Sarah and Hagar, Sermon 19 – Epigraph
THE NINETEENTH SERMON.
GEN. 16.14, 15, 16. Beer-lahai-roi. It is between Cadeſh and Bered.
Verſ. 15. And Hagar bare Abraham a ſon, &c.
FOr the name given to the Well, it is called, The well of him that liveth, and ſeeth me.
Firſt, of him that liveth.
Often, in both Teſtaments, Obſerv. 1. God is the ſole fountain of life, the living God; and all other refuges dead without him. Deut. 5.26. Joſh. 3.10. 1 Sam. 17.36. Pſal. 42.2.is God called The living God.
Here, and again, Deut. 5. Who is there, of all fleſh, that hath heard the voice of the living God ſpeaking out of the midſt of the fire, and lived? Joſh. 3. Hereby ſhall you know that the living God is among you. So, 2. Sam. 17. David ſaith, that Goliath defied the armies of the living God. So, 2 Kings 19.4. the King of Aſſyria ſent Rabſhakeh to reproach the living God. So, Pſal. 42. My fleſh crieth out for the living God. Dan. 6.20.Darius calleth Daniel the ſervant of the living God, Dan. 6.20. and, verſe 26. he calleth God the living God. So, Matth. 16.16. Peter ſaith, Thou art the Son of the living God. I adjure thee by the living God, ſaith the high-Prieſt to Chriſt, Matth. 26.63. So, 2 Cor. 3.3. Saint Paul mentioneth the Spirit of the living God: and, 1 Tim. 3. he calleth it the Church of the living God. Heb. 9.14.1 Tim. 3.15. Revel. 7.2. To ſerve the living God. And, Revel. 7. the Angel had the ſeal of the living God. We ſhall finde in the Scripture, that Gods oath is, by his life. As I live, ſaith the Lord, Numb. 14.28. Iſai. 49.18. As I live, ſaith the Lord. And, Jerem. 22.24, As I live, ſaith the Lord, though Coniah were as the ſignet of my right hand. Ezek. 33.11. As I live, ſaith the Lord, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked. And as we finde not that he hath ſworn by any thing but his life and holineſs; ſo others have made it their oath. As the Lord God of Iſrael liveth, ſaith David to Abigail, 1 Sam. 25.34. So Ittai to David, 2 Sam. 15.21. As the Lord liveth. So Elijah to Ahab, 1 Kings 17.1 Kings 17.1. As the Lord God of Iſrael liveth, before whom I ſtand. And ſo Eliſha to Elijah, 2 Kings 2.2. Many other places might be brought; but we ſhall make mention of them in the Application.
The Heathens had this underſtanding; and therefore they called their Jupiter foreign, from living. And moſt truely and properly is God ſaid to be the living God; for he hath life in himſelf, and of himſelf.Jo…. 5.26. Joh. 5. The Father hath life in himſelf: no creature hath it in or of it ſelf. He ſaith to Moſes, Exod. 3.14. I am that I am; that is, of himſelf: foreign, Rev. 1. I that am: nay, foreign ero, is the Hebrew word;Deut. 5.26. I will be: which no creature can challenge. Deut. 5. (the place before cited) he is called foreign; that is, the God of life, yea of lives: not onelyonly the living God, but the God of life. It is a rule that Suarez giveth;Suarez. Genitivi pro adjectivis in Scriptura poſiti, exaggerationem ſignificant; that genitives in holy Writ put for adjectives, do augment the ſignification: as, a man of blood, and a man of violence, and the man of ſin, and a man of ſtrength, and a man of wiſdom. So that, then, by this phraſe, the God of life, we may gather, That life is eminent in God; and not onelyonly ſo, but eſſentially and originally in God: and therefore he is called, not onelyonly the living God, but life it ſelf:Joh. 14.6. Joh. 14. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: 1 Joh. 5.20. This is the true God, and eternal life: not onelyonly life, but life eternal; as the Angel ſware by him that liveth for ever, Revel. 10.6.Revel. 10. In all other things, their Life, and They, are two: but God is his own life; and becauſe he is his own life, he is eternal: for, as Aquinas well reaſons againſt the Gentiles,Aquinas. A ſeparation is a diviſion of one thing from another: Nothing can be ſeparated from it ſelf: Therefore, God muſt needs live eternally, becauſe he cannot be ſeparated from himſelf. 2. He juſtly deſerveth the name of the living God, becauſe he giveth life to every living thing: whatſoever liveth, lives by participation from him: therefore he is called Fons vitae, The fountain of life, Pſal. 36.9. and 42.8. Act. 17.25, 28.Pſal. 36. and, Pſal 42. David calleth him the God of his life. He giveth to all life and breath, Acts 17. and, verſe 28. In him we live, and move, and have our being.
