duel though it be a Duel of Love Well then Abraham take your dear Isaack
it be so let us banish these disquiets and perplexities which ravish from us the confidence we ought to have in God My God! my hope is then in thee and I resign my Life my Pleasures my Designs my Desires my Interests and all my Affections into the Bosom of thy Providence And besides I make a vow with Jacob to Live and Dye in the quality of thy Son and of thy most humble Creature who hath no Life nor motion but by thee and for thee Lord accept this offering confirm this promise and in giving Affections unto my Heart to Love thee deny not Lights unto my Soul for the guidance and strengthning of it against all obstacles which might divert it from approaching directly to thee and reaching the top of the Mountain where it hopes both to see and enjoy thee for all Eternity CHAP. VI. The Constancy of Jacob in the Quest of Rachel IT is then the wise Providence of God which can justly attribute this honour unto it self as to say I preside in Councils And it is by the favour of my lights Men in the most importune affairs conceive their gravest and most mature resolutions I am The Works of the increated Wisdom saith Providence the End of Gods wonders by me he Begins his rarest works to Finish them in me And I am the Archetype and the project of his most admirable designs It is this Providence which had the Modell of the Universe when the Elements were in confusion and it was by her disposure the world received its Laws and all its Orders Moreover in the sequence of Age she took all her choicest delights upon the vast Globe of the Earth and her sweetest divertisements amongst men which serve as pastimes to her most holy entertainments I know not whether the Philosophy of Plato were pure enough to understand these verities But he concurred it seems in this opinion when he said That divine Providence sports with men in a way paternally affectionate and full of miracles Homo est ludus Deorum Plato Now if this Pastime appeared in the life of Abraham and Isaack it is no less visible me thinks in that of Jacob. Admirable sports First God sported with him in his Mothers Womb when he stirred his Hand to wrastle with his Brother Esau and to take him by the soal of his Foot that he might cause him to fall from the right to which he pretended Secondly God sported with Jacob when he disguised him by the intervention of his Mother to obtain the Benediction of Isaack Thirdly the Ladder Jacob saw in a dream was as we have said but a Pastime and spectacle of the Divine Providence and at present God continues to sport with him in the rest of his Journey afterwards in the House of Laban and finally in a thousand other rencounters where it will appear that even Gods Combats with Jacob were but Sports and Artifices wherein God took pleasure to recreate himself with him Jacob being then wak'd out of this mysterious sleep and Divine rapture Profectus ergo Jacob venit in terram orientalem Gen. 29. v. 1. Et vidit puteum in agro tres queque greges ovium accubantes juxta eum Gen. 29. v. 2. Quos interrogans numqaid ait nostis Laban Gen. 29 v. 5. Et ecce Rachel ventebat cum ovtbus sui Patris nam gregem ipsa pascobat Gen. 29. v. 9. in which God had kept him for the space of a whole Night on the plains of Bethel he took his way towards the East where a while after neer unto a Well he met with Flocks of Sheep and Sheepheards of whom he enquired whether they were not acquainted with Laban and whether they knew not his House Behold at the same time a Rachel approaching the second Daughter of Laban who kept her Fathers Sheep and led them to drink where Jacob stay'd I know not whether the Day were far advanced but in some part of its course where the Sun may be seen I am well assur'd that the Eyes of Rachel did cast forth a thousand Love-Darts and lights into the Soul of Jacob. Rachel was an Aurora which marcheth before the Sun and instantly these two Planets did that which the Sun and Moon could not effect since their Creation Jacob kissed Rachel Quam cum vidisset Jacob sciret consobrinam suam Gen. 29. v. 10. Osculectus est eam elevata voce flevit Gen. 29. v. 11. Et indicavit ei quod frater esset patris sui filius Rebeccae at illa festinans nuntiavit patri suo Gen. 29. v. 12. Qui cuÌ„ audisset venisse Jacob filium â—ororis suae cucurrit obviaÌ„ei c. Gen. 29. v. 14. and knowing that she was his Cosin he began sweetly to cry out and presently his Eyes shed some tears which expressed the excess of his contentment Rachel would have done the same if her Eyes had been longer fixed on Jacob but she ran from thence to advertise her Father that not far from the House she had happily met with one of her Cosen-germans the Son of Isaack and Rebecca Which Laban hearing went to meet and bring him to his Lodging as also to know the cause of his comming Jacob freely declared to him what had passed to which Laban answered he was very welcome and that he received him as his dear Nephew Diâ—itei nam quia frater meuses gratis servâ—es mihi lic quid mercedis accipias Gen. 29. v. 15. and as a part of himself But for the rest although he had a desire to entertain him as his own Brother yet he must resolve to serve and merit some wayes by his labours Jacob had no mercenary Spirit nor a Body trained up to labour Nevertheless of a Master he must become a Servant and learn by Serving others more prudently to Command hereafter He made a contract then with his Uncle Serviam tibi pro Rachel filta tua mimoâ—â— septem annos Gen. 29. v. 18. Respondit Laban meâ—â—as est ut tibi eam de quam altere vno Gen. 29. v. 19. Sed Lâ—a lipâ—is erat ocults Racitel detora facte venusto aspectu Gen. 29. v. 17. and obliged himself to serve him for the space of seaven years at the end of which Laban promised to Marry him unto Rachel the youngest but the fairest of his Daughters The Eldest which was called Leah had a Face of Wax which melted through her Eyes and rendered her deformed and blear-Eyed but the Youngest had so many beauties and attractives as the least of her glances had power enough to render her Mistress of Jacobs affections It was for her sake and for the Love he boâ—e her that he became a Servant and that of a Pilgrim he took upon him the quality of a Guest Well regulated affection who lodged in his Heart all the duties of a most pure and holy amity His Love was not of the nature of those petty Devils which
scissis vestibus reversi sunt in oppidum Gen. 44. v. 13. Primúsque Judas cum fratribus ingressus est ad Joseph necdum enim de loco abierat omnésque ante eum pariter in terram corruerunt Gen. 44. v. 14. Quibus ille ait cur sic agere voluistis an ignoratis quod non sit similis mei in augurandi scientia Gen. 44. v. 15. Cui Judas Quid respondebimus inquit c. Gen. 44. v. 16. and the most present Remedy they had was to tear their Garments and speedily to return unto Joseph Having found him in the same place where they had left him after they had all cast themselves at his Feet scarce daring to speak a word so much were they confounded he himself was forced to begin and declare unto them that it was a great wonder to him how they durst offer him this injury since they could not be ignorant that he was the most skilfull man of Egypt in the Art of Divination Then Judas beginning to speak for them all freely confesseth that they knew not almost what to say or think that their misfortune was inexcusable and for the rest it was God who had a mind to punish them as also that they were all at his mercy resolving to live and dye in Bondage God forbid Respondit Joseph absit à me ut sic agam qui suratus est scyphum ipse sit servus meus Gen. 44. v. 17. Replyes Joseph I should take away liberty from those who are not guilty As for the party who hath committed the offence I will detain him for my Slave and it is just he should be punished according to his desert Behold the Sentence given Accedens autem propius Judas confidenter ait c. Gen. 44. v. 18 But Judas appealed unto the Clemency of his Judge and approaching neerer to him he asked his leave to speak unto him with Confidence My Lord saies he as you are next unto the King the Chief of Egypt I cast my self at your Feet as my Judge and Soveraign I earnestly call upon your goodness not on your Justice If we be guilty you can render us innocent The eyes of a Prince have looks which efface all stains and one tear in their presence can wash away a Thousand sins It sufficeth if we may cast our selves at their knees to find a Sanctuary and we need but speak unto them to be presently heard Call to mind then my Lord what wee long since said unto you Est nobis pater senex puer parvulas qui in senectute illius natus est cujus uterinus frater mortuus est ipsum solum habet mater sua pater verò tenere diligit eum Gen. 44. v. 20. remember that we are all Children of one Father oppressed with old age and incommodities and that all his hopes rely on this Innocent who is found guilty you will deprive him of life by robing him of this Iewell He is the onely child left him by his last wife For by mishap a beast hath devoured the other which he had of the same bed It is in obedience we bring him to you and it was with a promise speedily to restore him I am ingag'd in my person Ego propriè servus tuus sim qui in meam hanc recâ—pt fidem c. Gen. 44. v. 22. and in that of my Children Neverthelesse he lives onely by the assurance he hath to see him again all the rest are indifferent to him and he will rather choose to die a Thousand times of hunger than to live in plenty after he hath lost the moity of his heart and the most pretious of his goods Manebo itaque servus tuus pro puero in ministerio domini mei Gen. 44. v. 33. Non enim possum redire ad patrem absente puero ne calamitatis quae oppressura est patrem meum testis assistam Gen. 44. v. 34. Permit us then to restore life unto him from whom wee have received it For my part I will never return without I bring him back At least take me in his place and send him back with his Brethren lest I be a witnesse of the grief which will doubtlesse kill my Father when he shall know that Benjamin is made a Captive Here it is where Joseph was not Master of his tears Non se poterat ultrà cobibere Joseph multis coram astantibus unde praecepit ut egredientur cuacts foras nullusque interesset alienus agnitioni mutuae Gen. 45. v. 1. Elevavitque vocem cum fletu quam audierunt Aegyptii omnisque domus Pharaonis Gen. 4â— v. 2. and his Heart was ever ready to have sallyed forth by his Eyes but he first dismissed those strangers who were with him and would have none for Witnesses of his goodnesse but those who had made him the Subject of their rage When he saw himself then alone with his Brethren Love which is all fire mean't to dissolve into tears and the sad remembrance of all that had passed drew cryes and sighes out of the bottome of his Heart which were heard through the whole House In fine he was necessitated to discover himself and as wee must know before wee Love so Joseph resolved to be known and to declare what he was Et dixit fratribus suis Ego sum Joseph adhâ—c pater meus vivit non poterant respondere fratres nimio terrere perteriti Gen. 45. v. 3. Brethren saith he I am Joseph Alas is my Father yet living could I be so happy as to see him before his death They were so much Surprised at the bare recitall of the name of Joseph as they had not the power even to open their Mouthes to speak unto him Afterwards looking one upon another as struck'n from Heaven is this Joseph thought they Alas where are we And from whence may he come Yes it is I Ego sum ait frater vester Joseph quem vendidistis in Aegyp tum Gen. 45. v. 4. Nolite pavere neque vobis durum esse videatuâ— quod vendidistâ—s me in his regionibus c. Gen. 45. v. 5. saith he who am Joseph I am the same person whom you have so unworthily sold At last do you acknowledg me for your brother Approach then come that I may imbrace you fear nothing but know that although you have sold me yet I have not lost the quality of your Brother I am Joseph you have no cause to be affrighted time hath effaced the ill you have done mee and at present I onely remember that I am your brother You need no Advocate since blood and Nature plead in your behalf It is enough that wee are all Jacobs Children I owe this favour to piety and Love and I cannot refuse you what is yours even by the Priviledg of Birth The ties which fasten us are stronger than the Chains of that Captivity into which you reduced me Non vâ—stro confilio sed Dei voluntate huc
