sanctified because they were imperfect in patience Why should we make such untrue and uncharitable and indiscreet conclusions either against our selves or others with whom we live As an extenuating of faults to make them seeme nothing and make our hearts hard under them is to be condemned so an over-aggravating of them to make our selves seem no children making our case worse then ever any mans before is likewise to be condemned Satan is author of both these follies and the effect of the latter is to drive us from God as well as of the former and all things are ill used when they tend to keepe us from comming to God and trusting in him So much of Rebekkahs good and bad now of the good and evill occurrents that befell her Her prosperity first was great for God called her from her Fathers house in which Idolatry did raigne and false worship prevailed to be a member of Abrahams house and a mother of the Messiah and a professor and practiser of Gods true religion and not alone so but gave her grace to be a godly woman an heire of the promise made to Abraham together with her husband This is the greatest of mercies here below to be called from darknesse to light from serving the devill and Idols to serve the true and living God If God have granted to any this mercy even to call them effectually to himselfe out of the darknesse of a false worship and religion to the light of a godly life How much cause hath he to blesse God and to rejoyce in this mercy above all mercies and bee freequently and heartily thankfull But if you have not yet attained it for many live in the Church that be not of it take notice of your wretched condition and now cry earnestly to God to bring you to the effectuall and saving knowledge of his truth that you also may be indeed and â—ot in bare profession of the houshold of Abraham the true Church But Rebekkah had other benefits beauty health and strength for ought we reade after marriage as before A rich and godly husband in whom she was doubly happy for her soule and state and one godly childe too whom she dearely loved and who shewed himselfe a man worthy to be loved A good husband a good state a good childe good health bee they not benefits indebting us to God in many praises and thankes and much carefull obedience Let not these mercies be strangers to your thoughts but ponder upon them to stir up your selves to thanksgiving and obedience Now for her crosses some shee suffered in her dayes as well as others First her husband fell blinde and weake and almost bedridden No doubt but she did participate with him in this affliction and it was a griefe to her to see him so imprisoned in darknesse and some trouble it must needs be though her love made it easie to give attendance upon him in that estate Likewise she could not but grieve to see her husbands affections to be so much more than they should have been for a long time upon her elder but worser son It was also a great griefe unto her to see the rudenesse and bloodinesse of her son Esau who comforted himselfe against his brother with an intention so soon as his Fathers funerals were over to dispatch him and rob him of the blessing though he could not get it to himselfe Would it not cut the heart of one of you Parents to heare that one of your sons you having but a couple in all the world should resolve to become a murderer of the other and so you stood in danger of being deprived of them both at once would not both these things grieve you Againe it was a griefe to her to have her good son as it were banished from her house and compelled to fly away in secret for his life For had he not been compelled to steale into Padan Aram in respect of Esau as to steale thence again in respect of Laban his Fathers estate was not so low that he must needs have travailed over that Iordan with a staffe and come to Labans house all alone and there have served an hard service for a wife Sure Isaac was not a prodigall he had not consumed his estate so that Abrahams grandchilde must be sent out so poorely appointed whose steward when he fetched a wife for Isaac had ten Camels well laden with rich things and many servants to attend him and so with speed returned home with his errand But feare of Esau caused him to goe speedily and secretly that no man might know it lest so he might have fallen into mischiefe by his meanes and to tarry so long till he might heare his brother was pacified Now did not this think you wound Rebekkahs heart Did she not part with a great part of her comfort when she parted with her beloved son Iacob so far so long and in such a manner But worst of all so long as she lived with her daughters shee was miserably vexed with their frowardnesse and ill conditions Indeed at length Esau tooke his journey to mount Seir where her friends dwelled and made this crosse more easie by removing his habitation with his wives and all he had but in the mean it was an anguish to her and that viz. losse of Esau too when Iacob was gone could not but minister matter of some affliction to her in minde Now let all of us be perswaded to looke for these and the like crosses that by fortifying our selves against them we may be made more patient and so beare them with lesse discontent for what are we that God should handle us with more indulgence than this so good a woman And those that lie under any such crosse in husband sons daughters daughters in law let them frame themselves to a more contented suffering because they finde that they bee no other kind of evils than those wherewith their Father hath exercised their betters in former times as he doth also for the present Hee must be an unruly childe that will roare and take on when he beareth no more than his other brethren and sisters beare before him yea and if we have escaped these particular crosses let us be thankfull to God for our freedome even from them and make the bearing of the rest more easie because we have not as we have deserved and might have had the same we have and these also for an overplus of misery THE SEVENTENTH EXAMPLE OF ESAV WEE are now to handle the example of Esau Hee was a twin Iacob being the other twin We must treate of his birth life and death First for his birth we are informed that hee was the son of Isaac and of Rebekkah the wife of Isaac daughter of Bethuel by his wife Milcah Which Bethuel was son of Nachor the brother of Abraham He was borne in the yeare of the world 2108 as some thinke and as others
were borne or when they died seeing both their comming into the world and their departure out of it do perish for they come to nothing and both come in and go out as it were in an evill time But we have something to say of his parentage and life For his Parentage we learne Gen. 22.26 and 24.29 that he was the sonne of one Bethuel who was the sonne of Nachor the brother of Abraham who did not leave his Countrey and Fathers house with Abraham when he travelled at Gods Commandement into the land of Canaan but abode still in Padan Aram the land of his Nativity and there continued to follow strange gods and commit Idolatry of which all the world and by name the countrey was then full So hee was the Idolatrous son of an Idolatrous Father and Grandfather which did as most men doe take up the religion of his forefathers without more adoe not looking whether hee served God aright but counted it sufficient to serve God as his Progenitors had done before not at all considering whether it were the true God or the false whom they served or whether it were true or false worship which they performed Now in his life wee must consider his deeds good and bad and the things that befell him good and bad First then for his good deeds for even a bad man may have some civill vertues found in his life out of a common worke of Gods Spirit who will not suffer men to be so farre over-runne with vices but that for the preservation of humane societies they shall have some shadows of vertues seene in them These good deeds of his looke partly to men and partly to God His good deeds to men-ward are first to Abrahams servant Secondly to Rebekkah his sister Thirdly to Iacob his kinsman Fourthly to his Daughters and Grandchildren First let us consider his carriage to Abrahams servant Eliezer of Damascus who was sent by his master Abraham to fetch a wife for his son Isaac out of Padan Aram because he would not match him with the cursed seed