Now for the Uſe of this:
ApplicationFirſt, in that he is the living God, it ſerveth to difference him from all the idols of the world. The Scripture ſheweth it, by oppoſing this ſtile of God to idols:Jer. 10.8, 10. Jerem. 10. having ſpoken of the ſtock, that doctrine of lyes, he ſaith, But the Lord is the true God; he is the living and the everlaſting King. And ſo, Acts 14.14. We preach, that you ſhould turn from thoſe vanities to the living God. Idols, and the living God, are oppoſed:1 Theſſ. 1.9. ſo, 1 Theſſ. 1. You turned from idols, to ſerve the living God. He is the true God, idols are lyes; foreign, as they are called; as foreign;foreign that is, non dii, no gods; nay, from foreign nothing; according to that of the Apoſtle, An idol is nothing, 1 Cor. 8.4. or if any thing, yet, at beſt, onelyonly a dead thing; and therefore cannot be the true God, which is living. Dumb idols the Apoſtle calleth them,Pſal. 115.45. &c. 1 Cor. 12.2. Nay, David deſcribeth them more fully, Pſal. 115.4, 5, 6. They are the works of mens hands: they have mouthes and ſpeak not, eyes and ſee not, ears and hear not, noſes and ſmell not, hands but handle not, feet but walk not. They that make them are like unto them, and ſo is every one that putteth his truſt in them.
Much good (therefore) do it the Pagans with their idols; and the Papiſts, who are worſe then Pagans, with their images, becauſe they have more light: They would have people believe (belike,) that they are living ones; for ſometimes, (they ſay) they look with a cheerfull countenance, and ſometimes they turn away in diſlike; they turn their eyes, they weep, they move their hands, they nod their heads; but theſe are gulleries, to fool children withall; wiſe men know theſe impoſtures: God give them better minds, then to make the Scripture a mute judg, and images lay-mens books: God turn their hearts from theſe vanities; let us ſerve him that is the living God, in Spirit and truth; and ever acknowledg him, to be the only true God; God bleſſed for ever.
A ſecond Uſe is, that we prize life, as the Rachel, the moſt beautiful Uſe. 2 of all Gods bleſſings; and certainly life muſt needs be excellent, when God is ſtiled the living God.
Secondly, life maketh the firſt diviſion of things; there is nothing before life, but being; and being maketh no diſtinction of things; for that can be nothing, that hath no being; and therefore thoſe creatures that have life, we eſteem before thoſe that have it not; how noble ſoever otherwiſe: a living dog, is better then a dead lyon: (ſaith Solomon, Eccleſ 9.4.) And the pooreſt worm that crawleth,Eccleſ. 9.4. is more glorious in this reſpect, then the frame of Heaven and Earth; in that it liveth, and the other doth not.