had passed and knowing that he could not forbear earnestly to call upon his clemency for these guilty men he spake unto him just as if his hands had been tied behinde him and as if he could not have darted the Thunderbolts of his wrath until Moses had consented thereunto Moses Dimitte me ut irascatur furor meus contra eos c. Exod. 32. v. 10. said he thy people have sinned against me and their sin cryeth out for vengeance but the prayers thou makest for them keep back my arm and I cannot cause my Lightnings to break forth if thou dost not detain those ejaculations and flames which oppose me and reinkindle my goodness even in the bosom of my severest Justice Not that God St. Hieron in 5 Da. niel saith Saint Jerome is changeable or that he can change for his nature is not subject to mutation but the order of things may alter according to the course of his Divine Providence We must not also imagine that his Decrees can be changed within himself for they are eternal Consilium Deus non mutat sedrem Greg. lib. 20. Moral 24. and engraven in his proper Essence all the change in this case befals the souls of sinners as they are absolved and freed from the pains they had merited The which is done not by any change in God or in his Decrees but in those against whom the sentence of condemnation had been given and this change ariseth either from the goodness of God or by the Intercession of his Saints It is then for Moses sake Faciamque te in gentem magnam Exod. 32. v. 10. God will seem to alter his designs for notwithstanding all that God said to him his zeal passeth yet farther and he refuseth all the offers made him even of another people and of a more ample Government to assist these ungrateful persons It seems saith Saint Gregory Charitas in sancto ejus pectore ex persecutione â—â—nescebat magis Greg. 27. Mor. 7. that love and compassion were the more inflamed by the breath of the Injuries and Affronts which were offered him just as water which becomes the hotter the more cold the air is which incompasseth it and a fire whose ardors become more violent Vt perire malint cum his qui sibi crediti sunt quam sine illit salvos esse Chrysost Hom. 12. in cap. 1. S. Joan. Placatusque est Dominus ne faceret malum quod locutus fuerat adversus populum suum Exod 32. v. 14. Et reversus est Morses de monte portans duas tabulas testimonii in manu sua scriptas ex utraque parte Exod. 32. v. 15. Cumque appropinquasset ad castra vidit vitulum choros iratusque valde projecit de manu tabulas confregit eas ad radicem montis Exo. 32. v. 19. Arripiensque virtulum quem fecerant combussit contrivit usque ad pulverem quem sparsit in aquam Exo. 32.20 Dixitque ad Aaron quid tibi fecit hic populus ut induceres super eum peccatum maximum Exod. 32. v. 21. Cui ille respondit c. Exod. 32. v. 22. Et stans in porta castrorum ait Si quis est Domini jungatur mihi Congregatique sunt ad eum omnes fitu Levi. Exod. 32. v. 26. S. Greg. in 1 Reg. 14. Rupertns alti passim Quibus ait haec dicit Dominus Deus Israel ponat vir gladium super femur suum Ice reddite de porta usque ad portam c. Exod. 32. v. 27. proportionably as the cold which presseth it is more forcible Behold saith Saint John Chrysostom the Antiperistasis of perfect Charity wherein all hearts which have any charge of souls ought to finde the increase of their most holy and just ardors And this is what Moses did in the midst of the contempts and persecutions of all his people for whom when he had obtained some easment of pain and some diminution of the punishments they had deserved he descended from the Mountain carrying between his arms the Tables in which the Law was written on both sides which he thought not yet convenient to give unto such unworthy people and polluted with the most heinous of all Sacrileges but having broken them in peeces he went directly to cast down the Golden Calve and dissolve it into dust which he afterward threw into the stream of a torrent which issued forth of Mount Sina and passed through the midst of the Hebrews Camp to the end they might swallow down these funestous Reliques and that no man might ever behold them without horror Afterwards he blamed Aaron as the Author of this crime who endeavored to excuse himself relating to him in order what had passed the which did not yet divert Moses from doing what his zeal inspired him For from thence he came to the entrance of the Camp where making a stand he cryed out that all that were of Gods party and had not participated of Idolatry should follow him which the Children of Levi hearing whose Tribe had continued most faithful unto God put themselves in a ring about Moses who following the Sovereign Power of Life and Death which he had received from God commanded them to betake themselves to their Arms and lay about them without sparing any of the guilty either Brother Friend Neighbor or any person amongst these impious men so that the number of the dead amounted to three and twenty thousand Behold a strange massacre nevertheless it is an effect of meekness which hath changed its countenance and taken that of severity These are shafts which issued out of a heart the fullest of Pity and Clemency which was then in the world but shot by the hand of Justice If such as govern Republicks and States had nothing but Crowns to recompence their merits Misericordia veritas custodiunt Regein roboratur clementia thronus ejus Exod. 20. v. 28. and no Thunderbolts to punish the wicked quickly would Insolencies Treacheries Concussions Robberies and all the abominations of the Earth be seen holding the Reigns of Empires and in fine Virtue groaning under the feet of Vice and Impiety A Prince ought to have the meekness of a Lamb and the terror of a Lyon otherwise men abuse him and his power seems but for a support unto the blackest dissolutions The people also ought to love with fear otherwise their love degenerates into contempt I know that Thrones have no foundation more solid and immovable than when they are supported by the hearts of their Subjects but if Guards be not placed about them as so many Pillars there needs but one storm to overthrow them It cannot be doubted but this kinde of mixture is full of difficulty but as a body is never in perfect health but when all its four humors are in an equal temper so Kingdoms are never better governed than when they equally use meekness and severity Choler is the touchstone of Virtue
face But let us hope that either soon or late these Curtains Veils and Clouds will be withdrawn and that the Angels will one day say unto us as to St. Euphraxia Let us goe my dear Daughter we have lived but too long amidst the night and under the shade of a body Let us goe into the Sanctuary the Veil is taken away and we shall now in peace and at leisure enjoy the sight of the Holy of Holies who is in the Sanctuary CHAP. XLII The Altar of Holocausts BEsides the Altar of Perfumes within the Temple Fecit altare hoâ—ocausti de lignis Sittim c. Exod. 38. v. 1. Craticulamque ejus in modum retis fecit aeneam Exod. 38. v. â— there was that of Holocausts without by reason of the fire and smoak which would have soiled the Tabernacle This Altar was built of the wood of Shittim in the midst whereof a kind of Gridiron appear'd which bore the wood and the flaming Victim and under a vacant place a little hole was made to convey thence the Ashes because fire was alwayes to be there preserv'd evening and morning to immolate a Lamb and the rest of the day some other Victims Behold the Altar for the Passion and Crosse of Mount Calvary which shall never be subject unto corruption were it only for having been the Altar on which the incorruptible body of Jesus had been Sacrificed Cujus cornua de â—â—gulis procedebant c. Exod. 38. v. 2. The four horns of the Altar denoted the four corners of the World where this Crosse was to be preached and the side-Window shewed towards the East the Terrestriall Paradise into which sin had cast as it were wood to prepare a Pile for this amiable Phenix on which he was to be burnt by the flames of his love The Gridiron represented the torments he was to endure with an admirable patience like a Lamb who had been designed to be sacrificed from the beginning of the world This Altar hath also an admirable analogy with the heart of man who like a Salamander was to live in the fire to immolate every hour his Passion like so many Victims and to be full of God and devoid of all affection to creatures incorruptible also in his desires elevated by his faith love and hopes And then the very ashes would serve to conserve the memory of his Masters pains and both day and night fires clarities lights and victims would be there seen consecrated and offered unto God with the spirituall Perfumes and Incense which are the prayers of Saints CHAP. XLIII The Vestments of the High Priest IT were to repass a Needle into a stuff on which the hand of the increated Wisdome had wrought and to which the most learned men of the world have endeavoured to adde some colours If I should touch upon the mysterious garment of the High-Priest of the Old Testament I may only then relate the number of them and observe transitorily what is represented to us under these wonders The first Vestment of the High-Priest was the Ephod De byacintho ve ò purpura virmiculo ac bysso fecit vesses â—uibus indueretur Aaron c. Exo. 39. v. 1. where were ingraven in Pretious stones the names of the twelve Patriarks of the people of Israel who had been the chief of their Race Ipsique lapides duodecim sculpti erant nominibus duodecim tribuum Israël singuli per nomina singulorum Exod. 39. v. 14. and those unto whom God had promised a multiplication It was also to remember them and the twelve Tribes during the Sacrifice and to the end the people reading these names might be excited to imitate the lives and examples of those who had so worthily born them In fine it was a mark that the Priest bore not only the people in his heart but also on his shoulders in testimony of that love which was to be Active and Passive This Ephod also was the figure of the yoak of the Gospell and of that which Christians were to bear in imitation of the first High-Priest who is no other than Jesus Christ whose obedience having reached even to death and whose love having closed his eyes in the midst of torments was also represented on this Vestment The second Vestment was the Rational Fecit Rationate â—pere polymito c. Exod 39. v. 8. which serv'd to advertise the Priest and Consequently the people of their duty It was also as the mouth of Oracles and the Organ of Gods commands and the peoples obligations who might learn from thence and contemplate as in a mirrour the purity both of body and soul and the four Cardinal virtues distinguished in the four rowes of Precious stones and whereof the mixture arrives even to perfection amounting to the number of twelve Fecerunt quoque tunicam superhumeralis totam hyacinthinam Exod. 39. v. 20. Dâ—orsum autem ad pedes mala punica c. Exod. 39. v. 22. Et tintinnabula de auro purissimo quae posuerunt inter malogranata c. Exo. 39. v. 23. Fecerunt tunicas byssinas opere textili c. Exod. 39. v. 25. The third Vestment of the High Priest was a large Tunique of a Violet colour on which he need but cast his eyes to behold and learn the wayes of a Celestiall life most proper for him worthily to bear this Vestment which was to reach as low as his foot and to have Pomegranats and little Bells round about it whereof the one as Rupertus observes represented the preaching of the Messias and the other his Miracles The fourth garment was of fine Linnen which is the true Symbole of Purity without which all Priests never ought to approch the Altar and which they must never put off otherwise their Robe though Celestiall would be without splendor and all the other Ornaments only serve for the preparation and pomp of a Sacrifice abominable in the sight of God who is nothing but purity it self But when a man hath once put on all these Vestments Fecerunt laminam sacrae venerationis de auro purissimo scripseruntque in ea opere gemmario Sanctum Domini Exod. 39. v. 29. he may boldly set the Myter on his head which signifies a strict union with God and the Plate which was born on his forehead with the Sacred name of Jehovah signified him whom we ought to have alwayes imprinted in our minds In fine all the other Pontificall Ornaments of the Old Testament were but figures of those which our High-Priest put on and which all that follow his steps are to use not so much to cloath their bodyes as to put their souls in a condition of presenting Sacrifices unto God not only for themselves but also for others CHAP. XLIIII The Sacrifices of Aaron consumed by fire from Heaven I Know not from whence the Romans and the Vestals had the fire which they so charily preserved in their Temple but that which the Israelites