of the Canaanites The first thing commendable in him is that hee vouchsafeth curteous entertainment unto him for when the servant meeting with Rebekkah had found great kindnesse from her in watering his Camels as well as giving himselfe drinke out of her pitcher and that hee had rewarded her with precious gifts Gen. 24.22 viz. with a golden eare-ring of halfe a shekel weight and two golden bracelets of ten shekels weight for her hands and that shee had invited him to her Fathers house and comming home had told Laban her brother of the man who hee was and what hee had bestowed upon her presently Laban goes forth to the man ver 31. and invites him to the house with very kinde words saying Come in thou blessed of the Lord wherefore standest thou without for I have prepared the house and roome for thy Camels and so bringing him home they ungirded the Camels and hee gave him straw and provender for them and water to wash his feete and the feete of those that were with him and then set meate before him that hee might eate Loe here an example of curteous hospitality hee gave him good and loving words and provided and ministred to him all things necessary for his cattell and companions and himselfe Thus should men use kinde and liberall hospitality towards such friends as upon occasion doe repaire unto their houses and this is a kinde of vertue which may bee found in men that are destitute of all true grace and piety For even nature it selfe teacheth men to shew love and humanity to men that are of the same nature with themselves because they looke to finde the like gentlenesse themselves from others upon like occasions Here is one thing in Laban worthy praise and imitation another is that hee gives him an honest and good answer when hee had declared unto them his errand For the man refusing to eate till hee had related his businesse unto them being very faithfull to his master and diligent in the matter committed to his trust up and told them all that had fallen out why hee came thither and how hee had by a speciall providence of God met with Rebekkah at the fountaine of water requested to know their minde and what hee must trust unto in this matter and from Bethuel the maides Father and Laban of whom wee are speaking her Brother hee received this just and discreete answer That the thing proceeded from God and they were able to say neither good nor bad unto him that is not to crosse his motion by any allegation one way or other concluding that Rebekkah was before him and that hee might with their good consent take her and goe that shee might bee his Masters sons wife as God had spoken ver 50 51. of the same Chapter In this passage you see a great deale of honest plainnesse seeing God had directed him by his speciall hand to this maiden they would bee no hinderance unto him but would give their willing consent to the marriage It is a good thing for men to consent unto honest and good motions chiefly when they see God himselfe by his good providence going before them and as it were leading the way unto them A third good thing in Laban was that hee doth speedily dismisse the man and hindered not his present returne unto his Master with a wife for his son For so it is written ver 59. that when hee rising betimes in the morning was earnest to returne that very day and that they at first required ten dayes stay for Rebekkah but hee requesting them not to hinder his expedition seeing God had prospered him they called the Damsell and asked her consent viz. Whether shee was willing to goe with the man and finding her very forward they sent her away without further lingring It is a good thing when wee have entertained any one in our house and his desire is as his occasions shall require to make haste home to further him by all meanes and not to stop his proceedings with delayes For many times such deferring proves very unpleasing and sometimes dangerous to the party to whom wee would seeme to shew love and good will as wee see it did in case of the Levite whose Father in Laws importunity caused him to stay a day or two beyond his desire in the later end of the Story of Iudges Thus hath Labans carriage beene good to this servant of Abrahams We must follow the goodnesse of all men even Idolaters and Heathens Now consider how hee behaved himselfe to his sister to whom he discovers good affection and love by a curteous dismissing of her ver 60. They blessed her and said thou art our sister bee thou the mother of thousands of millions and let thy seed possesse the gates of them which hate them that is prevaile mightily against all their enemies and conquer them
pay tithes of our goods Gen. 12.7 You have an Altar built to God a profession of his true religion among the Cananites there he called on Gods name that is performed publike worship of sacrificing and praying one named for all And v. 13.14 againe it is said that he came to the place of the Altar which he had made at the first and there called on the name of the Lord. And v. 18. there at Hebron he built an Altar to the Lord and when God appeared to him C. 17. v. 3. he fell on his face before God shewing all due outward respect unto him when he spake unto him And C. 14. Melchisedech was Priest of the most high God and he met Abraham and blessed him and Abraham gave him tithes of all I do not thinke he meant onely of all the spoiles though that hee did too but a constant tithing of all he had is meant This tithing was an acknowledgement of his subjection to Melchisedech and so necessary to be performed to Christ who is a Priest for ever after that order who must blesse and take the tithes of us Surely tithing is no Leviticall ceremony for it is not originally and primarily due to the Leviticall Priesthood but it is due to an eternall Priesthood even that after the order of Melchisedech and therefore so farre as I see it must be eternally due neither can any man lawfully forbeare to pay them to Christ neither can any man receive them in Christs steede but he that is Christs officer to preach in Christs steed and sow his spirituall things Now I pray you looke that you be religious as Abraham professe religion come to Gods house call on Gods name Learne that publique prayer is an holy ordinance of God frequent that and doe not slight and despise it as many of you do offer up spirituall sacrifices to God Pay your tithes duely of all which I know none of you all that doth make conscience of you thinke that too deare a price to buy the worship of God with but why should you not shew your selves subject to Christs Priesthood as well as Abrahams If you could make it manifest to be a Leviticall ceremony you might thinke your selves dispensed with it by Christs comming But you cannot shew any good reason why it should be so and here is a good reason it was not so for it was due to a Priest of another order then that of Aaron wherefore shew your selves truely religious by a conscionable setting a part to God the tithe of all you have as Abraham did For when here it is said he tithed all and in the Hebrew the spoiles it is no reason to shorten the wider place by the narrower but to reconcile both together thus he paid tithe of all and also of the spoiles as well as other things I am in hope to prevaile with you for all other things but in this I have no hope to prevaile because profit pleades against me and because the thing is controverted and denied by divers Now when a costly service is questioned O how hard is it to perswade men to see that truth and follow it Well I shew you mine opinion and leave it to God to perswade you but in other things which are not controverted I pray you to obey as Abraham did and to shew your religion as he did And so we have shewed you Abrahams faith obedience feare and devotion O that we could shew the same vertues in our lives I come to shew you next the good carriage of Abraham to men-ward First himselfe then others For himselfe I request you to note First that he was a very humble man truely humble one that did esteeme himselfe nothing in comparison with God and that is true humility to have a meane esteeme of himselfe out of a true apprehension of Gods greatnesse and the infinite distance betweene God and himselfe you shall see this in Abraham because when God came to shew him what should become of the Sodomites and he out of mercy was mooved to pray earnestly for them he saith unto