Sarah and Hagar, Sermon 3
THE THIRD SERMON.
GEN. 16.2.
It may be I may obtain children by her. And Abraham hearkned unto the voice of Sarah.
WE come to the third cauſe of the marriage of Abraham and Hagar. It was the hope that ſhe might have a childe by her.
Why, (will ſome ſay) what was ſhe the better, if Hagar were with childe by Abraham?
Yes; ſhe being her handmaid, or bond-woman, the childe that ſhe ſhould have, was reckoned as the miſtreſſes. When Rachel had no children,Gen. 30.3. ſhe ſaid to her husband, Gen. 30. Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her, and ſhe ſhall bear upon my knees: that is, what ſhe ſhall bring forth, I will educate upon my knees, that I may alſo have children by her. And ſo did Leah, in the ſame caſe, give Zilpah her maid to her husband; making account, that the children ſhe ſhould bear, ſhould be hers; ſhe would adopt them for her own.
Obſerv. 1. Concerning Jealouſie; with the cauſes, and effects, and remedies thereof.Now here both Pareus and Muſculus do obſerve, how free Sarah was from jealouſie: ſhe feared him not, that he ſhould lay ſiege to the chaſtity of her maid: for here ſhe offereth her to him. A rare and a ſtrange thing, as Saint Chryſoſtom noteth upon this place, that a wife ſhould foreign: That a wife ſhould do thus, and adviſe her husband thus, and give ſuch liberty of her bed to her maid. Now, though we cannot juſtifie her in this fact; yet we cannot but commend her, with the former expreſſions, that ſhe was free from jealouſie. Zelotypia (according to the School-men) eſt vehemens motus amantis in rem amaram, Aquin. 1, 2. q. 28.ut non patiatur conſortium in re amata: Jealouſie is a vehement paſſion or affection of the minde towards a beloved object, not ſuffering any rival or co-partnerſhip in the thing affected. Jealouſie, in it ſelf ſimply, is not reprovable: God himſelf is ſaid to be a jealous God, in the ſecond Commandment:2 Cor. 11.2. and Saint Paul ſaith to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 11. that he was jealous over them with a godly jealouſie. And who can blame him that loveth his wife heartily, if he be fearful of any that would ſhare with him? But the jealouſie that is reprovable, is, when husbands or wives, upon light and ſlight grounds, (nay, oftentimes, upon no grounds, but their own conceits and apprehenſions, grow ſuſpitious of each other, and ſo make their condition uncomfortable: for the moſt ingenious malice could never invent ſuch a torment as this. They that are vexed with this ill ſpirit, can take no delight in any thing: ſometimes they grow mad and deſperate; but too too often fall upon revenge, and even wound the innocent.
Tully telleth how Thebe, the wife of Alexander Pheraius, Pertinent Hiſtories.ſlew her husband, becauſe ſhe ſuſpected him of incontinency. And Zonares tells how Eudoxia, a worthy woman, and wife to Theodoſius the younger, having received of the Emperour her husband an apple of an incredible bigneſs, ſhe gave it to Paulinus, a learned man Paulinus not knowing from whom the Empreſs had received it, giveth it, as a rare gift, to the Emperour. Hereupon, the Emperour ſendeth for his wife, and asketh her what ſhe had done with the apple. She (becauſe he did ſo earneſtly enquire after it) fearing, that if ſhe had ſaid ſhe had given it away, he would have been diſpleaſed, anſwered, that ſhe had eaten it. He urging her to tell the truth, ſhe ſwore ſhe had eaten it. Whereupon, the jealous Emperour ſlew innocent Paulinus, and hated his wife: his jealouſie was ſtirred, and he broke out into this unreaſonable revenge. This is that which Solomon ſaith, Prov. 6.34, 35. Jealouſie is the rage of a man; therefore he will not ſpare in the day of vengeance: he will not regard any ranſom, neither will he reſt content, though thou givest many gifts. And ſome have made Jealouſie to be a compound of Love, Fear, and Anger: a man loveth, and therefore he fears partnerſhip; and therefore is enraged, even out of the ſuſpition of it: if he dare not revenge, he pineth away, and eateth up his heart in a ſecret diſcontentment.
