in the Infallible Decision that instead of submitting to the Holy Decree it flies to Arms and Smites through the Loins of Truth it self whose Innocency God is oblig'd to clear up and defend The Fountains are broken up and the Waters appear already which in time shall swell into a mighty Deluge to overwhelm the whole Posterity of the Murderer The miserable Parents are drowned in a Flood of Tears which are hardly dried up on the discovery of that happy Spot of Earth which God substitutes to fill up the Vacancy of the Holy Martyr So easily can he baffle the Plots of Hell in polishing up a new Pillar of Righteousness to support his tottering Church 'T was the brave Seth that started into Life with the very Lineaments of his Brothers Piety and Goodness upon him and which afterwards Survive and Illustriously Shine in the incomparable Enoch the very Glory and Flower of the Old World whose Records though drawn with a sparing Hand and very hasty Pencil yet shall the Memory of this Saints mighty Namâ— and Excellencies be surely Immortaliz'd foâ— though others did Vertuously yet he exceeded them all And the Blessed Pen-man could noâ— justly pass from Him whose History would haâ— furnished a Volume when yet he Posts froâ— others with the short Dash of a long Life and a late Death only as if Eight or Nine hundred years were too little time to ripen them up to any Memorable Perfection but here he stops to transmit the Memoirs of the Great Enoch's unparallell'd Life and miraculous Translation to all Posterities for evermore For if the Treasure of a Pious Education into the Knowledge and Faith of the Messias If the mighty Effluxes of the Blessed Spirit Hallowing that Knowledge into an unreserved Dedication of his Heart and Life unto God If an irradiated Mind a resigned Will and right ordered Affections If Hatred and Abhorrency of Sin a valiant Opposition of others Impiety aâ—d a blessed Walking and Communion with the Holy Trinity be Furniture enough to Adorn and Dress up a Saint surely all these unitedly met and concentred in Him. No wonder then that some whose Eyes are dazled in the Brightness of his Holiness mistake him for an Angel Incarnate but others more modestly the Friend and Familiar of God. View him enriched with a Prophetical Spirit and the Eye of his Soul divinely illuminated to foresee at the many Thousand years distance the Glorious Procession of the blessed Jesus with the Myriads of his Holy Ones passing down from Heaven to keep the Great Assizes of the General Judgment and to execute Vengeance upon all the Vngodly of both Worlds whose Blasphemous and Vngodly Speeches whose Profanenesses and Vngodly Practices his Chast Soul so heartily abominated and so passionately lamented and against which the flaming Zeal of his Heart issued forth in so constant Menaces of the Wrath and Judgment that That Fearful Day would bring upon them That his Prophetick Soul foresaw the Deluge is not to be questioned since his very Son was a Pillar on whose Name that Judgment was very legibly Inscribed And in Truth an easier Augury might Prophesie the Overflowing of Wrath as but the Natural Effect of the Inundation of Sin which in His days by the unhappy Commixture of the Two Families had spread its contagious Streams over all the World. History tells us that it was his Custom to Congregate the People in order to the deprecating so direful an Execution And to assure them that the World was of no longer Duration than the Life of his Son and that whensoever he died the Bloody Blow will come upon them which answerably happened for though some say that the Flood came not till six years after Methuselah's Death yet others averr more truly in the very same year and others again but seven days God it seems giving in that Week also to the hundred years allowed for Repentance but not a day longer when now after the Decease of this Good Patriarch they might according to his Fathers Prediction expect the Judgment to fall upon them every hour Doubtless the Holiness of Enoch as the very shining of the Sun is a Torment to Sore Eyes had contracted upon him the General Odium of the Wicked but while he laboured under this Burden and the Danger of their Persecutions the Almighty God mounts him up into the Securities of his own Bosom 'T was not fit indeed that the Phoenix of the whole Creation should be liable to the Gun-shot of its Malice To prevent which and lest they should offer Indignity to his Sacred Dust after Death the very Qualities of his Body by a sudden and admirable Change are rendred connatural with those of his Soul He is all Spiritual and made a fit Inhabitant for the Celestial Kingdom whose Translation hath caused a World of different Opinions many voting him to be still Alive but cannot agree where to find or where to fix him whether on Earth or Air in Adam's Paradise or Gods. They tell us he feeds on Angels Food and his very Cloaths are preserv'd from wearing as theirs in the Wilderness leading a Life of perpetual Contemplation and Joy in God and is reserv'd with Elias to the Service of the Confusion of Antichrist in the last times But enough of this While the Eye of the Soul is Watchful to keep it self fixt and Intent on the Beauty of Holiness that is Ten thousand times enough to compleat up a perfect Happiness to Angels and Men Inferior Suitors may despair to Lure away the Affections that are infinitely delighted in that Ravishing Object yet no sooner is it averted from the Fountain of Complacencies but an Army of Temptations break in upon it and offer their several Contributions to patch up a Satisfaction that is only to be found in God. Thus the Unconstant Family of Seth Blessed and secure in their Virgin Love while they persevered in Fidelity to their first Amours Now alas grown weary and tir'd with a Spiritual Husband employ their Traiterous Senses to cater a-new after fresh Provisions which must fill up the Vacuities of their Squeamish Appetites when lean Kids are dress'd up into Venison and serve well enough to delude the undiscerning Stomach Thus their First Father exchang'd a God for a Wife of Dust and mistook an Apple for a Deity And these degenerous Sons of God unworthy of that high Relation while they gaze on the Beauty of the Daughters of Men are bewitch'd to write the Bill of their own Divorce from their Chaster Nuptials to Marry themselves to everlasting Ruine The Ties of Friendship that long Acquaintance and Familiarity have contracted between Men have been often so Sacred and Strong that the Violation of them have occasioned great Commotion of Heart and can we think that these Gentlemen could so chearfully pass from the purer Flames of Divine Love into the Embraces of Vanity without some Check and Allay to the Fury of their hot Desires There is something within that is ever
the natural Seed of his Body whose names should be written in the Earth and whose very Souls would cleave to the Dust But by these he decyphered to him the Spiritual (*) (*) (*) Prius promiserat semen tanquam pulverein terrae hic sicut stellas coeli illud potuit fillos Naturales hoc Spirituales significare Ainsworth Children of his Faith all the World over whose names are written in Heaven and who should shine as Stars for ever and ever Great indeed is the difference of these from the other And Holy Records wiâ—ness that Abraham of the innumerable Children of his Flesh had but too few of his Spirit Isaiah is so bold to tell us That by that time God had measur'd off with the long Ell of his Justice almost the whole Piece to Destruction for their unhappy Apostasie from the Holy Practices of their Great Father but a short Remnant was left that following his steps arrived at last in the Heavenly Canaan with him From the lovely face of that Heaven enamell'd with so many shining Stars which Abraham's Eyes beheld in the clearest night Turn now thine own Reader and gaze on another enriched with Lights surmounting far all those and of a more eternal duration than they illustrating the Great Abraham's name 'T is his splendent Faith attended on by all her Train of Graces expatiating all the Rooms of his Soul by a ravishing Dilatation to receive in all the Joys of this so vast a Blessing and giving it the most welcome Entertainment that her little Powers are able in this narrow condition she is in 'T was mighty Faith that brought him out of his Country but what is this that passeth him out of himself leaving all his Reason and Senses behind him combating against all the Impossibilities of Nature when there was not the least ground to fix the Foot of Belief on but what was ready to sink under him All hopes as tottering as his reeling Body and as dead as his Sarah's Womb yet now to hope against all Hope and out of Death it self to believe out Life and that with a Courage as resolute and immovable as admits not the least Allay of Fear or Doubt but to give Glory to God by resigning himself up by a perfect dependance on the Infallibility of the Promise and full assurance of the Faithfulness and Power of him that made it without the least staggering thought This is such a Faith in the Perfection and Flower of it that doth render him so exceeding acceptable in the Eyes of God that he shall be henceforth confirmed in a perfect Immunity from all the dangers of Sin and Death which shall never prevail eternally against him and shall qualifie him so compleatly for all â—he Honours of Divine Friendship that he shall â—e taken into the Bosom and for ever acknowâ—edged as the Faithful Friend of God. As he â—ath justified his Faith by so noble Fruit as this â—o will God Justifie it too by setting his Seal to the Truth and Excellency of it and Justifying Him the Subject of it and stamping on him the Mark and Honourable Character of a truly Religious and most sincere Believer Abraham believed in the Lord and it was counted to him for Righteousness Come hither thou that art called a Christian see the Criterion of thy future Estate Thou say'st thou believest thou doest well do not the Devils also Believe and Tremble But hast thou Abraham's Justifying Faith Take a Survey of the Weakness of thine and the Vanity of thy Hopes for Heaven Abraham travelled out of all and chearfully gave up himself to be led by the Absolute Will of his God when thou lodgest still in the dark Entry of Nature and laughest at all the Invitations of his Grace Thou mockest the Messengers of God that are sent to call thee and sticking still in the Creature and Self disputest his Authority to rule thee Abraham feasted himself in the Joys of an Invisible Saviour and made many a Sweet Banquet upon the Promise while thou art guzling on the draughts of Lust and greedily sucking in the deadly Potions of Sin little remembring there is Death in the Pot that Poysons thy Soul and Hopes together He rejoyced in the Children of his Faith which should make up a Church unto God while they are all the Objects of thy Malicious Hate who bear the least shadow of his Image upon them He bore up a Spirit against all the Temptations of Life and under all the Enticements of a Great and Rich Estate ever devoting the Cream and Elixir of his Thoughts and Heart unto God when thou lockest up thy Soul in a narrow Ware-house and drownest all thy Hopes in a shallow Stream He dreaded not the formidable Powers of the World that had captiv'd a Member of the Church whilst thou with Saul art breathing out Menaces and Slaughter and shooting all thy Darts into the Heart of Christ He had strength to wrestle with God himself and would not be beaten back without a Blessing when thy Spirit sinketh with the very thoughts of that Power whom thy wicked Life hath made thine Enemy He comes back laden with the Riches of a Promise which should make himself and all his true Children Happy when thy poor Heart is courting other Delights and is a perfect Stranger to the Pleasures of a Saviour Go Christian get a better Faith that may Justifie thy Person before God since be sure such works as these can never Justifie thy Faith before Men. Abraham thus assured of an infinite Posterity grows now sollicitous and thoughtful for them he discovers the nature of those cares that Afflict the Bosoms of every Godly Parent He is fearful that his Children may deviate from the steps of his own Uniform Obedience and Righteousness nor wear the same Livery of Grace that adorned his Loyal Spirit and Hallowed all his Actions His first Care is to enjoy a Progeny and his next that they might enjoy God and be Good. How rarely doth this Holy Anxiety oppress the Minds of Men How would Abraham have swooned then to have seen some of his Impious Children sacrificing their Sons and Daughters unto Devils The Angels themselves were created subject to a possible Folly and Multitudes of them fell by a dreadful Apostacy He had reason to fear that his Children who were but Dust might be foolish too and forgetful of the Rock of their Salvation who might therefore sell them into the hands of their Enemies who would surely deprive them of their Fruitful Canaan Nor was this fear the least Flaw in the Jewel of his Faith but rather an Holy Ray that darted from it It abates not at all of the Perfections of God that he is Jealous The Church is his Spouse he is Married to her and would have her Holy as Himself If Abraham to the Promise of a Seed and an Inheritance for them might have another to secure them in it by a Faith and Spirit like his
God And whatsoever I am in my Self that will I be to thee I will be a God to thee Secondly As I am God I am Almighty and Alsufficient both for my self and all my Creatures that shall close with me I will make over the Fulness and Alsufficiency of my Godhead to thee There is nothing in it communicable to the Creature but what shall be secured to and imployed for Thee and Thine on all occasions Thirdly The very same Priviledge shall be secure to all the Children of thy Faith for evermore I will be their God and I do hereby firmly and unalterably Covenant with thee to be a God unto Thee and Them. To do and be whatsoever a God can do and be to his People in Covenant with him Fourthly I will confirm my part of these Covenants to thee and thy spiritual Seed by mine Oath which shall never be broken And they shall be one day further Ensured and Sealed in the Blood of my Son. Now on the other side what I require of thee Abraham and all thy Seed that shall enter into this Covenant after thee is no more than what every Woman engageth to her Husband to be faithful and Loyal I will be wholly to thee and thou shalt be wholly to me I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other Gods but me This is my Covenant therefore thou shalt Walk before me in Vprightness with a Perfect Heart and a willing Mind Thine Eye and Heart shall be ever upon me to admire thine own Happiness in all my Perfections Thou needest not hunt after Creatures with expectation of other Good than what is secured to thee in my Self Didst thou know what a Portion thou hast in a God thou wouldst disdain to turn aside after Idols Thou hast mine Alsufficiency made over to thee out of which as from an inexhaustible Fountain thou mayst draw out all thy Supplies What need they run to Streams that have a Command of the Spring-head Let thy Children be but Faithful and Constant to me and give themselves up by an adequate measure of Trust and Confidence in my Truth and Covenant relying wholly on my Wisdom and Goodness in providing for them and casting all their cares upon Me they shall ever reap the sweet Effects of that Recumbency while they give me the Glory of their Faith I will never leave them I will never forsake them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not no by no means I will not While they keep up entire Affections towards me I will delight to do them good with all my Heart and with all my Soul But if they run Whoring from me for I am a Jealous God I shall soon discover the least Aberration of their unfaithful Hearts and have Wayes enough tho' Sharp and Thorny to Hedge up their wandring Steps and reduce them again to their First Husband But Integrity of Soul will be their greatest Glory and the higher their Affections shall arise by perfect Dependance upon me the more sweetly will all the streams of my Love and Goodness flow out upon them I will fill their Souls wit◠Joy and Peace in Believing They shall taste Angels food and feast themselves with the Bread of Heaven The very Marrow and Fatness of my Bounty shall be their daily Repast They shall not envy the Prosperities of the Wicked that are feeding themselves to an Eternal Slaughter When the ravishing sence of my Love alone shining in upon them shall furnish out all Varieties of ineffable Pleasures to them they shall pity those that are walking in the Shadows of Death and See with none other but Brutish Eyes when the Beams of my Presence shall Gild all the Chambers of their Souls and make a continual Goshen there When the World shall reproach and reject them because of their Fidelity to my Covenant and they complain how much they suffer for me I will extend the Arms of my tender Mercies to receive them into mine own Embraces and safety And should some of them as my Witnesses be delivered up to the Malice of their Enemies and they Mercilesly kill them all the day long and lead them as Sheep to the slaughter yet shall Death be so far from separating them from my Love that themselves shall be more than Conquerours over all while all the surviving of them may prepare their Eyes to see the Vengeance and their feet to be washed in the Blood of their Enemies Is not this laid up with me and sealed among my Treasures Treasures of Wrath which shortly shall be poured on them and fall down in whole Cataclismes of Judgment on their Guilty Heads and Souls who have eaten up my People as Bread. The dread of Death must not tempt them to recede one Inch from their Sincerity since they have a God who is a Fountain of Life and that little little of it they breath out in the World is not a Drop compared to the River of Life they shall Swim in to Eternity But that little how little soever it be when Offered to my Glory is so pleasing a Sacrifice as cannot fail to draw from mine Exchequer the singular Retributions of my Favour on those happy Souls who so valorously surrender up their All to my Truth and Honour in assured Confidence of an happier Being in my Self 'T is the Triumph of my Justice to render unto every Man according to his Work As to their Executioners the hotter Fires of my Wrath and double Portions of my Plagues so more resplendant Crowns for the Loyal Heads of those who failed not to write the Evidences of their Integrity and Love in the dearest Blood of their Hearts How preeious then in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Whose Souls are so securely bound up in the Bundle of Life with the Lord their God that all their Enemies on Earth that all the Devils in Hell cannot slacken the Knots of that Vnion by which they are fastened to Himself Life is Theirs to fit them for and Death is Theirs to bring them to his Glory and blessed Fruition of his Endless Love. And in nothing could God have manifested a greater Love to his Abraham than by prescribing a Duty so perfectly agreeable to his own Holy Nature which is Pure Simple and Unmixt He is what He is and cannot be any thing else than what he discovers Himself to be the only True and Faithful God keeping Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commands And 't is Sincerity alone Truth in the inward Parts the Service of a real and perfect Heart that he requires He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee more than to do justly as Himself will to love mercy as Himself doth and to walk humbly before him To be holy as he is holy perfect as he is perfect looking towards Him with the simgle Eye of Fidelity and Love and directing all thy Devotions to him with