God I am dust and ashes O good man that when he came neere to God he had a sence of his owne meanenesse and intitled himselfe no better then dust and ashes This humility must wee also be cloathed withall it is a necessary fruite of the knowledge of God and our selves without which we cannot be true Ceristians It is the cabinet and storehouse of all graces It allures God to give us grace it causeth all crosses to seeme easy if God will lay them on it makes all duties appeare seasonable It is a grace by which a man becommeth like unto Christ who humbled and made himselfe of no reputation Paul was nothing in his owne esteeme David counted himselfe a flea and a dead dog and Christ hath said that if we humble our selves we shall be exalted For alas be we not sinnefull and shall we not then be humble Be wee not mortall men be we not damnable creatures and shall we not be humble Beloved search if you have this grace that is a meane esteeme of your selves in respect of your nothingnesse compared to God and your sinfulnesse in your selves and if you find your selves laid low and made vile in your owne estimation this is to be like Abraham You have the vertues of Abraham in respect of himselfe Now in respect of other men First his family then others without his family For his family considered generally and specially Generally he brought them up godlily and religiously and taught them vertue and goodnesse as is witnessed of him Gen. 18.19 I know hee will command his houshold to keepe judgement and justice and to keepe the way of the Lord. If he had not taught them the good way how should he require them to keepe it and the word signifieth to command and teach both and it is that of which usually the word translated precepts doth come Abraham then was carefull to teach his people the waies of God and to teach them all goodnesse Hee did that to his houshold which God hath commanded us bring them up in the nurture and information of the Lord. For indeed God did bid him circumcise his children and servants and if he must administer the Seale of the Covenant to them then he must teach them the Covenant it selfe even the whole doctrine of godlinesse Brethren be not a number of you farre from following Abraham in this matter you have not gotten so much knowledge as to be able to teach your people the doctrine of true piety the way of God justice and judgement nor doe not strive to get knowledge And many that have knowledge make no care of communicating Ah if he that provides not for the family things needfull to the body denies the faith how is he guilty of that fault which doth not provide for their soules I beseech you therefore be humbled for your omission of this
yea it doth appeare often that riches are laid up for the owners thereof for hurt And these be the benefits temporall which Abraham had for himselfe a good wife good children in their kinde and one religious good servants good friends good name good favour and great wealth to which add one particular benefit a great and famous victory over foure great and conquering Kings as the Holy Ghost telleth us Gen. 14.15 he pursued them he divided himselfe against them he and his servants by night and smote them and pursued them to Hobah and brought backe all the goods and Lot his brother and his goods and the women and his people An absolute victory was obtained by Abrahams wisedome and valour God gave him the wisdome God gave him the valour God gave him the successe The Prophet Esay sets forth Gods goodnesse to Abraham in generall as a sure argument that God will shew the like mercies to his people in after times bidding them looke unto Abraham and Sarah and saying Isa 51.2 I called him I blessed him and increased him and 41.2 3. He setteth forth this very benefit in magnificall phrases saying who raised up the righteous man from the East called him to his foot gave the nations before him and made him rule over Kings gave them as dust to his sword as driven stubble to his bow hee pursued them and passed safely by the way that he had not gone with his feete God would have his people take notice of this mercy in saving Abraham and making him victorious to assure them of his like love in defending them and giving them victory over all their enemies even the whole Church and each particular member thereof He that sheltered Abraham was with him gave Kings before him shall not he declare his love as much in future ages to his people Surely he is the same for ever Let this comfort us against all those that rise up against us But what did God for others for Abrahams sake First he blessed Lot the more for Abrahams sake and as it is noted Lot that went with Abraham had heards and after when God destroyed Sodome he thought of Abraham and delivered Lot also So God for a good mans sake will blesse and helpe even his friends and well-willers and those that belong to him shall be much the better for him according to the promise that he had made saying I will blesse them that blesse thee And for Abrahams children he blessed Isaac and gave him great outward things yea gave him also grace and made him heire of the Covenant and continued the Church in his house giving him a sonne in the life time of Abraham For Abraham had Isaac at a hundred and lived 175 yeares and Isaac married at forty and had Esau and Iacob at sixty so Abraham lived to see those two sonnes about five yeares old and gave outward things to Ishmael and abundance to him that Princes came of him in likelihood during Abrahams life time and he sent away his sonnes by Keturah with great riches and you know that even after Abrahams death God honoured him still by calling him his friend in many places and for his sake did great things for his sonnes after him in many generations Thus you see how worth the while it is to serve feare and obey God what abundant blessings he grants what honour and same even after death though all Gods people have not all these outward things in like manner bestowed upon them yet they have that which is sufficient for them and those that finde their friends and children happy in outward respects must observe Gods hand to be thankfull Yea we must all take notice of Gods like dealing with many of his people whose posterity flourish when they be dead some in goodnesse as well as goods and some at least in earthly respects and leave a good name behinde them so that many yeares after their decease their names are honourably mentioned and all men count them good and faithfull servants of God The name of the righteous is had in everlasting remembrance whilst they live and when they die God shewes himselfe gratious and bountifull to them even in temporall blessings oftentimes as well as spirituall But if any want these outward benefits they must consider of themselves whether their sinnes doe not deprive them thereof For sometimes such mercies are denied to Gods people to chastize and keepe downe and roote up some vices in them David was crossed in his children to correct his fondnesse and to chastize his adultery and murder Salomons posterity was brought low to chastize his Idolatry If in outward things the Lord seeme carelesse of his people they might easily finde by searching that some evill carriage of theirs hath caused him to chastize them in this life that by being brought to repentance they might not be destroyed and perish in another world and so much for these temporall benefits Now for spirituall blessings the first was that God called him out of his Countrey and Fathers house from the Idols of his Fathers house for they served false gods there Iosh 24.2 and acquainted him with himselfe the onely true God No greater blessing can befall a man here then to be called from a false religion to the true religion so that his heart be inclined also to the practise of the true religion and that he be effectually sanctified as was Abraham Wee must looke that wee have this mercy of effectuall calling Indeed from Idols and such kinde of false gods wee are called or rather we have beene kept from following them at all but ah are we called to walke before God in holinesse and righteousnesse not alone turning from darkenesse to light from a false religion to the true but from the power of Satan unto God that is from serving the Divell in a wicked life to serve God in an holy life If we be not so called we are not sonnes of Abraham and outward blessings will doe us little good If we be then wee have cause to rejoyce before the Lord our God with exceeding great joy for he that is so called happie is he This is a mercy of mercies to be a Saint by calling one whom God hath so wrought upon by his Spirit that his outward call hath wonne him from the state of corruption to the state of grace And if any finde not himselfe so called or finde it doubtfull to himselfe whether he have beene so called yea or not let him earnestly seeke to God for it and if wee would know whether we be called yea or not compare our selves with Abrahams Call Gen. 12.1 God had said meaning before his Fathers death before he dwelt in Charran saith Steven for though because Terah was the Father the departure is ascribed to him yet God gave the call first to Abraham and he acquainted his Father with it and so his Father went out and he with