malice of men might never be able to efface it and that on the contrary he might be oblig'd never to make war against them when he should see between him and the World those illustrious caracters of Love and those magnificent Articles of Truce pardon and peace Moreover this sign which appeared in the heavens was but a Bow without Arrowes It was a resplendent Arch and a Circle beset with Diamonds Emeraulds and Rubies It was a chain of Gold Silver and Pearls It was a Scarf interwoven with the most lively splendors and the most sensible lights of the Sun and Day It was the Portraict of Peace which appeared under feign'd and imaginary colours or to expresse in a word all that can be thought and said when we cast our Eyes on this wonder of the Aire It was the Diadem which St. John discover'd on the head of Almighty God and which therefore was to be for all eternity the Crown of a God who can never change but will everlastingly conserve this Garland and Diadem of peace O God of peace goodness and Love Great God who art alwayes loving and canst never be loved enough Ah! let not the World be so bold as to take up Armes to disturb thy peace Lord let all hearts love thee and let them be tributaries to thy affections O God of Heaven all Good all Just all Powerfull powre down no more Storms and Abysses on our heads Yea my God drown us in those amorous billowes that if the World must perish at last let it be in the Torrents and flames of thy holy Love CHAP. XII The unhappy effects of Wine IT is true that Men were never more at Peace the Earth never more pure and Heaven never powred down so many favours as it shed upon the Earth and the Children of Noah Coepitque Noë vir agricola exercere terram plantavit vineam Gen. 9. v. 20. Bibensque vinum inebrâ—atus est nudatus in tabernaculo suo Gen. 9. v. 21. Quod cùm vidisset Cham Pater Chanaan verenda scilicet Patris esse nudata nuntiavit duobus Fratribus suis for as Gen. 9. v. 22. Nevertheless in the mid'st of Pleasure Peace Concord Love Joy and all sorts of Benedictions this poor Man whom all the Waters of the World and of the Deluge could not vanquish was drown'd at last in a Glass of Wine O God! what scandall what shame what disquiet and what disorder in the family of Noah This good old Man fell cold and stiff on the ground and it is not known whether he be dead or alive His Children run presently to help him but as if the fume of the Wine which their Father had taken too inconsiderately had dazel'd and blinded the youngest of them Unnaturall Impudence instead of casting ashes and water on the flaming Coals which consum'd his poor Father At verò Sem Japheth Pallium imposuerunt humeris suis incedentes retrorsum operuerunt verenda Patris sui faciesque eorum aversae erant Patris visilia non viderunt Gen. 9. v. 23. he made a bon fire of Mirth and scorn about his Nakedness and with an unparalleld Impudence discover'd to the Eyes of all his Brethren what Nature hath concealed His Brothers nevertheless were more respectfull and prudent than himself for immediatly Piety cast veyls over their Eyes and Love though Blind found out Artifices to cover an Object which was neither decent nor lawfull to behold Ingenious respect It was in recompence of these chast duties Evigilans autem Noë ex vino cùm didicisset quae fecerat â—i filius suus minor ait Maledictus Chanaan servus servorum erit Fratribus suis Gen. 9. v. 24. Dixitque benedictus Dominus Dous Sem sit Chanaan servâ—s ejâ—s Gen. 9. v. 26. that Noah being returned out of that Abyss into which Wine had precipitated him open'd the Eyes of his Body and Soul and afterwards perceiving the unnaturall Impudence of Cham he darted forth the Thunder of his Malediction against his Son Chanaan beseeching likewise God to bless and fill Sem Japhet and all their Progeny with his Graces It was from their Posterity all the Generations of the World are descended Dilatat Deus Japbet c. Gen. 9. v. 27. and they were the Persons who laid the foundation of Sodome Ninivie Salem and Gomorrha as also of so many other famous Cities from whence afterwards Arts Republicks Policies Governments and all the Empires of the Universe took their Rise CHAP. XIII The Tower of Babel AT that time though Hearts were divided Erat autem terra labii unius sermonum eorundem Gen. 11. v. 1. and all opinions different yet there was but one Mouth but one Interpreter of Souls and one common manner of Speech Cumque proficiscerentur de oriente invenerunt campum in terra Sennaar habitaverunt in eo Gen. 11. v. 2. But as it is very difficult for the Tongue long to bely the Heart So it hapned not long after that the Inhabitants of the Earth feeling the Justice of their own Consciences which call'd upon that of God and threatned them with the comming of another Deluge resolv'd to build a Tower Et dixerunt Venite sactamus nobis Turrem cujus cusmen pertiagat ad Caelum celebremus nomen antequam dividamur in universas terrae Gen. 11. v. 4. and raise the top of it even as high as the Clouds The chief Undertaker of this famous Structure was the Gyant Nembrod Granchild to that Reprobate Cham who discovered his Fathers shame This Architect was of a proud Nature and of a Capricious humour believing that his enterprises and designs were to be executed without the least opposition In effect never was any work undertaken Descendit autem Dominus ut videret civitatem Turrim quam edificabant filii Adam Gen. 11. v. 5. and advanced with more Expedition nor with more Ardor Zeal and Submission But the Grand Designer of the World the Architect of the Universe and the generall Producer of all things who takes delight to confound the Wisdome of the Wise and to overthrow the Plots and Enterprises of the most Powerfull beholding these Fortifications rais'd neer mid-way and being able no longer to endure this Audacity and these presumptuous Attempts resolv'd at last to over turn all these Forts Venite igitur descendamus confundamus ibi linguam eoruÌ„ ut non audiat unusquisque linguam proximi sui Gen. 11. v. 7. Et idcirco vocatum est nomen ejus Babel quia ibi confusum est labium universae terrae inde dispersit eos Dominus super faciem cunctarum regionum Gen. 11. v. 9. and to cast a generall confusion of Tongues amongst the Carpenters and Masons This made a Tower of Babel that is to say of Disorder War and Confusion This stately Building this lofty Cittadell this impregnable Fort was but a Labyrinth of deaf and dumb people who spake
ibi praevaluerat enim fames in terra Gen. 12. v. 10. Cumque prope esset ut ingrediretur Aegyptum dixit Sarae Uxori suae novi quod pulcrasis Muliâ—r Gen. 12. v 11. Et cum viderint te Aegyptii dicturi sunt Uxor illius est interficient me te reservabant Gen. 12. v. 12. Dic ergo obsecro te quod soror mea sis ut bene sit mihi propter te vivat anima mea ob gratiam tui Gen. 12. v. 13. Cum itaque ingressus esset Abram Aegyptum viderâ—nt Aegyptii Mulierem quod esset pulcra nimis Gen. 12. v. 14. in so much as our happy Traveller is enforc'd to take a farther journey and to descend into Egypt where flying from the sythe and weapons of that merciless thing which alwaies takes his enemies by the throat he fals into the hands of an other no less cruell Monster who commonly steals in by the eyes to surprize and suffocate Hearts This man wholy inlightn'd by God and who carried in the bosome of his faithfull moity the purest and most holy flames of his Love beheld a far off the smoak of a most dangerous fire and fearing least his dear Sara should be there either by mishap or force surprised he thought it fit to say unto her Wife we are here on the Confines of Egypt but yet I am afraid lest these souls a thousand times more black than their bodies lay not some blemish on thy chastity I fear lest these Ravens of Egypt should powre down on the beauty of thy Face and make it serve as a prey to their most infamous Loves and afterwards my life as a victim to their sensuality Tell them then I pray thee that thou art my Sister and that I am thy Brother to the end I may escape by this amiable Stratagem All these forecasts were not grounded on a vain fear Et nuntiaverunt principes Pharaoni laudaveâ—unt eam apud illam sublata est Mulier in domum Pharaonis Gen. 12. v. 15. and some erroneous Judgment for scarce were these two Doves of Chaldea these two Turtles and these two chast Lovers entred into Egypt but instantly the Princes of Pharaoh who were the Ministers of his impurities carried away the chast Sara and brought her to Court which was a Seraglio of luxurie and lubricity Mean while what can a chast and couragious Husband say or think who sees before his eyes the rape of his Wife Unfortunate Abraham what wilt thou doe are these the Promises which God so often made thee of filling thee with all his favours and benedictions Ah what can the loss of a Wife make a Man a Father of all People and Nations and is this the recompence of that Faith Obedience and Piety which seemed not to raise up thy Body from the Earth but to Elevate it to the Heavens Behold War on the one side thundering against thee and on the other side Famine pursuing thee and Egypt which hath ravished from thee all the honours pleasures and purest entertainments of life From whence then spring all these misfortunes Most just apprehensions for Worldly Men. Is it perchance because thou hast too suddainly left the way which God had marked out to conduct thee between the arms of a most loving Providence which was able to nourish thee in the midst of desarts and famine It is peradventure because thy vows and Sacrifices were not perfect Or else art thou not charged with the spoyls of thy Family by the excess of an ill regulated Love Or finally hast thou not propos'd to thy self for the end of thy travell the hopes of some gain or trafick Or else that which is apparently more honourable hath not the curiosity of seeing and knowing what is done elsewhere snatched thee out of Caldea to hurry thee into unknown Countries I confess that commonly these are the Western Winds which swell the sayls of those who travell either on Land or Sea But certainly as for Abraham nothing less than such designs Why then will you tell me that it is God who afflicts him and wherefore is that which he doth for his sake so rudely and furiously crossed Ah! my friend whoever thou art who askest this question take not ill what I say unto thee that thou art a stranger and Pilgrim in the Land of God and in the wayes of vertue In a word Triall of Constancy thou knowest not the secrets of a Conduct wholly Divine which is accustomed to employ all the instruments of mis-hap and all the disgraces of fortune to erect trophies unto its dearest friends often war plague and famine maladies affronts falls exiles and all that is most dreadfull in Nature take up armes to assault the life of one predestinated person but afterwards Comets transform themselves into Rainbows Famine changeth its syth into the horne of abundance affronts become honours misfortunes become favours Fine Metamorphoses banishments palaces and all the moments of Dayes and Nights will render themselves celebrious by some new benefit in favour of these happy infortunates Courage then Abraham and no wayes doubt but the fidelity which Sara hath vow'd unto thee will be proportionable to that thou rendrest unto God As for Pharaoh his Hands are bound his Eyes blind-folded and his Heart so full of bitterness and grief as at present he cannot attend to the research of remedies and of his own liberty Lay aside now all thy fears and thou also Sara for thy Heart is a Sanctuary of Peace and a Temple of Love of which God alone Flagellavit autem Dominus Pharaonem plagis maximis domum ejus propter Sarai Vaorem Abram Gen. 12. v. 17. and Abraham keep the Keys Besides these clamours thou hearest and which resound every where are but the forerunners of thy liberty and the witnesses of the vengeance God hath already taken of Pharach and likewise of all the Princes of his Court. In effect this great God Vocavitque Pharao Abram dixit ei Quidnam est quod fecisti mihi nunc igitur ecce conjux tua accipe eam vade Gen. 12. v. 19. who is jealous of the glory of his sent such harsh scourges to Pharaoh and all those who had bin his complices as scarcely had this unhappy Prince the means to see the Face of Sara This disastrous Court is no longer but a Dungeon of Darkness a Galley of Slaves and a large Hospitall of despairing Franticks Every where Violated Chastity the Rights of Mariage and Hospitality dart forth Thunder-bolts The Court of Pharaoh And from the poysoned shafts nothing but lamentable voices and bitter plaints are heard which correspond with the stroaks of a most holy and just severity Ah God! if these salutiferous cryes could be carried upon the wings of the Winds from one Pole to the other to advertise so many Egyptians who are either in the Dust of the World or breath the air of the Court. Cry