great a Prince as Isaac He knew that Marriages were made in Heaven Let her whom thou hast appointed c. His Prayer is no sooner made than granted Those drive on heavily where God knocks off the Wheels of Expedition but where Himself is in the Course the Chariot flees like that of Aminadab Abraham might have taken his Choice of all the Princesses of Canaan for his Son but behold here a Woman with a Pitcher on her Shoulder is ordained to make his Daughter Hath not God chosen the Poor of this World Rich in Faith to make a Spouse for his own Son We Note not the Meanness of Rebekahs Family the same with Abraham's but the Simplicity and Innocency of those early Times in the plain Education of their Children when Pride and Idleness ruines our own Eliezer is so far from liking her the worse that her Humility was the only Virtue that recommended her to him and the Woman that could be so courteous and lowly to draw Water for himself and his Camels is a concurrent Evidence from Heaven to his own judgment of the best Wife for his Young Master While the Dainty Fingers of our Ladies muff up themselves from Rebekahs Pitcher and Rachel's Crook God thinks them unworthy to be promoted into the Beds of Isaac and Israel in the Family of Abraham 'T is the humble Mary that in the rejection of all the Proud Princesses of the World is called to the everlasting Honour of drawing out her Breasts to a God. Eliâ—zer makes the first Attack upon Rebekahs Heart by a Charge of Jewels and Manacles her Arms and Affections together Now is the House and all in it too little for him into which she runs as his Prisoner with the Chains on little yet thinking that within a day or two she should be drawn out of it by the Man whom she calls her Brother to lead in The diligent Servant will receive no Entertainment till he knew whether his Message may not be as welcome as his Person 'T is not enough that he comes from Abraham unless he may go away with Rebekah He politickly takes the course of the World and first presents them with an Inventory of his Great Masters Estate He thinks that the Argument of Riches will prevail more than that of Consanguinity and he Doubles it to them when he truly tells them that all was given him of God. His Gold would wear like Iron without the Canker of a Curse upon it And to all he adds this That the Excellent Person he woes for is the Sole Heir of all And in conclusion intreats the result of their Thoughts and that they might come to some speedy Resolution So good a Motion as this requires no long time for Consideration unless they purpose to deliberate to their own disadvantage They could not mend themselves any where in all the World and therefore they think it Prudence to come off Frankly and yield up a ready Consent They plainly perceive a Divine Providence in the Motion and will not oppose the Holy Will and Wisdom of God Behold Rebekah is before thee take her and go c. The Hearts of Men are in the Hands of God therefore Eliezer humbly bows in Thanksgiving to the God that had bowed them The Good Servant had learnt this holy Practice from his Old Master that was ever falling down before his Maker Not a word all this while of any Portion 't is a Wife that Abraham requires for his Son not Money Matters thus Auspiciously concluded the Presents are delivered first to the Bride and then to her Friends This was the laudable Custom of Antiquity Rebekah by these Jewels may judge before-hand what a well-furnished Closet she will find at home All Parties are satisfied Mirth and Joy refresh their Hearts while they eat and drink together in Love. Eliezer as a good Servant urges dispatch while they plead for Ten days time to take leave of their Sister The Controversie at length is referred to Rebekah her self who modestly yields her assent to the Stewards Request She is dismissed with her Nurse and Maids and a Thousand Prayers to attend them While we leave them a little on the Journey let us take notice how happy she is like to be in an Husband Isaac's Holy Mind was not so vainly carried away with the pleasing Conceits of Marriage that should cause him to neglect the Remembrance of his Duty to God Piety is the sure Ground of every Blessing He builds aright indeed that layes his foundation in Heaven The World is but a tottering Basis that hath buried the Greatest Families in Ruine Blessed is the Heart that is first Married to Christ and from the Crowd of Distractions here below makes very frequent Retreats to keep up a daily Converse with the Spiritual Husband who is not so Strange or Unkind but will give it a Meeting at any time and manifest Himself to it Thou Lord meetest him that rejoyceth in thee We are assured he will not fail drawing near to those that draw near to him This was the Heavenly Practice of Isaac the Holy Son of so Blessed a Father whose Soul was ever filled with God. What a lovely Draught of his Devotion hath the Divine Pencil presented to our Eye Isaac went out to meditate in the Fields in the Evening Meditation is the Souls pitching on some Branch of the Tree of Life where it sits viewing its own Happiness and chirping out Praises to God the Author of it Next to Abraham no Man living had a more pleasant Prospect of sweeter Objects than Isaac to contemplate Heaven and Earth was but one Field for his unlimited Soul to walk in From the lower Terraces here in the World without the help of his Sons Ladder might he mount up to the the Turrets above and Feast his Eyes with the Glories of Paradise He was equally Heir of both Canaan's confirm'd to him by the very Oath of God. Could he want Subject then for holy Meditation or Praise or Comfortable Matter for his busie Thoughts to work on Thoughts are the Issues of the Mind that Prolifick Parent whose Children are all of one Nature with it self and never differ in Quality from it If that be Terrestrial so are They but if Holy they cannot be unclean and should they prove so they are with Ishmael cast out There is no lodging for them in Abraham's House Behold Isaac's Pious Exercise like an Antiquated Custom grown quite out of Use The Defection of the Old World come upon us All the Imaginations of the Heart for the greatest part of Men evil and only evil and that continually God is not in all their thoughts He by whom we have the Power and Faculty of Thinking quite forgotten The very Cream of our Souls leaking out in full Streams after Vanity and nothing left for God Ephraim feedeth on Wind. But hath the Christian no better fare to Feast on Hath God spread all the Treasures of his unsearchable Grace and
Holy Testament of the Son of God and counting the Blood of the Covenant but a mean and unholy thing shall do this despite to the Spirit of Grace But Blessed God! pity the Blind and Pardon the Blasphemy of those miserable Creatures who tax Infinite and Incomprehensible Wisdom of Weakness and Defect in not cloathing the Imperial Ordinances in such proper Dress as should best set off their Beauty and Lustre and therefore run Whoring after the vain Ebullitions of humane Brains in Slight of the Divinity and Glory that every where sparkles thrô the Sacred Leaves of these Heavenly Volumes and which are so far from the least failure in the Majesty of their Meen that 't is That alone has smitten away their Eyes and now they idly Prate against the Sun whose powerful Darts have struck them blind and left them senseless And surely the Voice of the Lord is powerful the Voice of the Lord is full of Majesty And the Thunder that rattleth from the God of Glory through the Air of but Three Chapters in Job and but One or Two in Isaiah hath sent away in a Fright the loudest Hyperbole's as the Winds into their Caverns to hide their Heads in shame and silence and who sees not that the whole Vatican of all Created Wit shuts up it self in Despair and sneaks away perfectly baffled by them But it pitieth me to hear of any Son of Levi furthering the Conspiracy who is commanded to execute the Revenge and to sheath the Sword of his fiercest Rage in the very Bowels of this Lust 'T is insufferable to bring the Trayteress into the very Pulpit there to draw the Ark of God with Philistine Heifers yet there are who strongly infected with this Gnostick Humour blow up the Bladder of this Hypocondriack Vanity with most strenuous Sides and Lungs but to judge Charitably in an enforced Conformity to the proud Humour of the Age they Sing the Lord's Song in a strange Language while by the too ravishing Notes of their quavering Throats they faintly languish away the whole strength of their Errand and cause it all to dye into Air and Nothing feeding their Auditors with a flash of Wind and giving them Musick instead of Meat Though Nero was so Ambitious to be reputed the best Fidler in Rome yet 't is below the glory of a Prince to speak Romance Laws are delivered in the gravest Expressions God spake these Words and said is Oratory enough to Preface the Divine Mandates and enforce the World to obey them Who sees not how strangely Profaneness hath encroached upon us since we have fancied the Men of this Generation so easie and good Natur'd to be thus readily Complemented out of their very Right Hands when yet we see them keep their Purses so close and part from their Lusts and Money with the like Torment Though the Galathians Eyes were once at Paul's Service yet our People have Wit enough to keep theirs in their Heads Nay 't is observable too how well it pleaseth some of these Gentlemen to meet their Idea's at Church and he that with the finest hand can Anatomize their Lusts before them shall be Prophet to them while themselves with the Monster that ript up his Mother make a curious Inspection into the very Bowels of them and repeat them again by endearing Contemplation As that famous Usurer that so generously rewarded the Homilies that sunk his Extortions to the pit of Hell out of hopes that while they frighted others into some Reformation himself might continue them with the advantage of a better Trade The Spirit of the World which maintained so firm Possession in the Hearts of Ezekiel's Hearers had more Wit than to be play'd out by the sweet Minstrelsey of his pleasant Layes and sure we have less hope whose Lyres are not strung by Heaven that the Devil of Atheism that snugs so securely in the innermost lodges of Mens Souls and with the Serpent twists himself about their whole Hearts will be exorcis'd by the loudest Adjurations of any Son of Scaeva who shall idlely call on the Name without the Spirit or Power of the Holy Jesus and how far such have prospered in the attempt I must leave to the discretion of too sad and sensible Experience But still methinks it is pity the Fiend should so peaceably Nestle there while the effectual Charms of ever powerful Naked Truth would work more successfully to unloose and unkennel him Very Rams-Horns when blown by the Breath of Faith shall Rase the Foundations which all the Engines of Nature must ever despair to shake or pull down Thus by an Ominous Chymistry we are Calcining all the very substance of our Religion into Dust and Fancy and nothing less than a Miracle of Mercy can deliver us from the ill Effects of the same Humour in that Egyptian Dame who in a tottering Pinnace light as her Brains and Body driven with Purple Sails and Silver Oars and attended with infinite Consorts of Musick did thus lasciviously deliver her self up into the fatal Dalliances of the Roman Usurper and God knows how little Ballast of Solidity is left to secure us while we are whiffling away the Honour and Happiness of being once esteemed the most Sober and Excellent Nation in the World When now the Massey Gold of our former Reputation and Virtue is beaten into Leaf and with the hopes of being better is all taking flight into Air. 'T is not from the abundance but want of that Holy Oyl that once perfumed Aaron's Beard the true Unction that would Consecrate even us into Kings and Priests unto God if we had it that this Levity like a Dangerous Defluxion is passed down from our Heads upon the Skirts of our Garments A giddy Brain hath created in us a frothy Spirit hung all within with Vanity the very Soul wantonizing in her darkest Cells and then hating so close a Confinement makes haste to break Prison and open those Windows which expose her Meretricious Wares to publick View and Plague and to draw a more universal Trade and Custom the very Case whence this Raree-show stares out with her Whorish and bewitching Lights must be Glazed and Guilt O Dinah Dinah the too clear Mirrour of our Vnfortunate Age my Soul bleeds for thee the only Daughter of so great a Prince the Delight of his Eyes and Joy of his Life what a wound didst thou open in the Bosom of so dear a Parent What killing Sorrows did thy perhaps innocent and undesigning thô most Tragical Curiosity in gazing after such Prospects as these heap on his woful aking Heart but what dreadful effects to thy self the irrecoverable Loss of thine Honour and his Peace together And thou England the very Darling of Heaven who hast been wrapt in the distinguishing Coat of thy Father's Love to the Envy and Sorrow of thy treacherous Brethren who have been Trucking with Ishmaelites to sell thee into Egypt and dipping thy Coat already in Blood to represent thee as devour'd when
Hell Who but these have rais'd up all the Assassinations and Massacres upon the Body of the Church not only by Heathenish and Pagan Instruments but have sent their thousands and ten thousands into Death by the less merciful hands of those who Drunk with Blood have yet the blasphemous Impudence to call themselves by the Name of Jesus Who but these had the Brow to move the Court of Heaven for the subversion of the whole Colledge of the Apostles at once and with an equal Insolence to endeavour the utter evacuating the whole Project of our Eternal Redemption by tempting the great Authour of it to cast himself upon sinful and unwarrantable Means of Preservation and directly tending to his Ruine and when that would not take consult together more effectually to work their Ends by the cursed Treachery of his own Servant In a word these are they that have wrought all the late Storms and Tempests in the World 't is they have wrought all the Devastations that Turkish and Gallican Tyranny have executed for them The unnatural Wars in our own Bowels the horrid Massacres of the Church in France and Ireland the deplorable Fewds among our selves these have kindled our Fires burnt up our Cities enflamed our Spirits contrived the Plots of our Ruine and are yet at work very briskly to bring them to Perfection And all this from the Inveterate Hatred they bear to God and Man roaring as Lyons to devour twisting themselves as Serpents to deceive by all subtle wayes and wiles beyond all imagination by secret and invisible Engines and Artifices profound Stratagems and Devices making use of all sorts of Means and Instruments as well by real Friends as professed Enemies to the very Wife of thy Bosom nay to the dividing thy self and making a Party for themselves in thy Heart And yet we snore in our security and dally in an insensibleness of any danger while yet these mighty Enemies are round about they fill the Air we breath in and hover over our Heads and are prying into all our most retired Actions and are Witnesses to all our Villanies to give Evidence against us in the last Day Nay they mingle themselves with our very Affections and Passions and fly-blow our very Prayers and Devotions and Charities endeavouring to render tham all fruitless and unprofitable to us and unacceptable to God. In short instead of wishing well to us assisting us in our Work rejoycing in our Conversion and ministring to our Comfort the service of the good Angels these repine at our Welfare hinder our Repentance Lull us along in our Security terrifie our Spirits imbitter our Lives enrage our Enemies enstrange our Friends disease our Bodies and betray our Souls For all which and infinite other unmentioned Calamities and Disasters from them whom may we justly Curse and execrate as the Original cause of all but Sin which by its malignant Influences and wicked Inchantments from being amiable Creatures of the sweetest Inclinations and Affections hath transformed them into real Furies and Devils against us Come hither Reader and with that Roman Souldier envy me the Honour of preparing the Funerals of the great Pompy alone but bring with thee all the Luminaries of thy Soul gather all the straggling forces of thine utmost reason and considering Faculties and all too little to ruminate as thou oughtest on this rueful Spectacle David once bitterly Mourned at the Bier of one Prince of Israel Slain by the Treachery of an insolent Traytor But who hath slain all these Heaps upon heaps once glorious Princes of Heaven O see what a slaughter sin hath made upon them And then consider the weight of that Argument presented to thee by Peter and Jude If God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down into Hell and delivered them into Chains of darkness to be reserved unto Judgment How will he spare thee They were Angels Infinitely above thee in the Dignity of their Nature and Creation yet Greatness was no Argument for Mercy They were a Multitude in the confederacy yet neither did the Number of the Offenders move pity in the least but one and all Thousands of them to Hell without Mercy yet it was the first Offence too they sinned but once and some think but in Thought and Justice seized upon them to Execution and God dealt not with them as with thee and me Reader on whom he hath long waited even while we have been multiplying provocations and stirring up his wrath to destroy us yet still hath he waited to be gracious to us And methinks 't were pity to make a God wait in vain upon us to lose all the Expences of his Patience and Expectation from us We would do well to think on it and the force of the Apostles most Pathetick Argument Despisest Thou the riches of his Goodness and Patience and Long-suffering Thou that art but a poor Worm a Clod of the Earth and no Angel a Creature of Yesterday and who art crushed before the Moth and whose Foundation is in the Dust Despisest thou And who art thou that should despise a God And to despise him too To entertain low and unbecoming thoughts of Him that could Nod thee into Hell and send thee to accompany Devils in Torments Not so much as to have an Eye towards him or to spend a Look upon him or to concern thy Thoughts about him thinkest him unworthy of thy Notice or Observation and yet a God and such a one on whom Angels and blessed Spirits Gaze with unspeakable Admiration and Delight not to have the least sense of him No neither whilst he is flowing out to thee in the sweetest of his Communications that of his Goodness to despise Goodness and that Goodness not to others but thy self thy self Reader to despise a God who hath been so long good to thee The very Fountain of all the good Mercies thou hast enjoyed and herein good as not to punish thee for the abuse of those Mercies but is still waiting Now if thy reason be not drench'd into a perfect Bruitishness be thine own Judge whether such Goodness should not lead thee to Repentance A mercy he never vouchsafed to the Angels never waited to see whether they would return or no but for the first Sin delivers them to Justice layes them in Chains and reserves them to destruction while yet he is still Courting thee to come in and submit Declares himself unwilling to ruin thee makes Oath of it That he hath no delight in thy Blood but infinitely rather that thou shouldest return and Live and thou may'st believe him Reader thou hast his very Heart in that Protestation Well 't is not unworthy thy most serious Reflection to fix a while on Gods Severity towards these Angels who are now under Chains of wrath and thou art walking presumptuously on the snares of Death too but should thy feet stumble on the dark Mountains as they will and the fall of thy Body shall burst out thy
one Glance from thy Turrets upon these Spirits and remember in what State they once lived In a City built and furnish'd as Richly as Infinite Power and Wisdom could contrive and expend for its Glory The very Gates of Pearl and the Streets of pure Gold An House made with no other Hands than what a God hath Yet from all that Heighth and Magnificence Pride has tumbled them down into a Tophet whose Chambers are deep and large too but whose Fire burns and is enkindled by the Breath of an incensed God into a streaming Flame for ever And are you sure Sir that your Walls are strong enough to secure you from the like Tragedy 'T will be a dreadful Change to pass out from your Stately Pallace into a scorching Hell. But what must we pity Devils then No but our selves rather who in a dreadful Fearlesness are merrily passing on to the same Misery and sure they Merit little Pity from us who lay so many Trails of Ruine for us to drag us into the Sorrows themselves endure and would but Mock and deride us if in Torments with them Nor have I the Charity of Origen to believe that all the Flames in which they Suffer will ever prevail to Purge out the Malignity of their Poisonous Natures nor refine them into Purity Truth it self hath averr'd that their Fire shall never never be quenched and if it were not so he would have told us No Reader no Pride hath done their work for them to the purpose and thoroughly fix'd them the open avowed Irreconcilable Enemies of God and all Goodness yet still methinks to see these Great and Mighty Princes footing it as Servants upon Earth or wandring in the Air with the Shackles of Vengeance at their Heels for these Principalities with the Fingers and Toes of their Native Royalties cut off to be banish'd into the place of Dogs to pick Scraps from under the Table and to swallow the Bones of Eternal Affliction with no other Drink than the Poison of Dragons and the Dregs of the Wrath of the Almighty cannot be in the sense of all but a sad and deplorable Spectacle And though we cannot so Pathetically commiserate their Degradation and Sorrows yet are we more senceless and hardened than they if when after God hath hung them up before the Sun in the Fetters of his fiercest Anger and made them the lasting Monuments of his fiery Indignation to all Generations If I say while we Gaze on Them we do not Compassionate our selves and fortifie our Spirits by all imaginable Care against the Mischiefs of Sin that of Pride especially which hath brought all these Plagues and Judgments upon them Buoys of dire Vengeance chained here To raise up Vniversal Fear To Quash the Mountains and melt down The Pride of each Terrestrial Crown Rattle your Fetters into th' Ears Of a Deaf World that laughs at Fears While yet You Tremble These Secure As if as Innocent as Pure As once were you themselves Immure Methinks an Hierarchy in Hell Might sink the Tumour thô it swell If not the Baffle will soon appear All on Themselves not Me when There Adam's Tragedy Brethren in the Common Nature however distinguished by Accidents of Life The Progeny of the first Adam subjected by Him to Sin and Death Redeemed from all by the Blood of a Saviour Were there in you an Heart agreeable to that Grace Do not Baffle the Project of the Trinity to save you nor Frantickly Tear off the Plaister designed to Heal you Heaven is no place for unsanctified Flesh stand to the Tryal if you dare The Judge is at the door that will more sensibly convince you who hath sent you word before-hand That without Holiness no man shall see God. Hast out of the Rotten House of your first Father and while Vengeance pursues you you are Mad indeed if you fly not to the City of Refuge 1 COR. XV. 22. In Adam all dye SIN having made this havock above and glutted it self with Angels Blood let us now pass on to take a view of the direful Desolations it hath wrought below 'T will fight neither against Small nor Great but only against Kings for having already destroyed these Spiritual Princes it still pursues the High Game and now le ts fly at the first and Greatest on Earth When the Eternal Word spake things into Being that had no Pre-existence and commanded admirable Order and Form to start up out of Confusion and Chaos He not only gave a Naked Life to his Creatures but cloathed them with unexpressible Beauty and Ornament each Creature richly garnish'd in his Natural Dress that was meet and proper to it But to Man the Lord of all did he reserve a double Suit He designs him the Epitomy of the whole Creation and to participate of both Natures His Better Part the Soul he Enamels with the sparkling Beams of his own Divinity and Cloaths it in no other than his own Livery and Creates it a Spirit like himself Glorious in Holiness This inestimable Jewel he wrap'd up in a Casket the Body very curiously and wonderfully wrought to become a Chariot for the Noble Soul to move in And this very Case he fashioned into such excellent Symmetry of Parts and Perfection as should shew in each Lineament and Proportion the unparallell'd Wisdom and Power of its Maker and was so far from needing a Mantle to cover Defects as Nakedness it self was its best Ornament and Innocence its Natural Robe God himself delighting to see him in no other Vesture and himself not blushing to appear before his great Creator in it All the Creatures did their Homage to him in no other Dress when they presented themselves so humbly to take Name which He as their God on Earth gave Wisely and Suitably to their Natures The Loss of a Rib was so far from being any Blemish to his Person that he soon finds it again wrought up into the Perfection of a Delicate Lady as Beautiful and Entire as Himself And being but himself divided renders him still more compleatly Perfect And thus the Lord of the Creation receives his Stately Bride from the immediate Hands of his God and is Bessed in the Fruition of a Princess Congenial to his Nature and Honour When in a Paradise of unspeakable Pleasures did this High and Happy Pair deliciously enjoy themselves and their Maker with all the Reciprocations of the Dearest Love and Joy. Now to Consummate this Happiness the Perpetuity of all is kindly offered them on the Easie Condition of a Thankful Obedience Alas 'T is but the Rent of a Pepper-corn for so vast a Revenue The Great Landlord will reserve to Himself a Propriety but in one Plant which by no means he must Encroach on under the Penalty of certain Death while the Fruition of all the Rest shall be Sealed to him by Another which is Hallowed into a Sacrament for immutable Confirmation to him He humbly Bows and is content to live no longer than