And again, Thirdly, the greateſt happineſs that men ſhall ever attain unto, the happineſs of Heaven, is ſet out by life. O let us then prize this bleſſing, and let us not be fooliſhly prodigall of it; like ſome, who by their contention and quarrelſomneſs, and being forward to every duell, hazard it; nor like others, that dig their own graves, by intemperance, and ſo dye in tempere non ſuo, before their time, ſcarce live out half their days: Such as refuſe meat or drink, or phyſick, for the preſervation of life; ſhew a flat undervaluing, if not a contempt of that great Iewell; and as we are to prize it for the worth of it; ſo we are to be truly thankfull to the Doner, for it, and that is the living God. Some men think they are beholding to their food, and to their good ſtomack, and able concoction: Alas; who giveth food? Of whom doeſt thou beg thy daily bread. 2. When thou haſt meate, who giveth thee an Appetite? how many have meat before them, and yet they loath the ſight of it: 3. When a man hath eaten with an Appetite, who give thit power to nouriſh? there be thoſe that have a foreign, Caninus Appetitus, a ſtomack like a dog; and yet there is an foreign, i.e. a defect of nouriſhment; it is moſt true that our Saviour ſaith, man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that commeth out of the mouth of God: that is, the word of Gods bleſſing: we owe our life then, and the ſupport of it, unto God; who if he did not ſupply oyle, our Lamps would quickly go out. And if we muſt be thankful for life barely, then much more for health, which is the perfection of life: for non eſt vivere, ſed valere vita; not to be, but to be well, is to live, to live in health: It is true, we muſt be thankfull,Exod. 22.29. even for Penury and want. Thou ſhalt not delay to offer thy firſt fruits, and thy liquors, Exod. 22. The word is foreign thy teares: and Cajetan obſerveth, that it ſignifieth ſterillity; God will be thanked in a barren year, as well as in a plentiful: So God muſt be thanked for ſickneſs alſo: Iob bleſſed God for an Abſtulit, as well as a Dedit; for his taking away, as well as for his giving, Iob. 1.21. But when God is pleaſed, to give us not only life, but a latitude of health, how much are we bound unto him! What light is to an houſe, that health is to a man; what comfort hath a man in an houſe (though never ſo well furniſhed) if he have not light? And what comfort in a mans greateſt poſſeſſion, if he have not health? Let us then (I ſay) be thankfull, to the living God for it; and let us be affraid to turn the edge of ſo great a bleſſing, againſt God himſelf, and wrong him with his own gift; as they do, that ſpend their health in luſt, in exceſs, in gaming, and other vain and ſinful courſes: do we live through the bounty of this living God; and ſhall we live to his diſhonour? can we not ſubſiſt one moment, without his ſupporting hand? and dare we miſpend this talent? non hos quaeſitum munus in uſus, this was not beſtowed to ſuch ends: God giveth Iſrael corn, and wine, and oyle, and they offer them to Baal: and ſo he giveth us life, and health, and do we ſacrifice it to ſin? but as he threatneth to take thoſe things from them; ſo it is juſt to take away our life, that we thus miſ-employ, and grieve him withall.
Uſe. 3 1 Tim. 6.17.A Third Uſe is, that we ſhould truſt in God: The Apoſtle maketh this one argument, for our confidence in him; becauſe he is the living God, 1 Tim. 6. He is the fountain of living waters; other things on which we are not to rely, are but broken Cyſterns, Ierem. 2.13. either dead things, or inſufficient; wealth is many a mans tower; and he ſaith to the wedg of gold, thou art my confidence; and what is wealth but a dead thing? neither can it make a man live: for mans life conſiſteth not,Luke. 22.13. in the abundance of things which he poſſeſſeth, Luk. 22. Honour is but a dead thing, but in poteſtate honorantis, only in the power of him that yields the honour; it is oftentimes the cauſe of miſchief, to him that hath it; and therefore juſtly called glorioſum periculum, a gilded danger: and pleaſures are but dead things, and they kill too:1 Tim. 5.6. they that glut themſelves with them, are dead while they are alive, 1 Tim. 5. Beſides there is no hold of them; like the freſheſt flowers, they fade the ſooneſt: theſe things then are not to be truſted in, nor yet other things; which though they have life, are inſufficient.Pſal. 20.7. Some men put truſt in horſes, (ſaith the Pſalmiſt, 20.7.) but we will remember the Name of the Lord; for an horſe is but a vainthing, to ſave a man, Pſal. 33.17.Pſal. 33. and there at the 16. Verſ. He ſuppoſeth a confidence that ſome men put in an army of men. So did Siſera, ſo did Benhadad, ſo did Senacherib; ſo did Sigiſmund of latter time: but he ſaith there, a King is not ſaved by the multitude of an Hoaſt: Some men truſt in the favour of Princes; and think themſelves made, if they be but reſpected by them; but what ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 146.Pſal. 146.4, 5, 6, verſes Truſt not in Princes, nor in any childe of man, for there is no help in them; their breath goeth forth, they return to their earth, and then all their thoughts periſh: all dependances from them, and hopes in them, are quaſhed, and buried in the ſame duſt with them, Iſai. 2.10. Ceaſe from man whoſe breath is in his noſtrils: 2 Chron. 16.12. Aſa ſought to the Phyſitians: and Ierem. 17.5. Curſed be the man that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his Arme, whoſe heart departeth from the Lord; happy therefore (ſaith he) is he that hath the God of Iacob for his helper, and whoſe hope is in the Lord his God: This God liveth for ever and ever, and cannot only bleſs in this life, but give eternal life: he loveth not only to bring his children to happineſs, but becauſe he liveth for ever, to make them everlaſtingly happy.