he had gained Afterwards he gave his benediction to Abraham who also presented him with the tenths of his spoyls and of his whole booty The King of the Sodomites sayled not to render his duties unto the Conqueror for he presently made hast to Abraham who treated him as a King and as one of his Allies CHAP. V. The Assurances God gave unto Abraham of a most flourishing Posteritie A Midst all these successes and congratulations Abraham who had setled Peace in Judea and in the Neighbouring Territories felt his Heart to have some desire of making War against him and as if fear and distrust had been willing to banish Faith from his Soul he began already to complain or at least to present some request unto God saying Ah my Lord where is this so flourishing Progeny where is this so numerous posterity and where are these Children thou hast promised me Can it possibly happen that a Stranger and a Servant should be the support of my House and the Inheritor of all my Fortunes I see my self encompassed with Enemies I feel my self burthened with old age and there is as it were no longer any probability I should ever hope for Children I very much doubt whether Abraham had ever an intention to complain However he was somewhat afraid and God to deliver him out of his fear said unto him in most express terms Abraham fear nothing Noli timere Abram Ego protector tuus sum merces tua magna nimts Gen. 15. v. 1. Dixitque Abram Domine Deus quid dabis mihi Gen. 15. v. 2. for I have promised to keep thee alwaies in my protection and to be for ever the recompence of thy Faith and hopes But yet Lord saith Abraham what is that thou wilt give me for a long time is already spun out since I have been in expectation and I have not the possession of any other Goods than those I could hope for from your bounty Certainly the Privacies of a Holy Soul are in high esteem with God was there ever any thing more free more open and Genuine than the Heart of Abraham What Favourite of the Kings of this World would be so confident as to say unto his Master what this Good Old Man said unto God Nevertheless God was pleased with this Libertie And as if he ment to increase so amiable a freedom by new assurances of his Power and Will He made Abraham come out of his Pavillion Eduxit illum foras dixit illi suspice Caelum numera stellus si potes Et dixit ei sic erit semen tuum Gen. 15. v. 5. Non erit hic haeres tuus sed qui egredietur de utero tuo ipsum habebis haeredem Gen. 15. v. 4. Igitur Sara Uxor Aâ—â—aham c. Gen. 15. v. 6. Dixit marito suo cece conclusit me Dominus ne parerem ingredere ad ancillam meam si sorte saltem ex illa suscipiam filios Gen. 16. v. 2. and then not satisfied with having promised him a Posterity numerous as the Sands of the Sea He shewed him the Heavens with promise that the number of his Children should equall the Planets and Stars of the Firmament Adding to him afterwards that suddainly he should have a Son by his dear Sara who should be the Heir of his possessions and the ornament of his Family Notwithstanding all these Assurances and promises Sara who felt her self Barren permitted her Husband what the Law and Custom of that time allowed And much more for this Chast Wife humbly intreated that Agar though a Servant might share with her in his Bed and affections but as it commonly happens that Honours trample on the Right and Duties of Nature Agar was no sooner become a Mother but she would be at the same time also a Mistress It is a very strange spectacle to behold the insolences of Fortune There is nothing so insupportable as a proud poor Man as a Servant who is become Master and as a beggarly Woman who hath the Keys of a good House These Monsters of Mankind resemble those Exhalations Humane Monsters which after they are raised from the Dunghils of the Earth take the shape of the Sun or of a Comet whose aspect is terrible and dreadfull to all beholders They are also like those little Streams about four or five Feet in breath which run Serpentizing about Cities and sometimes commit so many spoils in one hour as the Sea would not doe in a hundred years But as the Sun with two or three Days of heat drys up these Torrents so God in the twinkling of an Eye humbleth the Pride of all the insolent and there is nothing so detestable in his sight as a Proud Man who was Born in Misery and Poverty unless those blind furies chance to relent either through due consideration or some cross fortune which invites God to resume his Eyes of Compassion to behold their Disaster So Agar having been disgracefully driven out of Abraham's and Sara's House when her wandring heart had leasure to entertain more humble and mild thoughts God who hath fatherly tendernesses for those who place their whole strength and Consolation in Meeknesse and Humility immediatly sent an Angel to her who promised her a favorable return and besides gave her assurances that shortly she should have a Son who should be called Jsmael in effect she conceived and was delivered as the Angel had said Abraham being no lesse than fourscore and six years old or neer upon CHAP. VI. The Continuation of the favours which God conferred on Abraham THE Love which God bears to all Creatures is a rare Artist it is alwayes active Love never idle alwayes ardent and never seen idle It is a fire which is continually seeking new aliment It is a torrent which never stops it is a lightning which cannot long remain inclosed within a Cloud a Planet which knows not what repose or retirement meaneth Painters for this reason gave it winges and in pictures it is for the most part ever seen with one foot in the air Wee must not then wonder if the heart of Abraham being replenished with this Love God commanded him to March and still to advance But what was it not sufficient to have even run for the space of Ninty and Nine years and been in a Continuall journey during the whole course of his life was it not time to make a halt when he saw himself neer the shoar and that his life was arrived almost in the Haven It imports not saith God unto him it is I that speak Apparuit ei Dominus dixitque ad eum Ego dominus omnipotens ambula coram me esto perfictus Gen. 17. v. 1. and thou must obey On then Abraham pass farther I will be a Spectator of thy Voyages and of the Progresses thou shalt make in the way of perfection Alas if all Men had this lesson deeply ingraven in their Souls and if all such as make Profession
Isaac filium suum Gen. 22. v. 3. what sad preparation and sorrowfull departure this poor old Man takes his Ass and chose two or three of his Servants to goe along with him and having made up a Fagot of Thorns and Bushes with his own Hands he layd them on the Shoulders of his dear Isaack But what will Sara say And what can she think when at her waking she shall find neither Abrahare nor Isaack Poor Mother what wilt thou doe Is it possible that Abrahâ—m could conceal a Design which cannot be kept from 〈◊〉 We must freely confess that there are Souls of Gold and Hearts of Diamond in Bodies of Christall It cannot be denyed that there be Women as constant and couragious as Men their Sex though frail tender and delicate often brings forth Amazons who have nothing of Softness Levity and Effeminacy but the bare name It cannot be also doubted but Sara was of this number And I am confident if Abraham had made known to her the will of God at the first news she her self would have performed the Office of a Sacrificer to immolate her Son Nevertheless I will believe with the most part of the interpreters of Scripture and of the Greek and Latine Fathers that Abraham who might have discharged into her Bosom part of his afflictions resolved to endure alone this Martyrdom of Love He is then all alone upon the way with his Son and his two Servants and he advanceth directly to Mount Moria as to the appointed place My dear Reader I leave unto thy imagination what passed for the space of three dayes this journey lasted represent unto thy self I beseech thee that thou art with him whom thou dost love above all men thou seest him thou speakest to him thou drinkest to him and sleepest with him how will it be if at thy departure thou must see him die and if thou thy self must present him the poyson which is to stifle him Husbands and Wifes Fathers and Mothers Brothers Kindred Associats Friends what Torments what despairs what punishments when you stand at the Beds Feet where you shall behold your dearest affections and your most pleasing delights in the Agony of death what corabats Duel of Grief and Love and what Duels of Love and Grief what strength and resolutions to receive the last words and sighs of a dying Mouth to which a thousand and a thousand chast kisses have been given and whose least breath was able to wipe away all sorts of sorrows what Prodigle of constancy to close with your Hands two which served as sunns in the saddest obscurities of Life which is but too much intermingled with mourning and pleasure In fine how can we see with out dying an other self at the point of death Nevertheless this was but the image of a dying life Martyrdom for three dayes which Abraham led for the space of three dayes one would swear that God had undertaken to make him dye ten thousand times upon this sad way every glance of Isaack was a mortall Javelin which pierced his Heart and yet he must have him three times four and twenty hours before his Eyes there was a necessity of eating drinking and speaking with him were not these entertainments and Feasts of Death He was constrained during the night to lay on his Breast and in his Bosom that Head he was to cut off with his own Hands was not this a murthering sleep and a cruell repose In fine he must render all the duties of a Father to so amiable a Son before he was to be his Executioner and he must needs hear almost every moment the voice of Isaack calling him Father who went to murther him My God! what Preludes of death what Preparation to a Martyrdom what Dialogue of Passions what affections what dissimulations what sorrows what pleasures what hopes and what despairs A Father a Son a Priest a Victim Wood Fire a Sword Isaacks Eyes and Heart are fixed on his Father and Abraham lost not the sight of Isaack but to behold his God At every step this poor old Man sends a sigh to Heaven to evaporate grief which being shut up redoubles the more Surely my Heart even bleeds upon the bare thought of this pittifull object Alas how could Abraham look on the criminall Sword which was to give the stroak where did he carry this instrument of Gods Justice me thinks I hear Isaack at every stop saying My Father and Abraham answering Son take courage Die autem tertio ete natis ocutis procul Gen. 21.2.4 let us goe my dear Child we draw neer to Moria O God! what vision and what approaches Mountain of Moria hast thou no compassion will not thy tops thy rocks and thy stones mollifie rigours at the sight of so tragick an act and which seems so unnaturall Mountain of Moria become thou a plain rather than put this poor old Man and this young Child to the trouble of ascending thy top where they are going to erect an Altar and hew a Tomb. But what Nature cannot be sensible when her God deprives her of feeling Aug. in ser de temp 71 existimat eundem faisse montem Moria qui Calvaria and Moria must not have greater tendernessees than the Heart of Abraham These Mountains make an essay of rigour at Jacobs cost to become afterwards insensible at the death of a Jesus of whom Isaack was but an Image and figure Let Abraham then perform resolutely the office of God the Father and let not Isaack be ashamed with his own Bloud to mark out the way unto Jesus Let Abraham take his Sword to strike off Isaacks Head and let Isaack take the Wood on his Shoulders which was provided to consume him since Jesus hath carried the Cross on which he suffered O God! Dixitque ad pueros suos expectate hic cum asino ego puer illuc usque properantes postquam aderaverimus revertemur ad vos Gen. 22. v. 3. Tulit quoque ligna Holocausti imposuit super Isaac filium suum ipse verò portabat in manibus ignem gladium cumque duo pergerent simul Gen. 22. v. 6. O Abraham O Jesus O Isack where is Sara where is Mary my God what Relatives are these Abraham is already at the foot of the Mountain he commands his Servants away he takes his only Isaack he loads him with the instruments of his punishment Let us goe my dear Child let us goe my Son let us go my Isaack my Joy my Hope my Love Father whither doe we goe Dixit Isaac Patri suo Pater mi at ille respondit quid vis fili Ecce inquit ignis ligna ubi est Victima Holocausti Gen. 22. v. 7. Dixitque Abraham Deus providebit sibi victimam Holocausti fili mi pergebant ergo pariter Gen. 22. v. 7. answered Isaack Alas what is your desire I indeed see the Fire and the Sword which you carry as also the Wood on my Shoulders