For the Uſe of this:
Firſt,Application let it teach man and wife to take heed of giving way to idle and vagabond phancies and ſuſpitions; not to think, becauſe they are fair, they are like to be falſe; or to judge an affable and chearful carriage, to be an enſigne of lewdneſs; or every look caſt upon another, to be a broker for luſt; or to be in company of ſuch a one, unleſs they are diſhoneſt: This is raſh judgement; nay, this is not judicium, but vitium; this is not judgement, but vice, and paſſion; contrary to true love, that, as the Apoſtle ſaith, hopeth all things, believeth all things, and is ready to interpret doubtful things to the beſt: this is to wrong thy yoke-fellow; and Satan purpoſely caſteth in, and fomenteth ſuch ſuſpitions, meerly to ſowre this ſweet condition: and this is to make way for thine own torment: this is not tollere crucem, to take up thy croſs, when it is laid upon thee; but creare crucem, to make a croſs, and to lay it upon thy ſelf.
But now in the ſecond place, Uſe 2 it ſhould teach man and wife ſo to walk, as that they give not to each other occaſion, whereby this ill ſpirit may be raiſed in them: for it cannot be denied, but ſome are too free and prodigal of themſelves in this kinde, ſometimes in their ſpeeches, ſometimes in their geſtures, ſometimes in their too frequent converſing with others, and ſeeming to take delight in their company, that they ſtir up a ſuſpition: and becauſe they are conſcious to themſelves (perhaps) of their own honeſty and loyalty, they think they offend not in this. But as Caeſar ſaid of a wife, ſo I ſay both of man and wife; They muſt not onelyonly be free from act, but even from the ſuſpition of evil: and the Apoſtle wiſheth them to abſtain from all appearance of evil; which if they do not, they ſin againſt God, ſin againſt their neighbour, in giving him occaſion to judge uncharitably; ſin againſt the married eſtate, by which they are bound to ſtudy each others contentment, and not willingly to do the leaſt thing that may diſtaſte each other.S. Jerome. Saint Jerome bringeth in one ſaying, Sufficit mihi conſcientia …a, ego habeo Deum judicem conſcientia: My conſcience cleareth me ſufficiently, and I have God the judge of my conſcience. But, ſaith he, A…di Apoſtolum dicentem; Hear what the Apoſtle ſaith; Provide things honeſt, not onelyonly in the ſight of God, but in the ſight of men. Conſcientia Deo, fama proximo: Thy conſcience lieth open unto God, thy credit to thy neighbour: which ointment if a man and woman ſhall not keep, as free as they can, from the leaſt flye, they fulfil not Gods commandment.
To go on.
If I may obtain children by her. Here the Fathers and Expoſitors do acquit her of luſt, and take knowledge of her deſire onelyonly to have a childe; and that not onelyonly for the contentment of her huſband, but that the world might be made happie: for God had promiſed a bleſſing to the world in Abrahams ſeed.
I do eaſily condeſcend unto them, that ſhe had no unclean purpoſe;Auguſt. lib. 16. de civit. Dei. nay I willingly, with Saint Auguſtine, excuſe both her and her husband, in that particular: Ab uxore cauſâ prolis ancilla marito traditur, à marito cauſâ prolis accipitur; ab utroque non culpae luxus, ſed naturae fructus requiritur: For iſſue ſake, the wife here giveth her handmaid; and for the ſame cauſe Abraham taketh her; by both of them, the fruit of the womb, and not the pleaſure, is deſired.
But yet to juſtifie her or him in this action, which the Fathers endeavour, I cannot: For, Obſerv. 2. Good intentions can no way juſtifie had actions. Rom. 3.8.How good ſoever the intention be, it will not juſtifie a bad action.