Laſtly, Let the knowledg of this, that God is the living God, keep us from ſin: for becauſe he liveth, he is ſenſible of thoſe affronts be offered him; and becauſe he liveth eternally, he will puniſh eternally; it is called the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever, Rev. 15.Rev. 15.7. Whatſoever Origen thought, or the Miſericordes Doctores, (as Saint Auſtin calleth them) the charitable doctors, of the determination of the damneds puniſhment; as long as God ſhall live, they ſhall be tormented: his breath ſhall ſtill blow that fire and brimſtone: and therefore know, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 10.Heb. 10.31. It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God: the idols of the heathen, they could be bold withall; chain them, and ſcourge then, but they were dead things: the true God is the living God; he lives to plague obſtinate ſinners here: and he liveth to plague them for ever and ever.
The ſecond thing is; Of him that ſeeth me, God living and ſeeing:Obſerv. 2. Gods providence is as watchful, as his eſſence powerfull. You know we ſpake of this upon the former verſ. yet give me leave to give one blow more, for the driving home of this nayl, and not without juſt cauſe: for though people will not ſtick in words to acknowledg a general providence of God, and that his eye is upon all, and every man; yet by their practice it doth plainly appear, that they have ſo much of this bitter root of Atheiſme in them, that they do not think that he doth eye them ſo particularly, or doth ſet himſelf to obſerve their proceedings: for certainly if they did, they would not be ſo deſperate in their courſes: that which they dare not do in the eye of the judg, nay of a common man, nay of a childe; durſt they do, if they were perſwaded that Gods eye did behold them? O let this then be written in our hearts, and ever freſh in the remembrance of every one of us; God ſeeth all, & univerſos ut ſingulos; and ſo all, that not any particular one eſcapeth his knowledg: foreign, He ſeeth me whereſoever I am, whatſoever I am doing; he ſeeth mine Actions, he obſerveth every word of my tongue, yea every thought of mine heart; yea, foreign that is, long before; or as one tranſlation, a far off: foreign; Heb. 4. all things are naked, and diſſected, Anatomized to his preſence: Cave, dominus Te videt, was an inſcription in a certain place. Take heed what thou doeſt, the Lord ſeeth thee; and if it were written in every of our rooms, it were not amiſs: Timor Dei eſt Ianitor Animi (ſaith the Father;) the fear of the Lord (which is a ſevere and awfull conſideration of Gods preſence) is the porter of the ſoul; and certainly where this porter is watchful, it keeps out a world of wickedneſs, ſuch as is found in the ſons of Beliall, becauſe there is no fear of God before their eyes; who ſay preſumptuouſly as thoſe in Job; Tuſh, God ſeeth not, neither doth he regard; where the fear of God is not, not any ſin is bluſhed at: as we may gather from that ſpeech of Abraham, unto Abimelech; who when he asked him, why he had not plainly profeſſed Sarah to be his wife, telleth him his reaſon; that he thought the fear of God was not in that place, Gen. 20. Rom. 3.10.and therefore they would kill him, Gen. 20. And ſo Rom. 3.10, and 11. verſes, The Apoſtle reckoneth up foul iniquities, raigning in the lives and hearts of men; and he aſſigneth the reaſon of all thoſe prodigious impieties Verſ. 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes: And if the want of the fear of God be the cauſe of evil, I am ſure, he that ſtandeth not in awe of Gods preſence, hath not the fear of God in him.
Oh then witneſs we the fear of God, by acknowledging him preſent,Application and ſtanding in awe of his eyes: Let us know that he ſeeth, and that is not all; but as he ſeeth the good we do, and layeth it up, that he may reward it; ſo he ſeeth our evill alſo, and keepeth a regiſter of it, that when the time of recompence commeth, he may puniſh it.