of the Fatal Tree for Himself to Hang on that while his Eye should be fixt on the Prodigy when yet the Sun shut his his Heart with the Veil of the Temple might be Rent into a Thousand Shivers which when laid on the Altar should become a Sacrifice too persum'd by his own that shall serve to expiate his Guilt For a broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise Sure the Sence of so Astonishing Love would Melt him into Repentance and a Flood of Tears but if not he deserved to dye for ever Paradise is no longer a Place for Rebels who have forfeited their Right to the Tree of Life Away to the Plantations with them Hard Labour and Sweat will humble them into more Sober thoughts of themselves than thus to Aspire after Deity How hardly is the Glass of Prosperity holden by a stedfast hand without Breaking but how Afflicting is the remembrance of an Happiness lost by our Folly And I doubt not but every step that poor Adam trod out of his delicious Garden was made upon Thorns that ran up into his very Heart to make it Bleed And I humbly beg my Reader upon the bare Knees of my Soul that he would Bathe his Heart in the River of the first Sinners melting Sorrows for the loss of an Earthly Paradise Since the Time may come that he Himself may Weep the like unprofitable Drops under the Forfeiture of an Eternal Heaven for the sake of a few Momentary and Perishing Lusts where a Sea of them will little avail him in a place of Torment And I do assure him That the Caution swims to him in a Flood of my own at the writing of it and could be content if it might benefit him more that it were Printed with the Blood of my Heart But how Faint and Senseless are my Hopes when I see the Rock of Obduration so far from yielding these precious Waters at the Stroaks of the Prophets that the Impenetrable Adamant was no wise dissolvable by the Tears or Blood of a weeping God. The Naked Offenders must in pity be Cloathed and their very Garments are part of their Punishment They shall do Penance in Hair-Cloth Those whom Pride had blown up into the Conceit of being Gods shall sneak up and down in Skins of Beasts Sure the Skins of those Brutes however Tann'd were but a Rugged Shift for the tender Body of the Mother of all Living See Reader see the First and Greatest Princes of the Earth e'er ever Kingdoms or Empires were bounded out and divided among Crowned Heads see these that held the Scepter of the Vniverse thus Treacherously betrayed by Sin into so vile an Estate of Dishonour They are wrapt up in Leathern Suits which doubtless they put on and off with infinite Shame and Sorrow in Reflection upon the loss of their Glorious Robes The wily Serpent had told them indeed that their Eyes should be opened and 't was true enough but to what To the Sight of their unspeakable Misery and Woe that lending so easie an Ear to the Impostures of that Grand Deceiver they saw themselves Gull'd out of all their Original Happiness and Bliss Thus Adam that was Created in Honour but understood not his own Felicity in the Favour and Fellowship of his God fell as in a Moment from it and became like the Beasts that perish walking up and down in his Shaggy Suit which with the Hairy Baptist was ever Preaching Repentance and Mortification to him It may be true what is written of Peter that every Crowing of the Cock was a new Peal that alarm'd him to fresh Sorrows but sure each Glance of Adam's Eye upon his Beastial Coat made him go forth and weep bitterly Thus Sin hath brought forth Shame and Shame a Necessity of Garments to be proud therefore of Garments what is it but to be proud of our Shame nay to Glory in our Sin that hath brought that Shame and Necessity upon us And this minds me of Tertullian contemplating Adam in his Skins Lo saith he Homo Pellitus Orbi quasi Metallo datur Man the Lord of the whole World is sent out of Paradise in a Leathern Jerkin to work as a Slave in the Mines That Garb very well suiting the Spade and the Mattock and his Wife allowed no other Dress her Soft Skin covered with a Pelt only at the very mention of which her delicate Daughters fall a shrugging and are uneasie but mightily Mortified for the Misery she hath brought upon them when Good Souls they do Penance with her in Rolls of the finest Linnen and the softest folds of Sattin and Silk This was an Wound to Man indeed but Heaven it self must Smart 'T was not so strange an Indignity to those who had made themselves as Beasts to be thus lapp'd up in their Skins But for God himself to be fetch'd out of Paradise and made to walk up and down in a Skin upon Earth for Deity to put on a Skin too This is the insufferable Fruit of their Folly but the incomparable Evidence of his Love. Nay and while these might walk warm and secure in theirs He Alas cannot keep his own Whole upon his Back but is all over Rent and Torn from the crown of his Head where the Thorns pierce it to the sole of the Foot where the Nails when Agonies from Wrath above Whips and Spears from Rage below dips him all into Blood his Skin becoming as Joseph's Coat which he carries back with all the Breaches and Rents upon it to shew the very Angels whom he might thank for all this But to teach us the Lesson of Humility and due Moderation in our Habit you may Note how little value the great God puts upon the Body on which he hath stampt the Character of Vile while he presently wraps it in a Cover of Skins and thinks it fine enough when it answers the ends of Security from Nakedness and Cold when yet his Wisdom took nigh four Thousand years e'er he finished the Garment that should guard the Soul from the more dangerous Attacks of Sin and Death All Peace all Quiet no Murmurs here no Pleas for Gaudy Cloaths or Changes of Attire they humbly offer their Guilty Shoulders to the rugged Hide in meek Submission to the good Pleasure of their great Creatour Those who are unworthy of Life may not stand on Terms of Vanity Surely very meek and resigned is humble Guilt nor did ever broken Heart quarrel at the Rents of its own making Lord if it be Thou let me come to thee tho' in a Fisher-mans Coat But was Cold and Blushing the only Effects of the Consult of Hell against poor Man This all the depth of their Plot Ah no! for if Pride had been so Modest or Merciful to have stript him only with the Egyptian Strumpet of the spoils of the Vpper Garment the treacherous Flesh had it bruised the Case only or pluck't up the stakes of the moveable Tabernacle and bury'd it all in
next World â—e valued not the casting in of Six-score years and â—ore which was little to him with whom a Thousand are but as one day To live for Sin is little Comfort yet to live or Punishment is surely less the giving this Term â—as a Mercy from God but the abuse of it was 〈◊〉 Misery to themselves he that lives and must â—ffer at last were better die soon and suffer the â—ss God indeed lent it for Repentance but they imâ—roved it for Sin and repented of nothing but â—at they had so short a time to Sin in when â—od knew they had a long one to suffer in Come Watchman What of the Night What of the Night Why the Fair and long Summers day of the Old Worlds Goodness and Pleasures too is come to an End 't is perfect Midnight with them Night all Night ever Night such a Night as shall never see Morning more Themselves Dark all Dark ever Dark therefore Darkness above is hurl'd into Darkness below Sin to Sin here Hell to Hell there Carnal Wickednesses to Spiritual Wickednesses to Eternal Wickednesses What should Light do with Darkness all Light with all Darkness ever Light with ever Darkness O see the fuel of the devouring Flames Rottenness all Rottenness ever Rottenness irrecoverable Rottenness no sound part in them Stubble dry Stubble fully dry ready for Burning Vessels of Wrath vessells endured with much Patience with Long-suffering with much Long-suffering and now fitted to Destruction What could Mercy do more then wait till of Good they became Evil of partly Good perfectly Evil and eternally Evil resolved to be so and yet after this to wait on still to wait for Six-score years to wait upon a Wilderness till it become a Garden upon dead Sticks till they Blossom and Bear upon degenerate Plants till they should bring forth good Fruit is to little purpose or end This Evil was from Themselves Wherefore should the Lord wait any longer Art thou gotten into the Ark Reader are all things ready Is the door fast shut down See Darkness is over all the Earth the Darkness of Sin and Darkness has covered the Heavens the Darkness of Judgment The Firmament hath put on her Mourning Suit and with Tamerlain erected the Black Flag of despair Clouds and Darkness and thick Darkness and an horrible Tempest is round about the End the End is come upon thee O ungodly World behold it is come upon thee see it hastening from the Four corners of Heaven Now will God Judge thee according to thy ways and will recompence upon thee all thine Abominations his Eye will not spare thee neither will he have pity Death Ruine Judgment Hell and Confusion to all Eternity Ah I will ease me of mine Adversarâ—es Mercy is gone clean gone gone for ever Compassion fails for evermore Now look to your selves Profaneness and Atheism if you have any Courage shew it now keep up your huffing Spiâ—it Snort against Heaven and Goodness bear up â—riskly like your selves don't degenerate from your â—onted Bravery Lord Gentlemen Why do â—e tremble What do you mean to turn Colour Why so ghastly in the Countenance Why such 〈◊〉 shivering and Ague in the Joynts Why so down 〈◊〉 the Mouth Why not a word now Ladies What are you so startled at Why so undress'd â—o day Why your Hair so dishevil'd Where â—re the Enchanting Curles that Captiv'd so many â—oor Lovers in them Where the stately Brow â—nd the sparkling Eye that struck your Admirers â—ead Go get ye to your Glasses and view your â—omplexions now Come come clear up there 's 〈◊〉 such Fear be not so Affrighted 't is but a hunder shower 't will over again go get Ready â—h no! what Noise what Bustle what Roarâ—g what Shreeking what Yelling what Faintâ—g what Bleating what Bellowing is here â—en Women Children Sheep Oxen Wolves Dogs all howling together in an hideous Outcry and the Waters out-roaring them all Oh oh oh oh the Worlds at an End Our Wickedness has overtaken us and Judgment is come upon us it is come undone undone undone foâ— ever You are in the very right of it Gallants you are in the very right it is come indeed never were you in the right before Now cry to your Gods to save you if they can Did not thâ— Old Man forewarn you of this many a time Why did ye not take warning and build Boaâ— too Is he such a Fool for securing himself How often hath he told you of your Villanies and Whorâ—doms your Ranting and Tearing your Haughâ—ness and Hussing and to what a fearful end 〈◊〉 would bring you See how he rides securely yoâ—der against all the dreads of Death that are comâ— upon You now your sport is at an end fareweâ— Gyants and Ladies Adieu for Evermore Now here Alas I am at a Loss Caâ— any one Rationally expect that Invention anâ— the Issues of one Mans Brain can be Wittâ— enough to delineate the Face of an Universâ— Confusion I have seen indeed some Fanciâ—â— Sculptures pretending to satisfie the Eye in thâ— dreadful Prospect of some Climbing up to thâ— Tops of the Tallest Trees while others are hasteâ—ing to the loftiest Mountains and some moâ— Brutishly Mounting on Beasts to outride tâ— Destruction that makes but an easie Gulp of tâ— Horse and his Rider every Family yelling in tâ— uppermost Rooms of their more Dwarfish Housâ— not one but who betakes himself to groundlâ— and impossible Refuges Let me present 〈◊〉 Reader with a Table of the General Security that Fetter'd up the Drowsie World into Fatal Slumbers not the least Fear or Dream of an Approaching Tragedy but what had been laugh'd out of Life by the Atheists of the Age that admir'd the Frenzy of the Fanatick Ark Each City County Town Village and Hamlet as Secure and Thoughtless as our Selves at this day Every Family busily driving on the daily Trade of Rebellion against Heaven and thinking as little of any Change as those that are past it in the Grave The Ruling Part not content to impose the Iron Mace of Authority on the Shoulders of the Subjects to make them Cringe by a gentle Touch but fiercely lift it up to fetch a more killing stroak on the tender Head with design to break and make it Bleed while the poor helpless Patients have no Appeal but to their own Passions which vent themselves in bitter Curses under all the Smart and Sores of that fearless Tyranny The Gentry terminating their Delights in a perishing Portion and Marrying their Souls to the Clod as if God himself were pleas'd with the Match are exalted above the Cares of Life that Oppress the Hearts of the Needy and the Fears of Want that afflict them They Club together with those of their Order where they talk of nothing but Hoisting their Rents and Grinding the Faces of their miserable Tenants unless for exchange of Discourse they Sally out into Stories of their own Debauchery and ever and anon Jibing at the Melancholy Noah whose Head they
or an Arm for his Wife when his own whole Body is in danger he presses forward and shifts for himself leaving her to Trudge after as she could 't were well if so many were not over-courtly together handing one another into Death The hour is coming when the Dearest Relations shall be all swallowed up in that nearest Interest of Self-preservation Lot's Wife was a Native of Sodom her Body was out of but her Affections were in it still So little doth God value the Carcass service of Hypocrites that he will make them the more lasting Monuments of his Wrath While she disobeys the Command and her Eyes turn back to look after her Heart her whole Body is Petrified and the Eyes of the whole World commanded to look upon her now become a standing Pillar that yet hath a Voice and loudly preaches the Dangers of Disobedience Ingratidude and Backsliding and least Time should wear ouâ— the Memorial of so strange a Prodigy the Son of God comes from Heaven to proclaim it afresh and sets up a Buoy to prevent our Splitting upon the Rock against which that unhappy Creature broke her self And whenever thy deceitful Heart starts back from God Terrifie it with three words as three Darts shot by Joab into Absalom's Heart to end that Rebellion against so great a King and Father Remember Lots Wife God had sent his Angel to deliver her out of the Flame that Angel had given her fair warning by no means to Look back Zoar was but a little way whither she had Orders to escape She had the company of her Husband and Children with her yet she alone insensible of these Mercies despises them all and will Sin and she alone that Sins doth Suffer No Means nor Mercies can prevail with the Obstinate and Wilful while others believe to the saving of the Soul They draw back to Perdition and turn from the Holy Commandement delivered unto them Whose end therefore is Destruction Naked and Bare passes Lot out of Sodom leaving all his Riches and Goods behind him as Fuel to the Flames His Life only is given to him for a Prey to let Him see how little he had advantaged himself by an Intermixture with the Wicked and to teach us how low and mean our Gains will be in this Evil World when at the last we shall carry nothing out of it but a Shroud to lap the Poor Carkass in And very happy shall we be if in the loss of every thing else we make our escape with a Soul to God washed from the Pollutions that are in the World through Lust by the precious Blood of Jesus Art thou gotten up Reader and with Abraham early viewing the dismal Obsequies upon the Hill of Contemplation Look out yonder and see how Wrath and Justice are burying the filthy Cities into their fiery Graves in a miserable new and unheard of Manner Here is no Earth to Earth Dust to Dust Alas they had acted as Devils and overturned all the Laws of Humane Nature Therefore as Infernal Spirits shall receive their Interrment Fire to Fire Flame to Flame Burning to Burning in sure and certain Desperation of any other Resurrection than to everlasting Damnation from Jesus Christ who shall raise their vile bodies to make them yet more vile according to his mighty Power whereby he subdues all things to himself Come lend thine Ears a while to the sad Screeks and Yellings of the miserable Wretches thorough every Street in Sodom and the same answered by those of Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboim Ecchoing to both Lord into what Confusion hath Pride and her Idle Gluttonous Drunken Beastly Filthy Vnnatural Counsels betrayed them When there was but one dead in the several Families of Egypt what an Outcry and Noise what a fearful Distraction was there at Midnight what a Tossing and Tumbling to hasten away Israel when there was no other Fright but of one quietly Dead in his Bed in each House But here the Lord thundered in the Heavens the most high gave his voice Hail-stones and Coals of Fire he sent out his Arrows and scattered them he shot out his Thunderbolts and discomfited him Their cursed Eyes behold the Shower of Fire and Brimstone falling down on them all whole Flakes and Rolls of Fire first burning down their Houses to make the more haste to seize on their more combustible Carkasses which had been so long baking in the Oven of their flaming Lusts into a perfect Crust of Obduration and Sencelesness they were become now fit for nothing but the Fire The Plague is proportionably suited to the Sin they flame in Lust God flames in Wrath and because their Heats were Vnnatural so shall these also and the aspiring Element shall act Retrogade and descend to consume them They Universally Suffer as they Universally Sin Old and Young environ the House Old and Young are environed in their own The young Vrchins of Villany are put into the Fry to prevent the cursed Succession of their Breed Their Fruit is rooted out of the Earth and their Seed from among the Children of Men. O tremendous Spectacle to see them altogether Houses and Bodies of Men Women and Children Cattel and whatsoever was found within their Bounds all roaring together in one Raging Furnace heated seven times and blown up by the furious Breath of an incensed God whose Smoak passed up in thick and black Clouds and Pillars darkening the very Air and benighting Heaven it self Upon what Hill wert thou gotten thou most accursed Sorceress Piping and Dancing with Nero to the Flames of thine own kindling while it is Sport and Recreation to thee to see them all burning in a Flame together Where will be the end of thy bloody Tragedies Sixteen times in Holy Record hath God lighted up the Fire of Sodom to affright if possible the whole World from the Execrable Provocations that enkindled them His Holy Spirit hath held up the Tapers in whose Light we see them in Hell as if our very Eyes beheld them there They are Suffering the Vengeance of eternal fire and their Damnation set forth for a fearful Example to those that hereafter should live ungodly But Alas Man's Wickedness hath made Gods Examples as void and uneffectual as his Counsels To find Sodoms Vices surviving among the poor Heathen is horrible but to see them translated into the Church of God is Insufferable whose Eyes runs not down with Tears to hear of the Daughters of Sion exceeding the Daughters of Sodom in Pride and Wantonness But to find the Brothel-houses erected for the very Trade of Sodomy so impudently out-facing the Temple of God This might call for Tears of Blood. And I could wish History had fail'd of Truth when it tells us of a Dispensation granted to the Family of a Cardinal for the same Villany with a Fiat ut petitur 'T is a strange Power that can rake up Vices out of Hell to bring them up and make them in Fashion again upon Earth It were well too