We know the peremptory rule of the Apoſtle, that evil muſt not be done, that good may come of it, Rom. 3. When Lot proſtituted his daughters, he intended good in it; and that was, The preſervation of the laws of hoſpitality, and the ſecurity of his gueſts: but he cannot be juſtified in it, becauſe the thing which he did, was ſimply unlawful in it ſelf. I know what is ſaid, that, Of two evils, he did chuſe the leſs: he deſired that they ſhould coire ſecundùm naturam; (ſeeing their wicked reſolution) that they ſhould keep the courſe of nature, rather then, è contra, at once to violate nature and hoſpitality. But this will not ſerve the turn: for though in evils that be poena, evils of puniſhment, a man may chuſe the leſs; ubi homo inermis invenitur, (ſaith Saint Gregory;) as,S. Gregory. when a man unarmed is ſurpriſed by his deſperate enemy, it is lawful to leap down ſome opportunity of eſcape: yet in thoſe which be culpae, thoſe evils of ſin, neither is to be choſen: And therefore they ſpeak more truly and ſafely, that make it an infirmity in him, and caſt onelyonly this cloke over it; that he did it animo perturbato, out of a troubled minde, ſuddenly, and not being well adviſed. The midwives of Egypt could not preſerve the males alive, but by inventing ſome cleanly ſhift, whereby to delude Pharaoh; and therefore they reſolve upon a lye. But certainly they did evil, that good might come of it, and therefore worthy of cenſure. And though it be ſaid, that God built them houſes, Exod. 1. yet Saint Auguſtine will tell us, Remunerata eſt benignitas mentis, S. Auguſtine.non iniquitas mentientis: that God did there recompence the tenderneſs of their minde, not the iniquity of their lye. Saul pretended a good end, in ſparing the fat things of the Amalekites, that therewith he might ſacrifice to the Lord, 1 Sam. 15. but that would not excuſe him;1 Sam. 15. for he flatly tranſgreſſed Gods commandment. Uzzah intended the ſafety of Gods Ark; he ſtretched out his hand, to ſtay it from falling: but God interpreted this, preſumption, and accordingly puniſhed it: for it belonged not to him, ſo much as to touch the Ark, 2 Sam. 6.2 Sam. 6. Doubtleſs Saint Peter meant no harm, but rather good to Chriſt, when he took him aſide, and diſſwaded him from his paſſion: But we ſee how ſharply Chriſt rebukes him for it. Certainly no intention, not of the beſt end, and the greateſt good, will bear a man out in the doing of that which is ſimply evil.
And the reaſon is, becauſe (as the School ſpeaks) malum non eſt in numero eligibilio um; evil is not in the number of things to be made choice of; and therefore neither to be choſen for its own ſake, nor yet propter aliud bonum, for any other good conſequent whatſoever: for, actus peccati non eſt ordinabilis in bonum finem: no act of ſin is in its nature orderable to any good end. In moral actions, if, for any intended end, we make choice of ſuch means as by the Law of God (which ought to be our rule) are ineligible, that action cannot be juſtified.
Secondly, Bonum eſt ex cauſa integra, malum ex partiali: Any partial or particular defect, in object, end, manner, or other circumſtance, is enough to make the whole action bad: but to make it good, there muſt be an univerſal concurrence of all requiſite conditions, in every of theſe reſpects. To make the face deformed, the want of an eye or noſe is enough: but to make it comely, there is required the due proportion of every part.
For the Uſe of this:
This point may ſerve us to great purpoſe;Application in the Church of Rome we know, how they impoſe upon credulous minds, with lying miracles, and themſelves have chriſtned them, pias fraudes, i.e. holy deceits: they have counterfeited Reliques, and made large Legends; they uſe equivocations, and they break Covenants; they plot treaſon,Againſt the Church of Rome blow up Parliament houſes: and all this they excuſe, becauſe their intent is the promoting of the Catholique cauſe: They have forgotten, or at leaſt will not remember, that a good intention will not juſtifie a bad action; and that evill muſt not be done, that good may come of it; it is too common among us to tell untroths, officious lyes as we call them,S. Auguſtine. to procure the benefit of them; but this cannot be juſtified, for Saint Auguſtine will tell us; that nullo bonae cauſae obtutu, no pretence or intent of any good will juſtifie us, in doing of that which is evil; and he will not have one lye for the preſervation of anothers chaſtity, of anothers life; nay ad ſempirernam ſalutem nullus ducendus eſt opitu lante mendacio; no man is to be led unto eternal life it ſelf, by the conduct of a lye: the glory of God is the greateſt good, and the higheſt end, and yet a lye may not be told for that.Iob. 13.7. Job asketh them, Ch. 13. Will you ſpeak wickedly for God, and talke deceitfully for him? and if not for the glory of God; Certainly not for any inferior end. A man ſcrapeth and raketh together unjuſtly, and purpoſeth to build an hoſpitall with that he hath ſo gotten; he is wicked, and ſo he may call that pile Acheldama, for it is the monument of a bloody devotion. Shall a man ſteal leather, to make the poor ſhooes? Shall a man purloyn from his maſter, or the wife from the husband, to beſtow it upon works of charity? Satan taketh great advantage from hence, that men can plead an intendment of good; for by this means, ſin is not only boldly committed, but ſtoutly defended; as we ſee in thoſe our Saviour ſpeaketh of,Ioh. 16.2. Acts. 26.9. Joh. 16. That when they kill the ſaints, think they do God ſervice: and Saint Paul ſaith of himſelf: Acts. 26. He verily thought, that he ought to do many things, contrary to the name of Jeſus of Nazareth. Let us therefore alwayes remember, that good intentions do not make good actions: the means muſt be good, as well as our meaning, if we will have our actions pleaſing unto God.