In the latter end of this verſe, is added a Topography, or deſcription of the place of this Well; It was between Cadeſh and Bered: This Cadeſh, is that Cadeſh-Barnea that we often read of; and was one of the ſtations of the children of Iſrael, when they were Ambulans Reſpublica, Salvianus.(as Salvian calleth them) a travelling Common-wealth; and Bered we finde no where but in this place; the Chaldee calleth it Chagra: Now this deſcription of the place, ſome think to be a needleſs circumſtance; but let them take heed, for foreign,Baſil. To ſay there is any idle word in holy writ (ſaith Baſil,) is no leſs then blaſphemy: Certainly Moſes the pen-man of this ſtory, did purpoſely and adviſedly mention it; (as he doth often in the like kinde; ſuch a place is thus and thus ſcituated, and as thou goeſt to ſuch a place;) Here was a famous occurrent, and a new Name was given to the Well; and therefore it was fit, it ſhould be deſcribed, where it was, that when people ſhould paſs by that way, they might take knowledg of it: Iſaac meditated or prayed about this place, Gen. 24.Gen. 24.62. c. 25.11. yea he dwelt by this Well, after the death of his Father, Gen. 25. No doubt but many in after times, made uſe of this place: and it was the fault of the children of Iſrael, that, neer to this place, they murmured for water, Numb. 20. not remembring (hoc loco) that in this place, God had ſuccoured Hagar, in her affliction.
So then, Moſes doth, in this deſcription, poſteriorum negotium agere, act the buſineſs of poſterity: as it was ſaid of one of old, He doth that which may be for the benefit of poſterity.
Remarkeable mercies ſhould be recorded, and treaſured up unto poſterity;Obſerv. 3. Remarkable mercies are to be treaſured up to al poſterity. and that with circumſtances of place, and time, and perſon; that poſterity may be ſtirred up to thankfulneſs, and expectation of the like mercy from God.
Jacob taketh one of the ſtones that he had laid his head upon, and pitched it up for a pillar, and called the name of the place Bethel, and it retained that name, Gen. 28. the pot of Manna muſt be kept, Gen. 28.Exod. 16. to inſtruct poſterity: and Joſhua ſet up 12 ſtones, in the midſt of Iordan, and they are to this day (ſaith the text,) Ioſh. 4.9.Joſh. 4.9. and at the 20. verſ. other 12 ſtones that they brought out of Iordan, were erected in Gilgall, that all ages after, might take knowledg of the great work of God, in dividing Iordan for his people:Verſe 20. the deliverance from Amaleck, God would have Moſes write, Exod. 17.14. This ſhall be written for the generations to come, and the people that ſhall be born, ſhall praiſe the Lord, Pſal. 102. The parents were commanded of God,Pſal. 102.18. to teach their children what the paſſeover did ſignifie, and other things: that they might teach their children, and ſo from age to age, the memory of Gods mercy might be continued; that the father to the children might make known Gods truth: as Hezekiah ſpeaketh, Iſai. 38.
And for the Uſe of it:Iſai. 38.19.
I wiſh this may be taken up into our practice:Application God hath magnified his mercy to this land of ours in great deliverances, and we have ſeen them with our eyes; we ſhould tell our children of theſe things, and charge them to teach their children; that in all ſucceſſion of time, God may be glorified; and his people encouraged, to ſerve that God, that hath wrought ſuch wonders for us: that great deliverance in 88. (but 54. years agoe) it is almoſt buried; one great occaſion is, the want of an anniverſary: That other as great deliverance, from the gun-powder treaſon, hath an anniverſary, yet it is but little thought of; in this ſhort time, ſome of the popiſh ſide, have had the bold front to ſay, there was no ſuch thing; what will they be ready to ſay one hundred years hence? nay ſome of our own (I ſpeak it with grief) ſtick not to mince the matter, and partly to excuſe the actors, and wiſh it were forgotten, and ſo wonderfully extenuate the great mercy of God: doth it not behove us then to take care, as Moſes did, that poſterity may know it? let our children be informed of it, in their confabulations, that they may tell their children, and they theirs; that ſo in all ſucceeding ages, they may be thankfull for the mercy, may abhor ſuch rebellion, that bringeth forth ſuch ſower grapes; and may love that truth, which God did ſo miraculouſly defend and protect: but you will ſay, this is enough out of a circumſtance.
Now we come to the next Verſe, which telleth us,
Firſt, how Hagar brought forth her ſon Iſhmael.
Secondly, how the name was given by Abraham.
For the former, I have told you, that this her bringing forth in Abrahams family, neceſſarily ſuppoſeth, 1. that ſhe returneth thither. 2. that ſhe was received there.