that others dispens'd not with themselves in Practices as Vitious as theirs in Sodom God grant they be not found in our own Streets and the Daughters of England as Idly passing away their precious Time and Souls together as those that so long ago were sent into Torment for the same Sin. What were the Incentives that enkindled the Flames upon our own Houses and reduced them all into Ashes Would Men think there is a Sin lurking in their own Bosoms which far exceedeth the Sin of Sodom and which will one day meet with Judgment more Scorching and Intolerable 't is but believing the Oracle of Truth who hath convincingly forewarned us of the dangerous Consequences of that Fatal Contempt of his Person and Gospel that every where Reigns and whose Plagues are legible enough in Capernaum's Woe that are sentenc'd by the Judge himself to an hotter place in Torments than the Sodomites and surely very deservedly too it being nothing less than the Trampling under foot the Blood of a God and doing despite to the Spirit of Grace This is That Condemnation which will double Their Sorrows upon our Own Heads And our Vnbelief shall not make the Word of God of none effect Let us Repent and prepare for his second Coming who once for ever hath cautioned us by Them not to be surprized in the like Security Since in the very day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained Fire and Brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all Heaven showers down Hell on Guilty Wights Vile as were those Infernal Sp'rits Flaming in Lusts unnatural Ripe for Destruction down they fall To their own Places Scorched there In Everlasting Heats when here The dreaful Judgment Awes us not Ah me the Tragedies of Sin forgot Nor Waves nor Fires of Vengeance can Melt the Hard and Obdurate Man Yet what nor Flames can do nor Flood May easily be wrought by Blood. Come Lord the Work 's thine own and save A perishing World from the Grave FINIS ERRATA in the Life of Abraham PAg. 31. l. 11. r. Lustre p. 35. l. 1. r. rigour p. 66. l. 6. for other Sacrifices r. their Sacrifice p. 78. l. 7. for their r. thine p. 86. l. 4. r. charges p. 215. l. 26. r. she was p. 183. l. ult r. refreshed into p. 192. l. 22. dele that before possibly p. 221. l. 5. Chap. 12. Contents after Marriage add and Abraham's Death p. 232. l. ult r. inoffensive Ceremonies p. 70. l. 7. for Now r. No. Remarques ON THE LIFE Of the GREAT Abraham THE FATHER of the Faithful AND THE FRIEND of GOD. By S. JAY Rector of Chinner in the County of Oxon. Isaiah 51. v. 2. Look unto Abraham your Father LONDON Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Black Raven in the Poultrey over against the Compter 1689. TO THE Right Reverend Father in GOD GILBERT Lord Bishop of SARVM My Lord THat I presume to devote these Papers to your great Name when so perfect a Stranger to your Person may savour a little of Rudeness and Irreverence Yet your Lordship very well knows that a more refined Acquaintance is attainable with Spirits at a distance where the divine Idea's of the great Soul have Drawn themselves out to the very Life in the visible Characters of their own Excellency which have not fail'd to dragg after them as into an easie and pleasing Captivity the entire Affections and absolute Obedience of others as the natural Fruit of their Victory Thus we pay Homage to the very Saints in Heaven and to all Meritorious and Eminent Persons on Earth dignifying our selves by frequent and familiar Converses with them though perhaps exalted into mighty Stations far above the low Sphere of our meanness and humble Estate 'T is this Prospect My Lord made into the sublimer Forms of your spiritual Part that hath fix'd me your perfect Captive and given birth to this bold Intrusion But if sometimes the inferiouâ— Dependants on the Court Ensure themselves of a gracious Reception when thâ—â— come charg'd but with a Message from the Sovereign to you I am certain you will not shut your Gates against me when I come laden with Expresses from Heaven and recommended too by the Father of the Faithful and the very Friend of God. And thô it be little to your Lordship to hear of any New Pretender yet 't is Complacency enough to me when I make the World know how much I honour you for your Self and with what Pleasure and Satisfaction I received the good News of the Presidency of that Church to be lodged in your Lordship where my Ancestors with my unworthy self for four Generations successively paid the Tribute of Reverence to its Mitre now Priding â—t self in so rich an Head as yours unâ—ess perchance it be deprived of that Feâ—icity by the Ambition of another which â—ay emulate its Honour and think it no â—obbery to succeed in the same Happiâ—ess May your Lordship long live the true Heir of Abraham's eximious Faith and Piety the pleasing Object of your Princes Favour the Peoples Love and the Desire of all the Churches so Prays Your Lordships Most Obsequious Servant Steph. Jay REMARQUES ON THE LIFE Of the GREAT Abraham CHAP. I. Abraham's first Call from Idolatry to the Knowledge of the true God. The Encouragements God gives him to follow him His Obedience to the Call in leaving his Countrey He takes his Father and Family with him Their Arrival and Stay in Haran Their Business there Terah his Father dyes in Haran I Shall not reflect on this great Prince as a rough Stone lying unhewn in the Quarry of the Earth but as a sparkling Diamond polish'd by the Divine hand and made fit to be set in the Bosom of a God. The Chaldeans if any were famous and expert in Astrology Abraham's ambition aspired no higher than to get an acquaintance with the Heavens whose Power and Influences he thought had a great hand in governing the World he terminates his desires in the Zenith of these pleasing Studies being yet a perfect Stranger (a) (a) (a) Writers differ about Abraham's Idolatry some averring that he was never guilty though God seems to humble his Children with the consideration that their first Father had sinned which A Lapide confesseth to be meant not of Adam only but Abraham And that of Joshua can hardly be answered Cap. 24. v. 3. Philo positively concludes him so before the Divine Call. Neque eos audire possum qui cum magno conatu Abrahamum ab â—oc scelere vindicare nescio quibus argutiis student quasi non tanâ—â— illustrior sit Dei Gratia quâ illum est complexus quanto ipse suit sceleratior Masius In juventute Idololatra erat Tyrinus to the Omnipotent Power that had fixed those Luminaries in their several Orbs. Though the Book of the Creature discovers an infinite treasure of Wisdom and Power and clearly convince of a God yet is not the Eye so kind a Tutor to the Heart as to impose
can only bleed at their Eyes and commiserate the Unhappy in unprofitable Tears Courage is the masculine Virtue Who ever saw Brave Man using his Handkerchief instead of his Sword But Abraham was prudent and cautious and will not undertake a Warr without good Advice he will have sure grounds to justifie the Attempt and warrant the Success He first therefore Consults the Oracle of his Conscience which was ever guided by his Prophetical spirit and on Enquiry finds that in this Case he may warrantably proceed Had not God given him a Title to the Kingdom who had the only Right to dispose of it What though his Subjects did not acknowledge him he was nevertheless the Right Lord and what were these Kings but Intruders upon him and had no other Title than what the Sword had given them Abraham therefore though but a Titular Prince thought himself oblig'd in Duty to relieve them He takes up the Sword with the same Authority as Moses did afterwards when he slew the Egyptian by the Virtue of the Divine Revelation made to him of his being the future Deliverer of the poor enslaved People And to this the Laws of Nature added a Tye upon him to release his oppressed Kinsman whom they unrighteously had injured and who was in no wise guilty of the Crime more justly imputable to the rest But above all the sacred Obligations of Religion could in no wise suffer him to see the little Church in Lot's Family led Captive and subjected to the Rage and Tyranny of Pagans Abraham therefore sufficiently convinc'd of the lawfulness of the War resolves to proceed And here we must present you with the Picture of the Saint in his Armour CHAP. IV. Abraham fights with the four Kings for the rescue of Lot. He gets the Victory and redeems the Prisoners Melchisedeck at his return meets him on the way and presents him with Provisions for his Souldiers His Transaction with the King of Sodom REligion is so far from emasculating the spirits of its truest Votaries that it steels them all throughout with the hardest Courage It banishes those fears and seeds of Cowardise that in every danger stare others in the face like Caesar's Ghost appaling the Soul of Brutus It Refines them from those vitious Qualities that have debased many a stout Heart to truckle under the basest Vsurpations Who would not have mourned to see the brave Sampson grinding in the Mill and made the subject of the Philistines scorn and laughter It redeems them from those salacious Lusts that enervate the Arteries of the Soul and take away the Heart subjecting it to the mean Cringes of dependance on every inferiour Badge It links them fast in an indissolvable Union with the Omnipotent Power which ever secures protection and safety Hypocrisie may brandish a Sword in the Air and brag of its Valour against an Eutopian Enemy but the single Scout of a real One makes it drop it and sets it on flying Profaneness may shut its Eyes and harden it self against dreads of Death it may venture a Soul to get a Name but with no other Bravery than the gallant Horse who mocketâ—â—â— fear and is not affrighted the quiver rattleth against him the glittering spear and the shield yet is he not afraid So This may desperately run on the Pikes of Wrath as insensible of danger 'till rushing into the Battle it meets its Death and despairs together No 't is the brave Abraham's Courage shall work Wonders who with a spirit wash'd from degenerating Lusts and Guilt the fainty Diseases and very Agues of the Mind that sets it on shaking with terrible Apprehensions of shadows armed with Innocence and a good Cause daring to look his God in the Face with the same confidence and fearlesness as he doth his own Heart Who wears a Life to no other end but his service and is content to lay it down at any time for his glory Who hath a Ticket of Assurance from a second Death in his Bosom This is the Righteous Hero that is bold as a Lyon and you shall hear presently what an handful of such as these can gloriously perform against a puissant Army whom Success and Victory had blown up into Pride and Presumption The Discipline of War with the various Arts and Polities of it and all the Exercises and feats of Militia are a Lesson which David who was a great Souldier professes himself to have learned from God who is Generalissimo of all the Hosts both of Heaven and Earth and who is pleas'd to own the Title of a Man of War. By no other Tutor was this great Prince instructed before him It was He that taught his hands to war and his fingers to fight He had first train'd him up in the mysterious faculties of Believing and Obeying Now will he Exercise him in the Martial Art of fighting that his Abraham might be as equally famous for his Valour as his Faith. And doubtless the inserting so full an Account of this War and the Catalogue of the Princes that manag'd it so accurately in the Holy Records is due to the Care and great Kindness of God to his Abraham who will not have him lose the honour of his Chivalry and Prowess which shines so brightly in the Defeat of such mighty Enemies as they All the World shall know that they were no mean and contemptible Antagonists that his great Federate had encountred with And thô all the Troops of the five Princes of Palestine were nothing in their hands yet they must not imagine so lightly to carry away the Garland when once the great Abraham took up the Gauntlet in the Quarrel 'T was Himself that raised up this Righteous Man from the East called him to his Foot gave the Nations before him and made him rule over Kings he gave them as dust to his Sword and as driven stubble to his Bow. All Knowledge is given for Communication God had not drest up this Great Man into all the perfections of Nature and Grace that he should find a Grave for them in his own Bosom No! as he disdains not to be his own Chaplain and thinks it no derogation from his Grandeur to educate his Servants in the true Knowledge and Worship of God in order to make them good Men so was it his Care and Practice no doubt from Divine Instinct to train them up in the right Exercise and Vse of Arms in order to make them good Souldiers (†) (†) (†) Quos instruxerat Arte Bellicâ Lege Divinâ Menochius The one would help on the other Religion it self in a great part of it being nothing else but a wise and expert Use of our spiritual Armour against all the Enemies of our Peace under the Guidance and Conduct of the great Captain of our Salvation They might learn by every Posture of their Bodies to remember with what care they must stand on the Guard for their Souls This Trained Band was ever ready at the Call of their
she fears the Judge himself is a Party against her and too openly favours her Adversary Yea she is bold in her Declaration to Accuse him downright of an unjust Compliance and should that fail she doubts not to prove him guilty of too great a Connivance at the Insolencies of his Minion And was really Jealous that her New Sheets had feloniously drawn away all his old Affections from her self But should she find him no kind Chancellour she resolves to Appeal unto God Himself who would surely look into the Merits of her Cause and pass a most equitable Sentence for her Abraham the sole Arbiter of this Difference mindful of his Sarahs Fidelity to him under all the Temptations of Pharaoh's Court cannot now justifiably warp from his Integrity to her for the sake of any Egyptian Slave and is wise enough to allay the heat of Sarah's fury by giving her satisfactory Evidence of the coldness of his Love to Hagar which he could manifest in nothing more clearly to her than by calling her up to the Bench and leaving her there to pass her own Decree Behold thy Maid is in thy hand do to her as it pleaseth thee Very Prudent and Admirable Justice since who is ignorant that from the little Sparks of Contention inkindled by Ambition and Jealoufie on the Spirit of Women have too often issued those Fires which have burned to a dreadful Conflagration The Sword in their Lips have been snatched thence into the Hands of their Husbands and made bloody work in the Church of God. Abraham yields the Concubine to be blown up to prevent the running of the Flame any farther in his Family and for ought we can find Sarah spares for no Powder How happy and Righteous were we if in this we could imitate our Father and in the bustling Broils between Flesh and Spirit ever take part with the high-born Soul labouring under all the proud Tyrannies of her Insulting baser Enemy delivering her up to suffer the just penalties of her Insolence and Folly who must be dealt with as a Slave and throughly humbled least she make the whole House too hot for us here and at last lead us away Prisoners with her and both perish together I keep under my Body and bring it into subjection least I my self become a cast-away But thô Paul was happy and successful in the Methods of his Discipline over his Flesh yet all the severity Sarah could make use of did little work any Change upon her Bond-woman to reduce her within Bounds of her Duty O the Plague of an untameable Spirit that baffles all the Arts of both Heaven and Earth to humble it Neither Frowns nor Smiles neither Stroaks nor Stroakings neither Judgments nor Mercies make the least impression upon this impenetrable Rock to melt into one drop of Reluctancy till Blood flowing from the holy veins of a God-Man fall upon it and dissolve the Adamant all into Water Hagar will Break sooner than Bow and chooses rather to flye from than bend to her Mistress she resolves to lye in none rather than a Truckle-Bed So grievous is it for Nature to fall in the price of it self that it preferrs Annihilation when it cannot attain the Ends of its Ambition Achitophels great Spirit hates to survive the funeralls of his Reputation and suffers rather an Halter than dishonour while Grace shrowds its own Worth and blushingly veyls its meritorious Vertues Moses his Mask is still worn by those excellent Souls that are ever on the Mount when vain and empty Minds rage and grow angry with the World for not Adoring the Shrine of their Nothingness And what is Hagar now broken off from her Mistresse but a poor sorry contemptible creature in the Wilderness while I see her sitting by the water-side desolate and comfortless ruminating in her Mind all the past Transactions of her Life and very probably now brought most sensibly to bewayl that stubbornness and ill-nature that had thus reduc'd her to this Extremity She seems too lively a Shadow of those miserable Souls whom their own wretchedness and Divine Justice hath Excommunicated from the Church for ever into a more fatal Lake where they have now Time enough if an Eternity suffices to commune with their own Hearts of all the unspeakable Kindnesses of a God towards them thro the whole Series of their Life who all along courted them with the Varieties of his good Providence and yet further with all the Delicacies of his Ordinances allowing them the rich Priviledges of his House and Table under all which instead of an Humble and Reverend Demeanour in his Family a Grateful and Affectionate Sence of his Goodness with a lowly Reflection on their own Vuworthiness they waxed Wanton and Proud breaking all the bonds of Obedience and Duty fomenting Schisms and Divisions in the Church Murmuring against Moses and Aaron bringing all things into so perfect Confusion that the Earth it self disdaining to bear them any longer opened her Jaws to provide them a Grave where they have nothing else to do but bitterly to lament their Distraction and Madness in not timely considering the concerns of their Peace which now alas are hid from their Eyes Yet Hagars case is not thus desperate she bore along with her that Pledge of Heavens care and her Masters pity as well might serve to cherish in her some hope for commiseration and relief She had not so long lived in Abrahams house to gather no fragments of Religion the very Rebels of the Family have yet learned to howle in their Extremities for some help In their affliction they will seek me early And it may be God had Allured her into this Wilderness to teach her the Lesson of Humiliation which she could never take forth in the day of her Prosperity therefore is an Angel sent from Heaven to speak comfortably to her And her Repentance hath procured to her the Honour of the first Visit that ever Angel is yet noted to have made into the World Or rather the Prince of Angels sent himself cloathed with beams of brightness and those Celestial Qualities which make her own him to be as indeed he was the Lord Jehovah ver 13. The poor wretch was trudging home towards Egypt with an heavy Body and an heavier Mind and was now resting her self by a Fountain of Water increased by a contribution from her Eyes which she hardly stops to clear up and look on so Illustrious a Comforter Natural Tears shed for self need but Gods presence to strike the Heart and hallow them into Tears for Sin. Hagar admires to hear her self so readily named and in the same moment her Faults detected Where is the guiltless Name that God can speak to from Heaven If she were Sarahs Maid what did she there Had she her Mistresses pass-port with her When we flie from our Callings we flie from God whose Law commands us to a fixed Station and whose Providence watcheth over us in it and whose Correction reacheth us