Further, If I may obtain children by her: It is in the Hebrew foreign Si aedificer per ipſam; if I may be built by her: for foreign is aedificavit, or extruxit, to build; and from thence is the Hebrew word foreign filius, and foreign filia, a ſon and a daughter: and it is to be obſerved; becauſe it ſheweth, that children are ſaid to build the houſe; they keep up the name of the parents, and make them and their houſe known when they are dead.S. Jerom. Deut. 25.9. Diligenter nota (ſaith Saint Jerom) quòd procreatio liberorum eſt aedificatio. Deut. 25. God would have the next brother (the elder dying without iſſue,) to marry the wife, and raiſe up ſeed unto his brother; if he did refuſe to do it,Obſerv. 3. Poſterity to the building of the houſe of family. the wife was to complain to the Elders; and if he ſtood to it, to refuſe it, ſhe was to pluck off his ſhooe, and to ſpit in his face, and to ſay thus ſhall it be done to the man that will not build up his brothers houſe: foreign. Raiſing up ſeed and building the houſe, are the ſame; ſo the prayer of the inhabitants of Bethlehem, in the behalf of Boaz and Ruth, chap. 4.11. That the woman that commeth into his houſe, may be as Rachel and Leah, which two did build the houſe of Jſrael; and how did they build it? even by bearing of children to Jacob their husband: it is ſaid of Abſolon, that in his life time he had reared up for himſelf a pillar in the Kings dale; for he ſaid, I have no Son to keep my name in remembrance; and he called the pillar, by his own name. 2 Sam. 18. Becauſe he wanted the other building,2 Sam. 18.18. (he had no ſon) he would be known to poſterity, by this monument.
For the Uſe of this:
It meets with a great number in theſe times,Application who forget that children are the builders of their houſe; for by their lewd wofull courſes, they are the ruine of them: There is a ſon that cauſeth ſhame, Prov. 17.2. and a fooliſh ſon; that is, he that is ungodly, is the calamity of his father; he ſhameth himſelf and his father, and his family; yea he pulleth down the houſe, from whence he came: A great man ſometimes in this kingdome, whoſe progenitors had been careleſs, would be drawn with a trowel in his hand; and this word out of his mouth, ad aedificandam domum antiquam: to repaire an ancient houſe: but how many have we, that come of ancient houſes, and by their miſdemeanours, and living as the Prodigal did, foreign riotouſly, by being ſcatter-goods, bring themſelves to that which Solomon ſpeaks of; in their hand is found nothing, Eccleſ. 5.Eccleſ. 5.15. The father did not ſo diligently uſe the rake, as they the forke; as if an eſtate had been left them only, ad diſsipandum, to be ſcattered; people look upon them, and call them the ruine of their houſe: what have thoſe to anſwer for, that ſuffer the light of their family to go out by their inordinate courſes! that having had good education, and great eſtates left, diſcolour from the one, and diſſipate the other! that diſhonour God, and undoe their ſouls; ſhame their progenitours, ruine their poſterity!
In the ſecond place, let it teach children to keep up the houſe, as much as in them lyeth; if their parents and anceſtors have been vertuous, let them tread in their ſteps; let them put them on, (as it was ſaid of the ſons of Conſtantine,) foreign, that they put on all the vertues of their father; and let them chiefly and wiſely preſerve that eſtate, which hath been left them; this is to keep up the houſe; if they have been bad and ill husbands, let them by their courſe make amends, for former defects; and repaire the breaches that have been made in their family: how acceptable are ſuch to God? and how gracious are they, in the eyes of all good men? who lendeth them not a good word? and ſpendeth not a good wiſh upon them, that they may go on and proſper? but I ſtand no longer upon this.