She returned thither: for that was it that the Angel gave her in charge; Return to thy miſtreſs, and humble thy ſelf under her hand. No doubt, ſhe did both: ſhe came a penitent and reformed woman, no more inſolent againſt Sarah, nor giving occaſion of offence. Where we may note,
Obſerv. 4. Happie that Affliction which ends in Reformations. Prov. 20.30.What a happie thing it is, when after Affliction, followeth Reformation.
Surely it is that which God intendeth: God intendeth to open their ears (whom he afflicteth) unto diſcipline, and that they ſhould depart from inquity, Job 36.10. And, ſo, Prov. 20. The blueneſs of the wound ſerveth to purge out evil. And, Iſai. 27.9. By this (that is, by afflictions formerly ſpoken of) ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, the taking away ſin. Jer. 9.7. I will melt them, and try them: how ſhall I do for the daughter of my people? I have tried other means; I will now afflict her, if by this means I may reclaim her: I will go to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, Hoſ. 5.10.Hoſ. 5. in their affliction they will ſeek me early. We ſee what Gods intention is in afflicting: and this end he hath attained in divers that have been afflicted;Pſal. 119.67. as we ſee in David, Pſa. 119. he ſaith, Before I was afflicted, I went aſtray: but now I have kept thy word. And, verſ. 79. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy ſtatutes. The like we ſee in Manaſſeh, who was recalled by his affliction, 2 Chron. 33. So it was with Paul, who being unhorſed, and ſmitten with blindneſs three days, and in that time exerciſed with ſpiritual terrours;Acts 16. he returned no more unto folly. And ſo the Jaylor, Acts 16. And the Prodigals penury brought him home to his fathers houſe, and made him ever after an obedient ſon.
Now for the Uſe of this:
ApplicationIt meeteth with thoſe againſt whom the hand of the Lord is gone out, and hath been heavie upon them; and yet, when the affliction hath been removed, they have not been amended; nay, many times, much worſe then before; as if (like Antonine in the fable) they had gotten ſtrength by their fall. Such an one was Pharaoh, who, when the judgement was taken away, was more obdurate then before. Such was Ahaz: for you may well think, that if he did inter flagella peccare, Gregory. 2 Chro. 28 22. Iſai. 5.1.(as Gregory ſpeaketh) ſin between the ſtripes; (and ſo he did, 2 Chron. 28.) he would be worſe, after he was releaſed. Why ſhould you be ſmitten any more? (ſaith the Lord, Iſai. 5.) ye will revolt more and more. Yea, even thoſe that have made large promiſes, and proteſtations, in the time of affliction, what kinde of men they would be, if God would reprieve them. Optimi dum infirmi, (as Ferus ſaith;) ſoundeſt in minde, when unſound in body: penitent, while pinched: But when the ſtorm hath been over, they have caſt all their vows behinde their back, and renewed their unſanctified ol…, with more eagerneſs and greedineſs then formerly: the Doſe hath irritated▪ not purged out the humour. Juſt like thoſe Iſraelites, Pſal. 70.34.Pſal. 70. when God ſlew them, ſeemed to return; but they did but flatter with their lips; for they did flee out again fearfully.
And is not this a fearful thing, that Affliction, which God intends for cure, ſhould do no good?Jerem. 4.11. like that winde (Jer. 4.) from the wilderneſs, which ſhall neither fan nor cleanſe. Nay, that a plaiſter ſhould be laid on, and the ſon ſhould be ſo rebellious,S. Auguſtine. that (as Auguſtine ſaith) not onelyonly non profit, ſed ob ſit; it ſhould not onelyonly not heal, but hurt! Oh let all ſuch take heed of that heavie doom, Ezek. 24.Ezek. 24.13. Becauſe I have purged thee, (that is, have offered to do it, and uſed means to do it;) and thou waſt not purged; thou ſhalt not be purged from thy filthineſs any more, till I have cauſed my fury to reſt upon thee: None affliction hereafter ſhall do thee any good; thou ſhalt go on to make up the meaſure of thine iniquity, till thou comeſt unto the place of torment, to be paid for all together.