Delight and Joy Is he not thy Father whom else shouldst thou Reverence and Love Is he not thy God in Covenant with thee whom else shouldst thou rejoyce and delight in No true Son of Abraham who knows how Zecharies Soul was ravished when God after more than two Thousand years performed the mercy promised and in remembrance of his holy Covenant which he swore to our Forefather Abraham sent his Great Heir into the World to confirm and seal it with his Blood will think it remote from the Story of Abraham's Life if I stop a little and spend a Page or two in the opening the Bowels of this Mercy wherein his own Salvation is so nearly concerned and which have swell'd up the Volumes of so many of our Excellent Authors If the same Covenant were all the Desire and all the Salvation of the Princely David with whom it was also renewed the Comfort whereof was the Joy and Rejoycing of his Heart methinks it might be some Refreshment here to every Heir of the same Promise A Brief Account of the Covenant of Grace KNow then that by this Promise I will be a God unto thee Each Person of the Holy Trinity is made over to them to work personally and distinctly for them And true Believers have a real Propriety in each Person of the Blessed Godhead I will be thy God saith the Father here And I will give my Son to them Vnto us a Son is given and I will pour out my Spirit upon them Not a Communicable Attribute of God but what is made over and put by this Covenant into the possession of the Sons of Abraham to live on Therefore David claims the Strength of God as his own and the Mercy of God as his own Thou art the God of my Strength and the God of my Mercy That Power and Mercy which thou hast secured to me for my Hope and Comfort to make use of in all Extremities and against all Infirmities and the whole Church claims the Benefit and Honour of their Relation to God from no other Right Doubtless thou art our Father And I will be a Father unto them to act as a Father for them So not any Merit or Grace in Jesus the Son but what is as certainly secured whatsoever he was or did or suffered was all for their sake The Fruit and Benefit of all most certainly accrewable to Them. All the Operations of the Holy Spirit sure and certain to the Heirs of this Promise They shall infallibly be convinced of Sin Converted to God established in Grace comforted in Affliction and prepared for Salvation All the Decrees of Heaven run in their Favour and all Providences co-operate for their Eternal Good. Jesus Himself is the Head of the Covenant the first Federate the Corner-stone on whom is built the whole Fabrick the Contrivance whereof thô secret and mysterious transacted by Covenant between the Father and Himself Yet we find Eternal Life secured by Promise to every Believer before the foundation of the World on condition of such performances that Christ in fulness of Time should appear in the World to perfect and accomplish And some of these Articles of the Covenant of Redemption are expresly apparent to any that carefully observe them in Isaiah 49. Jesus therefore is the first Elect but we Elected in him He the first Called and we Called by him In Him is all fulness dwelling from which we receive Grace for Grace He Commissionated sealed and sent with the Offices of Prophet Priest and â—ing Other Prophets Commissioned under him are sent to perswade and draw us into the Bonds of the Covenant these speak to the Ear but He is the True Prophet that effectually worketh by speaking to the Heart Him shall ye hear I will allure her I will speak to her Heart when I speak See Margin Hosea 2.14 He draws us as he did Abraham by Illumination and giving us New Eyes to see God in the Beauty of his Holiness and the exceeding Riches of his Grace Sin in its Sinfulness Deformity Filthiness and execrable Effects Duty in the Reasonableness Good and Profitableness of it Our selves as perfectly undone by Nature and further destroyed by Sin All Creatures in their insufficiency and weakness to do us any good All our Righteousness as filthy Rags and nothing Himself as the only Refuge of Hope and Salvation to be no where had but in him He our only Priest sacrificing his own Body upon the Tree and pouring out his own Blood to expiate Sin which the blood of Sacrifices could never take away but by this Offering Blotted out removed to the distance of the East from the West buried in the depths of the Sea Sought for but not found forgotten and remembred no more freely and for ever pardoned and the Hand-writing that was against us Cancell'd and nothing laid to our charge 'T is he makes an end of Sin and brings in Everlasting Righteousness by which we are justified from all things and perfectly reconciled to God He is our Peace and since his Return to Heaven becomes our Advocate there to plead the Merits of his own Righteousness for the Justification and Acquitment of all the thankful Heirs of Abraham God hears Him always His Blood speaks for us and on that Account God is but Just in Jorgiving our Sins himself having paid the Ransom and becoming the great Propitiation 'T is from the prevalency of his Intercession that he is so Able to save all that come to him Such an High-Priest became us our Case desperate without Him No satisfaction for the least sin possibly to be made by our selves Ten thousand Rivers of Oyl and the offering up the fruit of our Bodies for the sin of our Souls too mean a Sacrifice and to no purpose at all Redemption cost more than so and Man must let it alone for ever The poor carnal Sons of Abraham going about to establish their own Righteousness could not make it stand they too soon found It had no feet to subsist on The Galathians seeking to compound the Matter by an unnatural mixture of their own with Christs were by that attempt in the Account of the Holy Ghost but Fools and Bewitched He alone the Lord our Righteousness Object But how shall we be brought into it Ans He is therefore a Great King a Spiritual King a King over Hearts he hath Arguments to perswade us to lay down our Necks to his easie Yoke and to bear his lighter Burthen For he is a gentle Prince and his Laws are not Grievous or unsufferable his Service is perfect Freedom There is nothing difficult to a willing Mind and a ready Heart which himself is able to give I will give them a new Heart and a new Spirit will I put within them this and my own Spirit which also I will put in them shall cause them to walk in my Statutes and to keep my Judgments and do them Ezek. 30.26 His Throne is within and all the Exercises
of his holy Government transacted in the Court of Conscience where Himself sitteth Judge or the blessed Spirit his Vicar over every Thought of the Heart and Action of the Life Not a vain Imagination but is brought down and humbled not an idle thought but what is captivated to the obedience of Christ 'T is he that strikes the stony Rock and the Waters gush out such a Rock was Peter whom he smote but with a glance of his Eye the Sun dissolving the Ice melted him all into Water He went out and wept bitterly He sheddeth his Love into the Soul and cold Mary is all in a Flame He pours in his Spirit of Joy and Paul and Silas sing in the Stocks He opens the Prison doors and the Shackles of Sin and Death flie off from the whole World lying in spiritual Captivity He Prophesies over the dry Bones and they come together take Life rise up and follow him as well thro' all Tribulations Sorrows Sufferings from Men Temptations Buffetings Persecutions raised by the Devil Fears Disquietments Dejections of their own Hearts Infirmities Weaknesses and Imperfections of their Duties As Comforts Encouragements Spiritual strength present Sence of his Love and secret Testimonies of his Spirit which is ever present with them to Illuminate Strengthen Comfort Establish and Direct them and therefore whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of His. This holy King rules not immediately only by his blessed Vicar above but mediately also by his Subordinate Officers here below Whether 1. Civil whom His Subjects Obey for his Sake and for Conscience Sake from a right Principle and not Brutishly in all their Lawful Impositions agreeable to his Glory they are ever Praying and Praising God for them yea tho' they be Persecuted by some of them Or 2. Ecclesiastick whom they Receive Honour Love and Obey as his Ambassadours and such as are sent by Him to break to them the Bread of Life whom they therefore follow and yield themselves up to their Lord by a gracious Conformity to the holy Doctrine brought them by his Ministers and Adorning that Doctrine by a suitable conversation in all things Abounding in every good word and work and approving themselves the faithful Servants of God in all the duties of both Tables having an equal Respect to all the Commandments of their Lord and approving themselves to Men by every Act of moral Righteousness and Daty They shall be at the last day approved by him to be no Hypocrites vain Pretenders proud and empty Professors self-seeking Designers or troublesome dividers of his Church and People but the True Hearty Sincere Rooted Living and Fruitful Members of his Mystical Body passing here the time of their Sojourning in filial fear and love and persevering in all Fidelity and Constancy of Obedience to all the revealed Laws of their great King as their Fore-father Abraham did they at last receive the end of their Faith and everlasting Salvation in Heaven where with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Heirs of their Covenant they are blessed and happy in and with God and the Lord Jesus for evermore Come Reader hast thou no Heart to accompany the blessed Communion of Saints to this glorious Home Why dost thou then bear about thee the Seal of the same Covenant and art Crossed for the Holy Land and hast received the sacred Name of Christ upon thee and thou pretendest to be a Candidate for Heaven and wilt rage against any that will dare to sweep away the Cobweb of thine Hopes when alas it hangs by a slender Thread and the lightest hand breaks every Cord of it away and down it falls and thy self with it into utter despair and Ruine See whether thine Anchor have better hold than theirs whose Dooms the great Heir himself pronounced The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out Matt. 8.12 So little will it avail thee to walk for a while alas for a Moment on the Borders of the blessed Land if thine own Infidelity and thy treacherous Heart shut thee out at last Either Rend off the Title and wipe away the drops of that holy Water issuing from the Wounds of the Crucified Saviour wherewith thou wert once Baptized into that sacred Name and renounce the hopes of that glorious Profession Or else be Faithful to thine Articles and give thy self wholly to him who hath given himself to thee Nothing less than the Hearty devotion of thy whole Soul and Life unto God can baer any reasonable Proportion with his Royal Bounty or give any convincing Demonstration of thy Real Gratitude less than this God will not Take less than this thou canst not Offer Every Imperfection and falling short of this must be lamented with bitter Tears wherein the poor Heart swims back again to better Duty and stricter Watchfulness and the broken Bones are jointed in to greater strength and Establishment made fit to walk with a more direct and even Progress in the holy Path rejoycing in their own Integrity But if instead of this thou be found wandring in the Wilderness of Error and Vanity walking after the imagination of thine evil Heart according to the course of the ungodly World and not after God know that thy Covenant is Sealed with melting Wax and thou thy self art holding it to the Flame in the light whereof thou mayst read thy despairs and find thy self in no better condition than those Sons of Abraham whose Unbelief and Obduration hath cancel'd the whole Effects of it and walking up and down in the Earth as the Deplorable Monuments of divine Indignation with Antipathies as great as ever against the blessed Person and Doctrine of the mighty Redeemer Thou maist indeed as some of them have a goodly Portion and Heritage here below Consolations suitable to thine own poor carnal Heart and God will not break the first Articles of a plentiful Canaan in the World thy Belly shall be filled with hidden Treasures But remember then that thy Tenure is but for Life and an uncertain Lease which may expire e're to Morrow comes and the Morning Sun may find thee a Carkase the Fearful case of him in the Gospel who went to Bed well but awaked in Hell. God hath reserved no second Portion in the next World but that of Fire and Brimstone The Heavens shall reveal thine Iniquity and the Earth shall rise up against thee the Increase of thine House shall depart and thy Goods shall flow away in the day of his Wrath There is the portion of a wicked Man from God and the Heritage appointed him by God. Away vain Man to thy Closet with David and consider the deplorable condition of These Make hast to the Sanctuary and there understand their latter end It may be when thou seest the Slipperiness of their Steps and how soon they are brought to a fearful end thou wilt pour out at least a sigh for a better Portion and to enjoy a more lasting Inheritance in God. Remember me O Lord with
be a great Nation and Father of Princes and with Another to come who shall be Greater than he A Father of Kings and the mighty Heir of the everlasting Covenant Not a Servant but who is graced with the Priviledges of Divine Favour and bearing the Impress of Gods Love and Kindness upon him Come all ye Princes of the Earth Light up all the Tapers of your Earthly Glory Shine forth in the brightest Beams of your Splendor display all the Ensigns of your Royalty Muster up all the Armies of your Power and Force Repeat all your swelling Titles of Majesty and Dominion Boast the whole Exchange of your Pleasures and Delights How infinitely short will ye come of this one Blessed Friend of God! Yours only a very Gleam and Shadow of Happiness His a true real and substantial one Yours a Glory embittered with Cares interrupted with Tears Tainted with Lusts Laden with Guilts Subjected to Loss and Dangers ending in Misery and Death While His is a Crown without Thorns Laughing at Fears Unpolluted with Filth Impossible to be Forfeited growing up into a Celestial Glory and shining as long as God himself in the brightness of Eternity CHAP. VIII Abraham entertains the Angels that bring him and his Lady the News of Isaac's Nativity His Intercession for the five Cities c. FUll Twenty and five years had Isaac lain in the Womb of the Divine Promise since first a Seed was secured unto Abraham He must be a Miraculous Son whose Parents had not all this while been Dead enough to make way for the Power of God to appear in his Birth When all subordinate means become wholly defective and desperate then is the proper season for Omnipotency to work Through all this Series of Years had Abraham humbly waited in Faith and Patience upon the God that could not deceive him and behold now his dim Eyes shall see the Desire of his Soul. Thou maist not tarry half so long for an Heaven Reader as Abraham did for a Son e'er thine Eyes behold the Salvation of God do but Exercise the same Grace with the same Confidence for faithful is he that hath promised and verily thine expectation shall not fail Some thousands of Years did the Seed of Abraham and Isaac wait for the Accomplishment of the greater Promise of that Heir who at his coming should Bless all the World when in the very Gray Hairs of Time and upon the Death-Bed of their expiring Hopes God performed his promised Mercy to the Spiritual House of Israel The carnal Family was grown by that time so faint and short-sighted that when he came and made his Appearance to them they could not discern but fell a questioning whether he were the very true Heir or no They could not believe it to be Him they had no Eyes to behold his Glory and besides they were Jealous of his Voice Nor was he Gay enough to answer the Ends they expected from him The Roman Yoke had gall'd their Necks and he seem'd to be no great Deliverer they had no Work to do for a Spiritual Prince nor lik'd they his Discourses of an Invisible Kingdom they loved This too well to folâ—ow him beyond their present Interests which he appeared not much to Favour and therefore â—nanimously Vote him an Impostor closing in with their own Tyrant against Him They Indict Him of Treason against Caesar and pursued the Articles so hotly that they never left him till they saw Him Dead on the Cross which God took so Grievously from them that he Smote them into so perfect Blindness and Distraction that with the Sodomites they are groping in the Dark and looking for the Door that gives Entrance into Heaven but cannot find it to this day and are yet ridiculously waiting for Him that sixteen hundred years ago and more had his happy Nativity into the World. Miserable Men they knew not the day of their Visitation and now it is hid from their Eyes To a fair length had Abraham Spun out the Thread of his Hopes which now shall be wound up in one Bottom of Fruition He that was to come shall come and tarry no longer Patience is an inseparable Companion from a lively Faith in the Divine Promises How surely shall the Decrees of God in due time be delivered of the Blessings that are in them to crown up all long Suffering into Joy and Pleasure Thus while this happy Man is sitting at the door of his Tent with a Soul full of Divine Contemplation and Comfort Behold Three Persons in Appearance Men in Reality Angels cloathed in their Shapes sent from Heaven to his Sarah with Orders to provide a Cradle for the little Great Heir of Abraham's Hopes and Prayers that now shortly shall make his welcome Appearance into the World He accosts them with a Majesty and Humility sweetly mixt and becoming well his Great Quality They may not pass by him without receiving some Royal Marks of his Courteous and Hospitable Soul Generosity is the Rich Enamel of Greatness the very Life of it without which it loses its Essence Abraham is the Copy of the truest Gentility as of the strongest Faith in the World to let Princes know that Honour is not incompatible with Piety He had received his Education from the Court of Heaven and accommodates his demeanour perfectly to the Model prescribed him from above He participates of the Nature of Him who spreads the Table of his Bounty for all his Creatures to sit at He has nothing but what is at the Service of every one These were Strangers to him yet shall not part away from his Royal Tent e'er they become his Guests He Addresses to one who seems the chiefest of the Three and with greater Earnest than others can crave it beseeches them to give him the Honour of their Company and themselves the Refreshment of a short Repast Behold Abraham at home watching Opportunities of doing Good courting very Strangers to receive his Entertainment doubling the Invitation to clear it from the Jealousie of a Complement and afterwards his Cheer to Free himself from the ill Reputation of a Churl They are Alien from Abraham's Spirit who void their Houses to avoid their Duties and hide themselves from their own Flesh or if they keep home themselves are yet from home to all others and what Job could not love to Eat their Morsel alone who are sometimes Accursed to that degree of Baseness and Cruelty to their own Bodies that they starve Themselves to save the Charges of Living God hath given them Wealth enough but no Power or Heart to eat thereof they live by Contemplation on what they have and never adventure to pass into Fruition this is a sore Judgment Expedition heightens the Civility Abraham hasts to Sarah Make ready quickly and himself ran to the Herd His kindness must not hinder them in their Progress Time is precious the whole Day was not designed for the Belly Wo unto them that rise early in the morning that
Abraham shall know that his God can be as Just as Good and that few partak'd of the special Priviledges that himself was bless'd in 'T is no small Obligation that lyes upon the Faithful from the Knowledge of their differing in Condition from the worst of Men only by distinguishing Mercy What are we that thou shouldst manifest thy self unto us and not unto the World. Faith grows up to a perfect Stature by the Knowledge of every dispensation of God. The Prophets enforce their Doctrines from the Examples of the fiercest Executions of Vengeance Pass ye unto Calneh and see c. Abraham who hereafter should read Lectures upon Sodoms Flames to affright his Children and Family from Sodom's Lusts shall first hear with his Ear and afterwards see with his Eye the pernicious and dreadful Desolation that Sin had made upon them that with greater sence of those Calamities he might terrifie others against the Sins that procur'd them God knowing how powerfull Application so Experienc'd a Preacher as Abraham would surely make from such a Text. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do c. For I know him that he will Command his Children and his Houshould after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord c. Behold the great Ordinance of Family-Instruction establish'd by Divine Institution Abraham must execute both Offices of King and Priest In vain is Obedience exacted from such as know not their Duty But in order to the means of that Knowledge Obedience is justly required and Jurisdiction given by God Himself to enforce it I know Abraham that he will Command his Children and Servants c. If the Sword or the Word be too precarious look for Confusion and Ignorance to prevail over all Abraham is invested with a perfect Power to subject them to the Discipline of God He was Soveraign over his Family and God is so far from Clipping his Authority that he gives him the Broad Seal of Heaven to confirm his Commission He had Power of Life and Death within his own House they were not worthy to live should they not learn the saving Knowledge of the holy Commandments to little purpose were they Circumcised in the Flesh if they be not enlightned into the Knowledge of that Sacrament nor how far it oblig'd them to Obedience and Duty But I know Abraham that he will teach them c. Even this Great Prince will not think it beneath him to Catechise the meanest Herdsman in his Family 'T is the Work of God an Abraham hath an Heart to it 't is a Glorious work the Saving of Souls and Abraham shall be rewarded for it 'T is transmitting Piety to Posterity and the Child unborn will praise God for Abraham 'T is the advancing the Interest and Glory of God upon Earth which never faileth to bring to Glory in Heaven See the decay of Religion and weep tears of Blood Where lives the Son of Abraham that improves his Authority in his Family for God and the Souls he hath made unless in a cold and perfunctory manner If an Impious casting off the Thoughts and mention of God unless in cursed Oaths and fearful Imprecations if an utter banishing his Holy Worship and Service as an unfashionable disparaging thing If the Training up Children into the low and base Opinion of the strict Wayes and Methods of Godliness such as their Parents have sucked in before them If Servants must think it ill Manners to serve their Maker better than their profane Masters and must wear the Livery of their Relation and Vices together If instead of Praying Catechising and Holy Instruction and Excellent Example which ever flourished in the Great Family of this mighty Prince there be nothing but Prophaneness Atheism and all the Trades of Confusion driven and carried on with a perfect Industry from day to day surely we must sadly conclude that the Good Abraham hath but few Heirs to follow him in the same holy Path. God knew this faithful Servant to be constant to his Glory and Interest and all the World shall one day know that such as these are very Traytors both to Him and their Own Happiness for ever 'T was because of this Fidelity that the Great Abraham was admitted into the Secrets of his Judgment against Sodom The clamour of whose Provocations would suffer divine Justice to forbear them no longer God could not be in Quiet for them in Heaven either they must cease to be thus wicked or to have any further Being in the World He will ease himself of these Adversaries they shall no longer oppress his Patience or abuse his Goodness His Long-suffering had run out to the utmost Extremity He is now ready for vengeance they ripe for destruction When the whole World shall be white unto the great Harvest Then shall the Sickle of Ruine cut it down Yet shall not Execution be done upon Sodom before all the Formalities of Judgment precede Process and Enquiry shall be made into the Merits of their Cause The Judge of all the Earth will do right None shall perish but from the plain Evidence and Conviction of their own Guilt Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy Judgments Two Angels are sent in Commission to make the Inquisition we shall anon hear what the Issue of that Tryal will be Now is Abraham left with the Lord alone and 't is remarkable that himself who had vouchsafed to Honour the Tabernacle of this holy Man with his gracious Presence disdains to bless the Infamous City with the same favour God is far from the ungodly but he waiteth here still to hearken to the Prayer of the Righteous Abraham receives not the News of Sodom's destruction with any pleasure at all Gods Children as himself delight not in the death of the wicked but rather that they turn and live 'T is Fury and not Zeal that on every affront calls for Fire from Heaven to destroy There is a City will know this one day that hath made so many Massacres and kindled so many Flames upon the Bodies of the Saints Abraham prepares to Plead as Fiercely as he had Fought for Sodom before How serviceable are the Favourites to the Enemies of God who yet hate and persecute them Down he falls and on the bare Knees of his very Soul Beggs That God would maintain the Honour of his own Justice and that the Righteous might not taste of the bitter Cup of the Wicked And further If it would please him that the Wicked might live for the Righteous sake and the Righteous for their own Tho' the Wicked will not suffer the Righteous to live for whose sake themselves live and with the Jews kill their Saviours yet are the Righteous of another Spirit and would give their lives that all Men were as themselves the innocent and blameless Sons of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation 'T is wonderful to find how Abraham by the bare Breath of his Prayers makes the