There might be further obſerved out of this clauſe, that ſhe ſaith foreign, perhaps I may obtain children; ſo that we ſee, ſhe falleth into an errour, out of hope of a future, contingent, caſuall event: it is no more, but perhaps, or it may be; nay the truth is, ſhe was not built by this meanes, as ſhe hoped; for this childe that ſhe aymeth at, proveth afterwards a vexation unto her; for he mocked the ſon of her own womb Jſaac; which doth ſo trouble her, that ſhe cannot be quiet, till both he and his mother be caſt out, as you ſhall finde,Gen. 21. at the twenty firſt Chapter of this Book: yea and the poſterity of the childe, proveth adverſaries and enemies to the poſterity of Jſaac: Pſal. 83.6.as we ſhall finde, Pſal. 83. Among the enemies of the Jſraelites are the Hagarens and the Jſmaelites: ſo do peoples projects fail them, which they have laid without conſulting, or asking counſel of God:Obſerv. 4. No running into certain errour for any certain good, muchleſs for a contingent. they take up their arrow, and ſhoot by the marke they aymed at; nay like an ill-charg'd peice, their plots recoil upon themſelves; and they finde their own counſels a ſnare unto them; but ſhould they ſucceed, what folly is it, with Sarah, to do that for the preſent, which is unwarrantable, upon a peradventure? an hope of Son-ſhip, that is only contingent and doubtfull? And yet ſuch fools there are, too many in the world: they take untoward courſes, out of an hope to make themſelves rich; and yet it is but a perhaps, whether their lives ſhall hold, or not: they uſe vitious ways, to get honour; and yet its but perhaps, whether they ſhall attain unto it.Application Omnia nactus ſum, & nihil expedit. For, how many may ſay with that heathen, foreign: I have got all things that I aimed at, and yet nothing profited: Yea, when they have thought to reap their harveſt, have with Ixion embraced a cloud, in ſtead of Juno. How many go on in ſin, to the preſent wounding of their ſouls, upon an hope that they ſhall have a time of repentance, and be able to recollect themſelves? A perhaps onelyonly. And often have we known thoſe that have caſt themſelves upon this perhaps, to have been taken away ſuddenly, or to have died ſuddenly, without any ſignes of contrition for ſin. Alas! do we think what ſhall come afterward? This is onelyonly known to God, what a day may bring forth; and therefore let us look to our ways, and that we do nothing but what we can juſtifie; and that will bear out it ſelf.
I come now to the fourth cauſe of the marriage of Abraham and Sarah; and that is, Abrahams yeelding to the motion of his wife: foreign; He liked of the counſel and reſolution, to follow it:Obſerv. 5. Uxeriouſneſs oft ſinful and unmanly. Which howſoever the Fathers would palliate, yet we cannot but charge him with a ſinful uxoriouſneſs. It ſhould ſeem, he had ſome freſh deſire, upon her ſpeech, to be a father, though by this by-way: And again; his wife pretending ſo much care of him, and affection unto him, and ſtudy of his contentment; he thought, by neglecting her advice, he might diſpleaſe: Et metuit contriſtari, Toſtatus in loc.(as Toſtatus ſaith) he was loath to grieve her. This (I ſay) was a ſinful uxoriouſneſs, ſuch as was in Adam, that was perſwaded by his wife, to eat of the forbidden fruit: and*Eſpenſaeus. one ſaith, He fell not ſo much out of an errour of judgement, as ex ſociali neceſsitudine, & amicabili benevolentia; out of the attraction of ſociety, and friendly compliance with his partner. So it was the fault of Moſes, that he would yeeld ſo far to his wife, as to neglect the circumciſing of his childe, to give her contentment. And Solomon was uxorious, in yeelding to his wives for the practice of idolatry: the ſame (ſaith Solomon) pay not, as he did, becauſe he would not dalicius contriſtari; practiſed as they did, leſt he ſhould offend his concubines. Thus uxorious was Ahab, who was ſwayed by his wife, to do as ſhe would have him, 1 Kings 21.1 Kings 21. he is ſaid to have done evil by the inſtigation of Jezebel. And inſtances are very frequent in theſe times, of thoſe, both Magiſtrates and others, that liſten ſo much to the counſel of wives, and their pleadings, that buſineſſes are wrong carried, and their huſbands diſcredited, yea ſometimes ruined.
For the Uſe of this:
Let husbands beware of this uxoriouſneſs.Application Gen. 21.12. Wherein wives adviſe well, let them hearken unto them: as God ſaith to Abraham, Gen. 21. In all that Sarah hath ſaid unto thee, hearken unto her voice. And it had been well for Haman, if he had liſtned to that which Zereſh ſaid to him; If Mordecai be of the ſeed of the Jews, before whom thou haſt begun to fall, thou ſhalt not prevail againſt him. And for Pilate, if he had hearkened to the meſſage his wife ſent him: Have thou nothing to do with that juſt man.