In the ſecond place, Let it be an Admonition to us all, (Micah 6.9.) Uſe. 2 to hear the rod, and who hath appointed it. Every affliction hath a voice; yea, it ſaith to us, as Ebud to Eglon, I have a meſſage to thee from God, Judg. 3. God calleth upon us to repent, and amend;Judges 3.20. and therefore let us now ſeriouſly endeavour reformation, and make it good which God intends in our affliction, that it may bring forth the quiet fruit of righteouſneſs, Heb. 12. Bleſſed be thoſe fetters,Heb. 12.11. that make Manaſſeh a better man: bleſſed be that whale of affliction, which conveyeth Jonah on dry land, reformed: bleſſed be that poverty, that driveth home the Prodigal: bleſſed be that Betheſda, out of which a man cometh healed: bleſſed be that file, that cleanſeth us from our ruſt; that fire, that purgeth us from droſs; that clay and ſpittle, that openeth our eyes to ſee our errours, and reform them. foreign; (ſaith Saint Chryſoſtom: Chryſoſt. in loc.) What a fruitful gain is to be made of our well-improved-afflictions! And therefore remember we our pangs, and remember we our prayers, and our vows, and pay them unto God. The fruit of affliction is ſeen in the after-courſe; and he hath profited by it, that is ſuch as he hath promiſed to be: and certainly, God and man will love that man, whom affliction hath made a better man.
Secondly, we may conclude alſo, that ſhe was received again by Sarah, upon her humiliation and ſubmiſſion; and all former errours forgotten.
This pious and charitable diſpoſition hath been found in Gods people:Obſerv. 5. Forgiving diſpoſitions, are badges of Gods people.
As we ſee in Joſeph toward his brethren: they ſought unto him for mercy, and that he would forgive their unnaturalneſs; and he did it. And ſo in Moſes: how eaſily did he pardon his brother & ſiſter, and intercede to God for her, and the people, that often murmured at him? So David forgave his ſon Abſalon, and Saul, that perſecuted him; and Shimei, that curſed him, when he ſought unto him. So Samuel, though the people reviled him, yet he pardoneth them, and prayeth for them; yea, thinketh he ſhould ſin, if he did it not. So Daniel paſſed by the wrong the Wiſe-men did him, and is a means to ſave their lives. Thus Saint Stephen freely forgave his perſecutors, without any ſubmiſſion of them; and, in the midſt of that ſhower of ſtones, prayeth for them. And ſo did Saint Paul by the Jews, and our bleſſed Lord by his perſecutors. And I doubt not but Philemon did what Paul required him, in regard of Oneſimus. And thus divers of the Worthies did, of former times: The bleſſed Martyrs have freely forgiven thoſe that have wronged them. That which hath wrought them to this, hath been.
Firſt, the conſideration of the common frailty of nature; how apt people are to offend, and do wrong.
Secondly, the meditation of their own frailty; that they may be ſo tempted, that they may be injurious to others: and what they would have done to themſelves, in the like caſe, they are willing to do to others.
Thirdly, the obſervation of Gods dealing with others; who doth forgive iniquity, Exod. 34.tranſgreſsion, and ſin, as he is deſcribed, Exod. 34. even foul ſins, crimſon, ſcarlet-iniquities, upon humiliation; Davids adultery and Murder, Manaſſehs Necromancie, Peters denial of his Maſter, Pauls perſecution of the Church.
Laſtly, the conſideration of Gods dealing with themſelves; how mercifully he hath received them, upon their repentance and humiliation: and they muſt be followers of God, as dear children.
Now for the Uſe of this:
ApplicationFirſt, it meets with thoſe to whom this is durus ſermo, an hard ſaying. What, forgive an injury? No; retain wrath, and revenge the injury to the full. What, upon ſubmiſſion, and craving pardon, to put up this? That were to be poor-ſpirited. How many are there, even fathers to their children, maſters to their ſervants, one man to another, whom nothing will ſatisfie; no mediation of friends, no prayers or tears, or acknowledgements, appeaſe! Nay, they ſuffer not onelyonly the ſun of the day to go down upon their wrath, and many ſuns; but even the ſun of their life ſets in this black cloud. Yea, ſo malicious they be, that they think their children unworthy to inherite their poſſeſſions, unleſs they will be heirs of their malice, and to proſecute a revengeful courſe ſet on foot by them; as the father of Hannibal took an oath of him, bound at the Altar, that he ſhould never have peace with Rome.