know a Heart and so many divine experiments upon poor Mortals so that the whole Sacrifice of Abraham was but a stratagem of Gods Providence and a Master-piece of Abrahams and Isaacks Obedience The Altar of Moria which was to be the Scaffold of Death became the Theater of Life and his Pile served but to make a Bonfire of Joy and a triumph of the fidelity which Abraham and Isaack testified unto God Besides I know not who was most astonished the Father or the Son however it were Abraham unbound his Isaack and then they both together adored the admirable contrivances of Gods goodness who did tear out a Mans Heart to put his own in the place of it A Divine Stratagem and who commands us to give him a mortall and perishable life that he may place us in the fruition of one eternall and immortall It is sufficient for this God of Clemencie and mercie to see Men at his Feet he is content with that Sacrifice which the Heart offers to him and he will have neither Bloud nor Murther presented on his Altars It satisfies him to immolate his only Jesus for the ransom of Mankind His Death gives us Life and the least drop of his sacred Veins is able to wash away all the stains of the Universe Stay then Abraham Levavit Abraham oculos suos viditque post tergum arietem inter vepres haerentem cornibus quem assumens obtulit Holccaustum profilio the blow is reserved for some other not for thy Son and it only belongs to the Eternall Father to offer the Sacrifice in verity the figure whereof hath preceded No it shall not be Isaack thou must immolate but this Ram which thou seest in this Bush surrounded with Brambles and Crowned with thorns take him and burn this Victim till a Man-God come in Isaacks place It is enough for me saith God unto Abraham to know that thou lovest me and I can now no longer doubt after so long and sensible tryals It is the Hand and not the Mouth which hath given me the assurance of it It is also rather by effects than complements that I try thy fidelity O God of Hearts it is then in verity that Hearts must be Sacrificed to thee Fathers and Mothers if God will have your Children make a free gift of them if God be content with you offer your selves unto him My God! I will even now then consecrate my Heart to thee I renounce at present all those things I may not Love with thee I present unto thee the Sacrifice of my humiliated Spirit and I refuse no pain if thou ordainest it for me Burn Sacrifise and spare neither Health Honor Riches Children nor Friends I am even content to Immolate my Isaack to thee that is my Soul my Affections and my Life provided I may Live with thee and Love thee in Glory and Eternity CHAP. XII The Death of Sara A Certain person holily curioius went heretofore examining all that is dispers'd in Nature I asked saith he of the Sun whether he were a God and he answered me no in regard he was subject to Eclipses Circumvolutions Vicissitudes Gen. 22. v. 13. and a thousand periods which keep him in a perpetuall mutation Inconstancy of created things I intreated the Moon to tell me whether she were a Divinity and she protested to me no by reason of Exiles Defections Retrogradations Ascendants Conjunctions Separations Elevations and falls to which she is lyable All the rest of created Nature will confess the same if we interrogate her in particular upon this verity God only can say I am God and I neither can nor doe change because I am God He is in the midst of the World as the immoveable Center in a Circle about which all is in motion he is as a Rock upon the Ocean who beholds the Waves and Billows rowling under his Feet without inconstancy and astonishment He is pleased nevertheless to see those he loves in the Flux and Reflux of a thousand accidents which teach them that their fortunes hopes affections and delights may alter every moment that the most smiling prosperities often swim amidst tears the clearest and most serene dayes are followed sometimes by the obscurest and most dusky Nights Bodies for Companions have their own Shadows Roses are mixed with Thorns and even the Life of Man never Ends but in Death To see Abraham Sara and Isaack after their deliverance and the tryals God had of their fidelity would not one have believed them almost immortall and exempted from all the miseries of life Tunc est tentatio fiaienda quando finitur pugna tunc finienda est pugna quando post hanc vitam succedit pugnae secura victoria S. Prosper lib. 3. de cont vitae And yet scarce were they returned to their own home but Abraham and Isaack met with a new occasion of grief for the Death of Sara And no wonder saith St. Prosperus since the Life of Man is a War without truce and since we ought not to hope or expect Peace but in the Tomb. And indeed as Hildebert hath well noted it is not without reason that these storms succeed one another Attende miscrias hominis intuere cineres vectigalia peccati sunt S. Hild. Ep. 56. and that usually one vapor draws others by reason the Earth since the contagion of the terrestriall Paradise hath been a fatall source of Miseries and Calamities which took their birth from the first sin of our unfortunate Parents who left unto their Children for an inheritance and punishment a chain wrought with all sorts of infelicities This yoak then is common to all Men and there is no person whom God hath not subjected to the Laws of this sad Captivity The strictest unions must break the sincerest friendships must have an end and even Mariages themselves of which God was the sacred knot must at length make a Tragick Divorce upon a Bed which is the most common Theater of the blind furies of Death We ought to confess nevertheless that it is a spectacle able to excite the Constancy of a good Courage when we shall behold this unmercifull Murdress which snatcheth away Daughters out of their Mothers Bosoms and Sons in the sight of their Fathers and Wifes between the Arms of their Husbands In such a case if Nature had not some tenderness she would be unnaturall and we must have Hearts of Marble not to be touched with some sense of grief and pitty Abraham had then just cause to testifie by his tears the regret he had for his dear Sara's Death Vixit autem Sara centum viginti septem annis Gen. 23. v. 1. And surely since he lost so rare a blessing well might he disconsolatly bewayl it This mourning was not yet blameable and he was very carefull not to doe like those who bury all their affections in the preparation of a Funerall pomp and who have but a shadowed meen or else not being able
Eyes to gaze on this Lamb Post multos itaque des injecit domina sua occulos suoâ—in Joseph Gen. 39. v. 7. all her gestures and motions were artifices to intrap him and she would have willingly preferred the inthrallment of Joseph before the Command over her Husband All her bonds of Marriage were but Chains which kept her in Captivity and the most just and most holy Lawes imposed on her a Yoak which rendred all the duties of sidelity which Wives owe unto their Husbands insupportable to her She yet wanted not dexterity to dissemble her Passion in her Husbands presence and herein Love is usually most disloyall and deceitfull for though all its fires be violent impetuous sharp and sparckling yet if the object which inkindles them be not present they prove but ashes coldnesses and frozen Nights under which this Traitor useth to hide his Torch Pernitious study Then all Actions are studied all gestures counterfeits all discourses falshoods and all that appears outwardly seems to have no other design than to deceive the heart To this effect we seek out suborned Messengers retirements for assigned meetings blind dumb and deaf witnesses secret Intelligences inchanted gifts invisible pretences painted and Sacrilegious devotions Nights without dayes and hours which are only marked out upon shadows for the light of the Sun the noise of a Bell too apparent impiety too visible presents too violent solicitations indiscreet confederates publick places and Friends or unfaithfull Servants might discover the secret It is a strange thing that we can hardly trust our selves and that the Tongue dares not speak a word or at least if she speaks it is but after she hath pondered all her discourses Wherefore the Eyes are the first solicitours of evill and then their silence hath an Eloquent voice which is yet not heard but by those that are Confederates It is no wonder then Qui nequaquam acquiescent operi nesario dixit c. Gen. 39. v. 9. if Joseph heard not this unchast language when his Mistris spake to him more from her Eyes than her Mouth This Impudent creature cast a thousand glances on him But the heart of Joseph was a piece of Marble which could not be pierced all the Flames of this Egyptian woman fell into a dead Sea and all her lightnings found nothing but water which instantly quenched them Wee must passe then further Et ait dormi mecum Gen. 39. v. 7. and see whether the Mouth peradventure will have more powerfull perswasions than the Eyes This shamelesse woman is so much inraged as to declare her design O God! what Insolence what Fury and what Frenzies when once the mind is possest with Love but there are two sorts of loves and that which is Son of the Earth is very weak when opposed to that which is born in Heaven Courage then Joseph it is a Woman who assaults and sollicites you she is light be you constant she hath stratagems be you prudent she is bold be you generous she runs fly away she Flatters disdain her she asks refuse her Joseph what do you say For my part saith he Victorious Innocence I neither can nor will consent unto a womans Lascivious desires nor submit unto her will preferring it before that of my Master and I should not be what I am if I forfeited the quality of a faithfull Servant and of a person to whom the honour and remembrance of the favours I have received from him is a thousand times more pretious than life If I have been sold it was onely for my Innocency and the chains of my Captivity could never force the constancy an Hebrew ought to have in the way of virtue I am Jacobs son and my actions shall never bely my birth I am a Servant Ecce Dominus meus omnibus mihi traditis c. Gen. 39. v. 8. Nec qâ—icquam est qued non in mea sit potestate vel non tradiderit miht propter te quomodo trgo possum hoc malum faeere peccare in Deum meâ—m Gen. 39. v. 9. I ought to dye for fidelity your Husband trusts me with all his Goods and with all his Wealth which the favour of the King and his own merits have bestowed on him he reserved onely to himself the soly Enjoying you It is not for me then to ravish from him what is his due by so many titles Command me with Justice and I will serve you with sincerity perform all that you ought and I will omit no part of my duty to you Keep your self within the lawes of Marriage and leave me in the duties of my condition I should be ungratefull if I abused the favours of my Master I should be a theef if I stole away his fairest goods and no death could be cruell enough to punish me if I shouâ—d attempt on that which is more dear to him than life All your flames can find in me but a heart of water and ice and all your tyes cannot inthrall the liberty of my mind and your rigors will never mollifie a soul on which God hath inprinted his love and fear Know then that I would rather choose to dye free from blame than to live a complice in your distoyalty I prefer my bondage if it be innocent before all unjust Powers and what misfortune soever befall me I shall be too happy if I remain innocent It was in the power of my brethren to sell my body but they could not ingage my soul I may serve without prostituting my self and my glory will ever be illustrious enough if I shall doe no dishonourable act and unworthy of my Extraction In fine I adore a God who hath most pure eyes and should all creatures be blind it satisfies me that he be the witness of my actions I reverence all his decrees and if all the Judges of the world could authorise vice it would comfort me to have a God alwaies armed to punish them How can you wish me then to bring Adultery into your Family and to change your bed Angelicall Resolution which ought to be the Altar of your glory into an infamous Pile No no Madam either leave honour to me with life or take from me my life and leave me my honour Is not this â—o speak like and Angel and to have the sentiments of those spirits who live in flames without being consumed and amidest lightnings without being dazeled Neverthelesse it is little considerable to assault an impudent love by bare words we must have other weapons in our hands to encounter it and the victory is never certain untill we have either publickly decry'd or banish'd it We must cry out Murther in like occasions we must call for witnesses use threats and at least triumph by a generous flight or by a prudent retreat There are some Passions which flye when they are pursued Very different Nature of Passions and like shadows never fasten themselves unto bodies There are some who have