other and so persists impenitently For that is the last of all his sinnes he goes away quite from God and his Father ceaseth to continue a member of that family and of that Church gives over all outward shewes of religion turnes meere worldly and earthly and seekes to ease the smart of his conscience by building and busling in the world declaring a piece of vaine glory too by calling his City after the name of his first-borne as it were boasting of it that hee should have his sonne the Lord of a City of his owne name Henoch of Henoch A fearefull offence to persist still in impenitencie to cast of all shew of religion to excommunicate himselfe out of the Church and burie himselfe in vanity and worldlinesse so to stifle his owne conscience and deaden his owne heart more and more Now I have done with Caines carriage good and bad I come to the things that befell him good and bad First good you see God gave him a sonne and sonnes sonne and continued his life along time to give him space of repentance and set a mark upon him to save him from the violence of all men threatening to punish him seven-fold that is seven times as much as he had hurt Caine if any should kill him Seeing it pleased not God to tell us what this marke was with which hee noted this prime murtherer it is fondnesse in us to weary our selves with conjectures some think it was visible to all men but what I know not nor I am sure can any man else tell but it was the goodnesse of God to secure him of life who had deserved death for the Law of putting the murderer to death was not yet and God would not put Adam to so hard a taske as killing his owne sonne but would shew himselfe to be above Law in forbearing to doe that which he will not suffer a Magistrate to forbeare even putting to death of a wilfull murderer yea it was the great goodnesse of God to give him health and many children and childrens children and to grant him riches and prosperity in the world abundantly if it had beene possible to have drawne him to repentance yea it was a great benefit that God came gently to admonish him of his inward malice if it might have beene to have hindred the breaking of it out into murder and after it was done to come againe with this gentle second admonition if it had beene possible to have melted him and have drawne him to submissive humiliation So God vouchsafed him meanes to keepe him from sinne and to draw him out of sinne and time long enough to make use of those meanes and many benefits to allure him to make use of them thus good is God even to sinners and impenitent sinners to offer them meanes of repentance and acceptation upon their repentance and vouchsafe them store of good things for a long time notwithstanding their obstinatenesse in refusing to repent Now lastly let us consider Gods punishments viz. the evill things he met withall The first is sentencing him for his fault and laying open the greatnesse of it in saying What hast thou done thy Brothers blood cryeth to mee from the earth which hath drunk it in at thine hand Secondly hee curseth him from the earth that is in respect of the earth which shall not be halfe so fruitfull to him as before nor yeeld its increase as it had done for he doth not meane simply it shall yeeld no fruit but nothing so much nor so easily Lastly thou shalt be a fugitive a runnagate that is a man full of unquietnesse and terrours that canst have no rest nor peace in thine heart nor any content any where yea it signifieth a giving him over to cast off all goodnesse and leave him to himselfe to forsake his Fathers house and so a selling him over to profanenesse and utter impenitency Thus we have done with Caines life and for his death the Scripture vouchsafes not to mention it nor how long he lived but he lived a long time even to see the sonnes of Lamech who was the sixt generation from him and vaunted that if God would so avenge Caine he would be avenged more by which speech it is very probable that Caine was then alive So we have spoken all we have to speake of Caine. Now I will make some use of all First from that that was good in Caine I pray you learne at least to be as good as so bad a man was and therefore may sure be attained by naturall indeavours You see Caine did not give himselfe to runne idling about the world but submitted to his Fathers government so farre as to give himselfe to Husbandry O let no man turne himselfe into a cipher nay into an excrement that lives in the world to no purpose yea to bad purpose for hee shall not but doe naughtily that will doe nothing set your selves therefore to have and to follow some calling and employment Live not like those playfull creatures imperfect pictures of men but of such men the fitrest emblemes like apes and monkeys onely to skip up and downe and to make sport but live to bestow your selves in some profitable vocation for your owne and the common good If any say Caine was necessitated to it because there were no other to till the ground for them he being Adams first-borne I answer first I desire you should live somewhat better then Caine and doe good out of choice which perhaps he might doe out of necessity Secondly I answer that though you be not necessitated to any calling by want yet wisdome and a good conscience binde you for must you not submit to that of God In the sweate of thy browes shalt thou eate and to that of the Psalmist he shall eate the labour of his hands and to that of Paul which condemnes the inordinate walkers which wrought not at all and is it not wisdome to forbeare walking on a thorne hedge which Salomon saith the idle man doth and to prevent many occasions as the having no calling and being carelesse of it will surely bring I say againe then be as good as Caine have and follow some calling Againe looke that there be some at least outside of religion in you worship God and be not so much lovers of money as not to give him something even to be at cost for his worship in such kind as cost is now needfull as they were to performe a worship then required the cost notwithstanding Be not profane to neglect Gods Worship out of sleighting it be not niggards to put of God with as little as you can but give him of the fruits of your ground and now know that that is given to God which is given to the maintenance of his Ministers which performe his Worship and other instruments necessary to the performance of it as a fit place and the like O be as good as a