But when they ſhall adviſe that which is evil, we muſt ever take heed of hearkening to them: we muſt rather chuſe to diſpleaſe them, then God. God giveth caution, that if the wiſe that lieth in a mans boſome, ſhall entice him to idolatry; he ſhall not hearken unto her, Deut. 13.6. And it was a worthy diſpoſition in David, who, when his wife reproved him for dancing before the Ark; anſwereth, in effect, that if it were to do again, he would do it; his edge ſhould not be taken off by her flout; yea, he would be more vile before his God, 2 Sam. 6. And it was a good Spirit in Job, 2 Sam. 6.when his wife moved him to that which was evil; he rejected her, and telleth her, She ſpeaketh like a fooliſh woman: and ſo ſhe did indeed, that upbraided him with conſtant uprightneſs, and would have him curſe God, and die. It is true, that much may be done in things indifferent, to give the wife ſatisfaction: for elſe there may be that in an houſe, which Solomon calleth a continual dropping. But in things unlawful, for an huſband to yeeld to the wife, is that which offendeth God, and forfeiteth that authority which God hath given him, in regard of his wife. And let me adviſe wives, not to preſume upon the intereſt they have in the affection of their husbands, to purſue upon them that which they may not lawfully do. They are ill yoke-fellows, that would wiſh them to offend God, for the giving of them ſatisfaction: to ſlight ſin againſt God, ſo they may have their will. They ſhould be helpful, and not hurtful: they ſhould make their judgements to ſubmit to their husbands, and no way affect that their paſſion ſhould conquer his reaſon.
Again: obſerve, how free Abraham was from the thought of any indirect courſe, to haſten Gods work, till this was propounded by his wife; he did patiently wait Gods leaſure: And though every day he grew older, and more unlikely, in the judgement of fleſh and blood, to have a childe; yet he gave credit to Gods promiſe, and in much meekneſs expected the accompliſhment: and now, upon this ſuggeſtion of his wife, we ſee how he goeth in. We may ſee Obſerv. 3. The force of temptation, and frailty of the beſt.How apt we are to fall, when temptation cometh.
Indeed, we know not our ſelves, or our own ſtrength, till then. And therefore they are called foreign, temptations: for they do foreign, or foreign, broach the veſſel, and ſee what is in it: Talis quiſpiam, qualis in tentatione; for, ſuch is every one, as he is in temptation.
Gen. 12.Abrahams danger in Egypt, Gen. 12. was a bold temptation; and we ſee there how he carrieth it. Moſes, that was the ſweeteſt ſpirited man in the world; yet at the waters of ſtrife is tempted, and ſpeaks unadviſedly. David, that was free from luſt before; yet, upon the ſight of the woman waſhing her ſelf, was tempted and overcome. And ſo it was with his ſon Solomon; and with Hezekiah, upon the coming of the King of Babels meſſengers. And ſo it was with Peter, for all his former proteſtations; yet, being tempted, through the fear of loſing his life, he was conquered: And ſo afterward, when he halted between the Jew and the Gentile, Gal. 2.
Who findes not this? Though we can bid defiance to temptations when they are abſent, and ſay, Oh, we would not be thus and thus; yet when they preſent themſelves, we are too ſoon foiled by them. Places and Offices have corrupted ſome men, that were honeſt before: Company hath tempted thoſe, that came in pure: Some occaſion offered for theft or luſt, hath ſubdued a man ſuddenly, that never before had the like motion.
For the Uſe:
ApplicationLet us pray then, as our Saviour biddeth us, that we enter not into temptation.
Secondly, labour we to fortifie our hearts with grace, and fear them with the fear of God; that when temptations come, we may be able to reſiſt them. 'Tis nothing for a man to be chaſte, where there is no tentation to uncleanneſs; for a man to be temperate at a poor and lean table; to be meek and moderate, when we are not provoked: nothing for the ſervant not to ſteal, when his maſters eye is upon him: But, when temptation cometh, then to ſtand upright, argueth the power of grace: As we ſee in Joſeph, ſollicited by his miſtreſs; and David, when he had Saul in the cave, and all circumſtances invited him to take revenge.