fear'd lest the Hall into which they were brought might be changed into their Prison and that the Dinner prepared for them might prove their last repast they then whispered in each others ear that without doubt they were drawn into danger by reason of the Money which had been found in their Sacks and that infallibly there was an intention to make them undergoe the punishment of a crime of which they were no wayes guilty This said they run after their Conductor and having Stayd him at the door they related to him what had passed protesting that they knew not who had designed them this mischief and besides that they had never the least thought of his Money in witness whereof they had brought it with the surplusage summe which was necessary to buy their Commodities No no answered he you need not fear any thing Peace be with you it is your God and the Lord of your Father who hath put into your Sacks the Money you found in them As for that which you gave me it is very good and you ought not to disquiet your self concerning it This said Simeon was conducted to them and then they brought water to wash their feet In the interim they prepare their Presents in expectation of Joseph who intended to dine with them As soon as he came they immediatly cast themselves at his feet saluting and presenting him with what they had brought Then Joseph saluting them again with all manner of courtesie and goodnesse Obtuleruntque ei munera teuentes in manibus suis adoraverunt proni interram Gen. 43. v. 26. At ille clementer resalutatis eis interrogavit eos dicens c. Gen. 43. v. 27. Qui responderunt sospes est servus tuus pater noster adbuc vivit Et inclinati adoraverunt eum Gen. 43. v. 28. Attolens autem Joseph oculos vidit Benjamin fratrem suum uterinum ait iste est frater vester parvulus rursum Deus iâ—quit misereatur tui sili mi. Gen. 43. v. 29. Festinavitque quia commota fuerant viscera ejus super fratre suo crumpebant lacrimae introiens cubiculum flavit Gen. 43. v. 30. inquired of them how their Father did and whether he were yet alive Yes answered they your most humble Servant and our most honoured Father is yet living and as we believe in perfect health Saying this they all bowed down before him and rendred their duties in the most affectionate manner it was possible for them to doe After all these honours Joseph lifting up his eyes and perceiving Benjamin then demanding whether he were not the youngest amongst them whom they had formerly mentioned he said unto him Ah! my Son I beseech God to have pitty on thee and to take thee into his holy protection Now he perceived that his heart was ready to discharge by his eyes part of the affection joy and compassion wherwith he was touched at the sight of Benjamin which obliged him to leave them suddenly and to retire into his Chamber to weep his fill The eyes are not onely the gates of light but also of all passions Amongst others Love and Mercy make their entries and sallies by them Sometimes also Joy becomming so excessive passeth through these Christall gates and it seems that these living Mirrours are constrained to melt at the same instant the Soul hath received some darts from the hand of Love Pitty and Joy The most generous spirits are commonly most subject unto these sweet tendernesses The most unworthy are those which never weep and surely as they have but Souls of Ashes so their eyes are alwaies dry But on the contrary a good Spirit being in the Body as a great River in a bed of Sand Decent tenderness the least wind can hardly rise without breaking down its banks and escaping at least by the two Eyes which are as so many Chanels through which the Spirit disburthens it self Now as there may be many causes of this inundation so we should often fear that it might happen either in the day or in publick For there would be some danger that without Ink and Paper secrets might be written on our Cheeks with that water which flowes from our eyes We might often also accuse of weakness even the most noble and most generous Sentiments of our hearts In fine there be seasons dayes and places in which we ought not to speak but by silence and where the Eyes as well as the Tongue should be dumb Joseph could not restrain his tears at the sight of Benjamin but it was a most prudent Act to withdraw himself to pay this tribute unto the goodness of his mind and to an object worthy of pitty Joy and affection Having then dryed his eyes Rursumque lota facie egressus continuit se ait ponite panes Gen. 43. v. 31. Quibus appositis searsum Joseph scorsum fratribus Aegyptii quoque qui vescebantur simul seorsum illicitum est enim Aegyptiâ—s comedere cum Hebraeis Gen. 43. v. 32. and washed his face he came back to them and without making shew of any emotion he commanded that the Table should be presently covered which being done he set himself on one side and his Brethren by his command were placed on the other and since it was prohibited the Jews to eat with the Egyptians all those that were with Joseph and used to take their repast with him took their places apart All things were well-ordered at this Feast Josephs Brethren were seated every one according to his age Sederum coram eo primogenitus juxta primogenita sua minimus juxta aetatem suam Gen. 43. v. 33. Sumptis partibus quas ab eo acceperant Majorque pars venit Benjamin ita ut quinque partibus excederet Gen. 43. v. 34. Biberuntque inebriati sunt cum eo Gen. 43. v. 34. the Eldest was in the most honourable place and the youngest sate according to his degree Joseph himself took the pains to wait on them But the greatest cause of their astonishment was that after they had all received their portions it appear'd that Benjamin had five times more for his share than any other This nevertheless did not hinder the Joy and mirth of the Feast for there were nothing but acclamations and rejoycings God knows whether Joseph forgot the health of the Father of his Guests and whether he drank that of Benjamin However it were the holy Scripture saith in express termes that they were all drunk I know not yet whether Joseph and his Brethren were inebriated with Wine which being taken in excess useth to raise dazeling fumes and confused vapours in the head Whence it happens that the brain being troubled all the gestures of the body and the operation of the Senses are out of order The face waxeth pale Plin. lib. 14. c. 22. the nose grows sharp the checks swell the eyes are inflamed the tongue falters the mouth drivels the hands tremble the feet interferre
and the whole body is in a Palpitation In fine after this Commotion Eclips of Reason in Wine and during this Eclips the understanding remains in so obscure a night as it knows not it self This Fountain of the day brings forth nothing but Thunderbolts its Torch is extinguished its Lights are confus'd and its lightnings are but stinking Exhalations which rise from the Lees of Wine Now this comes to pass because Reason though most pure and spirituall Arist. lib. 3 de anim 19. lib. 1. de anim p. 63. depends on gross and terrestriall Images which reside in the Fancie and being disquieted represent unto the mind nothing but Phantasms and a Picture of Illusions Then Man ceaseth to be a man since he is devoid of Reason Aug. Serm. 23. de vitanda â—â—rietate He is in a state inferiour to Beasts who satisfie their appetites without stifling them It is then more probable that Joseph was not Inebriated at his Feast but with the pleasure and joy he had to see himself in the midst of his Brethren Without doubt also his Guests were so violently transported with the honour they received from him as they became as it were drunk with it Torrente voluptatis tuae potabis eos psal 59. But the drunkenness of the one and the other was but an extasie and a delicious Rapture neer resembling that of the blessed Souls which are in Heaven Inebriabuntur ab ubertate domus tuae psal 35. and swim in an Ocean of glory and in the torrents of Delights whereof God himself is the Fountain when he goes as it were melting and distilling himself into their Chast breasts in such sort as they become even Inebriated with him Comedâ—stis nos estis satiati bibistis non estis inebriati Agg. 1. But their drunkenness is but a most holy and just satiating which shall endure so long as God is God that is to say during all Eternity O my Soul hast thou not then a desire to goe unto this Sacred Feast Wilt thou not break thy chaines and get loose from thy Captivity to come unto this Joseph when shalt thou see this Brother and when shalt thou sit at Table with him to drink by his side and receive from his most amiable hand the portion of thy Felicity O God what inebriation of Love what excesse of delights I think it long till I come unto this Banquet where that delitious wine is tasted which useth to bring forth Virgins and where our Joseph or Brother our Lord our God is seen without veil or Cloud CHAP. VIII Joseph known by his Brethren AT Banquets saith Aristides it often happens that Water is chang'd into Wine that Wine is mingled with Blood and that over-heated Blood begets inflamations Feasts of death which are never extinguished but with life It is with the point of a knife and upon plates or Napkins sentences of death and decrees of condemnation are written At least it is there where oftentimes as a Polititian hath observed passions are inkindled Envie is fed Treasons are nourished and liberty takes all the advantages to doe Mischief Neverthelesse there are feasts where sweetness Praecepit autem Joseph dispensatori Domâ—s sâ—â—â— c. Gen. 44. v. 1. Scy hum autem mâ—um argâ—nteum pâ—â—tium quod dedit triâ—â—ci ponâ— in ore facti juniorâ—â— Gen. 44. v. 2. Theodoretus Quaest 105 in Genesim peace and the most Innocent pleasures furnish out all the Services Such doubtlesse was the feast Joseph made for his Brethren for though it was there where he resolved to deceive them and to make them believe they were Theeues Yet his design was very just and he had no other intention than by a stratagem of Love and by an Artifice of prudence to try the tendernesse and inclinations they had for Benjamin However this Amorous dissumulation and this wise experiment much disquieted them Iamque urbem exierant processerunt paululum tune Joseph acceâ—sito dispensatore domus Surge inquit persequere viros apprehensis dicite quare reddidistis malum pro bone Gen. 44. v 4. Scyphus quem furat estis ipse est in quo bibit dominus meus in quo augurari solet-Gen 44. v. 5. and theâ— were extremely surprised when they were accused for Theefes by his order who before had treated them as Brethren Scarce were they gone out of the Citty but Josephs Steward stayd them by direction from his Master and said unto them Ah! Theeves that you are are you not ashamed to have rendred ill to those who have done you good Where have you then put the Cup you have Stoln from us and in which my Master useth to Drink and to foretel what will happen Alas Answered they what doe you say Qui responderunt quare sic loquitur dominus noster ut servi tui tantum flagitui commiserint Gen. 44. v. 7. â—â—cuniam quam invenimus in summitate saccorum reportavimus ad te c. Gen. 44. v. 8. Apud quemcumque fuerit inventum servâ—rum tuorum quem quaeris moâ—iatur Gen. 44. v. 9. Qui dexit eis fiat juxta vâ—stram fententiam Gen. 44. v. 10. Quos serutatus inciptens â maiore usque ad minimum invenit Scyphnm in sacco Benjamin Gen. 44. v. 12. For what persons doe you take us And in truth doe you believe that wee intended to doe you wrong doe you not know how hetherto wee have demen'd our selves And that wee brought back all the money which was found in our Sacks when wee returned out of Egypt How could it possibly happen that at this time wee should robb you Surely wee have nothing else to allege but onely intreat you that if any of us be found guilty you would put him to death without other form of process Well then I am content replyed this man let it be done as you desire Then fearching them from the highest to the Lowest he met at last with Josephs Cup in Benjamins sack O God! what astonishment and what surprise Accidents are sometimes so unexpected and misfortunes so convincing that Innocence it self hath cause to wax pale and to have some apprehension Moreover there are certain Vices so foul and infamous as it is enough to be Suspected to render us miserable and wee passe for Criminals when wee are but accused What is it then to be convinced of it and to have the earnest of our Crime in our own hands shall wee not passe for Homicides when wee are found holding a dagger in our hands all alone neer a deadbody which swims in his own blood May wee not also be accused of Theft and be thought the authors of it when wee are taken with a purse newly cut and with goods which have been lost The Children of Jacob had then cause enough to be frighted and their misfortune was inexcusable Thus like dispairing men they found no consolation but in their grief At illi