Do theſe people at any time remember, that it was one of thoſe fearful ſins that God gave up the Heathen unto, in his juſt judgement, to be foreign,Rom. 1.30. that is, implacable. Do they (2.) think of the condition of their begging forgiveneſs of God, and how they ſeal up their own judgement. 3. If, from any one vitious affection, we may conclude a nullity of grace, ſurely from this: God is love; and the devil is malice: and it is foreign,Chryſoſtome. (as the Greek Father ſaith.) It is the moſt proper affection of the devil, to be an irreconcileable enemy.
In the ſecond place, let us labour for this godly and charitable diſpoſition, to forgive others their offences; yea, as our Saviour faith, to ſeventy times ſeven times. And let us but ſet before us the example of God, who, upon repentance, receiveth us; and it will anſwer all objections. When the Fleſh ſaith, He is baſe that hath wronged me; ſhall I forgive him? Think, there is not that diſtance between thee and thy brother, that is between God and …. I, but ſecondly, it is not the firſt time: And did never God but once forgive thee? But thirdly, he will do it again: And wilt thou never more offend God? I, but fourthly, it beſeemeth not my place. Why, is thy place greater then Gods? Fifthly, I ſhall be counted a coward. Is God ſo, for forgiving? Think often, how thou carrieſt thy ſelf towards God, and thou wilt be more inclinable to forgive thy brother his offences toward thee.
It is ſaid, And Hagar bare Abraham a ſon.
Here might be obſerved, how faithfully God performeth what he promiſed: for the Angel had ſaid this from God, and now it is effected. But of this plentifully heretofore; as likewiſe of that which might be noted out of the diſpoſition of the name by Abraham; it is in the power of the father: He was advertiſed by Hagar, what the Angel had ſaid concerning the childes name; and now, according to his right and place, he doth impoſe it. The wife may ſuggeſt, and adviſe, and counſel; but ſhe may not uſurp that power and right of the husband.
The laſt verſe is onelyonly a Chronologie of Abrahams age when Iſhmael was born unto him; which affordeth little matter of obſervation. I will therefore conclude with this:
This good man, Abraham, in his old age, hath a ſon: Though it be not the iſſue which God intended him, yet it is a comfort unto him.
God crowneth the old-age of his ſervants with many comforts.Obſerv. 6. Aqua vitae for old-age; and what crowns that with comfort.
They have wiſdom, increaſed by long experience; they are reverend, and reſpected; they ſee their childrens children; they are freed from troubleſome ſervices; and, above all, God giveth them the comforts of his Spirit; and he maketh them not onelyonly teachers of others, but examples unto others: he is ready to comfort them, becauſe the time of age is that time, thoſe days whereof Solomon ſaith, There is no pleaſure in them.
For the Uſe:
Let thoſe that are aged bleſs God for thoſe comforts he affordeth them; and above all, let them bleſs God for a good old-age, Applicationwhen God is pleaſed to continue, yea to improve their graces; that, though the outward man decay, the inward man is ſound; and the decays of Nature are made up with ſoundneſs of grace: ſuch an old-age is not onelyonly a comfort to ones ſelf,Prov. 16.31. but a crown, (ſaith Solomon, Prov. 16.) The hoary head is a crown of glory, when it is found in the way of righteouſneſs. When the white almond-tree doth ſo flouriſh, he that will not riſe up to it, it is pity that he ſhould ever be old.
I pray therefore, Let us that are old, above all comforts, labour for this: It is woful to ſee one that is declining in body, yet worſe in ſoul; to be neer the grave, and far from heaven: to hear old people blaſpheme and ſwear, to be exceſſive, to be luſtful, and, even when ſtrength is gone, to talk …; as if they wanted not a will, but a power on…y to ſin: to ſee them as fooliſhly faſhionable as young girls: to hear them lye and ſlander: I ſay, This is woful. Oh labour we for grace; That muſt be our chief comfort in age, better then all the Sack and Sugar in the world: We need not be bidden to get Spectacles when our eyes fail us, or a ſtaff when our limbs fail us; and ſhall we not ſeek for grace that may ſupport us? And let us live in the fear of God, and be examples of piety to others; and then we may ſing, with old Simeon, Lord let thy ſervant depart in peace.
Preached, Febr. 2. 1641.
foreign, 1 Cor. 15.3.
Quod accepi, tradidi, &c. I have delivered unto you, that which I alſo received.
E. S.
FINIS.
End of the text · Josias Shute, Sarah and Hagar (1649)