Thirdly, whenſoever we are foiled by temptation, let us blame our ſelves; for did not we yield, we could not be overcome: it is not in the power of any man or woman living; nay not of Satan himſelf to hurt us, if we could keep our own: Satan ſuadere poteſt, cogere non poteſt, (ſaith the Father:) non extorquet conſenſum, ſed petit. The devil may perſwade, but he cannot compell; he doth not inforce conſent, but begg it: He may foreign, but not foreign. i.e. He may ſeduce, but he cannot neceſſitate us: Sarahs temptation had been fruſtrate, if Abraham had not yielded; and therefore let us lay the blame, where it ſhould lye; challenge not God, nor men, nor Satan, but our own deceitful hearts; for every man (ſaith the Apoſtle) when he is tempted, is drawn away by his own concupiſcence.
Laſtly, Obſerve here, that though Abraham had before been tempted, and ſtood it out manfully; yet here he yieldeth and gives in: when he was called out of his own country, you may well think he ſuffered a ſhrewd aſſault, to leave his dwelling, his friends and kindred, and all his accommodations, and yet he overcame thoſe difficulties; afterwards when diſſention was between his and Lots herdmen; and no queſtion, he was tempted to ſtand upon his ſeniority and precedency; he had been the maker of his nephew under God; and therefore why ſhould not he ſubmit to his conditions; and yet for peace ſake, he conquereth himſelf ſo far, as to yield of his own right, and to give Lot the liberty of choice. Again, there was a tentation lay in the King of Sodoms offer of the ſpoiles unto him; and yet he is ſo reſolute, that he will not be enriched, ſo much as a ſhooe-latchet by him: and yet now, when this tentation commeth, here he yieldeth, and hearkneth to the voice of his wife: why did he not ſay to her upon her motion? My dear wife, I am not ſo blinde or ſtupid, as not to diſcern the great care that thou haſt of my contentment; and how willingly ſhould I embrace it; but that the thing is not lawfull in it ſelf, and would argue diffidence in the promiſe of God, on which I have depended all this while: both thou and I are to yield our ſelves to God, and not to preſcribe him the time or manner of beſtowing the bleſſing: I dare not condeſcend unto thee in this particular; but none of all this ſaid he, but as ſoon as ſhe mooveth, he conſenteth; and thus we ſee;
That it is poſſible for the childe of God,Obſerv. 7. that quitteth himſelf well in one temptation, to be foiled by another. David that bore himſelf well, in that untoward carriage of Saul towards him; yet fayleth when he is provoked by Nabal, and preſently voweth revenge: and though he carryed himſelf well, in the rayling of Shimet; yet not ſo well at Abſolons death: Job at firſt was ſo patient, that he did not ſin with his mouth; but afterward he ſpeaketh unadviſedly: And Jonah, that is of a meek ſpirit when he is detected in the ſhip, is in a Voge becauſe of the gourd; and we finde it thus ordinarily: he that quitted himſelf well in a temptation to ambition, hath fayled when he hath been tempted to covetouſneſs; and he that quitted himſelf well in both the former, hath failed in a temptation to luſt and uncleanneſs: He that hath reſiſted drunkenneſs, yet hath yielded to gluttony.
For the Uſe of this:
ApplicationFirſt, for others: Let us be tender in our cenſures of them, when they are carried away, by this or that temptation; it is incident to the beſt; and we know not how their temptations have been edged: neither let us deſpair of them, becauſe they have been foiled, that they will ſtill hereafter go by the worſe; no, they may recover themſelves, and be more valiant; (as it is ſaid of Caſtiis and Emilius in Saint Cyprian, S. Cyprian.) fortiores ab ignibus facti ſunt, quibus ante ceſſerant; their chriſtian fortitude was the more kindled, by the ſight of thoſe flames, which before they ſtartled at; the old ſaying was, he that flyeth, may fight again.
1 Cor. 10.10.Secondly, For our ſelves, let us not preſume on't; (as the Apoſtle ſaith; 1 Cor. 10.) Let him that ſtandeth, take heed leſt he fall; Let us not be high-minded, but fear, conſidering how many ſnares lye in our way, and how weak we are of our ſelves. And Thirdly, Let us beg of God, his confirming and ſtrengthning grace; gratia ad ſingulos actus requiritur, (was the Fathers ſaying againſt the Pelagians:) if Gods grace be not ever at hand to help us; though we have ſtood it out, in an hundred great temptations, we may be foyled, in a poor and contemptible occaſion.
Preached, May 19. 1641.