his Wife Eighthly He imparts the Menaces of God to his Courtiers that they also might fear God The Men were sore afraid Ninthly He makes satisfaction to Abraham for the Injury done and presents him with Cattel and Money Tenthly He submits to the Ordinance of God and accepts of the Prayers of Abraham as the Means of his Healing Eleventhly He enters Friendship with him as a Favourite of God and thinks his Kingdom Blessed in his Company Behold my Land is before thee dwell where it pleaseth thee What fair Fruits are here growing in the Wilderness of Nature while the Inclosed Garden â—s overspread with so many Noisom Weeds whose Heart doth not bleed to see those that call themselves Christians Laughing at those Threats that Menace infallible Death to such as retain the Lusts They keep who yet are stupified to that degree as to think rather that God Himself is False than that they themselves shall Dye Who hath yet Sworn by Himself that they are all but Dead Men and cannot Live If they should His Honour and Truth must Dye for them These draw the Curtains about them and sleep on Securely in their Guilts while yet their Judgment sleepeth not They are so far from arising to Reformation with Abimelech whose Bed could not hold him after the Affrightful Dream that they fancy no Necessity for any and they resolve against all till they awake in the next World and Flames open the Eyes that Sin had shut and makes them Feel the Tormenting Sence of their Folly and Impenitency for ever But what is so rarely found among us we may note all the parts of a True Repentance Appearing in this King. With what Care doth he clear himself of this matter to God! With what Indionation doth he charge Abraham for bringing this Sin and Evil upon him Thou hast brought Sin upon my Kingdom With what Fear doth he Summon his Servants about him to declare the danger they were in With what Zeal doth he hasten about the removing the Cause that had brought that danger upon them What Revenge doth he act upon himself by laying a chargeable Fine which he contentedly pays unto Abraham for his Folly From the first Revelation he passes to Conviction from Conviction he proceeds to Reformation from that to Satisfaction from all to Absolution and Health again If after all this Abimelech's Soul miscarry of Heaven and fall short of Salvation what shall become of Thousands that never kept him Company half this way in the high Road to eternal Life But why doth God suffer Abraham and Sarah to Trip a second time and subject themselves to the just Reproof of an Heathen who seemed in this the more Righteous of the Two and one would have taken Abimelech for the Prophet and Abraham for the Pagan that had heard him so severely check'd What shall we say Was there not Need of a Thorn in the Flesh to humble him under the abundance of all the Revelations that God had made to him Or was it for our sake yea for our sake doubtless that if through the Infirmity of the Flesh we should unhappily Relapse into the same Sin whereof we have truly repented before yet may we not despair when we remember that the Great Abraham twice fell Let us be sure that we be Heirs of his Faith as well as of his Frailty and then will God overlook our Iniquity as he did his and remember our sin no more God Himself keeping Sarahs Reckoning for her fails her not a day The Hundredth Year of Abraham's Life is the Joyfullest that ever he saw Now the Womb of the Divine Promise opens to Purpose when he sees himself the happy Father of the long expected Heir his Faith and Patience is ripened into Fruition Long did the World wait for a Saviour at the last he came and the World must again wait for his second coming to compleat up all their Happiness for yet a little while and he that is to come will come and will not tarry and the Just shall live by Faith. The Child at eight days Age is given back to God and receives the Seal of that Covenant which entitles him to a better Father than Abraham Sarah is so astonished at the Joy that she hardly believes yet what her Eyes see and Laughs at the Conceit how all the World will Laugh to hear the News of her being a Wet Nurse in her Dry Age She gives a good Example to her Greatest Daughters Not to deny the Breast to the Children of their own Bodies Even the Sea Monsters draw out the Breast they give suck to their young ones but the Daughter of my People is become Cruel like the Ostritches in the Wilderness Sarah will not endure that her little Isaac should have a second Mother whose ill Qualities he may perhaps unhappily Suck in with her Milk. 'T is pity but unnatural Mothers should feel the Judgment of a Miscarrying Womb and Dry Breasts who have no Rolling of Bowels towards their Innocent Babes who hold up their little Hands and Eyes begging with what Earnestness they can that they may not be turned off to a Stranger Isaac is more happy than to be deserted by his Mother she thinks it not below her great Ladiship to Swaddle up his little Body with her own Hands and to suffer the Trouble with the same Satisfaction that she enjoys the Comfort of a Son. Had Mephibosheth's Mother been the true Daughter of Sarah he had never been Crippled as he was by the Negligence of a Nurse Abraham to keep up the Practiceâ— in this Country of his old Hospitality which he ever exercised in all the Rest and taking hold of an Opportunity wherein â—he might do Good to the Souls of Men by his holy Familiarity and Conference as also to strengthen his Interest in their Affections by an Act of Humanity and Courtesie Celebrates the Feast of Isaac's Weaning with great Solemnity and Cost and makes Invitation of all the Neighbouring Persons of Quality to be his Guests where doubtless he Sauced his Dishes with such Excellent Discourses as tended chiefly to the exalting the Wonders of Gods Love in so signal a Mercy as that of a Son in his Dead Years and what the World might expect in due time from that other Promised who should one day come into the World to make them Happy in the next He was not â—ny to read the Lectures of his own Life and History a Life so full of Miracles and Benedictions that if by any means he might provoke some of them to joyn themselves to the same God that had been Good and Kind to him in every Region where he came And Sarah had not forgotten the holy Trade she drove on so Zealously in Haran she had her Arguments too and helps to Clinch in her Husbands Doctrine by her own Exhortations Abraham's Company must needs be the most Delightful and Profitable to them who of all Men living was best qualified to speak from his
Comforts on Earth God had made with him an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure This is all his desire and all his Salvation although he should not make his House to grow Who can see Him rising early to whet the Sacrificing knife that must cut the Throat of his beloved Isaac and giving orders for the cleaving the Wood that must afterwards Burn his dearest Body into Ashes and hastening his Son and Servants to the Journey The Lord hath a Sacrifice to be Offered on the Mount of Moriah how is This Righteous Soul straitned untill it be fullfiled Who can see him thus busie in the Annihilation of his own Flesh without believing that his Affections were all ravished away into Heaven and that Divine Grace had absorp'd him to that degree that he seems to have little of Man or Father appearing in him As Levi he knows not his own Children but packs away the one into Banishment at the Command of God and the other into Death So wholly eaten up by divine Zeal that for three whole days together Travelling towards the fatal Mount he hath both his Eyes so intentively sixt on the holy Commandment that he doth not so much as glance on his Isaac whoâ— he Devotes unto Good and looks on him as nothing but Ashes already The Law of his God that by this Command had dispensed with the very Law of Nature was so strong upon his Heart that he becomes obediently Vnnatural and Cruel not in the least repining as Jacob against God Me hast â—hou bereaved of my Children Ishmael is not and â—ilt thou take Isaac also all these things are against me Not so much as pouring out one Prayer to revoke the dreadful Injunction Father if it be possible let this Cup pass away But totally resigning Himself with his Blessed Heir Let thy will and not mine be done O Holy Abraham how Illustriously do the Graces of Him shine forth upon thee that would be Nothing else than what he was unto God! Thou art that Righteous Man of the East that hath learned to fall down and lye thus Submissively at the Foot of God Whither shall we go in Pilgrimage to find out the least Track of thine Obedient Steps there is scarce a little Line of thy Miraculous Devotion left upon the Face of the Earth Though St. Austin and some few more are pleased to give Sarah the Honour of consenting to the Death of her Son at the Will of God yet others more generally deny it and that Abraham afraid that her Faith might be drown'd in the Flood of her Passion very prudently conceal'd the Divine Mandate from her till after the Execution and that possibly he might bring her back a Son preternaturally raised out of his own Ashes for his God was Almighty In vain should he occasion a Precipitation of her Sorrows the woful Tidings would fall too soon as a Talent of Lead to crush and break her miserable Heart 'T is Abraham alone hath that Masculine Spirit to bear up under so sinking an Affliction as this Nor doth the Appearance of the fiery Mountain upon which his Son must be Offered dismay him David piteously lamenting the Fall but of a Friend bitterly execrated the Gilboâ— that had suckt in the Blood of his Jonathan devoting it to the Curse of Heaven for ever But Abraham can view the place where the Fire must consume his dearest Child and yet with Aaron hold his peace And now what his Faith assures him will be acceptable to God his Fear tells him may not be so very Grateful to Men. He prudently dismisses the Servants whose Eyes and Hearts he thinks would not serve them to view what his own unhappy Hands must Act He desires no Witnesses of so Tragical a Sacrifice 'T is enough that he who had set him on the Work and could not but See him should Sign the Certificate of his Faithful Obedience and Service While he Approves himself to God he values not the Testimony of Men He cries not as Jehu to Jonadab Come see my zeal for the Lord. Some fancy that he left them behind least when they should see him doing what he must do they might think that he had left his Wits behind him and so might hinder him of his Duty as once the Good Meaning Friends of Jesus did him on pretence of Distraction and Want of Senses It was not improbable but these young Men might have obstructed his Offering from as Ardent Zeal to their young Master as those afterwards who rescued Jonathan Sworn to Death from the Hands and Oath of his Violent Father But Abraham will not be interrupted by Men in a Duty which is commanded him by God. If he himself will cut the Cords of the Sacrifice and his Isaac's Redemption be wrought by the same Authority from Heaven that his Death was imposed most happy should he think himself but no other Hand shall take him from the Altar than the Divine one that laid him on Whence then is His Authority who pretends a Power to Dispense against the Positive and Absolute Commands of God The Servants and Beasts are disburthened while the whole Load is laid upon Isaac the Son is oppressed and the very Slaves go free yet he Murmurs not Who Sees not here those Innocent Shoulders that once bore our Griefs and carried our Sorrows The Iniquity of us all was laid upon him yet he opened not his Mouth Can we view Isaac bowing under the Wood that is design'd to devour him and not behold our dearest Saviour Fainting under the weight of his own Cross both ascending by weary Steps the very same Mount Abraham and Isaac the Holy and the Spiritual these tug with difficulties and attain to Mount Sion the City of God while the Carnal and the Brutish lag below and perish in the Valley of Darkness and Death where no Sacrifice is offered by them none is accepted for them their Iniquity is not purged by any offering for ever Nor is there any true Son of Abraham but who in this Life divides Himself the Brutish Part is left behind here below while the Aspiring Soul climbs the Hill to meet with God and doth so effectually prevail with him there that hereafter the poor Dust shall be called up too and participate of those Divine Qualities that will fit it for so Glorious a Communion The Ascent to the Mount was the most difficult part of the whole Journey and strong is the Body that bears up it Self against its Proclivity and Steepness Yet must not Isaac be pitied but instead of ease hath an heavy Burthen heaped upon him by a Father that tenderly loves him with design it may be to make him weary of the World and more willing to dye and pass out of it while the Slaves and Brutes are at ease and free from All below If the Cares of Life that are common to all are sound too light to humble the dearest Children of God and keep them low behold God
hanging on them those Weights of Affliction that should make them more sensible of their Pilgrimage Estate and cause them to Sigh for Redemption and Ease Nor is he less a Father because with Abraham he bears the Knife in one hand that lets out the Blood of their dangerous Corruptions and the Fire in the other that is to burn up their Combustible Lusts since while they Groan Himself is Afflicted and under a seemingly Cruel Hand doth ever retain a most gracious and compassionate Heart which harbors no other purpose by the roughest Wind of his Fury than the fanning away their Iniquity themselves at last shall find this happy Fruit by the Storm that it hath taken away nothing but Sin though they know as little the end of Gods Proceedings as Isaac did those of his Father when he so Innocently put the question My Father behold the Fire and the Wood but where is the Lamb for a burnt Offering Is Abraham become as Lot's Wife a Pillar of Hardness and Insensibility Or was this a Rebellious Son whom he delivers up to Justice and Death Or why do we not see him staggering under the weight of so killing a Temptation as this That no doubt pierced deeper into his very Soul than the first Command of God No if Abraham could have melted at all it had been when this hot Gleam beat so strongly upon his Heart Isaac cannot forget that he is Blessed in so dear a Father as Abraham though Abraham must forget that he was once Blessed in so dear a Child as Isaac He must learn to answer neither to the Name nor the Nature of a Father It evidently shews us with what Care Abraham had stiffled all his Griess within his own Bosom that he had not hitherto so much as let fly a Sigh or Groan unstrangled that might survive to give Intelligence to Isaac that there was no other Sacrifice to be expected than Himself A Frantick Outragiousness under Sufferings is but digging into the Wound and causing it to bleed at a wider Orifice when silent Submission makes half the Plaister that heals it up If it be the good Pleasure of Heaven to clap Fetters upon us that we would not wear while we madly strive to tear them off we do but rend our own Flesh and make the Iron to enter the deeper into our Soul. If the hard Burden of the Lord hath fallen upon Abraham which would have sunk any but Himself into Death what doth he but with holy Job take it quietly on his shoulder and bind it as a Crown to him This heavy stroak from Isaac's Mouth charg'd by God himself for a greater Tryal and lighting upon the very Wound is so far from moving him to let go his Integrity that under the fresh Assault of this menacing Billow he still swims above Water and holds it fast Isaac is the Sacrifice that Himself calls for and Abraham only knows it though Isaac knows it not yet God knew that he intended another though Abraham knows it not The Son is not kept in greater Darkness by the Father than is the Father kept by God. How little does Man know of his own Concerns in the future Event of Gods Decrees Some pass merrily on because they see not the Dangers that are before them while others mourn under Jealousies of Troubles that God knows shall never come upon them The Prophecy shall come to pass indeed and God will provide another Sacrifice Josephus hath adventured to Fancy the Arguments by which Abraham now come to the Mount having erected the Altar and made all things ready prevailed with Isaac to surrender up his Life unto God. But I shall do my Reader no Injury if I present him with another which the Golden Pen of our Excellent Hall hath drawn up to my hand as despairing to find any where a more Natural or Powerfully Effectual than his My Son thou art the Lamb which God hath provided for this Burnt Offering if my Blood could have excused thee how many thousand times had I rather to give thee mine Own Life than taken thine Alas I am full of Days and now of long time have lived not but in thee Thou mightest have preserved the Life of thy Father and have comforted his Death but the God of us both hath chosen thee He that gave thee unto me Miraculously bids me by an unusual means return thee unto him I need not tell thee that I Sacrifice all my Worldly Joys yea and my Self in thee But God must be obeyed Neither art thou too Dear for him that calls thee Come on my Son restore the Life that God hath given thee by me offer thy self willingly to these Flames Send up thy Soul cheerfully unto thy Glory and know that God loves thee above others since he requires thee alone to be Consecrated in Sacrifice to Himself Behold the very Figure of him that hath said I and my Father are One One in Nature and One in Will. Isaac layeth down his Life of himself with Jesus and no Man taketh it from him He gives up himself with the same Resignation Lo I come to do thy Will O God. Let us only Contemplate what Conflicts Young Isaac endured in his Bosom 'twixt the different Interests of Flesh and Spirit what Struglings 'twixt Nature and Duty for a while as the different Twins in Rebekahs Womb till recollecting his Spirits and rouzing up his Faith he humbly addresseth his Dearest Father with such a Retortion as this My Father though Nature once framed into Life grows kind and dear to it Self and Flesh is not easily perswaded to pass into Nothing if by any means it can preserve and maintain its own Being And we see all the World sticking in Self and fast Bound to the pleasing Enjoyments of the present Life Yet the Son of Abraham hath been Educated into better Hopes and hath been taught to Obey but never to Dispute the Commands of his Father's God. Yes Sir your Isaac is ready to surrender up the Life he hath received Seek not for any other Offering than your own Son who is prepared to Bleed on the Holy Altar of God and approve himself the Obedient Child of so Good a Father by whose excellent example he hath learn'd to Resign up his All to his Maker See the patient Victim kissing the Cords that bind him and the fatal Knife that is sharpned to let out his Blood and Life while his Father inwardly Bleeds more Drops than he and hath just Strength enough left to lift up his trembling Hand to give the Mortal Stroke which Heaven never design'd that Isaac should feel or suffer Real Intention weighs as heavy in the Ballance of the Sanctuary as the best Action Thou doest well Abraham in that it was in thine heart to build this Temple unto God Which though uneffected shall reflect an equal Honour upon thee When God called young Samuel he arose and went to Eli for as yet he knew not the voice of the Lord.