before I dy O God! what consolation for a good Father to see again a good Son he was dead in his thoughts and behold him risen again He was lost and is found again a cruell Bear had devoured him and of all his reliques there was onely left him a bloody garment A strange change and behold him on a Throne and Master of one of the fairest Empires in the Universe What alteration and what Metamorphosis humane Prudence what sayest thou unto this Art not thou then ravished at the sight of these Prodigies hast thou not a desire to submit unto the Lawes of this wise Intelligence which sports with these Counsels and goes even under the Abysses of misfortune there to produce Peace Glory and immortality as a fair day in the midst of darkness Yes truly but to adore the effects of the Divine Providence and the most absolute power it hath over our lives and honours We must follow Jacob and goe visit Joseph Love hath wings at his Feet like Fame Profectusque Israel cum omnibus quae habâ—bat venit ad puteum juramenti Gen. 46. v. 1. he knows not what delay and retardment meaneth Jacob is on his way to see Joseph he is already in Bershabe neer unto that famous Well where Abraham heretofore made a solemn agreement with Abimelech and where both of them swore an inviolable peace There it was where Jacob stayed to offer his Sacrifice unto God upon the Altar of Abraham Et mactatis ibi victimis Deo patris sui Isaack Gen. 46. v. 1. Audivit cum per visionem noctis vocantem se dicentem sibi Jacob Jacob cui respondit Ecce adsum There having immolated Victimes he resign'd into the hands of God all the designs of his voyage he resolves to passe away one night in that place But scarce had he closed the eyes of the body but those of his soul were open'd to see and hear the God of his Father Isaack who called Jacob Jacob to which Jacob had nothing else to say but that he heard his voice and was most ready to execute his Commands Courage then Jacob Ait illi Deus Ego sum fortissimus Deus patris tui noli timere descende in Aegyptum quia in gentem magnam faciâ—mâ—te ibi Gâ—â— 46. v. 4. Joseph queque ponet manus suos super oculos tuos Gen. 46. v. 4. for it is the most powerfull God of thy Father Isaack who calls and appoints thee to passe into the Land of Egypt And there it is where he intends to make thee a Father of many Nations Yes saith he I promise thee Jacob that I will goe with thee and I assure thee that Joseph shall close thine eyes with his own hands O God! what Sacrifice what Vision What Speech and what Oath As for the Sacrifice in the first place what Jacob did ought to be an instruction to all those who leave their Country and intend to alter the course of their lives that before all things they should consult with God and take him for their guide in the Voyages designs they take in hand for it is unto him we ought first to Sacrifise our hearts and immolate all our hopes otherwise we shall look behind us like that wavering Woman who for her inconstancy was turned into a Statue of Salt Secondly the apparition of God which Jacob saw is a certain token that his eye still watcheth over those who dedicate themselves unto him and that he is neither deaf nor dumb to those that speak unto him Thirdly Gods promise is too faithfull and his Love too generous to forsake those who walk in his wayes and have taken him for their guide Fourthly when God promised Iacob to bring him back out of Egypt this must be understood of his Posterity and of the Israelites Jacobs Successors whom God after Two hundred and Fifteen years brought back out of Egypt into Chanaan Touching Jacob he dyed in Egypt between Josephs arms as we are going to see in the sequell of this History It sufficeth for the present to follow him in the remainder of his voyage It was about the morning of the second day that Jacob forsook Bershabe to pursue his Journey Surexit autem Jacob à puteo Juramenti c. Gen. 46. v. 6. It was indeed one of the fairest spectacles which ever appeared on the Confines of Palestine to see him in the head of his Troops as a good Father followed by his Children But I assure my self it had been most delitious and profitable to hear them if the holy Scripture would have given us some brief relation of their Discourse Nevertheless Cunctae animae ingressae sunt cum Jacob in Aegyptum sexaginta Gen. 46. v. 26. it acquaints us with the number of these happy Travellers which were seventy in all comprising therein Joseph with Manasses and Ephraim his two Sons who were born there Hence it evidently follows that when Moyses said there went thither Sixty and six he did neither put in the list Jacob nor Joseph Manasses nor Ephraim On the contrary when Saint Luke reckoneth Seventy and five he comprehends in that number the Sons and Nephews of Joseph whose birth hapned during the life and residence of this holy Patriark in Egypt Mean-while Jacob pursues his Journey Misit autem Judam ante se ad Joseph ut nunciaret ei occurreret in Gessen Gea 46. v. 28. but before his setting foot in Egypt he sent Judas to find out Joseph that he might be advertised of his comming and goe forth to receive him in the Land of Gessen Joseph hath no sooner heard this news Quò cum pervenissent juncto Joseph curru ascendit obviam patri ad eundem locum Gen. 46. v. 29. but he set forth to meet Iacob God knows whether the time might seem long unto him and whether his heart and mind went not faster than his body God knows also the various thoughts Jacob had in Expecting Joseph saying Alas what pains for one pleasure what desires for one fruition what Thorns for one Rose what Nights for one Day and how many Combats and dangers for one Triumph In fine behold Joseph in Jacobs bosome Vidensque eum irruit super collum ejus inter amplexus flevit Gen. 46. v. 29. Dixiâ—que pater ad Joseph Jam laetus morior quia vidi faciem tuam superstitem te relinquo GeÌ„ 46. v. 30. At ille locutus est aâ— fratres suos ad omnem domum patris sui ascendam nunciabo Pharaoni dicamque â—i Fratres mei domits patris mei qui erant in terra Chanaan venerunt ad me Gen. 46. v. 31. Cumque vocaverit dixerit quod est opus vestrum GeÌ„ 46. v. 33 Respondebitis viri pastores sumus servi tui ab infantia nostra usque in praesens nos patres nostri Gen. 46. v. 34. behold the Father in the Arms of his Son Ioseph leaps
Moses took the Rod in his hand as God had commanded him and then he took leave of his father-in-law to return into Egypt whither he carried his wife and Children It was upon the way God appeared to him the second time Dixitque ei Dominus revertenti in Aegyptum Vide ut omnia ostenta quae posui in manu tua sacias coram Pharaâ—ne ego indurabo cor ejus non dimittet populum Exod 4. v. 21. Ecce ego interficiam silium tuum primogenitum Exod. 4. v. 23. and where he advertised him of the future obduration of Pharaoh's heart and that after so many signs he should persist in his obstinacy and in the design of detaining the Children of Israel It was also commanded him to carry unto this unfortunate Prince the first news of the death of his Eldest Son which was to be the last dart of the revenging Justice of God and that which was to open the eyes of Pharaoh and to mollifie his heart for some time In some part of Moses Journey into Egypt Cumque esset in itinere in dâ—ersorio occurrit ei dominus qui volebat occidere eum Exod 4. v. 24. he was met by an Angel who offer'd to kill him with the Sword he held in his hand Rabbi Solomon who had a wit more inventive for a Romance than a true one for a History would induce credulous mindes to believe That this Angel had appeared under the shape of a Dragon and that he had devoured Moses even to the place of the Body where Circumcision was wont to be applied The two Eusebius's of Caesaria and Emissene believed That the cause why God threatned and afflicted Moses was for having brought his Wife with him the which might vilifie his Mission and render it suspected unto the Hebrews But that which followed renders the conception of St. Isidore of Damietta of Rupertus and Cajetan more probable who believed That it was done to punish the disobedience and the too long delays of Moses to whom he had given command to circumcise his Children Gen. 17. v. 12. Tulit illico Sephora acutissimam petram circumcidit praeputium silii sui Exod. 4. v. 25. For presently his Wife desiring in some sort to repair this fault and to withhold the hand of the Angel took a Knife made of a Stone to circumcise her Son The which being done she kneeled down to mitigate the wrath of this Angel who vanishing left the Husband and Wife in a sad astonishment In such sort as Moses was not able to speak a word Vide Cajetanum and Sephora beholding his eyes bathed in tears and his hands red with blood could not open her mouth but to say unto Moses That in truth he was her Husband but a bloody Husband Et â—it Sponsus sanguinum tu mihies and whom she had as it were acquired by shedding the blood of his own children Now from this example Advice to Parents all Fathers of Families should learn to obey the Will of God and testifie their Zeal and Piety not onely in their own persons but also in the person of their Children Above all they must take a Knife into their hands to cut off all that is impure And if men be therein less manly that is to say less generous than their Wives it is their part to take up Arms and as I have already said upon two or three occasions not to spare either Fire Sword or Blood provided it be done with Prudence Counsel and Piety CHAP. VI. The Embassie of Moses and of Aaron into Egypt TO the end God may be obeyed when he commands Necessary Obedience we must march when he sets forth and we ought not to be silent when he puts words into our mouths to speak by his order Kings hold their Scepters from him and all their Power is but a flash of light which issueth from this Sun without which all Thrones Empires and Crowns would have neither lustre Post haec ingressi sunt Moises Aaron dixerunt Pharaoni Haec dâ—cit Domirus Deus Israel dimitte populum meum Exod. 5. v. 1. At ille respondit Quis est Dominus ut audiam vocem ejus dimittam Israel Nescio Dominum Israel non dimittam Exod. 5. v. 2. nor resplendency Moses and Aaron then need not fear to appear in the presence of Pharaoh and to say boldly unto him That he who is their Lord and God commands him to restore Liberty unto his people But who is this God saith he unto Moses and Aaron of whom you speak For my part I know him not and in despight of him I will detain this people which you demand of me He doth much more for he heaps punishment upon punishment and orders these poor people to be used with more rigor than before Now as it is the custom of the miserable Occurreruntque Moisi Aaron qui stabant ex adverso egredientibus à Pharaont dixerunt ad eos Videat Dominus judicet quoniam foetere secistis odorem nostrum coram Pharaone c. Exod. 5. v. 21. and of those that suffer to complain of every thing and oftentimes to make even those the Authors of their afflictions who endeavor to procure their good so the people of Israel began even to murmure against Aaron and Moses as if the design of their coming-in had been to increase their sufferings There is nothing more cruel and less supportable to a good soul than Ingratitude It is the justest occasion can interrupt the current and continuation of a Benefit and not wholly to stop it we must seek constancy in God who alone hath power and goodness enough to oblige even the most ungrateful persons It is also to him Moses addresseth himself and it is into his bosom he makes an amiable discharge of all his thoughts Alas Reversusque est Moises ad Dominum ait Domine cur afflixisti populum istum quare misisti me Exod. 5. v. 22. Ex eo enim quo ingressus sum ad Pharaonem ut loqueâ—er in nomine tuo afflixit populum tuum non liberasti â—os Exod. 5. v. 23. Lord saith he why dost thou permit the oppressions of thy people And if I be not able to bring them relief why hast thou sent me rather to exasperate than comfort their Afflictions After this loving complaint God discovered himself fully unto Moses to give him a more assured mark of his love Go from me saith he and know that I am that Adonijah whose name is ineffable and whom the quickest and most peircing eyes do not discover but amidst obscurities Yes surely For it is onely under the veils of Faith and through the clouds which cover the Sanctuary God can be known Blindness of Humane Wisdom We must be guided by his obscure Clarities or God himself must inform us who he is otherwise we shall be the Disciples of Aximenes who will swear That God