telleth of their notable unbeleefe that did not give any credit to Gods threats nor knew of the floud till the waters came and drowned them All Noahs preaching prevailed nor to make them take notice of the judgement that hanged over their heads The mercy of God towards them appeareth in that he gave them a large warning a hundred and twenty yeares to repent in which his Spirit continued to strive with their wickednesse God taketh to himselfe the similitude of a man who being greatly displeased with the ill carriage of his Inferiours is faine to strive with himselfe to keepe downe his anger that it raise not up it selfe against them in excesse and over-suddenly The striving of Gods Spirit is a patient continuing to use the meanes of reclaiming sinners to see if it be possible to winne them Gods bounty taketh paines as it were to breake mans sinfull heart So God resolved to continue striving but for a hundred and twenty yeares and all that while he determined to continue this course of gentlenesse and withall hee used in that time the ministery of Noah who was therefore called a Minister and Preacher of righteousnesse by S. Peter that he might reduce them to some repentance and amendment therefore is it said The long-suffering of God waited in Noahs daies and in all this space they had great outward mercies Yea there were men of great stature borne which prooved also men of great renowne for wealth riches honours and outward eminencies so that they felt no manner of punishment almost in earthly things but were reserved to that great and heavie punishment which waited for them at last even to the deluge or floud of waters God made all the great deepes to breake up and the springs to over-flow so that the waters gushed up from the ground and then opened the windowes of Heaven and caused all the waters from above to fall downe till at length the raine continuing for the space of forty daies and the waters finding so violent an issue upwards the whole earth and all the highest mountaines were covered with water fifteene cubits that is a cubit being counted for halfe a yard seven yards and an halfe high to the cutting off of all the sonnes and daughters of Adam and of all the birds and beasts that could not live in the water save those few that were in the Arke with Noah who besides his preaching by the signe of building the Arke did warne them but all in vaine of the following floud So you have the summe of the story of the old World in their sinfullnesse and Gods forbearance for along time and Gods severity and their misery at the last Let us make due uses now of all For the chiefe thing in such stories as these is to make a good use because these are set forth for an Example to them that shall hereafter live ungodlily For their soules also perished eternally as well as their bodies for anything that can be learn'd out of Scripture to the contrary except that we may conceive the Lord might be mercifull to the soules of infants that were not of age to make use of the meanes that should have brought the rest to repentance nor did not runne to the same extremity of wickednesse unlesse I say wee may hope in charity that God would shew compassion on the soules of these the men of yeeres perish soule and body both Now what uses must wee make 1. Of their sinnes 2. Of Gods patience 3. Of Gods severity Of their sinnes we must make divers uses First to take notice of our owne corrupt nature that is ready to grow so extreamely naught For wee also are the posterity of Adam and have the same corruption of nature that these had and our imaginations and the forme and frame of our hearts and all our thoughts will be onely evill continually if God give us to ourselves and there is not one of us that would not grow unjust voluptuous worldly violent and most extreamely wicked in every kinde of wickednesse as occasion would offer it selfe if the Lord did not hold us backe either by restraining or sanctifying or both To him let us give the praise of our being restrained or sanctified and let us confesse his goodnesse that doth not give us over to all licentiousnesse to commit all wickednesse with greedinesse An hearty praising of God for delivering us from notorious sinfullnesse is a testimony of some grace Mans heart is apt to turne such freedome into matter of swelling and selfe-conceitednesse if our lesse badnesse makes us more thankefull and humble not haughty and arrogant it is a signe of some truth of goodnesse But innocency joyned with swelling lifting up our selves and despising others is no better then that of the Pharisee This is the first use of their sin The next is to teach us to take heed of such wickednesse that great sinnes may not grow common but that there may be some to oppose the rest some to mourne for the rest and to take care of keeping themselves unspotted in the world that so great and publike punishments may be kept back Let us every way strive to cause that sinnes grow not huge and universall that they come not to an high degree and to commonnesse so that all joyne in them for then likely some great and heavy calamity must insue With us sinnes do grow very great great faults are committed by many but yet we are to praise God that all flesh hath not corrupted their waies there be some though but few in comparison of the multitude yet I say some that set themselves against the great and common iniquities which may give us some hope that the Lords chastisements shall follow us onely for reformation not for utter extirpation of the Nation Let us all use our best diligence to hinder the greatnesse and commonnesse of sinne that wee may prevent destroying and all-devouring blowes A third use from their sinnes is that we be carefull to avoid these particular sinnes or to repent of them and to reforme them if wee have committed them 1. Take great heed of making carnall marriages with persons sinfull and wicked for beauties sake or any such carnall respect For if it offend God that men be lewd to take wives voide of true religion and piety because of their fairenesse then surely to be so farre over-ruled with gaine or any other earthly consideration as for these things sake to make matches with carnall and naughty men must needs offend God Let no man doe so therefore let piety I say piety be the match-maker let beauty riches and all such things come after in the second or third place and let no man for any respect of face faire state c. marrie themselves to foule conditions foule manners false religion wicked conversation Surely that which swayes a man most in matrimony swayes him most in his whole life this being one of the maine matters
he conceived at first to be men though indeed they proved to be Angels for so you have his hospitality recorded by the Holy Ghost Gen. 18. 1. ad 17. When he saw certaine men which he tooke to be travellers he ranne to them and with importunity brought them on their way A courteous free and honourable intertaining of strangers is a vertue commended to our imitation by the example of Abraham for so saith the Author to the Hebrewes Be not forgetfull to intertaine strangers for by that meanes some have received Angels unawares and we are bidden to be given to hospitality Let us therefore be farre from niggardlinesse in this case and yet farre from profusenesse too And if to strangers much more to our friends and acquaintance must we shew our selves humane and liberall in this kinde and most of all to our poore and needy neighbours that cannot reward us for our Saviour prefers mercy before curtesie and tells us that such cost shall be reckoned for So have we done with Abrahams vertues which if we can take out in our practise happy shall we be for to this end are good mens good deeds registred in the Booke of God that we which reade them by following them in the waies of goodnesse might be sure to over-take them in the end of our journey and to dwell in the place of happinesse whether they have safely gone before us Now I proceede to tell of his sinnes and offences for such is the state of mortall men in this life that it shall be found true of every man which S. Iames tells us in many things we offend all Doubtlesse he arrogateth greater perfection to himselfe then ever the word of God hath attributed to any meere man since Adam that conceiveth himselfe to be quite free from all evill corruptions and from the breaking out of corruptions The first fault of Abraham was that in which he lived before his calling by God out of Vr of the Chaldees for it is manifest in the 24. of Iosh v. 2. that the Fathers in old time even Terah the Father of Abraham and of Nahor and consequently the sonnes themselves being so brought up of their Fathers served other gods Here then is a sinne in Abraham that he tooke up the religion of his Fathers without making any diligent inquiry into the matter whether the religion and gods were true or not And this is a fault common to all mankind they take their religion on trust serving those gods which they find in the places where they dwell to be worshipped and served and labour not to find out and serve the true God alone who is onely worthy to be served yea if it fall out that the true God be served amongst them they cleave not to him out of judgement and well grounded knowledge that he is the onely true God but alone out of common custome because all men do so and this their religon becommeth but a vaine religion and is of no force to their