But Old Abraham had been so long accustomed to Celestal Sounds that the Voice of an Angel could be no Surprize unto him He that ever kept his Ears open to every Call of God could not be Deaf to this Musick that ravish'd his Ear and Heart together 'T was a very Melancholly Note Take thy Son Isaac and offer him up c. But now the Sphears strike up a more melodious Tune Lay not thine hand upon the Lad. Yet Abraham danced after both but his very Soul makes a Caper at this He that refused not God in the killing very easily obeys him in the Sparing of his only Son Commands that Run counter to our Wills must all be received but those that jump in with them are embraced with open Arms. The glad Father stands not to argue the Authority that brings him a Discharge from the Execution of the first Warrant but readily Believes what he heartily Desires and knows that God himself is the best Dispenser with his own Statutes The Sheep of Christ that know his Voice are startled at the Arrogance of the Stranger that presumes to countermand the plain Injunctions of Heaven Read the Scriptures No they are dangerous Drink ye all of this No not all but the Priest only Pray with the Spirit and with Vnderstanding No but in an Vnknown Tongue Marriage is honourable to all Men No not in the Sacerdotal Order There is one Mediator even Jesus Christ No there are Innumerable others Angels and Saints This Intercessor is able to save to the uttermost all that come to him No not unless you joyn your own Good Works with him which are Filthy Rags Dung and Nothing In vain doth Diotrephes pâ—ate against the Divine and Infallible Spirit of Truth Lord where will this New Gospel stand in the Great day You have heard the Faith and Patience of Abraham now see the End of the Lord. Will any one think that Isaac's Blood could be profitable unto God yet shall Abraham's Obedience bring Him Glory and be profitable to Himself and to the whole Church of God for ever to teach us that Faith without Works is dead and by works of Obedience is Faith perfected And both Faith and Obedience perfected by Grace through Christ Now hath God built a Tabernacle for the Table of his Covenant with Abraham to rest in to the end of the World that all Flesh may know that he who refuseth to offer up his Isaac on Abraham's Altar can never expect Salvation with him God leaves such for Moses and not this Angel to deal with who came on purpose four hundred years after with a killing Letter to those as spare their darling Sins from the command of God to have them Crucified when Abraham his Favourite could not be suffered and had more love to him than to withhold his only Son. Abraham himself hath no Bosom for such as hide their Iniquity in their own And 't is observable how little Compassion he had for the Man in Hell that of Three Requests made by him he granted him not one and Torments him with the same Uncharitableness that himself had used to poor Lazarus He should not have a Drop that would not give a Crum Abraham is the only Saint that we find prayed to in all the Scripture and that to so little purpose as the miserable Supplicant gets not the least Ease from his Pains who had kept all his Isaacs about him on Earth and now very idly becomes his Votary in Hell. Mercy to Sin is Tyranny to the Soul If Absalom be dealt gently with and suffered to Live David himself is in danger to dye Most Men take David's Care for the Rebels Safety as if their own Life were bound up in the Life of him when if God be True either Sin or the Soul must certainly dye If we cannot part with our Lusts for Gods sake we shall part with our Souls for our Lusts sake Who that is wise but would harden himself against damning Corruption that lurks to destroy him When Abraham hath a Courage for the sake of his God to stick his Knife into the Throat and to burn into Ashes his own Flesh and would have thought himself unworthy of the Kindness of Heaven had he refused that Obedience to the holy Commandment If the Interest of God be so low in thine Eyes that for Sins sake That must suffer take heed the Interest of thy Soul be not one day so low in Gods Eyes that for Sins sake thy Soul may suffer for ever But if Abraham's Obedience and Love to God be grown quite out of Fashion and Men fancy they may be saved on cheaper terms than He Let them shew the Dispensation whereby they are allowed to spare their Beloved Isaac since not Abraham only but God Himself spared not His and delivered him up a Sacrifice for those Sins whose safety Men so carefully provide for Ah me never considering that those they are so fond of would not suffer the Son of God to live 't was Sin that brought him to his Death and are the Sinners like to efcape with life when He Himself that had none of his own dyed and was destroyed but for wearing the Garment that was spotted with the Flesh thô his Own were so pure and without Stain Whence is it that notwithstanding Christ hath dyed so great a part of Mankind dye too and perish but from this very Treason they will not deliver up their Lusts to dye with him but maintain a Friendship with those Enemies that destroyed him as if the same Iron that pierced his Flesh would not one day enter into their own Souls making wounds there that shall never be healed Nor will any thing make them rage with a greater Torment than to consider That God delivered up his Son and that Son delivered up himself to free them from those cruel hands which they will find too soon embrewed in the Blood of their Souls thô they believe it not nor will be perswaded to free themselves in time Methinks they might pass to Golgotha and see what bloody work Son made on the blessed Body of an Innocent Jesus and can they think that Justice is become more Merciful to wilful and obstinate Offenders 'T is one of the Mysteries in Religion that after God himself the Almighty Father hath bin prevail'd on by his own free and unexpressible Love and Riches of Grace to give out his Son ten thousand times dearer to him than all the Creatures from his holy Bosom where he had lain from all Eternity to be delivered up to bitter Sufferings and Death it self for ungodly Enemies And that after Jesus that blessed Son had yielded so readily to become the Sacrifice lying upon the Altar and not as Isaac countermanded again but actually Bleeding out his very Heart for them to the very last drop yet when all this is done and the Gates of eternal Righteousness and Redemption opened to all that will but humbly and thankfully enter them
the sottish World should stand at a distance and look to be courted into a Compliance with those happy terms that would bless them into the Felicity of a perfect freedom from those Chains of Darkness that bind them over to an endless Captivity Nay to hugg those very Fetters and and to fall in love with Bondage and Misery it self and by no Arguments be wrought to embrace the purchased Safety Whence is this unaccountable Madness but from the Devil and that cursed Heart of unperswasibleness and Infidelity that detains them Prisoners to their own Obstinacy with the same Obduration and Judgment of God as that unhappy Nation upon whom his wrath is come to the uttermost Let such consider whether all the World much less the poor Slaves of his Family could have tempted Abraham to have shed the Blood of his dearest Child or with what offers could Isaac have been bribed to suffer that deadly Massacre when only the Command of God revealed by his Father brought him to it and shall not the Power of the same God prevail with thee to save thy self by a little pains only in mortifying an unprofitable Lust or two Shall this indulgent Father Kill a Son in whom was all his earthly happiness at the will of God and that Son as quietly lye still in a minutely Expectation of the destructive Gash while he doth it from a pious Conformity to the same Will Nay further shall God Himself for such a Slave to Sin and Lust as Thou lay hold on the dearly Beloved of his Soul and most pitilesly suffer him to be Mangled and Torn nothing all over but Wounds and Gore and Himself all the while silent and submissive Not a murmuring Thought seizing on his heart not a discontented Syllable passing his Lips while he hath nothing to comfort him but the Remembrance of the Happiness that thy unsensible Self mayst reap from those Sorrows When now after after all this his very Passion is Ridicul'd the whole Process lookt on but as Story and Romance The Stone of his Sepulchre roll'd on thine own Heart shutting thee up in Vnbelief and hardning thee to that degree that nothing but murthering a second time will serve thy Turn the Jewish Malice rekindled within thee and thou art Crucifying him afresh with the same Fury driving in more Nails into his holy Body than ever did they and giving him more bitter Potions to drink The Angel from Heaven not hearkned to when he cryes to thee to spare Isaac Blessed Redeemer Is this the Fruit of thy Sacrifice Did our true Isaac bleed for this Was the Fountain of Life opened to gush out in so full a Stream for no other end but to damm up the Current of Sin and Uncleanness that it should not issue from us but abide in us for ever Was this the Mercy promised to our Father Abraham That we should be delivered up into the hands of our Enemies of whom Sin is the greatest and not from them Where is the blessing so often repeated of being turned away from Iniquity if we continue for ever in it How long hath Jesus been a Saviour from the Guilt and not from the Dominion of Sin Is he become favourable to the Thorns that pierced His Sacred Head and the Spear that wounded his innocent Heart that He can tolerate them in Christian Hands In vain do Men think Him reconciled to these Traytors because themselves give them harbour When they know not how soon they may be surprized in the Guilt of that Treason and made to suffer the Penalties of Eternal Death for it either Isaac must be sacrificed or themselves for not doing it Abraham by this having given convincing Evidence of his perfect Integrity and unreserved Devotion to the Divine Precept God is so greatly Affected with it that he cannot forbear from letting him know how very grateful this Eminent Service was unto him He first sends him down Letters Testimonial whereon he sets his Seal to the Truth of Abraham's Religion which all his true Heirs must imitate and follow Now I know that thou fearest God c. Thou fearest God and I know it and all the World shall know it too by what thou hast done c. And further for his sake he will now be so very kind to confirm to him and his for ever all the Mercies of his Gracious Covenant with the unalterable Ratification of an Oath which shall make it impossible to be broken and as sure to them as Truth it self can make it That as Abraham had been faithful to God in his Obedience and Duty to him so it should be past all possibility for God himself to fail in his Promises or be unfaithful that he should not perform the Mercies he had formerly engaged to grant them who should walk in the same steps of Abraham's Faith and Sincerity By this Grace he opened his very Heart to shew them the Immutability of his Council and Greatness of his Affections to them with this advice That they would draw from this Living Well the refreshing Draughts of strong Consolation When they shall consider That God must first cease to be e're he be unconstant or faile in his purposes of shewing Kindness to them What a reviving Julip is this to the drooping Spirits of Abraham's Children That all their Mercies are as secure to them as the very Being of God is to Himself Every Link of the whole Chain of their Salvation so strongly fixt that he seems not free from his Oath till they are Lodg'd in the same Kingdom with him whither he hath so resolvedly sworn to bring them 'T is a strange Faith that gives no Credence to the Oath of a God! As I live saith the Lord that in blessing I will bless thee c. Do but think Reader with what unspeakable Joy the Soul of this holy Man overflowed not only for the preservation of his Sons life but the Attestation of his own Integrity in that he had approved himself so faithful a Servant to his great Lord in yielding up his Isaac so chearfully to his pleasure Our enjoyments are doubled to us in sweetness when they have been first Offered in Sacrifice by us and we hold them only at his Devotion In this work of Righteousness he had present peace and in the effects of it quietness and Assurance for ever The same Comfort hath every Son of Abraham in the conscionable discharge of his Duty with a sweet Testimony of divine Acceptation sealed to the Conscience by a ravishing voice from Heaven He that doth my Commandments and loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self to him The obedient Soul shall not only be loved of God but a manifestation of that Love shall be given into Him by the Witnessing Spirit 'T is Common in well doing to hear ill from the World but Who ever did well for God that heard ill from him The Lord will Create the Fruit of the Lips
arises and makes them a Genteel Bow in Acknowledgment of their great Civility and Kindness to him in that Offer Yet while they were all so courteous 't was Ephron alone that must gratifie his desires and all the Kindness the rest can do him was but to Intercede for him that on valuable consideration his Field and the Cave in it might be secured to him and his Heirs for ever But when the brave Hittite perceives himself concern'd in Abraham's Choice and that He only hath the desired Cave that must be honoured in becoming the Repository of these precious Ashes how proudly doth his Liberality contest with Abraham's Justice and is hardly conquer'd from Resolutions of giving that Freely which Abraham desires only at a Price What pity is it that sweet Disposition and Generosity should go to Hell while sordid Niggardliness and base Selfishness hope for Heaven Can bare Nature so easily depart from her Rights on Earth which hath no pretence for others in Heaven while those who pretend an Interest there have their very Souls cleaving to the Dust below and their feet sticking fast in the Mire are so far from yielding up the least shadow of a Title to what they have of their Own that they greedily invade and flye upon the Properties of Others Abraham tho he minds not to accept the noble proffer yet is so greatly affected with it that once again he repeats his grateful Sence of Ephron's and all their Reverence towards him by an yet more humble Obeysence than before He bowed himself down before the people of the Land. Who can see this Great Prince and Friend of God twice together paying his Duty of civil Respect and Honour to the very Heathen by the External Demonstrations of it without pity towards those Rude and Unmannerly Professors of our Age whose very Religion hath no other Test of Distinction but Surliness and Inhumanity Abraham while he is treating about a Grave takes great Care that he may lye down in it with a peaceable Conscience He hath been hitherto a mighty Pattern of Holiness in all his Transactions with God Here we shall find him an Example of Righteousness in all his Affairs with Men That all his Children may know that Commutative Justice and the Duties of the Second Table were written by the same hand that will require as exact Observation of them as of all the other of the First In vain do we pretend Sanctity to God if we are not Righteous to Men. He that doth Righteousness is of God and he that loveth his Brother See how Strait the Lines of Abraham's Righteousness run thro' all the management of this Compact with Ephron First He will by no means take advantage of his Neighbours Good Nature against his Profit he will neither defraud him nor suffer him to defraud himself by an easie Disposition Hear me I pray thee I will give thee money for the Field take it of me c. Secondly When he hath the equitable Value of the Land set to him he undervalues it not in hopes to beat down the Price It is Naught it is Naught saith the Buyer but when he is gone his way he boasteth Thirdly He makes present Payment for what he Buyes and purchases not with Paper and Wax Abraham weighed out the Silver c. Fourthly He Buyes not Good Land with Bad Coin but all is Currant Money with the Merchant Lastly The Conveyances are Sealed and Witnesses taken to prevent all Causes of future Debate The Field was made sure unto Abraham in the presence of the Children of Heth and before all c. And now is Abraham as pleased with a Grave as ever was Prince of a Palace How many Mens Estates are their Graves while they live and never think of another Their very Souls are buried in their Acres below wherein if they might they would lye for ever They Live and Rot in their Pleasures and are Dead while they seem to Live Life to any thing but God is but very Death This is the only Joynture that we find ever settled upon Sarah which the Heirs of her Body against their coming to Age shall find enlarged into a Kingdom for by the purchase of this little Field which cost not much more than Two and twenty Pounds or thereabouts he had given Security to the Faith of his Posterity That God would one day give them the Inheritance of that whole Land where Abraham Isaac and Jacob with Sarah Rebekah and Leah lay close together to keep possession for them until themselves should come And sure there is a better Security given to us also by his Great Heir Jesus Christ who is gone before us and entred into the Heavens as a Forerunner to prepare places for us That where he is we may be also And is not his Spirit lying Leiger in us as the Earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased Possession to the praise of his Glory 'T is observable That after Sarahs Death God makes no more Appearances to Abraham from Heaven having now performed the Great Promise of a Seed he leaves him to walk in the Light and Comfort of those he had already made To teach us that the Great Heir being now come into the World in whose coming all the Promises are perfectly secure to the Faithful the Church is not to expect any Extraordinary Revelations of any farther Truths than what he hath already sent into the World by his Son. He hath now sealed up the whole Canon and will hereafter be silent for ever To these received we ought to trust in the Hope of these we ought to Live in the Comfort of these we ought to dye For this cause God in the close of his whole Book hath carefully contrived the Prevention of Alterations Additions or Diminutions by the Menace of an Eternal Curse imposeable on that Guilt and the multiplying Plagues upon Him that shall add any thing to it There being enough Written if well believed to make us Blessed and Happy for ever CHAP. XII Isaac 's Marriage FOr Three full years together had Isaac mournfully lamented the Death of his Mother now will God make up that loss to him in a Wife Eliezer the Steward of his Fathers House is dispatched as Legate with an Angel Attendant into Mesopotamia and takes with him his Masters Orders where and from whom to choose him a Daughter Abraham before his Journey Swears him to Fidelity in an Affair of so grand Importance and he as cautiously Swears that he might the more Religiously keep his Oath When he draws near the place he Invocates his Masters God for Prosperity and good Success and begs that the first Match may be made up between the Decrees of Heaven and his own Endeavours that they might not thwart each other but happily Marry together He humbly resigns up his own Discretion to the wise Council of God which he knew had determined already in the fittest Choice of a Wife for so
laid them before him to make his own Choice and to take them all to himself Is this price in his hand to be happy for ever and hath the Fool no heart to it Is the Everlasting Charter fairly Copied out and sent him down from above to peruse and read over wherein he finds all the Priviledges of Heaven and Earth made over and secured to him and all this not worthy reflecting on And the Book lying as fast clasped up as his own Heart See how grievously God takes this Affront to his Goodness I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing A matter not concerning them at all The Feast is prepared and all things ready themselves Invited but they make light of it they have other Pleasures to follow O Judicial Blindness O cursed Insensibleness Israel would none of me so I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts to walk in their own Councels He that hath no Heart for God may jealously fear that God hath no Heart for him Pray not for this People for my mind cannot be towards them Why Their Heart is turned away from me Yet is this but the first Seething of the deadly Poyson see it boiling up into the heighth of a mutual Abhorrency and Loathing Their Soul abhorred me and my Soul loathed them Tremble to think on the fatal Effects of thy Hearts aversion from God 'T is a perfect Predamnation the very Devils arrive at no greater height of Impiety And thou that wilt not meditate Love mayst shortly meditate Terror and become a Magor Missabib a very Fiend to thine own Self Go miserable Creature sit in the Dust lye on the Ground cloath thee with Ashes put on Sackcloath let bitter Tears be thy drink Abhorr thy Self Thy Soul is departed from God and God as from Saul is departed from thee and what wilt thou do in the end thereof On what will thy miserable Thoughts feed on to Eternity 'T were a Judgment to pass one day without Meditation on God! but how wilt thou spend an endless Life without him which yet thou canst not do while all thy Faculties will be enlarg'd to take in nought but Plagues and Torments which here fed on nothing but Vanity and Leasing There thou wilt do nothing else but think on His Wrath on thy Self and Others who here hadst no leisure or Heart to think on his Love and Goodness to thy Self and Others Bethink thy self a little while thou art in the World summon up thy Considerative Faculties set them all at work to ruminate on the unchangeable Estate wherein thou wilt either Praise or Blaspheme the Name of God for ever Hast thou a Soul given thee for no other Work but to compleat thine own Misery And doth God wait upon thee but until thou fittest thy Self for destruction whiles thou art little thinking how soon it will come upon thee And then all the vain Thoughts that lodge within thee will take their flight from thee and perish for ever with thee Thus saith the Lord of Hosts consider thy wayes And remember 't is the proper work of the Rational Soul and of no other Creature but Angels to reflect on it self and wisely to project for its future Happiness When God hath laid before thee all the Contrivances of his everlasting Councels and Love towards thee in Jesus Christ and set Him forth to be a Propitiation thrô Faith in his Blood that thine Eyes and Heart may be astonished with Admiration of such Mercy That this White Flag should hang up so long and none consider the Black One of Judgment may appear in its stead when all hopes of Life are gone and departed for ever This is an Evidence of a fatal Obduration and a mighty Contempt of Divine Grace See Sinner Mercy is yet offer'd Proposals of Peace are laid before thee Consider thy Life and Soul are in hazard if thou art drawing lines with Archimedes in the Dust while the City is stormed and the Enemy entred the next News will be the Sword in thy Bowels and an everlasting Adieu to thy presumptuous Hopes But while Isaac's holy Heart was better exercised and he was sweetly walking with his God in the Fields his Eyes discover the Camels Coming In the doing thy Commandments there is great Reward Mercy overtakes him in the midst of Duty In the very Moment that he is enjoying God God gives him the Enjoyment of his Rebekah to whom for the Honour that she doth him in lighting off her Camēl and Veyling her self at the first Meeting he pays so entire Affection and constant Love that in all his Life he never leaves her to depart into another Bed And having now gotten so good a Wife he endeavours to forget the loss of a Mother and to remember his Sorrow no more I question not but the Readers Observation hath already prevented me in the Noting of the clearest Allegory of the Proceedings of God in the raising a Seed to his Son illustrated by the Care of Abraham in this Transactions of Isaac's Nuptials 'T is the Project and the Councel of his Will to propose him as the Spiritual Husband to his Church He makes the first Motion by his Servants that are sent forth to Woe and Beseech They are sworn to Fidelity under the dreadful penalties of destruction to themselves if they be found Careless or Unfaithful in so great a Trust Their Blood will I require at thy Hand The Arguments they use are the Promises of an Everlasting Inheritance durable Riches and Honour in the heavenly Canaan There is nothing required but bare Consent and an hearty willingness to the Match What doth the Lord require of thee c. My Son give me thine Heart onely The Holy Spirit cooperates with the Messengers and helps to convince and perswade Our Gospel came not in Word only but in Power and in the Holy Ghost He enlightneth the mind to see what are the Hopes of his Calliing and how great the Riches of the Inheritance He works the Heart to a free Consent Thy People shall be willing c. When Faith is wrought and Consent gotten the Jewels are produced Gifts and Graces After ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit Dispatch is urged Be ye ready the Faithful Soul called to depart Hearken O Daughter and consider incline thine Ear forget thine own People and thy Fathers House While she is traveling on the Road of Life the Bridegroom meets her I will manifest my self unto her she receives him covered with a Veyl and blushing at the Thoughts of her unworthiness But he likes her the better and greatly delights in her Beauty while the Worships him as her Lord and passes in with him into the everlasting Pavilion where she alone enjoys his Love and entire Person for ever We shall be ever with the Lord Wherefore comfort one another with these words The Nuptials of Isaac thus happily Celebrated and Rebekah in Possession of