is but Air which spreds it self to an Infinity others will follow Democritus who adored no other god than Fire or else Anaximander who had no other Divinity but the Stars or Diogenes who ascribed unto him a Body of Wind animated with Reason or Chrysippus who fastned him to a cruel destiny or Parmenides who made him to be a Circle to surround the Heavens or Stratonicus who sacrificed all his Loves unto Nature or Epicurus who amazed himself to form a god of Atoms And in fine some others would side with Varro Cleanthes and Anaxagoras or some other Dreamers who never knew the true God of Moses and though his Name be ineffable and his Essence incomprehensible yet we cannot be ignorant of his Power and Goodness CHAP. VII The Obduration of Pharaoh 's Heart NAture cannot give unto men Finite Power of Nature but what is within her sphere and as her power is finite so she can onely give them finite and limitted Presents God alone to whom all is possible can onely bestow Favors on us which are not common and it belongs onely unto him to convert Glass into Silver Straws into Gold and to make Gods of Men if he so please He did it once by uniting two Natures in one and the same Subject and making God Man who is God no less than himself But without speaking of this Mystery which is not to be parallel'd was but once done God hath been often pleased to make men gods to whom without communicating his Nature he hath imparted to them his most illustrious qualities and cheifly the power he hath over all created things which is properly to make gods on earth or at least men who are Demi gods In this maner Saint Basil was the god of the Emperor Valens Saint Ambrose of the Empress Justinia Saint Athanasius and Saint Hillary of Constantine and in the first Ages Elias of King Achab but this glorious Title was given unto Moses by a particular privilegeâ— Dixitque Dominus ad Moisen Ecce constitui te Deum Pharaonis Aaron frater tuus erit Propheta tuus Exod. 7. v. 1. Fecit itaque Moises Aaron sicut praeceperat Dominus Exod. 7. v. 6. when God from his own mouth established him for the God of Pharaoh and when at the same time he gave him his Brother for a Prophet Presently after this God and this Prophet I mean this Moses and his Brother who were instructed what to do and concerning what was to happen returned unto Pharaoh and there Moses shewed him prodigies which were evident tokens of the power God had given him First Tulitque Aaron virgam coram Pharaone servis ejus quae versa est in colubrum Exod. 7. v. 10. Vocavit autem Pharao sapientes maleficos secerunt etiam ipsi per incantationes Aegyptiacas arcana quadâ—m similiter Exod 7. v. 11. Projeceruntque finguli virgas suas quae versae sunt in dracones Exod. 7. v. 12. having cast upon the ground the Rod he carried in his hand it became spotted with Scales and changed into a Serpent which after a thousand little windings extended it self at its full length and walked in the presence of Pharaoh who being surprised therewith and not knowing the cause of this prodigious change assembled the wise men of Egypt that is to say the Inchanters and Magitians who had a minde to do the same that Moses did And in effect after some Charms shewed Dragons into whose shape God had permitted them to Metamorphise their Wands that it might appear what Magick could do and how it deceives us by its Inchantments as also to try the Constancy and Faith of Moses and the Hebrews who were present and to teach us That the Devil is but an Ape who imitates and counterfeits Truth Sed devoravit virga Aaron virgas corum Exod. 7. v. 12. In fine God permitted it to confound these Magitians for all their prodigies and all their little Serpents were instantly devoured by that of Moses Such is commonly the end and success of the Inventions and Master-peeces of the Devil the beginning is always fair the appearances have splendor but they are but false Stars formed in a Cloud Ciphers ingraven on Sand and in a word Phantasms and Idols which have nothing real but falshood or at least what lasts but for a time Histories are filled with examples which prove this verily But to express what seems to me most important upon this matter God as I have said often permits prodigious effects unto Cheaters and false Prophets for those reasons I newly touched But that which astonisheth me the most Prodigious effects of Divine Providence is that he often times and justly makes use of them to harden hearts and to blind certain spirits who are dazeled with the rayes of the Sun and shut their eyes against the splend ours of this beautifull Planet to follow the smoak of a Torch of Sulphure and Rosin carried by a Diabolical hand and by some infernal spirit Is it not a strange blindness Dreadfull obstinacy and a frightful obstinacy when the voice of a Devill is preferred before that of an Angell and when more belief is given unto the illusions of an Inchanter than unto the words and Actions of a God and a Prophet Pharaoh saw Moses Et Clevans Virgam percussit aquam Fliminis coram Pharaone servis ejus quae versa est in sanguinem Exod. 1. v. 20. Et pisces qui erant in slumine mortui sunt Exod. 7. v. 21. who changed his Rod into a Serpent and this Serpent taking the form of a Rod. He sees the waters of Nilus and Egypt which being strucken by it are converted into bloud and all the Fishes which dye therein He persists notwithstanding in his first design and in stead of humbling himself under the Omnipotent hand of God under the Rod of Moses and at the sight of these bloudy waves which glided along the River Nilus and had caused the death of Fishes as it were to advertise men of the like disaster he amuzed himself with the illusions of some Inchanters who flattered him by shewing him some Prodigie or rather some false Mask drawn over these truths However it be this miserable wrerch became like a Rock which derides a storm Pittifull state of an obdurate heart like a Diamond which cannot be broken and like that famous Buckler which bore for devise I cannot be pierced Hee was an insensible Colossus who had Eyes and saw not Hands and not able to use them Feet though he could not walk and who had a Heart invironed with blunted Arrows and Darts which could make no breach Behold the true picture of Pharaoh's heart The picture of Pharaoh's heart which became so insensible amidst the Thunder-bolts which God darted at it that at last it remain'd as cold as Marble and as hard as Brasse which all the waters of the Sea could not soften This
but where is the Victim which must be offered as an Holocaust My Son trouble not your self for God will provide one O Holy Piety where are the Bowels of a Father Heaven and Earth where are we my God! how long will this storm endure Whence comes this ebbing and flowing which strikes so rudely on the Faith of a Father and the Obedience of a Son My God! if thou desirest a Holocaust give unto Abraham an other Victim then Isaack how comes it to pass that Abraham can observe the Law of the Hollocaust which injoyns the Victim to be cut in pieces and ordains that the Members be disposed at the Altar taking their turns to burn them afterwards and reduce them to ashes Ah! there is no Fathers Heart which can exercise so inhumane cruelties and so horrid and unnaturall a Butchery on the Body of his Son Vultures devour only the Flesh Tigers leave at least the Bones Wheels Ironclaws and wracks doe but tear the skin and after all these punishments there are found reliques of anguish and death but the Holocaust consumes all and reduceth the Body into ashes and dust What will remain then of Isaack for Abraham to carry unto Sara but ashes dust and the eternall regret for a loss that can never be repaired Abraham notwithstanding persists in his fidelity Et venerunt ad locum quem ostenderat ei Deus in quo adificavit altare desuper ligna composuit cumque alligasset Isaac filium suum posuit eum in altare super struem lignorum Gen. 22. v. 9. he makes ready the Altar he sets the Wood in order he kindles the Fire he draws his Sword out of the Scabbard he takes Isaack into his arms he placeth him neer the pile he tyes his Hands and puts the cover over his forehead In fine this Innocent Lamb being on both his Knees his Body half naked and his Head bowed a little forward sighing sweetly without making the least complaint or demanding any more why expected the stroak of death when his Father as it is very probable began to acquaint him with the secret of his happy Lot Isaack my most dear Son Joseph lib. 1. hist S. Ambr. alii thou didst ask me at the foot of the Mountain where was the Victim of our Sacrifice I answered thee that God would provide one his Paternal Goodness hath done it and his will is that thou must be the Victim and I the Priest It is very true that thou art the object of my sweetest hopes and that I should look on thee as the support of my house but it is in God we must place our only hope It is he that serves for a Basis and Piller to all fortunes and it is his sage Providence which holds in its hands good and evill favours and disgraces Life and Death Dye then cheerfully my dear Child and rest assured that I would willingly put my self in thy place if God had so ordained I adore his will and I am too happy to serve as an instrument unto his commands As for thee my poor Son I had very constant proofs of thy sweet disposition and if I had not often tryed how obedient and pliable thou art unto Gods will and mine I should endeavour more efficaciously to perswade thee but it would be fruitless and it is from Gods goodness and thy constancy I hope for the Grace of being inabled to offer and immolate thee with my own Hands What can Isaack say to this it is enough for him to assent and be silent I yet frame in my imagination that he besought his Father to give him his Sword that he might kiss it as the rod of the wise Providence of Heaven I believe also he bowed down his Head a little more forward to testifie that his thoughts accorded with his Heart and that his most real affections were ready to be immolated unto God and his Father In the mean while Abraham takes his Sword again into his Hand and having bathed it with his tears he lifts up his arm to discharge his blow upon the Neck of his Son O Religious Soul O religiosam animam ó fortem mentem O trgens robur animi utrum admirer obstrpescam sustius fortemue spiritum Patriarchae aut constantem pueri obedientram Châ—yf ho. in Gen. 48. cryes out St. Chrysostom O vigorous Spirit O prodigie of constancy and fidelity I know not whether I ought more to admire the undaunted force of Abrahams Spirit or the constant immutability of his Isaacks Submission But what will be the issue will not all the Angels of Heaven who look upon this Sacrifice put some Victim in Isaacks place divine Spirits I call on you for Abraham and Isaack Ah! saith St. Austin Videte Abraham non cum aliqua ferâ luctantem sed cum natura pugaantem decotio dicebat pecute pietas clamabat parce illa revocabat issa provocabat Aug. Ser. 73. de temp behold I beseech you the conflict of Abraham not with a furious Beast but with Nature Religion bids him strike and pitty saith doe not strike the first lifts upon his Hand and the other stayes his arm what will this good Man doe what will he not doe if he obeyes not God he commits Sacrilege and if he obeys he is a Murtherer But is it not better for him to be accounted a good Father than a good Servant And will not Abrahams Disobedience be rather excused than the Murther of his Son Abraham believed otherwise and the choice he made was to lose the quality of a Pittifull Father to receive the title of an Obedient Servant Nevertheless he still hopes and is assured whatever happen that God is too full of Clemency to leave him in extremity In effect as Abraham had already lifted up his arm Et ecce Angelus Domini de Caelo clamtvit dicens Abraham Abraham qui respondit adsum Gen. 22. v. 11. Dixitque ci non extendas manum tuam super puerum neque sacias illi quidquam nunc cognovi quod limes Deum non pepercisti unigenito tuo propter me Gen. 22. v. 12. and was ready to dart the Thunder-bolt God had put into his Hand the Voice of an Angell cryes out Abraham Abraham I command thee from God not to touch the Child and to pass no farther It is certainly the very same that commanded Abraham to strike who stayes his blow It is the Voice it is the Angell and Nuntio of our Lord which keeps back his Arm. And surely it was requisite that the same power which before had armed him should force the Weapon out of his Hand and that Abraham should have as much promptitude and resignation to leave his Sacrifice as to undertake and begin it O God! what mysteries of Wisdom Clemency and Goodness My God! what Tryals of Love what Essayes of Fidelity and what grounds of Hope and Confidence have we ever seen so many temptations heaped together so many Artifices to