salvation Indeed it was not so strange a thing that Abraham should be thus carried away after false gods according as he was led by the common example seeing at that time they had not the word of God written by Prophets and Apostles to direct and guide them in this matter But for us whom God hath so farre favoured as to give us the cleare light of his holy word it is a most grievous sinne to be led wholy by custome and example and not to build and ground our selves upon that light which God hath ministred unto us And the true cause why men do follow such false guides in matter of Gods worship is the blindnesse of their mindes and carnallnesse of their hearts and the secret atheisme which is in them by which they are not thoroughly and certainely perswaded that there is a God at all and therefore care not to finde out and serve the living God as if it made no great matter so they served one which they served Let us therefore beware of false gods and false religions and let us beware of walking after a false rule even in following the true God that is of serving him not because wee have any true and certaine knowledge of him in our owne mindes but onely because we have beene so taught of our Fathers and see the whole world where we live to take the same course for he that is thus blindly led worships God but by chance as it were and is as ready for a false god as for a true and this was Abrahams fault before his calling Now after his calling he fell into some sinnes though not wilfully nor presumptuously but of weakenesse and of infirmity The first fault was weakenesse of faith Though he was the Father of the faithfull and is commended in Scripture for the strength of his faith and that he wavered not nor staggered at the promise of God through unbeleefe yet at the first his faith was mixed with unbeleefe and shewed it selfe to have some feeblenesse in it For first when he went downe into Egypt because of the famine and saw that the men were wicked and feared not God he was in doubt least the men of the place would kill him for his wives sake God had promised him before that time to give the land of Canaan to him and to his seede after him and yet he had no seed therefore as yet hee could not be put to death unlesse the promise of God should faile him and come to nothing Notwithstanding the promise which should have beene frustrated if himselfe had died without issue he doubted least he might be slaine by them as being distempered and diverted by feare from considering and taking diligent notice of the promise This was a manifest imperfection of faith you see Wherefore let us take notice that in the faithfullest of Gods people there will be defects of faith as also there was want of it in David when he said I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul and in Moses when he said How will Pharaoh heare mee seeing the Israelites did not and againe Why hast thou sent mee to deliver the people seeing Pharaoh oppresseth them the more since I spake to him And therefore let us not be discouraged though we finde weakenesse in our faith though faith I say doe shew it selfe feeble and be much troubled and sometimes foiled by doubting especially in great and sore temptations yet we must not be heartlesse nor conclude that we are utterly destitute of faith or that our faith is not true and sincere and unfained True faith you see in Abraham may be weake yea cannot but be weake so long as we be cloathed with tabernacles of flesh He that truly beleeves may yet be carried away with doubting sometimes when occasions of perill and danger incounter his faith and therefore also let us be carefull to confirme and strengthen our faith more and more and to grow in
even in the land of Goshen Thus it behoveth a good King yea and a good man to favour still whom he hath begun deservedly to favour and for his sake to shew all good esteeeme to his friends and kindred so farre as they shew not themselves unworthy to be favoured Constancy in loving and honouring a worthy man becomes Kings and largenesse of love even a kind of royall love beseemeth their persons and places for a worthy servants sake to advance his Father Bretheren and kindred This is a right Kingly love and such as can sort alone with men of such high quality Meaner persons want meanes to shew their favourable respect in such a spreading manner Indeed to preferre unworthy persons because they be of kinne to a man of great worth and much favoured is not agreeable to the rules of wisdome but let them be men capeable of favour and he doth not love a man thoroughly that for his sake doth not also love those that are neere unto him And if Princes have such a Princely love to their vertuous favourites how much more hath the living God to his These be things commendable in Pharaoh For his faults God hath beene pleased to reveale none but that common fault hee continued an Heathen though he had a Ioseph in his Court and highly preferred by himselfe It is a hard matter to get out of darkenesse and to come into light a divine spirit must joyne with the meanes or else the meanes will prove ineffectuall Let us pray to God to leade us into the knowledge of his truth or else we may live long with them that know it and yet learne nothing of it It is in our nature to settle our selves in the religion of our forefathers and not to consider whether it be true and good yea or not A kind of slitenesse in matter of religion doth raigne in the world men will not be at the trouble to examine that which they find in use they will not hazard themselves in crossing the common-voice so they swimme downe the streame and runne into perdition for company Let us be carefull to examine the things that we finde and seeing God hath vouchsafed us the happy guidance of his word let us learne to try all things and hold fast the good Onely in crying we must take heede that we be not of a kind of crosse humour that will strive to goe in a single way and will refuse things upon sleight grounds as if they were glad to find occasion to goe alone And so much for Pharaohs faults too Now his prosperity was great First God warned him of the Famine before hand that hee might prevent the danger of it to his people a great mercy to be made to understand evills long before that a man may hide himselfe from the evill of them the wisedome of man can alone guesse of future things and of some it cannot so much as guesse O how great favour doth God shew to men when he will lend them a little part of his Wisdome and tell them what mischiefes are comming on the world So God told David how Saul and the men of Keilah would have conspired against him Christ foretold his Disciples of the ruine of Ierusalem and made them able to save themselves out of that destruction Now wee must learne to esteeme it a greater mercy that we are forewarned of the evill to come in another world and acquainted with the onely meanes of flying from that unsufferable wrath Let us be as carefull to beleeve those predictions and to follow that counsell for escaping the mischiefe foretold as here Pharaoh was to beleeve Ioseph and to take his counsell and then shall we as assuredly escape the misery of eternall destruction as he and his Countrey escaped the unhappinesse of Famine A second benefit God gave Pharaoh a Ioseph a worthy servant a man of excellent Wisdome and faithfullnesse fit for that high honour of being Second to Pharaoh who in all things behaved himselfe as became a wise and godly man The Lord cannot give a greater benefit to a King and a Kingdome then by preferring a Ioseph by providing such a man and inclining the hearts of Kings to favour such this is a mercy which our prayers must obtaine for our King and for our selves Lord send Iosephs to the Court and guide the heart of his Majesty to love and advance Iosephs A third mercy he grew exceeding wealthy and a mighty Prince possessor in a manner of all the land of Egypt and had all the people as his servants to plow the ground for him so that he was a rich and mighty Prince But when Princes or other men become very great and high many times their weakenesse and corruptions turne that benefit into a misery and occasion of much mischiefe learne so to receive this benefit as to be earnest for grace to use it well that it may not turne to your destruction But of Pharaohs crosses we reade nothing he was so prosperous a