Sarah's Tent what hath the joyful Father to expect more than an happy Translation to Heaven But to hear of a Marriage-Bed instead of a Grave and six flourishing Branches to spring out from the Dead Stock of his Body this is a little strange and surprizing Let not my Reader profane himself by imputing Levity much less Lasciviousness to Him that for so long a time had conversed with Angels and God Himself on Earth For as Jesus could not Bow his Sacred Head nor give up the Ghost before each Syllable that was Prophesied of Him was perfectly fulfilled even to the bitter Draught of Vinegar and Gall in his last Moments so neither could Abraham suffer a Demise e'er the Promises made to Him were as perfectly Accomplished And by the Power of a Divine Revelation I will make thee a Father of many Nations he is Invigorated with Prolifick Vertue for blessing six Countries more with Princes from his own Body Nor shall this Numerous Brood of Keturah be injurious to the Great Heir the very Offal of the Estate shall suffice for Portions to Them while Isaac's Dishes stand never the Thinner on his Table Let the Men of this World run away with the poor Legacies of general Providence Heaven is enough and enough for the true Heirs of God. Lord however hardly thou deal with me here in the World Reserve a Portion for me with thy Self and it shall suffice The Glorious Sun is now upon Setting and my Pencil must prepare to draw the Shadows of the Night which are Doubled by the shutting up the Eyes of the Great Abraham in Death Since Eternity was Retail'd into Parcels of Time and Dayes never was there a Century better pass'd in Universal Obedience to the Glory of the God of Life whose Divine Wisdom thinks it but just to send him a Writ of Ease from all his Travels under the Sun and having finished the Work he had given him to do to call for him Home and to fix him in his Lodgings with Himself in the Unmoveable Kingdom Abraham is dead and the Prophets They have chalked out to us the Path of Life and then retired to Heaven With what Impudence can any Church tell me That if I follow the Steps of the Great Abraham believe and Live as He yet shall I never Arrive to his Bosom unless I seal to the Articles of their own devising and believe what Abrahams Holy Heart would have Risen at and Abhorr'd to consent to Should God send again this holy Saint from Heaven to walk a while among his Children on Earth retaining still but his own Principles and teaching them to others as what were sufficient to bring them to Happiness in a Zealous Rejection of all the vain Inventions of Men imposed now on the Christian World under the Anathema's of Death confident I am even Abraham would very hardly escape the Censures of the Cursed Inquisition which Wracks the Faith of every Soul within its Clutches into larger Extensions of impossible things to be Credited than the Tortured Joynts are drawn out to under the cruel Twitches of the Tyrannical Engine If Revelation of Divine Truth imprinted on the Heart fitted and softned to receive the Impression upon it and gaining upon the Affections to embrace and delight in it working off the Life from unsuitable Practices to reduce it into a Natural and pleasing Conformity to the Holy Rule be not enough to secure me from the Dangers of Error and Delusion wherewith the Superstitious World so uncharitably charges every Dissenter from its Follies so unreasonably imposed let me contentedly dye and put it to the Tryal before the Tribunal of the Great Judge who I am sure cannot deny his own Work in Attempering an Heart to his Holy Knowledge and Obedience that naturally is so Averse and Rebellious against both And for Appendices to Religion Policies of Government and offensive Ceremonies c. I can easily distinguish in the Light of Truth how far I am obliged to conform to them for the sake of Peace and Honour of the Church and in the same Light to differ from them where they dissent from the Truth and grate too much upon Conscience and yet still 't is my Duty to pay Respect so far as I can to the Persons of Men Thô I know it mine Interest in no wise to bend to their Principles or close in with them in Cringing to a false God and this I learn from Abraham whose Demeanour towards the Children of Heth was full of Condescention and Civil Respect while he would have chosen to Dye rather than given them the Honour of his Presence in their Idolatrous Temples Civility and an Endearing Carriage hath its huge Advantages in the World where Crabbedness and a Morose look is not only ungenteel but affrighting If Abraham had been a Person of a Rugged Supercilious Deportment amongst Men how dimly had his Light shined in the Diversity of Nations where God directed him to go how little had his Profession profited towards an embracing of the Truths he followed I think it may be truly Remarqued That the Generous and obliging Spirits of some Gentlemen in the Romish Communion have done more to allure the Minds of our unstable Neighbours to harbour good Thoughts of their ill Religion than all the designing Attempts of their Priests whose Cloystâ—â— naturally breed them to a sort of Carriage that never fails to create Jealousies and Fears upon the Minds of Men that occurr them and bespeak them rather to stand upon their Guard against them than to receive them in open Arms of Love And while very few of that Fraternity can give a rational Account of at least Two parts in Three of their Faith which they ever devolve upon the Church who takes care too that a prying Inspection be ever discouraged and Brow beaten it shall suffice me to walk in the lustre of Abraham's Religion from whom the Reformed Churches have received the Pattern and care not to follow any other And for my Self had I a thousand Souls to Answer for I would adventure them all upon the pure and unspotted Profession of Him who had all his Knowledge from God sanctified into an Excellent Life which fitted him in the End for a Glorious Death and a blessed Eternity FINIS Books lately Printed for John Dunton at the Black Raven in the Poultrey over against the Compter 1 A Continuation of Morning Exercise Questions and Cases of Conscience practically Resolved by 31 Reverend and Learned Divines in the City of London in October 1682. Printed in a very large Quarto Price bound 10 s. 2 A compleat History of the Lives Tryals Sufferings Deaths and Characters of all those Excellent persons who fell in the West of England and elsewhere from the Death of Sir Edmundbury Godfry to this present time with the Pictures of several of the chief of them in Copper plates To which is added The Life Death and Character of George Lord Jefferies Written by a Person of great Learning and Piety 3 Reformed Religion or Right Christianity describ'd in its Excellency and Vsefulness in the whole Life of Man Wherein is given an Impartial Character of a Right Christian in General of a right Christian Minister of a right Christian Magistrate of a right Christian Subject of a right Christian Worship of a right Christian Parliament and of a right Christian Souldier Written by M. Barker Minister of the Gospel in London Price bound 1 s. 4 Mr. Howes Sermon at the Funeral of that Faithful and laborious Servant of Christ Mr. Richard Fairclough price 6 d. 5 The Joy of Faith or a Treatise opening the true Nature of Faith its lowest Stature and distinction from Assurance with a preliminary Tract evidencing the Divinity of the Sacred Scriptures By Samuel Lee M. A. sometime Fellow of Wadham Colledge Oxon. price bound 1 s. 6 d. 6 Early Piety Exemplified in the Life and Death of Mr. Nathanael Mather who at the Age of 19 dyed an Instance of more than common Learning and Vertue The second Edition with a Prefatory Epistle by Mr. Matthew Mead price bound 1 s. 7 Mr. Slater's Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. John Oaks price 6 d. 8 His Sermon preached to Young Men at their desire Dec. 25. 1688. price 6 d. 9 Mr. Shower's Sermon upon the Death of a young Gentlewoman Mrs. Ann Barnardiston Daughter of Nathanael Barnardiston Esq late of Hackney with her Exemplary Life and Death 10 Mr. Roger's Sermon preached upon the Death of a Young Gentleman with an Account of the young Gentlemans Life and Death 11 A Sermon occasioned by the Execution of a man found guilty of Murther preach'd at Boston March 11. 1686. By Increase Mather Rector of Harvard Colledge in New-Engl price bound 1 s. 12 Mr. Baxter's Directions to a sound Conversion The Fourth Edition price bound 2 s. 13 Mr. Doolittel on the Sufferings of Christ from the Garden to the Grave price bound 2 s. 14 A necessary Companion for a serious Christian directing him aright through the whole course of his Life price bound 6 d.
Bowels and dash out thy Breath It s possible Reader thou maist find thy miserable Soul fetter'd in the same Chains that Haughtiness and Insolence hath betrayed them into though now thou wilt not harken unto the Ratling of theirs for the noise of thy Chariot and the Ruffling of thy Pride But pause a little thou most exalted Dust and view thy self in the Glass of these now wretched Infernal Spirits Dost thou value thy self upon thine high Birth and doth the Noblest Blood enrich thy Veins Why these were the First-born of God of the eldest Family and but one Degree subordinate to the blessed Trinity and never took their Rise from Clay but were all Spirits and Glorious yet has Pride destroyed them Dost thou look Bigg on thy fellow Servants and from thine high Station and Preferments in the Courts of Princes swellest into a forgetfulness of thy mean Original Why proud Ashes these were the Illustrious Courtiers of the King of Glory and Attendants on the Majesty of Heaven Yet Pride hath slain them Art thou Commissioned from thy Master into Power and delegated unto Executions from Royal Authority Why these even in their low Estate are Powers still and can if Licens'd make the Earth to tremble are the Princes of the Air and keep their Court in thine own Heart too and though stript of their Holiness yet are Commission'd often unto frequent and fearful Executions and God deliver us from their Tyranny yet they are but Hell-hounds still and their Pride hath undone them Dost thou Glory in thine Attendants and long Train the Set of Liveries that encompass thy Chariot and the many Slaves thou hast at thy Service Know Seigniour that Belzebub hath his Legions too and in a more perfect subjection and conformity than thine he hath them all at his perfect beck and absolute Service his Subjects are no Rebells against him but go and come at the least Nod of his pleasure and yet this great Prince hath his Chains on him and Pride hath made him a Prisoner of Wrath. And might I be so bold I would humbly Address me to the Man of Art and Science whose Soul dwells in the Sun while others look out thro' the dark Dormants of a glimmering Light and walk in the Cloister of Obscurity and Ignorance The Gyant that is Head and Shoulders above Others in all the Dimensions of profound Parts subtile Brain most exquisite Learning and Acquisitions Thou knowest already that this Society of the Dark Order were once All Light and Intelligences themselves and now in the state of their Degeneracy are yet Masters of universal Knowledge not only Magical and Phylosophical but Theological too and can give the Explanation of the most abstruse Mysteries And from their natural Sagacity long Experience Astrological Conclusions and extraordinary Revelations can Pierce into Future Events and have often uttered their Prophecies and foretold things that have happened While Thou suckest in knowledge by Drops They Roll in the whole Ocean of it and yet alas all this Light is but perfect Darkness and a Torch that leads them to Hell and but to a clearer Discovery of their own Misery and Sorrow is void of all Comfort and Peace and strikes nothing but Terror and Confusion into them being imbittered with Envy and obstinate Malice against God and all Idea's of Goodness To thy Knees therefore to thy Knees get thee most mighty Rabbie O for the sparks of Seraphick Love to fall down on and enflame thy Frigid Affections and to Sanctifie all thine Aiery and Unprofitable Notions into the Heat and Life of Charity Consolation and Joy in God. Nor must I forget my fine Lady while the Glass is in the Room Ladies love Glasses and spend too much time in gazing upon them come Madam lend us here your Eyes a little here are Angels attend you Nay do not startle Lady they can do you no Mischief if you do your self none 'T is but a Coachful or two from the Dark Region that are come to pass a short Visit this Evening with you They have brought you some Patterns of the Newest Fashion with them and think you may need them Your pale Cheeks want a little Enlightning too and these have excellent Fucus to sell can furnish your Ladiship with the most bewitching Colours and can inspire you into the rarest knowledge of Tempering and Laying and for Patches there are none like those they Cut and will leave you Directions how to stick them so as if you please they shall never fall off more They are Blacks themselves and love to promote the Honour of their Country Complexion They are sent by their great Prince with a Message of an How-d'ye to you and know you are at leisure enough to receive them and in truth they have little else to do but to be Tutors to young Ladies Themselves were Scholars to Madam Pride who has instructed them into all the Figures and Arts of most perfect Dresses They love Gawdry and were once most absolute Beauties themselves they are indeed a little Tawny now from the Torrid Zone wherein they Breath but if you please can Transform themselves into a Lighter shape and then will appear less frightful to you Come let us see whether you can vie Beauty with them Bring out all your Merceries cover'd o're by the strutting Embosses of spangling Gold till nothing appear but the Massy Embroideries sparkling Lustre Send for your Tire-women let them Curle up your dangling Locks into the most bewitching twines then lodge the rosie Blush on your lilly Cheeks and Lips Let a glorious Aire and Meen dwell on every Feature no Motion or Posture of your whole Body but what may strike Wonder and Extasie Come pass on now by Majestick Paces to the Chamber of Presence where these goodly Creatures attend you Ah! is this all the Shine you can make See how they dazle you into perfect Deformity and Contempt And yet they can shew you variety of Exchanges every hour and have often done it when they have pleas'd to appear in Masquerade And can You find in your Heart to be Devils too dress'd up in all your Gaieties with no other design than to Tempt and Destroy to Bewitch others and your selves into the Ruines of the Damned What think ye is it not pity such Creatures as these should be scorch'd with everlasting Heats cloath'd all in Gowns of Flame who were once Attir'd by a Divine hand into such Amiable Perfections as Expression fails to tell you how brightly they shin'd in their Coelestial Robes and yet Pride has Devested them of all undress'd them into Shame and eternal Sorrow Yes Madam Pride has done it their Golden Tresses like Medusa's Head are turn'd to Snakes and hiss yet cannot fright you And thou Pursy Man of Wealth that hast Enclosed thy self in Cedar and mounted thy Towring Soul high as thy proud Structures and with that haughty Monarch art ravish'd in Admiration of the Pile of thy Glory Wilt thou not vouchsafe
Sighs to have that Promise more particularly express'd Generals in Religion leave the Affections Dull and Cold and are but as the Embers upon the Hearth which more explicite Revelation blows up into Flames of Spiritual Heat and Joy. All the rich Legacies of the New Testament do but meanly Affect us till they are translated into the Heart by the Finger of God. Then O how I love thy Law 'T will never be well with us till we Pray and Sigh too with Abraham for a more express Illumination and accomplishment of the Promise I will write my Law in their inward parts General Promises satissie well enough a dead and General Faith all whose Hopes are on the Paper but a Lively Faith is ever Restless till they be transcribed thence and engraven in legible Characters within The Law of his God is in his heart That is the Fleshly Table upon which it is fairly written Salvation is secure to all whose Names are written in the Book of Life but 't is a Lamp from the Sanctuary the Spirit of Revelation that must clear up the Evidence to the Soul of its own Name being there inserted Abraham's true Faith Sighs after more explicite Demonstration 'T is a dreadful thing to leave the Concerns of Eternity under Fear and Doubts Give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Abraham's Soul was at stake and longed till he were better secured of the promised Seed which should make himself and all the Nations of the earth happy He Pants (*) (*) (*) Quodnam donum oblectationi aut consolationi mihi erit quâ—â—diu non video prâ—missionem tuam completam de semine meo ex quo Messias est procreandus till he see that natural Root from whence the Blessed Branch of Righteousness should in Gods good time be most happily derived What could he beg less than this In vain would all other Blessings be heap'd on his Head. But to pass down into the Chambers of death Childless and all the Memoirs of his Faith and Obedience to be buried with him in the same Sepulchre This is matter of Grief to him under all the Royal Largesses of Divine Bounty towards him Progeny is the natural desire of Man whose Ambition is to see himself survive in others springing from him and Children are but the living Images of their deceased Parents who so long as They live are not altogether dead Besides Abraham foresees his great Name might be interred in Oblivion if God should not inscribe it on a more lively Monument than his Steward Eliezer of Damascus was like to make who although he were a good Man and by being adopted his Heir might be raised to bear some Figure and Resemblance of his State in the World yet he sears he would prove but a dark Representative of the Great Abraham's Spirit and no Express Image of his Masters Person Too dark a Region for his Illustrious Vertues to shine in The Sence of this Infelicity lay so heavy upon his troubled Spirits that now he sights for Life and reduplicates his stroaks The Roâ—k had not yet yielded him one comfortable Drop which in an instant shall gush out in Floods of living Water he renews the complaint and piteously laments his condition To me hast thou given no Seed None yet appears though thou tellest me of a numberless One. I find no Accomplishment of thy Promise God sometimes makes as if he did not hear and seems to shut his Ears while yet his Heart is open He loves to put a Value on his own Mercies which we so much the more esteem as they cost us dear in purchasing and waiting for Blessings too cheaply gotten are too meanly priz'd Abraham's Soul is in Travel for an Heir he must not hope to be delivered by one poor single Pang In vain do we knock at Heavens Gates without watching there till Answer comes and if that be delayed our Requests are to be enforced by new Arguments and more pathetick workings of Heart And though our Prayers be answered before we cry yet must we call again and again for that Answer And Jesus taught us a Parable to this end that we ought always to pray and not to faint Let Abraham hold out but one throw more and the Child shall come to the Birth Christian thou hast been in long Labour for a Saviour the next Groan may bring him from the Womb of Gods Decree and thine own Prayers into thy joyful Arms wilt thou dye before thou see thy Saviour Born in thy Heart Christ in thee the hope of Glory Behold God this very Moment appearing to cancel all the Evidences of the Strangers Pretensions and breaking for ever the Heart of Eliezer's Hopes See the Seals of those despairing Conveyances making over thine Estate and Soul to the Forreigner all lying on the Ground torn off and himself sneaking away in utter Desperation at the first breaking out of the true Isaac Go Father Abraham and teach all the World the profit of patient waiting at the Throne of Grace for by thine Importunity and Perseverance hast thou prevailed with God. Since the pains of thine Heart have turned even Gods within him and caused his very Bowels to roll in the Sounding whereof thou hearest the joyful Tidings of a Son which shall issue from those very Bowels that have stirred in so violent Motions against which his pity hath no strength any longer to withstand thee and hath all this while made but a feigned Resistance while thou hast been shewing a Tryal of thy Skill how well thou canst manage thy Shield and how prosperously God himself may be attack'd when it shall please him to yield up himself to be conquered by his Creature Abraham hath been in Travel and Behold a Troop cometh What a prolifick Grace is Prayer which brings forth Thousands and ten Thousands in our Streets and makes Parents of an Incomprehensible Seed The Off-spring of that Grace are all the Innumerable Productions of Eternity which all the Arts of Arithmetick must for ever despair to sum up Can the Great God give any thing little Hath Abraham wrought all this while but for one Son Come all ye glittering Lamps of Heaven your mighty Creator sends you a Summons to make your Appearance here in your clearest Shine not the One thousand three hundred twenty five chief Commanders that seem to exceed the rest in Glory but give your Orders to the Minor Lights to make up all the Force and with all your united Numbers make some Figure to the Great Abraham of the infinite Issue that I will bless him in who from one Son shall multiply into Myriads to bespangle the lower Firmament of my Church For so shall his Seed be God had employed him before â—o the endless work of accounting the numbers of the little Dust of the Earth Now will he have him to enumerate the Stars of Heaven with the like impossible Imposition Some critically observe that by the former God pointed out