King that no adverse accident is recorded to have befallen him Even to escape great crosses must be accounted a great mercy and if the Lord have caused any mans life amongst us to runne with so even a threed as it were that no adversity hath interrupted it he is so to take notice of this mercy as to take heed withall that he flatter not himselfe with vaine thoughts as if he were therefore much in Gods favour because of such immunity from outward evills Not so but we must ever remember that in the Psalme That the wicked are lusty and strong that they have no bonds in their death and that they be not in adversity as other men Hitherto of Pharaoh now of the Aegyptians both the land in generall and the chiefe officers about Pharaoh The land of Egypt was a rich land and fertile the Holy Ghost doth not speake much of their idolatry in Genesis But in after times they were infamous for it and there did Israel learne to be Idolatrous If God leave a people to themselves they will soone degenerate either into prophanenesse and a meere contempt of God or into false worship and Idolatry How thankfull ought wee to be to whom the Lord hath pleased to reveale his truth and to keepe us farre from worshipping a false god or embracing a false religion But we have an example of some good in these Egyptians and a great vertue it was they submitted themselves to their Governours with a very great submission The Famine lay upon them they were content to buy corne of Ioseph for money and when that failed to pawne their cattell and when that meanes was gone to sell their lands and themselves and did not rebell and with strong hand take corne to themselves whither Pharaoh and Ioseph would or not This was a most commendable thing in the Egyptians they would rather sell themselves to the skinne yea sell themselves
wirh him 2. Dealeth plainely with him 3. Hee dealt bountifully with him Abrahams good carriage to strangers Heb. 13.2 Abrahams faults before his calling James 3.2 His first fault idolatry Abrahams faults after his calling 1. Weakenesse of faith 1 Sam. 27.1 Exod. 6.12 2. A carnall feare of death Psal 118.6 Psal 23.4 3. He dissembled 4. He drew Sarah to sinne so farre as to indanger her chastity A double ignorance 5. Abraham had two wives 3. Abrahams benefits 1. Temporall 1. For himself 1. A good wife 1 Pet. 3 6. A good wife a great blessing Prov. 18. â—2 Prov. 9.14 Prov. 31.10 11 2 He had children Psal 127.5 3 He had good servants especially one 4. Abraham had good kinsmen 1. Lot 2. Nahor 5. Abraham had faithfull friends Prov. 18.24 5. Abraham had a good name Eccles 5.13 A great and famous victory Isa 41.2 3. 2. God did doe good to others for Abrahams sake 1. Blessed Lot and delivered him 2. Blessed Isaac giving him goods and goodnesse He gave also abundance of outward things to Ishmael Shewed favour to him after his death Psal 112.6 Abrahams spirituall blessings 1. He was called from a false religion to the true Gal. 3.8 2. Spirituall blessings 1. God made him gratious promises 2. Appeared to him many times to renue those promises 3. He entred into a covenant with him and his seede after him Abrahams crosses 1. He changed his countrey and left his fathers house Psal 45.10 Mat. 10.36 2. Was uncertaine where he should dwell 3. Suffered crosses 1. In Lot his kinsman 4. His wife Sarah was twice taken away from him 5. Sarah was barren 6. There fell out a great jarre betwixt him and Sarah 7. Sarah died before him Gen. 23.3 8. He suffered in Hagars ill carriage to Sarah and in her running away being with-child 9. Hee was made to divorce Hagar and send her quite away 10. Hee was forced to thrust Ishmael out of his family 11. Hee was crossed in Isaac many wayes Heb. 11.19 Abrahams death 1 Pet. 3.6 Sarahs birth Her life 1. Her vertues 1. Her faith Heb 11.11 2. Shee obeyed her husband Gen. 18.6 1 Pet. 3.1 1 Pet. 3.6 3. Shee reverenced her husband A double feare Gen. 18.12 1 Cor. 11.3 7 â— Shee was a loving Mother and nursed Isaac her selfe Gen. 21.7 5. Shee apparelled her selfe modestly 1 Pet. 3.5 1 Pet. 3.3.4 1 Tim. 2.9 10 Sarahs faults 1. Shee was weake in faith Gen. 18 12. Ver. 11. Ver. 14. Heb. 11.11 2. Shee being â—ngry â—alâ—ely accâ—sed her husband Gen. 16.5 Verse 6. 3. Shee was somewhat too rough with Hagar 4. She dissembled at her husbands request 5. She lyed Sarahs benefits 1. Shee vvas a holy vvoeman 2 Shee had a godly and rich husband that was well esteemed 3. Shee had a godly childe 4. God delivered her twice out of a misery into which she had cast herselfe Sarahs crosses 1. She was barren a long time 2. Shee was sleighted by her maide 3. She was taken from her husband into the house of Pharaoh and Abimelech Her death Her age onely of all women is mentioned in Scripture Hagar nothing in Scripture of her birth or death It is probable she feared God and why Her life 1. Her Vertues 1. Shee was obedient to her governours 2. Shee told the truth Gen. 16.8 3. Shee submitted her selfe to her Mistresse aâ— the Angels commandement 4. Shee was thankfull to God for his goodnesse in bringing her home to Abrahams family 5. Shee was patient 6. Shee was carefull to provide her sonne a convenient wife Sarahs faults 1. Shee grew proud 2. Shee ranne away from her Mistresse Her benefits 1. She was one of Abrahams servants 2. Shee had the favour of her Master and Mistresse Ephes 6.3 Tit. 2.9 Pro. 14 35. 27.18 3. She received great mercies from God 4. Shee had Ishmael and a promise concerning him Her crosses 1. Sarah used her hardly 2. Shee and her son were cast out of Abrahams family 3. Shee saw her sonne ready to die with thirst Gal. 4.21 Ver. 22. Ver. 23. Ver. 24. Ver. 25. Ver. 26. Gal. 4.29 Keturah Ishmael His Vertues 1 He was outwardly conformable and obedient to his father 2. He submitted himselfe to his father to be banished out of his house 3 Hee ioyned with Isaac in his Fathers funerall 4. He was ruled by his mother in marriage His faults 1. He mocked his brother Ephes 5.4 2 Was a wilde man 3. Hee was a quarrellsome fellow Gen. 16.12 His Benefits 1. Deliverance from two great dangers 2. God provided water for him when hee was ready to die for thirst 3. God himselfe gave him his name Gen. 21.17 Joh. 9.31 4. He prospered much in the world His death See Ainsworth on Gen. 25.17 Eliezer The Scripture saith nothing of his Birth and Death nor of his faults His vertues 1. He proceeded warily to an oath 2. Carried himselfe well to Abraham 1. Hee used speed in performing his oath The iourney was about 300 miles Mat. 5.33 Psal 15.4 2. He served his Master religiously 3. He praised God for his good successe 4. He was discreete 5. He had a care of his Camels 6 Was diligent and made hast about his businesse Col. 3.22 Ephes 6.5 His benefits 1. God gave him a godly Master 2. He had his favour 3. He was a true Christian 4. God prospered him His crosse Hee was a bond-man Abrahams Contemporaries Lot His death is not mentioned in Scripture His vertues He was a righteous man 2 Pet. 2.8 A twofold righteousnesse Gal. 3.21 22. The righteousnesse of the Gospell is twofold Lots particular vertues 1. He left his owne Countrey and Fathers house 2. Hee was troubled at the evill conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.8 Psal 119.136 So in drunkennesse 3. Hee was hospitall Heb. 13.2 1 Pet. 4.9 Christmas 4. He intreated the Sodomites to desist from their villany 5. He sought to deliver his sons in law 6. For a good while he kept close to his Unkle Abraham His faults 1. He chose to dwell in a fertile place among sinfull men 2. He continued to dwell in Sodome among great sinners 3. He offered his two daughters to the Sodomites Rom. 6.2 4. He lingred in Sodome till the Angels tooke him by the hand Job 2.4 6. Hee was twice drunken His benefits 1. God gave him repentance 2. He and his were delivered out of the burning of Sodome His afflictions were foure Lots wife Her benefits 1. Delivered from Captivity 2. Delivered out of the burning of Sodome Her sin shee looked back to Sodome Her punishment Lots daughters had no vertues their vices 1. They agreed together about two grievous crimes Gen. 19.31 Qui semel verecundiae limites transiluerit graviter impudentem esse oportet Their owne sinne they make their Father drunken Their speciall sinnes Abrahams confederates Their vertues 1. They were friends to Abraham It is a good thing to be a a friend to the godly Prov. 13.20 Mat. 10.22 Acts 28. 2.
it if you have it not yet get it if you have it labour to increase and nourish it by considering his great excellencie and great terriblenesse A third vertue Abraham had obedience that is his will was thoroughly subject to Gods will in all things so that he held this resolution within himselfe that whatsoever God bad him doe that he would doe for which God praised him saying because thou hast obeyed my voice and the Apostle saying he obeyed and went out Obedience is a resolution and indeavour to doe all that God bids because he bids Let us take some speciall acts of obedience wherein Abraham did crosse his reason and his affection and his credit and his profit and all to performe the will of God even therefore onely because God bad him whom he durst not out of feare and would not but out of love follow in all things First God gave him Commandement to leave his Countrey and Fathers house to goe out into a land which he should shew him A strong Commandement leave all thy kindred and goe into a Countrey thou knowest not whither but goe from place to place as I shall shew thee Here seemed no reason in this Commandement but Abraham obeyed it Gen. 12.1 Secondly when he came into the land of Canaan he did not build a Citie nor an house there but dwelt in tents as the Apostle noteth as a pilgrim and a stranger not having possession in it at all so much as a foot God gave him no place of abode but caused him to wander as himselfe telleth Gen. 20.13 This seemed an unhappy and unsetled life and flesh and bloud could not take content in such a kinde of living but because God injoyned Abraham so to live He submitted himselfe and did live so save that onely he bought a place to burie in as being still mindfull of his death A third heavie Commandement he received from God Gen. 17. 10. and 26. God made him to circumcise himselfe and all the males of his family and all that should after be borne when they were eight daies old and he made no question of it To circumcise was to cut off the top of the uppermost skinne of the secret part This seemed the foolishest thing in the world a matter of great reproach which would make him as it made his posterity after to seeme ridiculous to all the world It carried an appearance of much undecencie and shamefullnesse to cause all his servants to discover themselves unto him Much more might have beene alledged against this ordinance what good could it doe what was any man the better because he had wounded himselfe and put his body to that torment yet for all this Abraham disputed not objected not made no contrary allegations but presently the selfe same day tooke himselfe and his sonne Ishmael and all his servants in his house and circumcised them according to the commandement of Almighty God Yet a fourth commandement more tedious and contrary to reason and affection then all these which was of it selfe exceeding grievous in his sight as the Holy Ghost witnesseth that is the expulsion or excommunicating of his sonne Ishmael and of his mother Hagar yet when God commanded him to doe it Gen. 21.12 hee rose up the next morning betimes v. 14. and sent away both the mother and the sonne But last of all he obeyed a commandement that seemed to contradict nature and religion and Gods promise and his owne salvation and the salvation of all men and the truth and honour of God himselfe so that God was said to try him to the utmost in that commandement It was in sacrificing Isaac as the Spirit of God notâ—th Heb. 11. and Gen. 23. God bad him take Isaac and not instantly kill him in the place but goe three dayes journey and not knocke him on the head and there an end but offer him for sacrifice But what was this sonne the sonne of his old-age the sonne of his love which was so deare unto him yea the promised seede in whom it was said In Isaac shall thy seede be called and this sonne he offered after a most melting conference betwixt himselfe and Isaac his sonne all alone Here was an obedience incomparable and unparalable no man ever did the like except our Lord Jesus Christ who offered up himselfe which must needes be dearer to himselfe then Isaac was to Abraham So now marke the excellency of Abrahams obedience hee was obedient for the matter in hard and difficult things for the manner promptly and readily without gaine-saying speedily and presently without deferring and universally without excepting without picking and choosing If you be able to produce such obedience to justifie your faith that it may appeare your faith is a working faith then have you faith indeed and not in word alone but if your faith be not accompanied with an obedience of the same kind though not in the same degree whereby you are able to yeeld your selves to God resolving in all things readily and without delay or murmuring to yeeld unto him how are you obedient how have you faith such a faith as was Abrahams All therefore that say they beleeve as Abraham did but yet obey not as Abraham did yea are wilfull against Gods Commandements refusing to doe knowne duties and to leave knowne sinnes that will not circumcise the foreskin of their hearts nor leave their countrey and Fathers house nor cast out their Ishmaels nor offer up their Isaacs all such are beleevers alone in shew and not in deed Compare your selves with Abraham and if your obedience be not like his I say as before having the same ground extent and properties it is but a counterfeit faith whereof you boast and no true faith Therefore now be earnest with the living God to worke in you true subjection to him and to make you like Abraham his servant for God that wrought his heart to such flexiblenesse will and can performe the same for you Pray him to incline your hearts to his statutes beseech him to write his law in your hearts and to cause you to keepe his Commandements and judgements and doe them And if you find such an obedience though not so great yet that which hath the same ground and strives to attaine the same extent and properties then take comfort and be not afraid to call your selves sonnes and daughters of Abraham for Zacheus was the sonne of Abraham when leaving his greedinesse hee could make restitution and give to the poore Now a fourth vertue in Abraham was religiousnesse for it is said of him that hee built an Altar to God and that hee worshiped God and that he called on the name of God and that he payed tithe of all he had to Melchisedech and this is for our learning We must call upon God we must professe and practise true religion we must offer reall sacrifices on Christ the Altar we must also